THE THREE MUSES

STAMP PEOPLE come in all shapes and sizes and me thinks this one is just right for my entry across at the Three Muses this week.

Credit to NumbBumm, ScappingCop and the Public Domain.

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

MABEL'S NEW COAT

This week we have FAMILY ALBUM as our theme at Take a Word and that reminded me of the lovely photo I have of Mabel.  She's wearing her new Astrakhan coat and looks a million dollars.  We still have those pink fabric roses she was wearing on her hat that day.

Credit to SharingTubes, Sailor and Lula, NumbBumm and BethRimmer.

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

It's LETTERS at Take a Word this week, and mine are CIAO ITALY, which gave me the perfect opportunity to send you mail from Italy!  Well, we're not technically there yet, but come Wednesday Mr Ann and me will be flying out to Lake Como for a week of seeing the sites.   Cameras at the ready!  Yay!!!!

Credits to RubyBlossom and the PublicDomain.  Font : WiseRabbit.

Thanks for looking.

DIGITALMANIA CATCH UP

INSPIRED BY THE WORK OF CHRISTINE PELOQUIN

TAKING INSPIRATION FROM THE WORK OF KEVIN SLOAN

INSPIRED BY THE WORK OF PAM CARRIKER

 A little bit of catch up of work created for the DIGITALMANIA challenges across at Flickr.

Credits and the work of other artists can be found by clicking HERE

Thank you for looking.

THE THREE MUSES

Bev has chosen STONE ANGEL as our theme at the Three Muses this week and that made me think of the stone angel I occasionally see kneeling quietly atop one of the buildings near my house.

Credit to Pixabay.com and SharingTubes.

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

KILLING TIME

Our word for inspiration at Take a Word this week is NUMBERS and that made me think of time ... and at the risk of repeating myself the 'bleeping' time it's taking for Spring to arrive!  :D

Credit mostly to PngImg.com where I'm finding lots of inspirational bits and pieces, some (altered and blended) from my own stash and the remainder is in the Public Domain.

Thank you for looking.

THE THREE MUSES

Nobody heard him, the dead man,

But still he lay moaning:

I was much further out than you thought

And not waving but drowning.

Poor chap, he always loved larking

And now he's dead

It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,

They said.

Oh, no no no, it was too cold always

(Still the dead one lay moaning)

I was much too far out all my life

And not waving but drowning.

Stevie Smith

1902 - 1971

One of my most favourite poems ..... ever!

Credits to ShadowHouseCreations, RubyBlossom and IreneAlexeeva (for textures I layered and blended), NumbBumm for the clouds whilst the remainder are from the public domain.

Thanks for looking.

TAKE A WORD

IN TWO MINDS

It's BLUE and WHITE at Take a Word this week and  that reminded me of these two little sailor girls who always seem to be in two minds!

Credit : background (layered and blended) RubyBlossom, the raindrops were running down my window a couple of weeks ago, whilst the sailor girls (digitally painted by me) I found in the public domain.

Thank you for looking.

THE THREE MUSES

EGG ON YOUR FACE

EGG is the theme this week for the Three Muses challenge and that reminded me of the strange incident that happened a week last Tuesday.   One minute 'him in doors' was clearing up the garden in readiness for Spring and the next he was up to his eyes in egg!    Answers on a postcard if you work out how this could have happened!

Credit to Graphicsfuel.com for the egg, to Pngimg.com for the bird and spoon, the hands are courtesy of Bluesse, the backgrounds (blended) are LizWest (flickr), and the tree was Googled.

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

WAITING FOR SPRING

TULIP is our word for inspiration this week at Take a Word.   Here in the UK we have carpets of crocuses and snowdrops and even daffodils but it's still too early for tulips ... so come on Spring its time for you to come out and play.

Credit to CAJoline and GrannyArt for the bottles, flowers and 'Spring', the background is one of my own.

Thank you for looking.

DIGITALMANIA

Across at DIGITALMANIA this week our challenge is to take inspiration from the work of David Arms.  Here is my interpretation.

Credits to IconArchive and AllFreeDownloads.

Thank you for looking.

THE THREE MUSES

We have STRIPES as our theme at the Three Muses this week and somehow this happened!

I am pleased to say that every little bit of the above is from my personal stash or the public domain.

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY

We have GREEN as our word for inspiration at Take a Word this week and that reminded me that it will also be St Patrick's Day very soon as well, so here's wishing you all a happy St Patrick's Day.

Credit to FinecraftedDesigns, Wikimedia Commons and the Public Domain.

Thank you for looking.

THE THREE MUSES

It's TURQUOISE AND RED at the Three Muses this week.  Here's what happened next!

Credits : NumbBumm and A Lost Gallery whilst the remainder is all from the Public Domain.

