Three Muses - Time

Time ... when we're young, it seems to go so slow; when we're old, it seems to go so fast; and in the middle, there's never enough of it!   Credit for the clock faces to Jen U Designs, and the image is a vintage freebie.   Happy New Year everyone!

Digital Whisper - 2016

Image is from a vintage postcard.   HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Take a Word - 2016

The year has only started, and she already has time on her hands!  Face by Tumblefish Studios.  Happy New Year to all my cyber friends!

Three Muses - Altered Master

This is a blend of a Klimt background and a Waterhouse image.   I enjoy harvesting pieces of classic art and creating something new and different.   It was fun introducing Klimt to Waterhouse!   This was originally created for the Digitalmania Flickr site. 

Take a Word - Red and Green

Red and green spells Christmas to me!  I'm not much for the new laser lights and glitzy, fancy trees.  I'm just an old-fashioned girl --- in fact I'm just an old girl!   Merry Christmas to everyone!

Three Muses - Rainbow

Somehow, the concept of Santa riding a rainbow struck my fancy, and I was off and running.   Trying to get Santa and his sleigh to curve exactly right was a bit of a challenge, I admit, but I'll bet the old fellow had the time of his life!  Everything cybersurfed, of course.   Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or Joyous Kwanzaa, whichever fits your faith!   May the holiday season bring you rainbows and lollipops!

Dezinaworld - Rich

Some people think rich is all about having lots of money.  If that's the case, why are so many rich people unhappy?   Just askin' ......    And just exactly what IS rich anyway?   Just askin'  ....

Take a Word - Winter

Winter is an anomaly this year in my part of the world.  The past three days have been in the 60s, when the norm is as it appears above.   We have the distinct feeling that winter will come with a vengeance when it chooses.  In the meantime, we're enjoying the balmy weather, so I had to borrow a photo from last year.  Anyway, MERRY CHRISTMAS from my house to yours!

Digital Whisper - Stocking

 

I've been in a flurry of making gifts and addressing cards, so I admit I've plagarized myself for this challenge.  I've just hung my stocking on my frosty window, and wishing good cheer to everyone!

Three Muses - Games

My favorite game is Scrabble.  I play several games on line every day, and I've spent many pleasant hours with family or friends kibitzing at the Scrabble board, from a sandy beach in Florida to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, to my home, wherever it might be.  The photo, one I use in some way every Christmas,  is of my childhood church and superimposed on it is a wood Santa I crafted many years ago.  Scrabble letters and letter bag were googled.   Thank you for sharing my memories!

Take a Word - Sepia

I've always envied women with hair a rich, chestnut color some call auburn, but which is like a luxurious, polished sepia.   I've a friend and a niece with hair of that color.  Both bring sunshine with them when they enter a room, their smiles infectious and their outlook on life always upbeat.   The beautiful woman pictured here has been in my archives forever, and I've long since forgotten the source.  I think Fancy's pensive look must cover a fiery spirit and a wondrous smile!   Thanks for visiting. 

Digital Whisper - Frost

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at our house, and I'm getting in the spirit.  Christmas always conjures up memories of the little country church of my childhood, and the hard-working folk of faith who gathered there every Sunday.  Somehow everyone found time to attend church on Christmas Eve to hear the reading of the story of Christ's birth from the Bible, and to raise their voices in the old traditional hymns.  Today's big churches and noisy modern music make me long for that simple time.   When the amplifiers are turned up, I often wonder if God is wearing ear plugs!  

Three Muses - Marrakech

I love Moroccan jewelry and rich fabrics.  I'd love to have a necklace of talismans, but for now I settle for window shopping and day dreaming! 

Dezinaworld - Theatre

Musical Theatre is the challenge this week at Dezinaworld.  Credit to Tangie Baxter for the curtains and chandelier.  The dancers are from  my stash, source lost in the mists of time.  Thanks for visiting!

Take a Word - Container

Many credits due here.  Box and window frame:  Jen U Designs.  Some jewelry to C R Designs. some to Lorie Davison at SBG,  some to Irene Alexeeva.  Vase to Itkupilli.  I "made" the table, and the outside scene is one of my oil paintings.   Given that my mouse is erratic (to say the least) since I loaded Windows 10, I was quite grumpy when I finished this.  Is anyone else having the same problem with Windows 10?  Their forum seems to indicate I am definitely not alone!

Digital Whisper - Best Friends

A vintage "take" on the challenge of "Best Friends".   I always look at vintage photos and wonder how their lives went, where they lived, how they lived, and what their world was like.  Did they stay best friends, or did their lives go in different directions?  Hmmm.  I wonder.

