Gothic Arches Challenge..

The challenge this week on Gothic Arches was to add a digital photograph to your arch. As I only work in digital images nowadays this was fairly easy for me. So I found this photo of two beautiful little girls from long ago to add to my arch. It's my own background.
Thank you so much for looking. xxxx

Take a Word Challenge..Raven..

This is my collage for the TAW challenge this week. The saying goes with magpies but to me they are all big black birds so I hope it's suitable for the challenge.
At last the sun is shining after so much rain. Wishing you all a happy week.
Thanks for leaving a comment. it's much appreciated!
                                                                   Hugs
                                                                   June xxxx

Sunday Postcard Art..Turquoise..

The theme chosen for the challenge this week on Sunday Postcard Art is Turquoise. Such a pretty colour and one of my great favourites. So here is my card, the background is my own.
Thank you for looking and I hope you have a beautiful weekend that's not too wet! xxx

Lovely in Lilac..

Just a little of what you fancy with this piece! Just a bit of fun. I'd almost given up hope of being able to post anything today. My beloved PC has chosen today to have a day of rest....or something!
Everything I tried to do on here this morning went wrong. I had another go after lunch and couldn't get connected to the internet at all. I tried all sorts of things the best I knew how and was beginning to feel panic rising!
Finally  success! I have been so busy this last few days I am all behind in my comments on your blogs, so I shall try and catch up. Please forgive me.
It's almost another weekend, so wishing you all a good one.
                                                          Love and Hugs
                                                             June xxxxxxxxx

Ring o' Rosies..

Thank you all for your kind comments my dears! I've been to Chapel this morning, doing my Chauffeuse duties and we had a lovely time of Fellowship and chat after the service with coffee and choccy biscuits!
My eyes are feeling very tired now but my lovely daughter Sally is here doing her weekly clean-up. And of course chatting as well!
So I've just made this collage, Ring o' Rosies (and moths!). I saw a much better version done with a tutorial but I'm not too good at those, somehow or other I lose my way, so this I did 'after a fashion' as they say! I was quite pleased how it turned out and I thought it was something different for me.
                                                              Love and Hugs
                                                                     June xxxx

Couldn't sleep............

                                                                   The Flower
                                                                 

Well dear friends, it's still only 4 am. I have been awake since 2am. couldn't get back to sleep so came in here. This tiny room is my space, my sanctuary. I spend hours in here every day, sitting in my wheelchair in front of my computer, which connects me to all of you , my lovely blogging friends.
It's a mess in here but it's my mess. I'm surrounded with books galore, paper and crafting 'things', you all know what that means! My favourite ornaments in a glass fronted cabinet on one side of me and a small table set up on the other. This is covered with a cloth and has a large selection of beads, crystals and pearls, where I am currently making a new new necklace. And during the day I have my phone within reach.
It's still pitch black outside. I cannot see a light or a star through my window in front of me.
Very soon dawn will break and I shall hear my morning chorus of birdsong, a piece of magic!

So now I'll tell you about the picture above. It's a collage I made, digitally of course as that is all I can do nowadays. Having a play with many layers. It started with a crysanthemum, my own background and overlays blended together. Some gold corners from my stash and a sprinkling of rose petals.
I rather liked it and I hope you will too.

                                        Have a lovely day my friends, Love and Hugs,
                                                                       June xxx

Three Muses..Word Art..

 Here are a couple of collages for the Three Muses Word Art Challenge. I so enjoyed this challenge. I could sit all day and make pictures with some word art or other.
Thank you so much for visiting and leaving a comment. It's much appreciated.

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Rain, rain and yet more rain. I had to visit the dentist this morning. He was running late as usual so I had to sit patiently.The reason I've had such pain where the other dentist removed the fractured root, I've had an infection. It's almost 4 weeks since I had it removed so he gave me a prescription for a course of antibiotics. Obviously the gum has not healed properly yet. So I  have to continue with this hole showing when I smile for another two months, and I am really fed up with that.
Then I had to go into town and wait for the prescription to be made up. More waiting...patience June!
Then stuck behind tractors, I thought I was never going to get home.