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

We are looking forward to SPRING at Take a Word this week and that made me think of Spring flowers and in particular Dandelions.   As soon as Spring starts and all through the Summer they spring up everywhere and like Triffids they advance across our gardens,  public greens and meadows in a never ending search for more.   First juicy yellow flowers and then white Dandelion clocks whose sole aim is to populate more of our earth.  And they seem almost indestructible  ... thank goodness!   Well, at least the bees (if they could talk) might say thank goodness for the sight and taste of a sweet and sustaining Dandelion feast!  :D

Credit  to Gustav Klimt and to the talented contributors of images to Pixabay (public domain).

Thank you for looking.

DIGITALMANIA

A couple of recent pieces created for the DIGITALMANIA challenge across at Flickr.   This week our challenge was MAIL ART and last week our inspiration came from SOFTLY SURREAL.    Credits are available on my Flickr page.

Thank you for looking.

THE THREE MUSES

It's the SKY'S THE LIMIT at the Three Muses this week.  Ta Dah!

Credit to NumbBumm, SharingTubes and RubyBlossom whilst the sailor girl, painted by me, was in the Public Domain.

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

ON REFLECTION .. A HAPPY ACCIDENT

We have FEATHERED FRIENDS as our word for inspiration this week at TAKE A WORD.  When I began to think about what direction I would take this I thought about combining text and birds which I tried several times without success.  Not wanting to start again totally I added and blended layers one at a time until the collage began to take shape.  I kept the original text layer (a copy of the Magna Carta to be precise) and softened it, then added a photo of tree branches reflected in a puddle of water I had taken a year or two ago  (I knew that photo was a keeper)  ... and that's when it began to take shape.  One or two more layers and a change or two to the birds and I was happy!!!

Credit : the birds and the text and several of the layers were all free to use, whilst the remainder were from my own stock.

Thank you for looking.

THE THREE MUSES

VINTAGE is required this week at the THREE MUSES and that made me think about young Tom whose favourite game was always to gallop his way to the winning post. 

Credit to SharingTubes, HiddenVintageStudio and RubyBlossom.

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

 SEWING SPRING

Marie wants sewing this week at Take a Word and I want Spring ... and then it came to me, whilst I wait for the real thing I can Sew my own Spring.  Hee hee!

Credit to Pillowgirl, Efie, NumbBumm and Rubyblossom whilst the 'wobbly' Big Ben is my own.

Thank you for looking.

DIGITALMANIA

Created for the Digitalmania challenge where this week we are taking inspiration from quotes, fonts and elements in the style of Alisa Holland.

Credit to Pixel Music.

Thank you for looking.

THE THREE MUSES

PLENTY MORE IN THE SEA

Strolling along the beach in Side (Turkey) enjoying the cooling effect of the surf on my feet I happened upon this man staring out to sea.   He was watching a small sailing boat.  I was watching him .. and I couldn't resist snapping the moment!  He was none the wiser so I forgave myself.

For the Three Muses challenge.

Credit to ... well me I suppose!  I gave it a bit of treatment in Paint FX on the IPad..   :D

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

HAPPILY EVER AFTER ..... PERHAPS

Marie has chosen STEAMPUNK as our word for inspiration at TAKE A WORD this week and that instantly reminded me of the wedding I attended a week last Friday.  The bride and groom to be had chosen STEAMPUNK WEAR as their dress code and asked guests to dress up accordingly! 

I didn't participate and I'm thinking that's why the 'happy' couple were not so happy when they noticed my lilac floaty frock, black patent shoes and matching handbag.  Ah well!

Credit to FinecraftedDesigns.

Thank you for looking.

DIGITALMANIA

WORDY

Created for the Digitalmania challenge where this week we're making 'texty' collages.

All images in the public domain.

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WE'RE BAAAACK

Feeding the geese at Loch Lanark

The loch was completely frozen

Couldn't resist

Home for Lunch

Thanks for looking.

THE THREE MUSES

THAT'S CLEVER

We have BALLOONS this week at the Three Muses and that made me think about this little fella who has found the perfect use for his party balloons.  Now that's clever!

Credit to SharingTubes, IreneAlexeeva, PngImg and NumbBumm.

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

Make me happy .... be my valentine!

Credit to FinecraftedDesigns.

Thank you for looking.

ANOTHER VISIT TO SCOTLAND ...

Visiting Scotland with Mr Ann and only (but most favourite) son Matthew, and Mrs Matthew for a week.  Much snow and freezing temperatures forecast ... but hey!!

Will be back around the 9th to partake in more challenges  ... hopefully!

See you soon.

THE THREE MUSES

CREAM OR LEMON!

We're creating HATs to astonish and amaze this week at the Three Muses and that made me think about extravagant, wondrous, gorgeous and indulgently yummy hats.  In fact, hats good enough to eat.  And that made me think about the post Christmas diet I'm going to start soooooon  ... so it's lemon for me please .....

Credit to CAJoline for the scrumptious hat (and the tea with lemon), Efie provided the girl who is diving right in, whilst Magritte loaned me the lounging lady and Modigliani lent me the sophisticated one.

Thank you for looking.