Three Muses - Flying

A bit of fancy over the skyline of my city.  Wouldn't it be fun to just pedal over your world for a look-see? 

Take a Word - Silhouette

The dancer is from a vintage Vogue magazine cover, background several blended layers.   Thanks for stopping by.

Dezinaworld - Graveyard

Given the dreadful terrorist attacks in Paris, this piece I called "Sorrow" seems timely.   It started with a photo of a stone angel, and I used many filters and blending to achieve the above effect.  Thank you for visiting.

Three Muses - Transportation

Ahhh.  Come away with me Lucille, in my merry Oldsmobile... My gentleman is courtesy of Land of Nod, and his horseless carriage is from Finecrafted Designs.  Background and house are cybersurfed.  I seem to be in a vintage mode of late.  Thanks for visiting!

Take a Word - China

This is after the style of Jacub Gagnon.   My mother's "Sunday dishes" came from Montgomery Ward, but Sunday table was always set on crisp white table linen.   I followed in her footsteps, and fine china was not part of my home either, but the tradition of family together at dinnertime was honored in my home as well.   I have fond memories of the sit-down Sunday dinners with family gathered all around.  Somehow, on Sunday there was always time for church before the big Sunday dinners which were served promptly at noon.  Whatever happened to that tradition anyway?  

Digital Whisper - Shoes

Milady's gone shopping with shoes in mind.   The window scene is from a poster for a broadway play with Phil Silvers and Nanette Fabray.  I'm sorry, I've lost the source for milady.   Thanks for stopping by!

Dezinaworld - Sisters

June's challenge at Dezinaworld this week is "Sisters".  This piece features an 1884 painting by Abbot Thayer, altered somewhat.  Background is a blend of several pieces.  I appreciate your visit and your comments.

Three Muses - Quirks

Oh, let me count the quirks!  I'm a control freak.  I always read the last page of a book before I buy it.  Anything ostentatious or pretentious REALLY turns me off.   Every November I buy a pumpkin pie, and eat pumpkin pie for breakfast, lunch and dinner until it's gone.  (I'm currently in the midst of that quirk!)   I avoid negative people.   I'm addicted to chai latte.   .......and that's probably all you need to know about me!  

Take a Word - Wings

Wings are the theme this week at Take a Word.   Some elements I've used are credit to Irene Alexeeva.   This is an unusual grouping, it just sort of evolved before my very eyes!  

Digital Whisper - American Indian

I've taken a rather glum approach to the challenge,  but I often wonder what the old chieftans would think of our mistreatment of Mother Earth.  Chief Seattle of the Suquamish was such a wise man.  You may want to check HERE to read more of his thoughts.   This was, of course, in 1854.  What would he say if he were alive today?  

Three Muses - Windmill

When I was a child, many of the little farms had windmills.  Turned by the ceaseless prairie winds of central Illinois, they served to pump cool water into tanks for the farm animals, as in the photo (which is from an ad for wind turbines!)  My prairie lady is from a book cover.   On a recent visit "back home" most of the barns are gone or in sad disrepair, and the windmills are gone, replaced near the home of my childhood by wind turbines.   Time marches on, but in my memory I can still hear the soothing distant creak of the windmill turning gently in the prairie breeze. 

Dezinaworld 11/3

Good luck to June and her new Tuesday Cheeky Challenge!   Thanks for the lovely image, June, and thanks, blog friends, for your visit.

Take a Word - Balloon

Looks like the circus is coming to town.  I heard the elephant hates trains and has chosen a novel mode of transportation.   Don't ask.  That's what my muse told me!   Thanks for indulging me!

Digital Whisper - Ballet

Patti has chosen "Ballet" as the theme for this week's challenge.  My background is a number of posters with a pastel overlay, and the ballet slippers were cybersurfed.  Thanks for visiting!

Three Muses - Haute Couture

Ladies like nothing better than some secluded little shop.  What a find!   (Ladies compliments of Tangie Baxter).  Thanks for your visit.

Take a Word - Nature

Mother Nature is at her most glorious in my world at the moment.  The trees are gloriously red, gold and russet, and leaves are drifting gently down like rain.  It is the most magical time of year in Indiana.   This photo of my great grandsons was taken near my home....except, of course, for the sketched scarecrow!  Our driveway is carpeted with leaves much as this path is. 

Digital Whisper - Parrot

A bit of out of bounds art for this week's parrot challenge at Digital Whisper.

Three Muses - Nick Bantock

It's difficult to choose a favorite artist, but I do love Nick Bantock's mail art, especially those with an African theme.   Here's my effort at his style.  Thanks for visiting.

