Flowers XIV

Today Neda of Papiers Collés wrote in yesterday’s post, “Diane, how about you have ANOTHER blog and you take people like me step-by-step through all this? I bet there are many of us in our 40’s and 50’s who really want to know more but are paralyzed the sheer amount of technical info? You can do it!!! Pleaaase!”

Flowers XIV, Digital © Diane Clancy

I am not going to start another blog, but I would like to keep writing about technical stuff as I learn it. Perhaps it will help someone else out. If people would like me to, I can certainly either share info as I learn it, answer questions to the best of my ability, or I could every several days dedicate a post to another piece of setting up a blog.

I have several friends who are planning on starting blogs soon. That could be one way of documenting the process in a way that might be helpful to more people. If I tag the information well, then someone can come along and use this as a resource – hopefully in relatively clear language.

I have met a friend online lately, Julie, and she has asked me to help her learn about copyright issues for artists. I responded to her that I would like to write some posts about that for 2 reasons. One is so that I wouldn’t have to write it several times, but also, more importantly, maybe other people would find it useful too.

Sue O’Kieffe of Sacred Circles Mandalas has also asked me to share more techniques on how I create some of my digital images. So perhaps those two things go together. I would be interested in people’s response. I know there are lots of resources out there about these things. But this is here and now and some people are asking. Thank you for sharing your feedback.

~ Diane Clancy

Feed Readers and FeedBurner

Recently I shared my research of the day about feed readers and FeedBurner that allow people to subscribe to blogs so they can read the posts without going to the blog. Free newsletter subscriptions, often through FeedBlitz, are one way of subscribing. Another way of subscribing is to use a feed that brings the link right to a feed reader that you have on your desktop or web browser.

Flowers X, Digital © Diane Clancy

Today a reader shared another tidbit with me for making effective use of feeds. This reader stays linked in to a lot of feeds every day; he makes great use of them and has studied what works and what doesn’t – at least from his perspective.

He is suggesting that the feeds contain only a summary rather than the whole post. That way it still gives people motive for coming and visiting the blog. He added that it is different for people to read a post on the blog where there is a whole effect – I agree.

You may have noticed that I like bells and whistles and have several ways of displaying where people come from. I am totally thrilled that people from Australia, Europe, Asia, and Africa have visited this blog. I like that the tracking, maping extras show me that people come here.

I cannot, as of now, change my settings to summary – my server won’t let me. For myself, reading the feeds I have subscribed to from other sites, I am mainly using my own new feed reader to see if people have posted yet so I don’t have to go to their blog just to check. Then I like to go read the post in the context and atmosphere of their blogs. But I would like to keep knowing the different places people come from to look at my blog.

You might want to check out these two posts for more information – Ryan Healy and Chris O’Byrne.

~ Diane Clancy

Flowers II

I got a lot of organizing and clearing up of piles done today, but I am tired tonight. I know when this happens, I need to realign with my higher purpose of why I am creating and marketing and all the other things too. I need to tap into that spirit of joy, allowing and flow that is right there … once I stop and focus on it. I need to remember that there is meaning to what I do. Once I refocus my attention toward this other reality, I feel renewed. Perhaps still tired, but renewed. I feel more refreshed than when I started writing this post – whew! This stuff still works!

Flowers II, Digital © Diane Clancy

As I was deciding what to write about tonight, I checked Alyson Stanfield’s Art Marketing Blog (www.ArtBizBlog.com). There is a great post, Avoid Art Career Overwhelm, which announces that creativity coach, Eric Maisel, had a wonderful teleseminar. He talked about his solutions for dealing with the feelings of overwhelm that so many of us have.

I know I look forward to hearing what he has to say. I am always open to new ways of working well and staying aligned with my creativity and joy while I am working.

I would love for you to share with us what does and doesn’t work for you in keeping life and work manageable, not overwhelming, and, hopefully, having joy. Thank you so much for being in my life.

~ Diane Clancy

Blog Action Day

Many of you know today – Monday, October 15, 2007 – is Action Blog Day – to help promote awareness and action around the environment. Rima and Neda are showcasing art on their gallery Maraya Galleries. This art can be for any of the dozens of ways to support the environment. I chose peace! My line to go with this painting is “Peace is Necessary for All Living Beings ~ Humans, Animals ~ and the Earth.”

