The Three Muses - Mail Art

The Three Muses Challenge this week is Mail Art. They always pick such fitting themes. I found in my files this darling letter from Cora to her cousin Mabel about her hopes that Santa will come and visit her. I teamed that with the postage background and a vintage photo of a mailman and I was all set.

Postage Background for You

Here is a little postage stamp background for you. Everybody is thinking mail with the holidays. I actually got out most of my Holiday cards mailed before the holidays this year. I only had to stand in line for 20 minutes to buy stamps. Everyone was so full of cheer this year.

Freebies - Christmas Cheer

Today I thought I would share one of my favorite postcard artist - Ellen Hattie Clapsaddle. Her images are so sweet and tender. They always make me happy. She could always capture the moment with her paintings. I hope you will enjoy them. Please click on them to truly get there full effect.

I love her fur collar and hat trimmed with evergreens.

This makes me start to sing "Silver Bells".

There is something about a tree that brings such delight.

Is she not just the cutest thing?

Look at her all fancied up with the sprigs of holly.

Art Creations Friday - Looking Toward the New Year

This week for the Art Creations Friday challenge we were given this beautiful Mediterranean woman image from Art Freebies. She reminds me of a fortune teller. I just sort of went from there. Wouldn't it be nice to know your fortune for the New Year? I guess that is part of the promise of the New Year. It can be anything you want to make it.

Some Art Journal Pages

I thought I would share a few more journal pages that I have been working on this week. I am two pages short of being finished in this journal. I am using the small Moleskin Sketchbook with the lilac wrapper. I had to go ahead and do surgery on the thing so that I could close it and the pages would lie somewhat flat. This is the second one in as many months that I have had to do this with. I am trying to get it all finished up so that I can start a new journal.

The next journal will be done in my first online class that I am taking with Mary Ann Moss. A sort of early present to myself. I am so excited. It is called The Remains of the Day. Is that not the most thought provoking name for a journal class?

This is my version of Teesha Moore's journal style. After watching her intriguing videos on U Tube I decided to give it a go. The only thing I could think of journaling about was my incredible new coat I bought. I used some of Nancy's borders from Crowabout. Her digital sheets are so cool.

As the year is winding down I have been doing alot of thinking about what I want to accomplish next year. Setting the goals. The turtle is my reminder that things do not happen overnight. That it is a slow and steady process. The bird is my totem. The thing that reminds me of the track I need to be on, the validates me. Most importantly believe in my muse and she will not fail me.

There are days when you pick up the paper, see something on TV or hear from a friend that make me feel like the world has gone mad. This is my page on that.

This page was created from a lovely piece of mail art that I received from Dianne Adams in Tennessee. Of course she used my favorite shade of blue so I saved it for just the right thing.

Everyonce in a while we have to remember to be silly, laugh, explore. I plan on doing a lot more of that in the new year.

The Soul Journal group has all sorts of daily prompts from Sarah Whitmire. One of them was to write the lyrics of a song you are listening to. I was listening to the Carpenters and You Have Only Just Begun came on. How appropriate as Sarah is getting married this month. These are my brides. Have a Happy Life Sarah!

The Lamp Post

The leaves from the trees are dropping like flies. The wind is tearing them off the the branches and swirling them all around. By tomorrow the trees will be bare. It is beginning to feel like winter has come to the coast.

Quilt Top Paper

I love the orange and purples in this quilt. I am thinking thirties fabric.

I bet this was someone's sundress incorporated into this quilt top.

When I see this fabric I am thinking a big swishy style skirt with a waist band.

I love the blues in this. They look almost like wood block prints.

Lately I have been fascinated with making my own paper. Not the shred, blend, and pulp, but dry paper. I have been photocopying paper strips for borders, cutting up old projects and copying them, journal pages etc. Then it occurred to me to use fabric.

