My interests vary from time to time but I'm always involved in some form of art creation: AI art generation, digital graphics, sketching, acrylic/or watercolors, mixed media art, photography, quilting, zentangling, handmade cards, etc, I move from one to another, back and forth between different artistic genres. Here's My Art Bag of the most current things I'm up to. Take a look and leave a message... I'd love to hear what you think.

Monday, May 14, 2018

Renaissance Woman, Sunday Postcard Art Challenge

Our challenge this week at Sunday Postcard Art is Renaissance Woman.   As usual, I really enjoyed this challenge, and not surprisingly, I've learned a lot while figuring out how to join in the challenge.

I hate to admit I wasn't sure exactly what Renaissance Woman meant.  I had only a vague idea so I did some research, and I found two descriptions, one the original and the other a current description. 

1.  This is the older description from Merriam Webster: 

Renaissance - capitalized  The transitional movement in Europe between medieval and modern times beginning in the 14th century in Italy, lasting into the 17th century, and marked by a humanistic revival of classical influence expressed in a flowering of the arts and literature and by the beginnings of modern science.

So I guess a Renaissance Woman is one who lived during these times.  And from the photos I found, they seem to have dressed very well, with lots of velvet, fur, and shiny gold materials.  Or at least the rich ladies who had portraits done...

There's lots of information online about this period in history and all the changes that occurred during the Renaissance. 

Or

2.  The modern description: 

Noun, (sometimes lowercase)  A woman who has acquired profound knowledge or proficiency in more than one field.

The amazing thing is:  I've discovered I am a Renaissance Woman. And many of my female friends are, as well.  Here are some of the things I found that I answer YES to: 

7 Signs You May be a Modern-Day Renaissance Woman 

1.    You still don’t know what you want to be when you grow upnot because nothing interests you, but because so many things interest you. 

2.    You can think of at least three ways to earn a living, and the idea of having to choose one feels suffocating to you.  You love the idea of having multiple streams of income. 

3.    You’ve worried you may be a Jack-of-all-Trades, even though you’ve developed a level of mastery in many or even all of your areas of interest.  You sometimes feel like a fraud. 

4.    You’ve felt ashamed about your inability to choose one thing, lest you’d appear scattered or unfocused. 

5.    You’re a natural multi-tasker.  You’d think nothing of doing one thing from nine to noon, another from one to three, and a third from four to six.  You love variety in your work. 

6.    You want more freedom.  You gave up something you enjoyed because your full-time job and personal responsibilities left no room in your life to pursue it.  Yet, it’s always on your mind—a subtle, but ever-present reminder that makes you think it’s not meant to be forgotten.

7.    You’ve often wondered if have ADD.  In fact you’d almost welcome the diagnosis because it would explain why you can’t pick something.  The trouble is, you really don’t have a problem with focus.  You generally finish what you set out to do.

I've never thought I had ADD, so that one doesn't apply to me, but the rest of them do.

I love it!  I'm a Renaissance Woman!  Are you?  (You know what they say about believing everything you read on the Internet - but I LIKE the idea of being a modern Renaissance Woman!)

Thanks for visiting - see you next time...









Sunday, May 13, 2018

Book Cover - The Three Muses



This week's challenge at The Three Muses is Book Cover - with humorous title or author name.  

The Painted Ladies of San Francisco popped into my mind at once - with Sam Francisco as the author.  Funny how sometimes ideas just happen, and other times it takes some work to figure out how to put the challenge together.  This one was easy peasy!

"Back in the day" I used to have a beautiful coffee table book of the Painted Ladies that included their history with lots of pictures.  A very enjoyable read. 

I bet if these Painted Ladies wrote a memoir, it would be sizzling!  Imagine the history they've seen.  😍

Thanks for stopping by - see you next time...

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

It's Showtime - The Three Muses




The theme this week at Three Muses is It's Showtime!  

This little happy band of skeletons is putting on a SHOW in this old ratty theater, but one of them just couldn't put up with the makeup any more.  She says, "I'm getting too old for this!"  

Looks like the rest of them are having a good time!

Thanks for stopping by.  See you next time...







Sunday, April 29, 2018

Hats - Take a Word Art Challenge

This one was FUN!  I have a folder full of Hats and put them to good use in Take a Word's theme for the week. 

I love all these critters in their hats!  💙🙃

Thanks for visiting!  See you next time...

Mail Art - Sunday Postcard Art

Our theme this week at Sunday Postcard Art is Mail Art.

My first thought was "snail mail," so I used a snail mailing a letter.  😀

Thanks for stopping by.  See you next time...

Friday, April 27, 2018

Time - Take a Word Art Challenge

Take a Word's theme this week is Time.

