New beginnings

I am beginning a new blog, Peggy Parker, Collage/Mixed Media Creator.  Please join me at mixedmediacreations.blogspot.com.  New photos and art work will be added daily to prepare for my show on April 13 at the Lakeside Plantation clubhouse at 1:00.

Florida scrub

Finally I am moved in enough to function and take some time to enjoy my new surroundings.  Nature's wonders abound in my new back yard!  When I walk Sophia I can see many glorious birds flitting about, colorful dragonflies, and statuesque tree trunks against the brilliant sky.   Here - I'll share a bit of it with you!

A common, but certainly not ordinary, egret in a neighboring tree.

Emilio scouting for bugs and birds.

Mama woodpecker....

...whom I believe has a nest in this palm in the back yard.

Gorgeous grasshoppers, who still remain stacked, 3 days later, while she eats away at the lily leaves!

Goodness!  I have been so negligent in posting!  Back to school, moving, changing situations - but they should not be used as an excuse.

Tuesday is our Arts of the Inlands meeting, and I will be taking this triptych to hang on our Kaiser University gallery wall.  There is something about vintage magazine ads that is very appealing to me; almost as appealing as nature!  In addition to the ads, I used other vintage papers, napkins, and tissue paper in which my stencils from Christy at http://www.gulfsprite.com.

I have titled this "Decades of Fashion".  

If you are in the area, visit the gallery wall Kaiser has dedicated to Arts of the Inlands members!  As you enter the main door, it is just to the right of the desk.  Enjoy!

Triptych

My last set of canvases for a bit - concentrating on making my dear friend's wedding invitations!

These use image transferred pattern advertisements from vintage magazines (color enhanced with watercolors), napkins, patterns, handmade paper, acrylic paints, and phrases from modern magazines.  I'm thrilled with them!

Spontaneity Rules!

What a wonderful, spontaneous morning!  Usually I am at work on a Thursday morning, so I forget about the farmer's market downtown - but today I just happened to be driving by.  I whipped my car right into the parking lot and bought three bags of beautiful, fresh produce and two bunches of flowers.

Of course, when I saw the "garage sale" sign pointing down Rio Vista, one of my favorite old Fort Myers streets, the car took a whipping again.....and I struck pay dirt!  My students will love the new goodies in the treasure box as well as the many games, puzzles, and art supplies I got for them.  And I love the bag of laces and trims, the books of quotes (for which I have a marvelous idea), and the suitcase I fell in love with.

So guess what I'm going to do now?  PLAY!

solder love

Last Sunday I soldered with a friend, using her wonderful butane tool which I greatly envy....and these are what I created.....

 

This one using Angela Cartwright transparencies, patterned paper, and a piece of twine.

 

These two back-to-back; the window is a photo I took of an exquisite window in Boston, the other images are Angela's, the female collaged over the archway.

 

These two again collaged with varying elements - words, ribbons, papers - using Angela Cartwright transparencies.  Other images may be included from other sources.

This is one of my favorite things to do!

One World, One Heart!

Again this year I will be participating in One World, One Heart, an incredible magic carpet ride through blogs by folks around the world!  Each blog listed on the OWOH site, which can be accessed by clicking on the icon to the right, will be offering a give-away.  More importantly, you will get a glimpse into the lives and passions of hundreds of people you might never have met before!  Last year I made it my mission to visit each and every blog, and although I did not comment on every one, I did peek at the essence of each blogger, which was truly fascinating. 

This year I am giving away three items.  The first is a necklace with one of my soldered charms, which says "escape" on the back side.

The second is a collage

pressed between two pieces of glass, 5 X 7 inches,  which I call praying for you.

The third is another collage, 8 X 10,

again soldered between two pieces of glass, which I call innocence.

If you'd like to have the chance to win one of these items, just leave a comment on this post with your email address, please.  The carpet ride ends on February 15th!  Join the fun! 

Beautiful books

Taking a break from working on my lesson plans, I visited a wonderful blog that sent me to this link. If you like books OR art, you will love these submissions to a show in Santa Fe. http://www.santafebag.org/2009rotundasubmissions.html
Enjoy!

Today's thought: "Is it not sheer madness to live poor to die rich?" Juvenal, writer