QUOTH THE RAVEN CHALLENGE #43: TIC-TAC-POE (WEEK 5)

I am here with a simple piece of tag art as a reminder that this is the last week of the Quoth the Raven Tic-Tac-Poe challenge.  It's a fun and simple challenge where we provide you with a grid and you select three elements--horizontally, vertically or diagonally--and create something related to Edgar Allan Poe.  Here's the grid:

For this week's reminder art, I have chosen a diagonal pattern and have used some stitching, the well-known quote "Nevermore!" and a stamped image of a raven.  (Please don't tell the raven it is actually an image of a crow from Stampotique Originals!)

Here's my tag:

And, a list of supplies:

• Ranger's #10 manila tag (shortened)
• Dylusions ink sprays in Pure Sunshine and Dirty Martini
• Stampotique's Moon Girl's Crow
• Stampotique's Circles Cube (grounding under crow)
• Yellow ribbon from my stash
• Sticko stickers (nevermore)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Wendy Vecchi's Archival Ink (Watering Can)
• Sewing machine
• Basic tool kit

I hope you can find some time this week to participate in the Tic-Tac-Poe challenge at Quoth the Raven.  You can submit your artwork here.

Glad you stopped by today.  I thank you both for your visit and your comments!  Have a great week!

QUOTH THE RAVEN CHALLENGE #43: TIC-TAC-POE (WEEK 2)

Reminder inspiration is up on the Quoth the Raven website, and I have a new piece of art to show you today. The theme Tic-Tac-Poe will continue throughout the month, and I hope you will create something for this challenge. 

We are using the following Tic-Tac-Poe grid to help you with your project. Just pick any three elements--horizontally, vertically, and diagonally--and get crafty! Just remember--in some way--your work must be related to Edgar Allan Poe.

For this week's project, I have chosen 3D Decoupage, Poe, and Lace! The 3-D decoupage segment was, indeed, quite the challenge.  I first had to Google the term to find a description of this technique.  What appeared pretty simple turned out to be not so simple after all.  Fussy cutting and pop dots were the mainstay of this project.  When I finished and showed it to my husband, he said that it appeared as if Poe had had a stroke!  I hope there is a learning curve here and that I can only get better!

The background was created by mixing three colors of re-inkers and alcohol on my craft mat and dragging Ranger's specialty stamping paper through it.   I also dripped a bit of alcohol directly onto my page to encourage the inks to move and blend.

The quote is my "Poe" segment.  Although these words will not be found in a search of his works, he is credited with saying it (here).  The wine glass I found on the internet and is a penciled drawing by Aimee Flom. The lace is called "Venice" and is from Simplicity.  The metal skull and crossbones are from Tim Holtz' idea-ology "adournments" collection.

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QUOTH THE RAVEN CHALLENGE #43: TIC-TAC-POE

The calendar says April, but the weather still does not herald the arrival of Spring in the Northeast of the United States!  That said, I continue to search for Spring's earliest blossoms--in the snow!  

Thinking of flowers made me curious about whether Edgar Allan Poe wrote about flowers, and, indeed, he did.  His short story Eleonora tells of star-shaped flowers never seen before, and that captured my creative interest.  You can read the short story of Eleonora here.

Today's challenge is a creative game of Tic-Tac-Poe!  This new twist on an old game is here to inspire you.  

I chose to use flowers, Poe and feathers--straight down the center!  I have been making a lot of tags lately, so decided I would make one for this challenge:

The background paper featuring red feathers is one of an 8-pack of digital 8-1/2" x 11" images that I purchased and downloaded from Smeared Ink and is called "Poe Boy."  The flower, flat-backed pearl, and butterfly are all from my stash.  The ribbon is uncolored crinkle ribbon from Tim Holtz' idea-ology collection.  The excerpt from Eleonora was computer generated and printed.  

I hope you can ferret out some time this month to get inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and our Tic-Tac-Poe challenge this month. This challenge asks that your choose 3 elements from the grid above--horizontally, vertically or diagonally--and use them in your project.  The only rule is that it must--in some way--be related to Edgar Allan Poe.  

