Mixed Media Mischief Makers

It's a "Mad Tea Party"!

2009-06-27T08:01:00.006-04:00

YIPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Today's the day to visit our creative friends around the blogosphere.

Hop down the cyber rabbit hole to get to the party.

(click above)

Remember: Be responsible. Don't drink too much tea before you fly your cup and saucer around Wonderland.

Congratulations to Our Winners!

2009-05-07T07:30:00.009-04:00

We'd like to thank all of you that stopped by to play with us. It was fun!

Now without further ado, here are our winners:

Debi Minter from WY .......... wins prize #1

Caroline .............................. wins prize #2

Vinetagepalleteart ............... wins prize #3

Bone*Head*Studios .............. wins prize #4

Gaffergirls.com .................... wins prize #5

American Alcala ................... wins prize #6

Sonia ;) ................................ wins prize #7

CONGRATULATIONS! Don't forget to email us your full name and address, so we can ship you your prize :D Don't worry, your information will be kept private. As for prize #1, we only need your email address.

Mischievously yours,

The whole mad gang

Welcome to Our Open House!

2009-05-05T05:00:00.019-04:00

Oopsie - what a tumble! Are you okay?! Well, you are HERE. I guess that was a silly question. None of us are "okay" here, but we are all adventurous at heart. You know if you'd stepped a little further to the right; you'd have found the spiral slide and could have avoided that nasty fall altogether. Oh well, you'll know next time. What's important is that you're here now! :D WELCOME!

My fellow Wonderlanders are anxiously awaiting your arrival. We've left you a key and some refreshments on the table in the hallway of doors. Meet us in the garden for tea. Afterward we'll hop a couple of flying cups and saucers for a tour around Wonderland. We want to show you our blogs, websites, shops, challenge entries, etc., but we want to get back in time for the giveaway.

Oh - you haven't heard about the giveaway? That naughty fish-footman must've delivered your invitation without the giveaway information enclosed. No more tarty tarts for him. Please accept my apologies and allow me to tell you all about it. We're trying to wake the Dormouse now. She's a bit sleepy today, but she's going to be giving away 7 "wonder"ful prizes in between naps! :D Here's a list of what she'll be giving away to the 7 lucky winners. You'll find pictures of some of the prizes by following the links below.

Prize#1 is an awe-inspiring coaching session from creativity and life coach, Karen Cowles from Choose to Thrive.

Prize#2 is a custom beaded triangle pendant from the wicked cool Billie Sanchez at Wicked Oak Designs.

Prize#3 is an enchanted faery wand complete with activation dust from the mystical and magickal Valarie Endemann of Airiemoon Designs.

Prize#4 is a Wonderland-inspired beaded bottle from the talented Barb Sanderson from Beadie Biz Designs.

Prize #5 is a mysterious bottle spirit from the mischievous Carrie Hill of Possum Alley Purdees .

Prize #6 is a beautiful sun catcher from the enchanting Heather Robertson of HB Seagems.

Prize #7 is an adorable rendition of the Mad Hatter from the crafty Tracey Kraft of Wadsworth-Noll Studio.

Don't forget to leave us a comment by midnight (Eastern) on 5/6/09 and check back to see if the Dormouse selected your comment. Be sure to leave an email addy and your name if you can't be tracked back to a blog. Winners are selected randomly and will be announced on May 7th, 2009. If you see your name listed, please email us your information (click floating bottle on the right side bar to email us). You will need to provide us with your mailing address, so we can ship you your prize; with the exception of prize #1 (the coaching session). In that case we will need your email address to set up your session. We cannot be held liable for any lost, stolen, broken or unclaimed prizes.

Curious about our group? We are a group of mixed media artists that like to create all sorts of mischief while playing with various art forms. We place very few restrictions on our art. Our members love venturing into new territories, exploring new techniques and experimenting with multiple mediums. We challenge, learn and share with each other. We have chat nights 3 times per week. We have challenges every 2 months (our most current challenge slide show is located near the bottom of this blog).

If you're interested in joining our group; we'd love to consider you for membership (see join button on side bar). We are a very active group and require that you post at least once a week. Membership is limited, so only request to join if you plan to be an active member. (Prizes are selected randomly, joining our group does NOT increase your chances of winning).

