Art On The Darkside Challenge - Ghosts of the Sea

Beneath The Waves Of Memory - Mixed Media

I made this piece to illustrate a collaborative poem created with some of my fellow ZNE members. I think it fits the eerie Art On The Dark Side prompt too.In a collaborative poem, one person writes a line and then someone else write the next & so it. Keeps rambling around for a week or so until it feels done. Sometimes it's good, sometimes doggerel but always fun to play with. Here is the poem we created last April:

Beneath the waves of Memory
lies a continent of Fear
forged from an Existence
In the past, yet so near.

Islands made of foolish dreams,
Mountains forged in Pain-
Some memories melt then disappear,
but others stay far too near

Remembering when I loved you,
that seems so long ago
diving floating rarely
surfacing for air.

Mists of memories linger
grasping fragments of the past
mixed with desperation
in a space that feels too vast.

Beneath the landscape of my pain
I try to drown you.
Why, oh why
do you always come up again
right to the surface of my heart?

The sadness is so sinking,
but it's hope that helps you rise.
Waterfalls of feelings
empty into pools of languid thought.

Suddenly, out of the darkness
deep within my soul
the flames of hope start burning
like a fire out of control.

Even the good memories hold their own pain
For I know you will never be with me again.
My arms ache for your body pressed to mine;
forever gone, never to be again.

by Stacey Merrill, Gina Smith, Harvestorm, Kathryn Virello, Cathy Minerva, Bernice Wagnitz, Allison Berringerm Heidi Eberle & Shelly Sparks

More ZNE poems (some with illustrations) can be viewed HERE
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Please note: I've stared taking entrants for a new giveaway. It is for the craft book The Scented House. For contest details & to see pictures from the book CLICK HERE. Just leave a comment on this blog before Thursday May 21 at noon (EST) to enter the random drawing.

We Have A Winner.... and a new giveaway!

Meant to post this sooner but my internet was down for some reason...grrr....talk about bad timing!

By the time the world came back online (just in time to stop my withdrawal symptoms), my faithful assistant was at his play date. So I popped over to Random.org. Thanks to Lisa Falzon for pointing this site out in on her latest giveaway post, by the way.

A hearty congrats to random pick # 23 - Rukshana Hooda ! !
I'll be contacted you today, Rushana for your mailing info.

I'm digging this Thursday Giveaway thing!

By the great response,I think you are too. So let's do it again!

I've decided to try & make Thursday Giveaways a weekly feature. While I'll be contributing prizes, I'm also looking for others who'd like to donate. I'd like to stick with either items you've made or supplies for creating anything.

What is in it for you besides that warm & fuzzy feeling that you've made some one's day? Well, my last 2 random giveaways had almost 100 entries each. I'm guessing that will continue to increase once Thursday Giveaway goes weekly. Thursday's Feature will be all about you as well as your generous prize. With links to your shops, blogs, websites & what have you. I will also be promoting your prize (plus your talented & generous nature, of course) through a variety of online venues.

The 2 jewelry designers who donated prizes earlier this year WillsOakStudio & CelticKnot saw an increase in traffic in their shops & blogs during the contests.

So, what do you think? If you are interested in participating just contact me (my email's on my profile or just leave a comment) and we'll set something up. Till then, here is the next prize:

The Scented House by Penny Black.

Recipes & techniques for "Creating beautiful & naturally fragrant accessories for every room in the house".

182 pages of how to make colognes,potpourri, floral waters, candles, pomanders, sachets, pressed flowers, garlands, stationary & soap

I bought this hardcover book a few years ago with heavenly scented intentions. But it is destash time! Was all set to list in my Etsy supplies shop.... but I do love making someones day so here we go: Just leave a comment on this blog sometime before noon (EST) next Thursday May 21. I'll post the random winner that afternoon. Give it a go, it could be you!

If you have any opinions or interest in the weekly contest idea,please leave those comments too!
As Always Thanks For Playing!

Hold Onto Your Hats!

The countdown is on - It is almost 2am (yikes- time for bed!) and less than 11 hrs remain to enter Thursday's Random Drawing. Just leave a comment & you could win a framed piece of art. Click HERE for details & to see the prize.

In the meantime, I'd like to share this silly little drawing

now available at ArtSnark on etsy

Random Tuesday Thoughts - yet again

Welcome back to another round of RTT!

Have a read, grab a button

& play along!

In a bit of a rush tonight so I'll just toss a few at'cha:

Why is it that I remember dead artists' birthdays but forget about my nieces & nephews?

Happy Birthday, Rosetti!!

Little Dude acted in a commercial today. By "acting" I mean danced around like a total spaz! He had a blast. Got to frolic with 2 older girls on a white set in beach gear (He's 5 & they're around 10). I guess they may be adding some beach background later? I dunno. One of the ad people for a local chain of sports pubs "discovered" him. My child is a conceited little ham ( I mean this is the best possible way) and may have found his calling. The best part was when the kids were told to laugh & he let out these wild whoops. The director told him "that's great- very Jack The Ripper....now LOOK AT THE CAMERA!"

My sister always had the acting bug & DH used to be a movie extra. I'll blame it on them. I was always the weird kid hiding in the corner with my nose in a book.

Dang! Gotta get the little guy to bed. We're reading from the Andrew Lost books each night. Highly recommended for inquisitive little minds. Silly science & full of words like "poop" and bad elephant jokes, regardless of subject.

