Friday, December 23, 2011

Paint Party Friday

Just a few more ACEOs...
I hope everyone is healthy and happy this holiday season.

I don't have any holiday-related art to post
(too busy to create anything :)
but I have done some more ACEOs recently.

I've been reading about Elizabeth I, so I must have royalty on my mind.
My princess doesn't have red hair like Elizabeth,
and, unlike Elizabeth, she thinks being a princess is very tiresome.
So many duties, and not enough fun!
It's not easy, you know.

The second ACEO is a re-creation of another piece I did a while ago.
This one:
I haven't decided whether I enjoy recreating a painting...
I think I have too many new ideas fighting to be put on paper.
My thought was to redo something to make it better than the original.
But I like the first one more, oh well.

I'm wishing a wonderful 
Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwaanza, Yule, 
or any and everything you celebrate to everyone!
And an inspiring, healthy, and creative 2012!

Oh, and can't forget,
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Sunday, December 18, 2011

IA Weekly Art Challenge

Festive!
I think the image of the Christmas tree conjures up holiday festivity 
for me almost better than anything else. And snowflakes. And angels.
And best of all, sparkly lights.

So this digital image of our tree (probably the last year we had a real one)
and one of my angel ornaments is my contribution to 
Inspiration Avenue's Festive challenge.
 My own topic for the week, I might add. And I also might add,
another topic that I had a hard time with, geez.

As always, visit Inspiration Avenue Sunday afternoon
to see the gallery of festive entries!

Happy Week Before Christmas!

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Saturday, December 10, 2011

IA Weekly Challenge and some holiday treasuries

Peace on Earth

Shelly of Pics by Shel asks a question
for the challenge this week at Inspiration Avenue.

The question is
What is in your Christmas Ball?

I put a wish in mine . . . the hope for peace on earth.

Another hope ~ that everyone is enjoying the holiday season
no matter what you celebrate! 

Visit Inspiration Avenue on Sunday afternoon to see
the gallery of bright Christmas balls.
It's sure to be festive!

*************

Here are a few Etsy treasuries I've made recently . . .
Click and visit some awesome shops!
Leave a comment on the treasury if you'd like!







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Sunday, December 4, 2011

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge

Shakespeare?
It may not be a midsummer night, but it's Puck and the Fairies!
This is not the painting I originally intended to enter
in the weekly challenge at Inspiration Avenue.
But I rather like the way it came out and I had fun as it evolved.

The challenge theme is
English Literature
the choice of Lisa at The Wright Stuff, and a jolly good choice it is!

My theme of Shakespeare and that mischievous Puck is still the same.
Just a different version than the painting I still intend to finish...

It's a spread in my SBP journal. I'm so happy to get 2 more pages
finished because the deadline to send in my sketchbook is fast approaching.
You may be seeing more SBP pages as December flies along.

I just flat ran out of time for my original idea.
Hmmm, perhaps because I had a little too much help?

Oliver is never shy about voicing his opinions...

“Hmmm... I could have done a much better job on this.
The background resembles something I tore up in my kitten days.
Maybe she's saved it all this time and is just sticking it to me
now that I am all grown up and dignified-like.

Is that supposed to be a human version of me?
If so, I think I enjoy being a cat thank you very much.
Although there IS something, maybe around the eyes,
that reminds me of myself...”

“There must be more to this. She can't be serious. 
Anything on the back?...Nope”
“I was holding a little grudge against her
for all the time she spends in this so-called 
*ART ROOM which really should be MY room* 
 instead of feeding me treats 
whenever I feel my blood sugar dropping.
But now I just feel a bit sorry for her.
I guess I'll have to come around more often 
to offer my assistance. *sigh*”


Thank you, Oliver.
Alas, time to close this post, methinks.
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Friday, December 2, 2011

Paint Party Friday

Work in Progress...
A page in my SBP journal.
A study for my entry in the Inspiration Avenue weekly challenge,
English Literature.
I picked that rascally little character Puck for my
interpretation of Shakespeare's
A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Why I chose Shakespeare... I don't know.
I find my eyes closing and my brain twirling like a
troupe of dancing fairies when I try to read his plays.
I've tried, but I just can't read him.
Thank goodness I'm no longer in school lol.

But I do love the story, 
if someone else would just write it in everyday English.
Actually someone probably has.

I love Puck.
He appears in other stories also, such as
Puck of Pook's Hill by Rudyard Kipling.


... and some ACEOs
that are in my Etsy shop ...
I used  colored pencil on watercolor paper.

(Note to self ~
How about using WATERCOLOR on watercolor paper
and colored pencil on something smooooth. 
Ugh. I just think I would like that much better.)



Go see what's new over there!
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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Take a little challenge...

The challenge for the week at Inspiration Avenue is  
English Literature
brought to us by our own English author Lisa of Wright Stuff.
While pondering what to do for the challenge,
I came across another fun little challenge:


Click the link above to take the challenge!
How well do you know the works and faces of these and other English authors? 


