"Math Shapes" - Postcard

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This week's Moo Mania challenge was "Squares."

I started with some big squares. Then I added the math graph background, and removed all but one square. Then I added other shapes, including smaller squares. I've been suffering from artist's block lately, so this just wasn't working for me. I tried adding some flourishes and diamonds. But in the end, I think it's just a hodgepodge.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

"Banner Beneath The Sea" - Postcard

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I made an underwater merhorse / mermaid themed piece, but I'm not happy with the result. I'm suffering from artist's block so I finally had to enforce my "paint brush down!" time limit rule and stop working on this. I've already spent far too much time on it.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

"Falling Feathers" - Postcard

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This week's Three Muses challenge was "Birds."

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

Bokeh Screen and Trees - Photograph

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I took these photographs of the early morning sunlight reflecting in water droplets from the overnight rain that was frozen to the outside of my screen door. I couldn't capture the actual view I was trying to get, but I like the bokeh effect that occurred.

"Roses" - Postcard

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This week's Take a Word challenge was "Roses."

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

"T Stands For Teddy Drinking Coffee" - Photograph

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I am joining Bleubeard and Elizabeth for this week's T Stands For challenge found here.

Teddy is drinking coffee while he admires the Valentine's Day bells that he's telling everyone he bought at the Christmas Tree Shops (ahem). Teddy said that is one of his favorite stores to shop at, year round, due to the bargains they always have. Teddy suggested we could use this red candle holder as part of our decor for the upcoming holiday. The red heart wreath and bells decoration that Teddy is holding in this photo is currently hanging on a wall in the Living Room.

On a weather related note, there is more snow in the forecast for my location in Connecticut, for today (Tuesday) and tomorrow (Wednesday). Teddy said Mother Nature has actually spared us the full brunt of the past few storms, and it looks like the same could be true for this one. We have a Winter Weather Advisory while others near us have a Winter Storm Warning. Then a deep arctic cold follows, with wind chill values between -5 F (-20.5 C) and -15 F ( -26 C).

Waning Half Moon - Photograph

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I took this photograph of the waning half moon this morning shortly after sunrise. The sky was blue, but once I zoomed in on the moon, it became the black outer space color. I didn't take many photos in 2018, unlike years past. I'm hoping to take more this year. I'm still thrilled I got to see the Blood Moon on January 21, 2019.

Imbolc Brighid - Week 05 - The Book of Days

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The week05 theme for my Book of Days was Imbolc Brighid.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

The master index for all of my entries is here.

"Ballet" - Postcard

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This week's Sunday Postcard Art challenge was "Ballet."

I'm struggling with artist's block right now. And after seeing everyone else's colorful entries, I might try to make something new, that is better than this piece turned out.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

Celestial - Week 03 - The Book of Days

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The week03 theme for my Book of Days was Celestial.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

The master index for all of my entries is here.

Grunge - Week 02 - The Book of Days

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The week02 theme for my Book of Days was Grunge.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

The master index for all of my entries is here

Father Time Flies - Week 01 - The Book of Days

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The week01 theme for my Book of Days was Father Time Flies.

This is also my entry for this  week's Try It On Tuesday theme of Time Flies.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

The master index for all of my entries is here.

Month of Jan - The Book of Days

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I created an ocean / geometric shapes theme art journal page for the Month of Jan page for the weekly planner/journal that I'm using for my Book of Days.

This is also my entry for this month's Art Journal Journey theme of Geometric Shapes. I'm a little late to the party, but I was inspired after seeing many of the T Stands For ... ladies also posting to the AJJ challenge. My letter L printed much darker than I intended. Other than that, I'm happy with my end result.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

The master index for all of my entries is here.

"Grunge Mermaid" - Postcard

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I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

"T Stands For Teddy Drinking Cocoa" - Photograph

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I am joining Bleubeard and Elizabeth for this week's T Stands For challenge found here.

Teddy is drinking cocoa after telling everyone that he shoveled the driveway (ahem) on Sunday, January 20, 2019, during the snow / freezing rain / rain storm. Teddy said he needs new boots because his are no longer waterproof, so his toes got wet and froze from the slushy mess he had to trudge through. Teddy also complained his hat wasn't Christmassy enough, and that he wants a red one. I told him beggars can't be choosers. (Note: I never lost power during the storm, so that was fortunate, because others in Connecticut did.)

Additional note: the sky cleared so I was able to see the Total Lunar Eclipse Blood Moon at 12:12am my local time. (I stayed up past my bedtime, to see it.) I have some photos here, but they didn't come out too good. But it was fantastic to see it in person!

"Red Cardinal Pine Cone" - Wood Box

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I made a Northern Cardinal bird, pine cone, and red berry wood box, using a cigar box.

I created this using a 3-ply paper Christmas napkin, which I separated to use only the ply with the image on it.

Other than not removing the box hardware, I used the same steps as I did for this wood box.

Blood Moon - Week 04 - The Book of Days

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The week04 theme for my Book of Days was Blood Moon.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

The master index for all of my entries is here.

