Dezinaworld Images..

Dear June over at Dezinaworld (see my sidebar)

is putting up some new collage sheets today.

Women's Roundies 2

These are a couple of pictures I designed for her.

Do hop over and take a look.

Silent Tears

In memory of Sam.

I've just received a very sad e from my dear friend Helen.

They have lost their little dog Sam. Nobody knew really how old he was but they

have treasured him for 10 years. I have put photos on here before telling

how much little Sam loved his beach walks and they will scatter his ashes there.

So I am shedding silent tears this morning for

Sam, Helen and Bas.

Fondest love to you dears.xx

The Lady in Black.

Oh to look this beautiful and elegant......sigh..

The Traveller

She would have been so brave to travel the world way back then.

What stories she could tell....

Trapped?...

Mother said there would be days like this.....

I guess everyone sometimes has a day when they feel hemmed in, trapped,

things piling up on top of them.

But there's always tomorrow....and a better day.......

My dear grandson rang me last night.
'I have some news for you' he said.
He has found a new job with more money and still right here so no travelling.
He's giving his notice in today so he'll be all ready to start soon.
I am so pleased for him and his little family.

My dear daughter had her little grandson stay for a sleepover last night. Usually he goes to bed, then decides to get up and wants to go home!
This time he's decided he really is a big boy and stayed the night and enjoyed a good breakfast this morning.

Last night we had mini storms and the electricity went off. Thank goodness that's past!
So it's a Magic Monday with rather strong winds but the sun is shining.

Peek a boo..

I found this gorgeous child on Google and borrowed him

for this picture.

It's Sunday again...the weeks seem to fly. We started here with sunshine but we are now having a little more rain.
Thank you for visitting me and I wish you a blessed Sunday and a happy week to follow.

His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun; and men shall be blessed in him; all nations shall call him blessed.

Psalms 72:17

Love and Hugs
June xx

Soartful Challenge

The Soartful Challenge this week is to make a picture with a Goddess.

I've made her the Goddess of the Woods.

She is a painting by a gifted Chinese man whose name I cannot remember, sorry.

I've found him again..His name is Li Zhuangping.

I have a friend who likes to turn to heart-warming and inspiring quotations when she finds the going difficult or when she's experiencing 'a bad day'.
Her favourite author is Victor Hugo, the French poet and novelist who wrote the classic 'Les Miserables.'
She finds these words particularly uplifting....

Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones.
Then, when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task,
go to sleep in peace.
For God is always awake.

The Blue Turban

I bought a new digital Scrapbook Kit by Jean Dougherty and

I love her vintage styles. She's a marvellous designer and I was half way 

there already with this gorgeous background paper!

I feel quite a cheat!

Happy..

I loved her lacy cap and happy smile.

I guess her photo was taken in the 20's....

Lookee lookee!!

Just look what the postman just brought!

A beautifully stamped card and envelope from my

dear friend Chris Arlington.

The card has been stamped with gorgeous metallic colours

which are hard to see in the picture.

And the three 'dots' at the bottom of the card are faux diamonds!

Thank you so much dear Chris! I love them!

Butterflies, butterflies. What more can you ask?

Love and Hugs to you xxx

The Pearl Headdress

The Birdcage

Dear Faye has suggested I use one of my beach pictures as a background

for a new digital collage.

This is quite a simple one with no fancy layering.

Can you weave a story around this lovely child?

Linking up again with Cindy over at I owe it all to Him.

Dear Cindy asks where is our favourite place.

Out of all the fantastic places in the world, this is where I'd like to be.

My home. God's own little piece of earth.

My beloved North Norfolk Coast.

You can't imagine the hours I've spent walking along that shingle beach,

picking up shells and pretty stones and watching the seals.

In winter the marshes can be cold and harsh with a wind straight from Russia 

but they still have an awesome beauty.

So many artists come here to paint our huge Norfolk skies

and I've wished so often I could paint....

On a still evening when the tide is in you cannot imagine

a more tranquil and peaceful scene.

Soar..

The Ambassador's Dinner

The guests at the Ambassador's dinner were all seated when a woman complained...  
'According to protocol, I should be seated over there......'
The Ambassador smiled and courteously rearranged the seating.

Afterwards he was asked, 'Does it not upset you when something like this happens?'
'Not at all' he replied. 'I learned a long time ago that the ones who mind, don't matter. And the ones that matter, don't mind.'