Hope you've all had a good day,
Love and Hugs
June xxxx

Gothic Arches Challenge.. Signs of Spring..

This is my Collage for the Gothic Arches Challenge..Signs of Spring.
It's my own manipulated background and I thought it looked bright and Spring-like.
Vintage birds Googled and the arch was a freebie.
Thank you for looking.
Have a wonderful day!
Hugs
June xxx

SoArtful Challenge..Wedding..

SoArtful this week are challenging us to make a collage of a Wedding or Anniversary.
I decided to go with a bride. I have used this image several times and she's one of my favourites so decided to use her again. The background is my own and if you can see a ghostly image in the background it's anyone's guess who she can be.
Thank you so much for looking.
Hugs
June xxx

TAW Challenge..Numbers..

The Challenge tomorrow on Take a Word is Numbers. I'm not a great numbers person I must admit. I think with the other half of my brain. There's not much left of that half either! LOL!
Anyway I took the easy way out and thought of Bingo. My Mother in law was a great Bingo fanatic, bless her, and I always called her the Bingo Queen.
Thank you so much for visiting!
Hugs
June xxx

SPA Celebration..

The Challenge this week on Sunday Postcard Art is to make a card, which must be 6" x 4"
and the subject is Celebration.
Well I can't think of a better celebration than a wedding and these two certainly look as though they need some!
Thank you so much for looking.
Happy weekend.
Love and Hugs
June xxx

Friday Foto Collage Challenge..SKY..

Peggy gave us a choice of three sky pictures and I chose the evening sunset one as a background.
The Star Child is a hybrid of two photos merged and the overlay is by Ana Lenebem, with Thanks. Thank you for looking. xx

A Dragon..

The Lady with the Dragon Tattoo.

I believe there is a film out with the same name. I know nothing whatever about the film but loved the title so had a play yesterday.
So here is my lady, found browsing. I also found a black and white dragon image which I coloured and 'tattooed' on her back!
The background is my own.

I've never had a tattoo but if I was young enough and brave enough I would love a dragon like that on my back! LOL!
Have a lovely day. love and Hugs
June xxx

3M Challenge.. Vintage Bathing Beauties..

I thought 1949 was pretty vintage now so I thought I'd show you this. Taken on the North Norfolk coast. Do you remember those old ruched bathing suits?
Yes, it's little old me!

This is how you really think of vintage I guess.
I got this song in my head and have been singing it ever since.
Can't get rid of the darn thing.........
Vintage photo I coloured in Photoshop. Background and gull Googled.

Thanks for visiting. Hope you enjoy.

* * * * * * *

My young friend Wayne came out from the garage yesterday morning, started my car, removed the wheel from the scooter and took it away to order a new tyre.
I took the car out for a ride to charge the battery up. All AOK now!

Love and Hugs
June xxx

Gothic Arches Challenge.. Signs of Spring..

Signs of Spring

Here is my picture for the new Gothic Arches Challenge. Signs of Spring.
The background is a manipulated picture of apple blossom.
Thank you for looking.
Love and Hugs
June xxx

TAW Challenge.. Time..

This week the word challenge is TIME. I think it's quite an emotive subject. It can raise lots of memories, some good, some bad, some you wish you could forget. Where were you at a certain time? What were you doing? Who were you with? How much have you got left? What will you do with it? etc.......

Anyway, this is my collage for the Time Challenge on Take a Word.
Thank you for looking. xxxx

* * * * * * *

Yesterday was surely an eventful day.
We had organised a surprise Thank You lunch in the Chapel for Margery, celebrating her 90th. birthday next week. She has given a lifetime's service to our Chapel. A beautiful sit down lunch for about 25 people.

I got myself dressed up a bit and thinking of the April showers decided to go in the car. Turned over the engine...and yes...the battery had died on me. As quick as that. Almost as if I'd left on lights or something for days!
So no panic, I shall have to go on the scooter. I had got soaked twice in the last two days so put on an old coat and hat as it looked like rain again.
I said no panic but I was beginning to feel quite stressed.....Anyway I got there, forgetting my crutches! Margery had been taken out for a ride and a coffee stop and arrived at the Chapel to see her friends all waiting for her. It was a lovely surprise and everyone enjoyed a grand time.