Blood Moon - Photograph

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I took these photographs of the Total Lunar Eclipse of the moon last night (12:12am EST January 21, 2019).

The Total Lunar Eclipse was on a Supermoon Full Moon and is called a Blood Moon. It was fantastic to get to see it! Unfortunately, I didn't get any good photographs of it. The ones shown here are in reverse chronological order, starting on January 20th when it was partially eclipsed and going into January 21, when it was fully eclipsed.

"Shut Up" - Postcard

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I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

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Nothing is as what it seems

Hymn For The Weekend (Then we'll shoot across the sky) - Coldplay

Beyond The Invisible - Enigma

Crash Into Reason - Tritonal Feat. Cristina Soto

Cherubic Hymn - Pavel Chesnokov

Silence - Beethoven 

"Drink From Me" - Postcard

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I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

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Hymn For The Weekend (Then we'll shoot across the sky) - Coldplay

"Butterfly" - Postcard

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This week's Take a Word challenge was "Butterflies In Interesting Places."

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

P.S. As of 4pm on Sunday, January 20, 2019, so far so good with still having electricity despite the winter storm that went through. It will become arctically cold, but hopefully I won't have the flash freeze they originally forecast.

"Zebra 2" - Postcard

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This is my second entry for this week's Sunday Postcard Art challenge "Zebra."

This is also my entry for this week's Three Muses challenge "Where The Wild Things Are."

Once again, I went where my muse took me with this one, so the final result might seem a little unusual.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

"Zebra" - Postcard

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This week's Sunday Postcard Art challenge was "Zebra."

I went where my muse took me with this one, so the final result might seem a little unusual.

I'm also very nervous about a Winter Storm that's going to turn into an ice storm where I live. Depending on when the temperature plummets, there could also be a flash freeze. No matter what happens with the types of precipitation we get, the current forecast looks dire with regard to losing electricity with a Sunday into Monday overnight temperature of 4 F (-15.5 C). NOAA

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

Winter Storm Warning / Ice Storm

Winter Storm Warning

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service New York NY
350 AM EST Sat Jan 19 2019

CTZ005-NJZ002-004-103-105-NYZ067>070-192100-
/O.CON.KOKX.WS.W.0001.190119T1700Z-190120T2300Z/
Northern Fairfield-Western Passaic-Eastern Passaic-Western Bergen-
Western Essex-Orange-Putnam-Rockland-Northern Westchester-
350 AM EST Sat Jan 19 2019

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM EST SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Heavy mixed precipitation expected. Total snow and sleet accumulations of 6 to 10 inches. The highest snow totals will be across Orange and Putnam counties. Ice accumulations of one tenth to one quarter of an inch are expected.

* WHERE...Portions of northeast New Jersey, interior southwest Connecticut and the lower Hudson Valley in New York.

* WHEN...From noon this afternoon through 6 PM EST Sunday.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Hazardous travel is expected with roads becoming snow and ice covered. Gusty winds, snow, and ice accumulation may bring down tree limbs and power lines.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Winter Storm Warning means significant amounts of snow, sleet and ice will make travel very hazardous or impossible.

Check local Department of Transportation information services for the latest road conditions.

"T Stands For Teddy Drinking Cappuccino" - Photograph

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I am joining Bleubeard and Elizabeth for this week's T Stands For challenge found here.

Teddy is drinking cappuccino while he admires the decoupage box that he's telling everyone he made (ahem). Teddy said he bought the 3-ply paper napkins for Christmas and has extras left over to use on another decoupage box.

"Red Cardinal Pine Cone" - Wood Box

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I made a Northern Cardinal bird, pine cone, and red berry wood box, using a playing card box.

I created this using a 3-ply paper Christmas napkin, which I separated to use only the ply with the image on it. I removed all of the box hardware first. Then I painted the box using Apple Barrel Antique Parchment and let it dry. Next I used Liquitex Matte Gel as my decoupage medium, and put the napkin onto the box top and sides of the top. I used plastic wrap to press down on the napkin, and also used a brayer across the top of the plastic wrap that was on top of the napkin. (See: How To Decoupage with Paper Napkins (plastic wrap tip). )

Once that was dry, I applied one coat of Liquitex Gloss Gel as a sealer. I was happy to see that the napkin ink didn't run when I did that. But the coat dried with brush strokes that could be felt, so I did the second coat using Delta Ceramcoat Gloss Interior Varnish as the sealer.

I decided to use parts of the napkin as inner panels in the bottom inside of the playing card box. I used the same decoupage steps as above. However, for the first coat of sealer, I used the Delta Ceramcoat Gloss Interior Varnish as the sealer, and the ink ran. It wasn't too bad, and gave it a somewhat distressed look, which I was okay with.

But it was a lesson learned: from now on, use Liquitex Gloss Gel as the first coat for the sealer, so the ink doesn't run, then use the Delta Ceramcoat Gloss Interior Varnish as the second coat, to get a smoother finish without brush strokes in it.

