Theme Thursday Challenge - Flourish

Beauty on the Phone

 The beauty came from Art Freebies, the chandelier came from a Google and the flourish wall paper is from Flickr Collage Images and has been recolored.

Three Muses Challenge - Architecture

The sisters felt sorely out-of-place returning to the old homestead. They had truly... sadly... left their roots behind...

The cracker house photo came from the Florida State Photo Collection and Archives, the sisters were found during a Google search for vintage dress patterns.

T on Tuesdays

With all that's been happening lately, I almost forgot the tea party (hosted this week by Chriss of Paper Girls)!  But have no fear... I have my cup of Republic of Tea, Blackberry Sage Decaf here beside me. Wow.. the 70s huh? (theme for today) Hang on a sec... Have to take some photos...   
Okay I'm back... My mom and I used to exchange Asian tea sets at Christmas and on birthdays...  This is a set that I gave to my mom, when I was a teenager in the 70s.  The portrait this time is Mom. 

Saying good bye, in my own way...

I just got the call... My lovely mother-in-law is gone... I will miss her dearly. She's the closest to a mom that I've had since my mom passed in 1993. They were very much alike and would have been close in age. Both were creative souls and wonderful artists. One of Edna's paintings (that she had painted for her MIL) sits in my China cabinet with many of my treasured possessions... heirlooms passed down through generations... my mom's vintage ladies' head vases... my most prized teapots... I felt honored that she gave it to me when "Grandma Pearl" passed on. So, it takes it's place among my memories....

Godspeed lovely Edna...

Her Imagination Dances....

Among the Wood Sprites, her imagination danced along the lakeshore... 

Digital ATC for the TMTA (Dance) and Inspiration Avenue (Purple) Challenges. The dancer is from Flickr Collage Images. She is layered on a shape texture and altered. Clip art flourishes were added in 2 different layers and recolored, then the Wood Sprites found their way in...

Collage Obsession Challenge (Chinese Theme)

I didn't use the image provided, but I certainly followed the Chinese theme! Here's my digital collage for the Collage Obsession Challenge...

Two Challenges

I've been sitting here waiting for my hubber to call... So why not play around on the computer!  This digital collage is for the Sunday Post Card Challenge (Twins theme). I took a little bit different approach to this one. It also satisfies the Lots To Do Challenge (Use a machine to create art theme.) I used my laptop. All images came from Flickr Collage Images. Ladies and Gentlemen! Come one! Come all!

A bit of spring from the Sunshine State

To all my northern friends... Beach Sunflowers... they bloom year round...

Blue Symmetry... 3 Challenges

Blue Symmetry is a digital collage that I made for the Art Creations Friday Challenge, using the background provided. It also satisfies the 3 Muses Challenge theme, Nature, and the Inspiration Avenue theme of Reflection. I didn't plan it that way... but, hey... who am I to argue with serendipity?

This week's finds... and Blueberry Wine...

I happened upon a rummage sale on my way home today. I came away ($2 later) with  a small oil painting in it's original frame, and a 1951 Websters Tower Dictionary, beautifully showing its age.

The painting is "Scottish Highlands" by G. F. Bastian (?) It's very difficult to read the label on the back, impossible to read the signature on the painting.

 I also scored more vintage books at my favorite thrift store... "Antique Furniture; Explained and Illustrated" by K.W.M Bowers. It has lots of lovely line drawings. Another one is a 1944 edition of "Curtain Rises" by Quentin Reynolds. It has 2 signatures and 2 stamps of previous owners inside the front cover. It also has wonderfully aged pages. The last book I got wasn't as old, but it's just as beautiful... 1971 edition of "Victoriana" that is beautifully illustrated and has gorgeous photos...

and look at these wonderful dolls!

My favorite part, though, is the illustrations of lamps inside the front and back covers...

 

My other great "find" this week was a gift from a friend at work... a sample bottle of homemade Blueberry Wine...  It's yummy! Thanks Gene!

 

 The portrait in the background is my grandmother, my namesake (not Dianne, but my first name... but that's another post) at age 16.  I'm going to do some research on the painting. Maybe I'll have one of those wonderful "Antiques Roadshow" stories to tell later... You know... I bought it for a dollar and it's worth ten grand or something... lol... Wouldn't that be cool?!?!