Friday, February 25, 2011

Impatiently Waiting...
I'll be so happy when...

I can walk outside without getting nipped by a biting wind.

I can wear no socks and only one shirt.

I can open all the windows and let the breeze float through.

I can watch the green unfold and smell the flowers.


What's your favorite memory of spring?


One of my favorite sights is the return of the robins.
[credit]
I never realized it before, but the American robin
and the European robin are not related.

The American robin was named
for the European variety only because of his red breast.
[credit]
The European robin ~ isn't he cute?


The American robin is my favorite bird,
but I would not label him cute like the fellow above.

The American robin is cheerful,  
entertaining (they have so much fun splashing in the bird bath
it's a wonder they don't knock the smaller birds out),
industrious (he's the early bird who got the worm), and
never flies when he can hop (just my own observation).
I love to watch them hopping across the backyard...
Hop hop hop, and stop. Hop hop hop, and stop.

So much easier than watching birds that fly everywhere.


Speaking of not so cute
Only a mother robin could love this little dude.

To be fair though, all baby birds have that rugged look about them.


For the life of me, I can't remember where I got the robin pictures.
The apple blossoms are my own, but I didn't photograph the robins.
Just applied some Photoshop textures.
So much fun, which is probably why I forgot the photo credits.
I will find out who they belong to and add a credit...

I'm taking Kim Klassen's "Skinny Mini" Photoshop class,
which is why I'm obsessed with textures right now.
Check out her blog, if you haven't already!

Have a lovely weekend!
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Friday, February 18, 2011

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge

Faded
Faded...the Inspiration Avenue prompt for this week.
From the imagination of the talented Angie, 
otherwise known as Artangel!


The greatest poem ever known
Is one all poets have outgrown:
The poetry, innate, untold,
Of being only four years old.
                                     ~Christopher Morley, To a Child



Sweet childish days, that were as long
As twenty days are now.
                               ~William Wordsworth, To a Butterfly


The garden gate photo is available
to download on my other blog
if anyone would like to play with it
or store it for future use!

Visit Inspiration Avenue to see the entries
in this week's challenge.
They will all be displayed on Sunday afternoon.


We're having a spate of warm windy weather,
more like March than February.
It's all coming to an end this weekend, 
so I'm off to enjoy some of it now!
Enjoy your weekend!
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Friday, February 11, 2011

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge

The Furry Stalker
 The challenge this week at Inspiration Avenue is "Furry"
brought to us by Lisa of Priti Studio.  
Lisa always has good ideas!
Visit Priti.Studio to see her challenge entry as well as
the other inspiring art she creates
...saints, angels and other beauty...


I've just joined a brand new Etsy team called
Digital Artists. So many wonderful artists 
have joined already. If you love digital art, check it out

The gorgeous blue-green background in my entry above 
was provided by the generous Digital Kiss, team captain.
When I saw this background with all its lovely texture,
I was already thinking about my furriest cat, DeeDee.
Somehow, the two images seemed to compliment 
each other, so, voila, I put them together.

This absolved me neatly of my original thought, 
which was to attempt to paint a cat. 
Bleh, even though I know cats so well,
look at them every day, 
I can never draw one that I'm happy with.

Visit Inspiration Avenue on Sunday to see
all of the "furry" entries in this week's challenge.
And check back every Monday to see 
the week's new challenge theme.

Have a great weekend!
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