PHOTO INSPIRATION: A SKELLY CHRISTMAS IN "THE BOOK DEN!"

The Book Den

So excited about the image above drawn for me by IKE (IKE'S STORE HERE) being used on IKES CHALLENGE (IKE'S WORLD CHALLENGE HERE).

One of the teamies, SALL (SALL'S BAKING ADDICTION HERE) suggested a Hans Christian type of image for the Holiday Picture.  I am not familiar with the HC Stories, so I asked Sall how I could do this in a freaky type of way.  And off her mind went!  As you see on my sidebar - I call her the Dr. of Imagination.  And Ike, once told of this idea, well - WOW WOW and WOW.  We never imagined it would come out like this, given my description was "lots of books falling from a bookcase and a skelly!  Masterful - just masterful Sall and Ike!

I hope you enjoy how I created with the two women's brilliance.

Enjoy!
Samara



THANKSGIVING - "To Fred"

I am so thankful to my Dentist, Fred.  I also thank the blog I design for, who gives me the momentum and inspiration to make this post.  IKE'S WORLD CHALLENGE BLOG.  And also I'd like to thank the artist - IKE - for making this image for me.  You can get it at Ike's Store (here) if you'd like to gift your dentist using it.

And Thanksgiving is our Theme this week; I hope you will go over and enter!

Now, on to Fred.

Fred is 82 years old and continues to work because he is irrate that dentists make it impossible for people to get the proper care, due to high fees.  Fred taught dentistry for many years, makes dentures, does implants and all surgeries.

He is a master.

But more than all that, Fred has been living with Cancer for 10 years.  As of my visit today, Fred just found out he has more tumours on his stomach.  His cancer is throughout his entire body.  He goes for Dialysis 3 times a week in Downtown Toronto, 5 hours each visit.  Many times he has nearly passed out on his way home on the subway.  Today he told me about a time he had to lay down on the platform because he was going to pass out.  He said "it was so embarrassing but a guy has to do what a guy has to do."

To put it into perspective, Fred takes a Limousine from the Train, which is an hour from his office, each day.  The Limousine costs $190.00 a day.  He works where I live - 2 hours outside Toronto and travels on the Train, and then by Limo, just to help people who are getting ripped off or getting needless surgeries etc.

There is not a time I have visited and I visit almost every week to see him, that he has not asked about how my mom is doing (without my dad) and how my son is doing at Uni.  He remembers exactly what my son is taking, about his travels and about every conversation I have with him about my own life and family.  I am not astounded that his memory is in tact, as I give this credit to people of this age because it reflects my own mother's memory.  I am astounded because Fred sees most of the people here in the County and remembers each and every person's "story."

Today was his last day.  The Association of Dentists and Denturists are forbidding him to work beyond November 30th, his 83rd birthday, without taking "courses!"  Of course this is laughable to anyone that knows Fred.  He interviewed many people to take his job and told me about one "girl" as he put it, in particular.  He said she told him "she knows all that has to be done."  Fred said she graduated 6 months ago.  Fred answered her "that is extremely impressive because after 10 years in this business, and I've been in it now for 60, I only new 'something' and that 'something' didn't save a person's life!"  I asked him what she replied.  He said "she didn't hear me, just like she won't hear the patients.  In this job you need to not only hear your patients but you need to feel what they feel.  Most of all, you need patience.  Education doesn't breed patience.  It drills it out of you!"

He is a wise man.

Fred said he will come back to visit, and call me when he will be in.  I will make every effort to go and visit with him.  It is selfish really - I feel I am the one who gets the gift of Fred even though he said each and every patient has been a gift to him.

I hope you enjoy the gift I made for Fred.  I filled it with some raunchy, sexy, lude game game similar to checkers.  He loved it! lol  Fred loves EVERYTHING!!!  Most of all - LIFE - something he has beaten the odds at for 13 years longer than the doctors gave him.  I love this man.

Enjoy.


















AU PARIS!

The beauty of Paris never gets tired!

Match it with birds, flowers, stamps, anything vintage or romantic and ahhhhh - the emotions it evokes are always the same for me.

Like being taken far far away into another world and another time.

I think the French {ahem my birthrite} just have this knack of teleportation to anything that speaks "romance" or "the land of love!"

Enjoy!
Samara

















Goodies
Paints and Ink Pads - background
Alcohol on Cloth - to blend all the colors of Ink in background
Calendar Image - Main Background
Paper Piecing - Embellishment using Images
Die Cuts - Accents
Ink on Sponges - To color calendar images
Markers and Pens - to outline and color around/in/on the edges of Paper Piecing
Stickers - Snap It Package
Brads - Basic Grey


Challenges


IT'S A FLUTTERY THING!

I am in love with Birds and Flutterby Art!  Whenever I see a painting, sketch or picture of butterfies, in particular, I just am sure there is "good luck" and "well wishes" in the air.

I felt like this when I was creating this scene...Just happy - super duper happy.

Nature can do that.

Just make the world look and feel soooo good!

