Monday's Muse, Musical Monday & Melange Challenge

Today is just MM MM M good!

Night Sky Diver

It all started with the latest Melange art challenge. The prompt is FLY. That has me all over it. I have been obsessed with flight as far back as I can remember. If I wasn't up a tree, I was hiding in plain site on the roof. You'd be amazed how rarely adults look up. Or making kites. Or designing wings. Or ...you get the idea...

A Blustery Day

Al Stewart's Flying Sorcery (The Rhymes with Rooms version) has been stuck in my head for days. I tried to find a listen for you but couldn't locate anything longer than 30 seconds on Amazon. He covers all folks airborne from Icarus & DaVinci to Amy Johnson & The Red Baron. Click on the song title if you want to read the lyrics

Icarus Who?

Had a bazillion ideas in my head & half of them are actually doable. But the ole nemesis, Time, has been messing with my reality again. The challenge will be updated soon & I just can't let this one get away. So I'm just going to post some pieces you may have already seen here before. Sorry for the repetition.

Red's Escape

Basically, I've raided my etsy shop, ArtSnark, for this post.

Penny Farthing Dream

If you want a closer look just click on any pic

Spiral Diver

A little extra treat for Musical Monday, here's the opening sequence of The Last Exile. Song is Cloud Age Symphony by Shuntaro Okino. It has a really intriguing beginning.

It's a great story, by the way. Left me obsessed with the Immelmann Turn for a while. All I ever managed was this doodle though. I know it will be popping up again sometime soon.

Immelmann Turn

Final Thought:
Monday's Muse today addresses change. I firmly believe that change is good. My latest change has been the addition of Thursday Giveaways to this blog. It is just so much fun giving stuff away & the excitement the winners have is definitely contagious. This week's prize is Alisa Burke's Book Canvas Remix. Simply leave a comment on this blog before noon (EST) Thursday 6/11 to be entered in the random drawing. For details click HERE

Monday's Muse meets Musical Mondays

Oh, I had a dream
It seemed I stood alone
And the veil of all the years
Goes sinking from my eyes just like a stone

-from Nostradamus by Al Stewart

Sue's Girl Life size charcoal drawing

Reading some interesting blogs tonight & decided to get a head start on

Over at Moss Hill Studios JoAnna Pierotti is talking about Mothers. Leave a comment on her blog about your maternal influence - you could win a space in one of her online workshops.

The charcoal drawing above, Sue's Girl, was a gift for my mother several years ago. My Mom is an interesting woman. We've not always had the best relationship, but it has certainly never been dull. We are very different in many ways, but one thing we have in common is a strong belief in intuition and dream. I fear I'm sounding a bit flaky, so I'll leave it at that.

A visit to Joy To The Blog introduced me to Musical Mondays, a cool idea that starts over at Good Mourning Glory. GMG is also running a drawing for free music. Click on the button & check out the details.


Tonight's music has been background. Mostly Al Stewart's Rhymes in Rooms. One of my favorites is Nostradamus. Unfortunately the only versions I'm finding to share have dopey background stuff going on. So instead here's Clifton in the Rain

Mind Wide Open November Challenge

I've wanted to participate in these monthly challenges for a while. Each month Gail Schmidt puts a great image on her blog mind-wideopen.blogspot.com with a word or phrase for inspiration. Anyone who wants to can submit their interpretation. Readers then vote on their favorite piece. The winning artist gets a gift certificate to her store Shabby Cottage Studios

It is very cool to see the variety of art submitted each month. Go check it out if you get a chance.

For quite some time I've been intrigued by the Al Stewart song Fields of France. This month's MWO challenge image spoke to me immediately. So combining the 2 ideas, here is my end result. It can be hung on a wall or used as a suncatcher:

"Oh she looks, but there's nothing to see....still she looks, saying come back to me..."