I've been saving these ballerina elements to use - and found a good theme to pair them, young and old ballerinas.

When I was a young girl I took dance lessons, tap, ballet, acrobat, and hula.  All four in the space of an hour once a week, with my best friend, Kathy.  

Kathy and I were older than the other students, and while they continued to learn ballet positions and little dances in their ballet slippers, Kathy and I progressed to "toe."  I remember my pink silk toe shoes - just like the ones above.  And being surprised when I first got them, how "hard as a rock" the toes were.  (You have no idea how hard it was to balance on those hard toes at first!)  And the beautiful pink ribbons I wrapped around my ankles, just so.

I wish I still had them, just for the memories.  :)

Thanks for stopping by.  See you next time...

Sea World - The Three Muses

Our theme this week at The Three Muses is Sea World.  

I've decided to populate this part of the sea floor with some mermaids.  They have quite a life - just sitting around being beautiful in their Sea World. 

You know, I've neer seen a mermaid who wasn't beautiful.  😉

Thanks for visiting - see you next time...




Sunday, April 15, 2018

Bright Colors - Take a Word Art Challenge

Bright Colors - Colors of the Rainbow is the theme this week at Take A Word.  Well, I was able to find lots of elements with rainbow colors!  I think half the fun for me in doing these art challenges is finding all the challenge graphics every week!  I'm accumulating quite a collection.

Thanks for visiting.  See you next time...



Thursday, April 12, 2018

Water - Sunday Postcard Art Challenge

This week's challenge word at Sunday Postcard Art is Water.   It's pretty amazing how many creatures I found made out of water, so I created this little grotto for the Water Creatures to play in! 😁

I just never know where these art challenge words will take me, but it's always an interesting or surprising place!

Thanks for visiting!  See you next time...



Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Black and White with a Splash of Color - Take a Word Art Challenge


The theme this week at Take a Word is Black and White with a Splash of Color.

I love putting together black and white images and then adding some color.  This Audrey Hepburn image came with the Tiffany Box - and I added more of that famous blue to some of the other elements.  Fun!!!

I've always loved Audrey Hepburn and all her movies.  And Moon River was the theme of my Senior Ball in highschool - Hi, Pete! - so that's a special song, too. 

Thanks for stopping by!  See you next time...


Sunday, April 1, 2018

Splash of Red - Take a Word Art Challenge

Our challenge this week at Take A Word is A Splash of Red.  I really like the challenges with colors in the theme.

So this is the Before & After Spa Treatments shop, although the "before" woman going into the building looks as good as the "after" woman coming out.  Just a little whimsy...  🤩

I had a good time putting this one together.  It's funny how there will be a blank page on my laptop -  what to do?  What to do?  Then suddenly inspiration!  And its on....  that's when computer art collage is really fun!

And P.S.  It's true - Happy Girls are the Prettiest! 

Thanks for visiting.  See you next time...

Sunday Postcard Art - Postage Stamp People


This was an interesting challenge, one I haven't done before - or for that matter, even heard about.  The challenge this week at Sunday Postcard Art is Postage Stamp People.  The piece ABOVE is my entry and I think I've done it correctly.

Okay, so since this was a new one on me, I had to figure out with a little research what Postage Stamp People were!  I loved the samples I found and the collage below is what I made at first. 

But this morning after looking at more Postage Stamp People art when I followed the links at Sunday Postcard Art to Marion's works, I realized I should have a real stamp with a face and add a body to that stamp that flows down nicely.

So I pulled up my first try, which is below, and kept the Abe Lincoln face on the stamp and worked it so that he and my cowboy fit together nicely.  Interesting, huh?  I liked this challenge!  😊



Thanks for stopping by!  See you next time...

Saturday, March 31, 2018

The Three Muses - Hand

The theme this week at The Three Muses is Hand

I wanted to use the graphic element with two baby monkeys in a woman's hand, and built the rest around that.  :)

Thanks for stopping by.  See you next time...



Thursday, March 29, 2018

Sunday Postcard Art - Sewing


Our challenge this week at Sunday Postcard Art is Sewing - must have a dressmakers dummy.

I found a photo with five mannequins and decided to dress them all up as members of the Red Hat Society.  In the foreground is the poor woman sewing more purple dresses.

Another FUN challenge!

A strange thing happened when I was searching for a photo of mannequins/dressforms/dressmakers dummy.  My own personal photo popped up with the others labeled Mannequin.

When I was selling all my things before I took off on my motorhome trek, I snapped photos of lots of my things that I was selling in my estate sale.  This mannequin stood in the corner of my bedroom and I used to hang scarfs, hats, jackets, etc. on it. 

