Altered Tin Assemblage

I took an altered tin course online from Joggles a while back and wanted to give it a try. I began by creating a background using tiny pieces of masking tape torn and burnished to the tin. Luckily a good friend was over while I was doing this. Otherwise I would have been driven crazy. I then used paint over top. The areas where the tape overlapped were darker giving the background depth and texture. This is where the course and I parted ways. Somehow my tin morphed into a scene assemblage with this darling little PaperWhimsy girl with her hand so jauntily on her hip. This piece now lives with a dear art friend in Texas.

Theme Thursday - Letters of the Alphabet

Ah, the power of words....an endless fascination of mine. I use my letter stamp sets constantly. This is the inside of a card made from a paper bag and is my submission for this week's Theme Thursday with the theme of "Letters of the Alphabet".

In Praise of Reading

A friend of mine just finished her Masters of Library and Information Science degree and this was the card I created to congratulate her.

Mixed Media Monday - School

I picked up this triptych while on vacation and it somehow reminded me of a one-room schoolhouse. I had this great class photo from a collage sheet full of little faces with big lives ahead of them. One little boy in particular caught my eye so I highlighted him with an epoxy circle. I don't know if this is his report card on the right hand side or not? This is my submission for this week's "School" theme on Mixed Media Monday.

Think Monday, Think ATC - Africa

I have always been fascinated by the wildlife of Africa and find myself particularly drawn to giraffes. I have used the same Digital Princess Designs stamp to create both artist trading cards. These are my entries for this week's Think Monday, Think ATC challenge with the theme of "Africa".

Gothic Arch Challenge - History

I was asked to host the Gothic Arch challenge this week and I am honoured to do so. I chose "History" as my theme and decided to create an arch based on the "Titanic" (feeding my obsession). Although the lady in the fur coat is not an actual passenger, the rest of the photos depict actual passengers and crew.

I've Been Tagged

I have been tagged by two wonderfully talented artists Caren McNee and Kathy from Vintage Snaps and Scraps. My task is to reveal 7 things that I'm sure you never needed to know about me!!LOL

Okay, here I go:

1. I earned my Bronze Medallion in swimming but am very nervous about underwater life and can't stand to have even underwater weeds touch my feet while I'm in the water.

2. I attended a Celtic College and learned how to weave, play the bagpipes, say a few Gaelic words and do a little Scottish dancing.

3. Even the thought of cooked celery makes me sick to my stomach.

4. I received the Home Economics award every year in High School and I seriously don't have a domestic bone in my body!

5. I actually enjoy public speaking.

6. I have a serious obsession with pottery.

7. I am endlessly fascinated by birds and live with three of them, a parrotlet and two cockatiels.

Excellent Blog Award

This really has been a week for awards. My head is spinning! Carrie from Pinkadoo honoured me with the Excellent Blog Award. By accepting this Excellent Blog Award, you have to award it to 10 more people whose blogs you find Excellent Award worthy. You can give it to as many people as you want, even those that have received it already, but please award at least 10 people.

As I scoot around the Internet checking out blogs, I run across artwork that really takes my breath away. When I do, I add blog addresses to my blog so that I can check them often and send others to them. To everyone whose blog is listed on mine, I award you the Excellent Blog award. Please feel free to accept it and to honour others.

You Make My Day Award

Whew....what a week! I do apologize to anyone who so sweetly awarded me or tagged me this week. I haven't had a chance to properly respond until today. Just know that I truly am thrilled to receive each one of these honours as I am so grateful to be in this blogging community and to be meeting such talented, generous and thoughtful people in it.

Sandee, Dawn and Jodi , all artists that I very much admire, awarded me with the "You Make My Day" honour. "The rules for the “You Make My Day” award are to re-present it to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blog land. Let them know through email or by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times, and if you do, consider yourself really, really loved.So to pass it on and keep the love going ~ here are 10 of the 100's of blogs that keep me inspired and bring a smile to my face. Check them out when you have a few minutes... perhaps there are some new friends to be made!

Kathy from Vintage Snaps and Scraps

Nancy Maxwell James from Vintage Papers

Kirsi from Tikkelperin jutskia

Sarah from Sarah's Art Journey

Audrey from My Art Room

Mary-Beth from My Journey into Art

Mandy from Mandy's Magical World of Art

Tootie from Honey Girl Studio

Gillian

Alexandra Knittel from Xelas

Kristin Hubick from Retro Cafe Art Gallery

Theme Thursday - Warm Colours

These are round robin pages that I created for a participants book whose theme is "Nature". I am continuing to play with encaustic waxes and used them for the backgrounds on both page. These are my submissions for this week's "Theme Thursday" with the theme of "Warm Colours".

Mixed Media Monday and Step Outside Your Box Saturday

I'm a little late posting my Mixed Media Monday creations I'm afraid. I tend to fall behind in my challenges as the week progresses but I do enjoy participating in as many as possible each week. The Mixed Media theme this week is "Texture" so I thought I'd submit three more fabric pages I designed using paper imaes, fabric backrgounds, ribbons, buttons and whatever else I fancy. These pages are also my submission for Step Outside Your Box Saturday with the wonderful theme of "The Fabric of our Lives".

