Friday, January 31, 2014

Pink Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014

I haven't participated in a Pink Saturday for a while. Beverly from How Sweet The Sound sends an email reminding everyone about the upcoming Saturday, and this week her email moved me to join in. I think I had an added incentive, because the weather forecast for tomorrow is another 3 to 5 inches of snow. After the winter we've been having here in Michigan, I thought a little pink might cheer us all up.


The digital elements I used are from OTBDS' kit "MPFPpaint," Brimm's "Midnight Cinderella," and Holliewood's "Rose Is A Rose."

If you would like to visit the other blogs that are participating in this week's Pink Saturday, just click on the picture below. You'll be taken to How Sweet The Sound where you will find links to all of the other posts.

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Altoids Care Package

My special friend, the Queen of Tarts (that's her Mad Tea Party name), otherwise known as Marguerite Bryant, Lady M, or just M, sent me a care package.


I've had one virus after another this fall and winter. Our three-year-old grandson has lovingly brought me each one. M sent me a fun care package to help me survive it all. (The all includes the wild winter weather we've been having! I've definitely got cabin fever.) When I opened up the package, I was shocked to find it full of Altoid tins. Each tin contained a fun surprise!



This is the first one I opened. It's a little difficult to tell from the photo, but it's a red mouse in its own little bed. That put a big smile on my face! Yah, that's probably pretty weird. But I had mice when I was a little kid, and I've loved them ever since. I even did a whole zine about mice one time when I participated in a zine swap.



The second tin has Pomegranate White Tea bags and a little thread spool man. He looks like he might be a French waiter to me. He's a perfect example of Kawaii art. You might have to look that up in Google if you aren't familiar with Kawaii art.

Being mostly French, but born and living in the US, I have always wanted to go to Paris. This is what I found in the third tin.



It has several other little pictures, too, that I can use in making collages or put in an art journal.

This is the last Altoid tin.




The instructions inside say it's a pedometer. I'm wondering if that's a hint that I've gotten too fat from laying around so much while being sick. Hmm. How would she know that? Marguerite lives in California and I live in Michigan. Maybe she hacked into my computer and is watching me through the built-in camera. Egads!

After seeing all of these fun goodies, don't you wish M was your friend, too? If you would like to introduce yourself and try to get on her "friend" list, you can visit her blog at: http://redballoontothemoon.weebly.com/blog.html

Thanks for all the goodies, Marguerite!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Three Muses Challenge - Silhouette


When I saw these modeling silhouettes on Google, I wanted to try doing something with them.  No one would believe it if they saw me now, but I did a few modeling jobs in my younger days. Who invented old age anyway?! The picture below was way back when I was 19. I won't tell you what year that was. :o)







Monday, January 27, 2014

Soul Food Week 7

The lesson for week 7 was about painting a bird using Golden Iridescent Bronze and Gesso. Unfortunately, I don't have that paint, and between being sick and the horrible weather Michigan is having, I decided to just use what I have. I'm sorry to say my poor bird got caught out in the snow!


Saturday, January 25, 2014

AJC 14 Week 4 - Bright and Take A Word Challenge - Couples


Flower elements from Tangie's "AJC14 January Parcel Collection." Glitter from CAH's kit "Glitter Mess." Wings from A. Manning's "Butterfly Wings." People Googled.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Art Journal Caravan Week 3 Quote


Elements from Crowabout Studio B's kit "Wintery Friends, MZimm's kit "Snow Wonder Addon," and Marta Van Ecks kit "Need A Shave."

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Three Muses Challenge - Pick A Word

This is the word I picked for this year.


Most elements from Fiddlette's "Get Creative."

Monday, January 20, 2014

Carousel

I've been told some people are afraid of carousel horses. My wife doesn't like them because of an old Twilight Zone episode. I would love to have an antique one in our living room. That won't happen!


Wooden horse from Crystal Rain's kit "Life Is A Beach."

Soul Food Week 5

I didn't follow the full instructions for week 5's lesson. I did a mixed media seascape sunset instead.


