Last month I visited my mom and sister who live on Lake Superior in the upper peninsula of Michigan. During my visit, I became very inspired to start creating things with a mischievous theme of Halloween. As a way of honoring the season I have been making more and more digital collages in a kind of spooky vintage style. In fact, I am hoping to visit my family one more time before the end of the year so my sister and I can really inspire eachother.
This "Captured Witch" image was created by using a photo of a canning jar, and then adding the amazing images sold by Becky Loyall. Thank you Becky for sharing your lovely art! I have been thinking this may be my Halloween card this year!
One of my favorite things to do lately is sit in front of my computer, and start creating artwork digitally! Who would have thought that I would even say this a year ago when I didn't have a clue where to even begin.
It looks like I have really caught the Halloween "bug" this time! I have been busy planning and researching potential projects for the Halloween swaps that I joined this year.
This image was created in Photoshop Elements, with purchased collage sheets. I am hoping that this will fit on a composition book for one of my friends. Lastly, I will add some appropriate paper for the inside with some eerie images and cool ribbons for the binding. Just had to share my latest creation!
Since the weather here in Michigan has been rather cool for it seems like weeks, I was in a Halloween mood and made this today. The background and woman are two downloadable collage sheets that you can order from Becky Loyall from Moonlight Journey. She is a very generous soul and has even shared a beautiful piece of her personal artwork with me. She always seems to go the "extra mile." You have to view her blog's slideshow!! I really admire her work and get so inspired.
I am rather new to digital collage, keep playing, and am always amazed what I end up with. Usually, it's nothing what I had in mind!
I would like to do a Halloween Swap, if anyone knows of someone organizing any groups.
Look what I received from KC!! It is absolutely beautiful. Thank you, KC. It is just an honor to have a piece of your work.
Back in June, KC Willis announced that she is having a retreat in her Colorado Studio. And by posting a link to her retreat on your blog, she was also giving away an original 4" X 6" piece of artwork to the first 100 people who spread the word.
Thank you, everyone, for your sweet continual comments this past year. Congratulations to all my winners! Please remember to contact me to give me your mailing addresses.
Karen at My Desert Cottage is hosting a party today! The theme is "Where Women Create." I visited Karen's blog this morning and her studio is a absolutely amazing! It's a work of art! I am a guest at Karen's party. So, I have agreed to post a photo of my humble creative space. Well, the place where I go is actually down in my basement. It is a place where I can invite my friends to play, laugh and create our treasures.
Where I Blog
My art work is sometimes created on this desk, and sometimes I knit on my back porch, and sometimes I create in my office. I can't seem to stay in one place. Now, the art supplies are stored (using that word loosely) in plastic drawers in my "art room" as I call it. Sometimes when the weather turns cooler, I can't work in the basement because I get too cold, and I start something upstairs in my office. And, other times I work at the dining room table. I wish I could be more disciplined and stay just in one place only because I make a mess all over the house.
I loved participating in this event. Because I am out of town still, I am trying to post from the upper peninsula of Michigan. Finding high speed internet is a challenge, and working from a lap top is not familiar to me. I am hoping that this may become an annual event so we all can show how our rooms evolve and improve. Thanks for inviting me, Karen, to share.
Wow! It's my one year blog anniversary! Come on and celebrate with me....while browsing through one of the most glorious web-sites. Experience the beauty of lavender for yourself. Here you will find the listings of Oregon Lavender Destinations. You will be able visit one or two or all of the lavender farms in Oregon.
Because I savor the magical scent of lavender, I would like to have a "Lavender-Themed" Giveaway. I have been busily attending to my crop of lilac, purple, and fuscia toned items for weeks and would like to share some of this magic with you!!
Let's begin our journey by walking through the fields of Cottage Farm Villa. Her blog is absolutely a heavenly place. You will lose yourself in it's beauty!
Walking the paths of lavender......how cool is this?
Or just smelling the hypnotic scent.....can you imagine?
Thank you so very much for encouraging me this past year to continue posting and not quitting. Your heartfelt and lovely comments are what makes all the work preparing for a post worthwhile. As a small token of my appreciation I am giving away a little of myself and a few items that all make me melt in the scent of lavender. I have had just a glorious time learning how to actually start a blog, to post, to take better photos, and to really share my creative journey with everyone.
