Fairy Tale Tattler-Dorothy Exposed as Alien Imposter!

Fairy Tale Tattler has breaking details on the eerie disappearance, and even eerier re-appearance of Kansas resident, Dorothy Gayle. Dorothy was missing and feared dead in the aftermath of a devastating F3 tornado. An extensive search was eventually called off after no sign of Dorothy was found, leaving Poor Auntie Em and Uncle Henry no choice but to have Dorothy declared legally dead.

The couple managed to cope with their grief by occupying themselves with the reconstruction of their heavily damaged farm, made easier by the large life insurance policy paid to them following Dorothy's untimely demise. They reportedly managed to find a silver lining in their cloud of despair by using a portion of the life insurance money to pay off their sub-prime adjustable rate mortgage on the farm.

Understandably, it came as quite a shock to both of them when a large multi-colored object came floating to the ground out of the clear blue sky. Inside this object was an organism in human form, claiming to be none other than Dorothy Gayle herself!

She maintains that she has been somewhere "way up high" for the past several weeks. Authorities are in the process of conducting drug tests, to determine what, if any, illicit substance could be causing this "high". Although the young girl has passed several polygraph exams, as well as a DNA test, Auntie Em is adamant that this could not possibly be "her Dorothy". She has been quoted as saying , "My Dorothy had a distinctive pasty gray complexion. This girl's cheeks are far too rosy. She is definitely an imposter!" The family farm is scheduled to be auctioned next week, in order to repay the insurance money.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

(Visit my Etsy shop to purchase prints of this mock magazine cover.)

The Colorful Moods Of Women: A Handy Reference Guide For Confused Men

Okay, let's face it, ladies. Sometimes we are tough to figure out. Of course, it goes without saying that most of the men in our lives could try a little harder. For those men who are actually making the effort to interpret the complexities of the female gender, here is a handy little ACEO. Call it a cheat card, if you will. ACEOs are tiny, 2.5" x 3.5" pieces of art that fit easily into a wallet. Encourage the man in your life to carry this and refer to it often, especially when he finds himself in the doghouse without having a clue as to how he managed to land there.
Make sure you print out these instructions and give them to your favorite male. The card won't do him much good if he doesn't know what to do with the information now, will it?

1-Green With Envy: Somebody has something that the lady in your life wants. Find out what it is, and get it for her quickly. Or, even better, get the updated version.

2-A Case of the Blues: Sometimes women just get this. Take her out to dinner, COOK dinner (while remembering to clean up after yourself), hand over the remote control and bathe the kids while she watches her favorite show for a change. These suggestions might not cure the blues, but they sure can't hurt.
*** Whatever you do, DON'T ask her if she's "hormonal". Even if she is, she doesn't want to talk about it with you.***

3-Seeing Red: Need I say more? Something, or somebody, has made her mad!!!!! Just apologize, sincerely, even if you aren't the offending party. Then get out of the way.

4-In the Pink: When you see this face, the coast is clear, all is well, everything is just peachy. Try hard not to mess up, okay?

Illustration Friday Topic: Sail!

This painting was part of a series that I did a while back, during a point when I was in dire need of a vacation, but lacking funds to actually take a trip. I called the series "Virtual Vacation", and let my imagination take me to some beautiful, exotic places.

Hope you can smell the salt air and feel the cool evening breeze against your face! Don't forget your sunblock tomorrow. It's forecast to be another scorcher!

Fairy Tale Tattler- Rapunzel's New Look!

You asked for it! Here it is; the latest and juiciest edition of "Fairy Tale Tattler"!

Today's issue features an exclusive on the life of that lovely princess, Rapunzel. After years of sporting those long, silky locks, the single mother of twins finally consented to a complete makeover by none other than Stacy and Clinton, the fashion gurus at The Learning Channel.

They found Rapunzel to be a willing participant, even going so far as to wield the scissors herself when the time came to chop off those frequently-climbed tresses. A quick shampoo and a touch of mousse is now all she needs to style her short and sassy 'do. Reportedly, the only request that Rapunzel made was that all of her new clothing items be in shades of purple, to reflect her status as a royal.

