Tumble Fish Studio

New paper kits and drawing winner!

2011-11-30T16:28:00.000-08:00

I'm late, I'm late, I'm late! I'm so late to post the winner of the drawing I was going to announce on Monday and I'm so sorry. No excuse but my normal running amuck (which by the way I just learned you can spell either amok or amuck). Trying to balance work with the Holidays and recent family events and I'm kinda all over the place.

So first, here are two new kits released today . . . two variations of papers I saved from my grandmother, mostly the backs of recipes and papers with words to songs, which were fun to re-read. The same papers were used for both kits. Granny Papers shows the original vintage papers and Illuminated Papers includes the same papers with color added. (sorry, no jpg sheet version of these kits)

Illuminated Papers kit

Granny Papers kit

Drawing Winner!
I kinda snuck the last drawing in at the end of a post so we didn't have that many entries. I did really appreciate reading the thoughtful comments left though - it prompted me add to my list of things to be thankful for myself. Since we didn't have a ton, I just did a quick paper draw to find our winner . . . who is . . .

Laure Janus of Chaos and Art blog!
Congratulations Laure! I'll be emailing you your $10 coupon!

If you didn't win this time, don't be sad . . . we'll be having several more drawings in December!

Happy Thanksgiving, Humungous Sale!

2011-11-22T18:34:00.000-08:00

Esprit

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 11/11/11. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: most parts from Tumble Fish Studio image kits including Freestyle, Freestyle 2, and Framed. Part of background from private stash and sparkles from Finecrafted Designs.

ThanksGiving . . .
I didn't have time as I had hoped to prepare a special Thanksgiving treat for you. Things have been a little crazy here. We've had some unusual stresses in our family recently and then to top things off, my husband was in the hospital all last weekend after having a mini-stroke or TIA on Friday. He is doing fine, no permanent damage, but a bit of a mortality and reality check for us. My family and I have so many blessings to be thankful for and we are, but I want you to know I am particularly thankful for all of my art, blog, and customer friends. Your support all along my journey has been one of the best, most precious gifts of my life. So, I am thankful for ALL OF YOU! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Anther humungous 40% off sale . . .
Not to be missed, Deviant Scrap is having another giant sale! Most designers, including me, are offering 40% off most kits (excluding new releases). It won't be happening again for quite some time so if you missed the last big sale, here's one more chance to stock up! (picture below linked to my shoppe) I just put all the sale prices up tonight and the sale ends Sunday at midnight.

While you're shopping at Deviant Scrap this weekend, you might be interested in this very special swap we are having . . . a cookie recipe exchange. More details can be found by following the linked picture below, but participants will email me their cookie recipes decorated in whatever tradition or theme they wish. At the end of the swap, participants will be given a special download code to download all of the recipe cards from all the other participants gathered in a handy digital kit. (no mailing necessary)

I know some of you hate seeing it too early, but I've been bitten by the Christmas bug! Actually, I think I've been stifling the urge to Christmas-tize things for about a month now. To show off my new Christmas kits, here are a couple of new pieces . . .

Happy Christmas

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 11/22/11. All rights reserved.
Digital card. Image credits: everything from Tumble Fish Studio kits at Deviantscrap.com including Merry Merry, Christmas Cheer, and Good Tidings.

Merry Christmas

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 11/22/11. All rights reserved.
Digital card. Image credits: everything from Tumble Fish Studio kits at Deviantscrap.com including Merry Merry, Christmas Cheer, Good Tidings, Flower Land Gnomes, and Girl Whimsy.

Christmas Cheer kit (also available in a printable collage sheet version)

Good Tidings kit (also available in a printable collage sheet version)

Merry Merry kit (includes both png files and printable collage sheets!)

Prize Drawing!
All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me one thing you are thankful for that has to do with creating, and you will be entered into a drawing for a $10 coupon good on any Tumble Fish Studio kits at DeviantScrap. Comments must be left by Sunday, 11/27 at midnight and each person will only be entered once. Winner will be announced Monday, 11/28.

A post and run . . .

2011-11-13T08:10:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend! I've taken time to catch up on chores, see a movie, shop for some new old pictures and papers, and make a little art. I'm just about to go and try to invent/discover a healthy egg roll for dinner . . . . sounds kinda yucky to use ground turkey breast but we're gonna see how it works.

Take the Air

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 11/11/11. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: everything from Tumble Fish Studio image kits including Freestyle, Freestyle 2, and Slightly Sinister.

Phone Friend

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 11/11/11. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: everything from Tumble Fish Studio's image kit, Freestyle 2.

The new kit . . . released earlier than expected! It's came out today in the Tumble Fish Studio shoppe at DeviantScrap.com!

Freestyle 2

Freestyle 2 (printable jpg sheet version)

Prize Winner
The winner of my little kit give-away is Taluula of Taluulas blog and one of the three very popular Three Muses! Congratulations Taluula!

I numbered the entries in order of their appearance and then used the random number generator to pick a number. If you didn't win this time, never fear! There will be oodles of prizes in November and December so keep your eye out for more ways to win!

My friend, thank you, and a prize

2011-11-08T12:36:00.000-08:00

My friend, Nancy . . .
I've shared work with you from time to time that I find inspiring, that I connect to and delight in looking at over and over. It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the Goddess Nancy Baumiller - fan of her, and fan of her work. (Notice that I said Goddess, Nancy!) She has become one of my many close never-met-in-person friends. She and I get each other, we embrace each other, imperfections and all. We boost each other up and cheer each other on. I think it's safe to say, we both feel like we're a high functioning mess, if that makes sense. We're often the peanut gallery in the back having our own version of everyone else's neat and tidy lives.

Not long ago, Nancy made this beautiful journal page and I begged her for it. You can really only beg from people you love . . . not many of us have the guts to beg from just anyone. And, lo and behold, look what showed up in my mail recently . . .

It's Not Surprising Why . . . by Nancy Baumiller

copyright by Nancy Baumiller 2011. All rights reserved.

Enjoy some more work created by Nancy below . . .

(untitled journal page)

copyright by Nancy Baumiller 2011. All rights reserved.

Brain Dump page . . .

copyright by Nancy Baumiller 2011. All rights reserved.

To resolve . . . (another most favorite of mine)

copyright by Nancy Baumiller 2011. All rights reserved.

(untitled journal page)

copyright by Nancy Baumiller 2011. All rights reserved.

In this blog post, Nancy shares some places she gathers inspiration. Of course, I became an instant fan as well.

Many of you know that Nancy is a designer at DeviantScrap too. Her images remain one of my go to sources when I am making my own work. Though it never turns out this way, I often use Nancy's work as a reference source to a piece when I start out. I find so much inspiration in even the smallest of details in her work. But it's good that my work inevitably turns out to look like I made it and not Nancy. I want her work to remain my inspiration . . . the carrot held out in front on a string to keep me moving forward. You can find Nancy's delicious shoppe of image kits here.

Speaking of inspiration, have you downloaded this month's The Deviant Muse zine? It's free and full of goodies you won't want to miss! Just click on the picture below to get your free copy.

Thank you . . . to all who visited the shoppe during the big 40% off sale last weekend! It was a great success. And *waving you over closer* . . . psst . . . . *whispering* . . . . there's another one coming soon! Yes, November is a great month to stock up on images. You won't want to miss the Black Friday sale November 23-27. More information coming soon!

Prize anyone?
I think it's time for another prize . . . how'd you like a chance to win my next kit for FREE? All you have to do is leave a comment on this post by Saturday, November 12th and you'll be entered to win. The kit will be released in the next 10 days or so, but if you win, you will get my kit before it's released to the public.

Are you ready for this?

2011-11-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

Here is the big news I've been teasing you about . . . .
(wish I had spotlights and trumpets and confetti and all)

40% off nearly all of my kits, except new releases, November 4 - November 6! That means a regularly priced $5 kit is now just $3! This is a great time to stock up!

And that's not all. Almost every designer at DeviantScrap is having a HUGE sale! And, there are games to be played and lots of prizes to win! Check out the Fun & Games thread in the DeviantScrap forum on Friday. You won't want to miss so many chances to win!

This is a game I am hosting . . . all you have to do is Write a Caption and you'll be entered to win. But don't write it here . . . you have to play in the DeviantScrap Forum. The picture below is linked to the game but be sure to check out all the games in the forum.

Happy Halloween! Prize Winner Announced!

2011-10-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! I finally figured out how to sorta kinda make an animated Gif! Like a little kid, I got so excited, I couldn't wait to show you so had to put this in here first thing. I'm sorry for the blurry quality. I had trouble saving it in the large size so had to sacrifice quality and size to keep all of my frames. I'll get better at this! (more at the bottom of this post)

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/30/2011. All rights reserved.
Animation. Image credits: Tumble Fish Studio kits including Male Persuasion, Happy Place, Freestyle, Get Freaky and a new kit yet to be released.

Now with more important business . . .

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/30/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits include: Tumble Fish Studio kits including Odd Magic, Pumpkin Patch, Etcetera, and Slightly Sinister.

We have a prize winner!
Thank you all for your wonderful comments and for playing along. The person randomly drawn to win the $10 coupon to my shoppe at DeviantScrap.com is . . .

Rebecca Trevino of Obtainium Art

Rebecca, email me and I will send you your coupon and let you in on a little secret that makes this coupon so special. I numbered the comments in order and then used the Random Number Generator. The rest of you will have to wait another day or two to find out what HUMUNGOUS thing is coming later this week! And, I'll show you one more way you could win a $10 coupon!

Flying Free . . .
The theme at DeviantScrap in November is Flying Free, as in freestyle work and any other interpretation you're inspired to imagine. For me it means a surrender to the Muses, an aspiration to take to the wind and enjoy what you find when you land. Pooh on preconceived notions, dare to be off-beat, delight in nonsense, and embrace whimsy!

This is the fist of two Freestyle kits I'll be releasing in November. The previews below are linked to their spots in the shoppe.

Freestyle

Freestyle (jpg version)

Anthem

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/23/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital Collage. Image credits: All from my own private stash and Tumble Fish Studio image kits including Freestyle and My Picks.

Artist Trading Card - Catch Me if You Can

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/12/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital ATC. Image credits: All from my own private stash and Tumble Fish Studio image kits including Freestyle, Divas, and Winged Splendor.

My new fascination . . .
. . . animated GIFs and short videos. You saw my first animated creation at the top. I can't wait to learn more about this! I borrowed these from Juxtapoz:

Something big this way comes!

2011-10-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

Especially for my blog friends . . . just comment this post and you could win a very special prize!

This is an extra special prize because . . .

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/28/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: Everything from my own stash or my Tumble Fish Studio image kits including Greg's Anatomy, Divas, Slightly Sinister and a new kit coming soon!

. . . something Oh So Big is coming to Tumble Fish Studio at DeviantScrap.com next week! Most of you will just have to wait to see what HUMUNGOUS thing is coming, but one lucky winner will win my Halloween prize Monday and that prize will come in very timely next week!

Each comment writer will be entered once into the drawing. One winner will be drawn randomly and announced sometime Monday, October 31st. Those wishing to enter must comment this post before the clock strikes midnight on October 30th!

And, that's not all! I have a new kit being released Sunday late or early Monday too! So be sure to come back by Monday and see what it's all about!

This version (below) of the original tease piece above is for my husband . . . because after I did the first one, I just couldn't resist. ♥

Oh So Big . . .

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/28/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: Everything from my own stash or my Tumble Fish Studio image kits including Greg's Anatomy, Divas, Slightly Sinister and a new kit coming soon!

Other recent work . . .

Life

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen10/20/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: Everything from my own digital image kits (some being released soon) and private collection except for the sparkles which come from Finecrafted Designs at DeviantScrap.com.

Evening

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/19/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital snapshot. Image credits: everything from my own stash and digital image kits soon to be released except the sparkles which come from Finecrafted Designs at DeviantScrap.com.

It's so fun to be included in this . . . Seth Apter's ongoing The Pulse project. The picture below is linked to Chapter Six!

And lastly . . . . Happy Halloween! That is me on the end, c. 1967 or so . . . some version of Batman - dress, cape and all. A neighbor boy was Huckleberry Hound and my brother was Flash. *sigh* Good times.

To whom it may concern

2011-10-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

. . . thank you for taking the time to make the world a better place. Those little random acts of kindness, the little things you do that no one expects . . . those things DO make a difference in someone's life. Sometimes it turns everything around in a flash . . . it gives hope.

Whatever

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/17/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital journal piece. Images used are from Tumble Fish Studio kits: Slightly Sinister, My Picks, 49 Birds, Divas, Couture Glamour, and Variations. Some images from my own personal stash.

A little thank you, world . . .
a coupon code for 25% off any one order of Tumble Fish Studio items at DeviantScrap.com, including sale items. Good from today, October 18 through Sunday, October 23. Just copy and paste the coupon code below and place it in the space provided when you check out. You can find my shoppe here.

coupon code: ThankYouWorld

Wanna play?
There are some new games and challenges coming to DeviantScrap.com this weekend! Freebies and prizes and lots of spooky fun! Everything starts on the 20th so be sure to visit the Fun & Games and Challenges threads in the DeviantScrap forum here.

2011-10-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody! I've had lots more time to work on my own art lately but still manage to wonder where the time went. You probably do the same.

I've been looking at lots of journal style work lately . . . helping me through a tough phase, trying to connect to my work again. I shared some of Jade Adams work with you recently and look forward to sharing another of my favorite artists with you later this week.

Wasted Wishes

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/3/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital journal piece. Images used come from my own private stash and digital kits including: Greg's Anatomy, Favorite Pieces, Odd Magic, Winged Splendor, My Picks, You're Invited Add On, and a new kit coming soon.

Some People

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen10/4/11. All rights reserved.
Digital journal piece. Images used are from Tumble Fish Studio kits: Slightly Sinister, Winged Splendor, My Picks, and Etcetera.

Fairy Godfather

Copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 9/29/11. All rights reserved.
Digital Collage. Images from Tumble Fish Studio kits at DeviantScrap.com: Slightly Sinister and Framed.

I have 2 new kits available this week and on sale at DeviantScrap.com (pictures are linked)! As always, created from my own collection of actual antique pictures and ephemera. Here they are . . .

Slightly Sinister

Slightly Sinister (printable jpg sheet version)

Framed

And don't forget to pick up a FREE copy of DeviantScrap.com's The Deviant Muse zine! Click on the picture below to get your free download!

Goodbye September! Hello Inspiration!

2011-09-30T09:02:00.001-07:00

I was absolutely shocked at myself when I realized I haven't blogged for nearly a month. What is it with me and this blog? I feel so busy and racing around and yet when I try to think of something clever to share with you all besides kits I work on, I feel like I am as a dull as watching paint dry. September flew by and I guess I've mundanely passed with it. I hadn't even made any art in almost a month. So I was determined yesterday to take some time to play . . .

Fake It (inspired by the work of Jade Adams . . . Jade's work, and the inspiration I find in it, is featured at the bottom of this post)

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 9/28/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital Collage. Images used from Tumble Fish Studio Kits at DeviantScrap.com: Celestial, Corrupted paper, Dance A Thon, Greg's Anatomy, and Remedies. Letters from Crowabout Studio B's New Alpha kit at DeviantScrap.com.

Fully Exposed

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 9/28/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital Collage. Images from Tumble Fish Studio kits at DeviantScrap.com: Greg's Anatomy, Divas, My Picks, Corrupted Papers, and Framed (coming soon!)

I had a big project going in September. I had been following the work of assemblage artist Greg Hanson (roxnorthh on Flickr) for nearly 3 years and loved his irreverently funny mix of vintage imagery with real objects in his Cornell inspired assemblages and collages. I had been slowly collecting antique medical ephemera, which Greg often uses in his work, and finally had enough to finish a full kit. To launch the kit, I asked Greg if I could interview him for the October issue of the The Deviant Muse at DeviantScrap.com and he graciously accepted and allowed me to share some of his work in the issue.

Be sure to get your copy of The Deviant Muse and read the interview this weekend. It's free and this issue promises to be one you will not want to miss. You can find past issues and the new issue when its released this weekend HERE

So here is my kit inspired by Greg Hanson . . .

Greg's Anatomy

Remedies

Corrupted Papers

And here are a couple of other recent kit releases, also on sale . . .

Celestial

Pumpkin Patch (re-released kit from old stock)

Inspiration . . .
I got the itch to blog this morning because someone asked me how I come up with an idea for a piece when I start one. Which comes first the chicken or the egg? Do I get an idea first and hunt for images or do I have an image and hunt for ideas? It's a dance of both situations for me. Often, I am inspired to make something after looking at the work of others - gives me an urge I can't really explain. Then I go back to images in my stash I've wanted to use and it just comes to life in a process that often results in something very different from the original idea.

While I appreciate the art of just about anyone and find inspiration from so many, I have a few favorite artists that I go to over and over for inspiration. It's kinda funny though . . . I don't think you could tell by looking at my work often as it ends up so different from what inspires me to make it. And I can't hand letter to save my soul. Someday I want to grow up to make art like . . .

