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Sunday, April 27, 2014

"and then the music stops" – Postcard

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This week’s Sunday Postcard Art challenge was "Music."

I created this using GIMP 2.8.10.

The vintage images are from a DuckDuckGo search.

The song lyrics are by Mary Hopkin.

The fonts are Philosopher Bold and Stratford SF.

"She Casts a Spell" – Postcard

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This week’s Three Muses challenge was "Shoes."

This week's Moo Mania challenge was "Shoes/Footgear."

I created two similar pieces, but with different perspectives. The other one is here.

I created this using GIMP 2.8.10.

The vintage images are from a DuckDuckGo search.

The font is Bolton.

"What Wight Art Thou?" – Postcard

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This week’s Three Muses challenge was "Shoes."

This week's Moo Mania challenge was "Shoes/Footgear."

I created two similar pieces, but with different perspectives. The other one is here.

I created this using GIMP 2.8.10.

The vintage images are from a DuckDuckGo search.

The font is Bolton.

Friday, April 25, 2014

"Lunch" - Photograph

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I took these photographs of a Great Egret at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

When the Great Egret first caught this mouse like animal, it walked on shore with it. It seemed to be chewing on it for a short time, then it walked back to the water and repeatedly dunked the creature, and chewed some more. I finally figured out it was crushing and/or flattening the creature, so that it could ultimately swallow it whole.

I've seen them catch prey before, and usually they just swallowed it immediately, so the "chewing" action was perplexing, and the dunking in the water was even more so, until the process, which took several minutes, was completed.

All of these photos were taken during the dunking process.

The first photo is my entry for:

I'd Rather Be Birding
Saturday's Critters
Weekly Top Shot #132

"Freeze Frame" - Photograph

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I took these photographs of a Great Egret at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

I can't get enough photos of this stunning bird!

"Looker" - Photograph

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I took these photographs of a Great Egret at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

The first photo is my entry for the following:

Weekend Reflections

Bonaparte's Gulls - Photograph

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This is 1 of 2 posts of photographs I took of what I think are Bonaparte's Gulls at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

Bonaparte's Gulls - Photograph

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This is 2 of 2 posts of photographs I took of what I think are Bonaparte's Gulls at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

"Flock of Seagulls" - Photograph

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I took this photograph of Seagulls at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

This group had been on the low tide sand when they suddenly took flight.

"Aggressive Walk" - Photograph

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I took this photograph of a Swan at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

This Swan assumed an aggressive posture as he walked across the low tide sand to get back into the water. All of the seagulls in his path moved out of his way. It was very windy, which is why his feathers are tussled.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

"Spring" - Postcard

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I created a postcard using the same design as my March art journal page.

I created this using GIMP 2.8.10.

The vintage digital stamp images are from a DuckDuckGo search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

The font is DK Northumbria

Month of March - Art Journal Page

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I created a Spring themed art journal page for the Month of March page of the weekly planner/journal that I'm using for The Documented Life Project.

I created this using GIMP 2.8.10.

The images are from a DuckDuckGo search.

The master index for all of my entries is here.

My printer is low on ink, so this didn't print true to the original colors in it.

Month of January - Art Journal Page

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I created a Medieval Illuminated Manuscript themed art journal page for the Month of January page of the weekly planner/journal that I'm using for The Documented Life Project.

I created this using GIMP 2.8.10.

The images are from a DuckDuckGo search.

The master index for all of my entries is here.

My printer is low on ink, so this didn't print true to the original colors in it.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Little Egret - Photograph

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I took these photographs of a Little Egret at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week

Bathing Seagulls - Photograph

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I took these photographs of Seagulls that were bathing at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

Apparently I timed my visit with bathing time for the birds. I have never seen such a commotion of wings flapping and water spraying, but I was happy to get some good action shot photos of all of it.

Bathing Seagull - Photograph

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I took this action shot photograph of a Seagull that was bathing at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

This photo is my entry for:

I'd Rather Be Birding

Speckled Seagull - Photograph

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I took these photographs of a speckled Seagull that was bathing at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

I liked how the water looked in the first photograph. The second one is an action shot of the Seagull bathing.

