Moody Monday: Live

First you get some "live" crawfish...

Next you throw them in a boiling pot...

Then you enjoy a nice cajun delicacy!

Thursday Challenge: Home

This home is the eternal home of someone I do not know. Sometimes I wonder what my gravestone will look like. Morbid, huh? I've already told my family I want a black casket and not white. White caskets remind me of white tuxes—a bad idea.

Lens Day Challenge: Fast

Beautiful Sunday: September 10, 2006

See more of "Beautiful Sunday". Beautiful Sunday

Photo Friday: Boy

Thursday Challenge: School

Junk or Masterpiece?

Why can't it be both?. I read in "Life Weekend Magazine" about a sculptor named Patrick Amiot who makes the most amazing folk art out of discarded junk. Very whimsical and unique, the sculptures decorate his front yard in Sebastopol, California. Inspires you to create designs from your own garbage treasure. Check out his gallery at Patrick Amiot.

Wonderful Paper Flowers!

These paper flower pomanders are gorgeous and here's the link on how to make them! Go check it out. Something Old, Something New

"The World of Elegance"

At Inspiration Challenge, the theme is: "The World of Elegance". Silver + crystal + vintage ornaments = elegance (to me at least). Inspiration Challenge

Beautiful Sunday: September 3, 2006

You might wonder why I consider this "beautiful". This is a monkey carved from a coconut that I've had since I was a child. I picked it out when my parents and I took a trip to Hawaii in the 70s. I will never throw it out. I love the colors and the way the artist carved the face. I like the leather ears and the marble eyes. More than anything it is the memories of the vacation that make this my "beautiful sunday" choice.
Beautiful Sunday

Picture Words

Here's a new photo challenge that I've discovered. "Picture Words" posts a quote that each participant interprets with their own photo. This week the quote is,"In the early morning - shine". The contrast of the sunshine on the green grass with the shady play spot in the background caught my eye. Picture Words

Photo Friday: Silver

Fall is coming in fast and this seemed appropriate for the upcoming football season and the theme of "silver" over at Photo Friday.

Thursday Challenge: Color

This is a photo of a group of old sap buckets I use to put flowers in. I thought the grouping was worth a pic.

Lensday Challenge: Golden

Beautiful Sunday: August 27, 2006

Cemeteries are a favorite place of mine to go take photos. The old tombstones, mausoleums and statues are especially beautiful.
Beautiful Sunday

Illustration Friday: Run

"Run, run, fast as you can. You can't can't me I'm the Gingerbread Man!"

Photo Friday: Circle

Thursday Challenge: Plant

Now I hope you notice this photo has two examples of "plant".:-) One: it's a cemetery and two: the poppy and wildflower seeds were "planted" here and bloom each spring. This cemetery has been a/r for over one hundred years, the wildflowers just make it that more scenic. I drive by this each year telling myself to take a picture and this year I did.

Picture Words

Here's a new photo challenge that I've discovered. "Picture Words" posts a quote that each participant interprets with their own photo. This week the quote is,"Cities need old buildings". I totally agree with that idea. Old buildings have so much character that is hard to reproduce. This church is over 100 years old. Picture Words

Moody Monday: Proud

Illustration Friday: Match

Photo Friday: Friend

Thursday Challenge: Hot

Lensday Challenge: Multiples

Moody Monday: Moving

This is a crop from the signage of "The World's Largest Traveling Reptile Show":-). They had a 950 lb. crocodile from the Amazon—"ALIVE", another alligator as well as snakes and reptiles of all kinds. I like the retro looking graphics in their display. They seem to capture the feel of a bygone era.

It's Hot Outside...

It's hot outside but also "beautiful". Beautiful Sunday

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.