Four Eyes

Another mixed media/digital art collage...All the elements are from original mixed media art I created, scanned, then mixed together digitally. Fun?

Hilda Conkling Waking the Moths

I love the simplicity of this poem "I awake them one by one from their sleepy hours"...isn't that delicious? Gives me chills and inspired me to create this altered book spread. OH, and this color combination is one of my new favorites; teal, lime and yellow!

Hilda Conkling Land of Nod

Another Hilda challenge hosted by the generous Gale Blair at Paper Whimsy....aaahhh....such whimsical dreams in the land of nod.

Hilda Conkling Loveliness

Vibrant? uh, yes! LOL

I just love Hilda Conkling...wasn't she amazing? Just a few words in this poem, yet so much wisdo there....

Journey to Imagination

Gale issued a challenge and I couldn't resist. Hop on over to the Paper Whimsy blog, pick up your free "doors" collage sheet, work your magic and join the fun! I love the gorgeous door in the background and for some reason just needed to have some adorable vintage cats wandering by. Wishing you a wonderful journey to your imagination...who knows you might want to live there. Hugs, Carol

Mail Art

I don't always have time to decorate my envelopes but wanted to do something special for Christine .....she's such a sweetie; hope I surprise her! I had fun doing it all in white!

Somewhere I read about a technique that I wanted to try...I rubber stamped this image with embossing ink and white opaque embossing powder. Then, using gel pens, I colored in the butterflies. After that was dry, I applied a layer of Diamond Glaze. It was supposed to look like enamel but I think the bubble-type envelope wasn't crisp enough to look that way. However, it was still kind of cool and I am pleased with the result. Have a great week friends! hugs, Carol

Rolodex Card Swap

My friend Christine Shebroe is hosting a Rolodex Card Swap and here are a few that I made to trade with the other artists in the group.


...and here are the backs of them; just need to fill out the personal info and out in the mail they go!

Hilda Conkling Butterfly in the Wind

This weeks Quote Challenge on the Paper Whimsy forum is "Butterfly in the Wind" by Hilda Conkling...I absolutely fell in love with the words and couldn't wait to create my collage. I have chosen to create all of my quote pieces in an altered book I have and started with tissue paper background, some cheesecloth and off I went! LoL

Read these words by Hilda Conkling and be inspired to create your own art.

Butterfly in the Wind

All of a sudden

Blown to my hand

Wings of dewy color,

Silvery flaky dust along my finger...

I wondered where he had come?

I asked him where he was going?

Butterfly words are faint

But I heard his answer...

I never know!
I am a wanderer in the wind.

Vintage People With Wings

Oh dear...I have a confession to make. Currently I'm working on the next AB in the ICE RR entitled "Vintage People With Wings". The owner of the book said "do what you want...just have fun". Did she really know who she was writing to when she wrote those words inside the cover? So far all the vintage people have lovely butterfly wings...soft, feathery, satiny, romantic fluttery butterfly wings and what did my muse create? hmmm.....

Well yes, they are vintage people with wings BUT.......well see for yourself. Did I follow her instructions? But of course! Mary, I hope this tickles your fancy; it's just a tease of what's to follow! ~Hugs, Carol

How The West Was Fun

As part of the International Collaberative Experiment (ICE) round robin, I have been working in Kathy Park's altered book "How The West Was Fun". I finished it tonight and here it is! I love this wicked girl and the wild boys....I have a feeling they would all have fun together in the west. Hope Kathy likes the collage...her book is FAT and gorgeous!

I've been TAGGED!

I was tagged by the mischievous Christine to play this fun little game --

Go to your computer photo album.
Go to the seventh folder.
Go to the seventh image.
Upload to your blog and tell what it is.

So here is the photo..... it's my sister, Diane & I on our vacation last week! We stayed at the French Quarter Resort at Disney World and an adorable lady named Ethel asked if she could take our photo standing in front of the Sassagoula sign at the cafeteria. Of course we said "YES!" and here it is! We had such an amazing vacation; laughing, singing and dancing our way across Florida...an absolute blast and tons of inspiration for future art projects. Love ya Diane!

Hilda Conkling Quotes Challenge 02.14.09

Gale Blair at Paper Whimsy is hosting a year-long art challenge and is generously providing participants with gorgeous collage sheets and Hilda Conkling quotes to challenge us twice a month. In order to participate you must be a member of the PW forum...come on over and join us!