The experience proved to be so rewarding that Rapunzel decided, with the assistance of TLC designers, to make over her tower apartment into a funky urban loft! Despite the objections of TLC staff, Rapunzel insisted on using her ribboned ponytail as a wall hanging. She was overheard in heated discussions with production crews saying, "You ya-hoos have slapped everything from mud to hay to feathers on the walls in people's homes. It's my hair and it's going on the wall!!!!!" She loves the look, and says the hair on the wall makes "a unique conversation piece".

Apparently both segments ended on a positive note, because Rapunzel will be joining the cast of the immensely popular makeover show this fall. Stay tuned!

Illustration Friday Topic: Poof!! Snow White Sued!!!

I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I was to see today's Illustration Friday topic!! Poof! That's what happened to poor Snow White's fairy tale. As you can see, poor Snow's troubles have been splashed all over the latest edition of that dastardly gossip rag, Fairy Tale Tattler.

No happily ever afters for her! Oh yes, she married her prince, and together they built themselves a very lucrative apple growing business. The first thing she did was hire those "adorable" dwarfs. You'd think they would be excited about that, especially with the benefits package that Snow offered. But Noooooo! Those ungrateful scoundrels apparently feel that they should not have to work for a living, in view of the fact that they saved Snow White's life and all.

Allowing themselves to be influenced by crotchety old Grumpy, those guys hired Mr. B.B. Wolf, a crooked, publicity-crazed attorney with significant ties to the darkling woods. Notorious for taking on frivolous lawsuits, and seeing dollar signs himself, he pounced on the case. Before she knew what hit her, Snow White found herself accused of running an apple juice sweatshop. Mr. Wolf, loving the sound of his own voice, even went so far as to howl about Snow White being "fair of face, but unfair in her treatment of employees".

As you can expect, these events have resulted in frequent fainting spells on the part of poor Snow White. It is rumored that she has even taken to sipping apple juice that has fermented a bit too long. The lone remaining dwarf, Happy, stays loyally by her side, grinning like a Cheshire cat as he guzzles that apple juice right along with her.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Prints of this mock magazine cover are for sale in my Etsy shop. Please feel free to message me if you need a larger size.

Fairy Tale Tattler- Red Riding Hood Paroled!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!! The Tattler has an exclusive story on the parole of one of our favorite little convicts..I mean fairy tale characters.

After her conviction on conspiracy charges following the senseless murder of the big bad wolf, Little Red Riding Hood was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Lucky for her, the Woodsman stepped up and took the rap for Red, claiming that he and his girlfriend, Granny, were the primary conspirators.

After a new trial, Red's sentence was reduced, and she was released on parole. According to the latest reports, Red has been spotted back at home, busy building up a home catering and food delivery business.

In an interesting side note, since Red made her exit from prison looking very chic and stylish in a custom designed red cape with attached hood, demand for this item has risen dramatically!

I have this print available for sale in my Etsy shop. Click on the image to go there. Please feel free to message me if you need it in a larger size!

Fairy Tale Tattler-Inaugural Issue Features Belle!

Fashioned after another famous celebrity gossip rag, Fairy Tale Tattler is the only magazine that gives us the "up to the minute" scoop on our favorite fairy tale characters!

Ever wonder what happened after the classic story ended? Were all those "happily ever afters" really all that blissful? We all know from experience that things are not always as they appear! The inaugural issue features none other than Belle, made famous by her role in "Beauty and the Beast". Belle wisely kicked Prince Charming to the curb after quickly realizing that he had been spoiled his entire life by a doting pottery/cutlery team. Belle moved back to her little French village and is in the process of writing a tell-all book. She is quoted as stating that she "is determined that beast of a prince will not come out smelling like a rose".

Prints of this mock magazine cover are for sale in my Etsy shop! Hope you'll stop by!

Illustration Friday Topic: Canned!!!

