Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge-Harvest

When Maggie challenged us with creating an image about a Harvest I was stumped.  My cherry tomatoes are hanging in there but it's certainly not something to blog about.  I decided that a mermaid might have a harvest of sorts.  If I were swimming in the sea, I'd harvest the most beautiful seashells I could find.  Of course, they'd have to be seashells that didn't have critters living in them.  Those deserve to stay in the sea.

Credits for Image Componenets:
Pewter 7, Far Far Hill, Dover Publications, The Maltese Scrapper, Artgal, Crafty Button Designs, DBS Digiscraps, Beez Designs, and Scrappin' Serenity.

Advantages of Time

After creating this digital collage, I decided to go ahead an post it because the Take a Word Challenge this week is "Time."  I felt that it fit the theme.  I won't say anything else about it other than this image is part of a passion series I'm working on.  If you'd like a visual treat, visit the Take a Word blog here.


Credits for Image Components:
Cajoline, Mommyish, Effie, Far Far Hill, Just for Fun Designs, EloDesigns, Digilicious, Rachael's Scraps, Aimee Harrison, Butterfly Design, Mariscrap, Elo Designs, LJS Digital Designs, Linda Lou Creations, Desert Bloom Designs, Janet Scott Designs, Cajoline, Miriam's Scraps, Prairie Song Scraps

Sweet Scents Freebie-Scrap Matters August 2013 Colour Challenge

Well, Kim B. did it again over at Scrap Matters.  She hosted a color challenge with a beautiful and irresistible color palette.  It made me think of vintage perfume labels, so that was my inspiration.  The fun thing about her challenges is that you receive a free mini kit just for playing. 

 

Download the kit here. 

I love your feedback, so please take a moment to leave a comment.  If you like my work, sign up to follow so you don't miss any freebies.  Have a wonderful day creating with Sweet Scents.  Thanks for stopping by.

Until next time,

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge-Postcards

The weekly art challenge at Inspiration Avenue was to create something in the size of a postcard.  We're also hosting an altered postcard swap in September, so I decided to combine the two.  I took a funny travel postcard and altered it digitally.  Here is the result.

One of the things that had inspired me was a lovely photo of a preying mantis my husband made.  (Or is it praying mantis?)  It was crawling on our hibiscus plant a couple of days ago.  

Photo by Tracy Hamby

If you'd like to see all of the wonderful postcard entries for this week's challenge, just click here.

To find out more about the Altered Postcard Swap, click on the button at the top of my right sidebar.  We'd love to have your participation. 

Inspiration Avenue-Altered Postcard Swap

Over at Inspiration Avenue, we're hosting a fun altered postcard swap.  If you click on the button in my right sidebar, you'll be swept over to IA so you can get the details.  I've posted some altered postcards I found to help inspire you!

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I tried to select a variety to inspire you.  When I googled "altered postcards" I found so many I was like a kid in a candy store.  I can't wait to get busy altering some postcards of my own.  To join our fun swap, visit us at Inspiration Avenue  here.

Mailbox Surprise-Alpha Stamps Sea Sirens Swap

In my previous post, I showed the three ATCs I made for a swap hosted by Alpha Stamps.  I have to admit that I enjoyed making them and found it difficult to part with them when it came time to put them in the mail.  It's not that I'm a selfish person.  I just get attached to inanimate objects.  The only thing that makes it palatable is that I know I will receive three lovely surprises in the mail.  Today, I opened the padded envelope with excitement.  And I was not disappointed!

 I love the little bottle attached to this one.  It's such a special accent that is perfect with the glittered seashells and jeweled flower scattered on the card with it.  It looks like it washed up on the beach.

 This one has a real seashell, aqua fibers, and some lovely seashells that are very French. 

 The last one's photo really doesn't do it justice.  The dangling shell sequins, fish net, and jewels give it such a special texture.  The layered fish are very cleverly placed as well.

I love all three of these beautiful sea siren ATCs.  I'm so glad I joined this swap because I not only got to create some special images, I received beautiful art to treasure.  I get so many ideas from the work of other artists.  It was lots of fun and I can't wait to do another one.  In fact, I'm working on altered bingo cards right now and will be sharing those soon.  Over at Inspiration Avenue, we'll be hosting a special postcard related swap next month so I guess I will be busy.  

