Can it really be true?

....that tomorrow is July 1st?  Am I the only one this year that feels as if I never saw spring?  

Could also perhaps be that I've been pretty much glued to my computer creating digital artwork like the  mad woman that I am turning into.  I should say happy woman as having such a wonderful variety of images now to tinker with, it has become a kid in the candy shop.  

My fabric collages in progress have taken the back seat lately, although I know I have a couple that I've worked on and not posted here and will be snapping a few photos hopefully during the weekend.  Unfortunately, no photos yet of my 'little journey doll' from the workshop last weekend.  She is still getting dressed!  

On to my latest  digital work - the stars and the moon must have been in a digital designer seeking pattern as all but one of the Creative Teams I've signed up on released new packs over the past seven days.  So many beautiful new images, I really don't know where to start.    And, as I get to know more and more of these creative wizards, I feel even more responsible for making sure I acknowledge their work - because they are all great people and I believe their work deserves to be recognized.   And no, I don't get paid for saying this!!!!

There were several, I honestly lost count, new releases at http://www.deviantscrap.com/  this week from Holliewood Studios, Tumble Fish Studio, and Crowabout StudioB - aka Hollie, Marsha and Nancy.   Nancy and Marsha also released their work in JPG format for those of you interested in cut and paste collage work.   So, if this entices you, pay them a visit at http://www.deviantscrap.com/  Again, I repeat,  it sounds like a plug, but it isn't!  

Tangie Baxter also released a new set of images  in collaboration with another designer and shop - http://www.thedigichick.com/   The title of their  release is ART Stomp.

Here we go -

"To Whom It May Concern...Love"

Image Credits:  Tangie Baxter and The DigiChick - Art Stomp, black and white images - Library of Congress

"Fly"

Image Credits:  Tangie Baxter - Art Stomp, Bird Stamp - Holliewood Studios - The Collector

And these two are both journal pages - and just for fun......

The last 20 pounds

Image Credits - All Tangie Baxter - Pig - Black Licorice, Woman - Haute Soiree, all others - Art Stomp

An Altered State of Mind

Image Credits:  Phrenology, Entered stamp  and Palmistry - from Deviant Art, Arm - Tumble Fish Studio - Froo Froo, Male Figure - Tangie Baxter @ Scrapbookgraphics - Black Licorice, Art Stomp

More to follow...Thanks for visiting!  I'm  planning to spend some great leisurely time getting caught up on all of my favorite blogs!!

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Workshop today plus lengthy musings.....about putting your left brain to bed early

Today I'll be spending the day at our local Bowman Arts Centre creating a doll.  (see below)  I woke up at 5 am to double check what time the workshop started and to then consider  any materials and tools I would need to gather  before I left.  I had  all week to do this, but kept getting distracted by other matters.  Read: procrastinating.

I haven't any knowledge of the artist who is conducting the workshop, other than what I've perused through on her website and I am going alone.  I joined the Textile Surface Design Guild in our community basically so I could take this workshop and keep updated on the workshops and events they plan.  There was a lecture  by the workshop leader on Thursday evening but I wasn't able to attend so I am walking into it essentially ' 'blind' you could say.  And I have to admit, I prefer it that way. When possible, I like to follow my muse and remain unaffected by outside influences for this particular workshop.  I am becoming more and more like this - reclusive you could call it, as the days move forward. 

So, of course, I couldn't find the email that had been sent to me (I have 1000's stored, but never the ONE I need to find) so I googled the artist and found this poster that lead me to the necessary information - time and place, plus a few details on what to bring.  I knew before that most of the materials will be supplied. 

Off and on throughout the past few months I have wondered what type of doll I would end up constructing, what would it look like, how would it become 'my' personal doll, but again, these were fleeting thoughts and no images popped into my mind.  Or so I thought. 

This is where again,  much to my surprise my muse popped by for a visit.  I was busily working on constructing a digital collage for Tumble Fish Studio yesterday and completed one by early evening.  I was content  to finish one image as per my creative team artist requirement.  Content yes, but not what I would say satisfied.  Given the requirement to construct a digital collage using a set group of images, I occasionally feel 'unfulfilled' personally as sometimes my own need for creative expression senses a void.  Don't misinterprete this to mean that I don't care for the images I am working with, quite the opposite is true.  It's more that I feel creatively confined when I am limited to a set group of images.   Last night this 'feeling'  persisted and so I gave myself permission to 'be' without the aforementioned 'parameters' and ended up creating one other digital composition.   It was late and my left brain had already gone to bed.  I am beginning to believe that my muse doesn't appear unless my left brain is missing!   Luckily, that happens quite frequently!!!!!

