You Tickle My Fancy

You Tickle My Fancy by Nancy Lefko

Isn't this a fun collage? I was, ehem, helping Santa & looking for cool stuff on Etsy when this charming gentleman offered to carry my bags. Next thing I know, he's taken up residence on my wall-o-other-people's-great-art. 

An Odd Variety by Nancy Lefko

He fits in nicely but is causing a bit of a stir with the ladies.

Cocktail Party Fairy by Nancy Lefko

Hmm... 

I'll have have to keep an eye on those 2...or maybe he has a brother?

I am thrilled to own these original collages by the talented Nancy Lefko, but you can still pick up a print of An Odd Variety by clicking here. If you've not visited this artist's fun online shop, CollageArtGirl.Etsy.com,  pop by for a few minutes. She has a wonderful collection of original collages and prints in a variety of sizes. Most feature vintage portraits and all are really well priced.  These lovely ladies are easy on the eyes & budget!

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Ooh - I almost forgot - It is your last chance to enter the 12/16 random drawing for a print of Kailey Lang's Fishes Wishes. Leave a comment on this blog before 1 a.m. (EST) on 12/16 & you will be included in the drawing. For more about the artist & to see the prize, click here.

Mix It Up With Melange Challenge - Wander

Red's Walk

Little Red has found her way home from Ybor City just in time for this week's Melange challenge prompt, Wander. She'd been hanging out over at Arts On 9th but they are in the process of moving to a larger space.

Though I'm rather attached to her, I've added Red's Walk to my ArtSnark etsy shop. Just click on the photo above to visit listing.

If you were visiting here last year, you may remember this piece's early stages; here it is pre-color. I started with some torn scrapbook paper glued on to 8 x 10 canvas board. Then I cut text (printed from an 1834 copy of Red Riding Hood) for the dress & trees. The basket is woven from tiny calendar pages. Red was drawn in pencil & ink. Final colors are from markers, watercolor, colored pencils & paint pen. The final piece is sprayed with a UV resistant finish and mounted under glass. I made a thin wooden shadow box insert so that the piece does not touch the glass.

If you get a chance today, pop over to the MelangeOnEtsy blog & see what Wander-ful pieces have been added (Check the the comment section for links). This challenge is open to anyone working in mixed media so if you are feeling inspired please leave a link to your piece.

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

Jumpy Jester Goes Sky Diving

First a special thanks to Kathy Maximo for lending me her photo of the challenge kit as I deleted mine. See her finished piece on her blog here. Each participant got a manila envelope containing a small folded bit of corrugated cardboard plus all these lovely bits:The idea was to create something using all (or all but 2) of these elements. Use a substrate of your choosing plus your own paints or whatever. Each participant was also allowed to add 1 item of their own, if desired.

So here is Jumpy Jester


And his hot air balloon
Sorry the pic is such crap - it was too windy to shoot outside today.

Here's a few detail shots.

The balloon is "powered" by faux candle, my extra piece.

Balloon & basket are paper mache."Sandbags" are clear plastic chips.
The wire on edge of chips was removed to make the Jester's joints

Backside of jester is colored bingo sheet.
Anchor is altered puzzle piece.
The "pull" is cut from a King of clubs playing card

And here is the jester just hanging around.

There is also a large colored ring on top but you can't see it in these pics. Out of necessity, I used all of the items in the package. I also tested the rules & used the shipping envelope plus the little piece of included cardboard. These added some much needed structure. I took a lot of WIP photos. Thinking about posting a tutorial if anyone is interested.

Early next week, the Melange On Etsy Blog should have images of the other entries. I'll add a link so you can see all the fun creations. Melange members have a sneak peek in our yahoo photos. There are some very cool interpretations. Each piece is one of a kind & very creative

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OFF TOPIC: Illustration Friday prompt is "fleeting". That describes my free time this weekend! Hope to post something but not sure if I'll find the chance. Please play along (such a fun word) or see what others have posted by clicking on the link.

Free To Be ...Random Thoughts Tuesday

Aunt Sue stopped by today with some of my old records. Anybody remember Free To Be You & Me? I played it to death in the early 70s. All I really remember about the 70s was hideous fashion.

I'm the goofball with the Dorothy Hamill hair. One of my more coordinated outfits. I recall lots of mismatched neon & plaid

My 5 yr old saw the record & asked How do you get it in the CD player? Imagine, someday his kid'll ask What's a CD Player?

He also tells me he's working on the cheat-code to buy everything in the world without spending any of his own money.... Guess he's going into banking....

The ArtFreebies blog has some new Easter themed copyright-free images to play with here & here

Cafe Press has free shipping on orders over $50 til April 2 - get code & details here

If you're in Tampa on 4/2 there's free chocolate martinis & treats at City Street Sweets' new Lava Lounge

Feeling Lucky? Lisa Falon is giving away this cool piece on her blog - click here for rules

Last year I bought a wonderful drawing from her etsy shop Meluseena .