The first photo is my entry for:

Water World Wednesday

Great Egret - Photographs

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I took these photographs of a Great Egret at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

Reflection - Photograph

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I took this photograph at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

This shot came out a little blurry, but I still liked how it looked. When I saw this Canadian Goose in the distance, the reflection made me think there were two of them.

At certain times of the day, the lighting is perfect for the golden reed reflections in the water here.

This photo is my entry for:

Wild Bird Wednesday #93

Black Bird - Photograph

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I took this photograph at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

Tranquility - Photograph

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I took this photograph at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

I liked how tranquil the water looked in this, as well as the reflection of the bird (duck?).

Monday, April 21, 2014

"Lighthouse" – Postcard

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This week’s Sunday Postcard Art challenge was "Lighthouse."

I created this using GIMP 2.8.10.

The vintage digital stamp images are from a DuckDuckGo search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

First I blotted blue inks on a manila postcard, for a grungy look. Then I stamped the lighthouse and seagulls using charcoal ink. I created a radiating light/sun by stamping a yellow ink rose compass, while using a cut out paper mask over the lighthouse, to avoid stamping within it. Finally, I flicked blue paint from a brush onto the sea area, to create an ocean spray look.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

"March" – Tag

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I created this for Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2014 - March challenge.

I started his "12 Tags of 2014" challenge in April, so this entry is too late to be posted on his site.

I mimicked Tim's steps to create my tag, using GIMP 2.8.10.

The vintage images are from a DuckDuckGo search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

I prefer how the "full strength" inked tag came out, versus the "second generation" inked tag (which I created by setting the opacity of my ink layers to 50%).

"February" – Tag

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I created this for Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2014 - February challenge.

I started his "12 Tags of 2014" challenge in April, so this entry is too late to be posted on his site.

I mimicked Tim's steps to create my tag, using GIMP 2.8.10.

The vintage images are from a DuckDuckGo search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

The words are from the song "You Are My Destiny" by Paul Anka.

"January" – Tag

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I created this for Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2014 - January challenge.

I started his "12 Tags of 2014" challenge in April, so this entry is too late to be posted on his site.

I mimicked Tim's steps to create my tag, using GIMP 2.8.10.

The vintage images are from a DuckDuckGo search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

Thursday, April 17, 2014

"April" – Tag

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I created this for Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2014 - April  challenge.

This is my first time entering on his site, and this probably violates the rules because it is all digital, but I decided to make it after seeing Astrid's beautiful tag. (Sometimes I print my tags, but I need to replace the ink cartridge, so I didn't print and hole punch this one yet.)

I mimicked Tim's steps to create my tag, and have shown my intermediate layers as I progressed. This is what I did:

1) I cut out clippings from a marriage and obituary scrap book and glued them to a Number 8 size tag. (Because Tim's tag had dark areas on the edges, I painted some dark brown brush strokes on the base tag first.)

2) I painted green over most of the tag, blotted it by erasing some of the color, then painted lighter color splats to mimic the water spray droplets. (I need to find a better method for this part, because I didn't achieve the same look as Tim's tag.)

3) I created a lodge lattice and placed sections of it down on the tag. (I painted the lodge lattice with a few colors to achieve a mottled look.)

4) I added cut out music sheet, mirror, and cork pieces to insert into the lodge lattice. (I tried several methods to make the pieces look like they were laying within the openings, but none of them worked, so the end result has them looking like they are underneath the lodge lattice. I need to find a better method for this part also.)

5) I added the ribbon, flowers, and leaves behind the flowers to complete the tag. (The leaves were cut out of the marriage and obituary scrap book.) I chose not to add something dangling from the bottom of the tag.

I spent more hours than I care to admit to, in creating this, but I am happy with the end result.

I created this using GIMP 2.8.10.

The vintage images are from a DuckDuckGo search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

Snow on Daffodils - Photographs

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I took these photographs of the Daffodils in my yard yesterday morning, April 16. As forecast, the rain storm changed to sleet/snow overnight, leaving a coating on my yard. So not only did the storm prevent me from seeing the Blood Moon during the early hours of April 16, it also may have killed my Bleeding Heart plants, which have significant growth and flower buds on them. I won't know how they are until a few more days go by.

Bradley-Hubbell House - Photographs

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I took these photographs at the Bradley-Hubbell House in Easton, CT this past week.

The first photo is my entry for:

Rubbish Tuesday
Our World Tuesday