What surprises me, is now having slept and returned, I see that on 'another level' my creative mind or muse, or subconscious, or whatever you may like to call this process, had in fact been sketching out some imagery reflecting  'me' or my 'personal doll' all along.  At some level, it does appear I was 'preparing' for the workshop today. 

Workshop poster -

Here's the digital composition I created using  several of Tumble Fish Studio's new packs, available at http://www.deviantscrap.com/

"Fly"

Image Credits:  Tumble  Fish Studio - Big Whimsy, Twinkle Toes and Angels packs

After my left brain went to bed -

                                             True to Me

Image Credits:  Backgrounds (3) - Alberto Giralt, Outline of ballerina - TumbleFish Studio - Twinkle Toes, Heart - Mercados, out line of drapery - Haute Soiree  - Tangie Baxter

This last image  feels more congruent to being a reflection of 'me' mostly because it speaks of my own voice. Even though it is made up of different images from other artists, it is composed in a way that brings forward its 'own life'.  I think, at least.  What do you think?  Does your artwork reflect you?

  I look forward to today's workshop and wonder how easy it will be for me to find my creative  voice and express it visually in the form of a doll.

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Tumble Fish Studio at Deviant Scrap

This morning Marsha from Tumble Fish Studio and Deviant Scrap  released for sale today  some great new funky  collage packs in both  png and jpg formats.   There are dancing women, round bits, tickets galore and more!  I'm ready to go, have my sleeves  rolled  up and a call out to  my muse.... !!! 

Here's a preview  -

New Kits from Tumblefish Studio

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Life of Pi, etc.

Below are 2 new digital collages I completed this week, both still utilizing bits and pieces from Hollies' VOID

kit - both again, surreal.  My muse seems to be moving  toward a surreal direction  these days....  out of my control!!!  :0)

The first  image below was inspired by a book I read a few years ago - "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

"Pi"

Image Credits - Background - Alberto Giralt, Figure - Anji Johnston - thanks Anji!!! Holliewood Studios - VOID and The Collector packs - all at http://www.deviantscrap.com/

"Open Minded"

Image Credits:  http://www.deviantscrap.com/ Holliewood Studios - VOID (vine and roses)  Drapery overlay - Tangie Baxter - Haute Soiree, Background - Alberto Giralt 

. 

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I entered my first contest....

Let Your Light Shine

An email arrived today reminding me to enter a contest....I thought...what contest?  I followed the link and came across the Wacom Tablet Pen Scrappers site where they sponsor monthly contests, a free kit, and a chance to win some pretty cool prizes.  This month the topic was ...something you love and you have to utilize some of the elements in the kit.

To the right of my blog you'll see the direct link to VOTE.  If you have a moment, could you please?  Thanks!

Image Credits:

Mona, light bulb, ART font, black background grunge - all from Tangie Baxter - Steampunk

Frame, tags, heart and 'Do What You Love... - Pen Scrappers

Young girl - Rebecca McCeen

Background - Playing with brushes - Flickr

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SEASIDE ART Dolls and VOID

This past week proved to be a busy one for me as not only Hollie's VOID was released by I also began to work on Tangie Baxter's Creative Team and she released a set of images entitled "Seaside Art Dolls." I was delighted to have the cooperation of my muse to help create these imaginative  'creatures'!

Two Heads Are Better Than One

The Nordic Maiden

The Fishy Bride

Asian Angel

And this last one combines Tangie's  Seaside Art Dolls, Splatter Grafitti Breathe and The Purple Tide -

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v o i d - new digitals

My latest creative work for Holliewood Studios for the release of VOID!  It's dark...mmwhahahaha!

Pig OUT

 

Hot

 

Ultimatum

Image Credits:

www.DeviantScrap.com
VOID - Holliewood Studios
with the following exceptions:
1.  boy and background - Alberto Giralt
2.  Chandelier - Tangie Baxter - Black Licorice and figures
3. Owl by Holliewood Studios - The Thing Finder  

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"Siblings"

Out of all the digital pages I've been working on lately, this one is my most favorite - so I thought it deserved it's own post!   I love this background by Alberto Giralt and am very grateful he's so generously allowed me the privelege of using his beautiful photographs.  Again, Nate and Brooke are pictured - their Mom Colleen said she cringed thinking how  Nate's Teddy Bear was in the corner just feeling so distraught over how Brooke was toying with her little brother.   Aren't they the sweetest children?

"Siblings"

Image Credits:
Background - Alberto Giralt
Teddy Bear and Hats - www.DeviantScrap.com - Holliewood Studios - Teddy Bear Tea Party, Art Dollies and Love and War

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Nate and Brooke

A couple of weeks ago, I contacted a very dear friend, Colleen.  She was my daughter's most favorite babysitter way back when.  I'll never forget watching her with my older daughter Jillian at the neighbourhood playground.  She was so fabulous with her, I recruited her right on the spot as a babysitter. 

