Case-Notes from the Artsy Asylum

Cow Chip Day and Other Animal Behavior

Republished from last year - because what's not to love about Cows - and Chips?  Putting the image on the envelope of your next gas bill could make a real statement about bovine emissions too.

How ever you use them, post the image on flickr and link to it in the comments below. Who knows what wonderful things will happen as a result? It could be a mooving experience.

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World Cow Chip Day is coming up on April 21st. .. and being nothing if not animal friendly I'm ready to help people and bovines get in the mood to celebrate. 

In honor of the day I've designed an artistamp that can be printed out on any paper from virtually any printer.

You'll have half a sheet of stamps that can be cut apart, slapped on your inter-office memo, or used as part of paper art pieces.

Clicking on this link will let you access a pdf file that you can open, save and print freely in commemoration of the auspicious event - Download cowchips-halfsheet.pdf

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Tis the Eve of Saint Pats

This is a wee re-run from another time, but a pretty image to download and a kind thought for you nonetheless

Sure  'tis Saint Patrick's Day or nearly that, and therefore time to wish you and all yours Many Blessings, Much Cheer, Food and Drink Aplenty, and a road cleared of rocks - or at least boulders.

And what better way to mark the day than with a wee gift download of 2006.03.10.patrick.pdf ,  yes, you've guessed it - Green Artistamps.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

 

May those who love us love us,

And those who don't love us,

May God turn their hearts,

And if He doesn't turn their hearts,

May He turn their ankles,

So we'll know them by their limping.

 Irish Prayer

  

Talk Like A Pirate Day - the Badge

It's an occasion that made me laugh; so I gave away something. That's my typical reaction: It's funny - let me create something to commemorate that.

So this year like last, a freebie, but this time for tweeters, bloggers and tumblrs and other people that use images for various stuff, just not in paper-arts ways.

Use large or small version to link to your favorite Pirate Talk stuff, or to jump start your conversation about the topic. People who usually don't engage will react when faced with something offbeat - and this is your opportunity.

Just don't use it for commercial purposes . . of course to link to your peg-leg shop or the parrot purveyor, would probably fly.

Because it's all about connecting. And that's al good.

For the print version download spot:Arrggh Mateys, it's a Talk Like A Pirate Day freebie.

RitterDay in Ephemeria

As with so many things in these tumultuous times, the courtiers of the Estimable Empire of Ephemeria worked into the wee hours wrangling over the details, but at the final hour agreed unanimously issue this proclamation:

That each August 2 heretofore in perpetuity be celebrated as Ritterday throughout the land in commemoration of the birth of that most beloved friend of the Empire, Cathleen Rittereiser.

The palace design lackeys forthwith produced the Ritterday Stamp, official on all cards and letters in the Empire to be distributed to the adoring throngs forthwith.

Download a strip of Ritterday stamps here and let the celebratory printing, licking and cancelling begin! Download ritterdaystrip.jpg

This commemorative Artistamp is free to download and can be printed on your desktop printer using standard or gummed paper. Permission for personal use is granted by the copyright holder, Susan Reynolds.

For ideas how artistamps can be used see Slideshow   Semper Fi Project   Card / Tag projects  or other freebies and articles in the Artistamps Category of the Artsy Asylum Blog 

 

A Toast to the Guys

My dad liked Bill Walsh and anybody that had eyes could tell that. He'd grin a sort of sheepish grin when Bill would be on TV or when his team came up in conversation.

But dad's prim and proper mother raised him in a certain way and I always figured that's why you could never get a story out of him about details. Little things like discussing how he knew Bill from their Ohio days, or even if he knew him were just not things he'd talk about.

Bill Walsh died today and reminded me of my dad. About men, and the past. About the good and the bad.

So here's to guys of a certain era when men were, well, like my dad and Bill Walsh. High expectations, precise, impeccable, serious but equally capable of pranks, sometimes emotional, but with a little glimmer in the eye that let you know that you'd never know everything that was going on with them. And here's to that same quick smile that I see in my son that tells me that sort of mischief is afoot.

After dad died I found a scrapbook with photos of all his old girl friends from the flapper and spats era. Apparently Jay McMackin was once the bees knees; he just wasn't about to let that out. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Bill Walsh could say the same.

