ABC Wednesday - New Round Starts and WOYWW

A new round starts this week - and the farewell one as well. This has been a most enjoyable challenge - I will be so sad to see its end.

For this round, I thought I would once again create an art piece with a quote. The focus though will be on speaking out - against bigotry, prejudice, hatred, bullying, I know I risk alienating people, but I cannot stay quiet.
Even though I live in Canada, the fallout from the American election will greatly effect Canada as well as the world. In my 65 years this seems to be the most divisive election I have observed. It scares me. Meryl Streep gave us all a call to use our voices in the years ahead.
I found this article online and found it very powerful - well worth the read.

A is for Sally Armstrong - an advocate for women and for human rights; a Canadian journalist

A is also for Anonymous

Be sure to check here to see what others around the world do for A.



WOYWW

Each week, Julia Dunnit of "Stamping Ground" encourages us to share what we are working on and what our work spaces look like.
Here is my dining room table/ work space after finishing the cards above.

I've also started a new challenge for myself - using the projects in "The Collage Workbook" by Randel Plowman to ignite my collage practice.
The first project was to create 5 quick collages - each in 5 minutes. I gathered papers - the central image was from Christmas wrapping paper that I couldn't throw out and then IO just played with scraps I had. A fun, quick project.

Here's my work space while working:

Sunday Photo Share

I was out shovelling at noon - so beautiful out- with blue skies, cold crisp weather, white fluffy snow. So of course I had to take some photos for the challenges  take part in;

Shadow Shot Sunday
The shadows were so dark and gorgeous when I was out - especially against that white clean snow.

Check here to see shadows from around the world.


Sky Watch Friday
Most of the week the skies were gray. Today, they were a lovely blue. I took a few shots through foliage, for contrast.

Check here to see skies from around the world


Floral Friday Fotos
It was my birthday yesterday and I got carnations - my birth flower. Love them!

Check here to see flowers from around the world


Photo 365
Here are a few of my shots for this daily challenge:
circles

animal and  favourite thing - Fluffy)

me (my shadow this aft outside, bundled up!)

Check here to take part in ths 365 challenge.

ART on Friday - First of 2017

2017 has arrived and with it new hopes and dreams. I have started a new 365 art practice (more below) and am once again taking part in a number of challenges. This year I hope to finally delve into more of my art books and create more projects.

5 in 65
I turn 65 tomorrow and I am beginning a number of projects related to 65. One of them is to create 65 canvases or projects using books and pinterest to spur my creativity.
 I am looking forward to this challenge.

Colour Me Positive
This challenge is continuing through LuLuArt. I have enjoyed the weekly theme and the chance to create art in my journal. I am starting a new one - an altered old songbook.

The first quote was "When you can't control what's happening, challenge the way you respond to what's happening. That's where your power is."

So true. But the words of Viktor Frankl have always touched me and I used his quote for my journal. LOVE is what will save us in the end.

365 ART
This year for my daily challenge, I hope to do a small sketch each day. A tiny bit of art a day will add to a lot of art by the end of the year. It will also help my sketching/drawing skills.
Here's the first week:

Challenge Art
I also created some other art this week for challenges (check here to see links and info on the challenges):
Journal spread for several challenges:

For Tag Tuesday:

For ABC Wednesday:

Linking as well with:

Paint Party Friday

Inspire Me Monday

Over the Moon Link-Up

Time - for Challenges

This quote by Alice Morse Earle has always resonated with me and I thought it appropriate for the beginning of 2017.

"The clock is running. Make the most of today.

Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. 

Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. 

That's why it is called the present"

The piece began with a tissue rainbow (for "Try it On Tuesday"),
and I added old family photos that tell my story along the centre. (for "Art Journal Journey")
and finally added stencils of hearts and a dandelion. (for Mixed Media Monthgly Challenge")

Now I have a constant reminder to live each day fully and not worry about past or future.
Carpe Diem - seize the day!



Linking with:

Try it on Tuesday

Art Journal Journey  

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge    

WOYWW

And of course, I have to link with WOYWW - the weekly challenge hosted by Julia Dunnit at "Stamping Ground" - where we are encouraged to share what we are working on and the state of our work spaces.