The light bulb went off. I have all of these beautiful quilts, quilt squares, and quilt tops. Now every time I go to the copy place I take a few with me. I usually copy them using the biggest size of paper I can. They copy beautifully. The colors and patterns are gorgeous. I am using the papers to make journal covers, cover boxes, use as liners for boxes, cut up in my journals etc...
Here are a couple for you to use in your art.

The Three Muses Challenge - Bottles

The theme this week for the Three Muses Challenge was bottles. I love old bottles and regularly go to the dump spot on the river to dig for them. I use large bottles to put bits and pieces of things in so they are easy to see in my studio. I also have a large collection of sand from all the beaches I have traveled to. They look so pretty in their little bottles.

This week I thought it would be appropriate to use the Mason canning jars I lust after as fairy jars. Here are my small collection of fairies. Long summer nights chasing fireflies and early mornings are the best time to look for fairies I hear.

Sugar Cookies

One of my favorite things about the Holidays is making cookies. I must confess that my boys and their father make the best. I was the icing maker and clean up crew. This year I am making dough ahead of time and rolling it into logs and refrigerating it so I can make several batches. This is the basic sugar cookie recipe I make.

Sugar Cookies

1 1/4 cup soften butter-room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup milk

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat until fluffy.
Stir together all the dry ingredients.
Alternate adding the milk and flour to the creamed butter, sugar and eggs.
If the dough is sticky add flour to handle. You can roll into logs and wrap well and refrigerate.
If you are cooking right away. I usually stick the bowl of dough in the refrigerator and assemble my sprinkles, red hots, etc. Get my cookie sheets ready. The dough is easier to roll and cut if somewhat cool.
Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on well floured pastry clothe or freezer paper. Cut cookies.
Place decorations on cookies. Have fun decorating.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in moderate oven at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. I start checking at 6 minutes. Cool on racks. Makes around 100 cookies depending on size.

Four letter Words - Bake

The Tied Curtain

I saw this building and loved the iron work around the windows. Then I noticed how every window was covered. Hiding the outside from the in and the inside from the outside. Then I noticed one brave sole seeking light and air... I hope you will take the time to click on it to enlarge it.

Some Freebies for You - Sleds

One of the best things about winter is snow. I know. I know it has it's drawbacks. However, the first couple of snows are always so beautiful. It is like a paint brush covering the landscape. My favorite thing about snow is sledding. My boys definitely taught me a lot about the joy of flying down a hill. The house they grew up in sat a top a huge hill. We would have the whole neighborhood there on snow days. Hours of fun.

On Friday I talked to a dear friend who was expecting 7 to 8 more inches of snow. She was on her way out to shovel what they had already gotten. After we hung up I immediately thought break out the sleds. I have posted these freebies in honor of the "sledding days." I hope you can find a place for them in your art. Happy Sledding!

This is so sweet, but for goodness sakes where are their coats?

This actually reminds me of my brother and I. Love the little girl's plaid. I had a treasured muff just like that.

Doesn't this look like fun?

This looks like a fast sled. Look out birdies.

What a wonderful sleigh. I spent some time in Banff skiing and the best thing was coming back to the Hotel and taking a sleigh ride. I love the sound of the bells in the crisp cold air. Very romantic.

Art Creations Friday - Marilyn

This week's image was of Marilyn Monroe for Art Creations Friday. Wow. How hard is that. A face that has been named this century's six most recognized and sexy face. As Elton John so astutely sang she died way to young. Of all the "sex symbols" of this era I always liked her the best. She had that dumb girl yet know it all attitude. The thing I really liked the best was her sense of humor. I think she was very funny.

So, this is my entry to the challenge. I used a diamond for the background. A few extra images of Marilyn Monroe in her diamonds. One is from the movie "Diamonds are a Girl's best friend." Then a quote of hers. I really hope I did her justice...

Fall on the Cape Fear River

Wednesday of this week we had a terrible storm with rain, wind gusts and lots of thunder and lightening. All day and most of the night. Thursday/yesterday when I awoke it was sunny, warm and beautiful. One of those crisp days. A friend called and asked if I would like to go up the Cape Fear river on their boat and take pictures. Of course I said yes. This is from atop an old train trestle that crosses the river where we stopped for a bite to eat. Aren't the colors great?

