Beautiful Sunday: August 13, 2006

Something rusted, distressed, old and ultimately "beautiful". Check out other "beautiful" things. Beautiful Sunday

Illustration Friday: Play

At Illustration Friday, the theme is "Play". It didn't take too long to come up with my idea and sketch. As much as I spend on my computer "working", I spend just as much sometimes in "playing".

Black & White Photo Challenge: Music

Seasons

Inspiration Thursday's challenge for this week is an open challenge. My entry for this week is "Seasons", melted crayon on paper. I did this technique for Illustration Friday a couple of weeks ago and I love this. So I did more.

Photo Friday: Four

Inspire Me Thursday: Black & White

Art Blog Challenge: Danger

Thursday Challenge: Happy

There's something about this groovy polyester quilt that makes my happy. Maybe it's the colors but probably it's the idea that people used to wear clothes made out of these pieces of fabric. Then they'd look in the mirror and think, "Man, I look gooood." :-)

Illustration Friday: Capture

Beautiful Sunday: August 6, 2006

For "Beautiful Sunday" my post an illustration from a vintage childrens' book. I found it in a flea market. The book is "Little Pictures of Japan", illustrated by Katharine Sturges. All the pictures in it are beautiful. Beautiful Sunday

Photo Friday: Private

Thursday Challenge: Sky

Lensday Challenge: Worn

Tribute to Jackson Pollock

Playing around with my melted crayons again. Went abstract this time and channeled Jackson Pollock. I love the textures and colors that this technique creates. Crayons deserve more respect! :-)

Istockphoto Announces Istockvideo!

iStock is now accepting videos. Submit your video clips, animations, and stock footage today to sell at the world's most popular royalty-free image market. Clips go on sale September 5th, 2006 at iStockvideo, so get the camera out of the box and start shooting. Become an iStock Videographer today. If you're only a photographer, and haven't joined, what are you waiting for? :-)

Gee's Bend Quilts Postage Stamps

Found this over at Decor 8. This is my second post on quilting for this week, but this deserves a mention as well. The United States Postal Service is issuing stamps honoring the quilts of Gee's Bend, AL. Like it was mentioned on Decor 8, these would look great framed. decor8: Stamps: Gee's Bend Quilts The history of the Gee's Bend Quilts is really interesting. These quilt designs were passed down through generations from the 1800s and art critics have compared these quilts to the works of Henri Matisse and Paul Klee. Read more about Gee's Bend History here. Quilts of Gee's Bend

Illustration Friday: Clean

Illustration Friday's theme is "Clean". I missed last week at Inspire Me Thursday when the theme was "Child's Play" so this is for both. This is melted crayon on sketchbook paper. I think Monet when I look at it. When I took art when I was young, this was one of my favorite exercises. All you need is a candle, some paper and some crayons and just go for it. I didn't know what my subject was going to be when I started with the blue. Out came a relaxing "clean", island in the ocean untouched by man.

Beautiful Sunday: July 30, 2006

For "Beautiful Sunday" my post is a retro map from the 1950s. I found it in a flea market. It's a folded map that doubles as a postcard that tourists sent to friends. I love bright, retro illustrations and think they're just "beautiful". Check out other beautiful things. Beautiful Sunday

A Billboard AND a Sundial

Innovative new billboard for McDonald's. Even though it might not work when cloudy, it definitely generates some buzz. McDonald's tells you it's ALWAYS time for McDonald's. Time For McDonald's

Photo Friday: Portrait

Portrait of LaVita

Drunk Love in a Log Cabin

If you're a quilter, I'm sure you know the name, Denyse Schmidt, but I just heard about her a few years ago in Martha Stewart Living Magazine. She makes art quilts and they are fabulous. "Drunk Love in a Log Cabin" is one of her designs, along with "What a Bunch of Squares" and "Snake Charmer". She also has a line of stationary that is wonderful as well. Her style is very graphic and colorful. You can tell she has graphic design in her background. Go take a peek. Denyse Schmidt Quilts.

Thursday Challenge: Sports

Lensday Challenge: Shallow

Start A Story

Need another project to get those creative juices flowing? "Start A Story" is a website where many different illustrators design and tell a story panel by panel. One illustrator starts a story with one illlustrated panel and the beginning of a "story". Different artists add to the story panel by panel. You end up with an entertaining tale with many different endings that are illustrated and narrated by numerous artists. Confused? Me too. Go see it for yourself. Start A Story.

Moody Monday: Exotic

I read that pandas will be extinct within the next hundred years unless more steps are taken to preserve its habitat. Read more about the Giant Panda at the World Wildlife Fund. This panda bear was in the mood to pose for the camera and be very "exotic". Check out other "exotics" at Moody Monday

Beautiful Sunday: July 23, 2006

This is a polar bear from a new exhibit at the zoo. This bear loved the water (or maybe just trying to stay cool). He swam back and forth in front of the viewing tank. It was relaxing to sit and watch—and very beautiful. If you'd like to contribute something beautiful for Sundays, here's the link to the flikr group. Beautiful Sunday

Black & White Photo Challenge: In The City

Photo Friday: Common

One of the most "common" wildflowers in the United States is Queen Anne's Lace. It is related to the carrot and its root smells like a carrot and is edible. It's latin name is, "daucus carota". Many people consider this flower a weed because it is so common. I find it very beautiful with it's lacy, white flower. These ants find it particularly attractive as well.

