Spring Themed ATC's

 This months inspiration for our ATC swap on "Arts In The Cards" was a poem by e.e.cummings called "In Just-Spring". Sometimes I love the whacky word art of e.e. cummings and sometimes it irritates me. It always provides imagery though and I like to think that this was what he would have wanted. I'll have the poem itself added to the end of my post today - maybe the imagery will speak to you too.

I found using the imagery of the poem a challenge - but decided that if I tried to base an image on the poem itself I would have a difficult time. So,rather than focus on the poem, I chose words from the poem that meant something to me.  I combined different parts of of several images to create the image I used for this card. I am really enjoying learning to us PhotoShop CS3 and now even wish I could manage to get the new version - though I am priced out of that high-falootin' market it seems! Each project is a lesson... it's a good way to learn!

 I had to play with the back of the card too - another of my photographs that I enjoyed playing with.

I had fun making kaleidoscope images of some of the cards!

I'm really behind in book reviews - and that is where some of my time this weekend will have to go. The publishers are owed reviews and I need to pick up my pace. 

I have been thinking a lot lately about what things I want to do and which can/might/could go to the back burner for awhile. I have been feeling "quilt guilt" - I am so intrigued by mixed media and pots of paint lately that I have neglected my quilting. I guess I can choose to do what I want - but it feels like I am a quilt deserter! I want to trim things down in a way but don't have a good handle on what I feel I could trim. I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time on the computer and this is the one area that I think I can try to get a grip on. I enjoy blogging - but dislike the guilt I feel if I don't blog enough - why that even matters to me is beyond me but it does. How much is 'enough' anyway. Some folks say that daily is right some folks say that it's too much. I tried that for awhile and I got tired of it. Blogging without guilt is a great idea - but I feel like each day I don't post is a day further that folks are losing interest.

One way or another I must make some more time to work on my own art projects - other than cards, ATC's and 'group' things. I will always do monthly trades with "Roses" (ATC and& Inchies) and "AITC" (ATC) because I really enjoy these groups a lot - and I learn a lot from the friendship and fellowship. When I retire there is not going to be much money in the kitty for art supplies so I am trying to figure out some artistic thing to do that will allow me to supplement the funds that will be available...which is why I think I have been concentrating on cards so much - I love making them and maybe one day I can sell some. I should have given more consideration to retirement when I was younger - but I must have been busy having too much fun ---- yeah ---- that was fun right?!

Do you have trouble deciding which of your obsessions to carry on with and which are okay to let lie low for a time?  Do you have guilt about letting one thing that you've always loved to do take up less rather than more time? Any hints on time management for me?

AND - here is the POEM:

[in Just-]

By E. E. Cummings 1894–1962

in Just-

spring 

when the world is mudluscious 

the little

lame balloonman

whistles far 

and wee

and eddie and bill come

running from marbles and

piracies and it's

spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer

old balloonman whistles

far and wee

and betty and isbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it's spring

and  

the

goat-footed balloon Man 

whistles

far and wee