Whoever would have guessed that this angelic-looking little girl was headed for a life of crime at such a tender young age? Despite her protestations that "the door was wide-open" and she was just looking for protection from the deep, dark forest, authorities quickly saw the holes in her story. Goldilocks's DNA on all three of those porridge bowls is what finally convicted her. Even after all these years in the can, Goldilocks shows no remorse. Prison officials report that she cries loudly in her cell, claiming she is suffering mental distress because the beds are too hard.

Illustration Friday Topic: Enough!

I'm not currently owned by a cat, but have been in the past. I also continue to be intrigued by the complexity of the feline persona.

Through my experiences, I have drawn the following conclusions about cats. They are completely uninhibited, incapable of being shamed or chastised. In their view, they simply do nothing wrong....ever. They don't generally need humans, and don't really even like us very much. They tolerate us though, because they know we are the ones with the debit cards, the driver's licenses, and the access to the local grocery store aisles lined with cans of gourmet kitty food. Therefore, they do permit us access to their world....just enough to suit their purposes.

P.S. This print is available for sale in my Etsy shop!

Illustration Friday Topic: Foggy!

Participating in Illustration Friday has been on my "to-do" list for so long; when I found this week's topic in my email this morning, I knew today was the day!!

"Foggy" is probably the kindest word that could possibly be used to describe me in the morning before I've had my caffeine fix. My poor kids know better than to try to carry on a conversation with me, and heaven forbid that there should be NO COFFEE in the house on any given morning! My poor eldest has been known to dash half-dressed out of the house to the nearest fast food establishment, in a quest for some form of high-octane liquid to transform his mother from the bleary-eyed beast into something resembling a human form.

This painting represents (almost!) everything about mornings that I find unbearably annoying, from those cheerful birds frenetically flying around, to that wretched clock grinning at me, mocking my misery!

So....now that I've had my coffee....what are mornings like for you?

P.S. Prints of this painting are available for sale in my Etsy shop.

"Lovin' the Craft!"

I love to create, and find myself getting lost in the process. I tend to lose all track of time, focusing my attention solely on whatever project I am involved in. I like to explore and experiment with a variety of mediums. Some of these finished projects have been wonderful, while others...well...not so great. Throughout all of this, though, I learn more about the artistic process.

My art is always a reflection of those people and things for which I have a passion. You know, just as with any thing, art follows trends, with specific subjects and/or mediums being more popular than others. Raven, mermaids, and fairies are among a few subjects which have recently had their day in the sun. For me, however, the trouble is, I can't bring myself to paint something that has no personal meaning for me. I just can't get excited about mermaids and blackbirds!! So....I missed the boat on both of those buying bonanzas.

I have learned and continue to learn so much about myself through artistic expression. First and foremost, I have to please myself. Then, hopefully I will have produced a work that will bring pleasure to someone else.

Thanks so much for visiting!

We're Published!!! Check out "Create Collect Trade!"

I received my copies of the book "Create Collect Trade" a few days ago, and could not be happier with them! Thank goodness my son doesn't pay any attention to this blog, because he still has no idea that he is now a published artist! I can't wait to see the look on his face when he opens it.

This is an image of the front cover. Notice that "Groove-iti" van in the upper right corner. That's my son's van and a print of it is available for sale at his Etsy shop:
http://bjandme.etsy.com

These are my pages. Some of these are available as prints in my Etsy shop.

Copies of this book are still available for sale at http://art2the extreme.etsy.com
Congratulations Nicole, on a job well done!

Old plastics take on New Life in "Spring Bloom"

Spring is well in bloom down here in the deep South! Since the first blossoms of spring are a celebration of new life, I thought this week's Blog Carnival theme would be the perfect time for me to introduce my niece's brand new Etsy shop, called "New Life Mosaics". Her username is "pinksniece" and this link will take you right to her shop.

http://pinksniece.etsy.com

Here's the really great thing about her mosaics. She creates these beautiful works of art out of old, plastic or metal items, like plastic prescription bottles, shampoo bottles, CDs, etc. She has special tools that she uses to cut these old items up into tiny pieces, then uses the pieces to create these magnificent mosaic artworks. I just love the idea that these exquisite pieces are made from items that ordinarily end up in a landfill. She is basically taking what most people consider trash, and giving it "new life"! These mosaics can be framed and hung in any room of the house. They actually remind me of the impressionist paintings of the old masters like Monet and Renoir.