Thursday Challenge: Stuff

Some of my "stuff". I collect vintage anthropomorphic (non-human things that have human characteristics) salt and pepper shakers. Mostly fruit and veggie people, but also animals. They're suprisingly hard to find unless you go to Ebay. If you want a closer look at them, go see my flikr set: Fruit & Veggie People Shakers. They're so ugly they're cute. :-)

Lens Day Challenge: Minimal

Digital Drool: Insects

Come see the "Cicadas" in concert! More popular than the "Beatles"! Get your tickets TODAY!

Moody Monday: Hot

The theme for "Moody Monday" is "Hot". It's not the heat, it's the humidity. :-)

Beautiful Sunday: July 16, 2006

This is my first post for "Beautiful Sunday" even though I have followed it for some time. I love this photo because the colors just pop. The red, retro, Ford truck against the green, grassy backdrop was so beautiful it actually drew me to take its photo. If you'd like to contribute something beautiful for Sundays, here's the link. Beautiful Sunday.

Studio Friday: View From Above

The topic from "Studio Friday" is "View From Above". (If you would like to contribute the link is on my right sidebar.) It is a completely different view from above. Welcome to my narrow hallway studio. I'm amazed at how much I can cram in here. :-)

Black & White Photo Challenge: Overexposed

If you're up for another photo challenge, try Black & White Photo Challenge.

Illustration Friday: Sacrifice

I started out wanting to do this simple graphic collage. Then I started layering oil pastels and acrylic. I like the color and the texture of how it turned out.

Photo Friday: Remarkable

Sand Sculpture today on Martha

Saw a wonderful sand sculptor today on Martha Stewart. His name is John Gowdy. He's a firefighter and artist from New Jersey who specializes in sand sculpture demonstration, exhibitions and instruction. Very inspirational. Worth a peek.

Kayak.com Commercials—Excellent!

These commercials by "Kayak.com" are great and each one is a different reason to use the website to plan your vacation. My favorites are for "Explore Alaska Before Big Oil" and "Glacier Park Melts". These are funny and very creative, but the message also hits too close to home—conserve our natural resources before they are gone. Kayak.com Commercials

Lensday Challenge: Graffiti

Thursday Challenge: Animals

"No pictures please."

Inspire Me Thursday & Studio Friday

This is my piece for Inspire Me Thursday and Studio Friday. I used acrylic paint, oil pastels, ink, collage (old coin wrappers, bubble gum wrappers), cotton, tissue paper, and photo transfers from a magazine. On the photo transfer I used packing tape and the tutorial at Inspire Me Thursday. This was my first time to use this technique and I really liked it. Look forward to more experimentations with it.

My concept came from our trip to Florida this summer. Our family likes vacations that are more "natural" and we visited a spot on Florida's gulf coast that is relatively untouched by development. Each year we go, though, more and more developing is going on. Like everything else it's all about the almighty dollar (or coin, :-) ). Anyway, these were the thoughts in my head as this piece developed.

Digital Drool: Field

Watering the football field to get ready for this fall. It looks refreshing on a hot summer's day.

Create Your Own Nesting Dolls

Found this over at Kim Carney's Something To Say blog. She is a wealth of information for creative projects and resources. Here's her Self-Portrait Nesting Doll. What a neat idea. Her blog is a daily read for me and a constant source of inspiration. :-)

Moody Monday: Infectious

Sweet Dreams

Just picked this book up and I can't wait to use it. Ever since I was young I've always had vivid dreams. I use to record them when I was in elementary school. I know I still dream often but I can't seem to remember them like I could when I was younger. I want to start a dream journal and try to remember them. This book is so excellent, it's like a reference book for everything in your dreams. I realize it's not that simple to "just look up" a dream's meaning but it does give some insight that you might not have thought of. Sweet Dreams. 20,000 Dreams, By Mary Summer Rain

Illustration Friday: Skyline

Once again I experimented with a tissue paper collage. I really like how this one turned out.

Trailer Park Figures, What Next?

Went to the movies today and saw these in a bubblegum machine. They're "Trailer Park" figurines by the creator of Homies®. Sad to say that I wanted one but my husband wouldn't give me $.50. :-( Guess I'm out of the loop, because I just found out what "Homies®" are. (In case you don't know either, here's their website and an interview with their creator: Homies® Website

Photo Friday: Summer

What's on Your Desk?

Found this site through Ideas on Ideas. Would you like to take a peek at other creatives' workspaces? Check out On My Desk. Go take a tour, then show us yours.