If it wasn't for the encouragement of Debra Abel and Terri Gauthier, I probably would never have experienced all of this blogging craziness. I have loved meeting y'all, seeing your amazing artwork, and really getting to know how you think about your artwork and your families. I love seeing your homes, and where you play!
I am so proud of myself to be able to say I "made it" to one year. Thank you everyone for stopping by so many times, even though I may not have acknowledged your visit.
I just love doing this! Thanks, Deb and Terri for introducing me to the blogging world.
And now for my humble offerings, I present.....
GIVEAWAY #1
Lavender growing kit, two lilac dishcloths, my "Secret Garden" journal, lavender-wisteria soap, 2 spools of lavender ribbon and one lime green Nouveau ribbon.
GIVEAWAY #2
My "Marie Antoinette" journal, two white dishcloths with lilac stripe, lavender-wisteria soap.
GIVEAWAY #3
Dream journal, Beauty shopping list pad, Dream note cards, miniature Marie Antoinette purse-sized journal, fuscia dishcloths, lavender-wisteria soap, one lime green Nouveau ribbon, and one lilac with green polka dot ribbon.
Please leave a comment on this post by Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at Midnight. I will announce the winner on Monday, July 27th. Remember to leave a way for me to contact you.
And, now it's time for me to head for home to watch a wonderful film, with the scent of lavender on my clothes. I love sinking into the couch, and drifting off into the world of the sisterhood of women.
Enjoy your day visiting my dream of lavender fields!
Back in the 90's, I often used to make handmade envelopes. I find creating these envelopes very stimulating! They are unusual, fun, and amusing subjects often appear in your artwork. Even now, I like to use old calendars, larger magazines, thick-paged catalogs, and even use those scrapbook papers that come in those huge paper pads that are just sitting around with not-so-lovely designs.
Envelope milling is a great way to recycle something that otherwise would be tossed aside as trash, but with a keen imagination you can create something "environmentally friendly" and beautiful.
By giving yourself a stash of envelopes that you have carefully made, you will find so many ways and reasons to use them. Can you imagine mailing a letter to a friend in a special envelope that may even bring yourself to correspond the old-fashioned way?
These pink envelopes with note cards were on sale at our local craft store, but these amazing royalty free decorative borders were purchased at Angela Harris' inspirational YourAngil Etsy shop. I love visiting her beautiful blog and her tags are just too cool.
It will be fun to find an old magazine at a garage sale and know that the work of its photographers and illustrators will longer be destined for the trash can. Your envelopes will be enjoyed and admired by you and their lucky recipients.
I have three templates. A note card size, a personal letter size, and then a business letter size. A very useful book called "The Envelope Mill" by Haila Harvey introduced me to this obsession of creating art mail envelopes. I am not sure if it is out of print, but possibly you can find a copy from Amazon or Ebay. Or, just make your own template to plastic.
In her book, she lists more than 50 ways to use your hand-crafted envelopes, including a handmade stationery set, reminder notes, coupon keepers, bank statement holders, recipe mailers, and trading card keepers.
Great magazines to get you started could be Victoria (wish I never threw mine away now), Vanity Fair, Veranda, Vogue, Food & Wine, National Geographic and those gorgeous Neiman Marcus catalogs at Christmas. Once you start making envelopes, the number of subscriptions may suddenly increase! Plus, you may never have to actually buy an real envelope again!
I think it would be fabulous to make a stash of envelopes by making color copies of my favorite magazines. You may need to line the inside to make them sturdier though. I would suggest spray adhesive on two pieces of paper, press the sticky sides together, and then drawing the template design on the two-paper thickness.
With a little pre-planning, I would love to make envelopes from photos of places I have visited, and then mail them from a vacation spot from where I may be sitting! A picture is worth a thousand words, or even a thousand miles.
I don't think I ever showed you photos of my grandaughter, Lauren's "Enchanted Birthday Party!" She is a little pistol, as you can probably detect from these few photos. I honestly feel that she may become an international gymnist in the future.
She loved her cupcakes, and really was enjoying all the singing of "Happy Birthday to Lauren" melody this year. There was such a sparkle in her eye!
