September Challenge Theme: FAIRIES & MERMAIDS

The theme for my September challenge is a favorite on mine (and yours I hope): Fairies and Mermaids. We've done a Fairyland theme before, but this time let's include Mermaids as well. 

Don't miss the Design Team inspiration below, and have a look at some Lunagirl digital collage sheets to get you started! Fairies.... and Mermaids! The DT is working with some images of Faerie Fantasy Showgirls (for something a little different), Faerie Queens, and of course vintage Mermaids.

I can't wait to see what you create ~ link up your entries below. 

CHALLENGE GUIDELINES:

Challenge ends at 2:00 pm CST on September 30.

Any craft or medium is welcome!

Vintage style is encouraged but not required.

Use a Lunagirl image and your entry will count twice in the drawing!

Link to this blog and to Lunagirl.com on your site if you have one.

Prize:  Winner will be selected randomly to receive a $15 credit at Lunagirl.com!

I love it when you use Lunagirl images, and I hope you'll go take a look at my collections... but that's not a requirement!  But do remember that if you use a Lunagirl image, you will be entered TWICE in the drawing! I welcome everyone and every style but also want to give a little something extra to my wonderful customers! Most important is have fun, get creative, and enjoy vintage style. 

An InLinkz Link-up

LUNAGIRL DESIGN TEAM

MICHELE STORMS Art From the Well

CORINNE MARIE Digital by Corinne

CORINNE MARIE Digital by Corinne

VICKI ROMAINE, Cheerful Stamp Pad

Bathing Beauty Cards & Tag by Vicki Romaine

The ever-fabulous and creative Vicki Romaine of the Lunagirl Moonbeams Design Team has shared three more bathing beauty projects!  How she finds time during what I know is a busy week, I don't know, but aren't these lovely?  Visit Vicki's blog and join her challenges as well!

I have always been very fond of this image.  Here's what Vicki says about her piece and process:
"Background was ... where I cleaned my brayer on another book page.  The background and image were both printed on grey cardstock so the colors would be a little distressed.  The image was again torn, but no distressing was done as the tearing around the image showed the grey cardstock.  Three blue stones complete the tag."

Woman image from Lunagirl Bathing Beauties 2 collage sheet.

  
Joyful card with a bathing beauty and charming little fish!
"The background was made by cleaning my brayer on a page from a paperback book.  The image was torn and distress with light cranberry ink.  The fish are stick on embellishments and finally a sentiment on acrylic."


Women's images on this card and the next from Lunagirl Bathing Beauties #4 digital collage sheet.

I think this is my favorite.  I like the simplicity, and the colors, and the fence... and that outfit!  Most of all I really like the great quote!

Vicki's comment:
"A very plain card.  Quote is from Quote Garden on the net."

It's lovely ... and my thought for the day!

Hans Christian Andersen's Birthday

Today is the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen, the author of so many beloved fairy tales. While he did adapt folktales, many of his best-known stories are actually original works, including "The Snow Queen," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Little Mermaid," and "The Ugly Duckling" which is somewhat autobiographical.

Andersen grew up in poverty and suffered much in childhood from "not fitting in." However, he was an imaginative and intelligent child and was fortunate to have parents who indulged his love of literature and a grandmother who told him stories. He built a toy-theater and spent many hours creating costumes for his puppets and reading, even memorizing entire Shakespeare plays and acting them out with puppets. After a short time working as an actor and singer, Andersen began writing. His novels and fairy tales made him an instant success, and by his death at age 70 he was famous throughout Europe.

As a child I loved these stories, especially "The Little Mermaid," which I must have read a hundred times. If you've seen only the cartoon movie and never read the story, it is much different. The original story is a haunting tale, and while the ending is hopeful it's also melancholy, hardly the traditional "happy ending"! The sadness was one thing that I loved about The Little Mermaid (although my favorite part was imagining the undersea kingdom!)

If you ever go to Denmark, see the statue of the Little Mermaid overlooking the harbor in Copenhagen. H.C. Andersen's birthday is also International Children's Book Day, so enjoy a storybook today!

Thank you, Mr. Andersen!

Mermaid Name Generator

Alright, so it's not very Christmas-y, but because I know so many of you want it I'm sharing the link for the Mermaid Name Generator. You'll find it HERE.

My mermaid name is ....
Zarina Nymphana (!) I am a Mediterranean mermaid.

You can choose to be an Arctic, Pacific, Tropical or Mediterranean mermaid (or merman). "Merperson" it seems.... have fun!

And are you looking for some lovely vintage mermaid artwork and images to express your mermaid soul?

Just For Fun: The Fairy Name Generator!

We recently discovered this fun site by accident ~ Find out your faerie name, plus where she lives and what she wears! What kind of wings does your fairy self have?

I recently painted my "siren" self, a smiling mermaid with a turquoise tail and butterfly wings (sirens can move in both water and air). Now I have to create a picture of my faerie alter ego.... She likes to haunt the dark places but is gentle....

Your fairy is called Hex Goblindancer
She is a bringer of riches and wealth.
She lives in places hexed and tainted by black magic.
She is only seen when the bees swarm and the crickets chirrup. She wears black feathers and rose petals. She has gentle green wings like a butterfly.

Get your own fairy name here!

You might like our collection of Victorian Angels & Fairies on CD . . . or more fairy stuff here