One of my all time favorite collage artists is Jade Adams. I find her inspiring as a person and as an artist. While I think many would see a little Teesha Moore in Jade's work, I find Jade's pieces to be a little more vulnerable or delicate and I relate to them on that level. I find her work beautiful and fine tuned in a way . . . . a gorgeous mix of whimsy and delicate details precisely placed and each piece lovingly created. Maybe Jade doesn't work with precision on purpose, but if that's the case, her intuition guides her through perfectly placed shading and pen work, image arrangement, and lettering. Her pieces are a little more breezy and inviting, never overpowering. Her journal pages invite your attention like a light invites the moth - never demand your attention with blaring horns. Do you get what I mean? They are alive somehow. I should never be an art critic cuz I have a hard time finding words to describe my attraction to certain artists or work.

So, I'll leave you with some of Jade's work - shared here with her permission and linked to her flickr.

peculiar ambitions by Jade Adams

copyright by Jade Adams. All rights reserved.

Inspiration Logs Booklet by Jade Adams

copyright by Jade Adams. All rights reserved.

be . . . by Jade Adams

copyright by Jade Adams. All rights reserved.

You can find more of Jade's work on her flickr HERE or her blog HERE.

Happy Wednesday!

2011-08-31T22:41:00.000-07:00

Finding time . . .
I always have such big plans for blog posts and projects but then I just never get them done. I'm going to slow down designing kits just a wee bit so I have more time to get all the things on my wish list done. There will still be a steady flow of new kits but just not a constant stream for awhile.

Bird Man

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 9/1/11. All rights reserved.
Digital postcard. Images used from Tumble Fish Studio's 49 Birds, Male Persuasion, And So On, and My Picks kits and my own personal stash.

49 Birds

49 Birds (printable jpg sheet version)

My Picks Prize and Customer Work
A couple of talented ladies have shared their work with me from using the My Picks kit featured in the post below this one. You still have until the 10th to earn a coupon if you've purchased the My Picks kit and want to send me a link to your work.

from Andrea of Art Legacy blog . . .

copyright Andrea Conner. All rights reserved.

from Lou Ann of At a Moment's Notice blog . . .

copyright by Lou Ann Donahue. All rights reserved.

Mail Art
I have never had a chance to really make much Mail Art but it is an area of altered art and mixed media that fascinates and inspires me. This month I'm hosting a Mail Art swap in the forum at Deviant Scrap. It's a new experience for many of the digital artists we have at Deviant Scrap, myself included, and a time to shine for the altered art artists we have too. If you're interested, you can find more information here.

Also, to provide inspiration for those interested in Mail Art, this month's issue of The Deviant Muse includes a mail art tutorial from Nancy Baumiller and some featured work from artists Constance Taylor, Amy Kubisiak Nieman, Tracey Parker, and Fiona Randall. Be sure to pick up your free copy of The Deviant Muse here. You'll see art from all kinds of people you know and lots of inspiration and peeks behind the scenes!

So timely, my artist friend Terry Garrett surprised me with one of the most lovely cool pieces of interactive mail art I've ever received. It was fun to open up, like a present with a good old fashioned letter inside. It's hard to show in a picture but I keep not sharing it waiting to get a better view. This will have to do or I fear it will never get done . . . (text is blurred on purpose)

Places I've been stalking lately . . .

Mark's Scrapbook of Oddities & Treasures blog

What's Up Roc blog (always have loved Roc's work and I've been stalking her Mail Art lately. Roc had work published in the book Good Mail Day)

Lily Lovekin Tails blog

Constance Taylor flickr

Quickie post and a new prize!

2011-08-28T16:08:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody! Isn't it crazy that September is almost here? Time flies!

Forgive my quick post here. I'm busy, busy, busy with lots of irons in the fire (like the rest of you, I'm sure) but didn't want you to miss this new release . . . it kinda got lost in the shoppe "What's New" section this week with so many other designer releases. Things are hoppin' at DeviantScrap!

I have a new kit that I think is now my favorite one. It took me weeks to finish with nearly 100 hours spent restoring, resizing, coloring, altering, and extracting these great images from the public domain in the Library of Congress collection. You could go find the same images and fix them up yourself, but maybe having all the work done for you will make this a "go to" stash of fun images for your work. It's the only one you'll see from me that doesn't come from my own physical collection of antique photos and papers. Both versions of this kit (digital and printable collage sheet) are on sale in my shoppe here.

My Picks

My Picks (printable jpg sheet version)

And here are a few pieces from my fabulous Creative Team using the kits above . . . (images are linked to the artists' sites)

from Amy

copyright by Amy Kubisiak Nieman 2011. All rights reserved.

from Trudi

copyright by Trudi Sissons 2011. All rights reserved.

from Michelle

copyright by Michelle Michael 2011. All rights reserved.

from Amber

copyright by Amber Tabangay 2011. All rights reserved.

from Tracey

copyright by Tracey Parker 2011. All rights reserved.

Now for the prize part . . .
If you happen to purchase this kit and use it to make something, send me a link to your work and I'll send you a coupon for an additional 25% off your next Tumble Fish Studio at DeviantScrap purchase! I must receive your links by Sept 10th. I'll feature your work here on my blog too!

Kit Winner Announced

2011-08-25T21:21:00.001-07:00

Hi my favorite peoples! It's been a long couple of hot days here in SoCal. I think my computer is even melting as it has not been cooperating with me the last few days.

As I waited on computer scans, I whipped up a little piece inspired by two people tonight. I stumbled upon the work of Martin O'Neill here and this piece by Trudi Sissons here. And this is what came out of me. It's a little different for me and I may wake up tomorrow and wonder what the heck I was thinking.

aMUSEment

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 8/25/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. All images from my own Tumble Fish Studio images at DeviantScrap.com.

Without further ado . . .

Drawing Winner!
I numbered the comments in order leaving out any CT members or double comments and ended up with 17 entries. The winning comment was #6 which belongs to Lou Ann!

Lou Ann, I'll be emailing you a way to get the new kit tomorrow. It'll be released in a few days to the public so you can have an early peek!

Off to work on my computer problems . . . look for another post soon!

Winner Announced and other stuff

2011-08-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

Prize Drawing Winner

I'll jump right to the winner of the drawing for Kate Crane's Art Journaling DVDs. I numbered the comments in order omitting any double entries of which there were 4 leaving 74 entries. The random number generator picked #23 which belongs to Taluula!

Congratulations Taluula! And many thanks to Kate and the publishing company Traplet for sponsoring the prize. I'll email Taluula with the details!

Other Stuff

This is NOT my work . . . had to share some pieces from my Creative Team today . . .

From Amy Kubisiak Nieman of Paper and Gluestix . . . I love to show how digital image kits can be used in cut and paste work. Though I don't have time to work cut and paste often any more, it is where my roots lie . . . you never forget your first love.

copyright Amy Wallis 2011.

from Mary Bailey of Miles Beyond the Moon

copyright by Mary Bailey 2011.

From Melissa of Honey Girl Studio . . .

copyright by Melissa Ustik 2011.

Here are the new kits . . .
The previews are linked to the shoppe and Etcetera is also available in a printable jpg sheet version (not linked).

Etcetera

And So On . . .

Here's a little piece from me. I'm rusty! It's been almost 3 weeks since I made something.

It's Personal

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen August 2011. All rights reserved.
Everything from my own image kits. Tumble Fish Studio kits used: Etcetera, And So On . . . , Jolie Papiers, and Journal Papers 2.

Would you like to win my NEXT new kit before it's released to the public?
I've got something special planned using images from the public domain - restored, altered, colored, and extracted images. If you'd like to win this kit, just comment this post and sometime in the next few days, you'll get the next new kit before anyone else! Drawing ends at midnight Wednesday, August 24th. Each person will only be entered once and only those with some kind of blog or link to their work will be eligible to win.

Last day to enter!

2011-08-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

It's the last day to enter the drawing for Kate Crane's Art Journaling DVDs! Just comment the post HERE (click on "HERE"). Comments will close at midnight tonight. A random winner will be drawn tomorrow and posted here on my blog along with a whole new prize drawing!

Good Stuff!

2011-08-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

This is really good, so don't forget!
You have until August 20th to comment the post below this one and enter a drawing for Kate Crane's new Art Journaling DVDs. Truly, one of my new most favorite sources of inspiration! Read below to find out more and sneak a peek at Kate's work using Tumble Fish Studio images.

This is very good!
The talented Nancy Baumiller of Crowabout Studio B and I collaborated on a brand new funky mail art kit, available in both jpg collage sheets and a digital version with png images. AND, we both did coordinating Add On kits as well. It's on sale this week! Pix below are all linked to the shoppe.

You're Invited (funky mail art) Kit

You're Invited (funky mail art) printable jpg kit

TFS Add On for You're Invited

Crowabout Studio B's You're Invited Add On Mini

These are beyond good!
Have to share just a few of the pieces my Creative Team made using the kits above. I wanted to share some that wouldn't fit in the shoppe samples sections.

from Tracey aka glitterbug (linked to her blog)

from Amy aka paperandgluestix (linked to her blog)

from Jayne aka peppapig (linked to her blog)

from Maggiebean (linked to her flickr)

And here's an exclusive secret heads up . . . .
Watch for information coming soon about a funky mail art swap at DeviantScrap.com. It will be in the September issue of The Altered Muse!

And this is good and bad . . .
Good because you still have time, bad because today is the last day to sign up for the August ATC swap at DeviantScrap.com. You can sign up for either a digi swap or snail mail swap. Work is due on the 30th and the theme is "The Inner Me". You can find out more here.

And this is good too!
I am so excited to be a part of Seth Apter's The Pulse on his The Altered Page blog. Here is Seth's description of his ongoing project . . .

"Welcome to the 5th edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals. More than 130 artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented in a series of online posts which will run every Sunday."

Mystery solved . . .

2011-08-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

If you visited yesterday, you saw a mysterious number I told you would disappear later today and that you should write the number down somewhere and keep it handy. If you did . . .
you have a coupon code for an additional 25% off any of the items in the Tumble Fish Studio shoppe at Deviant Scrap! That means, for some kits, a savings of 45% including these brand new kits . . . .

Jolie Papier Deux

Jolie Papier

Just look at this amazing piece Trudi of Two Dresses Studio made from these kits . . . .

copyright Trudi Sissons.

How to use the coupon . . .
Just type that mystery number in the space provided for a coupon when you checkout. It's good through this Saturday, August 13 Midnight only. It disappears altogether on the 14th. You can use it on ANY Tumble Fish Studio kits at DeviantScrap.com.

Remember, most of my kits come in either a png digital kit or in a printable jpg kit and almost all work out to less than $1.00 per sheet! (papers only kits do not come in collage sheet form)

But that's not all folks . . . .
Now, if you're not into the discount on images, never fear! I got you back here for yet another reason entirely! Keep reading . . . . You may have just seen her work in the new fall edition of Somerset's Artful Blogging, among many other publications she's been featured in. You may know her from flickr. You may know her from her blog. You may have taken a class from her or participate in her now famous Calendar Challenge. However you're familiar with her, you know she's one of the most talented journal and mixed media collage artists around. I am so very lucky that the hugely talented Kate Crane has taken a liking to my images over the last year and a half or so. What a thrill to see her work her magic with them!

If you haven't been to her blog, you need to make side trip over there . . . but don't forget to come back for the good part at the end of this post! You can get to Kate through the linked picture below . . . but come back . . . don't forget.

And here's some work of Kate's that uses Tumble Fish images . . .

all art work copyright by Kate Crane.

So, now that you've had a taste of Kate's talent I'm sure you'll agree you would probably love to own a set of her new Art Journaling DVD's that feature images from Tumble Fish Studio and another good friend, Nancy Baumiller of Crowabout among other designers. If you click on the pictures just above, you can see a snippet from the DVD's that just happens to use some of my images. Her calm lyrical voice will lure you into a relaxed beautiful approach to journaling, an approach that can be applied to all types of collage and mixed media work that takes you from the very start to a satisfying end. Truly this is THE best "How To" I've ever seen.

Would you like a set of Kate's DVDs? If you comment this post by August 20th, you'll be entered into a random drawing to win this beautiful DVD set. That's it, just post a comment!

A mysterious post . . .

2011-08-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

For my blog friends only . . .

Do you trust me? If you do, write this number down and keep it handy. Write it on a post it note and stick to your forehead, write it on your hand but don't wash it off, jot it down on a steamy mirror and keep the hot water runnin', tattoo it on your ankle if you like, but keep it handy. Tomorrow, Wednesday August 10 about 6 pm the number will disappear from my blog but you'll know why you need it and be so glad you kept it. C'mon, trust me!

Hello Peoples!

2011-08-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

Life . . .
It's been a whirlwind the last week to get back into work and up and running again after a couple of unplanned weeks mostly away. It's always hard to get back where you were, isn't it?

Life has settled down again . . . there's never a dull moment, and like the rest of you, have countless fires to douse as you try to "get on with it". I often imagine, when I'm feeling stressed or sorry for myslef, that everyone else gets to go through their days care free with not a thing to do but make art, visit friends, eat, nap, and watch movies. But I know that is not the case. I think. By the way, Mom-in-law is doing much better and is recovering well and looking forward to retirement!

Working . . .
On with it . . . been working double time to get new kits made to get caught up on my business plan. Think I'm almost there. A few days ago, I added two new kits: Vive la France and 15 Dresses and have the next several kits done to spread out over the next few weeks. Hoping that means this week I can make some art, correspond, and take it a little easier.

She Had Paris

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen, August 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Digital kits used all from Tumble Fish Studio: 15 Dresses, Vive la France, Divas, Matched Set, and Dance-A-Thon.

(She Had Paris) Parts
I don't usually show my "naked" parts that I use in my image kits and work, but these are the parts and pieces I used to make She Had Paris (above). Everything I sell in my image kits comes from my own collection of antique papers and pictures like these shown below before being restored and altered.

Owl King

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen August 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Digital kits used all from Tumble Fish Studio: Vive la France, Cartes De Jeu, Male Persuasion, and City Skies.

15 Dresses

Vive la France

Slideshow
The very talented Tracey Parker of Glitterbug Studios, who I am so lucky to have on my Creative Team, made a lovely little slideshow to feature some of the work of my team last week. Thank you Tracey!

ATC Swap
I'm hosting another ATC swap in the forum at DeviantScrap.com. The theme this month is the "Inner Me". Anyone is welcome to join in and you can use images from wherever you like. You can sign up for a digital swap or a hard copy snail mail swap. I'd love to have you join us! You can find it here.

My ATC for August is digital. It's really a new version of an older piece, Small Me. I'm revealing my inner psyche and struggle with feeling adequate (as a human) I guess.

Not Big

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen, July 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital ATC. Digital kits used all from Tumble Fish Studio except the black and white border which was made using pieces from Crowabout Studio B. Tumble Fish Studio kits used: Girl Whimsy, Journal Words, Matched Set, Divas, and Hats Crowns and Wings.

I feel a prize coming on!
Later this week look for a very special prize drawing and feature on one of my favorite artists around!

Sidetracked . . .

2011-07-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

Hi y'all! I am here - life has temporarily sidetracked me in some good and some not so good ways. Wedding good, mom in hospital not good.

The last 2 weeks have been a little up and down. My mom-in-law, who we share a house with, was out of town visiting my sister-in-law 2 weeks ago and had a heart attack. It was totally unexpected - she's so active and fit. In fact she had just hiked 3 miles before she experienced the neck and jaw pain that prompted a trip to Urgent Care which resulted in an ambulance to the hospital. Lesson 1 - women don't worry about inconveniencing anyone as we often do! If you suspect a heart attack for any reason, call 911! Remember, women often don't experience chest pain with a heart attack.

She had an angiogram, angioplasty, and a stint put in and allowed to fly home a couple of days later. As my nephew (her grandson) was getting married here last weekend, my sister-in-law came with her and we were later joined by her sons. So things are in full swing for the wedding - shopping for wedding clothes, a slideshow for the reception to make, reunions with family and friends, people to pick up at the airport, kids going to bachelor parties, and all the family wedding stuff when we ended up with mom back in the hospital for 2 days and nights. Lesson 2 - do not continue to walk 3 miles a day within days of having a heart attack and sleeping a little more than usual might be a good idea.

She missed the wedding rehearsal but got out in time to go to the wedding. Sister-in-law and family went home the next day, my husband left for a business trip and we thought we'd get back in the swing of things and caught up on life this week but ended up back in the ER most of yesterday and last night. There's more to the story but those are the crucial parts. It is just never a dull moment around here the last couple of years. Mom is doing better today - we're sure there is more to find out and work on with the doctor next week and look forward to things hopefully settling down soon. I think a little anxiety is setting in with all that has happened recently. On my end of things, between mom and my daughter this year, and my dad the last 2 years before he died, I think I have been in the hospital and doctors' offices enough, I should get to be an honorary doctor of some sort. Dr. Fishy . . . maybe that will be my next piece.

So, needless to say, I am once again way behind on work and blogs and everything art or computer related. And once again I am a little overwhelmed and upside down. But if we can get mom lined out again and feeling good, I have nothing but time to work to look forward to in the near future. I did manage to finish up a kit I had started 3 weeks ago . . .

Cartes De Jeu

Last Chance Sale reminder . . .
Everything in my shoppe at DeviantScrap.com has been on sale for the last 2 months. That sale ends August 1st on most items! Don't miss this chance to stock up on things while they're on sale! New kits are added frequently and always on sale their first week in the shoppe.

Fun news . . .

