Note to Self...and to my dear artist friends....

"Note to Self" - 8 x 11 digital with watermark (sorry)

click Eleanor to view original size or view on Etsy

Sometimes we all need a little reminder to embrace our muse and to let go of our imagined judgements of others.  Eleanor often leads me in directions that surprise me, but without her, I'd be lost.  Do you have a name for your muse?  Why not create one today?

ATC sized cloth/stitched tree ornament

Carpe Diem,  

A very special surprise in the mail today....

This little envelope package arrived today from Viola, a dear blog friend who I first met on Flickr more than 3 years ago. She'd mentioned that she'd dropped something in the mail for me. No reason. We weren't trading. She just HAS the biggest heart and is so giving. It's hard to believe she stuffed so many beautiful elements in one little envelope.

Antique ecru lace, and beautiful tatted lace, floral appliques in rich golden hues and a very fine crocheted doilie in a soft ivory tone. PLUS a funky selection of various vintage German book pages. But, the dearest are the two beautiful artist trading cards she made with her hand-dyed cheese cloths and fabrics in varying shades of emerald and soft greens.

Viola has two blogs, Saray-Viola and Shabby Chic Inspired each always packed full of talent and creativity.   She has a natural talent for shabby chic and I am always left wanting more.  She can take the tackiest looking flea market purchase and turn it into a collector's item.  And her beautiful pillows made from vintage cloths would fly out of a shop, if she ever decided to sell any of them.

Thank you Viola!  

another digital "Nick B impression" postcard.....

"Shamatha Reflections" - digital approx 4.5 x 6 inches

Looking for a quick little craft for a cold winter afternoon?

Pinecone Elves - "Two Dresses Version"

I used to love to get together with my Mom and my daughters every year before Christmas to create some tree decorations.  It was a great way to get into the holiday spirit and each year it's always a warm reminder of Christmases past to unwrap the handmade decorations from years ago.

This year I decided to send off some craft packages to my daughters, with all of the supplies, instructions and a sample of these little pinecone elves.  They're very simple to make and I wanted the girls to each have something from me to hang on their own trees this year.  I also found two little Mary Engelbreit comfy chair decorations to include in their packages (one is in the photo).    They seemed to be the perfect size for the little elves.

Below are the Martha Stewart versions plus a link to the directions and templates in case you get the urge to create some homemade decorations.  Notice that Martha's elves are very industrious, already wrapping presents. My little elves on the other hand,  are just laid back, waving at me to get them another rum and egg nog. 

Pinecone Elves - Martha Stewart

Dream Scapes - MeTa AnALySiS

 "MeTaAnALySiS"  - Digital Collage 8x8 inches

This one has been percolating for weeks - it is a series of different collage elements I've worked with both in paper and digitally over the past two years.   I think it will be one I will look back on and derive meaning from.  For now, it's a mystery.

New Blog Banner

will be listed on Etsy Saturday

Bantock Impersonation

Bantockish - digital 15 x 10 inches

Nick Bantock has been one of my favorite collage artists for years.  Ever since the publications of the Griffin and Sabine Trilogy.  In 2007 and 2008 I attended workshops with Nick in his studio in Salt Spring Island, one of my most favorite destinations. 

Digital Boomerang Experiment - The Recollection Parlor - "The Hat Haiku"

This is a sneak preview of one of five "Digital Boomerangs" created by a group of artists at The Recollection Parlor. Look for the entire collection in March 2010's Somerset Digital Studio magazine. For a large version of this slideshow, click inside the slideshow frame.

Below is a list of the other participating artists and their personal blogs or photosites.

Debbie Mihalick

Michele Jackson
Abby Lazar - picture trail to follow

Sija Teijgeler

Red Scott

Another free mini-card or gift tag

I don't know about you, but I always seem to run out of gift tags when I am wrapping presents or need a little tag to attach to a hostess present. Although I usually buy my tags from UNICEF or Ten Thousand Villages, this year I've decided to make my own. So, just in case you run out, now you won't have to run to the store, you can just run to your computer and print these.

As per usual, double click on image to enlarge, and then RIGHT CLICK "Save As".  When printing, choose the horizontal layout and print "TO FIT SHEET".  The cards end up being about 2.25 inches square.  The larger single card is 4 x 4 square.

More experimenting....with Half of a pencil sketch... and digital altering

This was originally a graphite pencil drawing I did about 2 years ago from a magazine dog food advertisement.  The ad only had half of the dog photographed.  I scanned it into the computer and then duplicated it to try to represent the full face of the dog.  I've also been  manipulating the colors from  what began basically as a graphite tonal study to what you see above.  I then played with some of the proportions of the face attempting to decrease the symmetry so it may actually look like 'the whole face' as opposed to two sides mirroring each other....but now see in viewing it here that it continues to be very Rorschach-ish doesn't it?