Sunday, January 19, 2014

Take A Word Challenge - Hats


One of the most famous hats in the Doctor Who series. :-)

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Art Journal Caravan Week 3 - Quiet


Elements from Tangie's "AJC14 Jan. Collection_SGWinter" and CBD's "Oh Deer Me."

Friday, January 17, 2014

Three Shades of Butterfly Man




Original photo of man from French Connection. Man. I wonder if I took too much medication again?

Renaissance Beauty


Main element from itKuPilli's digital kit "Art of Love."

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Dustin O'Halloran - Snow and Light

Vanessa from "A Fanciful Twist" had a video of Dustin O'Halloran's music on her blog. It was so beautiful that I wanted to share one of his pieces here.


Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Three Muses Challenge - Still Life

The instructions were given that we should keep in mind "less is more."


Cardboard pieces from TBD's kit "Studio Remnants."

Monday, January 13, 2014

Fun With Alice


Alice characters from Tumble Fish Studio's kit "Alice Cards." Texture from Shadowhouse Creations.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Art Journal Caravan Week 2 - Soothe


Elements from Tangie's AJC 14 Jan. Parcel Collection. Textures from Shadowhouse Creations.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Three Muses Challenge - Music

Life is always interesting. I didn't create much on the computer during December, because I had a virus that lasted a month. It still feels like it hasn't quite left my chest. At the end of December, we had 6" of snow. I hoped that would be it. I never claimed to like winter. Last Sunday, winter let us know it was just beginning by dumping 10.5" of snow on us. It took me 3 attempts to get us shoveled out. I was determined I was going to do something for the Three Muses Challenge this week, and since the temperature dropped to the lowest we had in years, it was the perfect time. (Monday night the temperature was 14 below zero with the wind chill being 35 below zero. Unbelievable!) I ended up creating two digital collages for the Three Muses Challenge. However, the weather knocked our cable out. We have not had TV or the Internet for almost 48 hours! All that means I am very late in posting for the challenge. Oh well. At least I haven't dropped dead like it felt I was going to. Actually, I think our friend June in England had the bug first. I don't know how it managed to cross the Atlantic, but evidently it was a very strong bug!



By the way, I can't claim responsibility for anything in the collages. I have only survived the past month by drinking hot toddies - whiskey, lemon, honey and hot water. I could be in a drunken stupor for all I know.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Winter Continues

Alright. We've had enough already. It's only Jan. 6. We have several months of winter to go. Yuk! These pictures were taken through an upstairs bedroom window. We had 10" of snow yesterday.



Sunday, January 5, 2014

Art Journal Caravan 2014 Week 1 - Winter and Nature


Elements from Tangie's "Splatter Graffiti Winter's Dream," CBD's "Oh Deer Me," and Lauri Ann's "Glitter Overlay."

Friday, January 3, 2014

Soul Food Lesson 2

Our second lesson was taught by Gwenn Seemel. It was all about drawing quickly using only a couple of pens. The ideal was to practice drawing without getting all hung up on all the details. I watched her demonstration video last night, and agonized over it ever sense. My inner critic just doesn't want me to do anything! I just told myself to sit down, do it, and don't even think about it. That's what I did, and lo and behold, I did it! :-)


Word For 2014


I have a difficult time just letting go and enjoying creating art. I chose "accept" to be my word for the year, because I need to accept my imperfections and just be happy with what I am able to do. No one is perfect. There is no sense in trying to reach the impossible. The funny creature is from Tangie Baxter's Art Journal Caravan 2014 basic kit.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Michigan - Yuk!


We've had just short of 8" of snow over yesterday and today. I couldn't even finish getting it all shoveled.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Soul Food Assignment One - Play!

Mystele from Community Thrive (a Ning site) provided us with 3 fantastic videos about just letting go and painting. Mystele paints these fantastic, fun people in an outsider or folk art style. I'm still not comfortable trying to paint a person, so I just played. I went very abstract. :-)