If you have any questions about our group, please don't hesitate to ask.

Now leave us an interesting comment so we can keep the Dormouse awake long enough to select our 7 winners!

Mischievously yours,

the rest of our members :)

Wandering Through Wonderland: For the Adventurous at Heart!

2009-04-04T14:08:00.013-04:00

We're having an open house blog party! :D

If you've always been curious about our group; or you'd like to meet our members, view their Wonderland-inspired artwork, browse their shops or join our group, please join us for this event (see details below).

You could win a prize! :D Our very own Dormouse will be giving out dor prizes. Just drop by this blog on May 5th, 2009 (Tuesday) to leave a comment for a chance to win.

All winners will be announced on May 7th, 2009 (Thursday), so don't forget to check back to see if you've won and claim your prize. (You'll need to provide us with your mailing address via email to claim your prize)

Bring a friend, some tea, a tarty tart and your curiosity.

"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." ~Ellen Parr

Don't be late! ;D

http://mixedmediamischiefmakers.blogspot.com/

Mischievously yours,

Challenge Me!

2009-03-18T09:00:00.017-04:00

chal·lenge |ˈ ch alənj|

noun

To summon to action, effort, or use; stimulate: a problem that challenges the imagination.

A task or situation that tests someone's abilities : the ridge is a challenge for experienced climbers.

Our challenges are intended to inspire/encourage our members to experiment with new techniques; rediscover old ones, finish abandoned projects, play with new materials and learn from each other's mistakes/successes.

Our one and only challenge rule is that challenge pieces be created using 2 mediums or more. It's almost impossible to create something without at least 2 mediums, so it's not a hard rule to follow. Once that criterion is met - anything goes!

Why do our challenges have themes? It's a way to create focus. When our minds are swirling with ideas; a theme gives us a sense of direction. Just don't ask the Cheshire Cat for direction/s. He's mad, you know ;)

Tips for challenging yourself:

1.  Be positive! :D  Attitude is key.

2.  Allow yourself to make mistakes.  That's how you learn.

3.  Ask for help.

4.  Research techniques online and/or at the library.

5.  Try something you haven't previously (colors, materials, medium combinations, techniques, etc.).

6.  Pick up abandoned projects and complete them.

7.  Recycle old ideas.

Inspiration is all around you.  Chase it, capture it and release it for the next chase!
Chasing inspiration, 
P.S.
Congrats, members - we had 90% participation on our first challenge - YOU GO GIRLS!!!
- To view a slide show of our member's challenge pieces, please scroll to bottom of page.  (Warning:  Not intended for those of you with epilepsy, migraines or vertigo).
- To view challenge themes/deadlines or join our group, see side bar---------------------->

Copycatitis

2009-03-03T14:31:00.012-05:00

"The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work." - Émile Zola

Everywhere you look these days - signs are being posted, buttons are being pushed and defenses are up. "Copycatitis" seems to be rampant in Bloglandia and everyone is feeling the pinch. There is more energy flying around on the concentration of defying this phenomenon that there is in actual creativity. One more negative. One more second guess. As artists we are always fighting a negative, somewhere. We self-doubt, worry about criticism, rejections, and yet we go on. It is how we live, grow and flourish - but it is also what slowly kills the creative Muse. Why on earth are we doing this to each other? Adding to the negative forces. An artist that has to spend time worrying about who is going to "steal" an idea is not fully allowing the creative forces to live freely within them.

Since we know "copycatitis" is and more than half of us have been victims of it - let us - as a group - that is. as artists - turn this negative around. Whether you have been an artist for 5 years or 5 decades - we need to respect each other and our own voices.

It is your own creative voice that rings through your creation, which makes the creation yours and yours alone. Your signature. Your baby. Your finished work and the emotions you put into it are your voice. All you need to do is believe in your voice, and it will carry you. Own your talent. Yes, it takes work. It takes practice. It takes time. Buying and copying someone's work will not better you as an artist. Time will make you a better artist. Confidence will make you a better artist. believing in yourself will make you a better artist! Any artist that has done this for 5 or more years will tell you - it does not happen overnight. Becoming an artist to make money is - laughable. An artist creates because we know no other way to breath, not because we can make a fortune on Ebay. There is a reason why, when discussing art and artists there are phrases such as "starving artist" and "paying your dues".

