An Aquatic Theme

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I have been busy creating invitations for my daughter's upcoming Sweet Sixteen birthday. My young miss has an interest in all things aquatic and decided upon mermaids as the theme for her party with a color palette reminiscent of the Caribbean Sea in blues, greens, turquoise and purple. I think I have purchased every mermaid rubber stamps ever created in an effort to craft 35 different cards. Some of them are pictured here. You can see these and others in my Photobucket album. Just follow the link at the top of the left hand column.

Next up: Party favors. The mind reels...

Ballo ergo sum,
Always and all ways,
- Gitana, the Creative Diva

Catching Up

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It has been seven months since I've posted to this blog, during which time I've been extremely busy on things crafty and non-crafty alike. In the interim I have probably created some of my most beautiful cards to date and I believe I have reached the point where I can take my show on the road, albeit very slowly. Some of the cards can be seen above, others can be viewed on my Photobucket Greetings Cards album. (Use the link in the upper left column.) I have discovered new techniques, am working in mixed media and am generally having a high old time crafting cards. I have recently completed a custom order for a repeat customer and am getting a better sense of what I will need to do to successfully market my cards. Now what I need to do is lay the foundation.

I have taken a step in that direction recently when I finally stopped procrastinating and completed the application for a registered trademark. I have been using my name, Gitana, on my work for the past 11 years and have developed it into a logo. Now I'm making it official. Next I plan to create client intake business forms and to create boxed sets of themed cards for sale. Baby steps for now. I'll be toddling in no time and soon I'll break into an all-out run.

I am currently working on my daughter's Sweet Sixteen invitations. My aspiring marine biologist wanted an aquatic theme so we're going with mermaids. Instead of creating a number of identical invitations, hers will all be variations on the theme of mermaids and sea life. No two invitations will be exactly the same. When she recently reviewed the cards completed to date, she commented that the cards were so pretty, they should be considered souvenirs of the event. I thought that was a great idea, something I'll keep in the back of my mind for a future client...souvenir invitations.

Now that the warm weather is slowly waning, I'll be spending more time indoors. Hopefully that means I'll be posting more of my work. That is, of course, if I don't spend all of that time having fun creating cards.

Ballo ergo sum,
Always and All Ways,
- Gitana, the Creative Diva

Artistic Gratification

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It's always a gratifying experience when one's work is appreciated and recognized by others. It is all the more gratifying when that acknowledgement comes from one's peers. In a posting this past December, I mentioned my renewed focus on creating digital art that centered around images of feminine power. Serif Inc., the company that developed the graphics software I use to create these images, sponsors a monthly contest for users of its products. I was just notified by the company that I was chosen the winner for February 2008. The winning piece, entitled "Radiant Energy" appears here. You can see a larger version on the Serif website here through the month of February 2008. It would seem I am finally tapping into my own feminine power. Onward and upwards.

Ballo ergo sum,
Always and all ways,
- Gitana, the Creative Diva

A Change of Pace...

The holidays are over and I greet this new year with renewed artistic energy. It seems every time I turn around, there is something else to inspire my inner diva.

For the last year and a half, I have embarked on a journey in search of inner calm and enlightenment. As I become more finely attuned to my spiritual center, I am becoming more in touch with my feminine power. As a result, my most recent creative endeavors have focused on creating a series of original digital art inspired by feminine power and energy. The image shown in my last entry, entitled "Priestess", is the first of this series. The others completed to date can be seen in my Photobucket in the "Other Creative Endeavors" sub-album. As other works are created, they will be added to the album. Use the link at the top of the left-hand column to get to my Photobucket.

I will eventually use these images to create a line of note cards and other items. Someone has expressed interest in using one of my images as a logo for a future woman's event. For now, they are images that bring me joy and great satisfaction in their creation.

I would love for you to look at the images and give me your comments. Feedback is always welcomed.

Namaste.

Ballo ergo sum,
Always and All Ways,
- Gitana, the Creative Diva