All images on this website are copyrighted and cannot be reproduced in any manner without the written consent of the artist, pinksniece.

ACEO Bounty Challenge Going on Now in Etsy Forums!

One of our ingenious and talented Etsy artists, Bellsakabin, has put her heart and soul into a fabulous promotion for ACEO artists. It's called the ACEO Bounty challenge, and it's going on now! Hop on over to the thread now and read the details. Here's the link:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5566696

There are 62 artists participating and one lucky poster is going to score a collection of fabulous ACEOs!

This angel came about as a result of a challenge I accepted to create a traditional angel with a floral halo and rainbow-colored wings.

Pieces of April!

My family refers to April as "The Birthday Month", because we celebrate three birthdays in April! My sister, her son, and my youngest son were all born in April. We never miss an opportunity to party, and the birthday month gives us lots of reasons to get together and celebrate! My youngest will be 20 years old on the 21st, officially ending my teenager-raising career. I have always made a concerted effort to cherish every phase of my children's lives, but I must admit feeling a little sentimental about this milestone.

UFO Challenge! (and another Learning Stretch!)

In this case, UFO doesn't stand for "Unidentified Flying Object"! Instead, this time it means "Unfinished Object". I was a participant in a thread discussion and it seems that all of us had unfinished ACEOs laying around. Some were duds, and some were just those cards that fail to inspire us to completion. Nobody wanted to throw them out, but just didn't know what to do with them. So, we decided to send our UFOs out to each other to see what someone else could come up with! I received some lovely little UFOs from Linda at http://ldphotography.etsy.com
I did not take "before" photos, so I'll just try to explain what I did with each of these.
Linda sent this beautiful blue card with a background of blues, greens, and yellows. She also sent a card with a stamped and embossed image of Glinda the Good Witch of the North from the movie, The Wizard of Oz. I cut Glinda out and affixed her to this card, then embellished her dress with tiny pearlized beads. Her wand and crown are silver bugle beads. I added the Emerald City, the rainbow, and the Yellow Brick Road, all embellished with bugle beads. Down in the left corner, you can see that you just missed Dorothy! All that is visible is her red, ruby slipper. If you are familiar with the musical, "Wicked", you will recognize the quote, "That's right! Just follow that one road the whole time!". The card is framed with colorful fibers.
I've never done anything with mixed media collage before, and had so much fun with all these tiny little pieces.


This next card was already beautiful, so I had a hard time trying to figure out how to do anything to it without messing it up! I have been intrigued for a while with Ultra Thick Embossing Powder (also called UTEE), so I thought I might try to make a resin finish for this card. As I said before, this card was already very nice, so I just added a few items to transform this travel card to a "travel to Paris" card, then sprinkled the card with the UTEE. I tried using a heat gun to melt the embossing powder, but cannot for the life of me figure out how to do this without having powder blowing all over the place!! I ended up sprinkling the powder, then melting it in my oven. This card has 3 coats of UTEE, plus a sprinkling of gold pigment ink for a little bit of glitz. The back is messy (so sorry, Linda!), because the resin ran under the card. But, the front of the finished product is nice and glossy, with a thick layer of resin. This was an interesting project for me, and I'm looking forward to hearing from someone with words of wisdom on how to manage that heating gun more efficiently!
This last card began with an adorable little stamp of an angel with a cherub on her back. When I saw this, I immediately thought this must be the best kind of transportation in heaven! I kept this one a little more simple. The card is a drawing (with permanent markers) of a beautiful day in heaven.

This project was so much fun! Let's do it again!! Linda, I thank you for entrusting your treasures to me! I would be honored to send them back to you if you want them.

Featured Artist/Etsy Shop: PaperFields! Shop here for Mother's Day!!

