Yay! My evil plan worked!!! That's why I designed it where we only do one piece of original art because then there's no cap on participants and we don't have worry if a ton of people sign up and be stressed about how much more work it is.

***MERMAID PAINTING EXTRAVAGANZA***

This project was born out of a personal project I did myself during the month of May with another online art group. The fabulous mixed media artist Jane Davenport started a project called "Mermay" and the idea was this: It was centered around mermaids, hence it being "Mermay". For every day of the month of may she issued a prompt for the day for everyone to interpret in their own way with the only restriction being that it had to be a mermaid. For instance one prompt was "Spectacles and tentacles" one was "Hello sailor" and another was "Musical scales". I did do a mermaid every day for the month of May and Gemme followed this on Facebook, which brings us here.

She said she enjoyed seeing my mermaids every day and would like to see a project where everyone interpreted the same prompt, like I did for Mermay, in this thread. So I of course jumped on it and said wow, I'd love to wrangle that.

Now, what made Mermay fun is that it was a Facebook group of 20,000 people interpreting the SAME prompt every day and coming up with such diverse works of art. You wouldn't believe some people's ingenuity. I'd love to do that here.

How it will work: We will each be randomly assigned *ONE* partner and create "ONE* original painting of a mermaid using the theme FRECKLES AND SPECKLES. Once sign ups are over I will jumble up all of our names and make a list where we "pay it forward" and send out paintings in a circular fashion. (We've tested it, it works for an uneven number of participants!) This way the person you create for will NOT be the same person who creates for you. That keeps it even more interesting. Everyone will be notified of their partner here in the thread after sign ups close so please keep an eye out for that!

In addition to your original piece, please include enough photocopies for the rest of the participants so we can all see everyone's beautiful artwork and how each person differently interpreted the theme. This is part of the fun so please don't neglect this part!

We will have eight weeks to finish our paintings. An additional week will be added on as our usual buffer, and any project received late or if any person who drops out after the sign up has closed they are officially timed out and on the naughty list. I will mail the projects out TWO weeks after the final due date, instead of one, because I want to make sure I take a lot of care packaging up everyone's beautiful pieces to ensure they arrive safely and undamaged.

*DATES TO REMEMBER*
-Sign up starts today, Sunday, June 17th and will close in one week on Saturday, June 23rd at midnight.

-Projects are due in my hands Saturday August 25th. Ofifcially late and on the naughty list on Saturday September 1st. Again, if extra time is needed please speak now or forever hold your peace.

-I will mail projects back out as soon as possible by September 15th, or I am timed out and on the naughty list.

*GUIDELINES* Please create *ONE* original painting for your assigned partner sized 5 x 7 inches on the substrate of your choice, using the theme of a SPECKLED AND FRECKLED mermaid. I highly recommend using a high quality watercolor paper, but there is room to get creative. Use cardstock, cardboard, wood, canvas, etc. The only catch is if your piece is thicker than cardboard, or heavier like wood, or because of lots of embellishing PLEASE include extra money for shipping. The cost for this project will be $7 and $10 if your project is thick, heavy, or exceptionally fragile for some reason to allow for extra packaging and shipping on my end. I'd prefer if folks keep it simple, sturdy, and relatively thin though. Remember, this project has to go through the mail twice. Please don't make my life extra difficult if you can help yourself.

As far as media--you can use anything you wish from watercolor to acrylic to stamps and rub ons to crayons and markers to string art, collage, beading, fabric, and whatever you imagination can think of! Please keep in mind if your project is very heavily embellished or fragile to add the additional shipping cost.

The only real rules are:

1) The size is 5 x 7.

2) It has to be your interpretation of a mermaid with SPECKLES AND FRECKLES.

3) Be your best and most thoughtful work. Look, this is not an art contest. But I do expect people to put a lot of thought and work into your projects. You have eight weeks, use your imagination and make it spectacular! You have a partner who will be working every hard on their work and deserves to recieve your very best in return. Please do NOT sign up for this project without thinking it through whether or not you can do a kick ass 5 x 7 inch piece in eight weeks. If for whatever reason someone drops out or flakes, I will do an extra painting for the participant affected by that.