It is impossible to look and not be inspired by another's work. But instead of trying to copy it, line for line, brush stroke for brush stroke, mold by mold; try something different:

Study it.
Write about it.
Dissect it.
Manipulate it and expand upon it.
Ask what makes it speak to you.
Ask what you'd done differently.
Ask if it invokes a feeling that resonates in you. Harness that feeling and use THAT to create your next piece.
Conjure in your mind "what ifs" - What if I used a different medium, color or subject.

Push the boundaries of your own creative mind, using what has inspired you as a platform.

If you are an artist that feels that you are being subjected to "copycatitis" - simple steps can help protect you, but in this electronic age, you have to be prepared to take the risks of putting your work out there.

Place copyright information on your blog, website, etc. This pertains to blatant copying of text - letter by letter -, photographs and exact duplications of work.
Take the time to do web link searches of your images and work. If you find it somewhere, remind the poster that they are your images/words and respectfully ask them to remove the post. They may be innocently paying homage to someone they think is wonderful. If they do not remove it after your request, then take further action.

We are all territorial over our work. Frankly it is something we have to work on. We have to remember that the basis of an idea is not an identity. Everyone has the idea of gluing something somewhere, painting this and sculpting that. Let's face it; there is NOT an infinite amount of things to work with, so there will be others with your idea, somewhere in time - and your idea is someone else's. What you do with your idea is what makes it yours. The heart that you put into it and how it speaks your voice when its completed. That's your gift. Own it!

Owning it,

Our Founding Mom #2 Heather Robertson

2009-02-21T21:23:00.024-05:00

I guess I’ll pick up where my evil twin :O left off. I was dropped out of the sky by a stork and Munchkinlanders, thinking I was a magic bean, carted me to the edge of Munchkinland where they planted me at the border in hopes I would protect their city.

My twin had no idea that I was then found and raised by a pack of crafty gypsy Maniacs - ah no that’s not right. They were a gypsy family of Mainer crafters. Yeah that’s it. So it’s no surprise that I’ve dabbled in most craft mediums (get it gypsies, mediums – never mind!).

After the green haze cleared I found myself in a new land. Where the ground was quite flat, there were huge rock formations in the distance, very few trees, and the plants were as tall as me and had thorns.

I spent countless hours exploring the new terrain… hunting for buried treasure, running from dust devils, making mud pies and digging holes I thought would lead to China; based on some unreliable information shared by fibbers (adults can NOT be trusted). All the while on constant lookout for Gila monsters and other venomous critters, but no one had warned me of the potential threat of flying she-devils.

I did a lot of traveling with the gypsies, especially to horse, dog and doll shows, so I got to fill the creative well with a wide variety of images and experiences at an early age.

I spent most of my days as a brownie, but later evolved into a bluebird.

On my 8^th birthday, I was kidnapped by a wicked witch. She ended up dragging me all over the country. She wouldn’t allow me to see my father. I’m not sure what she did with my mother, but I never saw her again. I learned to comfort myself, by delving even deeper into my imagination. I found a way to release characters from my storybooks into Reality and found them helpful in getting me through my horrible ordeal.

My fairy godmother would visit me from time to time, while the wicked witch was busy tormenting souls. She’d share fantastic fairy tales with me, which filled my imagination with even more characters to protect me from the witch.

Eventually the witch found out about the visits, the books and the characters, so she moved us to an island where she knew my fairy godmother could no longer influence me and took away my books. But even there I found magical rainbows, dancers in grass skirts, a volcano goddess and lots of tales about odd beings, so I secretly continued to play with my Imaginary friends. Even found a changeling that I consider my sister to this day.

Pretty soon my head and heart were overflowing with Imagination and it began escaping through my hands. I filled my Barbie Dream House and 1:12 scale dollhouse with all the creations that spilled out of my little hands.

The witch was chased off the island and we fled to the mainland, where we ended up in a humid, mosquito-infested swamp. I was disappointed until I discovered a park with a castle and a mouse that allowed storybook characters to roam freely.

