LYA2017# Kat Sloma Liberate Your Art postcard swap BONANZA

As promised I finally made my way to my post box today. I'm so busy catching up after holidays that I had forgotten there would be a sackful of colourful cards waiting for me. It was quite a surprise! I was going to photograph them as a group, but that felt a bit disrespectful, so here they are on location so to speak.

Four of my five main swap postcards have arrived.

1. Deanie Houghtailing sent the "Souvenir shot glasses, Paris, France" postcard with the Ernest Hemingway quote "Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut". Deannie can be found at Instagram @deanie213 and @@focus on Phoenix. It was easy to stage the postcard resting on the handle of my studio door where my art smock hangs next to a giant Eiffel Tower sticker.

2. Kelly Warren, Shelter photographer/artist from Tallahassee Florida, USA. happyshackdesigns.blogspot.com - Kelly's passion is hoping shelter pets get adopted and asks "what is yours?" My passion changes often Kelly, but currently I love British drama on PBSTV and like to encourage people who watch regularly to support clean, non violent TV by becoming a member. The pleasure this inspires is well worth a few dollars wisely invested in educating future leaders. I displayed her postcard on my favorite atomic clock to show that time is ticking away for every shelter pet that isn't adopted today.

3. Sarah Robison sent the postcard is a snake on Cologne Cathedral fence. Her quote is "Snakes eventually expose themselves" unknown. www.instagram.com/blueiiis310
I chose to photograph this card with another card on my outdoor sofa. I covered this in a rush two years ago and every day I want to tighten the covers a bit so I don't' have to smooth them all the time. I love the sofa and the fabric and I spend a lot of time on it when the weather allows.

4. My cup runneth over with surprises from Sheila Delgado this year. Sheila introduced me to the swap and this year I received her card in the regular swap, plus I also received a sneaky unsolicited side swap. Both the cards almost match one of my favorite things, a hand woven and vegetable died carpet from such a troubled place these days. With all the strife and diaspora carpet weaving is a vanishing art and this carpet becomes more precious every day. I love Sheila's work and last month I almost purchased some pillows for my couch from Sheila's Society 6 store, I'm just not quite sure the colors are right. https://society6.com/product/tulip-hearts51356_pillow#s6-6071352p26a18v126a25v193
sheiladlgado.com society6.com/sheiladelgado
Sheila's main swap card says "Happy day to you, wishing you the gifts of LOVE, PEACE and JOY.

Three more side swaps arrived. I knew I would be away this year so decided against side swaps, but my generous LYA friends sent some anyway.

The first is "FULL MOON, sea of Cortez, Mexico from Christine Brooks in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA. "Stop and watch the beauties around you. Peace.". Christine received my regular swap postcard and generously sent one back to me. Thanks Christine. Photographed with postcard #3 on my favorite couch.

Next a card from Patricia L Mark of Portland, Oregon, USA. We side swapped last year. "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see" Edgar Degas patmarkphotography.blogspot.com - I've just redone my kitchen and chose these tea cloths which look great with the irises, my new stove top covers and organic bananas. I used to have digestive problems with bananas until a fruiterer told me that organic ones don't give you gas. Apparently they use a product on the non-organic fruit when it comes across the border and that was my problem. Quite common I'm told.

Lastly, Patsy J Lawrence of Murfreesboro, Tenness, USA, sent me a very creative postcard. This is a page from an altered photography book which she has painted with acrylica and pastels, then photographed. Wow! I was hoping I'd get one of these. Patsy sent out a huge amount of hand written cards to previous swappers, and I was one of the lucky ones. She didn't ask for a card in return. So generous. Thanks Patsy. Photographed balanced on my latest creations, barn wood doors on my kitchen cabinets.

I still have a couple more cards to arrive, which I will post when I get them. Thanks all, I look forward to seeing your creations next year.