2011-07-11T23:36:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about this!
Last year I was asked to do the cover for the art and Justice issue of Trespass magazine, a British arts and literary publication. Just after completing the work, the magazine went from being published in paper to a new digital format and is now available at ExactEditions. It was such a thrill to scroll down and see my cover amidst all the other magazines on the site! Many thanks to Sara-Mae Tuson, Managing Editor for New Trespass, for approaching me and giving me this incredible opportunity. It is such an honor to be part of such a provocative publication.

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen June, 2010. All rights reserved.
Hand cut, hand colored collage. Image credits: dress altered from Crowabout Studio B's Funky People Parts kit; paintbrush from Holliewood Studio's The Thing Finder kit; ground from Clemetine Design's Tommy Town kit; everything else from my own image stash and digital kits at DeviantScrap.com. All images were used with permission.

Brand new kits in the shoppe today!
Finally, I've got most of my "old stock" in the shoppe and had a chance to get some brand new kits made and listed at DeviantScrap. This is a big turning point as after a crazy family week ahead, I will finally have time to breathe and get some of my own art made, visit blogs, and visit other people's work. I am really thirsty for that. Well, anyway, the kits below are on sale along with every other TFS kit in the shoppe until August 1st!

Ooo La La

Fight for the Limelight (sample piece)

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen July 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: Everything from Tumble Fish Studio kits at DeviantScrap.com including Ooo La La, Odd Magic, and Divas.

Perfumed

Don't forget!
~ You can still sign up for the ATC swap at DeviantScrap.com. I'm hosting it and it's free and you can use images from anywhere. The sign up deadline is tomorrow, the 15th. You can do cut and paste OR digi or any other medium. Sign up here!
~ I'm also hosting a "get to know you" game at DeviantScrap.com in the forum section. It's called the Queen of Everything and all you have to do is answer some silly questions to be entered into a drawing for one of 2 $10 gift certificates for Tumble Fish Studio products at DeviantScrap. Anyone is welcome to play! You can play the game here!

Inclinations . . .

2011-07-10T14:15:00.000-07:00

Clever connection to post title #1 . . .
I got a new piece done this week that used a small image from a kit I'm re-releasing today. The image said "You may be inclined to use fish in your art more". I'm inclined to use fish more often than I can reasonably work them in.

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen June 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: everything from my own images at DeviantScrap.com. Kits used include: Divas, Hats Crowns and Wings, Get Freaky, and Random Favorites.

The piece above uses some images from my Random Favorites kit and the one below uses images from Frames & Words. The are both a part of several kits I've released today and recently . . . Random Favorites, Inkoporated, That's the Ticket, and Frames & Words. Bad news . . . These are some of the last value priced bundles I have to re-release so don't miss a great opportunity to build up your stash. Good news . . . There are some brand new kits on their way to the shoppe very very soon!

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen July 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: everything from my own images at DeviantScrap.com. Kits used include Frames & Words, Winged Splendor, Hats Crowns and Wings, and Couture Glamour.

New kits in the shoppe . . . Tumble Fish Studio at DeviantScrap.com

Clever connection to the the post title #2 . . .
At DeviantScrap.com, it's not all just about selling images but also building a community that wants to work outside the box, color outside the lines, and use images in a variety of ways. Part of building that community is just plain having fun and getting to know one another. So, I hope you might find your self with the inclination to go play a game I'm hosting there.

All you have to do is answer some "get to know you questions" and you could win one of two $10 gift certificates to my shoppe at DeviantScrap. The worst case scenario here is that you don't win but get to know some new artists and deviant creative types out there. Everyone is welcome to play! When you get to DeviantScrap.com, go to the forum, and then go to Fun and Games and then to Queen of Everything. The picture below shows the start of the game, but you can join in anytime between now and August 1st.

Clever connection to the post title #3 . . .
I have an inkling (kind of related to the word inclination in an artistic license kind of way) that you will not want to miss all the great art that Seth Apter has been sharing in recent posts of his new The Pulse project. Trust me, you won't want to miss any of it. Make sure to scroll down the page and see all the recent "Style Files" where you get a taste of an artist's work and some introductions written by the artists themselves. I love reading what artists have to say about their own work . . . the insight can be so inspiring and affirming for me.

Okay, so maybe I'm not so clever in my connections but . . . I tried. Hope you have a happy July week ahead of you! And, please know, I always love to read and appreciate your comments.

No boom boom

2011-07-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

This isn't a very patriotic post, unfortunately. I love the 4th of July but it is different for me these days. It was a holiday I celebrated with my parents, always my vacation every summer for the last 20 some years or so. Last year was my first 4th without them and still this year I have a hard time getting in the mood to do much. So, while I consider myself very patriotic, not so much on the obvious day I guess. No big boom boom here. (Though there is enough going on around us that my dog Scout is hiding under the bed for the third day in a row.) Anyway, how wonderful to live in a country where you are free to do as you wish . . . so I am exercising my freedom and right to work and be artsy today and a little untraditional. I do wish you a very Happy 4th of July, if you are here in the United States and a very happy summer day for everyone else!

You are a Goddess and Beautiful Sideshow

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen, July 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital Collages. Image credits: all from my own Tumble Fish Studio kits including Divas, Journal Words, Journal Scraps, Journal papers, Hats Crowns & Wings, and Paper Things.

New Stuff . . .
I've been working hard to catch up on work work and house work this week and have a lot of irons in the fire to finish up this week. I do have a couple of new little pieces done and some new kits in the shoppe at DeviantScrap.com. I'm nearing the end of listing all of my "old stock" with the last few re-releases in the next 10 days or so before starting on all new kits. Most everything in my shoppe is on sale now through the end of July (with just a couple of exceptions) so don't miss out on stocking up on a lot of great deals for your image stash!

Journal Words

Journal Papers

Journal Scraps

Beloved and Life Shrines

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen, June 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital ATC's. Image credits: from Tumble Fish Studio - Happy Place, Vibrations, Borders Bunch, Jiant Journaling, Miscellany, Divas, City Skies, Remembrances, East is West; arrow and crown in Beloved ATC are from Sherrie JD's SteamPunk kit; paper clip in Life ATC is from Christina Renee Designs.

Altars & Shrines . . .
There's a lot going on at DeviantScrap.com this month including a very fun ATC swap to compliment our theme of Altars & Shrines. The picture ad below is from DeviantScrap.com's The Deviant Muse . . . you can get the July issue FOR FREE from here! And we'd love to have any one of you join in on the swap! Anyone is welcome, any medium, any images . . . it's just a friendly swap! You can join in and get more information here.

Image credits: cards contributed by Balinda, Anubis 1, Glitterbug, and me. Full credits can be found on the last page of July's The Deviant Muse or in the swap gallery here.

Inspiration . . .
While perusing one of my favorite sites to peruse, Creative Souls, I found the gorgeous work of Mary Jane Chadbourne. Mary Jane lives and works in the Las Vegas area and her work can be found in numerous galleries in the Southwest. It was a stroke of luck that I discovered her work just as we were preparing July's theme of Altars & Shrines at DeviantScrap. Not only did I fall in love with Mary Jane's work but found endless inspiration for possible themes I look forward to exploring myself. One thing I find very exciting is her ability to use images in her dimensional pieces that many of us might limit to flattened cut and paste or digi work. She thinks "outside the box", literally, in her work and I get lost in the details of her dimensional compositions. The photo's of Mary Janes work below were used with permission and are linked to Mary Jane's Facebook Fan Page, Desert Dreams Studio.

The Beauty Within

Journey This Day

Frida & Diego - Unsettled Showers

Find Your Way

Short and to the point

2011-06-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

I've got my nose to the grind stone today trying to catch up after taking a week off. So, no clever posts today (are they ever clever?). Just the current Nitty Gritty. I'll do something a bit more creative for my next post.

Two new kits in the shoppe today . . .

Flower Land Gnomes

Flower Seeds

Coming soon . . . on Seth Apter's The Altered Page . . . The Pulse!
I was one of 125 artists that participated in this ongoing collaborative project that surveys mixed media artists. I'm so excited to be a part of Seth's project. The series of posts about all the artists surveyed starts on the 4th of July and I speculate you'll see lots of familiar artists! Click the picture below to visit Seth's blog!

Now where was I?

2011-06-27T08:43:00.001-07:00

I know I had a normal life around here somewhere . . . what a week it was last week! Graduation temporarily took things over but I am so ready to ease back into work and quiet monotony again.

New in the shoppe . . .
I did manage to get a couple of new old kits bundled together for the shoppe this week. Two kits are released today and two others will come out on Thursday, June 30.

Winged Splendor kit

The Cloudkeepers (new version)
This is a digital remake of an older cut and paste piece I made.

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 6/19/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: everything from my Winged Splendor kit at DeviantScrap.com

Favorite Pieces kit

I'm off to find my misplaced normalcy! Have a great week everyone!

All over the place . . .

2011-06-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

It's one of those times that my mind and my life is all over the place . . . the following may seem random and disconnected but that's how I roll lately . . .

Flashback . . .
Do you remember Colorforms? I remember going to the hairdresser with my mom and playing with these while I waited. I must have been 4-5 years old because we moved from that area around that age and I remember being so sad that I wouldn't get to play with them anymore. I thought they were magical.

I was thinking the other day that maybe I love digital collage so much because it's just an advanced version of playing with Colorforms. Don't you think? There's a magic in being able to move images around instantly to make the ideal picture into which you want to escape at that moment.

While I'm being sort of personal . . .
My youngest, Lauren, graduates from high school this week. So much to do around here and as stressed as I am, I am enjoying the hooplah too. She has worked very hard, earned a full academic scholarship next year and will be one of 100 Honors students on a campus of 17,000. And, the icing on the cake is that she also made the soccer team recently. She's out training as I write this. I could not be more proud of either of my children and I am teary eyed just thinking about how fast time has flown. So, I need to stock up on kleenex this week - emotions all over the place (like everything else with me) between missing my dad today on Father's day, and graduation, and seeing family that I haven't seen for too long, etc. (By the way, for those that have asked, Lauren is finally feeling much better and I think we're out of the woods with the mono and strep she suffered from most of her senior year.)

This was taken a couple of weeks ago . . . father/daughter picture before Prom.

New kits in the shoppe . . .
Here are a couple of new kits being released later today in the shoppe. Normally new kits are released on Mondays and Thursdays but sometimes we sneak them in the evening before. The first one is a re-release of older kits and the second is a brand new paper kit.

Odd Magic

Dark Glow

Odd Girl

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 6/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital Collage. Image credits: everything from my kits at DeviantScrap.com - Dark Glow and Odd Magic.

Believe in Me

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 6/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital Collage. Image credits: everything from my kits at DeviantScrap.com - Dark Glow and Odd Magic.

New from Crowabout Studio B

It's another super fun kit from Nancy and so I couldn't wait to make a little something . . .

Eeeny Meeny Miney

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 6/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: everything from Crowabout Studio B's Odd People and Borders kit.

From this week . . .

2011-06-16T06:23:00.000-07:00

There is a lovely journal prompt group in Flickr administered by my friend, the talented Roc of What's Up Roc blog. You can find it here. I created the piece below for June's prompt, "if you could have a super power, what would it be?" And that piece inspired my new blog banner above. Now, it depends on the day what power I'd like to have but lately, I've been thinking about rising above problems, rising to the challenge, etc. So mine was about flying above it all . . .

Fly Above

copyright by Marsha Jorgesnesn 6/14/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: everything from my own images, most at DeviantScrap. Kits used include: City Skies, Vibrations, Hats Crowns & Wings, and Divas.

This fascinates me . . .
Here's something I ran across that just boggles my mind. Can you imagine the patience and fine motor skills involved here? I have a hard time texting let alone working in such tiny detail. Click on the picture below to be taken to Green Diary to see more of this artists' amazing work.

New kits in the shoppe . . .
I'm almost done moving all of my old stock into the shoppe. After just a few more, I'll be featuring all brand new kits this summer and can't wait!

Free kit! This first one is free, so be sure to go over and check out my shoppe at DeviantScrap if you haven't already. If you ever have any questions about DeviantScrap, just let me know. I'll be happy to show you around.

Glamour Tints - FREE here

Divas

Gothic Color

Have a great weekend everybody!

Happy, happy, happy

2011-06-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday and happy new week! Hope your summer is going well so far. It hasn't officially started here as I still have one kiddo in school, graduating June 22nd. Graduation stuff is in full swing here until the 26th. You know what I mean . . . party planning, slide shows, end of the year and senior activities. Trying to maintain a "happy place" amidst all that's going on and coming to the realization that I am getting old with my kids teetering on the edge of the nest.

Happy Place

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 6/13/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: everything from my own images except for the sparkles which come from designer Nicole Young at DigitalScrapbookPlace.com. My digital image kits used: Happy Place, Couture Glamour, Get Freaky, and Remembrances. All available from Tumble Fish Studio at DeviantScrap.com.

More happy stuff . . . I want to tell you about something very, very exciting!
My friend Kate Crane of The Kathryn Wheel has a new set of DVD's available published by Craft Stamper Magazine (UK)! I am just so excited for her as I have been a long time fan of Kate's and have been so lucky to have her on my Creative Team when she has had time between projects. If you know Kate's work, you know what a fabulous source of inspiration these DVD's are sure to be. Kate mentions and uses Tumble Fish Studio images in the DVD's so I am doubly giddy about this exciting news. I haven't got my set yet, but you can bet I will be ordering them TODAY! Be sure to check them out and be sure to congratulate her too! The picture below is of the first DVD in the series and linked to Kate's blog where you can find out more.

I have two new kits available at DeviantScrap . . . (pictures linked to the shoppe)

Happy Place (kit)

Remembrances

fffffffffffffT

2011-06-08T19:03:00.000-07:00

Hear that? That's the sound of how fast things are moving around here . . . . ffffffffffT. That's my best impression of it anyway.

Why you won't know why it sounds like ffffffffffT . . . .
I read HERE in another very informative post by the talented Seth Apter of The Altered Page, that 70% of blog readers he surveyed recently want mostly art on the blogs they visit and not so much personal stuff. I don't know if you've noticed but I have gotten much better about not posting personal stuff for awhile now. I had already been "advised" a couple of times by well meaning folks, that I shouldn't. So, I'm glad I'm accidentally kinda sorta on the right track. That doesn't usually happen for me . . . I'm usually embarrassingly on the wrong side of things, a day late and dollar short. (Go read the rest of Seth's great article on blog publishing!)

All of that to say, I wish I could share why things are moving so fast it sounds like ffffffffffT but that would apparently not interest 70% of you. I can't promise I won't try and swoon the other 30% of you from time to time with my personal blah blah blahs but tonight I'm staying in the good favor of the majority. I may sound cynical about all of this but, truly it is just a newly found confidence in being couth for once and trying to be funny at the same time.

(Edit - 6/9 . . . . I really don't mean to sound cynical. I am a huge fan of Seth's and have learned a lot from him, faithfully observing his own blog and his well written articles. Please know that I am not arguing the survey. I really am just trying to be funny and a little mysterious as I read somewhere else, artists should be! hee hee)

The Muse
I really don't have any fresh new pieces of art to share for reasons you now realize I am not going to share. So, below I wanted to share the cover of DeviantScrap's latest edition of The Muse, a free digital zine that you can download here. The cover was done by the very talented Amber aka Persnickety Chick (who I am so proud to mention is on my Tumble Fish Studio Creative Team). Amber has the most wonderful style in using images of herself or family/friends in her work as she did here in this cover.

I have nothing to show for myself except . . . .
the previews for a couple of new sale kits I have at DeviantScrap.com, released today. More new-old sale kits coming Monday!

And consider yourself invited back for some other mostly art posts coming soon!

P.S. If you're an Etsy seller, HERE is a great Etsy blog post on how to boost your business. Boy, do I need that!

I embrace Mondays

2011-05-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

It's (almost) Monday! And that means new products at DeviantScrap! Well, it also means a new week is upon us and another weekend to look forward to. It's always good to have something to look forward to!

*Still slowly working on my blog appearance . . . excuse weirdness that may pop up occasionally.

More "Work" Done
I don't know what woke my muses up recently but I've gotten more work done in the last week than the last few months put together. (knocking on wood, throwing salt over my shoulder, turning around 3 times with my fingers in my ears, crossing toes)

Friends

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital journal page. Image credits: everything from my own images at DeviantScrap.com. Kits used include: Girly Whimsy, de Beaute, and Hats, Crowns and Wings.

Trapped Fairy

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital journal page. Image credits: everything from my own images, most at DeviantScrap.com. Kits used include: Girly Whimsy, Whimsy Frames, and Hats, Crowns and Wings.

Fairy Proper

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital journal page. Image credits: everything from my own images, most at DeviantScrap.com. Kits used include: Girly Whimsy, Dance-A-Thon (background), and Hats, Crowns and Wings.

Viola Won the Goldfish Pageant

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital journal page. Image credits: everything from my own images, most at DeviantScrap.com. Kits used include: Girly Whimsy, Whimsy Frames, and Hats, Crowns and Wings.

I'm Thrilled
You've seen this image before, but it's one of my favorites and I popped it in a frame for a kit preview.

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital journal page. Image credits: everything from my own images, most at DeviantScrap.com. Kits used include: Whimsy Frames, and Hats, Crowns and Wings.

In the Shoppe
So, I'm still re-releasing older image sets in sale priced and bundled kits at DeviantScrap. The previews below are all linked to my shoppe at DS if you're interested.