I thought I would do dismally, but I surprised myself.

Give it a try!
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Happy Holidays!

A Coupon Sale
Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday...

Take 15% off anything in my Etsy shop.

Note: this sale has expired, but may be back
before Christmas! Thank you for looking!
 
If I may make a suggestion, here are a few ideas...

and a few more...


As you can see, my inventory is taking over the house,
and I need to make room for more!
I know. I sound like a commercial for a car dealership.
(Apologies to anyone who is actually a car dealer :)

Sale will go thru Cyber Monday and then I will rethink everything.
I feel so powerful saying that lol

Anyway.

Happy Thanksgiving 
to all who are celebrating it on Thursday.

And since I am so thankful for all of my blogging friends,
Happy Thanksgiving to EVERYONE 
no matter where you are :)
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Sunday, November 20, 2011

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge

The Happy Court Jester
Harlequin ~ one of my favorite patterns ~ is the theme this week
at Inspiration Avenue, chosen by Stephanie of Dragonfly Design Studios.
A fun theme, and open to many interpretations!
Check out the gallery of entries later on Sunday at Inspiration Avenue.

This carefree kitten is cavorting happily throughout the court.
I hope he is not tried for treason for having King Edward's head on a stick. 

Beware, Kitty!

Pray his antics will be so pleasing that the King will 
overlook the infraction. Better dance and sing for your life, Kitty!

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Can you tell I've been reading historical novels again?
I just finished reading about King Philippe IV of France.
Now there was a king who believed in getting what he wanted.
And had the henchmen to carry out his wishes.

The book is The Crown and the Kingdom by Jeannette Angell.
I enjoyed it very much. If you like historical novels, this is a good one!
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Friday, November 11, 2011

Paint Party Friday and the butterfly effect

A page from my Sketchbook Project journal
 I wanted to have something for PPF even though I am late.
This is a page I am still working on in my
long-neglected Sketchbook Project journal.
Not as much actual "paint" as I usually use,
since I am exploring the art of needlework for the 
Inspiration Avenue weekly challenge.
Also not much "needle" work here since I caved
and used a lot of glue! Love glue...so much quicker and *safer*
than pricking your finger with a needle every few seconds :D

For the IA challenge, I am going to try to do a little
actual sewing in my piece. Friday already, and I
haven't started it yet...but I'll think of something.

In the meantime, visit Paint Party Friday
and check out what's new there!


One more thing to post.
I am linking this portion to the butterfly effect where
the theme is cats this week, go check it out!

Since I am obsessed with fabric right now,
here is a little brooch that was fun to make.
Not much painting here though, just the green background :)
{I have noticed that I seem to feature quite a few ginger cats

in my art. Neither of my current kitties is orange.

I had a ginger cat named "Boy" when I was twenty-something.

Perhaps I have never gotten over that I let him outside one day,

and never saw him again. Yep, I still grieve when I think of him.}

Here is Boy
(yikes, this is over 30 years old.)

Our current kitties do not go outside.


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Saturday, November 5, 2011

Art Nouveau Challenge ~ IA

Klimt? Or Mucha? Maybe neither one . . .
 
Once again, I stumped myself with my own challenge.
I think I just pick a subject that sounds wonderful
without pausing to think if it will be near impossible to draw or paint.
And worry about it later.

I'm not sure if this emulates the art nouveau style.
Maybe with a bit of my own style thrown in for good measure.
The patterns are a bit Klimt, the flowing hair and outlining are a bit Mucha.
But of course nothing like their masterful works.
It's based on Klimt's "Mother and Child" painting,
with the "child" being a little ginger cat :)

While looking at Klimt's paintings, I was enthralled with
 the patterns he used in the backgrounds and in the women's clothing.
Come to find out, his lifelong friend, Emilie Floge,
was a Viennese fashion designer and Klimt himself was very
interested in women's fashion. Together, they designed
loose-fitting dresses called “reformkleid” which freed women—
and men like Klimt, who wore them—from the constricting clothes of the day.
Now why can't the shops be filled with Klimt's clothing?
I would love to wear his dresses :)

Portrait of Emilie Floge by Klimt (1902)


Klimt in "reformkleid" dress


“I have never painted a self-portrait. I am less interested in myself 
as a subject for a painting than I am in other people, 
above all women...There is nothing special about me. 
I am a painter who paints day after day from morning to night...
Who ever wants to know something about me... 
ought to look carefully at my pictures.”
                                                                  — Gustav Klimt 

Stop by Inspiration Avenue on Sunday afternoon 
to gaze upon all the pretty Art Nouveau! 


Oh, on a different note ~
I have proclaimed my WIP "finished" ~
before I work it to fussiness.
It's a bit different than Friday's post, but I hope not overworked. 
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Thursday, November 3, 2011

Paint Party Friday

WIP
Doing something a little different 
(for me)
I have a bunch of 4 x 4 chunky canvases 
that I'd like to do some kind of a series with.
And *Faces* just popped into my head.
Not so amazing or different though, since it's what I like to 
draw and paint better than anything. Okay, so it's actually predictable.

