The Three Muses - Word Salad

The link between words, phrases, quotations, poems and artwork is such a natural one for me. Even as a child I found poetry to be magical. In fact, my favourite book was one that my mother had received for perfect attendance at Sunday School....Robert Louis Stevenson's "A Garden of Verses". It had beautiful watercolour illustrations and I loved being transported to the Land of Counterpane. The lovely poem I used above just described so wonderfully the way I feel when I'm in my garden. These journal pages are my entry for this weeks The Three Muses challenge.

Wednesday Stamper - Dreams

This is definitely a side of Marie Antoinette that you don't see very often!! I really adore these images that I purchased from a seller on Etsy....Itkupilli. They just inspire fantastical and energetic scenes. Okay, some may call them strange!! This is my entry for the Wednesday Stamper challenge this week.

Created ByHand Challenge - Faeries

Did you see the movie "Fairy Tale"? It is a favourite of mine because it is so beautifully filmed and captures so wonderfully the magical world that we envision when we think of fairies. A sibling of one of the little girls in the movie creates the most interesting and intricate house to give to the fairies and after it is presented we see them exploring it. It truly is an enthralling scene, one of many. This fairy from a sheet by Retro Cafe Art Gallery reminded me of "Fairy Tale". It was a delight to work with the image to create this altered journal. This is my entry for the Created By Hand challenge this week.

Crazy Amigo Challenge - Bingo!

What is it about vintage bingo cards that is so appealing? I find I'm drawn to them when I gather elements to use in collage pieces. Is it the random rows of numbers or the nostalgic feeling about them? Whatever it is, I'm obviously not alone. This is my entry for the Crazy Amigo challenge this week.

Mixed Media Monday - Play

Do you ever just start a project without a real goal in mind and let your creativity and muse take you where they will. Well, that's exactly what happened when I created this tin. I dutifully sanded and gessoed it then left it on my art table. Next I put a couple of coats of paint on it and again it sat for a while. I'd pick it up and turn it this way and that until one day I felt inspired to delve into its possibilities. The end result is much more elaborate and with far more depth than I had originally anticipated. It is so freeing to just allow oneself to play every once in a while. This is my entry for the Mixed Media Monday challenge this week.

Think Monday, Think ATC - Fly

Yes, another of my infamous child on bird vignettes, I'm afraid. I was playing around with gesso when I created this background. I like the lovely softness that it provides. This is my entry for this week's Think Monday, Think ATC challenge.

Lots to Do Challenge - Collage

This vintage photo is from my collection. They must be sisters or mother and daughter. There is such a resemblance in their features. I used beeswax and layered scrapbook papers and pieces from napkins to create the background then added pressed flowers to the warmed wax. This is my entry for the Lots to Do Challenge this week.

Saturday's Workout - Circle It

Circles seem to embrace us and give us a sense of security. Have you ever taken one of those personality tests that show you a variety of shapes and ask you to choose your favourite? I always choose the circle. This is my entry for the Saturday Workout challenge this week.

Saturday Surprise - Family

Ah family....the members shape us and influence us. They can be related via blood or chosen but either way they are important in our lives in many ways. "Family" is the theme for the Saturday Surprise challenge this week and I have the pleasure of hosting. If you feel inspired, please feel free to participate....I'd be thrilled to see your artwork.

TGIF Challenge - Red Flowers

These two images, one stamped and one a collage photo, just exude joy to me. When children laugh like this, it is so contagious that we want to join them. This is my entry for the TGIF challenge this week.

Saturday Surprise - Abstract

I am posting just under the wire for this Saturday Surprise challenge I'm afraid but I really like the theme very much. I learned this technique during an art card making course at Haliburton School of Fine Arts and was instantly hooked. Watercolour paper, food colouring, silver and gold ink, fine and course salt and plastic wrap are the ingredients and the results are fascinating.

Wednesday Stamper - Colourful

My task for these two round robin journal pages was to use all of the colours of the rainbow. I immediately reached for my encaustic waxes relishing the freedom of swirling colours of wax into a stamped background. I had collected the funky small playing cards that I used on the bottom of each and it seemed like the perfect time to use them. Both photographs are from my vintage photo collection. This is my entry for the Wednesday Stamper challenge this week.