Requiem

I wanted to work with some really rich deep colors here. The roses are photos from my yard overlayed (opacity reduced) onto a beautiful image from Dover copy free images. Latin illumination from Dover also added.

After the long Thanksgiving weekend (I'm still washing dishes!) I am turning my thoughts toward the Holidays now. I am not an overly religious person but I find myself drawn to the more spiritual nature in art and imagery and love to work with these kinds of images to create a mood and a feeling rather than something commercial or trendy. Certain images just jump out at me and I have to work with them; create something new with them, something that touches and expresses a deep part of me. Perhaps a part that is longing to be exposed but is reluctant. Art is the inner voice.

Winter's Journey

This is my entry for the 4x4 Friday challenge where the theme is "snow" this week. Imagery credits go to Holliewood at deviantart scraps, Dover books, and wikimedia ( for snowflakes). Soft and gradient filters used for effects.

It is getting cold outside, I'm bundling up and have built some hearth fires recently. We don't get much snow here on the California coast, mainly rain. But Mount Tamalpais (our sacred mountain) here does gets dusted from time to time bringing great beauty. I am ready to welcome winter now; to go inside, to dream, to prepare for the turning of the wheel again. A time to reflect on the passed year and prepare for a time of stillness. A time to enter Winter's journey.

Far, Far Away

This is my entry for the Digital Whisper Group challenge (Castle in the Sky). I overlayed the beautiful image from Kimmie over a background from Z-tampf and the wonderful image of the young girl from Magic Moonlight Free images . With her head in the clouds she dreams of far away enchanted places!

Folklore

I ran across this wonderful image of Rip Van Winkle over at Marsha's (Tumblefish Studio freebie) and thought it would be perfect for this week's Take A Word challenge "Men". An old American folklore tale of time travel in a sense where on old man falls into a long slumber only to awaken to a new time; his family and friends gone and having to deal with all things new and unfamiliar. I overlayed some old calendars to represent the passage of time. Background from Scrapbookgraphics (Tempest). Soft and gradient light filters used for ageing in Photoshop.

I want to thank everyone who visited me on my last post about my Mother's passing away a few days ago. Your kind comments are a true comfort and help me feel connected. My mind is racing a bit, filled with memory and now with Thanksgiving approaching, family events are all the more meaningful. I am doing a big family meal this year and although (my) family members will not be present, my Husband's wonderful family will be here to carry on the light and sharing of past, present and future gatherings of laughter and Thankfulness.

Remembrance

Little did I know that when I was creating this collage two days ago that my Mother quietly had passed away. She has been ill and it was not unexpected, but wow feelings (good and bad) do flood in and leave you a bit numb. I wanted to created some great collage using old photos of her and me when I was little but frankly it was just too hard. I thought that this beautiful image just about says it all and I overlayed a little of my Mom's handwriting from the back of some old photos.
I think it will take some time to sort out my feelings. I will try to remember the good things ,the good times and the things we had in common and the things we didn't have in common sure made life interesting!

Tender Gardener

Tender gardener
Nightblooming jasmine music
fills your heart with song.

This is my entry for the Collage Obsession challenge "Tenderness" and the Theme Thursday challenge this week "Faces".
Imagery credits go to e-vint.com, vintage botanical clippings and scrapbookgraphics all blended in PSE.

Luna Pearl

This is my entry for the Take A Word challenge this week where the chosen word is "Moon".

I have always been a follower of the moon's phases and cycles. The progression of the waxing and waning; coming full circle and then to start over again gives a lovely rhythm to our days. Nature makes sense to me. There is a definitive connection to how our natural world works in relation to our inner lives. Amidst the profusion of high technology and broad communications we still are driven by the inner clock, the seasons, the pull of the moon and it's phases whether we recognize it or not.

Credits for this digital collage go to Dover, Holliewood at deviantartscraps, and wikimedia. All imagery blended and artistic filters added in Photoshop.

The River Guardian

This is my entry for the Take A Word challenge this week where the theme is "Angel" . I've been away for five days enjoying a little trip to San Antonio Texas while my husband was at a conference (I got to play and sightsee). A beautiful river walk and true Texas hospitality made for a lovely short trip! Credits for this digital collage are imagery from Dover books, scrapbookgraphics and a beautiful dandelion photo from Digital-Whisper blog all blended and colored in Photoshop.

Hats and Crowns Postcard

This is my entry for the Sunday Postcard Art challenge this week to make a postcard with "Hats and Crowns". I love this medieval image from Dover books and overlayed it on a rubberstamped artist paper background. I scanned in into the computer , added postal stamps and digitally colored with artistic filters.

Ondine

This piece was inspired by an Irish film I recently saw by the same name. Ondine is a water nymph or elemental who if comes onto land and marries risks losing her immortality but of course finds true love in return. The image credits for this piece are from Dover and scrapbookgraphics blended and layered in Photoshop.

Dream Theatre

This is my digital entry for The Three Muses challenge where the theme this week is "Showtime". Using images from Vintage-blog and deviantartscraps (Holliewood) I envisioned a Modern dancer in the spotlight.