If you haven't already discovered this shop, let me please encourage you to take a minute and treat yourself. This lady's work is simply a feast for the eyes! She designs and creates a unique line of greeting cards using digital collage and a variety of beautifully elegant ephemera. These cards almost defy description! I ordered a set of these and can personally tell you they are among the most beautiful cards I've ever seen! They are just perfect for that special person in your life, when a drugstore card just won't do. An added bonus to the quality of these products is the opportunity to do business with such a lovely seller! I promise you won't be disappointed by the time you spend with Jana at PaperFields!
The images above are a sampling of the cards that Jana offers in her Etsy shop. The link is http://PaperFields.etsy.com


Jana also has a website, called Serendipity Collections, that is an absolute "must see". We all find ourselves needing something a little special for those people in our lives that mean the most to us, and this website meets that need in such a delightful way! The first time I visited the site, I found myself wanting to visit the place in real life! It has the atmosphere of a charming tea room, where good friends sit down to visit. The images below represent just a sampling of the items offered at http://serendipitycollections.com

I have some of these adorable little pendants, and I just had to showcase them here! There are so many cute varieties that I had trouble deciding which image to display.



Opening one of Jana's boxes is a treat for the senses! The scent of lavender wafts out and I find myself just stopping for a moment to take in the experience!

Thanks for reading about Jana's shop and website. Hope you visit soon!

Tribute To Janis Joplin

I sat down a few weeks ago to watch the Woodstock documentary on VH1. I wanted to see Janis Joplin sing "Piece of My Heart". Well, who knew that Janis was cut out of the original documentary? All I can say is thank goodness for YouTube! This was a person of incredible talent, but so misunderstood. I had no idea of the sadness and rejection that she experienced in her personal life, even after she achieved fame. I drew this card as a tribute to the many faces of Janis.

Learning Stretch! Premio Polymer Clay

I love the work that I've seen on Etsy from polymer clay artists, so I thought I would give it a try myself. My son had some Premio polymer clay, so I sat down to create an ACEO using that. I thought I would show it here, because it is probably the only one I'll ever make!! This is a spring garden, but I discovered that, either I don't know enough about working with this medium, or it's just not my forte'. I did this without benefit of a brayer or a pasta machine. Apparently one or both of those items is necessary in order to properly condition the clay. I conditioned all of this by hand, and my hands are still sore a day later!

Think Spring

I'm sick of winter! It's time to put away the heavy coats and sweaters, throw open the windows and breathe in some fresh spring air! I love bright colors, and I guess that's why spring is my favorite time of year. In that spirit, I created this happy little orange day lily. It's for sale now in my Etsy shop, so click on the small image on the right to go there. I am planning to list more items similar to this one.

I've have several art cards marked down to half price now, so check those out too! If you are a collector, this would be a great opportunity to clean up! If you are not a collector, this is a wonderful time to start! ACEOs are such versatile little pieces of art. They are affordable, so go ahead and splurge! Put them in little frames and set them up in groupings at home, or take them to work with you to spruce up your cubicle. ACEOs also make great, affordable gifts for birthdays, weddings, Easter, or almost any occasion.

Featured Artist: Jean Levert Hood

Today it is my great pleasure to feature the talent of Texas hill country artist, Jean Levert Hood. Jean's work is available in several galleries across Texas and Louisiana. She also has a wonderful website and blog where her art is available for sale, or you may visit her Etsy shop to make purchases. Jean showcases the natural beauty of the Texas hill country in her paintings. She loves color which is obvious when you see the beautiful, vivid details in her work. Jean's primary mediums are oil and watercolors. She has recently begun painting small format ACEO sized pieces, as well as hand-painted greeting cards. Make sure to click on all three of these links to see the wide variety of art that Jean creates! The following is just a small sampling. All images on this website are copyrighted and cannot be reproduced in any manner without the written consent of the artist.

http://www.JeanLevertHood.com
http://www.JeansArtBlog.com
http://www.JeanHood.etsy.com

Plumbago
10" x 8" oil



Red and Green
16" x 12" watercolor

I just finished this watercolor portrait of my friend's little boy. This photo was taken on signing day at our local university and he was beaming because the football players and the coach had signed his football! I painted the football on a separate sheet of watercolor paper and mounted it, which gives the portrait a nice 3D effect. I thought this little guy was way too cute not to share!

