Paper possibilities

I just finished my taxes...a little daunting...but once I get going, it all seems to fall into place...throughout the year, I essentially organize by piles...receipts for supplies go in one folder, paid bills go in another folder, other important stuff (that I know I will need later) gets stashed in a bin...I realize this is not the most efficient method of keeping track of revenue/expenses for a business, but it works for me... As I was opening the envelopes of the other important stuff, I was struck by the variety/color/pattern of the inside printing of the envelopes...

The cellophane windows offered creative options as well...I made another pile...

Now that I was finished with my taxes and all the forms filed and paperwork put away, I rewarded myself with an afternoon of creating...keeping in mind my word for the year, BEGIN...I started a collage using just what I had at hand.  My goal this year is to not over think a project...and be paralyzed by inaction because I don't have the right papers/supplies/theme...the idea is to BEGIN...

I just finished a large commissioned art collage so I had several scraps on my work table...using leftover corrugated cardboard as the base, I developed my design based on an old library catalog card, incorporating stitching into the piece (which is another goal for the year - to use more stitching/sewing in my artwork)

The end result...

I had a second collage that I started...using another envelope with its black & white design and cellophane windows...but I got bogged down in looking for a set of clock faces I picked up at the Country Living Fair in Atlanta...and then distracted looking at a bunch of old farm receipts to see if anything there jumped out at me...and then the whole spontaneity of it was lost...and the energy dissipated...

Its interesting to me that I've been infusing orange into my work lately...I really not much of a color gal...and scruffing up the edges with a sanding block is becoming my mandatory finishing technique...but I like where this is going...and I have plenty more envelopes to play with another day...