This month's color theme is blue and I used the provided fish, flower, door and text. I began with a PW image, colored & painted it, then further altered it to create the vision I wanted to use to tell the story of the the text. Here is my strange, pure, happy two-page spread. Enjoy "The Key To My Mind"! Namaste, Carol

Birthday Tag for a Friend

I haven't made a tag in a LONG time and it was really fun! Small space but lots of layers. I don't know if you can see it in the photo but the background is 3-d....my favorite technique! I just might have to make some more of these!

Happy Birthday friend!

Gothic Arch for Ja*who*dee

Judy really threw me for a loop this time with an "open theme". I kind of freaked out, got stymied and my muse left me to figure it out for myself. I decided that today was THE day and pulled out everything I had that was aqua and/or brown...her favorite colors. Here is what I ended up with (muse looking over the shoulder) and I will be mailing it off Monday. Thanks, Judy, for being patient. Hugs, Carol

Red & Black Haiku

My friend is having a birthday soon and I was given the following theme to create a birthday 4x4 for her; black & white white a touch of color, throw in a bit of zetti and birthday wishes. I don't think I follow directions very well cuz I think the red is more than "a touch" and it's not quite zetti...more like zetti-goth but I think she will love it anyway! I know I do and it was so much fun to create...I need to do more Haiku, it's totally fun! Happy Birthday dear one!

One World-One Heart 2009 Participant (Giveaway)

I'm so excited to be participating in One World-One Heart this year. I love the idea of making friends from all around the world and sharing our love of art. Last year I met so many really cool people and won 7 prizes! I was very blessed by the experience and made the decision right then and there that I would be a participant in 2009! Since this is my 100th Blog Post, I'm going to celebrate by giving away two prizes instead of one! Please read all the details and then just sign up once for a chance to win one of the two gifts I'm sharing this year. TWO GIFTS! TWO WINNERS!

Winner #1 will receive the mixed media collage shown here...it measures approximately 7.5" x 9.5" (not including hanger) and consists of hand-dyed/printed fabric, nubby yarns, fibers & ribbons, fabric/paper/velvet flowers & leaves and last but not least...copper, lots of copper!

Winner #2 will receive Tim Holtz "Distressables 2" which has 50 pages of tips, techniques and projects. It's a great little book packed full of inspiration!

In order for you to sign up for a chance to win the mixed media collage OR book, please leave a comment on THIS post. I would love it if you took a moment and looked around and left comments on other posts but understand if you don't have time now...please stop by again!

Sign-ups are open to everyone however I must have a way to contact you if you are the winner (i.e. an email or mailing address). Please note that any messages with advertisements/solicitations listed in them will be deleted and not entered in the drawing. Sign-ups will close at 10 pm CST on 02/11/09 with the winners being announced on 02/12/09. Both winners will be notified by email and asked for a mailing address.

If you want to know more about the One World-One Heart event, click on the OWOH logo. I look forward to getting to know you (and your art) through your blogs. After all, we do share one world-one heART! Wishing you an art-filled 2009! Namaste~Carol

Paper Whimsy Valentine Swap

Sweet Theresa is hosting a textile Valentine Card swap at Paper Whimsy this month and I am so excited to do it! What fun to mix fabric, paper, fibers and embellishments and then mail it off to a PW friend...couldn't be better!

Cemetery Angels 8x8 for Tanya

At Altered Art Swaps this month, I was to create an 8x8 tip-in spread for Tanya whose theme is "Cemetery Angels"; nothing morbid or sad...it was to be uplifting and spiritual. I hope I accomplished this for her. I love this photo of the "black angel" that I took in a cemetery in Council Bluffs, IA and had fun dititally altering her. She looks so comforting to me. The collages are 100% paper but I stitched them all together and added some dimensional elements.

Stylized Portraits with Karyn Gartel

I wanted to take some online classes with Altered Diva Karyn Gartel and she made an offer that I couldn't refuse right before Christmas....so here is the first of the classes I am taking with her; Stylized Portraits. The painting aspect of the canvas is completed but I need to add some embellishments and details to make it "my own". Any suggestions for final embellishments would be much appreciate...I need to complete this! Hugs, Carol

Altered Book "Birdland" for Chris

I recently created this spread for Chris in my I.C.E Altered Book group...her theme is "Birdland". I just love this quote and used it for inspiration. Hope she likes it!