I am thrilled to be participating in the first edition of "Create, Collect, Trade!", a collection of art cards from adult and student artists.

Since deciding to take part in this book, I have had time to reflect on the influences, both positive and negative, that shape a child's attitude toward the arts. My children were both fortunate to have had a caring and compassionate art teacher who knew how to guide and foster their development without squashing their creative spirits.

This card is a tribute to those unique educators who are blessed with dual talents: to create and also to inspire. Thanks Deanna and Nicole! You touch lives and change them for the better. Added on Mar 2, 2008

Featured Artist: Kim Rodeffer Funk

Tonight I am honored to showcase the talent of an amazing artist, Kim Rodefffer Funk. Kim describes her painting as "an internal process which leans toward contemporary and abstract expression". She does not attempt to define the art for the viewer; rather, she encourages individual interpretation of her work. Kim has her art on display in a gallery on her website. Stop by tonight. You will not be disappointed! The following is just a sampling of the works that she offers.
Please note all text, artwork, photographs and any other images are property of the artist, Kim Rodeffer Funk and have a copyright. All rights are reserved.

http://www.kimrodefferfunk.com/index.html
Contemplation 1
30x40 deep, gallery wrapped canvas
Acrylic

Horizon 6
30 x 40 deep, gallery wrapped canvas
acrylic

Featured Artist: Snitterdog!!

Tonight I can't wait to show you the work of this fascinating and imaginative artist. She goes by "Snitterdog" and her work is simply amazing! She sells originals and prints in her Etsy shop. She uses a variety of mediums, including watercolor and altered art/collage pieces using vintage photographs. The pieces pictured here are a small sample of the variety of art that she offers for sale. She has two Etsy shops so make sure to click on both of these links:
http://snitterdog.etsy.com
http://thegreenefairy.etsy.com

Samples of Snitterdog's art: Fabulous job!!

BJ and Me: my son's art

What kind of mother would I be if I didn't feature the artwork of my own child? I am so proud to show the world the work of this wonderfully talented and unique young man. Sam has always had a fascination for the music, history, and pop culture of the sixties and seventies. He likes to think of himself as a "flower child" born a few decades too late. The original painting above, entitled "Groove-iti" is a huge 32" x 40" piece. He has an ACEO-sized print of this painting in his Etsy shop: http://bjandme.etsy.com

Sam's art is a direct reflection of his emotions. Sam completed this painting, entitled "Fear in Chaos", during that frightening time when we were all coming to terms with the reality of terrorism at home. This is a 16" by 20" mixed media piece. Look closely at the body. In addition to the newspaper clippings, you can see that his body is covered with words expressing the fear that accompanied those events. An ACEO-sized print of this painting is available in Sam's shop.

As in most of his works, Sam's dog, Baby Jayne, puts in an appearance in each of these paintings. She is in the driver's seat of the van, and she protects Sam's heart in the second painting.

My son's art teacher

I just had to begin my features with the fabulous work of one of the sweetest people I have ever met. Not only is Deanna an extremely talented artist, but she is also a gifted teacher. She recognized my son's talent very quickly, and is responsible for fostering that talent and encouraging him to follow his dreams. I am so grateful for her positive influence in our lives. Deanna just opened a store on Etsy, and you simply must visit. I promise you won't be disappointed!
Her address is http://DeannaW.etsy.com

Create Collect Trade

I am beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to take part in the first edition of a new book, entitled "Create. Collect. Trade!", featuring a collection of art cards by student and adult artists. This book will bring attention to a movement that is rapidly gaining attention and popularity. Artist trading cards and ACEOs are a wonderful way to build a collection of original artwork! The subjects and mediums are as varied as the artists. I'm hoping to showcase some of the work of these extremely talented artists, so please bookmark this site and visit often!