Girl Whimsy

Whimsy Frames

de Beaute

Hats, Crowns, and Wings

Banksy sighting
Way back in January I posted about the infamous graffiti artist, Banksy in a post called Another Miscellaneous Post found here. Well, I was so excited Friday night when my daughter spied this as we waited for our dinner reservation in South Pasadena. I finally got to see a Banksy in person. The quality isn't very good as it was getting dark and we used my daughter's cell phone.

His trademark signature . . .

Ima Crowin'

2011-05-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday peoples! Hope you're having a great weekend!

*Still slowly working on my blog appearance . . . excuse weirdness that may pop up occasionally.

Crowabout Studio B
Somehow with all the craziness going on moving to DeviantScrap, I've found myself creating lots of work lately. Today, I just wanted to share a couple of pieces I made with images from Nancy Baumiller's Crowabout Studio B digital image kits. I've been crowin' this week. Get it? Crowabout, crowin' . . . .

Ima Dreamer

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital Journal Page. Image Credits: everything but the words on right from Crowabout Studio B. Kits used: Alter a Shrine, More Borders and Bits, Funky Bod Parts, Body Language, Funky Creatures, Get Funky, and A Bit of Vintage.

The Pod

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: everything from Crowabout Studio B at DeviantScrap.com. Kits used: Alter a Shrine, Borders & Bits, Get Funky Elements, and Funky People Parts.

This one's a little different for me and not sure how I feel about it. I like the glass the most. Created by trial and error with layers, textures, and actions. It's me wishing I had a muse in a little glass box, waiting on me to use as needed.

Yonder Muse

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: everything except the shoes (my own stash) and some glass I created in a series of layers, is from Crowabout Studio B at DeviantScrap.com. Kits used: Alter A Shrine, Haunted Circus, Get Funky Elements, and Body Language.

Here's Nancy's latest kit . . . Alter a Shrine (linked to her shoppe at DeviantScrap)

Also wanted to mention . . .
It's time to sign up for the Sketchbook Project if you're interested. I've never done it and every year wish I had. I think they are making it easier and less intimidating every year. I'm workin' up courage to sign up. The picture below is linked to the site . . .

East really is West of here . . .

2011-05-25T21:30:00.001-07:00

Hi everybody! Hope your week is going well!

Blog update
I'm doing a little facelift on my blog this week. It's not done so if you notice some funny stuff going on here this week, you'll know why.

East is West
Really, I do think of the East is being West of me since I live on the West coast of the US. Guess it's East for everybody else. But now you know the reason behind the name of these image sets.

New (old) kits are being released for sale at DeviantScrap.com tonight! I've bundled together the East is West series into two kits, both on sale! Here are a few little things I whipped up tonight using mainly those kits.

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 2011. All rights reserved.
All images from my own collections at DeviantScrap.com and my private stash.

A couple of postcards . . .

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 2011. All rights reserved.
All images from my own collections at DeviantScrap.com and my private stash.

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 2011. All rights reserved.
All images from my own collections at DeviantScrap.com and my private stash.

The Kits
If you're interested in the East is West kits, just click on the pictures below to be taken to my DeviantScrap shoppe! They're on sale and have been freshened up for a repeat performance!

Prize Winners!

2011-05-22T22:14:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for celebrating my DeviantScrap opening today! I really appreciate all of your comments and support! If you didn't win this time, never fear! This is the first of many prize drawings to come this summer.

I numbered the comments in the order they were received, 1-31 and then used the random number generator to determine the winners.

Winners - please email me to get your prize!

And the winners of the $10 coupons are . . .

Kathy of A Spectacular Mess blog

and Karen of Easily Amuzzed blog

And the winners of the 1 Free Kits are . . .

LouAnn of At a Moments Notice blog

and Jackie of Jester Crafts

But hold the phone! You have another chance to win!
I'm having another prize drawing over at the DeviantScrap forum! I'd love to have you visit over there and play along! This game runs through May 28th. Here's the game . . .
(click on the game banner below)

You are always welcome in the DeviantScrap forum! You'll probably see lots of people you know over there. It's worth a visit to see what's going on. Oodles of great tips, ideas, tutorials, challenges and more. Sign up for the free DeviantScrap newsletter and monthly The Muse zine.

Prizes and Previews!

2011-05-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

Well, if you've been following the posts below, you know I'm in the midst of a big endeavor moving my collage images from my Etsy to DeviantScrap.com. It will take a couple of weeks to get everything freshened up and bundled together and moved, but we've got a great start!

My shoppe at DeviantScrap opens Monday, May 23.

Prizes
Two $10 gift certificates to be used in the Tumble Fish Shoppe between Monday, May 23 and June 30.

Two 1 Free Kit gift certificates to be used in the Tumble Fish Shopped between Monday, May 23 and June 30.

All you need to do to be entered into the drawing is leave a comment on this post. Please just enter once. Winners will be announced Sunday night by 10 p.m. PST so check back here to see if you've won!

Previews
Here are the previews for the first few kits going in the shoppe Monday. New ones will be added twice weekly so check back often. All kits will be offered in either a printable jpg version or separated png file versions and unlike Etsy, you'll receive your download links as soon as you place your order - no more waiting on me to email them! And all of these will be priced at new values to save you money!

Get Freaky - all the Get Freaky sets bundled into one kit with bonus background papers

Couture Glamour - all of the Couture series bundled together with Glamour Girls

Dance-A-Thon - the best of Dance-A-Thon and Twinkle Toes bundled together with some bonus images including 2 new backgrounds!

Bodacious - all of the Bodacious ATC backgrounds and borders bundled together.

Bodacious Letters - this kit will be download freebie just for visiting my shoppe at DeviantScrap!

After the older images are bundled and listed, I have lots of brand new images to offer too! There will be lots to see all summer long!

Here's a new piece I made using Dance-A-Thon and Bodacious . . . for my friend Monica.

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 5/20/2011. All rights reserved.

Have a great weekend everybody!

10:05 p.m. Sunday - comments closed for prize drawings.
Results posted soon!

Here's the scoop!

2011-05-20T20:52:00.000-07:00

I am so excited and honored to be designing at DeviantScrap.com again!

I left DeviantScrap rather abruptly last summer, kind of overwhelmed with life after diving into too much after my dad had died. I took some time to learn more and get my ducks in a row and later realized how much I really missed the other designers, community and customers at DeviantScrap. I asked the owner if I could come back and she graciously welcomed me back to the fold and I'm so delighted!

My Etsy will no longer carry collage images - just one sheet to point people over to DeviantScrap. I will, however, continue to offer prints, original artwork, postcards, and coming soon . . . antique ephemera and materials for creating. So don't forget to drop by Etsy now and then and pay me a visit there too.

At DeviantScrap, I'll be bundling up all of my old collage images into larger sets on sale to make room for many new kits coming this summer. Nearly all of my old images will be on sale and will gradually be moved over the next couple of weeks. I'll be adding products twice a week until it's all moved.

There is a lot going on at DeviantScrap! There's a lovely community gathering where you can get to know other artists and the designers, contests, challenges, tutorials and more!

My shop at DeviantScrap opens Monday, May 23! There will be prizes offered here later tonight or early tomorrow, so come back by and enter the drawing!

Here's a fun little video created by the talented Marta Van Eck, another designer at DeviantScrap. It was made not long ago to celebrate DS's first birthday. If you like Monty Python style imagery, you'll love this!

Big News coming!

2011-05-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

Are you curious? Want to know what's happening? It's gonna be good! And there are prizes involved!

Here's a hint . . . keep coming back to see more of the picture revealed!

You're about to know my secret!

When the picture is revealed, you'll know my secret good news! AND, you'll have a chance to earn some prizes.

Oh! Almost forgot! I have some new postcards in my Etsy shop!

Long overdue . . .

2011-05-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

. . .in so many ways . . . One item I've wanted to share for awhile was hindered by my sudden inexplicable issue with pulling my camera out of the drawer and turning it on. You know the feeling . . . when life gets so crazy the thought of what is normally a simple task is just hard enough to make you put it off?

I participated in one of LaWendula's fantastic paper swaps this spring. LaWendula is such a generous soul to organize so many lovely opportunities to not only share materials but make new friends around the world. Please check out her blog and ongoing swaps. You won't be disappointed!

My trade partner for LaWendula's Scavenger Hunt Swap was Eliza of Druga Szesnacie blog. I had a wonderful experience being introduced to Eliza's work and trading papers. I love her whimsical but sophisticated journaling style and use of all sorts of materials. She sent the most generous package of gorgeous materials for our swap . . . including chocolate and stunning copies of her own journal pages. How lucky am I? Wowee! I think I got the better end of the deal, for sure. Thank you so much Eliza! And thank you LaWendula for bringing us together!

For those of you waiting on Tumble Fish Studio postcards in my Etsy . . . they're coming soon! MOO made a mistake in my order so I'm running a bit behind schedule but the reprints should be on their way and 2 sets of postcards will be listed soon!

Also coming . . . I promise to be adding new collage sheets in the next week or so and putting prints back in the inventory. Life has kind of gotten in the way of work but I am gradually getting caught up and ready to make trips to the post office again. Have lots of new things to get ready and can't wait to share them with you. I'm also thinking of selling some of my stash of original and antique ephemera so watch for news about that.

Hope you all have a great rest of the week!

Some news . . .

2011-05-02T13:20:00.001-07:00

Feel like life has been moving at warp speed and I have left my blog way way back there somewhere. I'll explain some personal news near the end of this post. First want to share some art related news.

I hinted at this a few weeks ago before I was ready to reveal more. But today, with page numbers and contract in my email, I think it's safe to announce that six of my art pieces will be featured in a new book by best selling author Martin Dawber along with the work of many other international artists. I am excited and honored beyond words. According to Amazon, "Martin Dawber is the Principal Lecturer in Fashion at the Liverpool John Moores University where he has taught for the last 25 years. He is also a practising designer and has had his work exhibited in France and Finland. He has a Masters Degree from the Royal College of Art, specializing in Fashion Design. Martin Dawber lives in Liverpool." I'll reveal more as it all comes to fruition, but wanted you all to be some of the first to know! And I want to thank the many image designers who gave me permission to use their images in my work and will be proud to include them in the captions for each work included in the book.

Small Me

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 12/8/2010. All rights reserved.
Image credits: Everything is mine except for "Le Petit Journal" and a portion of the background which come from cemerony.etsy.

I have lots of other art stuff to update and share but just need a day with enough hours in it to get it done - hope that happens this week, so come back by if you can toward the end of the week.

Personal News
Have had a lot to deal with with my daughter. It's a long story but our troubles included a brief but nerve flinching lymphoma scare and now we are left with just a bit of a mystery as to why she has been so sick for so many months. Part of it can be explained with a recent mono diagnosis coupled with a severe strep infection that seems to be stubbornly rooted in her liver. But it doesn't explain abnormal liver tests back in December or repeated illnesses back to October. We're still waiting on blood tests and answers but we feel we are finally on the road to recovery and so thankful "the big C" has been taken off the table. As we approach the end of her senior year, and all of the activities and deadlines that come with it, I feel my schedule and work habits may continue to be a bit hit and miss. But someday, I swear, someday I am going to feel like life slows down just long enough to feel caught up for at least one blog post!

Hello World!

2011-04-25T12:48:00.001-07:00

Long time, no see . . . .

We've had some health issues going on with my 17 year old daughter that had me way, way, way sidetracked for the last couple of weeks. Mono for one thing but more than that going on . . . prayers are appreciated but I think we are getting things lined out finally. She had some pretty bad infections going on in her body but she is getting better.

So, meanwhile . . . I did get a few things done, slow as molasses, but finally done. Here's my latest collage work . . . one of my new favorites. I'm not selling prints for awhile on Etsy, not until life settles down and I can commit to regular trips to the post office. Maybe next week. This piece is inspired by my real live chats with my neighbor Cindy.

The Neighbors

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 4/12/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital Collage. Image credits: building walls and roofs from Crowabout Studio B at Deviantscrap.com; fence from Finecrafted Designs at Deviantscrap.com; windows, faces, bodies, grass, sky, words from my own collage images.

New collage sheets done and more to come this week!
(click on the picture below to go to Etsy)

Have a great week everyone!

Be Awesome Instead . . .

2011-04-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

In the words of Barney Stinson, my motto for this week is "When I get sad I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story." I've probably told you all that before but it's one of my favorite quotes.

I've taken some unexpected breaks from working this last week and kind of the week before. Got bogged down. Ya know that feeling? Gonna work AND play and focus on the bright side of life this week. Too much going on around here to update you, so I'll just jump right in . . . started this week by goofing off this morning between preparing new images for collage sheets.

The Predicament

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 4/11/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: the fly is from jenu-designs.com; background texture by DistressedTextures; everything else from my own collage images.

I get bored in the organizing and scanning and restoring and extracting. Sometimes just need to goof off. The before and after of The Predicament . . .

Needed to rework an old piece this last week for an upcoming project. It's linked to my flickr where you can find a link to the original too.

Dream Police

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 4/5/2011. All rights reserved.Digital collage. Image credits: men from flickr's bobster855 (extracted, altered, recolored); wings from Itkupilli.etsy.com; "Dream" from Crowabout Studio B at Deviantscrap.com; background texture from flickr's JoesSistah; everything else from my own stash.

Have an awesome week everybody!

Three Muses, Freaky Exports & Yummy Acquisitions . . .

2011-03-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

Three Muses Challenge
There's a wonderful challenge site that is the culmination of hard work from 3 lovely ladies: Ann, Marie, and Bev. Each week they post a theme and after you create a piece you may link it reciprocally to the site and your site. This week's theme was The Land of Odd and turned out to be my inspiration for two (almost four) new digital collages from me and some new collage sheets. Several people had suggested to me that I give a Three Muses challenge a try and it had been a long while since I had. But, it might have just been the spark I needed to feel a little more inspired to work. So, thank you Three Muses and my friends that suggested trying the challenge! You can find Three Muses here. The first one is my submission to the challenge and the piece that sparked the rest seen below.

Freak Pride

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 3/27/2011. All rights reserved.Digital collage. Image credits: tents and seal from Studio Crowabout B at Deviantcrap; flags on tents and some texturing on floor from Clementine at Deviantscrap; everything else from my own collage sheets.

Freak Pride Journal Page

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 3/27/2011. All rights reserved.Digital collage. Image credits:tents and seal from Studio Crowabout B at Deviantcrap; flags on tents and some texturing on floor from Clementine at Deviantscrap; paperclip and photo frame from Christina Renee Designs and used with a commercial license for a retired kit; coupons on left, asian paper at upper right from designer Sherrie JD at Deviantscrap; postcard in lower right from jen-u designs; tape from designer Caryn Scanlan; everything else from my own collage sheets.

Freaky Fairy

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 3/28/2011. All rights reserved.Digital Collage. Image credits: everything from my own collage sheets.

Freaky Fairy Journal Page

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 3/28/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: paperclip and photo frame from Christina Renee Designs and used with a commercial license for a retired kit; tape from designer Caryn Scanlan; everything else from my own collage sheets

Exports

Here are a few new collage sheets. I have to admit I felt a bit rusty after a good 3 week break from creating collage sheets. But today I feel like the ice has been broken and I look forward to making more sheets this week.

Get Freaky

Get Freaky Apparel

Get Freaky Masks

Acquisitions
I've enjoyed generous friends, talented friends and a bit of fun lately. Just wanted to share some recent things that have found their way to me lately . . .

From my good friend Trudi of Two Dresses Studio

From an old friend, Leo of Etsy's LexArt Glass

From the talented and so sweet Fiona Randall of My Artful Muse blog

From all over the world, just a sampling of antique papers I have to go through, organize, scan and restore

From my brain to my body, a symbolic gift that I need to get out and use my body and my brain will work better

From my friend Brenda and myself, my growing collection of Sandy Mastroni dolls to keep me company as I work.

Long post, early in the week . . . hope you have happy creating days this week and everything goes just right!

Oh my . . .

2011-03-25T00:41:00.000-07:00

A big fat fail on the schedule plan I posted yesterday. I did visit and comment around 25 blogs today and some flickrs. But that is the only thing I did according to plan. Got so sidetracked. But, tomorrow is another day and I still like the general approach of that plan.

I played a bit today for some reason . . . just couldn't control myself. But (the big proverbial but) . . . . I am still not "feelin'" things. I am still not feelin' in stride with creating. I did some looking today and I think part of my problem is that what I'm seeing in my head, I either don't have the images to create what I "see" or I don't know how to go about creating what I "see".

Soul Okay

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 3/24/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: head from flickr's picassoswoman; everything else from my own collection of digital collage images.

Stuck (I want to be outside the box)

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 3/24/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: background from designer Lorie Davison; aged photo texture from designer Holly McCaig; box altered from photorack; side label from designer Sherrie JD; everything else from my own images.

I find myself wanting to work in 5 very different ways. Like these . . .

Teesha Moore
Anahata Katkin
Corinne Geertsen or Maggie Taylor or Casa Jordi
Michael Mew

But I want to work in those directions all at once in some divine combination of them all. I look at my work and see it with very different eyes when I start looking at the work I want to be influenced by. My work seems very novice, flat, contrived, forced and then I get stuck. I see the differences between what I make and what I want to make and I don't know how to push forward. I'm not looking for anyone to solve my problem or even advise really. Just sharing my journey, my thoughts, my fights with myself.

