gifts

Arty Gifts!

One of little girl's Montessori teachers is an artist and a sketcher and she told me at end of year picnic that she is trying to form a sketching habit and showed me her Moleskine. I recommended the Visual Journals for affordable quality mixed-media paper that can stand up to paint and ink. Then I surprised her by giving her my tiny Altoid watercolor travel kit (the one with the bikes was a bonus since I know she's into biking). She didn't want to take it but I wanted to give her a gift that she would love and I knew I had another waiting for me drying at home. Another mother suggested that I start selling them and maybe I will put a couple in my shop, but mostly I want to start making them as gifts for art loving friends. Here's to a great Friday and a great weekend! Surprise somebody with a small gift if you get the chance and feel inclined. 

Tiny travel paint kits make great gifts.

Tiny travel paint kits make great gifts.

Give it away! ATCs and a generous spirit.

When I started making Artist Trading Cards or ATC again and carrying a stack of them around with me and simply giving them to people it was a little bit scary. Giving away my artwork to strangers and near strangers is not something that I am supposed to do. I started out giving them to friends but now I have moved on to people that fall in my social circles. So I am not coming up to strangers on the street and handing them cards just yet. I don't have enough confidence or handmade cards for that. But these cards are teaching me a lot not only when I make them but when I give them to others. I am learning how to talk to people about my art and I am really enjoying making people smile. I think I will keep this habit up for awhile. 

How do you feel about artists giving away their art? Normally I am not a fan but I think for me 2.5"x3" ATC are the perfect size to keep in my bag and give out freely. I get more from making them than I ever could from selling them and I truly enjoy giving them away when I am done with them. I don't like taking pages out of my sketchbook so tiny individual cards are the perfect option for me to give out. 

ATCs