Peace, Digital © Diane Clancy

Peace is Necessary for All Living Beings ~ Humans, Animals

~ and the Earth

Not only is war tragic and destructive to people and animals, it is also terrible for the earth. Of course, bombing is awful for people and the earth. And then there are all the active ammunition that is lying around that explodes when people and animal step on it.

But the other piece about war and the environment ~ the amount of resources that go into war is criminal, in my opinion. Besides the human cost, there is the environmental cost. Jet planes, bombs, transporting people, supplies and ammunition all have a very great environmental cost.

It is important to reduce our own consumption of oil and other resources ~ and enormous amounts of resources are going into current wars. Never mind all the financial resources that go into war rather than alternative energy, education and heath care.

Let’s all work together to reduce our impact on the environment and get us back on track!

~ Diane Clancy

WCMD – Another One Layer Card Challenge

Hi, I decided to be part of World Card Making Day. I haven’t made cards for years and I I haven’t been using my paints for a couple of years … and I decided to try making ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) or ATC (Art Trading Cards) for the first time today.

Tracy had a challenge for one layer cards and this is another entry.

Spring Day, ACEO © Diane Clancy

I hope you enjoy this ACEO about the seasons. Thank you for looking!

~ Diane Clancy

WCMD – Another Paint Challenge

Hi, I decided to be part of World Card Making Day. I haven’t made cards for years and I I haven’t been using my paints for a couple of years … and I decided to try making ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) or ATC (Art Trading Cards) for the first time today.

Julie had a challenge for using paint and this is one of my entries. I used the brush to put the paint on the cloth button I used as a stamp. So I used a brush!

A Windy Day, ACEO © Diane Clancy

I hope you enjoy this little card – thank you for looking!

~ Diane Clancy

WCMD – Paint Challenge

Hi, I decided to be part of World Card Making Day. I haven’t made cards for years and I I haven’t been using my paints for a couple of years … and I decided to try making ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) or ATC (Art Trading Cards) for the first time today.

Julie had a challenge for using paint and this is one of my entries. I made the flowers with paint and also the background is a wash of paint that I applied.

 

Waltzing Flowers, ACEO © Diane Clancy

Thank you for being here with me!

~ Diane Clancy

WCMD – Using Felt or Fabric Challenge

Hi, I decided to be part of World Card Making Day. I haven’t made cards for years and I I haven’t been using my paints for a couple of years … and I decided to try making ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) or ATC (Art Trading Cards) for the first time today.

Emily had a challenge for using felt or fabric and this is one of my entries. These are mainly from scraps of clothes that my sister or I had as children. I used gel medium to attach the bits of fabric and then decided to gel over it all to make it look more consistent.

Memories of Old Dresses, ACEO © Diane Clancy

Thank you again for sharing my journey!

~ Diane Clancy

WCMD – Monochromatic Challenge

Hi, I decided to be part of World Card Making Day. I haven’t made cards for years and I I haven’t been using my paints for a couple of years … and I decided to try making ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) or ATC (Art Trading Cards) for the first time today.

Godelieve had a challenge for monochromatic cards and this is one entry.

Heart of Life, ACEO © Diane Clancy

Thank you for sharing this process as I grow along.

~ Diane Clancy

WCMD – Faux Stitching Challenge

Hi, I decided to be part of World Card Making Day. I haven’t made cards for years and I I haven’t been using my paints for a couple of years … and I decided to try making ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) or ATC (Art Trading Cards) for the first time today.

Tracy had a challenge for Faux Stitching and this is another entry.

Stitch of Life, ACEO © Diane Clancy

Thank you for visiting and looking at my images!!

~ Diane Clancy

WCMD – One Layer Cards Challenge

Hi, I decided to be part of World Card Making Day. I haven’t made cards for years and I I haven’t been using my paints for a couple of years … and I decided to try making ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) or ATC (Art Trading Cards) for the first time today.

Tracy had a challenge for one layer cards and this is my entry.

Hearts Alive, ACEO © Diane Clancy

Thank you for looking at this and sharing in my journey!

~ Diane Clancy

WCMD – Minimum 3 Stamps Challenge

Hi, I decided to be part of World Card Making Day. I haven’t made cards for years and I I haven’t been using my paints for a couple of years … and I decided to try making ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) or ATC (Art Trading Cards) for the first time today.

Julie had a challenge for a minimum of 3 stamps and this is my entry. I have no stamps or ink so I used a paper clip, a cloth button, and a regular button, all with paint.

Dancing, ACEO © Diane Clancy

Thank you for sharing in my process!!

~ Diane Clancy