Busy, non-Art Friday and then hope to get some collage sheets done this weekend. Hope you all have a fantastic and productive weekend!

You say malarkey. I say melarkey.

2011-03-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

Yep. I spelled malarkey wrong in the piece in the post below. Oh well, as I've said in Facebook and Flickr, it just proves my point that I don't know what I'm talking about . . . usually. May go back and fix it, may not. I can always say, since it's somewhat of a self portrait, that it was a play on the word to be MElarkey.

I'm as slow as molasses but did get one more piece done this week. Starting to shift my focus to making some new sheets but I have lots of scanning and restoration to do so it will be a few more days before I get anything ready to show.

Unbelievable

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 3/22/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: textures from designer Lorie Davison and Flypaper; flowers from Finecrafted Designs at Deviantscrap; a little magic from Paint the Moon; everything else from my own collection of images.

New standard operating procedure starts tomorrow . . .
I've decided that I get so overwhelmed trying to start the blog visiting I want to do that I'm going to try and break my day up into parts. I really need to set a timer and stick to a schedule of sorts and see if that helps me accomplish more.

I'm going to take an hour or so each day and visit a section of the blogs I have linked as my fav's. For instance, I might visit J's-L's tomorrow, A's-D's the next day, and so on. That will help me get caught up on some inspiration and my friends at the same time.
And, I'm going to take one hour each day to take the online class, Remains of the Day by Mary Ann Moss, that I haven't started 3 weeks after signing up.
One hour for emails and . . .
One hour for Flickr and . . .
One hour for house chores . . .
and the rest to work.

We'll see how this plan works . . .

Hey! By the way . . . thank you for your kind comments. You all are just the best blog friends anyone could ask for. I thank my stars for you all everyday and I really appreciate the time you take to visit and comment.

Ehhhh . . . .

2011-03-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

Don't really know how you spell "Ehhhh". That mumble of indifference when you don't love or hate something but will accept it as it is. That's what I'm talkin' about. Feeling very Ehhhh-ish.

I said on Facebook this morning I was kicking the flu to the curb, but it kinda snuck back in as the day went on. Don't feel horrible, don't feel good, tired of being tired, and bored with being sick. So, I really really tried to dust off my dusty art self today to try and make something.

Melarky

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 3/21/2011. All rights reserved.
A simple little Zetti style digital collage. Image credits: all but the bubbles from my own collection of images. Eyes belong to moi. Bubbles from designer Nicole Young and used with a commercial license. Somewhat of a self portrait today.

I made this next one last Saturday night, also just really needing to make something more than making something out of inspiration. I am definitely forcing it right now, but I always go through bouts of that when I haven't been creating and looking at the work of others daily.

Can't I?

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 3/19/2011. All rights reserved.
For me, when I haven't made something for a long while, the first one back is always a bit awkward and lacking. Have to push through to let the muses know you're ready to roll again. Digital collage. Image credits: everything from my own collection of images. 6 separate antique photos were used.

My very talented and sweet friend Amy of Wallflower Images told me she saw my mail art in Somerset Studio and I said "I don't think it's mine." I hadn't sent anything and hadn't heard anything from them. So I went to my new unopened copy and started browsing, back to front as I always do anything worth enjoying! hee hee And there in the Letters to the Editor area was a picture of a label I had put on the box mailing in a submission last summer for the Holiday issue. How funny is that!

More importantly . . . notice the call for mail art! I know tons of you that should be submitting work to this call!

On the agenda this week . . .
I know some are waiting on new collage sheets. Lord knows I should be making them. I am absolutely overloaded with lots of recently gathered antique pictures and ephemera - so many sheets working in my head. But, I think I really need to spend some time this week blog hopping and flickr looking to gather some inspiration. I need to knock out a couple of new pieces and work out some of the kinks I have from not stretching my creative muscles much in several weeks. I need some fresh perspectives. So, if you are in fact waiting to see new stuff (which may very well be the case in my sweet dreams), hang in there just a bit longer. I promise to be productive soon!

ugh

2011-03-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Have had the flu all week and still feeling yucko. Hope to be back and working next week. Have a great weekend!

marsha

Un-Art Week

2011-03-08T09:32:00.001-08:00

I think it's going to be an Un-Art week for me. Taxes, laundry, errands, chores, and some long overdue busy work need to be done. My Etsy is open but I won't be around much anywhere else for a few days.

I'll leave you with a source picture of me and my kids . . . source meaning they are part of the cause of my Un-Arting. Ah, I love 'em anyway. They are my best creation and sometimes need a little tweeking.

Have a great week everybody!

For my Digi Peoples . . .

2011-03-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

I am in luuuuuurve! I just absolutely adore Paint the Moon Photoshop Textures and Actions. I am still teaching myself digitally and use Photoshop Elements 7. Annie's actions make it so easy to adjust work in magical ways! I played with just one of a huge bundle I downloaded this morning . . .

I have ten million things to do today, but couldn't resist a few minutes to play. Here's the link if you're interested in Paint the Moon . . .

Also, have my own Facebook Page now . . . HERE
I've just gotten started with it so be sure to "Like" me if you're on FB and watch for more to come!

Have a great weekend everybody!

It's good to be me!

2011-03-01T12:37:00.001-08:00

Hope it's not wrong to say that, but I had such a good morning! I opened two surprise packages! Not one, but two! Some people are just so good at spoiling me . . . .

Shelly Massey of A Wee Bit Warped sent me the most delicious fabulous swanky box of goodies! A hand painted You are Loved sign, a gorgeous print (which you can find here), some spectacular cards (beautifully printed and I hope coming to her Etsy soon), and her Oodles of Doodles booklet! I am just plain giddy! (read more about Shelly below)

(look at Shelly's yummy "Hello, my name is" business card too . . . so clever)

Shelly is one of my oldest new art friends, with me from almost the beginning of my new journey into art three years ago. Not only has she been extremely supportive and encouraging to me and so many others, she has blossomed in the most exciting ways in her own work. In fact, her class with Paper Cowgirl just recently sold out and she is teaching workshops and classes all over the country. She is in high demand and it is no surprise. If you are lucky enough to get into one of her classes, you'll be envied by me and so many others. She is mucho talented and one of the kindest gals I've ever met. Be sure to check your schedule and check her blog here.

Tracey of Glitterbug Studios sent me some real live magic! Tracey has long been one of my favorite artists. She moves between hand cut collage and digital work with the greatest of ease and both are truly magnificent to see. Tracey stays busy with the design teams she creates for and I am truly honored and lucky to have her on my own small Tumble Fish team. Not only does she work in both digital and hand cut mediums but she works in some pretty spectacular formats as well.

This was no ordinary book she sent me . . .

I could tell right away . . . the glitter gave me an idea that this was going to be special!

Opened the cover and inside I found a very magical theater! Look at the special Tumble Fish details she added. Woweeeeee!

Tracey has sent me so many incredible, very special pieces of art over the last couple of years. I've tried and tried to change the fact that she has yet to open an Etsy! You can give her a bad time about that when you visit her blog here.

Well, Tuesday is also "eat dinner out" night at my house and I am getting a hair cut today. So all in all, it was a good day to get out of bed, don't ya think?

Here are a couple of my proverbial irons in the fire. Buckets of pictures and papers to scan and restore . . .

I actually bought some panels to try a little mixed media work soon. Yep, still in the bag a week later taking up room on my work space. But, I am NOT putting them away . . .

Have a couple of new things in my Etsy . . .

Postcards

French Fleurs collage sheets

Have a great first week of March, everybody!

Cool ideas, swanky stuff . . .

2011-02-22T11:57:00.000-08:00

Swanky Stuff

Brenda of My Divine Time, one of the sweetest friends I have, sent me a Sandy Mastroni doll recently. She's been sitting on my desk, patiently waiting for me to announce her arrival. I told Brenda, I now have a group since it is my third of Sandy's dolls. I aim to have a shelf-full one of these days. Thank you, Brenda, for spoiling me with such a fantastic surprise! (the doll picture is linked to Sandy's Etsy, but her very fun blog can be found here. And her brand new Etsy full of glorious rich paintings can be found here.)

From one of my favorite Etsy artists, Aquamarine Art, here's a yummy fun giveaway! Click on the picture to be taken to the drawing. I have my eye on that dreamy little itty bitty painting. (not shown here) Be sure to wish her a Happy Birthday too!

Some of you know, my idol, my role model, my "wanna-be-her-someday" is Anahata Katkin because of how she made her business dream a reality. I have given many of her items away as gifts and am always on the look out for what's new and cool. I just love her magnets and right now, you can get this cool fridge art for $1.00 + shipping! Can't beat that! There are lots of magnets on sale so be sure to go check them out. (the picture below is linked to Papaya Art and the magnet listing.)

Cool Ideas

From one of my new favorite "cool ideas" blogs, Frugal Life Project:

DIY: Enlarging Small Mementos to Make Large Works of Art!

Also love these posts at DIY!

Faux Metallic Letters

Printing on Fabric

Updated! Three more!

2011-02-16T11:40:00.000-08:00

Celebrating my 100th -102nd collage sheets in Etsy!
Here they are . . .

Couture Deux

Couture

Glamour Girls

I'm not shy . . .

2011-02-15T22:20:00.000-08:00

about posting what's new in my Etsy. I finished several new sheets and have many more on the way. Here are the latest listings . . .

Colorful Cabinet Cards

Bodacious Borders

Bodacious Borders Deux

Bodacious Letters

I'm on call for jury duty this week. I have to call every evening to find out if I have to go in the next day. So far so good but it limits what projects I want to start and may have to leave undone awhile.

Hope you all have a great week!

Sweets for the Sweet Winners!

2011-02-11T10:20:00.000-08:00

I'll keep it short and sweet tonight. It's been a marathon week and the one and only art project I got done, I can't show you . . . yet. So, I'll get right to the winners of the Sweets for the Sweet Drawing. I numbered the comments in order from 1 to 69, giving two consecutive numbers to each person that left a poem and one number to those that didn't. I used the random number generator found here to get the draws, but I did not save the pix this time. (too much in a hurry)

Prize One winner . . . . #31 Andrea of Art Legacy
You won the Cupid Combo collage sheet set!

Prize Two winner . . . #19 Junkgarden
You won the flower pin from Stephanie Boman!

Prize Three winner . . . #26 Paper Pumpkin
You won the Just Be petite print!

Prize Four winner . . . #11 Yvonne of Artic Blonde Creations
You won the Valentine collage sheets!

So, winners, email whatever I need to mail your prizes to you. Collage sheets need an email address and the other two prizes need snail mail addresses.

Thank you everybody for your fun and wonderful participation in the drawing. I loved the poems! You kept me entertained all week.

Coming Soon! I have tons and tons and tons of new antique pix and papers I plan to focus on starting tomorrow, so look for new art and new collage sheets next week! I cleared my plate, finally, and got the big projects done that have been weighing me down. So keep your eyes peeled!

Sweets for the Sweet Drawing

2011-02-05T00:20:00.001-08:00

4 Sweet Little Prizes! All you have to do is comment this post to be entered into a random drawing for one of the following four prizes! If you'd like your name to be entered twice in the drawing, leave me a poem in your comment that starts with "Roses are Red. . ."

The first prize is . . . A set of my newest collage sheets from my Etsy

Be Mine Cupid Combo image set

The next prize is . . . A romantically fun rose pin from my friend, artist and published author, Stephanie Boman! The picture is linked to her Etsy and you can find her blog here. Stephanie had sent me a pin a few months ago just cuz she's as sweet as can be and I love it! These are lovely vintage style adornments, very yummy! Some can be worn in your hair, some on your hat, some on your clothes - THE perfect accessory! Be sure to check out Stephanie's blog too where she hosts many of her own free giveaways, shares free ephemera to use in your own work, and shows some of her own fab art projects like this favorite of mine.

(Above picture from Stephanie Boman. All rights reserved.)

If you'd like to add Stephanie's blog button to your own blog, here it is . . . find the link code on the sidebar of her blog.

The third prize is . . . This Limited Edition Just Be Petite Print (with mat). This is a first in a planned series of petite size pieces, measuring about 3 x 5 inches.

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 1/31/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital ATC. Image credits, everything is from my images (most at tumblefishstuido.etsy.com) except for the face which comes from a former flickr member, VeryGoodWithComputers.

And the last prize is . . . 3 of my older Valentine collage image sheets from my Etsy!

Drawing closes Thursday at midnight. Winners will be announced Friday, February 11!

Have a great week my sweetest blog people ever!

That's all and no more . . .

2011-01-30T23:18:00.000-08:00

I've been busy thinking all day. And now it's time to . . .

Just be

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 1/31/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital ATC. Image credits, everything is from my images (most at tumblefishstuido.etsy.com) except for the face which comes from a former flickr member, VeryGoodWithComputers.

The little digital ATC above will be popping up here again soon. I feel another prize drawing coming on soon! Sweets for the Sweet Contest coming later this week!

That'll teach me . . .
Guess I should pay more attention to my email. It has been sadly neglected. Cleaned out over 1300 messages between my two addresses this weekend and ran across a few that I wish I had seen earlier! I don't know how I miss such great messages! Found out from Seth Apter of The Altered Page that stemming from his project The Pulse, a survey of 150 online artists, my blog was listed as a favorite blog to visit! Who knew? I often think I scare people away! You can see the link here. And while you're at Seth's blog, check out this link too! Well, just check everything out at Seth's! I got lost in there for over an hour tonight.

Today's self observations . . .

I have been craving turkey. I go and get slices out of the fridge like some might take cookies from the cookie jar. Hope this goes away soon.
I get tired of wearing pants about 9:00 every night. I have to go put on the stretchy jammies. (could be from all the turkey I ate during the day) The really sad thing is, I don't always shower and get my pants on until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Thank goodness I don't have a real job.
I am a fixer. I want to fix everything, always . . . and am so disappointed when I realize I can't fix most things.
I have fallen out of grace with two people already this week. Could be a long week. You live, you learn.

Another Miscellaneous Post

2011-01-28T16:12:00.000-08:00

Nothing much new to say, just trying to stay up on things. Lots of irons in the fire . . . acquiring lots of new images to use in my own work and new collage sheets. Bought nearly $1000 worth of antique papers and pictures in the last month. And, they all need to be scanned, restored, sorted, etc. Want a new blog design and playing around with that. Developing a new journal project . . . I should say my first journal project. And actually dusted off the markers, scissors, pastels, and glue sticks to get back into some hand cut work. This is a rough draft for an ATC I promised someone months ago . . . nothing epic.

My Alter Ego . . .

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 1/20/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Images are all my own placed on combined textures from myself and flypaper.

Interesting . . .
I first found out about this crazy street art documentary on ZebraMule's flickr (here). So we watched the movie tonight. The picture below is linked to the documentary website if you'd like a sneak peek or to read more about it.

I must admit, I'm fascinated with street art though I really haven't decided how I feel about it. It's a slippery slope, but so intriguing. And that's not really what the movie is about. The movie took me in a whole different direction than I expected.. Once again "What is Art?" is the question you'll find yourself struggling to answer . . . just not in the way you're probably expecting. A real twist in the nonfiction plot changes everything! (we watched it through Netflix)

And . . .
If you haven't looked through ZebraMule's photostream, you need to! I think Corrine is my new artist idol. I cannot get enough of her work. If you can't either, her website is here.

More on Banksy, my favorite artist from the documentary, can be found here.

I'm so lucky . . .
I won a beautiful print from Verna's Bird Bee and Bloom blog giveaway last month. Oh, it's gorgeous! I'm so proud to own it. Thank you, Verna! Here's a linked picture to the artist that made it, Danita . . .

I had some allowance left over (not really but don't tell hubby) so I indulged in another doll from Sandy Mastroni . . . (picture linked to her store)

This week's self observations . . .

I use the word "so" entirely too much. I'm as bad about that as my daughter is about using "like".
I still have way too many moments of insecurity and self defeating thoughts. Sometimes it comes out in my interaction with other people, I get paranoid in a way. (are you saying "Sometimes? How 'bout all the time?") I need a new trick to shoo those thoughts away.
I feel better when my nails are painted.

It is always something with me, isn't it?

2011-01-27T22:48:00.000-08:00

My Typical Whining Part
I am such a broken record, saying the same thing over and over . . . I am so unbelievably behind! It has been a long week and had very little to do with art. My daughter needed lots of doctor visits and x-rays and all kinds of stuff due to a hip injury from a soccer game. She has one more orthopedist appointment in the morning and then we're probably starting physical therapy. On top of that (and the all insurance calls, etc.) she and my 19 year old son are both sick with the coughing flu I had over Christmas and let me tell you . . . what wankers as my husband would say! So pitiful the two of them! Then, the last of the college apps and FAFSA apps all needed my assistance. And husband was out of town and I had not a minute to do what I thought I was going to do any day this week.

On the Flip Side
I did manage to get some new sheets done while waiting most of the week on hold at insurance and doctor's office calls! But that's pretty much all I got done. In honor of the movie about to be released, thought I'd I try some Gnome-ish type sheets . . .

Flower Land Gnomes

Gnomes Sweet Gnomes

One World One Heart
Well, I was going to participate in the last One World One Heart event I had mentioned in another earlier post. But, given my inability to keep up with life, let alone blog visits lately, I am thinking maybe I should not take it on. If you have not participated in this event or want to increase your blog traffic, I highly recommend you click on the link and check things out. It is a wonderful event to be a part of and took me to so many of my current favorite blogs and some very special friends.

