Saturday, April 30, 2011

Charity Art Auction at Inspiration Avenue

Up for Bid!
Charity Art Auction starting Sunday, May 1, 2011
on the Inspiration Avenue blog
I'm offering two 8 x 10 inch gallery-wrapped canvases
in the Inspiration Avenue Charity Art Auction,
each offered separately. My Blue Angel
is a mixed media piece.
The wrapped-canvas sides are painted, so you can
frame it if you wish, or hang as is!
She's waiting for a home, 
just wishing for someone to watch over!


The second piece is an 8 x 10 acrylic painting. 
I'm so excited about Spring finally coming 
that I got a little carried away in planning my summer garden. 
I say a garden can never be too colorful!

If the flowers don't cheer you up, the little
bluebird will sing you a sweet song!
(The color in the main photo is accurate;
this close up is a bit washed out)

Again, the sides are painted, although 
the flowers themselves end just a bit over the edges :)

I hope you will find something that you can't live without
from the wonderful selection over at Inspiration Avenue!

All items will be posted there by Sunday, May 1.

Here are the fine print details, 
although I won't make you read fine print :)

Bidding will take place in the comments section
of each posted item (bid only on Inspiration Avenue,
not on the artists' individual blogs).

When you bid, remember to leave your email address
so we can contact you if you are the winner.

Many items will have a starting bid suggested;
please bid in 1 US Dollar increments (no pennies please)

Shipping is paid by the artists, so a winning bid
delivers your item right to your door!

Bidding will end at midnight on Saturday, May 7, 2011.

All proceeds will go to Angel Faces ~
read about their wonderful work HERE.

Here is a look at the items available
on Inspiration Avenue. Go see!
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Friday, April 29, 2011

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge

Happily Ever After
When Lisa of The Wright Stuff announced
 that the theme this week would be Royal Wedding,
 I couldn't resist creating this picture of
Wills and Kate settling into their little nest.

This is the happy couple at home when
the world does not have them under a
microscope. Of course Kate will be giving
William a little fashion advice in the 
days to come. That plaid with those
stripes, tsk tsk. 

I admit I was awake this morning at 5 a.m.
anxiously awaiting the arrival of all
the royal guests, and of course the 
bride and groom. I think it was the sense of
history being made that intrigued me.
I was thinking about other royal weddings
through the centuries taking place in a
similar fashion to this one.
My wish for William and Kate is that
things will turn out better for them 
than for some others.

Tomorrow I will be attending a real live
wedding, as my nephew and his longtime
girlfriend say their vows. 
I have the same wish for them . . . they seem
perfectly matched, so perhaps the wish will be fulfilled!

The challenge at Inspiration Avenue ends on
Saturday this week (not Sunday)
because Sunday is the start of the 
Auction for Angel Faces!
So check out the Royal Wedding entries
and be sure to stop back to bid on some
wonderful art pieces! It's all for a
tremendously good cause!
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Saturday, April 23, 2011

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge

Angels



A lofty theme over at Inspiration Avenue this week, the wonderful idea of Tammy at Art and Inspirations! I'm putting my mixed media piece, Angel in Blue in the IA challenge this week, although I have a bit more to do on her.

Visit Inspiration Avenue on Sunday afternoon to check out the entries for the week. There are already some great entries.

And stay tuned to Inspiration Avenue this week as we prepare for the Charity Art Auction that will begin May 1! Read about the auction here.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

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Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Charity Art Auction at Inspiration Avenue

A Very Special Event!
It's almost time for an event near and dear to our hearts 

over at Inspiration Avenue. It's our second annual  

charity art auction and it's 

once again benefiting Angel Faces

the amazing organization that makes such a difference 

in the lives of teen girls who have suffered

traumatic burn accidents. If you are not familiar 

with Angel Faces, read about them here.

Guaranteed you will be moved by these courageous girls
and the people at Angel Faces who do wonderful work
to help them cope with the challenges they face everyday.

Currently there are more than ten artists donating
their work for the auction which begins May 1!
Stay tuned for a sneak peek at the items up for bid!
Read more about the auction over at Inspiration Avenue 
by clicking here.

We'd be so happy if you'd help spread the word by posting the 
auction button in your sidebar, if you have a blog.
Here is the code to post it as an html gadget:

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.inspiration-avenue-team.blogspot.com" title="Inspiration Avenue"><img src="http://i920.photobucket.com/albums/ad43/MagpieMine/AuctionBadge2011.jpg" width="175" height="249" alt="Inspiration Avenue" /></a></div>

Thanks so much! Hope to see you at the auction!
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Saturday, April 16, 2011

Happy Mothers Day...

The Challenge Theme This Week: MOTHER
A wonderful theme this week hosted by Priti.Lisa!
I chose to do an acrylic painting of a
young mother and baby.