Now, gee almost 25 years later, she has two children of her own - Nate and Brooke.  Back to the subject - 

I wanted some photographs of young children to play around with  digitally and Colleen happily provided me with some shots of the kids.  

The images that follow are a result of this experiment.

Image Credits:

www.DeviantScrap.com from Tumble Fish Studio - street scene and background sky

Clementine Designs - crane and car

Image Credits:  font - Tangie Baxter

Image Credits:

CrowAbout Studio B - all with the exception of tree by Maya

Image Credits:

Tumble Fish Studio - vintage faces, Maya - tree, CrowAbout Studio B - all other images

Image Credits:  Tumble Fish Studio

Thanks for looking!

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The Breakfast Club

Happy Monday!

Here's a digital I struggled with for the last week to try to get the figure shadows to move down the staircase in a zig zag fashion....finally gave in and turned it into a long term goal :0)

The Breakfast Club

Image Credits:
http://www.deviantscrap.com/ for
Bird - Art Dollies and Shoe - The Thing Finder - Holliewood Studios
Figure - Fro Fro and Car Scene - City Limits - Tumble Fish Studio
Background - Alberto Giralt

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Sunday Postcard Art - Roses

Image Credits - www.DeviantScrap.com

Tumble Fish Studio - angel, frame, arms, clouds, circular doodad

Holliewood Studios - Art Collies - rose hat

Renee Pearson - word art

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New Fabric Skinny Page - Dove - practice piece

I've wanted to create a predominantly white page for a long time and a couple of weeks ago, I finally found the opportunity to have a go.  This page hasn't found a home yet, and it may not as I really am fond of  its overall softness.  What I'd change next time around is the dandelions going to seed as they ended up looking more like just balls of ??? on stems!!  And I'd change the stitching around the dove wings too.   Come to think of it, I would also add more calligraphy words to add interest to the background, or maybe more layers of fabric... oh no....it's  not finished yet.   And I still might add  a poem off to the right side.    Practice is my best friend! 

Here's the macros, followed by the final cloth collage and the original digital piece. 

Image Credits:

www.DeviantScrap.com - Love and War - Holliewood Studios - the dove

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"Alberto"

"Alberto"

Image Credits:  Landscape and sky background - with permission from  Alberto Giralt - Spain

Paper Whimsy - fish kite

www.DeviantScrap.com for the following:

City Lites by Tumble Fish Studio - background houses

Teddy Bear Tea Party by Holliewood Studios  - Teddy Bear

Tommy Town by Clementine Design - kite string, tail  and spool and far right tree

Figures - personal stash recolored

Moon - adapted from a Boticelli painting

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Phew - DeviantScrap has me hopping!

I was in for a delightful surprise this weekend as new packs were FLYING into Deviant Scrap  from Marsha's Tumblefish Studio and Nancy's Crowabout Studio B! 

Marsha unveiled her City Limits pack full to the top with outstanding images of buildings, street scenes and borders to boot!

City Limits - Tumble Fish Studio   http://www.deviantscrap.com/

The Housing Market - all images - Tumble Fish Studio

On The Edge

Image Credits - Building - Tumble Fish Studio and Door, Love and War - Holliewood Studios

Background - NASA

Tribute to Alexander McQueen

 - one of my favorite British fashion designers, who sadly passed away this past February.  Image Credits - model - from the www, Clouds, large wings  and Street Scene - Tumble Fish Studio

On the Edge

Image Credits - Figure - Mrs. Insman - Flickr, Buildings - recolored by Tumble Fish Studio

Tailgating Mail Art

Image Credits:  Figures - Library of Congress, Sheep and little girl with dog - mine,

Street scene - Tumble Fish Studio, Squirrel, Racoon - Spring Faeries - Holliewood Studios, Car - Clementine Design

Followed by Nancy's Funky Dolls .....and I felt like I was back in kindergarten with all of these doll parts to play with - perfect for an Exquisite Corpse project~

 

Crowabout Studio B - Funky Dolls

Ms. Zetti Auditions

Image Credits - Funky Dolls - Crowabout Studio B, for all Ms. Zetti participants and top signs,

Male Figure - House of Congress, Background, border and pink crown - Art Dollies - Holliewood Studios,

Pedestals - Tumblefish Studio

The Secret

Image Credits - with the exception of the key (Renee Pearson) and hand - personal stash,

all other images - CrowAbout Studio B

Last but not least, three Zetti ATC's -

Shattered Hearts

Image Credits - Crowabout Studio B - background, words, frame

Holliewood Studios - Love and War - heart

Figure - Dover

Let Me Be Your ATC

Image Credits - CrowAbout Studio B with the exception of the black and white border and figure - personal stash

Sweethearts

Image Credits - Crowabout Studio B, figures - personal stash

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