Remember this one: What is grey, has 4 legs & a trunk? A mouse on vacation! ba-da-dum

If you haven't left a comment recently, please do. All comments placed before noon (EST) Thursday May 14 will be entered in a random drawing to win a piece of framed original art. To see details & prize, click HERE.

I just peeked at my dashboard & saw that Annette of Nut & Bee just posted the coolest little piece, Tempura House

I'll totally admit that I'm biased. I own a dozen of her prints & she has kindly loaned me her awesome octopus for my blog banner. That admission aside, run,don't walk , over to her website or etsy shop for the cutest "ooh" inducing selection of little critters

You can find at least one more little critter over at the Un-Mom today ("ooh" or "ick" ...you decide). There's also new neighbors and other wacky entertainment.....go check it out!

MM x2 = Atarazzi #22 + Altered Ancestors

okay, I kinda stink at math but this isn't really about that.

it's just another Melding-Monday.

meets

Both ask "What moves you today?" For obvious reasons, Mothers have been on my mind a lot lately. Both my Grandmother & Mother in Law passed away last spring. They've inspired several paintings that are still stuck in my head. Something about the latest Artarazzi challenge photo triggered one that I'd been thinking about for a while.

Started fiddling with something yesterday.

MariaPia (My husband's Mum) is on the left with 2 of her siblings.

Last night I dreamed Mercutio's Queen Mab soliloquy ...again.... yes, I am a dork. Had to memorize the blasted thing in high school & it's been haunting me ever since. Mind you I can't even remember my own cell phone number - bah!

So the faerie queen was rattling around in my nut while I played with the Artarazzi piece today. I was also trying to remember a Donovan tune from a million years ago (1971) called Queen Mab. Couldn't find a listen online but there's a teeny tiny snippet on Amazon (#27). For the curious, lyrics are here. I remember hearing this album a few times as a kid (Though where, I don't recall - all we had on vinyl in our house were Xmas carols, The Carpenters, John Denver & show tunes....seriously). Think I'd like to track down a copy but not willing to shell out a hundred bucks for nostalgia.

Where am I going with this?
I added this lovely lady from the Art Freebies blog

Then I tweaked some butterfly wings I had lying about.
And here's the final:

Somehow all the jumbly bits came together in this digital collage tentatively called Queen Mab's Children. To see more interpretations of the original challenge photo (or to play along) click here & then visit the Mr. Linky section on the upper right.

Tuesday Note: Came to grips with the fact that I probably won't get my Mother piece for the Melange challenge done in time, so submitted this one instead. Click here & go thru the comments to visit the other Melange entries. Also check the Melange Team blog Wednesday for this week's new Melange challenge prompt

Fri 29th note: Am I milking this post or what?! I just heard about inspiremethursday.com & they're talking about Altered Ancestors. This piece seems to fit. Click through & Go check 'em out. Or link your own creation. There's also lots of free stuff & giveaway links. Pretty cool place

Happy Mother's Day! - WIPs

I had some time today to play with a couple of mother-themed pieces.

Still have some work to do on them.
Hope to find more time this week to finish.

Both feature my Mother in law Maria Pia (on the left)

Hope all you Moms are having a fabulous day today!
Actually, I hope that everyone is having a great weekend

Lucky me - Lucky You! The Giveaways Continue...

Hello All. Been a very interesting few days. Lost the internet for awhile so more time for fun. Mostly just goofing off, housecleaning (ok not so fun), and making a dent in the pile of books by the bed. I really enjoyed Rebecca Stott's Ghostwalk & I'm 1/2 way though Emma Larkin's Secret Histories - Finding George Orwell in a Burmese Teashop.

On the aside, if you're curious about Orwell, check out one of my favorite blogs, Orwell Diaries. From the site: Since 9th August 2008, The Orwell Prize has been blogging George Orwell’s diaries... Each diary entry is published on the blog exactly seventy years after it was originally written by Orwell, beginning in 1938...


What's this got to do with luck & free stuff? Well, um, nothing ... so lets switch gears. 1st off, Lucky Me:

I just found out I'm featured on Jordanka Yaretz's fabulous blog today! This is a true pleasure as I am a HUGE fan of Jordanka's art. Please visit her etsy shop TreeArtist & check out her fabulous paintings. Bet she becomes one of your favorites too!

I also heard from the lovely Maria Therese of afiori.com that I was included in this elegant & ethereal treasury. Yay Me ;D

It just keeps getting better!! I was 1 of the random winners over at Cephalopod Tea Party last weekend!! And will soon be the very happy owner of this fun piece by the talented Sarah of IndustrialFairyTale . If you've got a few minutes, check out her website & blog. Well worth a visit!

Now, unlike my last giveaway, I won't be parting with my winnings. Instead I have decided to share the love by giving away one of my original drawings. Which leads us to the Lucky You part of today's post:

This charcoal & conte' figure is mounted under a hidden mat set into the wooden frame. Outside of the frame measures 9.5"H x 7.5"W x 1"D and has a lovely concave slope. Rather than relist this piece again at ArtSnark on Etsy, I've decided to have another random giveaway. Just leave a comment over the next week to be entered in the random drawing. For a 2nd chance to win, visit my etsy shop & then come back here and tell me your favorite piece in the shop. 1 random winner will be picked at noon (EST) on Thursday May 14th.

So that's all the news.. But enough about me. What have you guys been up to?