Sensing my return, my fairy godmother began visiting again and encouraged me to use my magic gift by filling her dollhouses and room boxes with my imagination too.

The wicked witch, being jealous (maybe that’s why they’re green), told me I had to fill her dollhouses before I could work on anything else. She thought she’d occupy my time and prevent me from creating anymore Imaginary friends.

When I complained to my fairy godmother, she said not to worry the witch couldn’t keep me forever.

As was foretold, I was finally released from the wicked witch’s powers on my 18^th birthday and set out to find a way to support myself. Since the witch had convinced me that I could never make a living with my imagination in the real world, I looked for practical work.

After years of being bored to tears at monotonous jobs (oh how my poor imagination suffered), my knight in shinning armor appeared with a heart full of encouragement. It was just what I needed to reverse the witch’s words and re-spark my imagination.

My creative muscle was weak, but I began working it out as a greeting card artist, faux artist and interior decorator. While I was working at regaining my strength, the witch’s words kept haunting me. She cast a spell on me that would make me forget about my creative muscle and my dreams, which would force me to settle for yet another practical job.

Then one day I received a blessing in disguise (probably my fairy god mother’s work again). I injured my wing, which set a whole chain of events into action that ultimately released me from my cage. Silly me, I had the key all along.

I moved a few dusty chess pieces and found myself in the perfect position to remember what it was I wasn’t supposed to forget and suddenly remembered what I’ d forgotten I should have remembered if it weren’t for the wicked witch’s spell. I had forgotten my gift -using my imagination to inspire others! Now I spend my days jumping down rabbit holes and through looking-glasses; releasing as many creatures as I can from my daydreams into Reality to help other suffering souls out of their bewitched cages.

May your imagination runneth over,

Heather :)

:::::waving as I jump through a looking-glass:::::

Our Founding Mom #1-Carrie F. Hill

2009-02-19T10:50:00.006-05:00

I was created in a petri dish in an experimental lab in Alabama. I have been
state hopping through
Oklahoma, Texas, Upstate NY, Va, and Tenn in search of alien DNA to increase
the vitality of my brain cells. So far no luck... So I have to rely on high doses of miracle grow for the advancement of my brain cells.(Explains a lot doesn't it)

I am 23 yrs old with 19 years experience. The coroner should have embalmed me
10 years ago, but alas he seems unable to find me. I don't do pictures because
every time I try I wind up invisible in them. Did I mention I don't go out in
daylight much?? I adopted a troll baby who is now full grown and ready to
start a life of lunacy in the world. I enjoy beading, clay, and UTEE (no
that has nothing to do with kidneys). The drs at the hospital say I will be
getting out of the straight jacket any day now ((boy do I have them
fooled)). I married my butler/chaperone/part time maid so that if he quit I
wouldnt have to pay unemployment to him. I tried to chain him to the bed but
he keeps getting free. When I find the person that taught him to pick locks
it wont be pretty.

As of now I spend my time creating and terrorizing the public at will. I also terrorize select Yahoo groups at will and at random. Noone seems to mind much since they are always eager to see what I will come up with next.

As an adult I found my twin Pinky online. We soon discovered she was abducted at the time of mitosis in that same lab in Alabama and transferred to Maine for intensive testing until she finally escaped when a mysterious green haze began to cover Maine. We believe she spent some time with the Munckins before finding me but have not been able to verify that little tidbit yet. But she does seem to have a fascination with green witches and Oz.

Thats my story and Im sticking to it!

Carrie F Hill
Fugitive at large

Welcome All

2009-02-19T09:05:00.003-05:00

Well, let us start at the begining. Mixed Media Mischief Makers was started by Carrie and Heather. They found that what they did was a bit different. They tried several Yahoo groups but found that their work didn't really fit in. So their solution was to start their own group that embraces all forms of Mixed Media Works.

And so their baby was born and has become very diverse. We have members that work in Clay, UTEE, Wire, Beads, Found Objects, Paper, just about anything and everything.

We are currently working on our first Group Challenge, "Wicked" is the theme. We will be adding photos soon, so please check back and see what goodies we have been creating.