Portrait of a boy with eyes askance by Lisa Falon

Today my Uncle Jeff told me about his WW1 postcard collection. Passed down through the family & he's not sure what he wants to do with it. I tried not to drool. Thinking I should offer to inventory it. Scan the good ones for future collage projects....

If you have an interest in WW1 or just like reading blogs that are different from the norm, this is 1 of my favorites: WW1 Experiences of an English Soldier

Here's a couple of postcards from my collection. Both state Published by W.R. Thompson & CO. (Richmond , VA) and 1 is postmarked 1942. It's ok with me if you want to use them in a project. Be warned tho that with such a late date somebody probably has a copyright on them. I dunno.

Who knew inoculations could be so much fun?!

The fellow who sent this 1 wrote: Army Life isn't too bad. The gave me size 9E - I have to take 2 steps before my shoes move.


Just for kicks, here's a couple of receipt tickets from the empire state building for all you collage artists out there.

And if you need a little less structure today, pop over to see The Un Mom, fearless leader of the random pack

Monday's Muse - What Did You Learn Today?

My Mum always said you should make a point of learning something new every day. I took this to heart as a kid & even went through a reading the dictionary phase (pretentious little runt). Somewhere along the way the gears have slipped and I've become quite bored with myself.

Some super creative people are into the make-a-piece-of-art-a-day movement. This is very cool but I know I won't find the time. Think I'll revive the old learn something each day. Today I've learned 2 things.

The 1st should have been a gimme I suppose :
don't leave the broiler unattended!

The grill ran out of gas 1/2 way through dinner so I turned on the broiler to finish. Got sidetracked & whoopsy - Giant flames shooting out of the oven! Nearly lost my eyebrows but I have to admit it was very exciting. Had a good laugh too when my husband looked at the black mess smoking in the trashcan & asked "What? We're not going to eat that?" He's a major omnivore & master of the poker face (he used to be a professional blackjack player). I actually thought he was serious for about 30 seconds.

collage by Nancy Lefko

Today's 2nd lesson is far more interesting. I've signed up for Nancy Lefko's Mixed Media/ Collage Backgrounds workshop. I am simply crazy for Nancy's art & very excited. Her online classes are just starting and really well priced. You can find out more at Creative Workshops. Or just enjoy her wonderful blog & etsy shop. OK, gotta go put on my smarty pants & learn somethin'. Catch you later

Sneak Peek- My little house

Someday is not a day of the week ~Author Unknown

I should tattoo this to my forehead - in reverse of course ;D

After a major attack of Duh, a couple of ugly blunders, 2 dying printers & an inordinate amount of procrastinating ....FINITO. Sheesh! To quote that learned sage Anonymous once more: If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done.

While fussing over partners for the Hot House Flower - I (thankfully) got a clue...hot house...wildfire charity...duhuhuha...my Freudian slip was showing (again). Really, I'm not tacky on purpose...I just let my subconscious take over more than I should. Thought I was channeling this whole Spicy Diva/Orchid kind of theme...nahhh

Ok. Searched thru the hundreds of unprinted images I've hidden in the computer & found a piece I made for ZNE Verses last year. I'd digitally collaged a charcoal drawing from 20+ yrs ago with a couple of my photos & a leaf skeleton to accompany a St Patrick's Day poem. Resized the piece to house specs and ...nothin....printers died. Back burner time.

Unfortunately "the back burner" is code for no man's land in this studio. Finally got it together, printed, cut, pasted, painted, drawn over & scribbled on.. Coated with UV resistant finish, felted bottom & .....hated it. Too clean. More scribbles, a couple small tears, sandpapered & grungy markers on edges and....blah...but so overdue I'm calling it done. Will photo sides in the sun tomorrow (note to self: get better lighting) and submit to the OzBushfireAppeal shop.

Pyrrha

Child of Pandora, Pyrrha was also the niece (& daughter in law) of Prometheus. When Zeus decided at the end of the Bronze Age to flood the world, Pyrrha & her husband Deucallion built an ark, survived & repopulated the world by tossing rocks over their shoulders. The rocks became the next generation.

I recently discovered the Artarazzi challenges & made this for Challenge #8 (Alter Waterhouse's Boreas & use orange)

The fire in image is courtesy of PDPhoto.org

Red's Walk

Finally back to the drawing board. It seems like I haven't done anything creative in a very long while. I've a series of finished pieces in my head. Now it is time to finally get them down. Mind, they tend to take on a life of their own.

Like a child in the woods, they sometimes get distracted and wander off the path.....

Here is one in progress. The text is from an 1834 copy of Little Red Riding Hood. It will be interesting to see where she leads ......