Here's my art table downstairs right after I finished with the stencils and had yet to fully clean up:

what it looked like from the door

and from in front

ABC Wednesday - X, Y and Z and T is for Tea

It is hard to believe it is the end of Round 19 of ABC Wednesday and that there will only be one more round to go. (holding back a sob...)

With the holidays, I took a break from blogging, so I have three letters/tags to share.

This week Z gets centre stage.  Z is for zoo.

X is for Xmas - a time of family, sharing and love
I made 3 tags to celebrate the different aspects of Christmas.

Y is for year's end - thank heavens we saw the end of 2016. I hope everyone's New Year is a happy healthy one!

Check here to see  what others around the world did for Z.


T is for Tuesday

Every Tuesday, we are asked to share some beverage and activity we are engaging in.
Before I started working on the tag, I had to have a cup of tea and some Christmas chocolates. Yum!

 Join in the fun here!

My OLW Reveal

2017

A brand new year, all shiny and all possibilities ahead. I, like many others, am glad to see the end of 2016. 

I created a journal page for the last Colour Me Positive weekly themes and it really does express what this new year offers:

As I thought about what word I needed for 2017, I reflected on my journey with using OLWs. For five years now, I have chosen a word (or in the case of the first one - a phrase) to guide and represent my overall aim for the year:

2012 - Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)

2013 - Believe

2014 - JOY

2015 - Bloom

2016 - Shine

Although each word did have a positive impact throughout the year, I probably expected much more from my OLW. Last year's SHINE was to help me shine brightly, to move forward with my writing. I had moments but not what I hoped.

Hope is a necessary thing - we need it always. A quote by Desmond Tutu, reminds me to look for the light:

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. 

So as I read and listed possible words, I kept coming back to one word - CULTIVATE.

It struck me that I really needed to put more effort in my dreams, to really dig deep and work at developing my skills and abilities.

A definition online from Merriam-Webster confirmed that and more:

1. 
   

2. 1:  to prepare or prepare and use for the raising of crops; also :  to loosen or break up the soil about (growing plants)
3. 2a :  to foster the growth of <cultivate vegetables>
   c :  to improve by labor, care, or study :  refine <cultivate the mind>
4. 
   
5. 4:  to seek the society of :  make friends with

For 2017, my OLW is CULTIVATE:

I need to dig dep, to bring forth new, stronger growth. I need to prepare myself for improved skills in writing and the arts. I also need to make more friends.

I plan to cultivate my best self this year - especially as I hit a milestone on the 7th - turning 65.

I plan to cultivate:  my creativity ~ in art and in writing

                             JOY

                              greater belief in myself

                              gratitude

                              my passions

                              community and friendships

                              healthy lifestyle

                              faith

This will be a year to grow, to DO, to write, to create.I have faith that this year will be a breakthrough for me, a time to pull all my OLWs together - to bloom, shine especially as I get down and dirty prepping and preparing, and loosing the soil so I can grow.

My OLW will enhance my winter dreamboard that I created December 21st.

 What is your One Little Word for 2017??

Linking with:

Paint Party Friday

Inspire Me Monday

Creative Every Day

Sunday Photo Share - First of 2017

Happy New Year! A new year, new beginnings, but also a return to fun challenges.
It has been a while since taking part in photo challenges and after a long break, I realized how much I missed the chase for photos and the sharing.
So- here are a few photos from the past few weeks.

Shadow Shot Sunday
The first day of 2017 is bright and beautiful, with blue skies and warming temperatures. There is still snow, but it is starting to melt.
Here are a few shadows I captured this afternoon:

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Be sure to check here to see shadows from around the world.

Sky Watch Friday

Skies were oh so gray yesterday:

but so blue today:

Be sure to check here to see skies from around the world.

Flowers

The only flowers I am seeing now are the ones I buy. My gorgeous Christmas bouquet lasted a fair while. Here are a couple of the blooms:

Linking with::Floral Friday Fotos

Photo 365

There are several daily photo challenges and I thought I'd join the one here.

For Jan. 1 the prompt is "favourite colour". Mine is red and here is my take: