My mom used to wrap in newspaper funnies. Maybe that’s a cliche, but we loved the packages at Christmas. We didn’t have much money, and my mom was resourceful! I usually buy large tablets of newsprint and use acrylic paints to make personalized ‘paintings’ on the paper before wrapping a gift. I used to get butcher paper, but that doesn’t seem to be as available now. It’s meaningful and innovative to design your own gift wrap.
Example using Photoshop, use a favorite photo and create a pattern.
Print the paper, wrap the special gift!

(Border collie — my photo)Making wrapping paper with kids is as much fun as baking cookies in my family. Just wanted to share this idea for the holidays.

 
  The patterns you make can enliven your desktop, backgrounds and cut-outs for collages.Once you start making patterns, it gets addictive, so watch out! 

What do you think of this frame selection? I hope it works well. Several other options look good, too.Magnolias smell so good.  A friend bought one of these prints and actually placed it in her newly remodeled fancy bathroom! I guess most artists aren’t fond of having their work displayed in bathrooms. But I think, whatever works!   

 Collage history. I like very much the hens who range freely at the ranch. Their feathers are incredibly gorgeous, especially in sunlight. The hens have a comfortable house, lots of delicious organic table scraps and feed every day. In return for their superb care, they give delicious eggs. The white and ‘Ameriaraucanas’  give blue eggs.   I do a lot of photos, drawings and collages of hens. I appreciate their distinctive personalities and love watching them scratch for bugs, roll in dust baths, and lay lovely eggs with dark, rich yolks!

   Collage history. This is one of my favs. As you can see,  the blog head reflects design echoes.  I was in Hawaii. I met a wonderful little bird. He lived with a mask, placed on his wall.  I named the piece ‘wave dancer’ or, in Hawaiian, “nalu olapa”. Imagined Myth:  Nalu Olapa is a guardian to native island birds, helping to protect them from danger. Unfortunately, Hawaii has lost about 50% of previous native birds.  Maybe, all the more reason for humans to become patron saints, and to try to help native birds everywhere.

What do you see?   a  napping cat?          a nice warm hat?       a cake, pat- pat?    We pretend, that’s where it’s at.             [TRForsman2007] 

This may sound strange to you. What do you think about the idea that if you take B complex, your vision improves?I think it’s true. It’s like upping the saturation on your art. I swear it works.