QUOTE THE RAVEN CHALLENGE #42: DREAM ON! (WEEK 3)

It is Week 3 of the Quoth the Raven, Nevermore Challenge, and I am here to remind and inspire you to come play with us!  For the inspiration for today's art, I chose part of Edgar Allan Poe's work "Dreams."  You can read the full poem here.  

The Poe image I used in my project today is a stamp from Carmen's Veranda.  The background paper is called Poe Boy and was purchased as a digital download (including 7 other backgrounds) from Smeared Ink.  

I hope you can find time to get inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and our "Dream On!" challenge this month. This challenge is subject to your personal interpretation; the only rule is that it must--in some way--be related to Edgar Allan Poe.  

QUOTH THE RAVEN CHALLENGE #42: DREAM ON! (WEEK 2)

It is Week 2 of the Quoth the Raven, Nevermore Challenge, and I am here to remind and inspire you to come play with us!  For the inspiration for today's art, I chose what I believe is the most well known of Edgar Allan Poe's works, The Raven.  I have used just the first two lines of Stanza 5, but it is really worth reading (or rereading) the whole poem. You can do that here.

I wanted a dark and dismal feel to my project, so I chose a monochromatic theme, using white, gray and black.  My focal image is from Stampotique Originals and is called Dweeze.

I hope you can find time to get inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and our "Dream On!" challenge this month. This challenge is subject to your personal interpretation; the only rule is that it must--in some way--be related to Edgar Allan Poe.  

QUOTH THE RAVEN CHALLENGE #42: DREAM ON!

The "Quoth the Raven, Nevermore" website has posted the challenge for March, and it is all about dreams!  This challenge is subject to your personal interpretation; the only rule is that it must--in some way--be related to Edgar Allan Poe.  

When I searched the literature for references in Poe's works to dream (which also would include variations of the word), I found more references than I had time to count.  As an artist, I did find a quote to which I could definitely relate!

Eleonora is one of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories.  Like many other of his works, it is said by most reviewers to be autobiographical in nature. If true, then it is clear to me that Eleonora is actually Virginia Clemm Poe, his cousin/bride.  However, the two introductory paragraphs of the story seem to be a defense of the narrator's sanity.  I cannot separate the quote I have used as my inspiration from those sentences that precede it:

I AM come of a race noted for vigor of fancy and ardor of passion.  Men have called me mad; but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence -- whether much that is glorious -- whether all that is profound -- does not spring from disease of thought -- from moods of mind exalted at the expense of the general intellect.  They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.

You can read the whole short story here.

My artwork today measures approximately 5" x 5" (without matting) and features a Stampotique Originals stamp called Bob's in Time Out.  Bob, with that mustache, does remind me a bit of Poe!  A supply list appears below the image.

Supplies used:

• Beige and brown card stock from my stash
• Graphic45 A Ladies' Diary Collection (background)
• Dylusions stencil (DYS34216)
• Wendy Vecchi's Crackled Texture Paste
• Tim Holtz' Tea Dye Distress Stain (to colorize paste before applying)
• Tim Holtz' Vintage Photo Distress Ink (to colorize paste after applying)
• Ranger Mini Ink Blending Tool
• Stampotique Originals Bob's in Time Out stamp
• Computer generated and printed quote
• Ranger Black Archival Ink

It's a brand new challenge today at the Quoth the Raven site, so come on over and play.  There are prizes to be won and fun and inspiration galore!

QUOTH THE RAVEN CHALLENGE #41: FOR THE LOVE OF POE (WEEK 4)

Two of my Design Team sisters from the Quoth the Raven, Nevermore website are hosting the reminder challenge this week, so I want to share their artwork with you.

First is the project from Nanette, who used a photo taken during a recent visit to a Louisiana plantation for her beautiful background!  The poetry she shares is from Poe's work To One in Paradise.  (You can read the whole poem here).  The image Nanette has artfully colored is a digital stamp from Ike's Art.  

Next is Shell's project.  She created a triangular wall hanging.  Her background is full of texture and interest and perfectly supports the "love" theme this month with her heart elements.

I hope you will make an effort this next week to create something "For the Love of Poe."