RULES AS AGREED UPON TO BE ADDED AT THE END OF EACH PROJECT:
"For 2018, the rule is if one of our projects is received by the wrangler more than seven days after the due date, or one of us drops out of a project for whatever reason, that person is welcome to continue posting but is not allowed to sign up for a group project again until six months from the latest date that the project was supposed to be due. No exceptions. This rule applies to participants and to wranglers. Wranglers must mail out projects within one week of the latest date that the projects were supposed to be due. In addition to waiting six months before being able to join a penpal project, the person who has not met the latest deadline must post directly on the penpal thread within a week of missing the latest deadline stating that they have not adhered to the deadline (reason is welcome to be included or does not have to be) and, most importantly, the date on which they will be able to return to participating in the penpal projects. They must scroll back and add themselves to the bottom of the list of any other participants who have not met the late date for any project for 2018. If that is not done, then the member is welcome to participate in the thread with "thanks" and reps and thread chat but not to participate in any future projects for 2018. The reason for this is personal responsibility, so that we have a running record right on the thread that is easy to refer back to when needed. And for the purposes of clarification, if someone drops out before the deadline to sign up has been closed then they are not excluded from future projects because they are still following the rules.

Example: Bitsy misses the late date for a project. Within a week of that late date she must scroll down and find the most recent list of people who have missed the late date in 2018 and copy that list to a new post and add herself. Bitsy's post would look something like this:

'Sorry, I had the bird flu and missed the late date of 2/21/18. I can start participating in new projects on 8/21/18. I have added myself to the list below:

1. Tony (missed the late date of 1/28/18, able to participate 7/28/18)
2. Bitsy (missed the late date of 2/21/18, able to participate 8/21/18)'

This rule must be posted in its entirety at the bottom of all new projects that are being wrangled so that members can thoughtfully consider whether we wish to commit to a new project."

Please if you are currently timed out put yourself on the list and the dates of your time out because I am not responsible for doing that.

All that being said, let the sign ups commence! Have fun!!

CCB's Mermaid Project:

1) CCB
2) clay
3) nanners
4) Kätzchen
5) Gemme
6) nycfem
7)
8)
9)
etc.


***BUMP!*** ANY OTHER MERMAID ARTISTS OUT THERE?????

That's why I like this project too. No matter how many members sign up, we only focus on one original piece of art we make for ccb's Mermaid art project.

Tomorrow I'm picking up my art supplies and other things I need for this project. I can hardly wait to get started. :)

Summer solstice begins soon, so happy summer solstice to everyone. ❤

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/60/24/61/6...r-solstice.jpg

Feet Up! 😊
 

Just an quick update: I bought two bubble mailers today, and has them stamped with pre-paid postage. I've got the first step completed for my 5x7 Mermaid and the gesso-linen fabric is pretreated, and ready to go for the first few applications of paint....before I begin to work on the main subject of our art project.

I operate my art project on an tight timeline for every step of this work of art. Each section of my Mermaid needs drying time, so it's completely finished and dry and ready to go, by the August deadline.

Happy Mermaid JuJu, to all! :balloon:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/02...g?v=1491490477

***BUMP***

LAST DAY OF SIGN UPS!!! THEY CLOSE SATURDAY AT MIDNIGHT.

Unexpected vet bills had to sit this one out. Too bad because it sounds like it's going to be a really fun project too.

SIGN UPS NOW CLOSED!!!

THE LIST STANDS AT:

CCB's Mermaid Project:

1) CCB
2) clay
3) nanners
4) Kätzchen
5) Gemme
6) nycfem
7)
8)
9)
etc.

I'll post partners tomorrow

Project round robin:

clay to Gemme
Gemme to nanners
nanners to Katzchen
Katzchen to nycfem
nycfem to CCB
CCB to clay

Everyone should have a person to send TO and a person they are receiving FROM. I've double checked the list and I think it's up and running from here!!!! Enjoy creating for your partner!

Niiiccceee!! I'm excited! :cheer:

Thanks for hosting the summer Mermaid project CCB! :bunchflowers:

You're so welcome! I'm very excited!!!

Is everyone all set with this? It's been like radio silence ever since I posted the partners.

***skkkh, skkkh***

10-4 (copy that).

Loved how you invoked the term, 'radio slience', because I'll be busy the next three weeks, but I'm subscribed to the crafter/penpal thread, so I'll get notices via email.

<<<<<<<~~ my project will be ready by August 2nd, mailed via Express USPS on August 20th -- with extra $$$ and prepaid postage on an extra bubble mailer, with delivery to you on August 25th. :rrose:

Here's to the summer Mermaid project and an beautiful summer for everyone.


