ATCs made for Art For All 2009 and my thoughts on the trip

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Throughout this post there are the cards I both painted and quilted for Art for All 2009.
What is Art for All? Well, it’s a gathering of online folks who trade and make ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) over at ATCSForALL.com. I’ve been a member for a long time, including being a member of the site it all grew out of, atcards.com, which is now defunct.

So the idea is that we would all get together, meet, trade, learn techniques from each other, and otherwise generally make stuff and gab. My roommate, the awesome VintagePix, took bunches of photos you can see on her Flickr.
I thought the weekend was great. I had a good time meeting people I have been online buddies with for a while, and the classes were great. Were there some problems? A few, but nothing that “ruined it” for me. Scheduling changed often, which for someone like me is a problem (I like having one plan, and don’t like changing plans). The art room was acknowledged by all to be too small for all of us to work in. But really, those are minor things compared to how much fun we had.
I enjoyed seeing how people interacted as far as trading in person went, because it was so interesting. I don’t know if some folks were prepared for the honesty and “facial reaction” to your trading book as those things are hidden online. I also found it psychologically fascinating as to the value a person places on their art over another person’s. I found the reaction to fabric cards interesting as well, and it was remarked to me once that they did not seem like they took a long time to make (as what? compared to their cards, perhaps?). I believe this perception changed a bit when they saw me sewing them. It was also strange to be called by your online user name all the time! 🙂
I don’t know what I can do logistically to get my sewing machine to the next one if not held in Indianapolis, so we will have to see if I can even attend the next one, but I enjoyed this one a great deal and hope to do it again.

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This and That

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Ever get an idea out of your head, executed, and then find yourself a bit drained to even begin the next project? That’s where I am right now. The “big” quilt is done. So now what? The next ideas are forming, but taking their time.
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I am planning a trip to Indianapolis soon with the group from ATCsForAll.com, and I’ve been feverishly working on ATCs to trade there. I’m super stoked to be taking the various art classes there… And I get to meet all these folks whom I’d only “met” and know virtually.
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I got a netbook, because while I love my Blackberry it doesn’t “do” internet the way I need to. Forums, and other sites like that, they don’t operate the way they need to for me. So a netbook solves lots of littel travel internet problems for me. This will allow me to keep up with Quilting Arts’ Forum, ATCsForAll, plus my various facey-spaces and tweetspots. Now my favorite part will be getting a purse big enough for the netbook. I should make a swanky quilted cover for it.
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I’m also working on a new blog header for up there… It’s so bland…

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This is my 250th blog post! It’s my goal to post more often now.

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What do you think I should work on (in a meta sense): Patterns for things like the Japanese Dolls and Monsters? Or work on a lecture about my small works to do a local lecture circuit? I put a poll to the right… Give it a try for me?

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