TAKEA WORD

I AM WOMAN is our prompt for the Take a Word challenge this week and that's when Mabel decided she'd like to show you her I AM WOMAN wild side.  Well I don't like to encourage her because, as you all know, once she's out of the box I have one heck of a job trying to get her back in.  Anyway just this once and for your delectation and delight, may I present the one the only Mabel!!

Credit to SharingTubes and of course Mabel.

Thank you for looking.

THE THREE MUSES

DECISIONS

Taller or smaller .... decisions, decisions!

Credit to Irene Alexeeva for 'Alice' and the bottle, whilst the hands and the watch are courtesy of PngImg.com.  The background is a bit of Irene and a bit of me!  Oh, is that the Cheshire Cat lurking there ... well that's me too!

Thanks for looking.

TAKE A WORD

Our word for inspiration this week at Take a Word is CATS!

Credit to Irene Alexeeva.

Thank you for looking.

THE THREE MUSES

A TRIBUTE TO MAGRITTE for my challenge at the THREE MUSES.

Credits : NumbBumm and DigitalWhisper, whilst the remainder are free to use pngs and my own stash. 

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

GOSSIPS

Our word for inspiration this week is COUPLES which reminded me of my last visit to London where, in Covent Garden,  I noticed this pair attracting attention by sitting completely motionless ..... at a guess I'd say they were gossiping. 

Credits : all my own work.

Thank you for looking.

THE THREE MUSES

It's BUTTERFLIES this week at the Three Muses and that reminded me of the very strange butterfly I found on my rose bush one day last Summer!

Credit to the ladies at Digital Whisper and to Marta Van Eck.

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

A LITTLE BIRDIE TOLD ME

Marie has chosen ZETTI as our theme for the first TAW challenge of 2015 and this is my interpretation.

The girl's face was black and white and poor quality so I gave it a coat or two of paint in Photoshop,  borrowed Mona Lisa's hands (she was on her travels for the holidays and didn't need them that day).  The outfit is a colour wheel duplicated, layered, blended and morphed.  The background is several of my own photos blended together and the zetti birds are ArtRaged and from my own stash.  the postage stamp frame is courtesy of Honey Designs.

Wishing you all a happy 2015.

Thank you for looking.

TAKE A WORD

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Wishing all my bloggy friends a HAPPY and HEALTHY 2015 and hoping it's everything you are wishing for!

Credit to BethRimmer and CAJoline.

THE THREE MUSES

PHOTO PLAY

Following a very harrowing few days for these two very special girls, a trip to the seaside was the order of the day.  We visited the sites, enjoyed a fish and chip lunch, ate ice cream, dawdled along the prom and then, just before we set off for home, they wanted to dip their toes in the sea.  And why not! As I watched them enjoying the experience I saw in my mind's eye the beautiful memory that moment would always be.  But it never would have evoked the same magic had it not been transformed itself!

Thank you for looking.

Update ..

Following his cardiac surgery Matthew is home and doing very well.  Thank you, my bloggy friends, for your good wishes and kind words.  :D

Thank You ...

A special thank you to Marie and Bev who can always be depended upon to pick up the batten.  :D


        Wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2015.

A RARE VISIT FROM MABEL

 

Hi folks, just a quick note to let you know you probably won't hear much from me over the next week or so because our son Matthew is to undergo major cardiac surgery tomorrow.

However, whilst I'm away Mabel has insisted on stepping into the breach and has answered Marie's  call for a theme of WINTER at Take a Word this week!  She even favoured me with a sprinkling of the white stuff.

 

Take care!

THE THREE MUSES

If you look through a Gothic window there's no telling what you'll see. Something vintage perhaps.

Created for the Three Muses challenge where this week we're  taking inspiration from a Vintage Gothic Arch theme.

Credit to KerstenFrank and OnsidianDawn.

Thank you for looking.

WINTER SUNSHINE

I'm not a fan of November.   It's misty, murky, damp and miserable and I have to keep reminding myself that December will be along shortly promising bright, crisp, cold days full of light.  So when December arrived last week it was time to be out and about.  We chose a trip to the east coast.  Scarborough or Whitby - either would be a treat.  But Whitby won in the end.

As we came in over the top of the Yorkshire moors we spied Whitby below and we knew we were in for a lovely day.

The sun was shining, so the day was bright and full of light, and the sea was calm enough to capture almost perfect reflections.  I had two cameras with me and I made full use of both until the batteries gave up.

The Abbey on top of the cliff ... it gets nearer to the edge every time we visit.

Then there was a little bit of drama.  As we were peering over the sea wall the lifeboat was launched .. off to rescue a small boat in difficulties.   It was almost out of frame before I could capture it on camera.  The little boat was brought safely back to harbour.

Then it was time to make our way home across the Yorkshire moors where someone, a few years ago, thought it would be amusing to 'trim up' one of the pine trees by the side of the road in full Christmas style.  It WAS amusing and on this trip we counted seven fully laden 'Christmas' trees all ready for the  festive season.