January Thaw?

Please, please, I hope so!

The sun was out bright and early today and

I think I saw a tiny drip on the end of an icicle!

The weatherman is telling us it will go above freezing today
(39 degrees, whoo hoo!).
I have just about had enough of snow and ice.

These are pretty, but don't walk underneath them, could be even more dangerous than walking under a ladder. Yikes!

When I look at these, I think of the Inspiration Avenue challenge for this week, "Pocket Full of Sunshine". It's just been so long since we've seen the sun shining here! Since I'm not a photographer, I think I will not enter these in the challenge but maybe do a painting instead. Better get busy....

Supplies for Tutorials Exchange

Would you like to get creative with collage sheets?
 

Do you like it when you get something for free?
 

Do you love telling other people what to do?

If your answers are yes, yes, and yes then the Supplies for Tutorials Exchange is for you!

Choose up to FOUR collage sheets from my Etsy shop absolutely FREE; make a creation of your choice; and then teach others how to do it! The only requirements are: you must use my collage sheets (choose from 140 sheets, free from me!) and you must make a tutorial showing the technique to others. You post your tutorial on your blog. It will also be posted on Totally Tutorials and here on The Magpie's Nest. Link your post to your Etsy shop or website and just think of all the exposure you will get! Totally Tutorials is a great site that gets 400-600 page views a day. Check out more info about the tutorials at Totally Tutorials.

You can create absolutely anything you like using my collage sheets. Use whatever other materials you wish along with them. Your creation can be jewelry, collage, mixed media pieces, altered books, journals, just to name a few.  It can be simple or more involved. Remember, you may think something is easy to make but there are others who have never done it and would love to learn how! That's where the tutorial comes in.   Never made a tutorial? Check out these easy instructions on How to Make a Tutorial!

How to enter:

1. Post a comment here on my blog or send me a convo to magpiemine on Etsy.
2. Tell me a little about the item or items you want to create.  (No need to decide exactly which sheets you would like to use at this time).
3. Include the link where you will be posting your tutorial.

That's pretty much it until you get selected! Please respond by Friday, January 22, 2010. I will select from 3 to 5 artists to receive the freebie collage sheets. I'll be looking for a variety of prospective items, i.e. jewelry, greeting cards, journals, collage, altered art, etc. I will contact the winners by Sunday, January 24.

If you are selected:

1.  I will email you the digital collage sheets of your choice.
2. Create your art piece!
3. Make your tutorial. (Go to Totally Tutorials to see some really informative and fun tutorials.) Click here for how to Make a Tutorial! I know creativity takes time, but please finish your entry in around two weeks.
4. Then post your tutorial (on your own blog or at Craftster, Instructables, or Cutoutandkeep). Include a link to my shop, www.magpiemine.etsy.com so people can see where the collage sheets originated :). I will do a post on my blog so that my visitors can see the cool creation you have made, and also how to make a similar one via your tutorial. And send the link to Totally Tutorials so that Dotty, the lovely lady who originated this idea, can post it there! Okay, enough with the technical details, if you have questions feel free to convo me or post your question here!

Enter here by posting as described above or send me a convo to magpiemine on Etsy. Please reply by January 22, 2010! Thanks for participating!

Weekly Challenge at Inspiration Avenue

Wonderland

My entry didn't turn out as I had envisioned it this week (and now I can't even remember what I DID envision!) but here it is and I hope it conveys a sense of a modern little Alice's idea of Wonderland. I began by thinking of what Alice would be like if the story were written today, instead of the prim and proper 19th century Alice. I was pretty certain she would be wearing a tutu. And be a little more hyperactive.

I used acrylic paint, colored pencils, and tissue paper. The white rabbit is transferred to the page from the illustration by John Tenniel. The flowers and teacups are collaged. And what do you know, they are from my "Tea Cups, Saucers, and Fairies" collage sheet! The final thing I did was 'paint the roses red' like the card gardeners in the story (wouldn't want the Queen to have me beheaded). The roses were originally pink and yellow. Thanks to Elaine from ChatElaine Jewellery who gave me the idea of painting the roses after I saw her gorgeous red rose bead!

Pop over to Inspiration Avenue Sunday afternoon to see all of the amazing entries in the Wonderland challenge. Can't say I have counted up all of the entries from previous challenges, but it seems to me we have a record number of entries this week!

Giveaway at Dragonfly Design Studios

A Taste of Summer 

Many of you already know Stephanie of Dragonfly Design Studios, but for those of you who don't:   Treat yourself!  For a taste of those warm lazy days of summer (which we in the Northern Hemisphere are longing for so desperately), browse through her Etsy shop which is filled with the most exquisite summer flowers, and visit her blog to sign up for her giveaway. She is giving away one of her gorgeous paintings, winner to be drawn on January 25. My evil side hates to send other possible winners to sign up, since I registered to win it myself, but this is too good to keep quiet!  This is a beautiful Jackmanii clematis, one of my most favorite flowers.

The stunning purple Jackmanii is probably the one most of us imagine when we think of clematis. But clematis comes in a startling array of colors, even green. Here are a few beauties:

Montana "Marjorie"

 

"My Angel"

 

"Niobe"

 

"Pixie"

 

"Jackmanii"

I wish I could say these beauties are from my garden, but as I told Stephanie, I sadly have no luck with clematis. I have no idea what I am doing wrong as most gardening books say they are easy to grow.  Every time I plant one, it refuses to flourish. Maybe I am killing them with kindness; I do tend to fuss around my plants a little too much! Some plants really prefer a little less attention and this may be one of those.

This spring, you can be sure I will be trying again. In the mean time I will just have to covet Stephanie's stunning painting!

The Three Muses Challenge

Angels

Bless you for looking! You are divine!

I'm too tired to write any more *yawn*

Good night!

This Week's Challenge at Inspiration Avenue

Wonderland

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be   nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be  what it isn't . And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.    You see?" ~ Alice

Pop on over to Inspiration Avenue to get motivated to enter this week's challenge! The theme is "Wonderland" and we are hoping to get a glimpse into your most magical fantasy world!

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge

At the Movies

I have to confess, I am not a big movie-goer. I don't anxiously await the opening of the latest cinematic extravaganza like many people do.

So when I heard the theme was "At the Movies" this week, I thought "Yikes, when was the last time I was at the movies?" and I came up blank! But I started thinking about the old glamorous days of Hollywood and the iconic stars that remain in people's minds even today.

This mixed media piece is composed of photos of Katharine Hepburn and a shot of the famous Hollywood sign, plus acrylic paint, glitter, and tissue paper on canvas.  The quote is by Ms. Hepburn. (The glitter shows up more in real life. Another photography problem. HA, I'm working on it!)

Visit Inspiration Avenue on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 3) to view the movie-inspired entries. And come back Monday to find the theme for the coming week! Anyone can enter as long as you have a blog to post your entry to.
You just might get hooked!