(the picture is linked to the site)

Lastly
I just want to thank you all again for your lovely visits and especially for the birthday wishes. It means to the world to me and you all make life better all the way around. Have a great weekend!

Bad news, Good news

2011-01-19T11:39:00.000-08:00

Bad news: This little house is mine and I'm not sharing it. I just got it in the mail yesterday, a little present to myself. I had my eye on these little house charms for quite awhile and not sure why I didn't order some sooner. I'm obsessed with them! If I were Oprah and had a show and a zillion gabillion dollars to buy my audience "My Favorite Things", this would be one of them and I'd buy one for everybody . . .

Good news: The little house below is one of the prizes from my birthday Make Me Laugh drawing! Keep reading below the picture.

This charming house came from Angie of Junk Garden blog and Etsy. Junk Garden blog is one of my all time favorite blogs to visit. I just love Angie's style and taste and talent beyond what I can describe! She finds, shares, and creates just the coolest stuff around. If she could dress me, decorate my house, design my blog, and call me everyday with one of her creative moments of genius, I would have the world on a string! You must visit both her blog and Etsy. She is one of the most humble bloggers I have ever come across, rarely touting her own fine fun work. So you must visit both. The pix above are linked to her Etsy and her blog can be found here. More from Angie later in the post . . .

Make Me Laugh Drawing & Prizes . . .

Who made me laugh the hardest . . . Boot~C of Mama's Got to Doodle blog. I loved her joke about the bar, the man, the jar, and the horse! I've retold it about a dozen times now. And she wins: the house pendant shown above, my newest print "Rain, rain" (shown in the post below this one) and 5 collage sheets from my Etsy shop!

Taking Boot~C out for the random drawing, I numbered the comments with jokes in order as they appear from 1 to 9 and used the random number generator to choose a number for me. Despite her prediction and the odds, #1 was chosen!

Random winner drawn . . . AZviaTX aka Tina of Red Opal blog!
And she wins: Two rolls of Tim Holtz's new tissue tape (which I bought from here), my newest print "Rain, rain" and 5 collage sheets from my Etsy shop!

Winners, if you'll email me with your addresses, I'll get your prints and prizes mailed. You can do a little shopping in my collage sheets here and then let me know which 5 sheets you'd like.

Thank you all so much for playing along. I loved the jokes! I've been retelling them all this last week. An itty bitty LOVE prize for everyone . . .
You can use the heart below in your own personal artwork. Please do not redistribute in any way. It is created from an old hand painted background I made a couple of years ago.

In other news . . .

Here is the other birthday present I chose for myself . . . an exquisite doll from artist Sandy Mastroni. I absolutely adore her! I want to collect as many of her dolls as I can. Family has been given proper notice that should they ever be looking for something to give me, this is what I want, dolls from Sandy. I've never been a huge doll person, but the faces Sandy creates gives these little creatures a life all their own - very magical and spellbinding. I have a hard time not staring at great length into the face of mine sitting here on my desk. She seems so wise and that if I look long enough I shall find all the answers in her gaze. The picture is linked to Sandy's Etsy and her blog can be found here. These dolls are on "My Favorite Things" list too . . .

Collage Sheets . . .
I have taken a mini break from creating collage sheets. Have lots of new stuff to scan and new sheets being planned in my head. New items coming soon!

Awards . . .
It has been a long while since I've got a blog award and got two in one week! Just by chance I received the award below from both Angie at Junk Garden blog and Patr ice at The Old Back Porch blog. Thank you ladies! You're so kind!

The Rules of the Award are as follows:
- Thank and link back to the person that gives you the award
- Share 7 things about yourself
- Pay it forward to 15 recently discovered blogs*
- Email the recipients to let them know they won

Seven Little Things you might not know about Moi . . .

Black is my most favorite color.
I drink Coke all the time . . . like all day everyday and hate coffee and water.
If I could dress and look just like anyone else it would be Ellen Degeneres.
I don't like to fall asleep without the TV on. So sad, but I hardly watch TV any other time.
Sorry old followers . . . for you newer readers, I have a true phobia of buttons. I avoid them at all costs. (making it harder to wear those cute oxford shirts Ellen wears)
My husband has worked in the movie industry for over 30 years so I've got to meet lots and lots of famous folks . . . even been to some of their homes, shared meals with them, and chatted at parties and on the set. Remember the old Six Degrees from Kevin Bacon game? I can make you 2nd in a link list that doesn't require you to be in a movie yourself though I did appear (as an extra in the courtroom) in the not so successful movie Disorganized Crime. It's a small world, huh?
What I wish I could do . . . make something besides collages, sing in tune, whistle that loud whistle that gets everyone's attention, and give back to the people in my life just a little of what they give me.

*Nominating other blogs . . .
I love and so deeply appreciate the honor of someone recognizing me with an award, I truly do. But, honestly, I hate, hate, hate having to choose just a few to pass it on to. I hate that I might be excluding others. Maybe because I was often one of the last picked for the kickball team at recess. So, I'm going to be a rebel for the time being and point you in the direction of my sidebar over there on the right. It is a long list of my most favorite blogs to visit and it's still missing some I need to get organized and add. Maybe I'll get the guts to pass this award on more specifically soon, after a little more thought on the matter.

Make Me Laugh Contest and Miscellany . . .

2011-01-14T23:49:00.000-08:00

Happy 3 day weekend! It seems like I just got everyone to go back to work and school! Now they're here again.

Rain, rain

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 1/14/11. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: flowers are from Holliewood Studios at Deviantscrap.com and used with a commercial license; rain is from Nicole Young at Digitalscrapbookplace.com and used with a commercial license; the face is highly altered from a flickr member no longer on flickr (verygoodwithcomputers); background is made from layers from itkupilli.etsy.com and asunderephemera.etsy.com; body, wings, and hat are mine from tumblefishstudio.etsy.com.

The Journal Internal

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 1/14/11. All rights reserved.
Digital journal page. Image credits: everything but the door and black and white border from my own stash of images, most at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com; door from Lorie Davison at Scrapbookgraphics.com; black and white border from Crowabout Studio B at Deviantscrap.com.

I had a good week. Barely put a dent in all the flickr and blog visiting I wanted to do, but visited quite a bit. There is so much inspiration to be had and I learned about so many cool things on other blogs. So, it seems a fitting place to mention . . .

One World One Heart! The wonderful make-the-world-smaller event of Lisa Swifka, the Whimsical Bohemian! I was not able to participate last year because I was in Missouri taking care of my dad (can you believe it's almost been a year?), but I did get to join the fun in 2009 and met so many beautiful inspiring people. It was an incredible experience. Anyone can play along! Just click on the picture above to find out more.

Contest - Make Me Laugh! (1/19 - contest entries now closed, prizes and winners published later tonight!)

I was supposed to have a prize drawing contest back in December, but then I got so sick I was in bed for most of 2 weeks. I'm not too humble to tell you my birthday is next week. It will be my first without either parent. Since my birthday is next week and last year my birthday was very very sad (cuz my dad was so sick with cancer), I thought I would turn things around and have a little contest to see who can make me laugh the most on my birthday this year! Here's the contest . . .

Leave your best joke in the comments of this post and you'll be entered to win the drawing. There will be one randomly drawn winner and one winner that tells me a joke I like the most. You must leave a joke to be entered into either drawing! Prizes will be posted soon but some collage sheets, a print, and some little fun stuff will be included! The winners will be announced the day after my birthday, Wednesday, January 19th!

A real Monday . . .

2011-01-10T11:19:00.000-08:00

Finally, Christmas break is over! Everyone is back at school and work for the first time in 3 weeks and I celebrated the quiet house with a quickie digital piece this morning.

Life

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 1/10/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: face and body altered and colored from the graphicsfairy.blogspot.com; photo frame from christina renee retired kits and used with a commercial license; sky made from combined images from distressed textures at www.wix.com/distressedjewell/distressed-textures; grass, wings, sign, and halo from my own images at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com.

I am anxious to truly get back to work and routine this week. Soccer games, errands, cleaning, appointments, real life stuff, normal stuff to do again. Hope you all have a great week!

Just a little wishful thinking . . .

2011-01-06T12:05:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much for your lovely comments. You all mean so much to me and your support just gets me giddy.

Just playing a bit this morning and finishing up something that's been cookin' a few days . . . won't get much real "work" done or visiting done until my family clears out next week. I can't focus with so many things going on around me. Looking forward to getting lots done!

On that note, this is what I wish I had . . .
Secret Sanctum (click on picture for larger version in flickr)

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 1/6/2011. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. 66 layers - Image credits: trees, bucket, flower on right, and spider web from retired sets of Christina Renee and used with a commercial license; key in hand, butterfly and bug on porch from jenu-designs.com and used with a commercial license; sparkles form Nicole Young at digitalscrapbookplace.com and used with a commercial license; sign frame and bird nest from Lorie Davison at Scrapbookgraphics.com and used with a commercial license; bird from lisasalteredart.etsy.com; some flowers at very top and sprig of grass near bucket from Holliewood Studios at Deviantscrap.com and used with a commercial license; porch, siding, door, fairy, hat, ticket, wings, background plants, and grass all from my images at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com

A Life Post

2011-01-05T09:57:00.000-08:00

It is purely coincidence that I feel the need to make some life changes right after New Year's Day. I've never been one to contemplate resolutions since 99% of us that make them fail to stick to them 99% of the time.

But, paying better attention to things going on around me lately for some reason, I find myself reflecting and wondering how I could be better. A better mother, a better wife, a better friend, a better sister, a better woman, a better artist, a better business owner, a better citizen, a better version of myself . . . a better human.

First step, self assessment. I have gotten lazy.

I have allowed myself to be a victim far too often this last year. I have forgotten how to be a warrior.
I have allowed myself to wallow. I have forgotten to be joyous and grateful and optimistic.
I have allowed myself to focus on roadblocks instead of seeing the potential past them.
I have pinned hopes on tiny little wasted dreams and forgotten to hope for the big crazy adventure.
I care too much what others think of me and have too often disregarded my own sense of self worth.
I have forgotten that there's a difference between allowing myself to be sucked into the spiral of negativity and drama of others and being compassionately concerned but true to my own values and beliefs.

Second step, LET GO! I need to let go of EXCUSES, BLAME, worry, grief, regrets, grudges, negative people, negative situations, bad memories, fears, laziness, bad habits, and all the crap that clutters my environment and my mind. LET GO is my mantra for myself until I feel better, feel "ME".

I saw a therapist once that told me I can blame anyone I want for anything that happened in my past as recent as yesterday. It's pointless. It does nothing. Blame rarely makes things better. BLAME IS AN EXCUSE AND NOT A SOLUTION. I only have myself to blame for who I am today, my happiness and success as a human, and how I choose to live my life. Whatever it is that I think I need, whether it's love, respect, acceptance, money, friendship, acknowledgement, a job or a new pair of jeans or anything else, I need to find it, work for it, earn it, grow it, and create it myself. It is no one's responsibility but my own.

Third step, reteach myself to be me. There is a me down there somewhere, a little lost and off balance. I've been going in the wrong directions, focusing on the wrong things - maybe for a few years now. I've forgotten the me I used to be and want to be. I catch glimpses now and then. So, for me, the best way to chip away at all that has gotten in the way of "me" is to start with simple things:

good sleep (but not TOO much sleep)
exercise (especially walking my scaredy cat dog and training him at the same time I train me)
getting out of the house and looking at the world around me
alone time in my own space
eating better (more fruits and veggies!)
reading and researching
little indulgences (like naps and playing games and mindless TV now and then)
doing the chores that never get done (instead of waiting for someone else to do them)
taking pictures (because things look different through the view finder)
listening to music
writing letters
wearing make up now and then and remembering I used to be a girl
finding clothes that fit
kissing my husband and telling him all the lovely things I think about him everyday
being harder on my kids (because people live up to expectations and not past them sometimes and I think I've gotten a little soft in what I expect)
actually, along those lines, expecting more from everyone in my life including myself
thinking positively and optimistically
and a million other little things.

These are NOT resolutions. These are things I've been too lazy to do.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Change Coming

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 1/1/11.
Digital collage. Image credits: Everything but the swirls and birds from my own images, many available at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com. Swirls and birds from Studio Lorie, designer Lorie Davison at scrapbookgraphics.com and used with a commercial license.

Change Coming . . . we all know it, the only thing constant in life is change. But, it's been a quiet and somber start to the New Year today. Stayed in my jammies all day, did laundry, worked a bit. Despite my execution of several superstitious rituals last night . . . I'm still sick after two weeks of some respiratory bug and my sister-in-law's dear mom passed away today. She always, always had such happy things to say every time I saw her - so loving. She will be missed and my heart aches for my sister-in-law. She so deserved a good run of good happy things and I feel so badly that her year is starting off so painfully.

Easing back in to the post holiday routine and back into work . . . new sheets in my Etsy. More coming soon! Have a great first week of the year!

One Week!

2010-12-17T22:22:00.000-08:00

Holy Moly! Only one week until Christmas? Seriously? Who is playing with my calendar and making the days go faster? Are you running around as crazy as I am? Or are you the organized, prepared, got it all done early, make me sick but love you anyway type? Just when I think I'm doing okay checking things off of my list, time speeds up in some kind of Christmas black hole time warp thing and I'm behind again! Well, at least the shopping is done. Presents are waiting to be wrapped. Decorations are ALL finally up. Christmas letter is written and the front of the card is below - those are printed and waiting to be cut, scored, and folded. Stamps are bought but still need more red envelopes. Then, it's just baking and grocery shopping. Oh, and a trip to Disneyland is getting squeezed in there somewhere.

Well, it's the best kind of busy, getting ready for Christmas. Though it is tough this year in many ways, my first without my parents, it is still cheering me up in many other ways and helping me remember lots of lovely Christmases with my family in years past.

Love is the Greatest Gift of All

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 12/17/10. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: body from collageanonymous.etsy.com; hat from Finecrafted Designs at Deviantscrap.com; hearts from Holliewood Studios at Deviantscrap.com; sparkles from Nicole Young at DigitalScrapbookPlace.com; everything else is from my images at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com.

I am actually working on a hand cut piece in between everything else. I haven't made a hand cut piece in months and it is challenging to switch gears and think more gesturally than mechanically as I have been so engulfed in digital images. Hope to get it done and posted next week.

Johnny Depp dear, please don't read this. My excitement for today entailed getting my 40something face waxed. Not just my brows but my whole face! I don't trust my aging eyes to pluck all that might need to be plucked. It's hard to do with glasses on and hard to do without. Well, I had no idea how much your facial hair has to do with how you feel in your face. Not feel your face but feel WITH your face - if I touch it, it feels like someone else's face, kinda numb. It is the oddest feeling. I might risk the sasquatch look or as my hair grays, the Santa look my husband has become accustomed to and skip the whole face procedure next time. Might just keep the brows from taking over my forehead from now on. Oh well, the Christmas company will have a prettier less hairy but slightly numb face to greet this year. TMI? Well for that . . .

How about a Christmas prize drawing? I was thinking that would be a good way to celebrate all of my loyal and supportive friends and customers and what they have given ME this year. Don't post yet to enter the drawing, but be sure to watch this week for a collage sheet drawing and a print drawing in the next couple of days!

Until then, have a great and joyous weekend!

Welcome to my Little Freak Show

2010-12-10T13:08:00.000-08:00

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 12/10/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: body and ticket border from my friend Nancy's Crowabout Studio B at DeviantScrap.com; wings from cemerony.etsy.com; face, hat, curtains, floor, and everything else from my own stash of images, many available at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com.

(click on the picture for Flickr's better resolution)

Feeling better today. I think I just needed to tuck myself away (as much as possible) and make some art. It was a bit difficult to make the last two pieces. I'm rather rusty which shows me I need to exercise the muses more. Making art is my most favorite part of life and I need it like sleep and water and I deprive myself of it way too often.

Thank you so much for your kind words in the post comments. I get a little teary eyed reading through the love you all send me. If only you knew how much I loved you right back.

I am keeping the shop closed just a tiny bit longer until I feel a little more refreshed. Have some art I want to make still and Christmas stuff to do. Teaching kids' art this afternoon.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND! Don't let the humbugs get you down!

Small me . . .

2010-12-09T11:12:00.000-08:00

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 12/8/2010. All rights reserved.
Image credits: Everything is mine from tumblefishstudio.etsy.com except for "Le Petit Journal" and a portion of the background which come from cemerony.etys.com.

I had something entirely different planned for a post today, but . . . I am feeling rather worn down today. I seem to be attracting negative energy lately - lots of heavy stuff going on around me personally and professionally, so many people with problems and puzzling attitudes. Including me probably. Taking the day off from the world . . .

New post coming . .

2010-12-08T14:13:00.000-08:00

I'm still here! Long overdue for a new post. I have lots of new sheets done, a print sale in my Etsy, and other news but wanted to make some art before I put up a new post. Maybe later tonight. Hope all of you are well and enjoying the Holiday Season!

We don't like to talk about it . . .

2010-11-29T19:39:00.002-08:00

. . . but every now and then it's good to have a discussion about copyright. I know I learn a lot every time it comes up somewhere.