So I put on my coat for the ride home, stuffed my hat and bag into the basket on the front and set off. I hadn't gone 100 yards before I realised I had a puncture in one of the rear wheels. Panic again. I couldn't walk all that way and try to push the scooter, just impossible so I just had to ride, limping along, going very slowly and in the process ripping the tyre to shreds.

So now I truly am housebound. I shall ring my garage tomorrow and they are ever helpful. I hope it doesn't mean a new battery. I still can't think straight about the scooter wheel...........
So I am still feeling rather stressed over the whole business.

Still, as my dear old Granddad used to say...'Worse things happen at sea....'.

Hope you all have a good weekend with nothing to stress you!

Big Hugs
June xxxxxx

Playing in Photoshop..

The Earthling.....

Just a couple of digital collages I've made over the last couple of weeks. Playing around with layers and filters in Photoshop.

Thank you for adding your thoughts on yesterday's posts.

This little artlicle appeared in a Yorkshire Magazine....

A Stall holder of mature years witnessed a near collision between two cars.
He commented, 'I reckon there were just as many reckless drivers when I was a lad...but they drove something that had more sense than they had. Horse sense!'

Have a wonderful weekend.
Love and Hugs
June xxxx

Breath of Angels..

Another collage made from various kits and bits and pieces in my collection.

It was midnight before I got to sleep and this morning I was awake at 4.30am. I lay in the darkness but sleep didn't return, so I switched on my lamp and did some crochet.
With mind wandering, I thought of yesterday. I was asked to close the little service in Chapel by singing the old Gospel song, 'If I can help somebody as I pass along'. I'm long past my sell-by date in the singing department but I had a go.

Following that I thought of a moment that made my heart miss a beat. Not life changing experiences like marriage and giving birth but beautiful, magic moments in your life that stay in your heart forever. I've had many but because I was thinking of music and singing, my mind went back a lot of years when both my son and I sang in the 'big church' choir. He was head choir boy and had the privelege (?) 0f wearing a medallion on a ribbon around his neck. I think he was 11 or 12 at the time and his voice had not yet broken.

He started that particular service by standing at the back of the church and singing the first verse of 'Once in Royal David's City', as a solo and unaccompanied. Pitch perfect and his beautiful young voice filled that beautiful old church of St. Nicholas. The tingle went up and down my back and I had to blink back tears.
I haven't thought of that memory in a long time. Strange how your mind works.

Would you like to share any 'magic moments' in your life with me. I'd love to hear them.
Hope I haven't bored you with a long post this morning. have a wonderful day, and big warm hugs from
June xxxxx

More Monas..

I told you I'd been having a play with Mona. She's looking more respectable today..at least she's got clothes on. My... Mercy me....is that a cigarette she's holding? Yes it is and in her Boudoir too!



And here is Mona the Flapper. An old vintage b/w photo, coloured by yours truly and Mona is wearing a little make-up......and she has eyebrows! I think she looks quite fetching in that hat, what do you think?

Love and Hugs
June xxxx

Mona!

I've been having some fun with our Mona. I think she must be the most altered picture in the Universe! Poor Mona, with her secret smile. She hid so many secrets!
So here she is as a Belly Dancer and and then lavished with Pearls.
What do you think? xxx

3M..Steampunkerie..

Here is my collage for the Three Muses challenge this week..Steampunkerie! I love the title!
It has no meaning, no title, just creating for fun! I have also resurrected my 'Steampunkerie' blog header. I really enjoyed doing this piece as I haven't played with Steampunk for ages.
I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else has done with the subject.
Thank you so much for your visit.
Love and Hugs,
June xxxx

Sunshine!!

Well for a start here is my little ray of sunshine looking the worse for wear! Skyela is the child who broke her arm some months ago. She still thinks she can fly on a trapeze without a safety net! She is OK now but she shows no fear and she's still only 2! Thank God it was no worse!