I'd like to keep the style different from my usual whimsical faces.
Easier said than done, but I'll see how it goes :)

This first one is far from finished, but I wanted to post it for
I don't want to over work it though...I'd like to achieve
a happy medium between over done and just plain messy.
It's kinda messy now.
Why is it that painting the sides of a canvas is so tedious?
Because it's boring, maybe...but I think people
like the sides to be painted, so I'll keep doing it. 

Happy PPF, don't forget to visit the party!
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Saturday, October 29, 2011

IA Weekly Challenge

Masquerade
Marie has arrived at the masquerade ball . . .
has she gotten the date wrong? It seems she is the only one here.
No . . . she's just preparing for a grand entrance
and is waiting to enter the ballroom fashionably late.
In truth, her up-swept pink hairdo is to blame,
as it got tangled in the cherry tree outside the palace
and had to be redone. But no matter, her dance card is full
and the bits of twig and cherries stuck in her hair
will not keep her from having a splendid time!
Besides, she heard they have cake!

The theme this week at Inspiration Avenue, 
if you haven't guessed, is 
Masquerade Ball
This was a fun topic, and appropriate 
with Halloween just days away.
I immediately thought of Marie Antoinette 
since I am just a tiny bit obsessed
and love all the over-the-top
ornate opulence. Not that that's my style
but I just love looking at it :)

Be sure to check out all the entries in the challenge
which will be posted at Inspiration Avenue
on Sunday afternoon.

Have a lovely weekend and a spooky Halloween!
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Thursday, October 27, 2011

Paint Party Friday

Things that go Bump in the Night
How can a girl be afraid of the bogeyman when
she has her trusty companion by her side?
Well, maybe just a teensy bit...

This was actually going to be my entry in
Inspiration Avenue's Fear challenge.
But when you have a wonky computer
calling the shots, very few things
work out the way you planned. Now I've got a
new computer up and running, I can post
this for Paint Party Friday :)

Are you ready for the witchery and ghoulishness
of Halloween night? How do you spend the evening?
I will be handing out sweet treats to the tiny tots of the neighborhood,
as well as the great big ones and everybody in between.
We get scads of trick-or-treaters :)

My own little "goblin" is grown and probably will stay at school
for the weekend  ~ lots of Halloween parties around campus, you know. 
After all, what's the use of attending a "party school" if you don't
attend the parties? Just kidding, I'm happy he's having fun 
as long as his grades are good...hmmm, now
if I can just see some grades...

Go check out Paint Party Friday if you haven't already!

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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Blog Party Giveaway!

Giveaway #4

What a time for my computer to get temperamental.
While it is finally agreeing to run for more than 2 minutes,
I am hurrying to post my giveaway in the
"On the Wings of Inspiration Blog Party".

Here is the front of my altered journal.
It's got layers of watercolor, tissue paper, collage papers
with a message to "Stay Inspired". The little art girl
has arms and legs of paper beads, which I
just learned how to make. Easy peasy, and very addicting!

The back will be finished too, but not only is it not completed,
but I don't want to press my luck with this (very annoying) computer.
So I'm posting it as is, and will add photos (hopefully)
at a later time. All will be ready to go to the winner whose name is
drawn from the entries in the October 16 art challenge at Inspiration Avenue.

It's got 240 blank acid-free pages inside just waiting for
your amazing artwork! Or your amazing words!
Or anything you'd like to fill it with.

Don't forget to visit the page with Giveaways 1, 2 and 3
as well as some freebies for you to use right now!

And be ready to enter the art challenge on October 16
to be eligible to win one of seven prizes.
Stay tuned to Inspiration Avenue for nos. 5, 6, and 7!
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Thursday, October 6, 2011

Paint Party Friday and IA Art Challenge

The Owl and the Pussycat . . .
went to sea
In a beautiful pea green boat.
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note. . .

 It does go on and on, and I've heard that Edward Lear
had nearly completed a sequel to the poem at the time of his death.

It begins:

The Children of the Owl and the Pussycat

Our mother was the Pussycat,
our father was the Owl,
And so we're partly little beasts
and partly little fowl,

The brothers of our family

have feathers and they hoot,
While all the sisters dress in fur
and have long tails to boot. 


The theme this week at Inspiration Avenue is
OWLS

Somehow it took me by surprise.
If it had been cats, I would have said Oh Yeah.
But I haven't thought much about owls since my mom's
owl collection in the 70's. And it was just too cutesy for words, 
so I must have blocked it out. So looking them up
on Google, I was amazed to see just how many 
different species of owl there are.
Too many for me to keep track of.
But now I see why so many people are in love with owls.
They're quite incredible creatures.


Since we're on the topic of owls and cats,
here is something fun to watch:



The gallery of owl creations will be up on Sunday
Paint Party Friday is, of course, 
in full swing on Friday!
Visit them both!
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