Peacock Masquerade ATC swap

Peacock ATC

Just finished this mixed media art trading card (2.5" x 3.5") for peacock/masquerade- themed swap over at CreativeSouls. Mediums include watercolor, inktense & metallic pencils, pigma & pitt pens, markers, plus some white & gold paint on watercolor paper.

It seems like I haven't had time to create anything in ages & had a lot more fun than I'd expected. At first the prompt wasn't talking to me, so I put the tunes on random & poked around DeviantArt for a stock model to play with. Many thanks to FetishFarieStock for sharing her lovely photo PeacockIII.

Then Josh Ritter's Rattling Locks kicked on and everything fell into place. Once the paint dries I'll give this little lady a UV-resistant topcoat & backing board ... and send her on her way. I'm past deadline  - I am a terrible swap partner.  Playing along is great fun, but I have some major time management issues. (Elayne, if you're reading this, your altered tea box will be on its way soon - promise!!)

Do you participate in art swaps? If so, what are your favorite things to create and trade? 

Every Anime Opening Ever Made

Procrastinating today & stumbled across this fun melange, edited by Derek Leiu of KickInTheHead.org

Steampunk Pick Up Lines

(c) 2011 Julie Ray Photography, Model  Sarah Hunter, costume Brute Force Studios

"You look just like a girlfriend I once assembled…"

The Tampa Bay Steampunk Society is holding a Cheesy Pick-up line contest & the choice phrases were featured yesterday over at the always entertaining Dr. Fantastique's Show Of Wonders. Worth a click thru - some very silly stuff...  

Steampunk Pick-up Lines for Wooing that Special Lady (or Gentleman) 


Just in case you are actually tempted to try out any of those oh-so-tawdry pick up lines, first take some advice from those perpetually fun-tastic gents, The Cog Is Dead:

Thank yous to Thomas Galvin for posting this lovely lady to the Central Florida Steampunk Association's FaceBook page.  This fab photo was taken by Julie Ray Photography, Model is Sarah Hunter, costume is by Brute Force Studios & hair by Debra Weine.

Almost Wordless Wednesday - Shopping Karma

The Young Mad Scientist's First Alphabet Blocks from XylocopaDesign.Etsy.com

Bought

Water Baby - Piazza Navona

Blue Alchemy

A Woman Scorned

Howling Woman / Night Music

Butterfly Charmer

Sold

Mellow Musical Monday

Wow - my 1st Musical Monday of the year - I missed last week trying to get back into the groove after winter break.

The whirlwind that was Nov / Dec finally took its toll, so I've been nursing a minor plague.  It has been a terribly self indulgent recharging of batteries:. lots of sleep, toast & oceans of tea consumed along with several Cassandra Clare novels and Season 1 of The Vampire Diaries. 

Finally broke down & checked out Pinterest - fun stuff! I'd been avoiding what I thought was yet another time sucking social media experiment. While the distraction potential is high, it seems like a great way to stash bookmarked faves & online muses all in one place.

(In real-life my overflowing file cabinet is filled with bursting "inspiration" folders with silly titles like Kinds of Blue and Venus Envy). If you're a fan of Pinterest, leave your address in the comments - I'd love to see what pulls your trigger. 

While flushing out my laptop's saved bits this morning, I'm enjoying the snippets that caught my ear in 2011. Today's Musical Monday theme is a "freebie" - for a variety of tunes pop over to Xmas Dolly's blog hop. While you're there, why not jump on board and add your own ?

Portland Headlight

Portland Head Light photos by Dan & Tricia DiLorenzo

Over the winter break, we visited some of my old stompin' grounds. 'Twas a crisp & blustery day filled with family & fun. 

watercolor by Hopper at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Commissioned by George Washington, the lighthouse has inspired a number of visitors over the years including Edward Hopper & Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

The Lighthouse 

by HW.Longfellow

The rocky ledge runs far into the sea,
   And on its outer point, some miles away,
The Lighthouse lifts its massive masonry,
   A pillar of fire by night, of cloud by day. 

Even at this distance I can see the tides,
   Upheaving, break unheard along its base,
A speechless wrath, that rises and subsides
   In the white lip and tremor of the face. 

 

And as the evening darkens, lo! how bright,
   Through the deep purple of the twilight air,
Beams forth the sudden radiance of its light
   With strange, unearthly splendor in the glare! 

                                                  (click here for full poem) 

2012 - Suspension of Disbelief

We have winners! 2 very lucky folks are starting off their New Year with cool free stuff - woo hoo!

Sue Ann from SueAnn.blogspot.com

&

Kat from Emkat-creations.blogspot.com

are the winners of this fun random drawing!

Congrats, Ladies!

 You have each won a $10 gift certificate to MeifaithStudio.etsy.com!

Things are a bit chaotic around here - we are winding down our annual 1/1 feast and a few guests remain. I will contact you tomorrow with instructions for claiming your prizes :) What a great way to start the New Year!!

Jump-starting 2012.... Instead of a resolution this year, I am going with a thought.... Suspension of Disbelief... While I have no trouble with this in the movies, in life....hmmm... not so much. I've decided this is my daily mantra and let the cards fall where they may. Should make for an interesting year - I will keep you posted.

Latest Q & A from Seth Apter's The Pulse

Still surfing the net tonight? The talented & always entertaining mixed media artist Seth Apter has posted some responses to his question 'If you could take a class from one artist from anytime in history, including the present, who would it be and why?' on his wonderful blog today. 'Tis fun to see how many of us responded with the master Leonardo DaVinci. Actually my geeky-self is honored to be included in such an illustrious crowd tonight. Click Here for the latest chapter of Seth's ongoing survey - The Pulse

Best wishes to all for a Happy, Healthy & Creative 2012!