Word Art Wednesday - March 28, 2012

Every week I wonder if I'll be able to meet the Word Art Wednesday deadline -- doubting it most of the way . . . and yet here I am again. 


Tonight I had a surprise visit from my friend Helen, so I figured I'd forgo participating in WAW this week because I hadn't had a chance to create anything yet. But on a whim, I invited Helen down to the art room with me . . . and she helped me create this week's word art! It was so much fun working with her! 


The word art is from I John 4:19:

The verse makes me think of God's ultimate expression of His love -- the death of Christ on the cross. So my original concept was to incorporate a tree inspired by some trees in an Easter book called On That Easter Morning -- and to make the trunk and branches the silhouette of Christ on the cross. However, my hand-drawn silhouette seemed too feminine for my liking, so Helen suggested using the actual image of Jesus on the cross so the piece would reflect the two people referred to in the verse (Him and me). I liked that idea and cut the appropriate image from an old children's bible story book (the text of which is too wishy-washy -- but I like the art). The woman/tree is suggestive of the growing Love that exists because of His sacrifice.  The jewels are the seeds of Love that fall and will grow -- because of Him (Helen and I tried several options before settling on the jewels!).

Now, it turns out Picasa (the free editing software I use) has updated its tools -- so after I scanned my piece, I spent a few minutes playing with the new features. Look at these cool images that came from that one scanned piece of my art: 

Are those not fun?!?!? I love how easy it is to make something new with the click of a mouse!


Anyway, if you'd like to participate in this week's Word Art Wednesday -- please link up with us! If you do, you might just win something from this week's sponsor, Shelly's Images. 

Eastering up the Eggs

At Easter time, I'm always on the look-out for interesting ways to make eggs pretty. Last night I was inspired by this post, so while I was cleaning up the kitchen, I boiled some eggs and mixed up some simple dyes --  water (just under a cup for each colour), food colouring (enough to make the water dark), and vinegar (about a tablespoon per colour) in three mugs. After the eggs were boiled, I cracked the shells a bit and put two in three different mugs. Then I poured the dyes I had mixed into the mugs. I stuck them in the fridge thinking they could colour over night and be for breakfast in the morning. 

Not sure what's up with that oily film in the pink dye!

The results were lovely, as you can see! It took all of about five minutes to add this extra touch of prettiness to a simple, nutritious snack.

The blue and green look similar in the picture, but the blue was most striking and lovely!

And now I have these lovely coloured shells with which to try THIS little project! 

Have you any simple but lovely traditions involving Easter eggs?

Word Art Wednesday - March 21, 2012

This week's word art is a well-known verse:

When I walked into the art room to create my piece with this text, my eyes fell on DD9's Valentine art -- and it inspired me to incorporate a clay heart and a dynotape "love" label! 

The background is an old piece of art I'd created while playing in the art room with paint and stamps with DD9 at least a couple of years ago. (DH and I will star on an episode of Hoarders one day -- you watch!) A bit of ink and some appropriately worded ribbon -- and voila! 


If you'd like to join us in the Word Art Challenge this week, grab the word art verse above -- or use a verse or encouraging text of your choosing in a piece of art, and link up. You could win something from Eclectic Anthology if you do!

Bird Bombs -- and a Creative Challenge

I like birds -- in nature and in art (not so much up close and personal in my home -- hence no bird pets). I find the art of Geninne, a fellow blogger, particularly inspirational -- and she creates a lot of lovely birds. So, I recently thought I'd try my hand at creating some pretty birdies.  

The experience gave me a new appreciation of bird artists. It's hard to make beautiful birds. These first ones I did from my brain -- white ink on a failed (way too dark for what I was aiming for) background of spilled ink inspired by the work of Leah Piken Kolidas (she makes beautiful backgrounds and then creates images from the spills and splashes of ink on her paper). They're cute enough, I guess -- but they didn't turn out the way they appeared in my imagination. 

Another day I tried copying a picture from an Usborne illustrated book about birds. Mega bird bomb! Just sooooooo not what I wanted to create!

But I press on in my experimentation. The more I create, the more I want to create -- even when I'm frustrated by the process. Right now I'm working on "something creative" (still a secret for now) for a facebook challenge -- I have to create something for three friends who expressed a willingness to create something for three of their facebook friends, who will create . . . and so on, and so on (like the shampoo commercial ;) 


I love that concept. 


In fact, I love the concept so much that I would like to extend an invitation to my www friends. Here's the deal:

• I will create something (I don't know what yet!) for the first three people who say (in the comments below) they would like to participate. 
• If you say you would like to participate, you must issue the challenge somewhere (on your own blog, on facebook or twitter -- wherever you want) and personally make something in 2012 (don't wait too long and then forget!)  for at least three people, who will pledge to make something for three more people . . .
• If you're one of the first three respondents, send me your address in a private message (my email address is posted on my sidebar) so that I can mail you my creation -- no matter where in the world you live! :)

So, who's in? 

Word Art Wednesday - March 14, 2012

This week's Word Art Wednesday word art is another quotation from Mother Teresa:

I thought it was the perfect opportunity to use some of the old dress patterns I have stashed in the art room -- you know, with "measurements" and all :) Inspiration was limited beyond that, so my art for this week is pretty simple: 

Would you care to join us in creating word art this week? If you link up, you could win something from our sponsor, Shabby Cottage Studio.

Word Art Wednesday - March 7, 2012

I love that Word Art Wednesday keeps me actively engaging in art every week! This week's text is a quote from Mother Teresa:

Often it is faithfulness in little things that builds our strength. The first image that came to my mind was a wall -- brick upon brick -- or stone upon stone -- each bound to the other with the mortar of faith and perseverance. Each piece in and of itself is not substantial -- but bound together, they form a safe barrier, a wall of protection. The principle can be applied to so many aspects of life -- habits, finances, health, exercise, character development . . .


As my mind is drawn to spring, I also found myself thinking about how this quotation applies to a bird building a nest. Each piece of the nest is insignificant and weak on its own -- but packed together with persistent effort and attention, the twigs, feathers, strands of grass, and grains of mud unite to form a safe refuge from the elements. The bird, faithful in collecting small bits of virtual nothingness, builds a strong nest that will protect her and her offspring from wind, rain, sun, and storm. That image is what I set out to depict in this week's art  (the background is another from my The Artistic Mother stash):

Can you think of other applications of this quotation in life?


If you'd like to make a piece of art with this quotation, pick it up at Word Art Wednesday's Challenge # 18. Link up there with your art using any scripture or inspirational quotation, and you could win something from this week's sponsor, Whimsy Stamps, a "family owned art stamp company dedicated to providing crafters around the world with whimsical and fun rubber and digital stamp designs."