New Collages

I finished several collages today:

Inspiration Avenue:

The theme this week was "It's About Time"

I found the quote and then the pieces fell together. The background is gelli papers. The butterfly is a photo I took at the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory and the other photo is me at about age 12 ( a time of great change).

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The theme of Summer at the beach

 fits for both:

Collage Obsession (Summer)

and

Opus Gluei (Don't Be such a Beach)

Color This Quote - Magic

I almost forgot about this challenge. The quote this week was from "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgeson Burnett

"The sun is shining...That is the Magic.

The flowers are growing--the roots are stirring.

That is the Magic.

 Being alive is the Magic--being strong is the Magic.

 The Magic is in me--the Magic is in me. ...

It's in every one of us." 

 

 

 

I chose the last 3 lines to focus on - that magic is in all of us, just being alive is magic and should be celebrated. The backgrounds are gelli papers - a magic in itself!

 

 

 

 

Be sure to check here for how others faced the "magic" challenge. 

 

ABC Wednesday - C

This week at ABC Wednesday, it is time for the letter C.

For the ATCs I created this week, I chose:

James Cook  -"British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the Royal Navy"

He was a very interesting man, having served in Canada from 1758-63 and then exploring from 1768 -79, being killed in Hawaii 1n 1779.

and

Rachel Carson,  the  famed biologist, ecologist,  and writer of "Silent Spring".

Be sure to visit here to discover how others around the world faced the challenge of C.




   

Sunday Weekly Wrap Up

This past week I was able to create a variety of collages - for challenges (see here for a look at them), for ATCs and for ICAD. You will notice that the backgrounds are mostly gelli papers.
Here are some of the creations:

ICAD
We are nearing the end of the 2month ICAD challenge. It has been fun - although I was not as adventurous as some people. I love collage and stuck to that mostly. I have decided to continue for August and to try some new mediums and techniques. I want to challenge myself more.

(My printer is not working right now so my words are written rather than typed!)

(The above quote comes from Catherine Porter, a reporter for the Toronto Star, who was inspired by the many people she met and interviewed who had gone through hardships and disasters.)

ATCs

The first project was a flower mandala for a shape swap:

A snail mail swap:

An inchie swap - zen flowers:

Book Studies:

I have started this past week to work through 2 books:

"Inner Excavation" by Liz Lamoreaux

and

"12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women"   by Gail Meekin

I have finished  reading 2 chapters in both and am using a journal to respond to prompts in both books. They actually work quite well together.
Effy Wilde is hosting a book study of "Inner Evacuation and it is quite helpful - although they started several weeks ago.
Digging deep, looking at the layers that make each of us seemed to be something I needed to do at this stage of my life. I have retired from teaching but not sure the path I want to take forward.

Here are parts of my responses for Chapter 1 in both:

12 Secets:

Inner Excavation

New Blog!

I also started a new blog this week - as  a help in my journey to healthier living. I have 2 posts and I am hoping the accountability factor will spur me on. Come visit.



Linking with:

Creative Every Day

Inspire Me Monday

Glue it Tuesday

Architecture Collage

I have discovered a new challenge, at the tail end of its July monthly theme  - Architecture.

As I was creating ATCs with a mail theme, I realized I had many stamps displaying buildings.
 I found a map, used it for the background and glued on the stamps.

Check here for ways others have approached this theme.

Macro Flowers

This time of year the flowers are so beautiful. There are so many in bloom. Here are a few from my garden:

There's even beauty in a weed:

Check  the links below for beautiful flowers from around the world.

Today's Flowers                  Floral Friday Fotos

I Heart Macro                      Weekend Flowers             

Shadow Shot Sunday

This week has been good for shadows although this morning has been overcast. We may even get a bit of rain which we need.

Here are a few shadows from the week:

Be sure to check here for wonderful shadows from around the world.

New Challenges

This week at Collage Obsession the theme was "A page in a Travel Journal". I had been just looking through photos from our trip to British Columbia 5 years ago and got out a bag of mementos and flyers from our trip.
I chose Vancouver Island's Victoria - a beautiful place where we toured for several days before driving north through parts of the island. I would return in a flash if I could.( Loved all the places I saw in BC for that matter.)

