The Artist's Playroom Challenge-Rainbow

Jenn challenged us to make an image with rainbow colors.  I decided to construct a rainbow with seven layers for each color.  Once I made the design, I wanted to spread it out in an arch, like a rainbow.  Little did I know that Photoshop Elements doesn't have an easy way to draw a curved line.  I researched it and did a lot of trial and error.  When I finished, I felt like I hadn't created any great masterpiece.  I had, however, given myself some fun and a challenge.  Overall, the fun won out.  I guess my inner child got to play on the computer.  Thank you Jenn, for encouraging fun and experimentation in art.

Collage Obsession-Illuminated Letters Challenge

The challenge this week at Collage Obsessions was to create an image with the letter "F."  I experimented with layers and patterns in Photoshop Elements and came up with this.

Inspiration Avenue's New Challenge-Postcard Swap

We're having a fun swap over at Inspiration Avenue! If you want some fun postcard backs for your designer postcards, check out Scrappin' Cop.  (You can link through the button at the bottom of my blog.)  There is a freebie there for a whole sheet of backsides of postcards.    I'll be stepping away from being all digital with this swap and I'm really looking forward to it.  Click on the button that says, "P.S." for more info.

Inspiration Avenue Challenge-Poetry

I put together this digital collage as my entry for the Inspiration Avenue Challenge this week.  Since April is Poetry Month, Diane challenged us to use a poem in our artwork.   I selected the first two stanzas of a poem about one of my favorite spring flowers.

Sunday Postcard Challenge-Blossom

Credits:  Far Far Hill, LindaLou Creations, Virginia Adkins, My 4 Princesses Designs, Psychozoe Designs, Tigroune, EMS Arts, Granny Enchanted, Mistica, Dee Dee's Delights, and Courtney's Digiscrappin'.

Inspiration Avenue Challenge-Foliage

This collage is for the Artist's Playroom Challenge-My Season

Once again it's raining buckets.  I guess the plants here will be happy. 

So Artful Challenge-Rainbows

Yesterday it poured buckets of rain here.  I made this image showing mermaids frolicking in the waves.

Credits: Dover Mermaids, Kaklei Designs Frame, Linda Lou Creations-Sun

Digitalmania Challenge-John William Waterhouse

Credits:   John Waterhouse, Pixie Treasures, and Far Far Hill.

Sunday Postcard Challenge-Zetti Easter

Yesterday I was looking at all of the wonderful entries from the Inspiration Avenue challenge.  Frida Kahlo was the theme.  The person in charge of the challenge commented that she'd love to see Frida Kahlo as the Easter Bunny, painting beautiful eggs.  That was all I needed.  Of course, Frida was busy delivering eggs while Diego continued paining. 

Credits:  Far Far Hill, Google Images, Granny Enchanted, Cajoline, Tigroune, and Nothing But Freebies.

Easter Frame

The photo in this picture was taken in 1962.  My brother, J.R., helped steer me to my hidden Easter basket.  I was 1 1/2 years old and he was 4 1/2.  I have some fun memories of Easter with him.


Credits:  Raspberry Road Frame, Cajoline, Nothing but Freebies, Courtney's Digiscrappin', Tigroune, Far Far Hill, and Annie's 4 Corners.

Happy Easter

Credits:   Cajoline, Courtney's Digiscrappin, Granny Enchanted, Far Far Hill

Artist's Play Room Challenge-Create Art from Inspiration Around You

I played with virtual shadow boxes for the past couple of days.  It was great fun and I don't have any of the objects to physically put away.  I've learned so much about making 2 dimensional pictures look 3 dimensional but I have much to learn.  I was inspired by the work of L. K. Perella, who made some shadow boxes that she referred to as "Shrines of Forgotten Things."  She said, "My own artwork is for celebrating the humble and neglected."    This is something that I consider when I create a shadow box.

Credits:  Graphics Fairy, Far Far Hill, PMarie, Cajoline, Courtney's Digiscrappin, Efie, J Baechtold, Linda Lou Creations, Scrappin Cop, Raspberry Road, Fanette Design, Altered Bits, Correen Silke, Dover, Dees Delights, Granny Enchanted

Inspiration Avenue Challenge-Frida Kahlo

I've always been fascinated by Frida Kahlo's work.  Her self portraits were what I was most familiar with.  I especially am drawn to the animals and the botanical components in her images.  I looked at many more paintings and was fascinated with the varied subject matter.  There were several that represented her love for Diego Rivera.  Some others relayed great pain and loss.  The still life paintings of fruit and birds were also compelling.

I played with two self-portraits of hers and added my own features.  I wasn't sure if this would be disrespectful but I decided that it was not.  Her work is beautiful and her appearance is very different from mine.  One thing I felt I needed to add were eyebrows.  No imitation of a Frida Kahlo self portrait could be eyebrow-free.

I came upon a quote which I liked very much.

I tried to drown my sorrows, but the bastards learned how to swim, and now I am overwhelmed by this decent and good feeling. 

Frida Kahlo


Credits for elements-Far Far Hill, Linda Lou Creations, Cajoline, Tigroune, Dover, LieN-DC

Three Muses Challenge-Umbrella

The title of this collage is Wisteria.

See the other entries at this link
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/2012/04/three-muses-umbrella_04.html 

Credits:  Linda Lou Creations, Canon Creative Park, Far Far Hill, Graphics Fairy, and Google.

Take a Word Challenge-Eggs

I couldn't complete this challenge without playing with some fun vintage postcards.  Credits for the shared postcards go to Cajoline and Far Far Hill.

Artists Play Room Challenge

Jenn challenged us to take a word or our name and doodle.  I used two fonts in Photoshop to write the two words I used but the rest of the image is doodled by me.  I really wanted to grab a Photoshop brush and make my patterns tidy but I fought that urge and just drew the doodles on my tablet.  I did turn some of them into brushes to quickly multiply the patterns, but I still consider it an original doodle.  It was interesting to me that I resisted drawing, then posting this.  I had to think back to teaching third grade, when my students would tear something up because "it wasn't good enough."  I always encouraged them to work with it and that there was no such thing as "good or bad."  So here's my third grade inner child Lou Anne and her doodles from the play room.  Thank you Jenn!

Sunday Postcard Challenge-Venetian Masks

This collage shows a beautiful Venetian peacock mask adorned with individual peacock feathers and some jewels on a peacock patterned background.  Credits for the mask and the center sapphire-Cajoline,  other jewels-Scrappin' Cop, background-Far Far Hill, and feathers from Google.