Visiting my grandkids is such an adventure. The glittering sparkles are designed by Vera Lim Designs. What a difference these stars can do for a simple photo!
After attending so many Mad Tea Parties this past weekend with "Fanciful Twist," it is such a odd coincidence that the conceptual art photos of Tim Burton's newest movie in the making have been released.
Oh yeah, his new masterpiece "Alice in Wonderland" is scheduled for release, March 5, 2010. I can hardly stand to wait that long! This is going to be, without a doubt, his grandest achievement.
Helena Bonham Carter has been chosen to be The Red Queen! She was a simian in (Planet of the Apes), a murderous baker of meat pies (Sweeny Todd) for her fiance, and now she takes on the role of The Red Queen who loves nothing better to do than scream, "Off With Their Heads!" Did you know her children, Billy-Ray and Neil, will have cameos in the movie?
Everything is going to be okay, says Iris Lee Underwood.
"I love farming, and I look at my farm
as a peace offering--to myself, my family, the community. People want to enjoy the scent of lavender, the beauty of it, the camaraderie. It brings them piece!"
The mood-boosting powers of lavender may even mend an aching heart. Seven years ago, her 25-year old daughter died from drug abuse, and "the cloud of grief that hung over me was lifted," she says.
She has studied how the oil absorbs into your skin, your bloodstream, and goes to your brain. "But it was really true. I felt this keen sense of well-being after caressing the velvety lavender flower one sunny afternoon six years ago."
Today, at 60, Iris nurtures a rolling acre of the plants on what she calls "Yule Love It Lavender Farm" in Lakeville, Michigan. This July, during harvest season, more than 2,000 visitors pick their own flowers, sit at bistro tables to sip lavender tea, or just share their stories of loss and healing while strolling through the lavender fields.
Yule Love It Lavender Lemonade
TO MAKE: Steep 1 large tea ball filled with organic lavender in a quart of boiled water until the liquid turns a light rose color. Meanwhile, in a gallon jar, mix 2 large cans of frozen lemonade concentrate with 4 cans of water. Add the cooled lavender infusion to the lemonade. Finally, add the ice and garnish with fresh mint, lemon thyme, or lavender springs with foliage, or all three.
Today's the big day! It's "Fanciful Twist's 2nd Annual Mad Tea Party." The idea is to visit her blog, enjoy her amazing photos, whimsical stories, and then visit the participating party goers listed on the right side of her blog. Each blogger will have a their artwork displayed. You just have to look! You won't be disappointed. Vanessa's work is brilliant and so inspiring.
And just click on the "party-ers" to view even more candy!
KC Willis is having a retreat in her studio. Can you even imagine? And by posting a link to her retreat on your blog, she is also giving away an original 4" X 6" piece of artwork to the first 100 people who spread the word.
First of all, jump over to the Lipstick Ranch to read the details of her giveaway, and then imagine the possibilities of attending a retreat with KC in beautiful Colorado. Just the thought of combining a vacation in the mountains along side KC in her studio would be unbelievable! Talk about wishing you were there....and meeting people you link to on a regular basis. That would be an experience of a lifetime.
All this and more......wishing KC all the best with her retreats!
First of all, I loved taking KC's first fabulous Collage Camp, and now I can continue on my creative journey. I am thrilled beyond words to be able to create a layered "Shrine of Our Lady of Your Creativity," and to be able to do the paper collage class. AND, what about building a book from scratch using cardboard, paper, fabric and other doo dads. I am doing my "Footloose" dance right now....
Thank you so much, KC, for this incredible shopping spree. You are such a generous soul! I am still in disbelief that I was chosen. Yee Haw! Thank you all for your words of congratulations! I am just so happy. I needed some happiness right now!
Would you believe what flew over and landed at my house? It is just the most precious little bird you have ever seen!
This lovely "Song Sparrow" was created by my dear talented friend, Terri Gauthier of Blooming Ideas. This amazing beaded and metal gilded bird is the first "Random Acts of Kindness" presents I have received! I just love it, and want to hang it somewhere that I can see it every day, not hidden away in a drawer not appreciated.
It appears as though it's body may have been encircled with a wrist watch band, a blue lapis buckle, legs of Aurora Borealis colored beads, and iridescent abalone feet. What a wonderful piece to own.