Recently I had a customer question the legality of some sheets I was selling in my Etsy shop. In fact, I was accused of theft. The sheets in question used parts of masterpiece paintings. The customer brought up a good point and one that I supported until several months ago. She questioned the legality of selling images taken from photographs of masterpiece paintings. I, too, once thought that if you scan or photograph something in the public domain, you own the rights to the scan or photograph. Art museums thought and some still think the same thing and not surprisingly so - they want to profit from the artworks that they exhibit. Therein lies the crux of the situation . . . is it fair for artworks in the public domain be available only to the museums that house them?

There have been several court cases in which that thinking has been challenged. The most well known case, and a kind of standard for the United States copyright discussion, was the Bridgeman Art Library vs. Corel Corp. case. It seems that Corel was using and or selling images from artwork kept at the Bridgeman Art Library and Bridgeman sued Corel for copyright infringement. The case was dismissed, on two occasions, because the court decided there is no real "spark of creativity" or originality in simply photographing a two dimensional artwork already in the public domain. In other words, the Mona Lisa is in the public domain. Taking a picture of it, no matter what skill was required to do so, does not create an entirely new artwork - it is a reproduction of a work already existing in the public domain and would not differ much from any other photograph taken of the Mona Lisa. The "spark of creativity" was Da Vinci's back when he created the Mona Lisa and that is no longer protected by copyright.

So, like many, I used to think unless you went to the Louvre and took a picture of the Mona Lisa yourself, you could not use it in your artwork whether it is for sale or not. I have come to the opinion, after a great deal of reading over the last few months, that may not be the case. But, the rules do vary by country. In the United States, it is widely considered acceptable and legal to use a photograph of an accurate reproduction of any original two dimensional artwork that is itself in the public domain.

To be honest, I don't mind being questioned about images I use. I am very meticulous about such things myself and would be happy to reassure anyone that was double checking for their own peace of mind. I do, however, find myself a little rattled by the way in which I was approached about the issue. So, I have decided to pull the collage sheets for now to cleanse the palette, so to speak. Those of you that know me know that I take copyright issues very very seriously and would never want to in any way tarnish my reputation for being less than astute about the legality of the images I use and sell.

The images I created for sale in the Zetti MasterPIECES and MasterPIECES sheets were a combination of scans from old art history books and images available from Wikimedia. Every single one of the Wikimedia images stated the image was in the public domain in their permission statements. While I had never used images from Wikimedia until I created those two sheets, I was satisfied in my research that they were not under any copyright protection and were free to use in the public domain. I combined those images in layers with scans from old books and recolored them in layers and cropped out parts that I wanted to use. Though I strongly feel I was not in any way violating U.S. copyright laws, I decided that if there were any question at all it is better to be safe and over cautious. My main concern was that even though the images would be legal to use in the U.S. and most other countries, there are some countries with laws that differ and I am uncertain how the law would apply to customers using the images in those countries.

If you own the sheets in question, it is certainly up to you whether you'd like to continue using them. If you decide not to, I am more than happy to refund your money for those sheets and ask that you delete them from your files. I will contact each customer that purchased the sheets and direct them to this post. I will continue to use them in my work and you are welcome to do the same if you are satisfied, as I am, that they are not in violation of any copyright infringement.

On a lighter note . . . there are a few new sheets in my Etsy - all taken from papers and tools that I own an completely legal! hee hee

Merry Borders

Merry Backgrounds

Christmas Trims

Gothic Color

Ornate

Calliope

And here's a free image for you to use in your own work. Please do not resell as is. It is restored and recolored from one of my antique postcards. I like her warm hat as I sit here shivering in Southern California!

Happy Thanksgiving & a surprise!

2010-11-24T12:37:00.001-08:00

What was I thinking? I thought I would have so much time to do a cute little post and make all kinds of personal blog visits and wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving personally. But it didn't work out that way. I am so behind and tomorrow is the big day!

So here I am with a bland and anticlimactic post to try and let you know somehow just how thankful I am for each and every one of you. I am! I am thankful for you ALL and your talents and spirits and journeys and joys and strengths and quirks and what make each of you, YOU!

(image from the public domain, 1894 Thanksgiving issue of Harper'sBazaar)

I do have a surprise for you, though, in this simple little post . . . My Etsy will be closed from Wednesday afternoon to Saturday afternoon so that I can take care of family and company. But Saturday evening through Monday, there will be some big sales in my Etsy! Several $1 collage sheets and some print sales, too, beginning Saturday evening through Monday night - November 27-29, 2010. Just my little Thanksgiving Customer and Friend Appreciation sale!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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New Stuff! And an old prize drawing . . .

2010-11-18T06:59:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody! I'm trying on a new blog banner for size. It's probably going to change. With things I'm going to see everyday, it's harder to overlook what I don't like and I need to ponder it a bit. It's kind of a draft at the moment.

I wanted to put up some collage sheets I'm just about to list in Etsy. It's been a few days since I made any and I have several more in the works but won't be ready for a week or two. I've linked the ones below to the shop and they'll be listed sometime today. I may not get much more done before Thanskgiving - so much to do!

Bright Side (to counter my Dark Side backgrounds)

Ethereal Rings

Zetti MasterPIECES (2 page set)

Wings (have to think of a better name for this one)

Master PIECES (these and the zetti pieces all come from masterpieces, mostly from the Renaissance or earlier, altered and cleaned up a bit)

Old Prize Drawing
Remember way back when I was asking for suggestions for a file sharing service? I clean forgot to do the prize drawing! I remembered because I was trying yet again to find a new and better service yesterday and was referring to all of the suggestions that were offered. Well, I did a highly technical drawing of names - the old "pulled a paper out of the hat" routine and here's the winner . . .

Mary Green of Green Paper blog! Congratulations! You get 2 free collage sheets of your choice. Just email or Etsy convo me with the sheets you'd like. If you haven't visited Mary's blog - hold on to your hat. She has the most beautiful vintage journal pages you will ever find.

I still haven't found anything better than 4Shared for a download service. Most services only allow 10 GB of storage and I already use almost 20 now. And Media Fire looks great but it's really hard to password protect the files if you like to change up the passwords every now and then. So we're stuck with 4Shared awhile longer.

Some Free Images
This first one I ran across the other day and immediately thought of Rip Van Winkle and taking a long nap, which is always good to do after eating a lot of turkey. So this is my twisted Thanksgiving image for you . . . (it's in the public domain so you are free to use however you like)

And since a lot of us are thinking Christmas, thought I'd share these images that sweet
Caitlin O'Conner sent me a long time ago. They are vintage postcards and you may use them in your own work but please don't sell them in collage sheets or as images for artwork.

2010-11-15T10:30:00.001-08:00

I'm aware
Before I get any more emails from concerned customers and friends . . . I'm aware of the frame in the other designers' kit that just came out. It's not my frame, perhaps amazingly similar to my idea, but some ideas are hard to resist replicating as we all know and do. All is good.

But here is something else folks have been asking me about . . .

Buyer Beware
There are designers and shops that sell kits seemingly for altered art and collage work but you can't use their images in work for sale. Sometimes this is because they are reselling images from stock photography/image places (with little alteration) and don't have the right to sell the images for any commercial use - they are not in the public domain. Sometimes it's simply because they don't want you to profit from their work for various reasons. Sometimes you may think you're not going to sell something you make, you think you're just going to trade it, but you never know what you may want to do down the road with that piece you just made. You can use my collage images in artwork for sale, you just can't resell my images in collage sheets or digi kits or the like. None of my images come from stock sites and are either altered from the public domain or from my own vintage ephemera and photograph collection. Don't get stuck! Be sure to check the Terms of Use when purchasing images from other designers and stick to their terms! It's the right thing to do. (There's a list of some of my favorite designers that allow commercial use on the "Resources" tab at the top of my blog.)

On a lighter note . . .
I will proudly share, the images below were inspired by the work of my friend Mary Haldeman and with her permission. I decided I can share these digital creations since I'm going to do different hand cut pieces for a project we're working on together.

Something

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 11/15/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: Everything is from my own images, most of which are at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com.

Sing

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 11/13/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: bird is from lisasalteredart.etys.com; hands are from riandesign.eu; wings are from cemerony.etsy.com; frame is from crowabout.etsy.com; crown and some layers were created from papers given to me by Mary Haldeman; everything else is from my own images, most of which are at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com.

Inspired . . .

2010-11-10T09:54:00.001-08:00

This is not polished and I'm not going to share the whole story in this post but wanted to show you some of the work I've been doing for an upcoming project. There are more pieces coming in this series but I may not post them all here.

In January of 2009, still barely learning about collage and how to blog about it, I wrote a post about one of the biggest inspirations I had for turning my life upside down to work on art full time. This was a very important crossroads in my life. I wrote about Mary Haldeman in the post There's Something About Mary. I had seen her work in the book Artist Trading Card Workshop by Bernie Berlin nearly 18 months before I wrote the post and had searched for more of her work on the internet. She is a semi-private lady and I could not find much out about her. Still, I kept returning to her work over and over. The color and subtlety of her images, among of long list of other things, appealed so deeply to me. When I first wrote about her I was new to collage and hampered by processes and materials. I couldn't make what my mind saw. Though I still struggle with that to some degree, after two years of collecting images and practicing processes I find myself closer to being able to illustrate what her work inspires in my mind's eye.

As fate would have it, after somewhat of a sabbatical, Mary, on her son's urging, googled herself (like we all do from time to time!) and discovered my blog post about her. She reached out and once again my journey was impacted by the generosity of a fellow artist and the serendipity of life. We began emailing each other and learning about each others' journeys and life stories. What an incredible experience to be able to talk with and get to know someone that inspired you so much and in some ways changed your life.

I want to save the rest of the story for an upcoming project. Mary continues to inspire me as a human and an artist and I am so grateful for fate's chance for us to travel part of our journeys together. Parts of the story have confirmed for me yet again that there is a plan for each of our lives and when we are open to it and embrace it, amazing things can happen. When I share the rest of the story I am sure you will be as inspired by Mary as I have been.

For now, you might want to visit her Picture Trail here. The pieces below use papers that Mary shared with me as well. Her papers, a signature part of her work, are luscious sumptuous works of color and texture that truly made all the difference in my exploration of working in her style. Mary is a cut and paste gal (like I am at heart) so it is especially exciting for me to try and work digitally to create my "forgeries" of her work - exploring digital work is important in my work at this point, however temporary it may or may not be. It reflects in these pieces my attempt to borrow Mary's style but make it my own.

Keeper

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 11/10/10. All rights reserved.
Digital scene. Image credits: inspired by the work of Mary Haldeman and using some of her papers in the crown, body, and background mixed with my own textures, overlays, and images; black and white border from Crowabout Studio B.

Fate

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 11/4/10. All rights reserved.
Digital scene. Image credits: inspired by the work of Mary Haldeman and using some of her papers in the body and background mixed with my own textures, overlays, and images; keyhole from cemerony.etsy.com; hand and black and white borders from Crowabout Studio B.

In other news - I've been a nurse the last week or so. One "child" is sick and one "child" had his wisdom teeth out. It has been a week of appointments, soup making, sheet changing, med bringing, drug store running, forehead feeling FUN around here. I say "child" but they are 17 and 18 and you'd think by now they could fend for themselves a bit. I swear they are worse now than they were when they were little. Boy child did have a particularly rough wisdom tooth extraction - all four impacted and horizontal and needing bone graphs. Today he woke up and his face is turning green from the bruising. They'll survive if I do!

Working on new collage sheets - something a little different should be ready in the next few days.

Neglecting some things, nurturing others

2010-10-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

Most of the balls I usually try to juggle are on the floor right now and only one or two up in the air. It's time to regroup and start over I think. Nothing at all serious, just life junk . . . just your ordinary run of the mill "deal with that, deal with that, do this, do that, go here, go there" stuff that have taken me away from most of my art projects.

Check out these Image Designers!
I did take some time yesterday and today to make some new digital pieces. I got some new images and wanted to share them with you.

Julia of Juila and Company blog and Cemerony on Etsy, has a gorgeous new kit of doll sheets out but I just love everything she makes. She is one of the most generous and kind ladies I have met in a long while and she has helped me figure some things out selling my own sheets. Generous indeed. Julia currently only sells jpg sheets but believe me, they are worth the time to extract if you are a digital artist. She has some very unique images and a style all her own. I've used pieces from her sheets in lots of work since I discovered her, but all three of the collages below have some too. (specifics in the image credits)

Many of you know Freubel but did you know she is selling images now? I about had a tizzy when I discovered it! Yum, yum, yum. Her new shop is here. And this first collage uses some of her images. I just love finding such unique images for for my stash!

Lumineux

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/26/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital scene. Image credits: ladies and pillars are from Freubel at riandesigns.eu; wings are from cemerony.etsy.com; some sparkle and clouds from Finecrafted designs at Deviantscrap.com; some sparkle from Nicole Young at Digitalscrapbookplace.com; face in moon is from flickr's picassoswoman; moon from my own images at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com; portions of the background are from the public domain.

Stardust

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/25/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital scene. Image credits: face, bodice, wings, and legs from cemerony.etsy.com; globe, arms, halos, and background from my own images, many at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com; stardust from Nicole Young at Digitalscrapbookplace.com.

Little Pond

Copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/25/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital daydream. Image credits: fairy body, wings, and crown from cemerony.etsy.com; most everything else from my images at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com (some coming soon).

This last piece uses some of my new images I'll have in Etsy soon. I need to restock prints in Etsy and get some new sheets done but it may be a few more days. I have a few little things done but am waiting to upload to the shop until I figure out some new wording and have more sheets ready. But here's a little tease . . .

ange d'étoile

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/25/2010. All rights reserved.
Imagined digitally. Image credits: everything from my images at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com (some coming soon).

Splendor sheet coming soon to Etsy . . .

The Mighty Mighty Png Image

2010-10-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

Bliss

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/11/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital journal page. Image credits: words, flowers, and some border pieces from Crowabout Studio B at Deviantscrap.com; body and some border and background pieces from Finecrafted Designs at Deviantscrap.com; eyes from Sherrie JD at Deviantscrap.com; main face and some background texture from my images at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com; flypaper texture on top.

Inspired by my friend Tracey of Glitterbug Studio's comment to my last post, I thought I'd try and shout from my own little mountaintop how Png images are so misunderstood!

Hand cut and paste folks tell me all the time how they have to use jpg images because they don't work digitally. Helloooooo! Up until a few weeks ago, I worked almost entirely in hand cut work. Png images can absolutely be used by anyone and has so many benefits over jpg images.

So what's the difference between the two you ask? Here's the skinny on png and other images . . . There are three main types of image file formats: png, gif, and jpg. For some reason, everyone has fallen in love with jpg at one time or another but have given png and gif the cold shoulder.

GIF
I'm not gonna talk much about gif because I still ignore them and no one I've run across sells gif images. Gif stands for Graphics Interchange Format and from what I understand, are the largest of the three types of files without anything lost in the saving process. They also only support 256 colors. But they are better used in animation projects for reasons I don't yet understand. Mainly, they are not used much by most people we know that are not professional graphics artists and designers because of their huge file size -they aren't easily shared or displayed.

Jpg/Jpeg
The most popular until recently, jpg files are more portable - trimming the quality and information of an image to a size that is more easily stored and shared. Jpeg is short for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the name of the committee that designed the format. The jpg format is designed to compress color and grayscale images. Compress being the key word. From Webopedia . . "The information that is discarded in the compression is information that the human eye cannot detect. JPG images support 16 million colors and are best suited for photographs and complex graphics. The user typically has to compromise on either the quality of the image or the size of the file. JPG does not work well on line drawings, lettering or simple graphics because there is not a lot of the image that can be thrown out in the lossy process, so the image loses clarity and sharpness." Thought it says the changes are not detectable to the eye, they are if you save them over and over. I'm sure you've heard that every time you resave a jpg file you lose quality of the image. It's true! And, jpgs come with a built in white background and have no transparency benefits. It is the smallest of the image formats but the least flexible and over time actually degrades your quality.

Png
Oh, the lovely png format! My favorite! First, let me tell you . . . all of you hand cut and paste that just want to buy an image and print it out . . . you can do that with png! You can simply print it just like any other jpg image or collage sheet you own.

You can, if you feel uncontrollably determined, also save a png file as a jpg anytime you like and convert it to jpg permanently but I would urge you to try out the benefits of png first.
Png stands for Portable Network Graphics and brings to us the happy medium between Gif and jpg. Not as big as a gif, more flexible and better quality than a jpg
Png images never lose any image information so they are not as compressed, and therefore degraded like jpg files. You can save them over and over and not lose any quality.
Png files, because they are not compressed like jpg, are larger files but not as large as Gif because png files do not support animation.
You do not have to work digitally to use png images but they offer the option to work digitally if someday down the road you choose to.

Why I think png is better for any collage artist, hand cut or digital . . .
Ever since I started working in collage, I didn't like the idea of having to print out a whole sheet of images to get the one or two I really wanted to use over and over. So, I started making my own custom sheets to save on ink and paper. I would crop out the parts of a sheet I wanted, save it as a picture by itself or drag it where I wanted it, and then design, a sheet of images in Microsoft Publisher at the time (now I do it in Photoshop Elements), print it out and went about my work cutting and gluing, etc. Well, with jpg images, the white part always got in the way during that process. I couldn't put a pair of glasses on a face, I couldn't put something behind or "in" a hand or jar, I couldn't place things close to each other because of the white background, etc. The day I discovered png everything changed.

