correction

dear ellie just told me that she does indeed have a wordpress blog…so you will be seeing her as a guest “author”  from time to time here on the handmade monday blog.

if you are interested in becoming a guest author, pls. let me know.  we can always use a couple of more helping hands. 🙂

 happy creating!

week 14 (mardi gras)

hi y’all!  i’ve got some catching up to do as far as submitting entries for this past week’s tribute prompt (as suggested by the lovely jo) & other previous ones…

but this week’s creative prompt was suggested by my very own sis, looney (aka jo)…mardi gras. (thanks loon!!!!! xoxo) here’s my effort

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& i will post a guestbook shortly so that you can start posting your entries!

on another note, i wanted to let everyone know that the lovely ellie has offered to be a moderator for the flickr group, so you should see her new role there.  congrats ellie!  🙂

i just learned recently that in order for someone to moderate on the handmade monday blog, they will need to have a wordpress blog & be able to access the dashboard.

😦  so for now, i will do my best to keep up with the blog.  in the event that i need to be away from my blog duties, i will just write a brief post directing folks to the flickr group & then the moderator will take on from there.    

also, i just wanted to let everyone know that you can feel free to post your handmade entries on any or all the previous guestbooks…we’re pretty open & flexible around here! 🙂

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 have a good week… celebrate & inspire! xoxo

week 13 (tribute)

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(my warhol-esque piece i digitally created over a year ago.)

hi all!  hope you all had a good week & weekend!  we (the hubby & i) spent our weekend visiting family.  i have been thinking about making some changes to handmade monday.  nothing major, just a couple of things.
🙂
like, for instance, posting the new creative prompt on mondays rather than on sundays.  there are going to be a few weekends coming up that i plan to be away & consequently, i won’t be able to get to the handmade monday blog.

& the other thing, i was wondering if there were anyone out there who would want to be a “moderator”, a sort of “fill-in” or “guest-host”, particularly during the times that i anticipate being away.  my other thought was that if i didn’t have any volunteers, then i would just let you know that there will be a brief break in the blog until my return.  just thinking ahead because there are a few events that will involve getting away for the weekend.  & i’m hoping that i can enlist some help for those times.  just let me know at follow_your_bliss07@hotmail.com if you are at all interested.  thanks!

 okay, back to our regularly scheduled program, hehehe…

last week, i  had the honor & privilege to guest-host at my dear pal melanie‘s community blog & the following is a creative challenge that i posted there. 

actually, one of my bloggy pals, jo, inspired me to come up with that challenge.  she had suggested a while back about making something as a tribute to someone/something who has had some sort of impact on your creative journey in terms of inspiration & motivation, etc. (thanks jo!!!  for suggesting this week’s creative challenge, be on the lookout for some handmade love coming your way!) 🙂

 so i took it a bit further & came up with the following, which are excerpts of my original post here, entitled, paying homage:

  

on my way home on this snowy afternoon, i got to thinking about how to end my week as your guest host.  somehow, admist the swirling dusts of blowing snow, i was reminded of those art history classes i took in college.  you see, at that time i was minoring in art history.  i learned in those classes that throughout time artists were constantly paying homage (a fancy schmancy term for “copying”) to the great masters of the day. i remembered reading about lesser known artists or proteges as they were sometimes referred to (or aka “the wannabes”) copying the works of the old masters, like rembrandt, da vinci, michelangelo, monet, etc. (to name a few).  it wasn’t really plagiarism…not exactly.  more like, paying tribute & showing their respectful appreciation for the old masters’ awe-inspiring works.

where am i going with this, you wonder?  well, i thought why not think of someone(s) (a specific individual or group of artists/artisans/crafters) whom you have admired, respected, and/or been inspired by & perhaps would want to emulate.  the task that i am prosposing is to create something utilizing some aspect, technique, color palette, style, whatever & pay homage to that particular artist/artisan.

for example, if you are enamored with the works by wassily kandinsky,  then go ahead and create something kandinsky-esque.  or if jackson pollock is more your game, then a pollock-esque piece.  or if amy butler’s designs float your boat, then a butler-esque piece.  get the idea?  the artist(s) you want to emulate is totally up to you.  they can be old world or contemporary.  well-known figure or obscure.  a trendsetter or a renegade.  whomever or whatever sparks your creative juices or causes loss of control over your salivary glands (i.e., drool factor), then you have a pretty good starting point for your homage piece. 

once you have someone(s) in mind, take your artwork further & try to add your own flare.  aim not for an exact replica, but rather an inspired one with bits & pieces of your own personality/style evident in the artwork. in other words, bring your own special brand of uniqueness into your homage piece.   

when you are ready to share your “______-esque” piece, then come by here & leave your direct link in the guestbook below so that we can all visit you & admire your efforts.

who knows?  we just may pay homage to you. 

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xoxo mary ann    

week 12 (owls)

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my apologies for the delay in posting this week’s creative prompt (suggested by the lovely raesha): OWLS.  (the dh has been under the weather & i recently sprained my ankle, so things have been slow going)…  

as always, you may use any medium/media just so long as, yes, you got, it is handmade. 🙂 

have a great week!

celebrate & inspire! xoxo

week 11 (snowman)

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creative prompt {week 11}

hi all!  sorry for the delayed post.  i’ve got a sick hubby who needs to be babied, i mean, tlc, lol! anyway, a crafty pal had made this li’l guy hmsnowman.jpg

& i thought it would be a great prompt for this week. 

so think “SNOWMAN” in your handmade creations! 

happy creating….celebrate & inspire! xoxo

weeks #9 & 10 (colors)

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

creative prompt {weeks 9 & 10}

’twas the day before christmas

& all through the house

COLORS of many hues abound!

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that’s what’s this week’s creative prompt will be…any color of your choice.

it’s christmas week so let’s show our favorite colors!  remember you can use ANY medium as long as, well, you ought to know by now [wink ;)] it’s HANDMADE!

so have at it…celebrate & inspire!

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& MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! xoxo

p.s., since it’s the holidays, i think i will extend the COLORS prompt until 1/6/08…so keep your handiwork using your fav colors coming until then! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

week # 8: (red)

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creative prompt {week 8}

thanks to all who participated in last week’s “white” challenge!  it was an a fitting prompt as it has been snowing rather frequently over here by me.   winter certainly  has arrived!

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for this week***the week before christmas***, i thought we’d go traditional & focus on the color, RED.  so think festive, fun & perhaps daring in your handmade creations!  ANY medium is acceptable as long as it’s handmade.

have a great week…celebrate & inspire! xoxo