In Memory of Suzee Que

I discovered sad news tonight that will touch many of you. Flickr's Suzee Que passed away suddenly April 13th. She has inspired many of us with her photostream full of gorgeous images "free to use" in our own artwork. I am so thankful that I had the wits to thank her in person and let her know how much I appreciated the treasures she left. This, believe me, is quite a miracle because I am not usually thoughtful enough to do such things, though I wish I was. I sent her a group of prints once using her images as a small gesture to try and repay her for her immense generosity. The piece below, which is still the only original piece I've kept of my own work, uses two of her images as the centerpiece and remains my all time favorite. Without her images, I actually might not have found myself where I've landed, because it was with this "ahah" piece that I knew the direction I wanted to take my work. I can say with all sincerity, that Suzee Que touched my life and my artistic journey and I will forever be grateful.


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 8/13/09. All rights reserved. You may NOT copy, download, or use this image in any way without my permission.

Happy Wednesday!

Well, things are just starting to slow down to a more doable pace. I haven't hardly seen the light of day in 3 weeks, but the shop is running smoothly and I have a few days to try and catch up everywhere else. If you haven't stopped by, be sure to visit DeviantScrap.com and check things out. There are contests and freebies and a great gallery of inspiration from scrapbooking to skinnies to postcards. You will probably recognize some work over there as a few people you know are either on my Creative Team or Hollie's - they are all so talented and I'll share more about them after they've had a chance to figure it all out. New designers and new products will be added in the next couple of weeks so be sure to keep visiting regularly!

I got to actually make two pieces of art today, no digi stuff for the first time in days and days and days. The first is a skinny for a swap. My friend, Marion of bockel24 is hosting a cool Beatles ATC swap and since I didn't have a chance to play in her annual swap this time, I decided to make the skinny I owed her a little Beatle-y.

She's Got a Ticket to Ride


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen, 4/27/10. All rights reserved. Please do not copy, print, download, or use this image in any way without permission.
This is a 4 x 8 skinny collage using pieces from my own digital collage element packs at DeviantScrap.com. All pieces were hand cut and most were retouched with ink and pastel.

The next piece was just something I had floating around in my head for a few days. It was my first piece "back to work" in a while so it's a little rough and awkward, but I liked the idea and it was fun to play.

Urchin Head


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen, 4/27/10. All rights reserved. Please do not copy, print, download, or use in any way without my permission.
This is an 8 x 10 journal style collage using a face and body parts from my digital collage packs at DeviantScrap.com. All other pieces are from Holliewood Studios' The Collector Kit, also at DeviantScrap.com and were used with a commercial license.

I have a couple of more swaps to take care of and some house chores but then I can finally take some time to relax and make some long overdue blog visits and flickr looking. I miss everyone so much! I have more new digi packs to make next week and then I think I will have found my footing for the new shop, Etsy, making art, and blogging. I hope!

The store "BROKE"!

Just a follow up to the BIG REVEAL below. The shop was so busy this morning that the server crashed! If you have trouble getting in today, it's being worked on by the server people!

It's HERE!

The BIG REVEAL . . . . Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to invite you to visit . . .




(sorry I can't make the picture bigger in my blog layout)

DeviantScrap.com! Be sure to check out all the nooks and crannies - blog, mission statement, gallery, challenges and contests for free products, deviations, tutorials and inspirations, and, of course, the shop (there's some must have freebies!). This is a newborn baby, it has lots to learn and will grow with many new exciting designers over the next few weeks and months. The whole idea behind this new site, created by the very talented Holliewood Studios, is to provide images for mixed media artists and scrapbook artists alike, thinking outside the box!


*sigh* Now, I can breathe. I think! I know how hard I've been working the last three weeks so I have no idea how Hollie is doing. Hope to get back to my roots this week and make some of my "normal" art, lift my head up and take a look around at the rest of the world. But I do hope you'll visit DeviantScrap - if for nothing but the inspiration you'll find in the gallery. And keep coming back - new products, new designers will be added regularly!

And, we have a new group on flickr too . . . . DeviantScrap

I don't have much art made, due to learning Photoshop and extracting and creating digital images, but I do have one new piece that hasn't been seen here yet . . .

Genuine


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 3/19/2010. All rights reserved. Please do not copy, print, download, or use this image in any way without permission.

This is an 8 x 10 collage using a face from DigitalScrapSheets.etsy.com, a body from flickr’s Funky Art Queen, “halos” from Anahata Katkin’s Spare Parts, and a viewmaster reel from Tumble Fish Studio. Everything else is from the Art Dollies kit by Holliewood Studios at DeviantScrap.com. These pieces were reprinted and hand trimmed with scissors before attaching to the background. All were edged in ink and some shaded with ink and/or pastel.

Text reads "So many of the friends we choose end up not being who we thought they would be for us. Sometimes their lives change. Sometimes our needs change. When it's all said and done, just be sure you are true to yourself before you worry about pleasing anyone else."

2 days until lift off!

You all have let me tease you with clues . . . here's another. The surprise is almost here!


(made by Tara of Just My Two Cents)

And, here's a little more . . .


(made by me)

The above piece was made entirely with images from my new digital all png Element Packs. Wanna see more? Keep an eye out . . . the cat is about to be out of the bag . . .


(made by Trudi of Two Dresses Studio)

It's getting closer!

Here's another clue . . . Hollie of Holliewood Studios made this to tease and taunt you . . .




All will be revealed very, very soon! Back to work getting things ready . . .

Can't wait to show you . . .

but I can't show you yet. Wanna know what's coming? Here's a little clue . . .

I didn't make this piece but Hollie of Holliewood Studios did and some of my new collage elements are in it. You'll have to wait to see more!

