Digital Collage - Abandoned

Abandoned started with a friend emailing me this photo of this house. She had gotten it off the Internet from Scotamus. She asked me to do something with it. She knew this house from when when was younger and just sort of stumbled upon this photograph. Funny how that can happen. I thought it felt like the season of spookiness and Halloween. The girl in the window is my friend when she was a child, the two ghost children are unknown relatives, and the assorted crows and ravens are my photos.

Abandoned can mean so many things -houses, friends, family, a child, hopes, dreams, art... What makes someone just walk away? Can someone explain that to me? I like to think that it is for the best. That the person walks away because he or she is doing the right thing... dreams lost. We walk away because we don't like the way something is turning out, or the feelings it is churning up, or maybe it is lack of resources... we tell our self that we will get back to this when we have more time, more money, more... So, today I call an old friend I haven't talked to in awhile, finish a project I set aside, and started one that has been flitting around in my head.

Art Creations Friday - He Gave Her Everything...

Art Creations Friday had us using this wonderful image of this woman. She is so pretty and full of joy, yet at the same time a little questioning. I decided to go vintage with her. There was no other choice. I am wondering if one person can give another everything they need....

Theme Thursday Challenge - ATC with a Bird

This is my entry for Theme Thursday Challenge this week. We are to make and ATC using a bird as the main image or in the background. I decided to use the bird as the main image. I had this ATC sitting on my work table with a "Citrol Solve National Geographic" background I had made weeks ago. [You apply Citrol Solve cleaner in the concentrate form onto the National Geographic magazine pages. Let sit for a half hour or so, then tear the magazine apart and let the pages dry. It moves the ink around on the page and makes cool backgrounds. You can find the citrol solve at healthfood stores in their cleaning department area.] Any hoo here is my bird, nestler is anyone who "makes a nest."

Digital Collage - Autumn Numbers

Thought I would share this digital piece with you. It is pretty abstract. I have been really into numbers lately. Sometimes you just have to go with it. If you scroll down a bit I have another digital collage for the Three Muses Numerology theme.

Louisa May Alcott Freebies

Louisa May Alcott

Louisa May Alcott's head stone just in time for Halloween

Alcott family headstone

Louisa May Alcott was editor for a time to this magazine.

The front door to Orchard House just in case some one wants to do something cool with it.

Orchard House

I have always been rather enchanted with Louisa May Alcott. The romantic in me speaks. The large loving family of sisters. The ability to write such charming stories. To think she shared ideas and walked in the woods with Emerson makes my heart stand still. I thought I would share these images in a bigger format than a collage sheet. I hope you have fun with them.

Four Letter Words - Book

Freebie Collage Sheet - Louisa May Alcott #2

Here is the second sheet. I hope you will enjoy! Make some art, read a book... read a book to a child.

Quote - Women must....

Freebie Collage Sheet - Louisa May Alcott

Here is the first of two freebie collage sheets I made with Louisa May Alcott images. I unearthed a few of her books in my collection last night. I made the mistake of opening one and reading a bit - half way through the night. I forgot how much I loved the warmth and innocence of her books. Some of them have the grit of everyday life, but yet this eternal hope. I decided to do some art work with her - thus - these collage sheets. I thought I would share and maybe you will remember some great moments when you were able to read her books.

Three Muses Challenge - Numbers

This week for the Three Muses Challenge the theme is numbers. I have been working on a bunch of digital backgrounds and numbers was one of them. I tweaked this one a bit and added the school and the lovely Math teacher. Women like this taught future engineers who designed our road and bridge systems, along with some of those first skyscrapers. Amazing. This challenge was really a treat to work on. I can't wait to see everyone's interpretation of this theme.

Block Fever

The block swap at In this house and garden Yahoo group inspired a private larger swap. I thought I would share with you the blocks I have done with this swap. I chose a couple to show you up close and personal. It is always hard for me to work on things for someone else. I want them to be perfect and for them to be happy with them. The artist I am swapping with does incredible things. This whole group is truly making me step up in different ways and it is truly a wonderful challenge. So, grab a block and make some art!

Blocks, Blocks, Blocks

These are my offerings for the second round of the the block swap at In this house and garden Yahoo group. Each person has three blocks and we send them off to four other people to complete a side. A total of five people - five sides. These are Sarah's blocks. They are really cool. They will be amazing when they are completed.

