Calm and Bright

Calm and bright is the theme for 4x4 Friday. We had a White Christmas! Between yesterday evening and now we've gotten about 4" snow with more coming, and the temperature is 30 °F. A snowy scene would be calm and bright, but I think I'll go Asian for this challenge. This is a peaceful piece I worked up a while back. I hope altering it a little and posting for this challenge is ok

From Hazel, I learned of a site where some beautiful watermarks are available. Shown is the one I ordered. I also got some lovely texts. One of the texts from Doodle Pantry is shown in my sidebar.

4x4 Friday - Art Cards

I get to use some more of Frankie's blogaversary prize I won for today's challenges. The ribbon and the die cuts are from her.

My background is done with the peeled paint technique, the theme for Artekarten. There is a link there so that others can learn the technique. The theme for 4x4 Friday this week is Observations (aka open theme).

Daisies and Paisley

Paisley is the theme for this week's Art Cards challenge. I used the Cricut folder and decorative paper for the background.

Raining Daisies is the theme for this week's 4x4 Friday challenge.

The quote is from Oscar Wilde and I have no idea what it means.

Art Cards Challenge - faux marble

I absolutely love this technique that I tried for the first time today. It's called faux marble and is the theme for Art Cards Challenge this week. Here is where you can find the tutorial for doing this.

My backing paper and part of the "marble" are from a set of decorator papers I got from Michael's and I can't find any names on it.

This 4x4 is also being entered into the 4x4 Friday challenge. which is a free theme.

Mrs. Sallie Rhea in her new fishing hat

Mrs. Sallie Rhea was invited to participate in the 4th Annual 2-Fly Fishing Tournament as a guide for one of the wounded soldier-fishermen. She purchased what she hoped would be an appropriate chapeau.

Her warrior-fisherman did beautifully on the stream and ultimately took home one of the awards.

More about the Project Healing Waters organization, sponsors of the 2-Fly tournament, can be seen here. My own picture of the warriors and their guides is on my other blog,

The challenge for 4x4 Friday is Hat-itude. My background is actually a photo of the Rose River. Mrs. Sallie Rhea is one of my ancestors. I doubt she ever caught a trout, especially on a fly.

4x4 Friday (Artisans) and ACF background

Using the background supplied by Art Creations Friday, I have made this digital piece also for 4x4 Friday whose theme was Artisans. 

I don't remember where this image came from. It was a black and white sketch. It shows a woman handling a basket of various yarns. I figure anyone who creates with yarn is an artisan.

4x4 Friday - Words of Wisdom

My entry for 4x4 Friday has some words of wisdom from the best-loved cowboy of old times (my opinion), John Wayne. He  says: "Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway."

International Women's Week/Day

International Women's Week is March 8-14. Jeanette at So Artful Challenge is using this as her theme.

I thought of the many women friends that I have had through the years and how important each of them has been.  There is nothing quite like a chat with another woman to help one sort out the real from the imaginary. And a real friend will tell you what's what.

I also thought of blogland, where I've made many women friends from all across the globe. So I have used Jeanette's charming 1860s map of the world as my backdrop. The images of the 2 women from opposite sides of the world are from Art Creations Friday and Dover Publications.

This 4x4 also qualifies for 4x4 Friday challenge with almost the same theme: International Women's Day.

4x4 Friday - Mantra

Mantra: originally from Buddhism and Hinduism, but now is also used as a statement or slogan repeated frequently.

Being Christian, rather than Buddhist or Hindu, I have to go with the second idea, that of a slogan repeated frequently. I can't think of any other word that would do better as a slogan than "love".

Click here for other entries into 4x4 Friday challenge.

The background is one that I created using home made glimmer sprays and mists. The image is part of "The Soul of a Rose" by John William Waterhouse and is taken from Dover Publications freebies collection.

4x4 Friday - Princess Raven

Princess Raven's background is one that I finished today after starting it a few days ago. I had laid down some acrylic paints and sprayed with various mists. Then I put the card stock face down onto the puddles. After it dried I didn't like all the gaudy red and yellow so I rubbed white gesso over some of it to tone it down. Then I sprayed with various Moon Glow colors.

My castle and blue basket of flowers are thanks to Dover. The girl is one of Nan's freebies. The crown is a freebie from Graphics Fairy. The raven was the result of googling.

Other entries can be seen at 4x4 Friday.

ACF and 4x4 Friday

Spirit of Love

The challenge for 4x4 Friday is to create a 4x4 art piece using the theme: Spirit.

I took the image provided by Art Creations Friday, removed the wings so that she is a real girl, not an angel, and used one of the cards I made earlier in the week for a background.

Vintage Bride 4x4 Friday

Today's 4x4 Friday challenge is to use a vintage bride in our art work. I am using one of the Hearts in Touch stamps Judy gave me. The background paper, already dry embossed with swirls and flowers, is some I bought in a packet.