Fun With Cigar Boxes

I know that I don't have to tell mixed media artists that when they're done smoking their cigars--don't throw out the boxes. (just kidding--I know you don't smoke cigars, or do you?)  These boxes  are probably a staple item in everyone's art supplies.  I don't happen to smoke cigars either, so every once in a while, I'll visit the local tobacco store and pick some up.  I just bought these 3 for $1.00 each!

My only requirement is that they be wood, and not cardboard, because I like to alter them into functional boxes--

Isn't this fun?  I also like to take the lid off (but don't throw it away--it's a great surface to paint on), and make collage boxes out of them, or turn it over and paint on it like a gallery-wrapped canvas.  If  anything, they're great for storing crayons, markers, pencils, or whatever.  This is  why they're great to get.

Plus I also finished my last 4 x 12 canvas--

When I posted these before, Martha was saying that these would look good with a Suzi face on it, and I thought, yeah that's a good idea, but  I decided to make a Suzi sun face instead. I love making these sun faces  (probably because  we don't get to see  much of it  around here).  I think this one is my favorite--but I like them all.

I think that next time I do this, I want to make one on a larger canvas or maybe a piece of wood to see how it turns out, and  I really love these with the painted papers.  You can't tell from the photos, but they all have lots of texture.

I also wanted to thank everyone for their comments on my art room/studio from my last post.  It's so funny because alot of you remarked on how neat and tidy it was.  And your right--it is.  Don't get me  wrong, when I'm in the middle of a project, all hell breaks loose, but when I'm finished, I always clean up and put everything back.  I never used to do this, but when I cleaned this room out last month, I vowed to keep it this way, because I would get so fustrated trying to wade through the mess all the time.  Now when I go in there--I just love it!!  And it's inspired me to clean the rest of my house--seriously.   You don't want to see the rest of my house--trust me.

And one more thing--this is to Dapoppins--I hope you're reading this. I wanted to tell you that I love the scrapbook that you made--I think it was for your son--right?  The reason why I can't tell her on her blog, is because she turned her comment option off.  She feels that she is addicted to comments and is trying to break her addiction : )  Lets face it--we all like comments. It's kind of like when  someone's talking to you --you want to reply to what they're saying or showing.  It's how we get to know each other.  I've made friends in the last couple of months with bloggers just through us commenting to each other.  She does, however, have a poll on her blog for you to vote if she should turn the comments back on, and last time I checked, 92% said yes!  So come on Dapoppins--turn on your comments again so we can "talk" : )   Just click on her name to visit her blog.  OKAY HERE'S AN UPDATE ON THIS BLOG--I just went to Dapoppins blog, and she's put the comments back on--YAY for you Dapoppins!