Blog Giveaway Winner

I'm so sorry that I've taken so long to announce the winner of my blog giveaway. I used a random number generator and Betty is the recipient of my papier mache house with the masked Maries on it. Congratulations Betty and stay tuned for another giveaway in the near future.

Mixed Media Monday - Stitches

As you know, "stitches" make me nervous. I'm not sure why because I grew up with the whirr of a sewing machine. My mother would spend afternoons making clothes for us when we were children. I learned how to embroider from my grandmother and took my share of home economics courses in school. However, when I was asked to participate in a quilting project to benefit cancer research I became nervous and waffled on whether or not I could do it. The wonderful coordinator, Monica Magness, convinced me that I could and this is the result. I combined stitching with lots of fabric glue (a wonderful invention...hmm, I wonder if it works on hems). This is my entry for the Mixed Media Monday challenge this week.

Sunday Stamper - In My Life

I remember as a child just feeling"odd"....like I really didn't fit in and didn't want to fit in with everyone else. This feeling persisted well into my twenties when I discovered rubber stamping. I couldn't believe how alive I felt when I was creating. When I discovered the numerous communities in the cyberworld that were devoted to my passion, I found groups of people who understood my passions and peculiarities. I also realized that not fitting in had its rewards. The them for Sunday Stampers this week is In My Life. I used a baby photo of myself to design this round robin page that captures snippets of my life and loves.

Saturday Surprise - Down on the Farm

I grew up with stories about "life on the farm" from my Dad. He talked about feeding the barn cats by squiriting them with milk directly from the cow's udder. He also described long days and back breaking work as well as worrying about crops and "making ends meet". We visited his childhood farm home a few years ago and wandered through the abandoned house that has since been torn down. In it were bits and pieces of former tenants....a doll, an old chair, dishes. The house and barn sat atop a hill on the most gorgeous piece of land. It seemed to me to be haunted by the ghosts of all those who had once called it home. This is my entry for the Saturday Surprise challenge this week.

Theme Thursday - Quotes/Sayings

I was drawn to this quotation stamp as soon as I saw it. Harriet Tubman managed to create such beautiful imagery with her words. This fabric book page is my entry for this week's Theme Thursday challenge.

The Three Muses Challenge - Give Us a Hand

I had clipped and saved this image of a hand with daisy in it knowing that one day I would use it in a piece. There was just something so evocative about it and I loved the symbolism in it. It seemed to blend perfectly with these two little girlfriends having a wonderful giggle together. I thought about all of the ways that friends give to one another willingly, lovingly and with no expectations or strings attached. This is my entry for the Three Muses Challenge this week.

Feel free to enter my Blog Art Giveaway mentioned in my post here.

Wednesday Stamper - Dogs

This photograph of a dog from a magazine has always delighted me so I used the packing tape transfer technique to create a transparent copy of it and layered to create this card. Growing up we had a dachshund who loved running through the autumn leaves and making them rustle. That's probably why I find this picture so funny! This is my entry for the Wednesday Stamper challenge this week.

Created By Hand Challenge - Nature

Well I just got back from receiving a healthy dose of nature on my vacation. Our cottage shopping lists included peanuts for the chipmunk who ate out of our hand, pork strips for the seagull who perched on the rock waiting for us each morning and apples and carrots for the horse I met on my run each morning. Yes, each one had a name! Luckily I didn't actually interact with the cougar that wandered into the resort one day!

This is an assemblage that I created for a dear blogging friend of mine and is my entry for this week's Created By Hand challenge.

Please feel free to enter my blog art giveaway below if you so desire.

Blog Art Giveaway

Well, I admit it....I missed all of you while I was away on vacation. Blogging and the wonderful artists who participate in it are so interwoven into my life. Being without a computer meant that I did have lots of time for artwork. I'd get up in the morning and after breakfast spend 3 or 4 hours creating while listening to the sound of the water washing up on the shore of the lake. Not a bad life if I do say so myself. I had purchased these papier mache houses just before I left and played with them one day. I couldn't resist these images of a masked Marie. I'm going to draw for one of them (shown here front and back) next Sunday afternoon so if you'd like to just leave me a comment, I'd be happy to put your name in my "hat". I really do appreciate all of your support each and every day.

Mixed Media Monday and Crazy Amigo Challenges - Together

With the beginning of school just around the corner and my high school reunion looming, I've been thinking quite a bit about "togetherness"....the togetherness that comes from being born in the same year, living in the same neighbourhood and attending the same school. Do certain classmates stand out in your mind? Perhaps they're the ones who were your friends or perhaps they're those who tormented you? The "brainer"? The "jock"? We tended to travel in a pack right from kindergarten through to the end of grade eight then off to high school where we mingled with other packs from other schools. Then high school was over and we all went our separate ways to become what we are today. I'm not quite sure I'll be attending that reunion but it sure stirred up some memories of school togetherness. These round robin journal pages are my entry for this week's Mixed Media Monday challenge. as well as the Crazy Amigo challenge with the same theme.