I was given this very same answer from a 90 year old lady with regards to explanations.
'Never explain' she said. 'Your friends don't need it and the rest don't matter.......'

That's one way of looking at things, I thought......

Snowflake

We sometimes speak of 'horse sense' and in this context I read of a pony called Snowflake.
Unusually for her, she had continuously refused to move from her position standing diagonally across the corner of her stable.
Her owner later discovered the reason.
A family of new-born kittens lay buried deep in the straw in the corner of Snowflake's stable.
The animal had realised that the tiny creatures  were in danger from the farmer's pitchfork and she had been standing guard over her new-born friends.

The Red Hairband

Burlap and Twigs

This is a 'sort of' challenge from Faye, her lovely background is there again,

this time covered with burlap.

Thank you again Faye. xx

For Faye

I came on here this morning and found a beautiful background made especially

for me by my friend Faye. Made with coloured inks and blended it's so

beautiful. So I've made this picture just for her with my love.

How wonderful that in Blogland people will happily share their talents,

which all makes the world a happier place.

Thank you so much Faye.

Please go and visit her on Fayes Blog. I'm sorry this is not a direct link

as I don't know how to do that but I'd love you to see her fabulous art.

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle

and the life of the candle will not be shortened.

Happiness never decreases by being shared.

                  Buddha.

Digital Whispers Blog Challenge

Yesterday Kimmie gave us this lovely pictureto alter as we may.

As you see I've turned mine into Peace.

In the corner is Holbein's Praying Hands.

For my visitors from Three Muses.
Please scroll down to see my Zetti Picture.
Thank you.
June xx

The Big Hat...

Eskimo legend

I read a memorable quote from the American writer Edgar Doctorow.
What he was talking about was writing a story without quite knowing how the tale would turn out. And it struck me that the words applied equally well to life....and to following your faith.

'It's a bit like driving along the road at midnight' he said.
'You can never see farther than your headlights but you can make the whole trip that way.'

Sometimes life seems big and scary,
Full of fears that look unknown,
Thoughts of future days may daunt us
When we face them all alone.

Stop awhile and look around you,
No-one walks the world forlorn,
Friends and neighbours share the journey
Through this sphere in which we're born.

Hear each other's hopes and worries,
Share their joys and bear their loads,
Paths ahead will seem much clearer
When, with friends, you search for roads.

Let companions lend you courage,
Let their laughter cheer your day.
Love can conquer every shadow,
Lighting up the darkest way.

                               Margaret Ingall.

I am so thankful every day for all my friends in Blogland lending me courage and cheering my day.

Blessings to you all,
                    June xxx

Sons..

I was trying to tidy up some of my files yesterday and came across this.

It was a card I made a couple of years ago for my

son's birthday.

He's still my anchor!!

Jake

My dearest Son sent this photo this morning of his little dog Jake.

He works so hard out in the garden with his 'dad', always busy,

busy and you can see the state he gets in.

The original Father's little helper.

Zetti??

I have absolutely no idea really what Zetti art is about.

It's the Challenge this week on Three Muses where there are always

fantastic pieces to see.

My regular viewers will know I don't 'do' this sort of thing

but nothing ventured .....    etc.

So I thought I'd give it a try.

I hope it fits the bill..LOL!

It looked bare so I've added a border.

Challenges

PhantomLovers

Stephanie set the challenge this week on Digital Whispers.

To make a collage in the style of Barbara Moustafa.

I'm not sure if this is anything like her style but I was quite pleased with the result.

Challenges

This one is for Collage Obsession.

The theme is animals and they give is this picture to use if we wish.

A gorgeous painting by Houet

DezinaWorld Images

Just had a message to say June over at Dezinaworld has posted her new

Gothic Ladies Images. These were lovely to work with 

so I'm showing four pictures I made for her.

Hope you enjoy.

The Lampshade Hat

I thought I'd have a change and make a rather 'steampunky' picture yesterday.

I haven't made one in ages.

When I started this blog, only a few short months ago, I thought it would be somewhere to store my pictures, for perhaps a few close friends and family to look at. I never dreamed I would have people following it!

I now have 51 dear friends who send little messages and keep in touch. How amazing is that?

I have made so many friends who I know so much about, and they all know so much about me. We share things that probably our closest family don't know about us. In fact I think I have even found things out about myself that I never knew before!

