Awakening

This is two challenges rolled into one: Collage Obsession's Orange challenge, and Take a Word's Butterfly challenge.

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Originally I had started a different butterfly picture, but it didn't go well, and in the end I disliked it so much I abandoned it. Then I found the orange challenge, and started that one, and before I knew it, the butterfly appeared in it.

On the Beach

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This one is being submitted to the Three Muses challenge, which is windows and doors.

Paper Mountains Majesty

Today was another experimental day. This time the mountains are made from tissue paper. It would have been easier if it wasn't so breezy outside. I had tape it down to keep it blowing away. This was another fun project.

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Maybe a few of you will see the little pun in this.

Silky Mountains

This was a fun experiment. The mountains were made from a silk scarf (a pink one) and the foreground is from a crumpled sheet of paper. The globes were made from one clear marble.

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Under the Sea

Inspiration Avenue are having a Swirl challenge this week. Shells are my favorite swirly things.

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I had to grow extra hands to pull this one off.

And I Dreamed I Was Flying

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I was just thinking about how this piece came out to be a bit of a mess, when I noticed that this week's theme at Take a Word is Messy. So, there you have it--instant submission...

Dancing in the Moonlight

When that old moon gets big and bright...

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Where Do We Go At Night?

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I had a little fun today. I got myself a nifty little remote shutter release for my camera, because it's not easy taking pictures of your own hands with a large camera. So, I realized that I could now take pictures of my feet too. Yup! Those are my tootsies...

Alone

This is for the Alone challenge at Three Muses.

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The crow was kind enough to pose for me the other day on a dead branch.

I hope I didn't confuse too many people today when I redecorated my blog. I was in the mood for a change.

Long and Winding Road

This is for the Maps challenge at Collage Obsession. I almost didn't have anything to submit, as I'd originally started with a disaster which included a cheesy pirate map that was going absolutely nowhere. I had to abandon ship on that one (haw, haw), and got a new idea this morning.

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I should start a separate blog called Debbie's Bloopers, and feature all my failed and abandoned pictures.

I scanned a map and gave it some perspective. To add the road, I had to create one in Illustrator and then also give it some perspective. The two rows of mountains are from one mountain picture, and one of them was distorted beyond recognition.

Carry Moonbeams Home in a Jar

This is for the Moon challenge at Take a Word.

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I Spy With My Little Eye

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Guess Who....?

Inspiration Avenue's challenge for this week is Fly. I happened to step out onto my back deck a few months ago and discovered two flies--well, being flies. (Actually, it looked like the one was playing guess who with the other.) I took some pictures. So, when I found a challenge called "Fly", I couldn't resist.

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I probably spent less time than normal cleaning up the picture, because flies are just not pretty close up. I think I may have thrown up a little in my mouth while putting this one together. Ugh! I can't look anymore...

Happy Hour

If you're not hungry enough for the Blue Plate Special, the place next door is having Happy Hour.

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Blue Plate Special

This is for the Blue challenge at Take a Word. I just adore my cobalt blue plates.

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Birds of a Feather

I got a little bit ahead of myself on this one, as the challenge hasn't started yet, but I'd seen at the Three Muses blog. It was actually a sneak preview for the upcoming challenge, but I ran with the idea and created the picture below. I don't participate in all challenges, as sometimes I just can't seem to get the right ideas, or sometimes I start and the whole thing falls flat, and I abandon it. Anyhow, I hope I can remember to link it when their next challenge is finally announced.

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I was just about to explain the picture, but decided that it's always best if the viewer draws his/her own conclusions.

All the elements are from my photos, including the cooperative mockingbirds. (Actually, it's only two birds.)

Midnight Tea

This is for the Teapot Challenge at Inspiration Avenue.

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There is just no telling what can happen at a midnight tea party.

Another Brick

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Anywhere But Here

The Sepia Challenge at Sunday Postcard Art caught my eye today. Their criteria is that it must be 4x6 inches, and the original actually is that size, but I do like to resize for the web. The aspect ratio is still the same. I had to throw a little color in there.

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This turned out to be a postcard within a postcard within a postcard. Have you ever wanted to be somewhere else? The little sepia postcard in the middle is where I'd love to be. The postcard with the beach scene is where I am. All you inland and cold-climate folk are probably wondering why someone living in a warm climate with snow-white beaches would want to be elsewhere, but I truly prefer to be in the mountains and gladly trade in the snow-white beaches for some real snow.