Thank you so much, Terri! It is just awesome and it will always be treasured!
Now that my five year old grandson is getting to be quite the artist, I have assembled these small love tokens for his creative spirit. They can be downloaded from the Disney Family Entertainment web-site for free. My grandson, Ethan, wants me to make him artist trading cards lately for his card collection, which often includes store bought "Super Hero" trading cards and "Transformer" cards. Maybe I can get him to make a few of his own. I made the pins on my own with old bottle caps purchased at a garage sale, attached huge safety pins with E-6000, and covered the sticky area with felt.
Last week my daughter and I went to see the latest Pixar movie, "Up." What an adventure! It was more than just a cartoon, but a lesson to be learned. I feel like it proves that your greatest adventure is the here and now, not what you have experienced, or hope to discover, but what is happening in front of you! It almost brought a tear to my eye. Loved it!
So......make some art to share with your family, send these adorable downloads to someone who needs an adventure, or do some crafting with your children. The "My Adventure Book" has places to adhere book badges for deeds well done, things to be accomplished, or a little about the person completing this cute little book!
There was a time when I couldn't wait to buy a new bathing suit each year! As the years have passed, I show a lot less skin when I visit the beach. The old body sure isn't the body it was 20 years ago (even a little scary). The beach is a place where I can meditate, sink into a chaise lounge chair, and enter that dimension where I love to go. I enjoy people watching, reading a good book, and just soaking up the sun under a cabana. I bring along my camera for that spur of the moment photo. I love walking in the surf, smelling the sea, and embedding the memory in my mind. Oh! To own a place by the sea.
In the late 70's, I was unbelievably blessed to be able to visit Fiji and it's outward Yasawa Islands. The color of the water is truly something that you will never forget. Taking a dip into the ocean is like jumping into an aquarium with hundreds, even thousands, of fish in a kaleidoscope of colors. I will always remember Fiji....how we flew into Suva, a heavenly paradise that changed my world forever.
You Are a One Piece Swimsuit
You are a bit conservative and traditional.
And you are not at the beach to put your body on display!
You are a low maintenance person. You like to look good, but you're not vain.
Your taste tends to be sophisticated. You always opt for classy over trashy.
Well, I did it! I made my first sale. I am sending this felted tote bag to my daughter-in-law's Mom, Isabelle. She put in her request around Easter time, and this is the end result. This bag is completely lined with a tropical fabric (you know me), and the faux leather handles were purchased from Joggles.com. This is the size she wanted. I knitted a fun white flower with a lime green center, added some fuzzy yarn and it even closes with a huge snap.
I absolutely love to knit! I am constantly craving the feel of my favorite needles within my hands. Fortunately for me, with the schedule I keep with my work and family, I find that I have time to pick up and knit a little bit here and a little bit there while watching a telecast sporting event, sitting in the waiting room awaiting an appointment, or just trying to relax on the back porch.
As the knitting process unfolds and the shaping begins, there is that constant feeling of anticipation; when you realize the pattern is written perfectly, each row and every stitch creates the result you desired. There is something so incredibly satisfying when a project is complete and ready to present to the recipient. And yes, the weather is perfect to present you with this summer handbag made by me in celebration of my 100th post!
To all of you blog commenters, I would like to treat those of you that have taken the time to leave their comments. I would like to do something very special to those of you who keep coming back to visit. So, as a great big "Thank You" from me, for taking the time from your busy day to leave me your thoughts, I have decided to give away these Summer Handbags.
I read each and every comment, and have written down your names. The top commenter has been Terri Gauthier of Blooming Ideas. She will receive my Lime Green Handbag! Secondly, Debra Abel of It's All Good will receive the Red and White Confetti Handbag, Becky Loyall of Whymsical Musings came in third. She will receive the Yellow Handbag, and fourth is Jann Clark of Forever Jann with a Dusty Pink Bag. I am still in the completion phase of her bag.
I have no doubt, these bags will grace you with possibly a summer memory of the beach, shopping along a shoreline tropical village or just plain holding your personal belongings this season. Please email me your address so I can send you your free summer handbag!
Thank you gals, for all your continual support, your sweet wonderful comments. You make me smile.