And here is my collage for the challenge on Collage Obsession. They asked for something sun related and as a starting point I found this gorgeous happy child on Google.
Thank you for looking.
Have a sunshine day!
Hugs
June xxx

TAW..Skinny..

The challenge on Take a Word was to make a 'Skinny', which is 3"x 5". I got carried away and made 3. So here they are.... Hope you've all had a fantastic weekend.

It's a Bank Holiday here today and also my precious Granddaughter Rebecca's Birthday, so I'm going to my daughter's later for a Birthday party. Promise I'll behave myself and won't be too late home!
Thank you all for looking and your comments!
Hugs
June xxx

SPA..Zetti..

Hello dear friends. The subject this week is Zetti!
So here is my Zetti Easter card for the challenge this week on Sunday Postcard Art.
Hope you like it and thank you for looking! xx

So Artful Challenge..Rainbow..

The End of the Rainbow.

The Challenge on SoArtful this week is Rainbows.
They gave us several pictures to use if we wish and I did use one, manipulated and overlaid.
So look what you can find at the end of a Rainbow, faithfully being watched over by a little fairy.
Thank you for looking and I hope you are enjoying your weekend. it's very cold here.

Love and Hugs

June xxx

June by John..

I have some wonderful online friends! I put the collage above on my Flickr site a while ago and this morning it was sent back to me, with my face superimposed on the central figure. I admit I look a lot better with that wonderful hairdo! John has his images on Flickr under the name of Tutincommon and does some marvellous work and has become a great friend. Isn't that just something?
And this collage was made especially for me to cheer me up by my very good friend Bill in the States. You all know him as Billizetti, another wonderful artist who has now retired and is very prolific now he has a little more time.
Being stuck in the house more often than not, it is wonderful to me to have such good friends.
I really appreciate their kindness. Thank you so much! Hugs, June xxxx

Three Muses Challenge,,Umbrella..

Three Muses challenge today is Umbrella. We had a goodly downpour yesterday and last night so appropriate here. I found the rainy overlay with thanks to Karen Burns!
Thank you for looking and any comments. Hugs from
June xxx

Yellow..

I have made some collages with the primary colours as the main feature. This one as you can see is Yellow. I hope you like it. I'll post the rest later.


This is what my son has been doing! Talk about hard work! Stanley and Jenny are extending their bungalow by having a new piece built on to include the kitchen, thus making it much bigger and including a dining area as well. He's done all this digging of the trenches for the footings by himself and the earth removed has even strayed to the front drive! So the peace of their lovely home is shattered for the time being. He's done all this work himself to save a bit of money and will be doing the mixing of the concrete when it comes to filling them. They reckon on having everything finished by July so I'm sure it will look beautiful when finished.

Collage Obsession..Share..

Share the Love.

Kaylene has set the challenge this week at Collage Obsession. Either to share a piece of work we are particularly pleased with or make a new picture. Well I'm always sharing my art with you all so this is a new piece called Share the Love. I hope it's suitable for the challenge.
Thanks for looking.xxx

Gothic Art Challenge..Eggs..

Eggs are on everyone's mind this week and Gothic Arches is no different. Their challenge is to create an arch with eggs so here is my little effort.
Thank you so much for looking.xx

TAW Challenge..EGGS..

It's almost Easter and the challenge this week on Take a Word is Eggs.
I could have pictured chocolate eggs, or a bird nest or whatever but usually when I think of eggs I think of Faberge. Pictures of his glorious eggs fill me with wonder and awe.... who could create such fabulous beauty and innovation.
So my collage is just a small depiction of that wondrous beauty......
Thank you for looking. xx

Sweet Sunday..

April 1st. already! Here are a couple of digital collages I've made. I thought they'd be lovely for a sweet Sunday, rather more ethereal. I hope you like them.
Made with my own backgrounds, the top one has an overlay by Ana Lethabum and the one below has an image of a girl taken from a painting by Alexei Harlamoff.

Life's worth living surely,
If one cares to look around
And ascertain the many
Fine reasons that abound.
Blessings can be counted,
And, by their presence giving
An estimate of just how much
That life is worth the living.

J.M.Robertson.