Gothic Arches - Cities

Well, I'm back after two weeks of sun, surf, sleep and creativity. I've missed all of you and look forward to getting caught up with your artistic endeavours over the next few days. This gothic arch is my tribute to the city of Paris, France and my entry for this week's Gothic Arch challenge. I always envision it as a city of elegance, style and creativity.

Renewal and Exploration

Well, it's time to bid you a fond farewell. I'm off on my yearly pilgrimage to the cottage to recharge my batteries. It's two weeks of swimming, running, reading, artwork, sleeping, snoozing, dozing....well you have the picture. I'll miss all of you though. Keep creating and I'll check in as soon as I return.

Saturday Surprise Challenge - Shapes

It's rather refreshing to break free of the square and rectangular shapes and explore the nooks and crannies of house, banner and circular canvases. I find it jumpstarts my imagination. "Shapes" is the theme of the Saturday Surprise challenge this week and this is my entry.

TGIF - Pens and Brushes

Okay, I admit it....paintbrushes excite me! I have many of them and they sit on my art table in potter pitchers inviting me to pick them up and use them....long ones, short ones, ones with flat brushes and others with round....delicious! I created these round robin pages to celebrate art and what it brings to my life. This is my entry for the TGIF challenge this week.

Theme Thursday - Purple

Do you sometimes associate colours with people? I do. To me, my Grandmother is "purple". She wears a lot of it and it just seems to capture her somehow. It seemed only natural to use purple when I created this round robin journal page using her photo and her name, Ila. I think she makes a lovely queen, don't you? This is my entry for the Theme Thursday challenge this week.

The Three Muses Challenge - Art in the Round

"Art in the Round"....in my case a round tin that once housed Prima flowers. It just called to me and requested something bright and cheerful so I layered decorative paper, cupcakes, a baby in a teacup, cake decorating doodads and even a birthday candle in the shape of a chocolate sundae....oh yes, and don't forget the recipe for chocolate chip cookes!! Can you tell that I was pandering to my sweet tooth the day that I created it? This is my entry for the Three Muses challenge this week.

Created ByHand Challenge - Animals or Pets

As you likely already know, three birds live in my household, two cockatiels and a parrotlet. It would only stand to reason that this very whimsical and hilarious images from Allison Strine were very appealing to me. I think Allison has a marvelous sense of humour. You can see other examples of her work here. This is my entry for the Created ByHand challenge this week.

Mixed Media Monday - Nature's Blues and Browns

Blues and browns seem to be so prevalent in nature. I've been finding discarded eggshells from robins and sparrows in my backyard and I always marvel at their wonderful colour and their delicacy. It's no wonder that we are attracted to this colour combination in our artwork. These round robin journal pages are my entry for the Mixed Media Monday challenge this week.

Think Monday, Think ATC - Friendship

I cherish all of my friendships. When I turned 40, I decided to throw myself a girlfriend party. We met at a lovely little restaurant with cobblestone floors and a view of gardens. I looked around at the diverse group of women and noted how lucky I was to have each of them in my life. They each had created a scrapbook page for me as a surprise and took turns presenting them. There were laughs and tears and many memories. It was truly a day I'll cherish always. This atc celebrates friendship and is my entry for the Think Monday, Think ATC challenge this week.

A New Addition to the Neighbourhood

I don't usually stray from posting artwork on my blog but I really wanted to share a photo of a new addition to our neighbourhood. We were out on the front porch finishing dinner last night when we heard a strange chirping. We hunted for the source only to discover this wee fellow standing on one of our downspouts. He seemed blissfully unafraid of us and actually allowed close-ups all the while chirping for his weary parents to hurry up with the worms. I don't think I've actually had the pleasure of seeing a robin this close. His markings are gorgeous, aren't they?

Sunday Stampers - King

Who said that kings actually have to be happy? This one certainly isn't...at least at the moment. I can't quite get enough of this Tim Holtz stamp. In fact, as you can see, I have it in both large and small sizes. This is my entry for the Sunday Stampers challenge this week.

Saturday Surprise Challenge - A Touch of Fantasy

A girlfriend was just telling me that she was helping her parents clean out their attic and found all sorts of childhood goodies including a bag of doll parts (we won't even touch that one!) and her paper dolls. We both reminisced about the hours spent with these flat recreations of humans and characters and their wide array of outfits and accessories. We both shared a love of "The Patridge Family" and had the dolls complete with their bus!! The theme for the Saturday Surprise challenge is "A Touch of Fantasy". Isn't it wonderful to be able to just let our minds wander into imaginative worlds, even as adults?