“Blessed is the one who shares
the power and your beauty.”

Here’s another little matchbox shrine for the current Creativity Challenge. This fun project is perfect if you only have a little time to be your creative self. I made this ode to Mary in a half hour, while the kids ate afer school snacks at the kitchen table.

I’ve been carrying this vintage enamel token in my pocket for a couple of months, ever since I found it at our local flea market. I’m constantly afraid I’ve lost it, until I dig through the pile of dirty clothes to find her resting serenely in some pocket or another. I’ve been yearning the past few years for more feminine images of the Divine. The BVM, or Blessed Virgin Mary, is a good stand in. While while Mary doesn’t quite fit the bill for me in that regard, (DaVinci code conspiracy theories aside), I do find it comforting to have a nurturing mother figure at my side.

I’m having fun putting together a nice little ephemera package for making tin-box shrines. It will be the prize in the matchbook shrine drawing on October 5th. Carve out a little time for yourself this weekend and indulge in some mucking about with tiny things — make a matchbook shrine. There’s plenty of room in the pool!

P.s. Do you remember this song? Sometimes it gets stuck in my head when I’m wishing for Mary…

“So if I say save me, save me
Be the light in my eyes
And if I say ten Hail Mary’s
Leave a light on heaven for me …”

-Mary’s Prayer
Danny Wilson

The announcement for the next Creativity Challenge got a little lost in all the praise and prizes for the last one. So here’s the info again. (Scroll down to the previous post to see the winning photo and the sweet little prize.)

Our new Creativity Challenge is Matchbox Shrines. So cheap! So fun! Such great presents! Look here and here for some ideas, or order this great book to get into the Latina spirit of it all.

I can’t wait to see your creations…mine’s already in the pool! Let’s see how many we can craft between now and the October 4th deadline, shall we? Maybe we can do and exchange of our own, eh? Oh, and next week, I’ll let you know what the prize will be. (Ooooooo…I love surprises.)

Happy matchbooking!

A big Magpie Girl “Thank You” to all you creative trailblazers who participated in the first Creative Challenge. (See all the results here!)

I was pleased to read the comments on each submission and see how many of you tried your hand at altering a photo for the very first time. It can be so intimidating to sort through the help files of the new photoshop program, or to figure out what the heck gel medium is! But once you do….how fun! A whole new pond to play in!

Today my teacup was filled with all of your names and with one quick pick, the winner of the Altered Photo drawing is: Krystyn Heide.

I’ve seen Krystyn take great photos with nothing but the camera feature on her cell phone, and I think we can all agree that her judicious use of digital effects make her well composed pictures really pop. Krysytn wins….

two vintage sparkle-goth roses from the fantastic antique mall next door to my studio. Maybe we can tempt her into tucking one behind her ear and showing us those new yummy his-and-hers haircuts…..

Our new Creativity Challenge is Matchbox Shrines. So cheap! So fun! Such great presents! Look here and here for some ideas, or order this great book to get into the Latina spirit of it all. I can’t wait to see your creations…mine’s already in the pool! Let’s see how many we can craft between now and the October 4th deadline, shall we? Maybe we can do and exchange of our own, eh? Oh, and next week, I’ll let you know what the prize will be. (Ooooooo…I love surprises.) Happy matchbooking!

Oh, what fun it is to see how the Creativity Challenge is going! Have you seen this from inkberryblue, or maybe this from picture this?

There’s still time to enter this challenge…the last day isn’t until the 21st. And remember there’s a sweet little surprise present for one lucky art muckerabouter.

If you’ve already tried your hand at altering photos, there’s other ways you can stoke your creative fire this week. (Ooooo! Doesn’t that sound deliciously naughty!) While you’re waiting for the next creativity challenge you can submit a page of your wrecked journal, take a themed photo, complete an assignment from a superhero, show off your newest inspired couture, or carve out a little time from mommyhood to say Om.

I love the way these gentle “I dare you’s” creates an encouraging synergy for we artsy types who are learning to ply our crafts.

Now, enough web surfing, go out there and do something creative! (Me, I’m going to go make a Fall Zine.)

Thanks for playing!

Do you ever want to try a new art-y technique, but never quite get around to playing with it? Does if feel like you shouldn’t do anything until you can do it “right”? Do you have lots of art supplies, but not many finished projects?

My friends, now is the time to break through some blocks and learn to move and breathe and have our being in the world of creativity.

Here’s what I’m thinking, twice a month we should all try something new together. We can submitt pictures of our attempts, be okay with first-tries, and just generally get ourselves inspired. One lucky person from each challenge will win something nice from my collection of small-but-beautiful things.

Your first assignment? Alter a photograph. Do it digitally, attack it with markers, or scratch the hell out of it….whatever works for you. Then let us see how it went. Here’s something that can help you, and there’s some fun toys in the pool already – go take a peek!

What do you say? Wanna play……?