We even share physical things, like cards and letters and tags etc. and sometimes keep in touch with that wonderful invention called Electronic Mail!

I am often stuck at home and rarely go out but I am so blessed to be in touch with all these beautiful  people from all over the world.

May God bless you and I Thank You.

June xxx

Noise or Silence.........?

A great many people nowadays sometimes feel a need for silence.
Our lives are so hectic, so hurried that there seems little time left to be quiet, no space to hear that 'still small voice' which speaks to our inner being.
Some folk find it while out walking in the hills, or on the marsh or along the sea shore. Some while sailing the seas, or just sitting quietly by the fireside on a dark winter's evening. Others find it in prayer and meditation.

But to many, silence is alienating. They must fill every moment it seems with noise and movement.

Silence is though, so much more than the absence of noise. Silence is music asleep.
Find it and you will find that 'peace which passes all understanding'.

Two beautiful ladies for me to mess with!!

Sleepy Sunday

This adorable little girl stopped to take a nap in the Bluebell wood.

I thought she made a lovely picture for a Sunday.

Sending you all Blessings and Love today.

Hugs

June xx

Gold..

Did you know that gold is so long lasting that of all the gold ever mined, most is still in existence?
It's also incredibly versatile...it can be made into blocks or the finest of wire. and just a small amount of this precious metal can be beaten out to cover three hundred square feet.

Gold is the only yellow metal. It can be so fine that light will shine through it and it will never rust.
While there is no doubt that gold is precious, the Bible tells us that there is something much more valuable:

'A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.'
                                                                Proverbs 22:1

So while we're right to cherish any gold we might own, we'd be wise to take special care of that most valuable of posessions, our reputation.

Keep these three thoughts in mind today....
 Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
 Remember that the longer you carry a grudge, the heavier it gets.
 Remember that life's treasures are people, not things.

More playing around...

If you go down to the woods today you're in for a big surprise...

If you go down to the woods today you'd better go in disguise...

You never know what you may find.

The wood hasn't been the same since those funny women moved in.

They play loud music and even drink........

Cat Woman

Just having a play I spent a bit of time putting a cat face on a woman.

There are two different cats overlaid and lots of layers.

Then I cut her out and put her on a simple background.

Just an experiment and it's nice to play......

Fairies

Do you believe in fairies?........I do.....

This is a picture of my very own hand.....and there's a fairy sitting on it.....

so it must be true.......mustn't it.........?

I tried making a little art doll this morning.

The quickest way to receive love is to give;
The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.
And the best way to keep love is to give it wings.....


May my prayers be like a tree,
Rising strong and true to Thee.
Crowned in humble beauty fair,
Fragrancing the very air,
Shading friends in need of rest
With gentle hope and quietness.

Rachel Wallace-Oberle

I love all the vintage photos of children you can find on the net.

This sweetie had been lightly hand tinted so just look at her rosy cheeks.

I thought of her as Rosie as I made this picture and my mind is

weaving her story as I work.

These are pictures I've made from the new Collage Sheets

June at Dezinaworld (see sidebar) is posting.

Lovely vintage beach scenes. Don't you just love those bathing suits!

They'll make really fun cards.

Collections

Dear Cindy over at I owe it all to Him has a Link party this weekend

about our Collections

I have been a magpie all my life and when I think about it I have many collections.

Books, Boxes, Buddhas, Rings (don't ask me how many I have, that's a whole different story.

I love gemstones.My daughter's legacy!)

and China......

What with my own handpainted china hanging on walls and standing on stands I have a large collection of Buddhas. I started collecting these when quite young, some are antique, like the green Vaseline glass one, and some I have had for 45 years.

The Chinese Famille Rose collection is another I've had for ever....

These are  about 12 inches tall and I bought them 35 years ago.

I call them Nelson and Emma!

Just a couple of my Royal Worcester ladies, I have 10 now.

At the front is an Ostrich egg I decorated. When opened it is lined with blue silk.

The small sitting couple I gave my mother 30 years ago and after she passed

I kept most of the ornaments I had given her. The rest went to family.

Yes, quite a lot to dust but they all have special memories. Where I was and what I was doing at the time I bought them. Some bought for me and I think of the person who gave it.

Some bring back a special song or person and I could never part with.

I still have the elephant my daughter bought me with her first weeks wages!

'Lay not up for yourselves treasure on earth.......'

None of these things have monetary worth to me, just old memories to an old lady.