Theme Thursday Challenge - Bookmarks

This week the Theme Thursday challenge is bookmarks. Make a bookmark. It can be cut and glued, digital, whatever you feel like. Seeing as I haven't been able to participate the past couple of weeks I decided to a make two. So, here they are. I could have kept going, they are always so much fun to make and use. I often leave one in the restroom of the local library for someone to find.

The Three Muses Challenge - Games

The Three Muses Challenge this week is games. Games we like to play, games people play, etc. I have always loved this woman by Emma Sandys. It is called Revealing her Hand. I am sure we have all had moments in our life where we have had to put on the poker face and hold on not to reveal "our hand." I am figuring this woman likes all games. She will play just about anything and usually wins.
Let the games begin...

A Couple of Journal Pages

Last week I ordered a couple of collage sheets from Nancy at Crowabout. I used a couple of the images in the border and the wish is from one. I realized that I do not have a lot of borders. So I have been on a wild streak making borders and clipping an trimming images to make borders. The stamps [butterfly and diamonds] are from Paperbag Studio. I stamped them on paper then cut them to size and put in my journal.

This pouty girl is from Paper Whimsey. The background is just patterned paper I found in my scrap box and decided to use. I am going through scraps from this year getting ready to make some new journals.

Another sweet girl from paper Whimsey. I think she is about ready to burst into song. She reminds me of my sister when she was younger.

So, here are some journal pages I have been working on. I am getting into that "next year", "New Year", make some goals and resolution mode. I really brood about these things. Change is good.

Guess Who is Hanging Out in the Neighborhood?

Guess who is hanging out in the wildlife area behind my house? Yes, a Black Bear. Ahhh! About 4:30 this afternoon the house phone, the cell phones all started ringing. Our neighborhood has a messaging system that goes out for hurricane evacuation, trouble in the neighborhood, rabid animals, etc... Today was we have a black bear that has wandered in and taken up residency in one of the natural - green - areas. My back yard abuts up to one of these areas. The North Carolina Department of Wildlife has declined to take out a removal and relocation permit. We are to remove all bird feeders, any outside pet food and secure our trash cans. Oh boy.

Did I happen to mention that my neighborhood use to be the stocked hunting grounds of Pembroke Jones? We have a managed herd of deer, coyotes, fox, a bobcat, possum, raccoon, a large variety of birds, and otters. Sounds like pretty good pickin's for the bear. I think they think this bear is like this goofy zoo bear picture below. I guess the good news is they are pretty docile. They are only known to attack humans if they feel threatened. [I hope.]

After doing a lot of googling I am amazed that it is this far east. How did it get here? Maybe it decided to go for a stroll on the beach. ha! Now if I was in the mountains I wouldn't think twice about this. I would already be on the look out. But here? I just hope the poor thing doesn't get hurt by a human or a car.

Welcome December - Freebies

Welcome December. Can you believe it is December? Where did the year go? I am in shock. I am starting the month with these lovely magazine covers. They are so much fun and have so many possibilities.

She is rushing home before the storm. Just one more thing to pick up before she can relax and start worrying about the Holiday food. She just couldn't resist that art magazine.

I am feeling this couple is a little cold and can't wait to get home for a hot toddy or cocoa. They have spent the day at Rockefeller center watching them put up the giant Christmas tree and then ice skating the afternoon away. He is feeling a little miffed because everyone keeps calling his wife his daughter.

I am hoping this gentlemen is off buying something wonderful for his wife. Maybe a piece of art, a painting, or some art supplies to fill her studio with.

The Red Leaf

Here on the coast it has finally turned Fall. We have had a lot of warm days so it was slow coming. This weekend everything just sort of popped red. This is a leaf from a Bradford Pear tree. They are described as heart shaped. I was able to get some beautiful pictures of the trees this year. I just wanted to share this one with you.

Four Letter Words - Look