Skinny Saturday Challenge - Growing Older

The Skinny Saturday challenge theme this week is "Growing Older". It made me think of things I like about growing older and one of them is how friendships deepen as time passes. We appreciate those who make us laugh, who support us without judgement, prop us up when we need propping and who enrich our lives in ways too many to mention. That's what my Skinny celebrates this week.

Gothic Arch Challenge - Old School

For years I have heard stories from my parents of their adventures in one room schoolhouses (the long walk to school, helping to gather wood for the stove, the photo of the Queen on the wall of the school, older children helping younger children) ... so it seems interwoven into my life. I thought of these stories when I was creating my gothic arch for this week's challenge.

Think Monday Think ATC - Insects

The Think Monday Think ATC theme this week is "Insects". I tend to use a lot of butterflies and moths on my artwork as I've done on this card.

Step Outside Your Box Saturdays - Art Dolls

I had a desire to try my hand at art dolls while on vacation at the cottage last summer. I chose a stormy afternoon to sit down and have some fun. Each of the three has a very distinct personality and photographing them outside was a blast. I haven't had a chance to make any since but thought I'd post them for the Step Outside Your Box Saturday challenge this week.

4" X 4" Friday - Doors

I participated in a fatbook project that was quite intriguing. We each chose a fairy tale and were asked to use PaperWhimsy images to recreate a scene from the tale. These were then copied and bound in an amazing little book. My fairy tale was Rose Red and the Bear Prince and my 4" X 4" just happens to have a door in it which is the requirement for this week's 4" X 4" Friday challenge.

Theme Thursday - By the Sea

Aren't we all dreaming of the sea....or some other body of water and sand, yes warm sand? I know I am. I can't wait for beach and cottage weather. The Theme Thursday challenge theme this week is "By the Sea" and this is my submission.

One World One Heart Winner

http://oneworldevent.blogspot.com/

Well, the exciting day has arrived. The day when the One World One Heart winners are announced. I used a random number generator to select the recipient of my giveaway and I am thrilled to announce that Caren McNee (be sure to check out her amazing artwork!) will be receiving the book that I created just for this project. I decided to wait until today to show photos of it. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed being part of this great venture. I met so many amazingly generous people, visited blogs that I would never have otherwise visited and feasted my eyes on the most gorgeous artwork from beading to fabric art to mixed media and beyond. Special thanks to Lisa Oceandreamer for doing such a fine job of coordinating.

Wednesday Stamper - Valentine

This is a card that I created to send to friends and family for Valentine's Day. It's my submission for Wednesday Stamper this week.

Also, just a reminder that this is the last day to enter draws for the One World One Heart Project. There are over 300 bloggers offering the most amazing artwork as their giveaways. All winners will be announced tomorrow so it will be an exciting day. If you'd like to check out my offering, please have a look here.

Mixed Media Monday - Love and Romance

Well these two look as though they are gazing lovingly into one another's eyes! In celebration of Valentine's Day week, Mixed Media Monday is honouring "Love and Romance" in art.

Think Monday Think ATC - Child and Bird

I really like the newest idea on Think Monday Think ATC. They are challenging us to combine two elements in our artist trading cards. This week it is child/children and a bird.

Tribute to The Beatles Alphabet Round Robin Pages

I started these pages feeling as though I was WAY out of my element. I couldn't really relate to The Beatles other than the songs that were so familiar (and still are). I didn't grow up in the era of Beatlemania. I just simply dragged my feet on the project, as a result. My task was to create two pages for the letters "C" and "D" using songs by the Beatles. I chose "C" for "Can't Buy Me Love" and "D" for "Drive My Car"....and here are my journal pages, complete and ready to be mailed.

Skinny Saturday Challenge - Love

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I decided to make Skinnies to send to those I love. They remind me of the cards we used to distribute in elementary school....okay those ones didn't have beeswax on them but they were small and without a fold. The Skinny Saturday challenge theme this week is "Love".

Valentine's Day Fan

Nancy Maxwell James from Vintage Papers is offering a fantastic giveaway on her blog. All you have to do to be included is to create a Valentine's Day fan using a template that she provides. Warning....these are very addictive!

Theme Thursday - Spring

What a fantastic theme considering that we are dealing with the aftermath of a major winter storm today. Let's hope that Spring IS right around the corner. In the meantime, we will celebrate it in art. This is a 4" X 4" created for this week's Theme Thursday challenge.

Wednesday Stamper - Asia

This Hero Arts stamp is an older one but has always been a favourite of mine. This card is my submission for this week's Wednesday Stamper with the theme of "Asia".

Mixed Media Monday - Swirls/Flourishes

I am always intrigued by the way that snow swirls with the wind and I tried to capture this feeling in these two pages for a round robin journal with the theme of "Winter/Ice". This is my submission for this week's Mixed Media Monday challenge.

Step Outside Your Box Saturdays - Texture

I've always been intrigued by the idea of mixing paper and fabric to create books. The combination creates wonderful texture and visual appeal. These are a few pages that I designed for this week's Step Out of Your Box Saturdays challenge.

4" X 4" Friday - Houses

I am stretching the 4" X 4" Friday theme a bit this week by using a barn on my artwork but I figure that it is indeed a house for animals.