A WINNER AND A CHALLENGE...

 (FREE IMAGE)

Thank you to all who entered in the give away.  Your answers were fun and inspiring and I can see we are a group of kindred spirits sharing a love for color, nature, and all things vintage!  

And the winner is...Tiffany of The Cranky Queen!

Congrats Tiffany, please email me your mailing address information and I will get started creating your one of kind treasure filled with goodies based on your likes.

(FREE IMAGE)

Are you feeling up to an artful challenge?  Well, Scott over at Vintage Image Craft has a great one for you with some great prizes to boot!  Here we are on the cusp of Spring with Easter right around the corner and what better way to celebrate than to make a basket or container using one of the great free images provided expressly for this challenge?

Here is what Scott has to say about the Spring Container challenge:

 (IMAGE SOURCE)

"Easter baskets. Bags of seeds. Vases of tulips. Jars of candy. And don't forget the humble egg. These are the "containers" of spring and Easter. What kind of unique container can YOU make using vintage images of spring?

Join our VIC Creative Challenge, April 2012, and create a unique Spring Container! Submit your craft photo, and if your Spring Container is selected, you will win a new copy of "The Artful Storybook," the fanciful survey of mixed-media, story-telling artwork, curated by acclaimed artisan, Terry Taylor.

You must begin with a Victorian vintage image of spring or Easter. Download FREE images from VIC's Facebook page, now into April. Or you can purchase ready-to-print Image Books from our VIC Store.

Incorporate one or more of those images into a unique craft that can serve as a container. Through Wednesday, April 4, you can submit your Spring Container craft photo to VintageImageCraft -- and you are in the contest!!

The top three winners will share adulation, international acclaim, and PRIZES!"

 VintageImageCraft invites you to submit your"Spring Container" by April 4, 2012!

For detailed instructions on submissions, click HERE.

While you are there check out the Easter Craft Page that features some super sweet free Easter craft tutorials.  I really love the faux chocolate egg!  

 (IMAGE SOURCE)

I'd like to give this one a try.

I hope you all enjoy a blissful weekend!

CLEANING UP AND CLEARING OUT - ART FOR SALE...

 (Image Source)

In the process of cleaning up and clearing out my studio I came across several packed up pieces of art.  It is past time to let them go and make room for new art and new ideas.  I was able to get up a partial listing today and will list more by the weekend or sometime next week.  Some of these pieces have been featured on my blog in the past and some have not.  I thank you for your encouragement and interest in getting my shoppe up and running.  

 All of these pieces are one of a kind from my collection of what I call my "experimental art" phase.  These were results of experimenting with materials, mediums, and style to help gain a sense of direction for my creative niche.  Have I found it yet?  Not exactly, but, I feel the new pieces I am working on currently are at least headed in the right direction.

Today's listed offering are:

"Cottage Bealle" Fabric Collage...

Altered Art Doll "Clara Scarlett"...

 Laura Ingalls Wilder Art Quilt...

 

Fabric Collage "SNOW" Banner...

 Mixed Media "DREAM" Sign...
SOLD

 Mixed Media "HOME TWEET HOME" Sign...

 To view the full details and pricing of the artful offerings from my nest follow this link to: Quill Cottage Curiosity Shoppe or visit by clicking on my shoppe link on my upper right sidebar.

As you can see my creative journey is a bit all over the map.  At least I see a running thread here, I like aged ivory tones ;c)  Is that weird?  Does anyone else do that?  Make art and pack it away?  Chalk it up to one of my quirks.

Should you have any questions on any of the listings you can leave a comment or email me at srpbabb@gmail.com.

GIVE AWAY SIGN UP: STUDIO STORAGE STYLE...

Please note that this giveaway is closed.
I said in a recent post that I would not be posting on the studio any more for a while but I keep getting requests for closeup looks at the new studio storage desk, especially the recycled can designs that hold supplies.  Since you asked so nicely, request granted.

 Just a little refresher of Before & After (you can see a more detailed post on this project HERE)...

 

I made one little addition of a shelf in the blank center area that I could not quite figure out what to place there.  Fingers crossed and the final brace and under mount lighting will be installed this weekend and bring this project to a close...

a

Now for a closer peek at those recycled tin cans...

(This little domino art piece was a gift from Beth)

 
I used vintage sheet music, burlap, muslin, and lace as background pieces on the white painted cans...
 
Various bits and bobs from around the studio to make interesting embellishments such as an old spoon, rusty screws, and hair pins...
 
A vintage bottle cap, photo, and jewelry piece...
 
Tarnished silverware and mini drawer pull...
 
An empty watch case...
 
Tiny tin toy spoon...
 
Old buckle, vintage graphic, chandelier crystal...
 
A clay checker, pattern paper petals, mother of pear button...
 
Mother of pearl buckle, hand woven wire birds nest, vintage millinery...
 
Handmade muslin rosettes, vintage pearls...

I also finished the cans to hold all my paint brushes...

Now, enough studio stuff for a while unless it is actual art.

At the end of this recycling project I ended up with an extra painted can.  I thought it might be fun to design just one more, fill it with ephemera and small supplies to use as a give away prize.  I want to do a custom design for the winner so READ THE SIGN UP RULES CAREFULLY, this will determine the winners personal design.  No restrictions apply to the participants, any and all are welcome!  If you do not have a blog or link back please include and email address as contact information in case you are chosen as the winner.

To sign up:

In the comments section leave the following information:

*Favorite Color

*Favorite Flower

*Favorite Collectible

*One word to describe your style (ex: vintage, modern, etc.)

If you do not have a blog or link back please include an email address as contact information in case you are chosen as the winner.

A winner will be chosen and announced one week from today on Friday, March 16, 2012.

I hope you all enjoy a beauty filled weekend!

BIRD WATCHING...

 Spring is quietly creeping in here at the Quill.  With it comes the return of the birds who have wintered in warmer climes.  We have the usual fare of plump robins decked out in their rusty red vests and brilliant blue birds singing happy trills.  I am most excited to see a pair of wood ducks at the nesting box out back...(Please excuse the clarity of the duck photos, these were taken through a window)

I sat and watched them for a long period of time as she checked out the interior...

And the leafy lawn...

He was only interested in the view...

They have made several return visits but have yet to decide between an old hollow tree, a decidedly rustic summer house in the east wood, or this fancier version of a ducky condo.

I noticed some unusual birds milling around the base of the sturdy old oak where the ducks were visiting, species of which I have never seen the likes of before...

A small flock of five hopping on rocks and posing near candy striped spring beauties...

Perky little beaks...

Beady little eyes...

And strange fibrous feathers...

They too are seeking homes, perches on new art pieces!  

They are nesting nicely in the studio...

Awaiting fashionable new digs...

I hope you have enjoyed visiting my new neighbors.

Any signs of spring in your neck of the woods?