No more white background to hide what was underneath, things could be overlapped or placed closer to each other on a sheet allowing for even more saving of paper and ink.
And the quality of a png image is better than a jpg! Png images are sharper because they don't compress as much as a jpg when saving. This can make a difference when purchasing collage sheets - designers that create jpg collage sheets from jpg images have already degraded the image before you even buy it. Png sheets from png images retain the sharpness and color of the original image.

I wouldn't be a good girl if I didn't tell you the downside to png.

Some browsers, like Internet Explorer, don't support png so if you want to share an artwork on your blog it's best to save finished work as a jpg. Gif's are too large.
Png images are larger than jpg and very difficult to email. Even when zipped, they don't lose much size because they won't compress much. That's why most scrap image sites and a lot of other image designers have to send the images you purchase through download links. (but remember you are getting more versatile, higher quality images!)

The poor png is just misunderstood. If you ever want to give them a try, just let me know when ordering from my Etsy that you'd like to try the png. If it doesn't work for you, I'll send the jpg. I can't do that for everyone all the time or I will never finish mailing links and attachments, but I am happy to send you one or two to try if you ask.

Thank you for your input!
Thank you for all of the comments on the previous post. Your input is invaluable! I am continuing to check on file sharing services to find the one that has enough storage for all of my sheets and the best ease of use for customers. I'm going to let the post sit another day or two and then I'll announce a winner drawn from the comments to win some collage sheets.

Specific responses to your suggestions . . .

Since I started selling images, I have asked in three different places in each item listed in my Etsy for people to tell me if they prefer png or jpg. 95% of the time no one tells me so I have to take the time to write and ask or take the time to send both. So asking for preferences has not worked.
We're all busy. Most of us, including myself, don't always take the time to read everything so asking for preferences or explaining how things are sent most often gets overlooked and unaddressed. I'm guilty of it too.
Most people don't realize the limitations of their own email service. There are a million services like AOL, and Yahoo, and Gmail and all the others in the world and most people don't realize the limitations of their account. So, when they don't get their images, they assume it's something I'm doing wrong and not that their box is full or their email service does not allow for certain size files, etc. Because most people assume the problem is on my end, I have to research and solve the problem for them. As a business owner looking for word of mouth recommendations, the customer is always right and you have to make it work for them as best you can.
Resolution - lowering the resolution of my images is not an option I want to consider at this time. Most people I sell images to don't just work in ATC size most of the time. Most work in larger or in digital formats, so the higher the resolution the better. The sheets are easily enlarged to work in 5 x 7 or even 8 x 10 journal pages without much loss of quality. I have decreased the resolution from when I used to send separate images in kits, but I look for the largest size I can include, taking into account the amount of images you can get for your $2 or so invested in a single sheet of multiple images.

Are you all snoring? Did you make it through that long post awake and informed? Perhaps willing to try png images? Perhaps ready to slap me?

Have a great Wednesday! I have some exciting Feature posts coming up in the next few days along with new collage sheets so keep an eye out!

For your viewing pleasure

My friend Betty of The Gossamer Tearoom has a beautifully delicious Midnight Carnival post for you to visit here!
For some of the most beautiful journal pages you'll ever see, visit Kate at The Kathryn Wheel.
One of the artists that has most affected my work and inspired me to expand my horizons in recent months has been Trudi of Two Dresses Studio. She is also the creator of The Butterfly Effect project you can see linked in the upper left side of my blog.
Her work is always inspiring to me (such rich color and detail), but Terri of Pringle Hill has the most wonderful post on an Envie Journal here!
Julia of Julia and Co is going to be one of my blog features coming up soon. She is such a kind and generous person and has some of my most favorite collage images in Etsy. You can take a preview peek here.

I'm here but I need advice!

2010-10-17T16:20:00.000-07:00

I'm stuck in image sending land this week. Lots of problems all the way around for some reason - planets out of alignment I think.

Since listing my new collage sheets a couple of months ago, I've been so lucky to need to send over 500 collage sheets to customers. I'm astonished but so happy and thankful. Everything has gone well until the last couple of weeks and I've hit some snags.

Here's where I need your input . . . (there's a prize involved!)
Almost everyday, after I've taken the time to send jpg sheets as attachments to customers, I get at least one customer (at least one - today I've had two already) with a full mailbox or over their quota limit or their email service has very limited permissible message sizes and everything bounces back and I have to contact them and start over. I truly waste hours and hours and hours a week trying to deliver images. To the point that I've almost thrown the towel in on selling images. I haven't had time to even make more sheets due to all the email issues people have.

So, I had decided to send everything through download links from 4Shared. I thought this was going acceptably well until this last week. It was faster for me, faster for them and all seemed to be fine. But this week, I have had customers totally confused by using 4Shared or didn't have the slightest idea how to unzip and save the image file from there . . . or just plain old didn't want to move away from email attachments.

Do you all have a solution? Do you get really great image delivery from an image seller you want to share? Do you have any input on file sharing services like 4Shared or MediaFire you like or don't like? Leave me some advice and you might win a drawing for a free set of collage sheets! (that I promise will get delivered one way or another! :))

Addendum
Jpeg images can be attached to emails but some sellers, like me, have very large high resolution sheets and some email accounts can't handle the size of the file. Png images have to be zipped and sent through links. Png images/files are way too big for anyone to email or receive in an email. If you have no way of unzipping, links of any kind won't work for you. Lots of PC software has built in ways of unzipping so be sure you don't have to buy one before you do. There's a free zip file utility called jzip that gets pretty good reviews if you are in need of a way to unzip files.

I know they are not real popular yet with most cut and paste folks, but I prefer png images hands down to jpg images even when working with hand cut and paste pieces. Png files are much more flexible and don't have that jpg white background in the way if you want to print overlapping pieces before you cut them out.

And one more note . . . links are much faster than email attachments. I can send you links to five pages and you can download and unzip them all faster than I can send one jpg attachment. Just sayin' . . .

Resource Designer List . . .

2010-10-10T18:28:00.001-07:00

I promised a resource list of designers that allow you to use their images in art work you sell. Here's the start of one.

Things to remember:

Most designers do not allow for their images to be used in "print on demand" services like Zazzle or Cafe Press or the like.

And most don't allow you to mass produce things. So, when you're famous and having your art printed 10,000 copies at a time, you won't be able to use anyone's images but your own, without special permission or licenses.

And of course, you cannot redistribute their images as is or as part of your own collage sheets.

Check your designers' TOU every time you purchase. As I told you in my last post, I was so disappointed to find out my most favorite designer of all, is no longer allowing commercial use of her images. I wouldn't have known had I not asked so I'm glad I asked before I made a new purchase.

Be sure to read each designer's Terms of Use carefully and look for updates with every purchase.

These are my favorite designers that don't require additional licenses for commercial use at the present time: (they're all linked to the appropriate shops)

These designers require an additional license fee for commercial use but very much worth the wee bit of extra money:

Jen-u designs.com
Fiddlette (Christine Honsinger) at CatScrap.com
Lauren Bavin at Digitalscrapbookplace.com
Nicole Young at Digitalscrapbookplace.com
Almost all designers at Two Peas in a Bucket.com (small fee - each product comes in either personal or commercial use prices)

That's all I had time to link up and double check on tonight, but I'll be adding more.

Madame Butterfly

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/8/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital scene. Image credits: two frames on left and both butterflies from jenu-designs.com and used with commercial license; small door from Lorie Davison of Scrapbookgraphics.com and used with a commercial license. Everything else from my own images, some available at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com.

There are some great new kits from my friend Nancy Baumiller at Crowabout Studio B at Deviantscrap.com. I just couldn't resist a little play time tonight and made these digital journal pages.

Supreme Somebody

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/10/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital portrait. Image credits: Everything from either Crowabout Studio B at Deviantscrap.com or my images at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com.

Clean Dream, 100%

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/10/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital Journal Page. Image credits: face, body, dream word, hat from Crowabout Studio B at Deviantscrap.com; swirl from Holliewood Studios at Deviantscrap.com and used with a commercial license; wings, star eye, 100 percent clean words, and some background texture and borders from my own images (some at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com); flypaper texture; some background texture from Amanda Rockwell.

Here's my latest collage sheet . . . you can see other new sheets on another page, right here on my blog, all linked to my Etsy.

Bottled Up image set

Have a great week everybody!

Image Information Miscellany

2010-10-07T21:02:00.001-07:00

I'm sure not doing a good job of staying on top of my blog lately. Sorry about that. Just a busy couple of weeks. And not the good busy but the chore and appointment busy. I haven't had much time to work on collage sheets either, but I do have a couple in the works.

One important note to make about my collage sheets . . . after my business Yahoo account seemed to not want to let me attach, and after a new gmail email account was set up and my messages kept failing cuz gmail thought I was sending spam . . . I've decided to no longer send jpg sheets as email attachments. I also had trouble on several occasions where the customer's email inbox was too full to accommodate the large jpg file attachments coming in - wasting everyone time. This change shouldn't cause too much trouble for anyone. They'll be sent through download links, just like my png versions. It's really easy and even a little faster once you get the hang of it. I'll be sending easy instructions along with each order how to open the links. Just wanted you to know.

A couple of new pieces . . .

Calliope

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/6/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: doors and background are from Itkupilli.etsy.com; mirror frame, rat, and crown from Holliewood Studios at Deviantscrap.com and used with a commercial license; chest from Lorie Davison at Scrapbookgraphics.com and used with a commercial license; textures and shadows from a variety of places; picture in mirror, body and face from my own images coming to tumblefishstudio.etsy.com very soon.

The Audition

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 10/6/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: black and white frame altered from Crowabout.etsy.com; dance audition sign from purchased stock photography; curtains from Fidlette Designs and used with a commercial license; background from flickr's 'Playingwithbrushes' and layered with my own textures and a wee bit of a background from Itkupilli.etsy.com; face and body from my own images.

This is the first of a series of posts I hope to offer with tips and tricks and useful image information. Hope to give you a helpful post every couple of weeks or so for awhile. Or more often or less often but several over the next few months.

Information about Png images . . .
Many of my customers don't realize the advantages to png sheets and images. Png pictures have a transparent background so that if you want to layer images in any program on your computer, the white background of a jpg image doesn't get in the way. You can print png sheets just like jpg sheets - since the background is transparent, you can't tell the difference between a printed jpg sheet and printed png sheet. The transparency of the png sheet just makes it more flexible to use should you ever want to work digitally. Png images are larger files than jpg images but for most people that is not a problem.

Want to try the digital side of collage?
I would highly recommend Photoshop Elements if you don't have another editing program. It costs less than $100. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of Photoshop's Creative Suites, but they have plenty of tools to get started with. Also, you can get the Gimp editing program for free or for a small donation if you want to make sure you're getting a good clean version. Gimp works very similarly to Photoshop Elements and even has some more options PSE doesn't offer. I find PSE a little easier to work with but I do use Gimp frequently.

Information about buying digital images . . .
I love images and not just my own. It's no secret that I use images from lots of sources. I am very careful with copyright and Terms of Use (TOU) as I encourage everyone to be. Respecting TOU policies and copyright will ensure that we all continue to have access to quality images.

One thing to be especially careful of when purchasing images if you sell your work . . . Not everyone allows their images to be used in works for sale. Be sure to check a designer's TOU to see if they allow you to sell items using their images or you could be in copyright infringement.

Some designers allow for commercial use of their images without additional licenses. Some charge a one time fee for that license and some charge a yearly fee for a license.

I was so disappointed tonight to learn one of my most favorite designers ever, Holliewood Studios at Deviantscrap.com is no longer allowing her images to be used commercially. I had purchased commercial licenses in the past from her and am so bummed to have to look for another image source. I will really miss the chance to use any of her future kits.

Since a huge portion of my blog buddies and art friends sell their work, I'm working on putting together a list of designers and sites that allow you to sell work using their images. I'll share that handy dandy resource as soon as I re-check and confirm all the TOU's.

Information about using Flickr images . . .
Again, be sure to check for permission to use any image from Flickr. Most images on Flickr are not available to use in your work so don't ever assume you can. There are free to use groups that offer a great variety of images you have permission to use in your work but even some of them specify you may not sell work using a particular image. If you're not sure, ask the image owner.

I think it is a good policy to always credit the images you use. Most designers require it and if you're using something from a Flickr member, it's just a nice gesture to show your appreciation. It also clears up where you got something should anyone question it. Many vintage pictures were mass produced and it's possible for more than one person to own some of them. But, designers almost always clean up and color and restore the images they sell and would know their work anywhere.

Tomorrow's Friday! Yay! Have a great CREATIVE weekend!

Yikes!

2010-09-29T19:29:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it's been almost a week since I last posted. I thought I was getting better at this. But, I haven't had a lot of visitors so guess most aren't missing much from me. It's been an all over the place week and promises to be more of the same the next few days.

Southern California's recent heat wave of record breaking temps has brought us a little thunder and rain tonight - reminds me of my years in the Midwest. But it was all too brief here.

Some new digital pieces . . .
I don't know why, but I sure am stuck on digital lately. Can't seem to dig up the energy to do cut and paste - it involves such busy work, though I love the end result. All the fun lies in the picture prep lately for me and so I just end up finishing things digitally. I'll get back to my roots one of these days. I sure miss the finished hand cut pieces once they're done.

Indifferent

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 9/29/10. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: frame and flowers from Finecrafted Designs at Deviantscrap.com; everything else from my own images at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com.

The Messengers

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 9/29/2010. All rights reserved.
Digital collage. Image credits: wings from Holliewood Studios at Deviantscrap.com; dry ice from Lauren Bavin at Digitalscrapbookplace.com; everything else from my own images at tumblefishstudio.etsy.com

From my first assignment for Shelagh's Sensational Snapshot Society class . . . taking pictures as a diary of our daily surroundings.

Ode to My Dishrag

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 9/29/10. All rights reserved.

I even wrote a poem for my dishrag celebration:

Oh my dearest dishrag
Thou art my true tried friend
Frayed and spongey
Wet and grungy
Together we are relentless
we strive to undo
The sticky swallowing goo
Of yesterday's feasts
and last night's rendevouz with cake
I feel your weave
you engulf my skin
Gloving my fingers
Filling every crevice of glass and tine
Sacrificing yourself over blade and chip
Moldy, stinky, lovely dishrag
Twishted and wrung, dank and old
Like me
How we understand each other.

One Drawer is Always a Little Open

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 9/29/10. All rights reserved.

New Collage Sheets

Pumpkin

Remembrances

Remembrances 2

Checking In Again

Vacay

Thursday already?

2010-09-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

Time flies . . . I think I'm still a little hung over from the blog-versary extravaganza last week but did manage to get some work done this week. The collage below was inspired by something my daughter accomplished this week which I will tell you about later - don't want to jinx it!

Aim High

copyright by Marsha Jorgensen9/23/2010. All rights reserved.
Image credits: everything from my own stash except for bubbles and twinkles and they are from Holliewood Studio's Spring Fairies at Deviantscrap.com. Most of my images in this piece are available in my Etsy: tumblefishstudio.etsy.com.

I also got a few collage sheets revamped and/or created. Added lots of new pieces to some older ones and have some completely fresh ones too. I had a goal to get 50 image sets in the shop before I slow down and make some hand cut work. Almost there!

Just for Fun

My Take on Zetti
This is what I wrote in the Etsy description . . . Famous in the collage and journaling culture, Teesha Moore brought us the idea of Zetti, an invented soulful creature left mostly up to interpretation. For Teesha and many other Zetti makers, it is an intuitive whimsical creation. But tidy me, I have to have things clean and sharp and neat and orderly. Whimsy is always planned with me. It's a character flaw I can't help. So, here's a more refined set of Zetti parts that I would use in my version of this idea. 5 heads, 5 body shapes, 5 sets of arms and 5 sets of legs. Maybe you can take them further, make them messier and more whimsical in your own work.

Pieces

Frames and Words

Just Stuff

I'm not gonna be around a lot the next few days. I have an event to go to Friday-Sunday and normal kid stuff all over the place too. Have a great weekend everybody!

Gray Area Challenge

2010-09-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

As far as I can tell, here are our Gray Area Challenge Participants. These are the ladies that posted links to the last post as requested. If I've missed anyone, please let me know! Their blogs and Gray Area pieces are linked below.

Tracey of Glitterbug Studios

Lou Ann of At a Moment's Notice

Leila of Artsy Creations

Fiona of My Artful Muse

Jayne of Pigs in Pink

Lori Saul of Ravenpainting

Andrea of Art Legacy

These participants' links were numbered in the order they appeared. A random number was drawn between 1 and 7 to find the winner. And the winner is . . .

Lori Saul of Ravenpainting!
So Lori, take a look through my Etsy and find your free print! Just send me an Etsy convo letting me know which one you'd like!

Now, I think I've missed a couple of pieces that weren't linked here on my blog. One belongs to my good friend Trudi of Two Dresses Studio and you can find it here. Trudi can have whatever she wants from me cuz she counsels my crazy self in general - she is my life coach, I swear. And, I haven't had a chance to look around flickr yet. There were a couple of folks thinking about trying this that I've probably missed. But, I didn't have the links yet to put in the drawing.

All other prize winners, you'll be hearing from me tomorrow. I was gone all day today taking care of "stuff" with kids and family, etc. Got a lovely half sunburned face to prove it too. Now I'm lopsided.