Just Be Yourself: Altered Art

Blog graphics ©Traci Sims All other content (including text, photographs, and designs) are ©2011 Anita Van Hal unless otherwise noted. The original artwork is shared for personal inspiration/non-commercial use only and may not be copied for publication, contest submissions, or online distribution without written consent. Thanks for looking!

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This year I'm going to attempt to participate in more online art challenges. I love participating, but I've found that sometimes in past challenges it's been difficult to "keep up." I'm also finding, that after my successful run with the Summer 2011 Color Challenge, I make more of an effort when it's something I really enjoy!

When I read about Louise Gale's 2012 Creative Color Challenge, I knew I had to give this a try! Color is one of my strongest sources of inspiration. I also love doing a challenge because it pushes me...it makes me stretch my creative wings a bit, especially when it's something I normally wouldn't do or use, like the color orange. Not long ago, Pantone announced the color palette for 2012, and the color of the year is Tangerine Tango...so the first challenge that Louise gave us was to create with it.

So here it is! This is actually a larger adaption of a pattern for a dress and pinafore I used last summer, and I changed it up a bit...my goal? Completing 52 paper dresses in my art journal! Of course I haven't posted any yet...so this piece was completed in Photoshop...I'll share my "real" dresses later!

Click on the 2012 Creative Color Challenge badge in the right sidebar to check out more info about the challenge and to check out pieces from other artists.

And, as always, thank you SO much for stopping by!

Hugs and toodles!

Aaahhh, the scents of spring...actually, spring here in western ND is quite late, but finally, after enduring over five months of snow on the ground and two floods, it is finally here! The grass is green and growing and buds are appearing on the trees and shrubs. And, there is nothing quite like the smell of freshly mown grass...Chris just finished mowing the lawn and it smells so good outside...to me, that smell signifies spring is officially here! I love spring and the promise of of new life it brings...from the oh so very cute calves and lambs that are born to the beauty and smell of lilacs...spring is my favorite time of year.

This past week was a difficult one...I suffered through another 2 1/2 days of an excruciating headache, and my mom had an unexpected open heart surgery...but the headache is much better and my mom is on the mend...I'm sure she has a long, painful recovery ahead, but hopefully she will be in better health and feeling good in a couple months.

I'm still in physical therapy, and although the therapy is painful and seems like it's taking forever, in actuality the headache is improved and I'm hoping I won't need my tri-monthly nerve blocks this month...that's one of the first goals my therapist and I set at the beginning of my sessions. I'm not having as many bad days...before the headache was extremely painful at least two or three days a week on average...this bout came three weeks after the last one...so I'd say I have much to be thankful for.

I did manage to find and/or complete some projects that I've been working on...bear in mind the ATCs were supposed to be completed a month ago or more...but here they are...these are for a spring swap at Altered Designs, a Yahoo group I belong to...the altered spoon is also for a mingle I hosted at Altered Designs...enjoy, and have a great week!