Same story, different page

I am behind again! Oh! I love reading your comments and when I do I think I'm going to pop over and . . . well, this time my lack of blog hopping is for good reason and only temporary. As you may know, I recently joined the Holliewoood Studios creative team, my first ever experience doing that. And, just as I was getting in the swing of that, Hollie asked if I'd like to join the Design Team in her new endeavor (coming soon - can't wait to give you details in the next few days!). So, I have learned what little I can of Photoshop at light speed putting together my first ever all digital 300 dpi png packs. I'm not doing full kits yet, just element packs. So, I've been revamping my old little collage sheets, cleaning up images, getting better quality and adding lots of new images. Bodies, heads, labels, borders, alphabets . . . all coming soon! I'm so excited I can't stand it! You'll see it all here when the time comes in just about 2 weeks!

And, I'm building my own website with the help of Artuit. I'll be sharing info on that too! So excuse me while I get back to work! I'll be back here with new stuff to show you in the next few days!

Just puttin' up a couple of swap pieces . . .

. . . before they get too old to post at the rate I've been doing that lately!

This first one was for a postcard swap I'm in. Originally, it was a 4 x 6 collage, but I liked it so much I resized it a bit digitally and added it to my Etsy as a 5 x 7 limited edition print. I like it because it reminded me of how a good friend used to say to me "Get down with your bad self Mamafish", which is hysterical if you know what a dork and old ordinary "mom" I am. But the fish are part of that nickname I have and the duck feet remind me of my dad (he was a waterfowl and fish biologist)

Love Your Freaky Self


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 4/6/10. All rights reserved. Please do not copy, print, download or use without permission.

This is a 4 x 6 postcard for a swap. The face is from LandofEnchantment.etsy.com, the body is from Itkupilli.etsy.com, and the duck legs are from Artchix.com. The border pieces were used from scraps from previous collages and come from Crowabout.etsy.com, Holliewood Studios, and my own collage sheets. Everything was hand trimmed and edged with ink and/or hand colored with ink and pastel.

These are my first two envelopes for swaps. I am an envie virgin! So, hope to get better at these . . .
Transportation theme (back)


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 3/2010. All rights reserved.
Image credits: designer Kim Liddiard of Digital Scrapbook Place for the rockets, siefert2.etsy.com for the flying pig, designer Sande Krieger of Two Peas in a Bucket for some of the trims, DigitalCollageSheets.etsy.com, Christina Renee of Christina Renee Designs for some of the trims, and Holliewood Studios for the grass.

Coffee theme (front)



(back)


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 4/2010. All rights reserved.
Image credits: Almost everything from the French Cafe kit by Christina Renee Designs, except for the numbered coffee strip from flickr's sassyarts, and the spoon from Holliewood Studios.

These magnets are for another swap I'm in for a row of house magnets. I reused most of the pieces from the house tags I made recently. Nothing new and exciting, really.


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 4/2010. All rights reserved.
Image credits for magnets: Holliewood Studios at Oscraps.com, Studio Jen U and Studio Lorie at Scrapbookgraphics.com, siefert2.etsy.com, lisasalteredart.etsy.com, Christine Honsinger at Scrapartist.com, Sande Krieger at Two Peas in a Bucket, keeperofthenest.etsy.com, LandofEnchantment.etsy.com, indigochyld.etsy.com, crowabout.etsy.com, Lauren Bavin at digitalscrapbookplace.com, Christina Renee Designs, Crowabout,etsy.com and DigitalCollageSheets.etsy.com. All images were used with a commercial license when required.

Hello? Are you there?

I'm here . . . finally. Lots of irons in the fire take lots of tending I guess. It should all settle down soon but a few more crazy days of random projects. Exciting things coming soon!

Here's just a bit of art I've managed to make lately . . .

Portrait of Somebody's Somebody


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 4/5/2010. All rights reserved. Please do not copy, download, print or use without permission.
This is a small 5 x 7 collage using a lady from FrenchKissed.etsy.com, wings from Itkupilli.etsy.com, and scrolls from Fidlette Designs. The lady was hand colored. All other elements are from Holliewood Studios and used with a commercial license. Kits used were Old School, Love and War, and What's Up Tiger Lilly. All pieces were reprinted and hand trimmed with scissors, edged with ink and highlighted with pastel.

Fairy of the Nite, Strictly Business


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 3/24/10. All rights reserved. Please do not copy, download, print or use this image in any way without permission.
This is a large 8 x 10 mixed media collage using a face from DigitalCollageSheets.etsy.com and body from Graby Braun of gaby cajubrasil.blogspot.com. The wings are from Itkupilli.etsy.com. All other elements are from the The Thing Finder Kit from Holliewood Studios. These 30 plus pieces were reprinted, hand cut with scissors, and recolored by hand before attaching to the background.

I get the best mail! Here's a skinny from my pal Lorraine of Creative Daily blog. You'll see that not only did she send me this scrumptious fabric skinny, but an equally lovely fabric envelope that wrapped it. And, she sent me fabric pieces too as I had told her that I am going to try some fabric pieces soon. Oh, I have been so late in posting this, but I have delighted in having it on my desk to see and feel everyday.



And I got a lovely bookmark from my guardian angel, Roc of What's Up Roc blog. She has just about the biggest heart of anyone I have ever met and her art always tickles my soul. She is one of my most favorite people in the world so every piece I manage to weasel out of her is very special to me.



For a lovely blog post that will make you take pause, visit my friend Trudi at Two Dresses Studio. Here's the link . . . http://twodressesstudio.blogspot.com/2010/04/something-to-think-about.html

Have a great week everyone!