I posted about the estate sale and included the mannequin picture in one of my RV blog posts.  It must have been lifted out and placed in a search engine.  Weird, huh?


Thanks for checking in,  see you next time...

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Take a Word Art Challenge - Wings

I love this one!  The challenge at Take A Word is Wings - bird wings, angel wings, fairy wings, any kind of wings.

A bit ago I got this cool element of a dolphin coming up out of the water.  Then right after the Wings challenge was posted, I came across these wings made of water.  Perfect match-up!  Isn't he cute?  Dolphins always look like they're smiling.  😇

See you next time...



Tuesday, March 20, 2018

The Three Muses Art Challenge - Hearts


Hearts is the challenge this week at The Three Muses.  We all love our pets so much, I went to hearts-love-dogs right away.

I loved this element of a dog waiting for the ball to be tossed - the concentration on his face!  He's so focused...

And I had to include this one, too.  Here's my dog-faced daughter - best friend - traveling companion, Katie.  She's 12 years old, a rescue dog that I adopted when she was 1 year old.  We've been through a lot together, many miles traveling, lots ups and downs, tears and laughter, so  many different experiences.  My special girl.


See you next time...

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Sunday Postcard Art - Envelopes

Our theme this week at Sunday Postcard Art is Envelopes

I was going to do this one with a large business desk that has a stack of mail on it, that'd be the Envelopes, and fluff it up from there.  But then I found the little element with an envelope bird nest full of birds and that kind of became my focus - and my desk changed to a personal home desk.  Seemed more appropriate if there was going to be an envelope nest there. 

I actually have that zen doodle design book - I used it here along with a zen doodle art piece in progress.  That one isn't mine.  Wish it was!  😊 I think it's beautiful.

See you next time...

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Take a Word Art Challenge - Eggs

The "word" at Take a Word this week is Eggs.  So here's my little chicken farm where the eggs come from.  I think it's interesting that chocolate eggs hatch such colorful chicks, don't you?  Ha!

The chickens and their rooster seem to think so, too.

See you next time...

 

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

The Three Muses Art Challenge - Buttons and Bows

The Three Muses theme this week is Buttons and Bows.  When I think of buttons and bows, I think of sewing and crafts because I guess that's what I've usually done with them, on greeting cards and other projects.  In my craft room - back in the day - I had containers full of buttons in the smaller one and bows in the larger one. 

So here are my little bears in their attic room, with containers of buttons and bows.  😊

See you next time...

Monday, March 12, 2018

Sunday Postcard Art Challenge - Sisters

Sunday Postcard Art has Sisters as it's theme this week for our Art Challenge.

Three little sisters walking in the rain - and who knows?  Maybe the three large cows are sisters, too.  😉

See you next time...
Barb








Sunday, March 11, 2018

Take a Word Art Challenge - Green

It's a Green Challenge this week at Take a Word - very appropriate since St. Patrick's Day is coming up on March 17.

Of course I went on a hunt for gnomes, fairies, leprechauns, pots of gold and beer.  That poor little gnome in the middle tripped and spilled a whole mug of beer.  Aaawwwww,  that was too bad.  💚

I also loved the quote from Winston Churchill - such an English thing to say, right?  I'm part English and part Irish and I love them both, of course!   

Happy St. Patrick's Day, a bit early.  🍀 

See you next time...

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

The Three Muses Art Challenge - Animal

Our challenge theme this week at The Three Muses is Animal (not cat or dog).

I had recently collected some Peacock elements and wanted to use them.  Are they considered animals?  Well, they aren't mineral or vegetable, so...   Isn't the large male with the open tail feathers a beauty?

See you next time...

Monday, March 5, 2018

Take a Word Art Challenge - Blue and White



The challenge theme at Take a Word this week is Blue and White.  This was a fun one! 

I love walls and windows and doors, etc. and had this element in my stash of a blue wall with lots and lots of windows.  Perfect.  I worked on the wall a bit and put it through a couple of programs to give it more texture.  Then I found some white graphics and added them in some of the windows, as well as LOTS of eyes - The better to see you with, my dear!   Then came the monkeys, elves, fairies, and animals and a BIG beautiful blue eye watching over the scene. 

My favorites in the windows are the monkeys/gorilla.  😁  I have a feeling we're going to see that baby monkey again.  I love that element.

As I said, this was really fun.  If you have some extra time click on the Take a Word link to see some of the other entries - even though it was just posted yesterday there are a lot of them already.  It's amazing how one theme will go in so many directions! 

See you next time...

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Sunday Postcard Art Challenge - Springtime



















The theme this week at Sunday Postcard Art is Springtime

It's coming soon here in the United States, not soon enough for a lot of us!  Happy Springtime!

See you next time...