Best,
Samara


















 Goodies
Black Gesso - entire background
Calendar Page - main (vintage lettering) background
Paper Piecing - other images are overlayed
Markers - outline
Pens - highlights on images
Embellishments - stash
Inks and Sponges - coloring images and highlights/shadows
Black Indian Ink in a Water Brush - highlights
Chalk - subtle spots for highlight.
Letters - stash

Challenges

FREE DAILY DIGITAL STAMPS!

WOW! WOW and WOW!

I just discovered this site (that I fear is about to close) that has FREE DIGITAL STAMPS each day of the week, and as well in their title bar.  Josie, in addition, has posted a daily list of FDS.  I am in awe of such a person who takes this on.  For those of you who come here, I hope you benefit from this list.

Enjoy!
Samara

Weekly Free Digital Stamps



OH WHAT BEAUTIFUL EYES YOU HAVE!

It is the time of spooky and scary, or at least the fact that I'm not taking my Halloween Lights down until Christmas Day has me feeling all spooky and scary!

I hope you like this errie guy I sketched and colored (well, dabs of {fashionista for skellies} blush on his cheeks!)  He soooo reminds me of the mornings I just can't get it together, except my blush is a little peachier!

Enjoy!
samara













Goodies
Gel Medium - used on paper under a transparency of my sketch
Caran D'Ache Crayons - used over pencil sketch to highlight and contour
Chalks - to further shade
Sabilo Aquarellable - for blackness on edges
Lipstick - for blush
Pastels - for eyes and sides of nose and "teeth"
Water and Ink and Cloth (wet and dry) - to dap all over image and background
Sand Paper - to scrape off ink
Caran D'Ache Crayons (black, burgundy, yellow, gold) for edging
Sand Paper and water - to scrap off edges
Glue and water - to soften and then dissolve Transparency areas

Challenges

PUDDY CATS - ruff ruff - cuz we all know KATZ think they are DOGS!

 KATZ, MORE KATZ & MEOWWWW...

We have Art!



When I saw the fabric with Katz all over it - I LOVED it - all of it.  There was The Cat in The Hat, many others...and these.  I've used 3 different types and could not resist to show you each one up close.  I hope you enjoy these little sugar dumplings.  I know my Louis would...M E O W!  Oh.  And as we know, all KATZ are cool dudes and dudettes!






















 Best
Samara

Challenges 

SPOOKY LOVE!

I love this theme at Ike's World Challenges.  It brings out "the best in me!!!" lol
For this challenge, I've used Ike's Image, from her store at ikesart.com (here) called Madame Death.
Isn't she gorgeous!
I've used a variety of other paper images as well, in the background and around Madame Death.
Be sure to go over to Ike's World Challenges and "play our challenge".
Halloween may be over - but I bet you can come up with something for SCARY LOVE!  I think we've all been there - just use your imagination.  I can't wait to see what you create.
Be sure to let me know, so I can pop over to your blog and give you some love.












Goodies Used
IMAGE:  Madame Death from Ikesart.com
OTHER IMAGES:  Blockhead Stamps
MEDIUM:  Gesso, Dyan Mists, Stencils (from stash and home made)
PAINT OVER STENCIL:  Americana Gold
NEGATIVE IMAGING:  PhotoScape Filters
PENS/MARKERS:  Copic

And for Halloween Evening, this is what I was up to!



Warning! Videos taken with my Laptop so very shaky.  Loud ankle bitter (the cutest itsy little pup in the world) next door AND those choo choo's, as with all noises, I didn't even notice until I watched these videos back.  I live right on Lake Ontario and VIA Train runs across the country right along the Lake.  So, like everything in life - you get something and you sacrifice something.  As I watched the vids - good darn thing I don't hear them!



Its a Samara Thing!
                             
              DOING IKE                



My Best To You,
Samara

UP AND AT 'EM!

And this is how I was woken up every day of my childhood.  The blind was snapped up, or the draped pulled and my mom, admittedly not a great singer, would sing "Good Morning To You..."

It was painful, sun shining in, sleepy eyes, body all snuggled into a 6" duvet.

Who in their right mind could wake up "cheery" - as was my mother's plan - to...THIS! 

The Military Training must have caught hold.  As soon as my peepers open, I am "boing" up and out of bed, with a smile on my face at World Record Speed that would put Usain Bolt to shame! And how can I do other than "snap those window blinds up" and sing this Morning Ritual that I loathed.  However, each generation has to do their own little spin on things.  Mine is sung in (wait for it)

OPERA!

And, by the way, ask my children, and housemates and next door neighbour.  They will very proudly not tell you,  America's Got Talent, and The Voice have nothing on me!!!

I only now wait to see what version my own children will sing.  I dearly fear Rap, or Electronica or Gawd Forbid and Lord Help my Grandbabies...Heavy Metal!

CONTRIBUTING ARTIST
Dr. Ideas from The School of Imagination 

 CONTRIBUTING ARTIST






CONTRIBUTING ARTIST




- and finally -
bringing it all together

MY RENDITION





















So remember, tomorrow morning, when you are feeling all lazy and sleepy and just turning over and going back to sleep,  I am there, with my OPERETO voice, singing just for "you",,,