The entirely imaginary but nonetheless estimable Empire of Ephemeria has this day issued a Bill Walsh commemorative Artistamp that is free to download and can be printed on your desktop printer using standard or gummed paper. Permission for personal use is granted by the copyright holder, Susan Reynolds. Download billwalsh.jpg

For ideas how artistamps can be used see Slideshow   Semper Fi Project   Card / Tag projects  or other freebies and articles in the Artistamps Category of the Artsy Asylum Blog 

Virginia Tech Tribute to Share

Please join me and the parents of students at all Virginia's Colleges and Universities in remembering the student and faculty victims from the attack at Virginia Tech.

To download a pdf file containing a sheet of these images click on this Download link. You can then save and / or print from your desktop printer for your own personal use

Or if you would like to just save the digital image to display elsewhere, right click (windows) and save on your computer.

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Art Biz Blog also memorializes VATech

Liz Strauss posts her tribute

One Day Blog Silence for VA Tech

Floral Art Picks and Piques

While last week's view was filled with fluffy white flakes, today's window floods with sunshine. Pulling my tulip mug off the shelf adds even more color to my day.

Amazing how purples, blues and pinks can pop a little zing in things and reading Alyson Stanfield's blog entry about floral art piqued my interest too.

     look for comments and trackbacks there to find links to floral related art

As far as blooms go, as the warm weather rolls into my studio more fresh petals pop up on paper and canvas. I frame these but also put them on postcards - also known as my favorite way to move art around from hand to hand. Art postage ranks right up there too though, and how cool is it to be able to use artist designed stamps on real mail.

Spring means inspiration and renewal. I'm a big fan.

Check out Alyson's blog at http://www.artbizblog.com

Arrggh Mateys, it's a Talk Like A Pirate Day freebie

Ahoy, avast and shiver yer timbers. Arrgh!

OK, so I  can't actually talk like a pirate but I can give you some fun materials to work with on Talk Like a Pirate Day, September 19th.

Click below to download the free Adobe Acrobat file containing the image ready to print out on your own fabric, paper, image transfer sheet or what have you.

Then smack it down on a card, a quilt square; whatever. In short - have fun with it!

Download 2006.09.01pirateday06_packett.pdf

More artistamps, collage clips and even a screensaver available for immediate download here. For more ideas about what you can do with artistamps play the slideshow here or see the film loop here

I See Naked People

In an effort to write what I hoped would be an amusing article about nudity in art my research mainly turned up what we could only call peripheral information - OK, make that scandalous information.

Then I happened upon "Ask Mr.Man-ners."

Don't plan on using this as the resource for Art Education but Mr Man-ners was recently asked about the number of "these so-called famous pieces of art" that depict naked people" and his explanation was:

"Europeans have always walked around naked. That's why they have nude beaches."

Funny, but kind of true. Well, except the part about why people are naked in art pieces.

True: Picasso painted nudes; and had a blue period, which explains the Remembering Pablo artistamp above. Perfect to show your high-brow friends how art savvy you are. And where else can you buy art for less than five bucks?

Also true: More half truths and balderdash from Mr Man-ners.

How Generosity Got Liz Strauss Artistamped

Fans of Liz Strauss* and her Tuesday night Open Mic events at Successful Blog are in for a surprise as the imaginary but nonetheless estimable Empire of Ephemeria has issued a new artistamp honoring Liz.

The theme for Liz's Open Mic for today is Visit to Oz, for which she warned visitors to be prepared to discuss Oz related characters including A Horse of a Different Color. In keeping with the theme, Ephemeria's Bureau du Poste and designer Susan Reynolds have announced the release of:

Liz Strauss, 65th Crayon Commemorative: A Horse of a Different Color  Click on the image for a larger view

To use the stamp, download the pdf file below and save, then print on any printer, grab some adhesive and slap it down wherever.

You can even use it on snail mail as long as it is accompanied by sufficient legal postage.

The packet also includes other ideas on how even non-artsy folks can use artistamps when they're not busy networking with the bloggeratti at one of Liz's inventive events.

Download 2006.08.01horseofadifferentcolor_packet.pdf"