In fact they inspired me to do some similar blocks. I just had a friend's husband cut me a whole box of blocks. I asked for three large cubes so I could make some similar to these. I can't wait to get started on them. I am getting block fever...

Three Muses Challenge - Zlightly Zetti

Here is my entry for the Three Muses Challenge. It is to have stripes and be Zetti. Thank goodness for all of Teesha Moore's Zetti images. I have used a wide array of them in this collage. The bird is from an antique print. The background is various inks and paints on watercolor paper. It is postcard size and will probably be sent to a very good blog friend to decorate her new guest room- studio, till her beautiful new studio is finished being built.

Theme Thursday - Wings

This week for Theme Thursday the theme is "Wings." We are to make anything we want as long as it has wings. I decided to stick to the Halloween/Haunted House thing as today is the first day of October. The house is from a slew of deserted and old houses in Detroit. The script is from the Graphics Fairy.

I am thinking this witch is reading up on her spells. Her pet owl is just waiting for her signal, and they are both wishing someone would come and fill their house with love and tenderness. Even a small remodel would work.

Freebies - Welcome October!

I love the Blood Moon and falling leaves in this cover.

Isn't she lovely. The graphics in this are terrific!

I love the yellow dress and long black gloves. So glamorous.

This makes me want to throw a party. I love the fall with the clearer, cooler air.

She looks like she is waiting for someone so she can share something important.

Here are a couple of magazine covers to start you off with October. I am using these to mark the week in my daily Journal. I can't believe October is here. Where is the time going? It is cool today and tonight it actually might go down to 59 degrees. I can't wait to go to the mountains to see the leaves change colors.

Digital Collage - Lost Heart

Tonight I just felt like I needed a break from my studio. I have all sorts of things drying and in various stages of incompleteness. I thought I would work on a couple of collages and then go back to scissors, paint and glue. I need to complete something.

The background for this collage is from a graffiti wall in Mexico, the image of the house is an old North Carolina farmhouse that has been walked out on. Literally it looks like someone just up and left. The door is wide open, the screen is torn, the yard is all overgrown. Inside is empty but not vandalized. The girl is another graffiti photo I took in London - attributed but unsigned to Jef Aerosal.

The past few days I have seen or heard so many heart breaking stories from friends, neighbors, and the ones I love. I keep reminding myself that these are just small bits from a much larger picture. A picture filled with hope, kindness, and love. The title of this collage says it all.

Look What is in My Tree - Felt Birdies

This weekend brought a couple of new felt birdies to my house. I am finding that making these little birdies are extremely relaxing. They just sort of form themselves. The smallest one is the top one, he is about two inches high. The blue bird thinks he is so pretty - he has a large head. All ego. These little birds just make me smile. This is a great project for when you are watching a movie or a show.

Digital Collage - Birthday Girl

This is my attempt in working with some rolled paint backgrounds and the paint bucket on Photo Shop. I have always loved this photographed. The two siblings standing so proud by the door, the little boy with no shoes, and off to the side the neighbor kids watching - hands in mouth. It reminds me of this wonderful photo of my second birthday with the neighbor kids hanging over the fence. The gawk factor. Obviously, this must be a day to remember, the girl seems dressed up compared to the boy. I am thinking it is her birthday. And for one day she gets to be the center of attention.

Freebies - Girls Girls Girls

This is my favorite little model and I think this is my favorite picture of her.

A pink rose on pink Saturday for you.

She looks so sweet, and ready to be up and going.

Her eyes are so beautiful and full of expression.

She looks so vulnerable, the Julia Roberts of her day?

I almost forgot to post my freebies this week. I have no idea where my head is. It must be all the rain. Yes, I am blaming it on the rain... I hope you enjoy all of these.

Art Creations Friday - Life Can be Quite a Ride

This is my entry for Art Creations Friday. They gave us this sweet little girl image and told us to make art with her. I am working on cutting and pasting things with photo shop so I thought putting her arm around the birds neck would be a challenge. I watch these birds everyday. I find them fascinating. I want a ride...

The Three Muses Challenge - Windows

This week the Three Muses Challenge is windows. Ooh, one of my favorites, right up there with doors. I really wanted to play around with this theme. Windows can mean so much. I think we give each person a little glimpse of who we are when we see them. A window into our self. Sometimes they get it right, sometimes not. Then, the longer they know you they think they "know" you, "know" how you think, how you feel. Not so. We are forever changing. Our windows are clean, dirty, open, closed, the screen is on....