Card Share and Lovely Orchids to Brighten My Day

Greetings Woodland Wanderers! It's been quiet, but the forest is full of life! I won't apologize, but you know it's been awhile when you attempt a post and have to figure out how to do it! I've been busy working, creating, breathing and looking forward to Spring!

I've even been doing a bit of garden clean up, weather permitting! My art studio area is finally finished (the "Nook" as I like to call it) and I've been stealing away to my special spot as much as I can, to work on various projects, or sit on my favorite chair with a mug tea and some books. Not to say that I don't still like the comfy couch in front of the tv, but that is shared these days with a snoring pixie-pug-gnome-like creature I recently adopted and adore!

I wanted to share a card I recently created using an adorable digi image from Krista at Saturated Canary.  I have a button to her website on the left sidebar.  This is the first time I only used colored pencil on the image. I kind of like the softness. Think I'll try more using pencils more often.  I do love the hair on this girl!

I've since decided to enter this card in the following challenges:

Challenge #64 - Anything Goes DS4J

Papertake Weekly Anything Goes

Challenge 208 - Let's Get Krafty!

Materials Used:

"Yo Yo" Digi Image from Saturated Canary
Corrugated Kraft Card Base
"She Art" Papers from Christy Tomlinson
Derwent Colored Pencils Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Antique Linen and Vintage Photo
Martha Stewart Rose Stamp
Inkainkadoo Flower Stamp and "Be Unique" Sentiment Stamp
Crochet Lace, Feather and Burlap from my Craft Stash

Hope all is well in your part of the woodland! Sharing some lovely orchids gifted to me recently by my fabulous other half!   Nothing brightens the day more than flowers on your work desk, and a visit from your sweet daughter.

Thanks for your visit, blessings on your day!
 ~Piper

New Tales to Tell

Happy New Year to all my Woodland Wanderers! It's been awhile... but I won't go there, rather I'll give thanks that I am here, and YOU are there, and WE are starting a brand new shiny year, FULL of possibility, FULL of potential, FULL of hope and possibly a bit of magic! New Year Blessings to you and yours... from my heart to yours! Never stop wandering and wondering! I've re-opened Whimsy Hollow on Etsy! If you want to visit, check out the links on the right side menu. I also have a You Tube vid showing this little album. ~Piper

Some Odd Girl Card Challenge

Hello and Happy Summer! I've been tinkering around again, playing with some of my newest crafty goodies, and decided to enter this card in the latest "Some Odd Girl" Color Challenge. I already had some scrap paper in the color theme, so was happy to be able to use them. I also used coffee filter paper for the leaves, and the paper flower is handmade. I regret that when scanning the image, it got a bit crooked, and my flower got sort of smooshed. The pearl accent is actually centered, but you can't tell with this image. Anyhoo... thanks to SOG for this fun Summer challenge! Here is the color scheme you were to use: Supplies Used: ..SOG "Grow" stamp (Love this girl!) colored with copics and promarkers. Girl's skirt was paperpieced and embellished with acrylic paint. ..A combination of K&Company, and DCWV papers, and some unknown paper from my stash. Die Cuts from paper stash and coffee filter leaves. ..Tim Holtz Distress Ink ..Stampendous "Thinking of You" stamp. Thanks for looking, hope everyone's Summer is off to a great start!

Pondering Clouds

I am the daughter of Earth and Water,
And the nursling of the Sky:
I pass through the pores of the ocean and shores;
I change, but I cannot die.
For after the rain, when with never a stain
The pavilion of heaven is bare,
And the winds and sunbeams with their convex gleams
Build up the blue dome of air,
I silently laugh at my own cenotaph, --
And out of the caverns of rain,
Like a child from the womb, like a ghost from the tomb,
I arise, and unbuild it again.

~Excerpt from The Cloud by Percy Shelly~

Playing in Paper & Paints... and a couple of new ATCs

Hello Woodland Wanderers!  We've had a bit of icy weather, so I've been inside playing with paints and papers again.  So nice to be curled up next to the fire, working in my journals and creating new art trading cards!  I've had the etsy shops closed for awhile while I've been on hiatus... but I'm thinking up new ideas all the time, and my art desk has not been neglected during this brief closing.  I've just had so many issues that have needed my attention lately, so closing shop for awhile was necessary  in order for me to focus.  The journaling process has been so helpful to me.  I love being able to experiment with new techniques, the end result being just for me!

I'll likely share some of my journal pages, but for now.... some fun new toadstool art!  They have a sort of gothy-vintage look don't they?  Created with reproduction vintage photos, a variety of paints and pencils, and a few black rhinestones.  I call this 2-card set "Toadstool Alchemy" and they are not up for sale, but are available for trade.  I'm putting them in my gallery on  http://atcsforall.com 

Until next time!

Magical Little Find on a Cold Afternoon

I was out and about yesterday, running some errands and shopping.  On a rural road fairly near our home, I  literally stumbled upon this tiny little gem of a house!  It looks like a home for a faerie or perhaps it was built by gnomes?

The curved shingled wooden roof was meticulously constructed.  It looked as though it came straight out of a story book!  There are cracks here and there in the plaster, with sparkling gemstones and glass tucked in.  I was the only visitor on this cold day, a tinkling wind chime greeted me as I approached.

It seemed surreal in a way, finding this little purple house in the middle of winter.  Turns out it's actually a ice shack, and they open to the public during the summer.  I will definitely be back to try some of this undoubtedly magical ice, but for now, I like to think of it as a warm home for the faerie folk.

Until next time... finding magic where I can!  Hope you are as well!

Outdoor Wednesday Post

Happy Wednesday!  I thought it was time to post something for "Outdoor Wednesday" since it's been awhile since I've done one.  Today I had the opportunity to go for a little hike outdoors with my husband.  It was nice to check out some of our local scenery together.  I cannot believe this hand carved wood angel has been here basically just around the corner from me for as long as I've lived here, and I'm just now posting a picture of it.  I've never seen anything like this before... have you?!  A reminder that you don't always need to travel far to find a unique treasure or an angel!

Hope you managed to carve out a little outdoor time today as well.  It's always worth it isn't it?