A Beauty

A Beauty
Sir John Everett Millais - 1856. Location unknown.

Millais is most famous for his painting of The Two Princes Edward and Richard in the Tower – but I found this unknown beauty much more appealing. She seems to be plaiting her hair; something I do myself every day these days.

The photo, however, is from the days in Hong Kong when I used to wear my hair loose a lot of the time – probably 1994 or 1995, taken at one of the many fountains in the squares and courts of the city.

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Paper and sticker from Club Scrap kit "Be Still"; chipboard letters from a Scrapmuse kit; and scrunchy flower made from a bit of organza.

Love Song

Love Song
Norman Percevel Rockwell – 1926. Saturday Evening Post illustration.

In artistic circles, Norman Rockwell has never been considered a serious painter, mainly because the majority of his work was covers for the Saturday Evening Post: drawings or paintings reflecting “the American life in a somewhat sentimental style”. But I find them very likable and have added several of them to my favourites list.

The Love Song painting is, of course, nothing like the photograph I’ve paired with it, which is of a karaoke party at our Hong Kong home with the colleagues from our department. Karaoke was hugely in vogue with the Chinese population of the city at the time and a great draw to get them to come to “gwailo” parties. I’m singing with the wife of my boss, and as you can see from our slightly soppy expressions, and the smirky face of the guy in the background, it was a love song indeed!

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Red paper is from Club Scrap kit "Autumn Splendour", alphas from "Salsa" and sticker from "Musical Interlude"; vellum from Craft Creations, heart diecut from Jolee's by You and bubble shakers from I-Kandee.

Newspaper

Newspaper
Karin Jurick – 2008. Oil on Masonite. Private Collection.

It was the title that drew me to this picture, because I knew I had this lonely photo sitting around of me in my “newspaper denims”. Newspaper print clothing was ever so fashionable for casual wear during the time I was in Hong Kong. I never went in for the tops and t-shirts but really loved these trousers!

I also loved the painting when I saw it. It’s of a woman reading a newspaper inside the Seattle Central Library and I think it’s great how the window grid makes this surreal surrounding to the figure.

*****

Background paper is from a HOTP Heritage paper book but all the newspaper clippings are real (I know - archival nightmare but I don't care here...). Alphas from Club Scrap kit "Salsa".

Fashion Poodle

Fashion Poodle
Deb Harvey - contemporary. Acrylic on canvas. ACEO Gallery

I found this quirky little painting while looking at ATC’s on the Internet – it is only 3½ x 2½“ but it reminded me of my Aunt Inge and her fashion foibles which she also attributed to her dogs. Poodles were the obvious choice, so first there was Blacky, a raven-black standard who’s in the photograph, and later on Lady, a silver-grey miniature poodle. Both were always trimmed immaculately to the latest fashion of crowns, brush tails and fluffy bits on the legs, and adorned with glitzy collars and leads…

Photo 1969

*****

Papers and small jewels from Club Scrap kit "Stepping Out", and alphas from "Down to Earth"; big jewel charms on the photo from my haberdashery stash.

A Burro on the Patio

A Burro on the Patio
Mariano Fortuny y Marsal – ca. 1874. Oil on Canvas. Private Collection.

It was the title that drew me to this picture, because I knew I had this lonely photo sitting around of me in my “newspaper denims”. Newspaper print clothing was ever so fashionable for casual wear during the time I was in Hong Kong. I never went in for the tops and t-shirts but really loved these trousers!

I also loved the painting when I saw it. It’s of a woman reading a newspaper inside the Seattle Central Library and I think it’s great how the window grid makes this surreal surrounding to the figure.

*****

Papers from Club Scrap kit "Wild Wild West" and big alphas from "Fossils"; small alphas and brads from Making Memories, and paper flowers from a mixed bag bought in a sales. The edges are chalked.

Tea AnyoneTea Anyone Bob Dornberg – contemporary. Oil on Canvas. Artist’s Sales Collection. An artist I had never heard of, with a stack of impressio

Tea Anyone
Bob Dornberg – contemporary. Oil on Canvas. Artist’s Sales Collection.

An artist I had never heard of, with a stack of impressionist paintings for sale on the Internet – it was the title of this work that made me have a closer look. It somehow sounded inviting… The further explanation said “women getting to know each other”…

I could think of a stack of photos I have that represent my having tea with a friend but my choice fell on this one in the fabulous setting of the famous Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong – a really girly outing on the occasion of my friend Susanne visiting from Germany.

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Everything is from a HOTP Busy Scrapper's Solutions book (except for the waxed thread from Club Scrap kit "Bridges").

A Bay with Cliffs

A Bay with Cliffs
Gustave Coubert – ca.1869. Oil on canvas. Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, CT

This picture reminded me very much of the Seven Sisters, a famous and beautiful cliff on England’s South Coast. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find pictures of it although I’m sure I have some from a similar angle as this painting, as we were approaching the Seven Sisters by kayak from the sea.

However, sea kayaking reminded me of a visit to the Anglesey Sea Kayaking Symposium we did some years ago and I found this beautiful photograph of a bay with equally stunning cliffs in the background and lots of colourful boats on the water. I can’t even remember the name of the bay but it was a sunny afternoon to try out different makes and types of kayaks – there are some more lined up on the beach…

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Papers, cutouts and accent beads used in photo border are from Club Scrap kit "By the Seashore"; plus alphas from Making Memories and boating buttons from Dress It Up.