Until next time,

Sea Sirens ATC Swap

I recently participated in an Alphastamps swap.  I created three ATCs on the theme of Sea Sirens and I will soon receive three from different artists in the mail.  I can't wait!  Here are the three I made:

I used chalk pastels for the backgrounds in all three.  The mermaids were printed from a collage sheet purchased from AlphaStamps.  (I had to use one of their images)  I added fibers, paper shells, sequins, pearls, sea shells, brass shells, and sand to give added depth and texture.  I must not forget glitter!  The mermaids are adorned with some glittery accents.  I really liked what I made and I'm working on a larger 5x7 version to put in my Etsy shop.  I can't wait to get the swapped ATCs in the mail!

Journal Journeys Route 4-What is Holding You Back?

This is the final week of the "Outside the Box Journal Journeys."  I have copied the challenge posed by Altered Amanda:

I can't think of any time in my life when I felt bound up that I wasn't asked to let go of something to embrace freedom. I couldn't hold onto what was familiar, comfortable and "safe" and still grasp freedom. It is a paradox.
 

As a teenager I read a prayer that has stuck with me all my life. The poignant phrase was: "Help us to open the doors of the prisons that have kept us bound; even the ones that have come to feel safe and familiar while truly being life-stealers. "  

That has been repeated by me countless times. It always feels a bit risky to let go of something you have been holding onto tightly.  Kinda like a hand cramp-you know?, when it has been there so long that your hand takes awhile to relax? But oh, when it finally does, it feels GOOD! And then you are able to grasp "the new"!!!

What is holding you back? The breezes of freedom are blowing, and you can ride the wind just as much as anyone else if you will take the risk and let go of whatever prison bars you may have.  Share that with your page. 

Now for my take on it:

Three years ago, I left a career that was comfortable and familiar.  I felt I was quite skilled in my chosen profession when I walked away from it.  The idea that it was a "life-stealer" is so pertinent.  I did it because I was seeking freedom to explore what made me happy.  I wanted to define myself in my own terms, not those that were imposed upon me by others.  It's never easy to shed something that is comfortable and familiar and expose yourself to the unknown.  

This prompt helped me realize two things.  The first is that only I am holding me back.  The second is that I must continue to venture into the unknown to seek that which I am looking for.  I stepped off the curb and I need to keep moving.  It's not such a bad thing!

View the gallery here.

Credits for Image Components:
Outside the Box Studios-Antiquities & Oddities, Journal Pack 1, Beautiful Souls Mini, and Disasterpiece Studios Flings. 

Journal Journeys Route 3-No Rain, No Rainbows

Altered Amanda from Outside the Box Studios asked, "What heats you up, in a good way? Gets you jazzed? What colors do you associate with that? What soothes you? Is it an activity? A person? A food? All of the above?"  She pointed out the beauty of contrast. If you never had sadness, would you recognize happiness?  These ends of the spectrum help to create our "Life's Rainbow."

I thought about a quote I saw on a T-Shirt in Kauai.   It might sound strange but that T-shirt had a profound effect on my outlook in life.  "No rain...no rainbows." It occurred to me that, without rain, there would also be few flowers.  So there it was.

Credits for image components:
Outside the Box Studios-Journal Journeys Pack 1 and 2,  Oddities and Antiquities, R Intention, and Shoes by Rebecca B. (Publikado)
Fonts-You Wish You Were a Shirley and Teenage Girl
Brushes-Getting Painty (Cluster Queen Creations)

Inspiration Avenue Challenge-Time

Over at Inspiration Avenue this week, Maggie challenged us with creating an image about Time.  That told me it was time to play.  I've been doing some colorful art journal pages lately so this challenge sparked an urge for me to play with vibrant colors.  No serious thoughts or messages.  Just silliness. 

But seriously, why don't butterflies come in paisley?  Must they all be so symmetrical?

Credits for image components:

Pewter 7, Mye DeLeon, Creative Elegance Designs, APD, Aneczkaw, Cajoline, Delicious Scraps, ckh (Stampgram's Studio), Happy to Create, AM Designs, Booland Designs, and Fonts-"You Wish You Were a Shirley" and "Teenage Girl"

At the Beach-Pixel Scrapper August 2013 Blog Train

Get on board another fabulous Pixel Scrapper Blog Train.  This time we're headed for the beach!  Here is my contribution.  The papers and elements are divided into two zip files due to their size.

Papers

Elements

As always, I really do appreciate your comments.  Please take a moment to leave feedback for me.  To see the rest of the fabulous parts of this blog train return to Pixel Scrapper here.