Addendum  - goofing around version....

Experiments with Light and Dimensionality

"November 15"  17 x 10 inches - this is a digitally manipulated scan of a background I created with stamps, acrylics and chalk pastel.

Finding JOY - The Giving Tree

Yesterday, I was invited to participate in a Secret Santa.  I hesitated.  Last year my daughter was hospitalized over the season, and this year my father-in-law will be as he is losing a battle with cancer.  I realized for me, this season accentuates emotions, both of joy and of sorrow.  My Mom also passed away on December 1st, 2000.  I still can't believe she's been gone that long.  So, my reaction to this invitation initially was one of sadness.  Until,  I brought forward a memory of my Mother-in-law who for me, embodied the spirit of the season and the joy of giving.  I decided I owed it to her and to myself to focus on continuing her legacy hoping I may infect my own family and friends...and even perhaps YOU.  Because....happiness is a choice we make every moment.   

Thinking of both my Mom and my Mother-in-law, I was  reminded of Shel Silverstein's book "The Giving Tree".  I decided to then create my own "giving tree " as a way to pay tribute to my DECISION TO EXPERIENCE JOY and to my special angel "Mom's". 

Please take this little collage sheet I made with the wish that you TOO will find some JOY that I believe this season was intended to bring.   LEFT CLICK on the tree top star to enlarge the image, and then RIGHT CLICK "SAVE AS."

Oh- I think I'm catching the spirit!  Are you?  Here's another one (they are folded 'baby joy cards') :

One more NEW Ready Made Blog Banner with Buttons

 Available on Etsy here

New Blog Banner with Sidebar Buttons

                   

I decided with Christmas just around the corner (where did the time go?) it was due time I created a few new ready-made blog banners.  Wouldn't it be fun to surprise someone with their own ready to go blog? Both available on Etsy here.

As requested - more pages from "All Things Poe" Traveler's H'art Halloween Deck 2009

Click on image to view large  *NOTE COPYRIGHT*
  click here to visit Capolan

"Got Milk" - Unplugged - Sent to Yvonne as Blog Draw Prize

I hesitated to post this, since I've already posted the digital and the cloth versions of this same collage.  I promise this is the final version!  This is the 'paper, scissors and paste' version with an embossed, stamped and painted background.  I still wrestle with numerous comments I see posted on other sites regarding digital versus cut and paste collage.  I printed the images one by one, cut each of them out, created a textured background to adhere them to, and added Swaroski crystals as buttons, and sewed on  a vintage optometry lens.  Apart from the embellishments, and  a few of the clumsily cut edges, the essence remains the same.  Theoretically, it does however become one of a kind.  Thanks for indulging, yet again. 

"The Duck Whisperer " - Unplugged

Transition from digital to cloth -

From the flat blue screen to 3D with beading and embroidery floss

My first attempt at making french knots -

The bird cage - with a button as the door -

Embroidering "leaves of grass" -

Almost ready to mail - :0)

This morning's digital musing -

"The Star Collectors" - digital  7.5 x 11.25 inches

Credits:  Dover Publication Free Images

Here are the six images I used to create this collage - the earth, stars and moon are all brushes, and I digitally painted the colors -

Maude, the Grandpuppy and Jillian in Banff

If you look very very closely, you can see Maude...oh and, ya, my daughter, Jillian., she's the bigger of the two.  I can't imagine what I might be like if I  ever have a real grandchild. I'm quite happy with this arrangement for the time being.
p.s.  Now, isn't this just the prototypic and stereotypic Canadian photograph - snow, mountains and a Kokanee beer?  I'd be more inclined to be inside the lodge  snuggled under a down-filled quilt with a glass of hot-mulled wine...looking at photos of frozen waterfalls.  

Sunday Post Card Art - "Crackle"

Below,  my entry for this week's Sunday Postcard Art where the 'application' is "crackle."   My hat goes off to those artists with submissions of  the real 3D crackle technique - I've taken a FAR less time consuming approach  here with a simple digital crackle brush overlay.  Underneath, is a 4 x 8 inch rendition of the same images.

Sunday Postcard Art - 4 x 6 digital

"Guess Who" - 4 x 8 digital

Nette - The Duck Whisperer

"Nette - The Duck Whisperer" - 4 x 8  inch digital on cotton

Credits:  Paper Whimsy, Two Peas, Dover