~K. :hk28:

I iz so happy with the pairings....:)
 

ATCs were great, and a little rain
 

The ATC's were wonderful .
We sure are diverse artists, and clever.

For those wondering, my little rain cloud ATC card had my name, hidden under the grass.

Mermaid Update
 

So, last week as I packed up the rest of my house, I carefully packed up my Mermaid art project and put it safely away, so it wouldn't get lost during the move. But when I had spare time on my hands, for this weekend, I tried to find it, but couldn't.

Today, lol, I found it. YAY!!!

I've got the first layer of paint applied and tiny blue bubbles applied, so it's dry and ready to take with me next week, when I go over to my bff's to house sit and I'll finish up the paint project by next weekend (July 7th, my mom's birthday).

I'll mail it to you CCB on July 13th, and I'll send you the tracking number too.

You should get it by July 20th.

I'm moving during the month of July, so I know you're getting it nearly an month before it's due, but I want to be sure you get it in timely ways.

K. :bunchflowers:

Ps/ I will include glossy 5x7 photos for others in our summer art project round, and tuck a few extra dollars in the forthcoming art project mailer.

That's awesome! The only thing I'd say is don't let us know what you're painting!!! We want a surprise. :)

I finished up my mermaid painting yesterday. The only thing left to do is have 5x7 glossy photos printed off for our summer group of participants..... then ship my art project pkg to CCB.

I'm on schedule with my project, so I'll send you the tracking number, CCB, soon.

K. :bouquet:

You are very much on schedule!!! Very early actually. I'm impressed and can't wait to see it!

ETA: REMINDERS
Please sign and clearly label the back of your paintings AND photocopies/pictures, whichever you're doing.

I finished my project over the July holiday and this weekend, I'm going to go pick up the photos I had made of my project. I need to find a couple of decent mail bubbles tho because the ones I bought last month are too small.

I'll send a p.m. to you next week CCB with the tracking numbers and an expected delivery date.

<<<<<<~~ excited. Hope everyone enjoys my art project! :balloon:

Yay Katzchen and clay!!!! Can't wait to see what you've done.

Heh. Wonky can be fun!

Secret Nature ATC Signature hidden
 

From the clouds, under the raindrops, a flower grows, and the artist is hiding in the blades of grass.

Signature me. :mohawk: for those who didn't know:hangloose:

It was fun

.

Update:

I sent my art project and color photos and $$$ out to CCB today via Express Delivery via USPS.

You should get it in two days, CCB. :)

:hk28:

K.

I got Katzchen's project today!!! It's wonderful and she set the bar high, is all I'm gonna say!

We had a bit of a blip from the USPS. It was guaranteed delivered to my house yesterday, no signature, and they never left it. They also left no note and when Katzchen inquired they said it was at my local post office and they looked at me like I had grown another head when I explained the situation. I had to give them the tracking number, show ID, and basically sign my life away to get the package. But it was worth it and safe and sound!!!

I am SO happy you got the Mermaid art project, CCB! :bunchflowers:

I look forward to seeing other's Mermaid projects and hope everyone enjoys mine. ~ K. :bunchflowers:

The USPS screws up once again! Big Surprise!!

Thank goodness for tracking numbers, it might of sat in limbo for god knows how long!

I finished my little gal today! clay, are you sure I can't put some glitter on her? Lol

Actually, I found out the post office did leave a note. My neighbor took it for safe keeping. Also, yes that is why we have tracking numbers. That's how we knew where the package was.

1) CCB - finished
2) clay
3) nanners
4) Kätzchen - received
5) Gemme
6) nycfem

spoke too soon!
 

1) CCB - finished
2) clay
3) nanners
4) Kätzchen - received
5) Gemme
6) nycfem - received

All pau!!!
 

Photo Album in Gallery for Penpals, Scrapbookers, Postcard Artists and Other Creative Types
 

This sounded like a fun project.
It would be great to see all the finished Mermaids. There is Gallery Album set up for Penpals, Scrapbookers, Postcard Artists and Other Creative Types.

Once all were finished and received, some folks posted pictures ( From my memory bank of wonderful things, recalling Altered Barbie :) ).

I think I will leave this to the individual participants whether or not they want to post a picture of their work. Putting the packages together and making sure everything gets where it needs to get safely is my priority. I'm not taking on the additional responsibility of photographing and uploading each piece.

Just speaking for myself, I'd LOVE to see some of this groups artwork!