"Scallop Edge Love Note" - Postcard

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I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

"Love Note Postmark" - Tag

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This week's Tag Tuesday challenge was "Mail, postmarks or postage stamps."

I made a new tag template with a scalloped edge on the top. I like how it looks, so I'll probably use it a lot this year.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

"Metropolis Steampunk" - Postcard

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This week's Sunday Postcard Art challenge was "Steampunk."

This is one of my favorite themes, but I always struggle to create artwork for it. Once again, I've used the Maria robot from Metropolis. However, the gears and everything else in the background are new images that I haven't used before. One thing I'm trying to do for my artwork in the new year (2019) is to make use of images that I haven't used previously.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

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If you're interested in seeing parts of the movie Metropolis, I've provided some links that give some context to my art piece:

Metropolis - Maria montage to song Here She Comes by Bonnie Tyler

Metropolis - Freder fever and Evil Maria sequence

White Heron / Egret Mixed Media Painting

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I took this photograph of a mixed media painting that I purchased.

"Cold Frosty Colors" - Postcard

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This week's Moo Mania challenge was "Cold and Frosty Colors."

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

"Winter Scene" - Postcard

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I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

"Invitation" - Postcard

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This week's Three Muses challenge was "Hats or Crowns."

I created these using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

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For your listening enjoyment, a little slice of heaven:

Salvation is Created - Pavel Chesnokov

"Botanical" - Postcard

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This week's Take a Word challenge was "Botanical."

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

"Hatbox Cherub" - Postcard

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This week's Sunday Postcard Art challenge was "Wings."

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

Journal Front Accordion Pocket

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I created a front accordion pocket for the weekly planner/journal that I'm using for my Book of Days.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

The master index for all of my entries is here.

Title Page - The Book of Days

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I created a Title Page for my Book of Days.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.8.

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

The master index for all of my entries is here.

The Book of Days 2019

I'm doing my Book of Days theme again for 2019.

My only rules for myself are Keep It Simple (KIS) and Have Fun.

The challenge involves using a weekly planner. I purchased a May Designs Blue Sky 5" x 8" Weekly & Monthly Planner January to December 2019.

I re-used the 2" x 1.5" tabs template that I created with GIMP, and made divider tabs that I then printed on card stock paper, cut out, and Elmer's glue sticked into the planner.

The weekly challenge themes are listed below, and I will add links to my entries as I create them. My weeks start on Monday. This blog entry will serve as my master index to them.

(Note: I originally started my weeks on Sunday, but because the weekly planners I have purchased have always started on Monday, I'm correcting this as of Sunday Jan 27, 2019. The original challenge I had started this annual theme with had started on Sundays.)

All of the images are © All Rights Reserved

Title Page

Journal Front Accordion Pocket

Journal Back Accordion Pocket

January

Week  1. Jan 1 - Father Time Flies

Week  2. Jan 7 - Grunge

Week  3. Jan 14 - Celestial

Week  4. Jan 21 - Super Blood Wolf Moon

Week  5. Jan 28 - Imbolc Brighid

February

Week  6. Feb 4 - Super Bowl (out of sequence)

Week  7. Feb 11 - Valentine's Day

Week  8. Feb 18 - Snow Moon

Week  9. Feb 25

March

Week 10. Mar 4 - Mardi Gras
Week 11. Mar 11 - Saint Patrick's Day
Week 12. Mar 18 - Worm Moon, Vernal Equinox
Week 13. Mar 25

April
Week 14. Apr 1
Week 15. Apr 8
Week 16. Apr 15 - Pink Moon, Good Friday, Easter
Week 17. Apr 22
Week 18. Apr 29 - Beltane

May

Week 19. May 6
Week 20. May 13 - Flower Moon
Week 21. May 20
Week 22. May 27

June

Week 23. Jun 3
Week 24. Jun 10
Week 25. Jun 17 - Strawberry Moon, Summer Solstice
Week 26. Jun 24

July
Week 27. Jul 1
Week 28. Jul 8
Week 29. Jul 15 - Buck Moon
Week 30. Jul 22
Week 31. Jul 29 - Lughnasadh

August
Week 32. Aug 5
Week 33. Aug 12 - Sturgeon Moon
Week 34. Aug 19
Week 35. Aug 26

September
Week 36. Sep 2
Week 37. Sep 9 - Harvest Moon
Week 38. Sep 16
Week 39. Sep 23 - Autumnal Equinox
Week 40. Sep 30

October
Week 41. Oct 7 - Hunter's Moon
Week 42. Oct 14
Week 43. Oct 21
Week 44. Oct 28 - Halloween, Samhain, Dia de Muertos

November
Week 45. Nov 4
Week 46. Nov 11 - Beaver Moon
Week 47. Nov 18
Week 48. Nov 25 - Thanksgiving

December
Week 49. Dec 2
Week 50. Dec 9 - Cold Moon (12:12 am on 12/12)
Week 51. Dec 16 - Winter Solstice
Week 52. Dec 23 - Christmas
Week 53. Dec 30 - New Year's Eve