I had some technical difficulties with this one,
to do with the paint and (watercolor) paper
not getting along. So I may use this as a study
and attempt it again on canvas. Or not...
Ugh, my attention span has been very flighty lately.
(Adult onset ADHD? IS there such a thing? If so,
I think I have it. Or maybe it's Spring Fever).
But rather than stick with this, I'm antsy to
move on to the Next Big Thing.

 Got to come up with a piece to put in the 
Inspiration Avenue 
starting on the first of May! 
I don't have a piece yet to put in the auction, 
but I have several ideas...

Go to Inspiration Avenue on Sunday afternoon
to see the interpretations of the word Mother.
I'm sure there will be a variety of amazing
entries, since the artists never disappoint!
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Friday, April 15, 2011

Paint Party Friday

The Red Dress
I've been wanting to participate in Paint Party Friday for awhile now ~ well, since the beginning....but something always intervenes.

Today I am finally able to post something. Although, I posted my newest piece yesterday. Like the distracted person that I am, I forgot about PPF ... So this is a watercolor that I painted a while ago.

I really enjoy the quickness of watercolor...no time to futz around, it is what it is. And then you just move on to another piece. I've always rather liked this one, maybe because  I like red dresses, wild hair, and boots :D

Off to visit some Paint Party blogs....Have a great Friday!
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Thursday, April 14, 2011

Trying Something New
I've been having so much fun with the 21 Secrets workshops
(and I admit I'm a little overwhelmed because I don't know which
project to attempt next...I know, not much of a problem,
I'd rather be overwhelmed any day than underwhelmed, hehe.)

So I attempted the "Playing with Patterns" one because
it looked easy. Just stamp images in some kind of order, right?
Ha, it proved much more difficult than I thought,
and I was only semi-pleased with a few.
This one is not even finished, needs lots more stamping,
but I think it's off to a good start. I can't wait to have enough 
to use as journal pages or book covers.

I'm off to try to kill 2 birds with one stone
(that's a horrible saying, like a lot of old sayings.
And what about nursery rhymes? If you really
examine them, they are filled with murder and mayhem,
ghouls, witches, ogres, and heinous stepmothers. Ugh.)

But I digress. I'm off to begin something for this week's
Inspiration Avenue challenge, "Mothers".
No mean, ugly stepmother though, I promise.
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Saturday, April 9, 2011

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge

Roald Dahl
~ from James and the Giant Peach ~

A wonderful challenge this week,
the brainstorm of Lisa at The Wright Stuff:

Roald Dahl

This one was really stumping me, but of course
that's what a challenge is all about . . . hopefully :)

I was reading some of James and the Giant Peach
and suddenly got an image in my head of
poor little James, living with his horrible aunts,
and longing for his parents and the life they had before.
So this is my version of the aunts' ramshackle house and 
James in the garden gazing toward his former home.

I wanted it to be simple, more like an illustration,
so I used watercolor and graphite pencil
(with a hint of prismacolor pencils because I always go 
running for my colored pencils when I get in trouble). 

> ^_^ <

The entries will be posted on Sunday as usual
on the Inspiration Avenue blog.
Go there! See all the amazing stuff!


Stay tuned to INSPIRATION AVENUE to learn about the 
Charity Art Auction
COMING SOON!
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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge

Self Portrait
I was sure I would have a hard time with this challenge,
since I haven't done a self portrait since I was in school.

I started a painting, 

hated it, 

especially the background,

so I cut it out
 and hated it more.

I dithered around all week and
by Friday it was time to begin:

and lo and behold! 

Of the 21 classes,
one was titled "The Self Portrait Experience"
taught by the amazing Barbara Nigg.

I immediately checked that one out first.
 
It's the only one I have investigated so far,
but IMHO the $59 fee for 21 classes 
by 21 talented teachers seems well worth it!
Click the link...it will take you to Tam's Willowing
site where she has all the information, 
since she is one of the teachers. (!!)

So back to the self portrait.
I got some ideas from Barbara's class,
and I rather like the result,
since I am not front and center 
in the middle of the page anymore.

Of course I had to screw up my courage and
ask my hubby, "Do you think this looks like me?"
Because he is honest as the day is long,
and won't hesitate to burst my bubble
if my bubble needs to be burst.
As I held my breath, he said,
"You made yourself a bit younger..."
I said, "Of course I did! 
Look ~ Jesse standing on top of my head 
is 20 years younger!"
He grudgingly admitted that was true,
so I am assuming it does look somewhat like me.
Or he would have burst my bubble.

My head is feeling a bit cluttered now,
so I have to run.

Check out all the amazing entries 
at Inspiration Avenue later on Sunday.
I have seen most of them, so I can tell you
they are quite wonderful!
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