Studio time

I'm taking advantage of this little slow time to work in my studio. Work has been a little slow - not many calls - the last two weeks. Rehearsals aren't yet underway for "Witness". I have 3 meetings this week for various church committees - Administrative Council, Pastor-Parish Committee and the one that I chair - Worship and Missions. It's really too many "church meetings" for one week. I wish God would help me understand what He has in mind for our little church. They don't understand that in order to grow they have to change. They just want to "attract new people" to the church by doing things the same way that they have for the last 30 years. I introduced the projector a couple of years ago, and they like it okay - but they don't want to do the great new music, they want to sing from the old hymnals. Yeah, right...that will bring in people seeking God who are just learning. They make me tired. I bet they make God tired, too.

Okay - I'm done with that conversation.

Now - the postcard series got finished. It ended up kind of fun and flirty. The worst part was when I finished the top with a diamond glaze it made some of the collaged papers below pucker and bubble. With a little work, some of it lay flat again, but not all. As per the swap instructions, I also sent an artists statement. As an extra goody, I made a copy of the song the series was based on and sent it, too. Also finished the recycled container swap. I covered a cigar box with embossed felt and vintage buttons. The buttons were stacked and lined up on the top. The inside was a kind of rich looking  print. The Christian matchbox swap turned out well, too. An "illuminated" Jesus was the focus on the top and a cool laughing Jesus pic on the bottom with the "fruit of the spirit" scripture. I used torn handmade paper as a  base. Also used part of a vintage necklace to outline the top.

I'm still working on the "create a world" Joseph Cornell-esq swap. I've got my box painted with a blue-black and I've been playing with some very small humenoids made of sculpy. I'm thinking of gathering  several "people" off center and looking up and calling the whole thing "star gazers" or "hello up there" or somethng like that. I've also been playing with the idea of layering papers and light gels (colored acetate), and putting in a light-up element in the box.
I'm afraid the littlle sculpy guys won't travel well when they need to be mailed.

Tax time is here, too. Being an independant contractor / sole proprietor is such a pain when it comes to taxes. This will be the first year that my DH has a W-2. Always worked for himself before. I hope that enough money was taken out for taxes from his paychecks that we don't owe too much this year. Always such a worry.

More later,
Indygirl