Take a Word - Orange and Black

Once a year the friendly spook in my stash wanders out to say BOO!   This seems to be the time, and Take a Word seems to be the place!   Thanks for your visit.

CASTLE

What little girl (and big girl, for that matter) hasn't dreamed of a grand castle and a handsome prince?  This piece has more layers than I care to count and bits and pieces from my stash and found treasures while cybersurfing.  It was great fun! 

Take a Word - Witchy

It's these modern witches you have to watch out for.  Sometimes it's hard to know which witch is which.  They could be anywhere on a dark night!   My witch is from Sharing Tubes, her hat, shoes and cat are from my stash.  Thanks for stopping by for a spell .......    

Postage Stamp People

The theme this week is postage stamp people.  It's always fun to start with a stamp and go cybersurfing for a body to match.  This is a collage of things India, some filters and overlay!   Thanks for your visit.

Take a Word - Mail Art

It used to be a trip to the mailbox was a certain excitement, and letters were such pleasant surprises.  In today's world of e-mail and texting, letters are becoming extinct and a trip to the mailbox seems to involve only bills and junk mail.  How sad!   I'm sure Miss Matilda found a trip to the mailbox the highlight of one of her days there in Paradise!   Thanks for stopping by my fantasy!

Digital Whisper - Gas pump

Our challenge this week at Digital Whisper is "Gas Pump".  The background for the above piece is a slightly altered copy of a mural in my home town of Pontiac, Illinois, painted by the group of mural painters called Wall Dogs.   I've replaced the gas pumps on the mural with the Texaco pump, and added the vintage auto from my stash.  Pontiac is a wonderful little town on old Route 66, now a tourist spot for many, including Europeans who wish to see middle America of that era.   Click on the link above to see more of their murals. 

Three Muses - Music

Music is our theme at Three Muses, and blending and layering at our Flickr Digitalmania challenge site.  I've combined the two here.  Several background layers and a couple of silhouettes, with the featured singer being Adam Levine.   Blending and layering is always fun!   Thanks for stopping by.

Digital Whisper - Goldfish

My muse went wandering off with the "goldfish" challenge at Digital Whisper.  I'm not sure this fellow will win the stylin' contest, but he seems to think he's mighty fine!   He's from a coloring book, filled with fabric samples.   Thanks for indulging my silliness!

Take a Word - Moon

Marie has chosen "Moon" for the theme of our art at Take a Word this week.   I've opted for a serene night scene with a full moon's path across the water.   Everything was cybersurfed.  Thanks for your visit.

Three Muses - Apples

Autumn and apple barns are synonymous to me.  There's nothing like the smell of an apple barn filled with baskets of fresh, crisp apples.   My mother bought 4 1/2 bushels every autumn (the amount never varied).  Some were stored in bins in our storm cellar for winter treats, and the rest were peeled, sliced, and cooked with sugar and cinnamon, and canned, the jars added to the shelves in the storm cellar where she proudly displayed rows of canned bounty from her garden.   Memories are gossamer things, hidden in the shadows of our mind and brought back by certain sights and scents.   So it is that autumn and apple barns bring back pleasant memories for me.  Thanks for visiting here, my friends.  My wee apple gatherers are compliments of Jesse Wilcox Smith. 

Three Muses - Whites

Ann has asked us to create white art this week.  Credits to Finecrafted Designs.

Take a Word - Blues

I always enjoy working with blue. It's one of my favorite colors!  Thanks for visiting.

Digital Whisper - Umbrella

Obviously a lady with a purpose, and she's taking her dreams along.  Good for her!   Credit to Finecrafted Designs...and I've lost the source of the umbrella.  If anyone knows let me know!

Three Muses - Autumn

This is a photo from a visit to this lovely old inn in Story, Indiana a couple of years ago with some long-time friends.  It's said to be haunted, but the spirit didn't join us for our lunch!  The walls inside are filled with items from yesterday, the tables and chairs are a collection of primitive furniture repurposed and dressed with vintage linens and candles.  Icy cold sweet tea is served in Mason jars, the food is wonderful, and the ambiance is superb.  The scarecrow is one of my sketches.   Autumn in Indiana is a wondrous spectacle! 

Take a Word - School

School is the challenge theme this week.  Of course I think of the little one-room country school I attended, Grade 1 through 8.  (Yes, I really did!)   Our teacher had to arrive early in winter to build a fire in the pot-bellied stove that provided heat.  This is a composite collage reminiscent of those little country schools.  My aunt taught at one.  She boarded with the family of one of her students, and rode a horse to the school every day!   We children used to hope to be lucky enough to be the one chosen to take the erasers outside to clear them of chalk dust by beating them together.  Times have changed a bit!