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The Alpha Dictionary challenge this time was "T" and after finishing the above collage, I knew that totem pole would be my choice for T. I have always had a love of native art and culture. The totem pole is unique and so significant to the culture of the Northwest Coast Natives.

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At Inspiration Avenue this week, we are asked to "Show and Tell"

There are several pieces that I hold dear to my hear for several reasons.

The first is the mixed media collage I completed on my mom and her heritage. I took a weeklong course and this was the final piece.

The first  and only oil paintings I have done were 2 of flowers. They hang in our bedroom. One is red, the other blue.

 

 

 

I took several courses at Haliburton School of Fine Arts over 10 years ago. It was the go to place with my children for many years.

I took a  watercolour course and this was my favourite:

 



The following year I took a watercolour/collage course and loved it. I was able to recycle some of my watercolours into this collage:

New Bog in the works - getting Healthier!

I have just started a new blog that will make me accountable in my struggle to get healthier.
Still much to do on it, but wanted to launch it today. Join me if you can.

2 Photo Challenges - Sky Watch and Messy Little Details

The skies have been lovely the past few days - with different cloud formations.

Here, from last night:

Here, from this afternoon:

Check here to see lots more skies from around the world.





Messy Little Details

Carolyn Jane  hosts this fun meme. As she says :
"I want to invite you to join me in sharing photos of those odd little things you just have to photograph, things that inspire you, thrill you, make you laugh or make you wonder. "

As I was checking the garden today, I noticed the blueberries - they are almost read to pluck and eat!

SOL Tuesday

I have not participated for a while in Slice of Life Tuesdays. Today though, while reading Colby Sharp's SOL, I was struck at how similar our changes are. He had no desire really to leave his school - he loved teaching there and loved grade 3. But he made the decision to change schools and return to the school where he went as a child.
It is a difficult decision to leave a place where we love the children, our colleagues and just the teaching itself.
After 36 years in education, I finally made the decision to retire. I am not moving to another school but leaving teaching. I am already missing it!
I am slowly getting rid of books and files and units. As I was going through 2 units today, I remembered when I had done different activities with a class and the excitement of books read and crafts made.
I envy Colby in a way - the excitement of new beginnings, of returning to the classroom. He has many changes in store but his teaching background will hold him in good stead.
I know there is life after retirement - I just have to focus on what I want to accomplish and where my heart leads me.
Last night was the full thunder/buck moon and each full moon.  I create a dreamboard  every month on the full moon to help clarify my dreams. As I looked at last year's I discovered I had realized all the dreams I  had listed - I had written a children's book, I have retired and I have been creating. So. I know dreams can come true.

So on to new beginnings and big dreams!

ABC Wednesday - B

Time once again for ABC Wednesday - that fun meme that goes through the alphabet week by week.
This week we focus on B.

My APCs this week are:

Edith Butler (songstress of Acadia)

and

the Honourable George Brown, a father of Confederation.

Be sure to check here for how others focus on B this week.

Be Thankful - Paper Traders

I completed my collage for the "Life Word" challenge at Paper Traders.
The theme was "Be thankful" with the added challenge of only using 3 colours.

I have always liked this biblical passage from Thessalonians and I used only blues, purples and white .

I have also finished my 2 postcards for the word collage swap and have sent them on their way.

Sunday Weekly Wrap-Up

The past week has been busy with sorting school stuff, some creating and art courses and reading. Summer holidays means a slower pace for sure and with the heat we have had, I have taken care to stay indoors as much as possible. A daily swim once my husband got home sure helped with coping with the heat.


ICADs
I am continuing with the ICAD challenge through Daisy Yellow. We are now up to card 51! Hard to believe we have been working on them for 51 days. I have enjoyed the daily creating - although I have not experimented as much as I would have liked. Collage continues to be my favourite medium. I hope to challenge myself a bit the next couple of weeks.

#47, 48 and 49. - just simple collages. The circled words are from a fortune cookie I had that predicts I will be an accomplished writer!

#50, 51

(for all of these, I have used gelli papers for the backgrounds)



Postcards 
Through Paper Traders, I am taking part in a word collage postcard swap. These are my first 2 creations - altho I need to add to the Stowe card.

I also had fun with ATCs and collages cards.

Linking with:

Creative Every Day

Inspire Me Monday

Glue it Tuesday