Color This Quote - September Challenge

Hi Artists in Blogland!  Jessica here getting an early jump on "Color This Quote - September!"  You still have a week to link up your August creations, but if you want to get an early jump on September, here's the quote:

What does this bring up for you?  Roads to travel?  Things to learn?  Adventure?  Perseverance?  Here's what it inspired for me:

There's a quick tutorial and video on my blog of how I made it!

August's quote challenge ,"Seize the Day," resulted in lots of wonderful interpretations, and I hope some more are coming as the linky list stays open until the 31st!   Here are two, randomly picked:

Lucid Memoirs channeled her child self and remembered the abandon with which she used to create, using spaghetti and string to create a page full of "just do it" affirmations:

2AM Scrapper used the Latin for "Seize the Day" and was inspired by the newsboys in the video clip from Newsies to create this great card:

Congratulations to everyone for making such beautiful art in response to August's quote!

And now on to September.  The quote is:  

Does this inspire you?  I know it inspired me...  Express yourself!  Here's what you do:

• Grab the Color This Quote button and let people know you're participating!

• Link up your take on this quote in the Linky List below.  It will be open until September 30, and on October 1, the next quote will be revealed!

• Please link to a specific blog post or Flickr page, not your general URL.  

• In your blog post, please state how your work relates to this quote and mention the Color This Quote challenge.    A blog post that does not indicate how your work has a connection to the quote will be removed from the linky list, no matter how gorgeous it is.  Please do not link up random posts.

• Visit 3 or more people who linked up, and leave loving words on their blogs or Flickr pages;

• Anything goes -- can't wait to see what you do with this quote.

• Have a great quote?  Leave it in the comments section for future Color This Quote challenges!

And now for a little housekeeping:

We'll continue doing Color This Quote challenges through 2013. Let us know if you want to continue into 2014, or whether there's a different type of challenge we should try. 

Are you enjoying the monthly Technique Tuesday posts?  Any particular techniques you'd like to see demo'd?

If there's anything else you'd like to see featured here,  let us know in the comments!

Color This Quote - August Challenge

Hi Artists in Blogland!  Jessica here with "Color This Quote - August!"  Here's this month's quote:

SEIZE THE DAY!

Short and sweet, right?  How will you interpret it?  Here's how the Broadway cast of Newsies interpreted it!  I hope watching this gets you energized and inspired!

This phrase actually had me thinking about how I put off "seizing the day."  You can see my take on the quote on my blog.  I look forward to seeing what YOU do.

Last month's quote challenge ("the magic is in you" from The Secret Garden) resulted in lots of magical entries!   Here is one, randomly picked:

Susi  sent magical wishes in this beautiful art journal page: 

Congratulations to everyone for making such beautiful art in response to July's quote!

And now on to July.  Here's the quote:  

SEIZE THE DAY!

Does this inspire you?  I know it inspired me!  Express yourself!  Here's what you do:

• Grab the button and let people know you're participating!

• Link up your take on this quote in the Linky List below.  It will be open until August 31, and on September 1, the next quote will be revealed!

• Please link to a specific blog post or Flickr page, not your general URL.  

• In your blog post, you MUST state how your work relates to this quote.    
• A blog post that does not indicate how your work has a connection to the quote will be removed from the linky list, no matter how gorgeous it is.  Please do not link up random posts.

• Visit 3 or more people who linked up, and leave loving words on their blogs or Flickr pages;

• Anything goes -- can't wait to see what you do with this quote.

• Have a great quote?  Leave it in the comments section! 

Color This Quote - July Challenge!

Hi Artists in Blogland!  Jessica here with "Color This Quote - July!"  Here's this month's quote:

"The sun is shining...That is the Magic. The flowers are growing--the roots are stirring. That is the Magic. Being alive is the Magic--being strong is the Magic. The Magic is in me--the Magic is in me. ...It's in every one of us."  The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgeson Burnett

I know this is a long quote - so feel free to use it all, or any part of it, or just be inspired by it.  When do you feel your magic?

Last month's quote challenge ("May there be peace and prosperity within your walls."  Psalms 122.7) resulted in lots of thoughtful entries about the meaning of walls.  Here are two examples, randomly picked!

Valerie Jael  had many memories of Jerusalem as she made this gorgeous creation: 

Deborah Weber interpreted "walls" to mean the boundaries of her body in creating this intriguing triptych: 

Congratulations to everyone for making such beautiful art in response to June's quote!

And now on to July.  Here's the quote again from The Secret Garden:  

"The sun is shining...That is the Magic. The flowers are growing--the roots are stirring. That is the Magic. Being alive is the Magic--being strong is the Magic. The Magic is in me--the Magic is in me. ...It's in every one of us." 

Does this inspire you?  I know it inspired me!  Express yourself!  Here's what you do:

• Grab the button and let people know you're participating!

• Link up your take on this quote in the Linky List below.  It will be open until June 30, and sometime before July 1, the next quote will be revealed!

• Please link to a specific blog post or Flickr page, not your general URL.  

• In your blog post, you MUST state how your work relates to this quote.    
• A blog post that does not indicate how your work has a connection to the quote will be removed from the linky list, no matter how gorgeous it is.  We're trying to relate to the quote; too many people have been linking up random posts!

• Visit 3 or more people who linked up, and leave loving words on their blogs or Flickr pages;

• Anything goes -- can't wait to see what you do with this quote.

• Have a great quote?  Leave it in the comments section!

Color This Quote - June Challenge!

Hi Artists in Blogland!  It's time for "Color This Quote - June!"

"May there be peace and prosperity within your walls."  Psalms 122.7

This phrase was originally written as a prayer for Jerusalem, but it could be about any homeland, or home.  What does it make you think about?  What qualities do you wish for in your homeland or home?

Last month's quote challenge ("Every act of creation is first an act of destruction," Picasso) resulted in lots of thoughtful entries about destruction and creation.  Here are two examples, randomly picked!

Monique wrote about how hard it is sometimes to create something on top of a background you've been saving.  For the challenge, she forced herself to "destroy" the background to create something new.

Ariel repainted a canvas several times, destroying the prior image, until finally feeling satisfied with this stunning portrait of two Rajasthani women on a textured background.

Congratulations to everyone for making such beautiful art in response to April's quote!

And now on to June.  Our quote this month is from Psalms:  

"May there be peace and prosperity within your walls."  Psalms 122.7

Does this inspire you?  I know it inspired me!  Express yourself!  Here's what you do:

• Grab the button and let people know you're participating!

• Link up your take on this quote in the Linky List below.  It will be open until June 30, and sometime before July 1, the next quote will be revealed!

• Please link to a specific blog post or Flickr page, not your general URL.  

• In your blog post, please let us know how your work relates to this quote.  Sometimes it's hard to tell! Work that doesn't have a connection to the quote will be removed from the linky list, no matter how gorgeous it is, as we're trying to relate to the quote.

• Visit 3 or more people who linked up, and leave loving words on their blogs or Flickr pages;

• Anything goes -- can't wait to see what you do with this quote.

• Have a great quote?  Leave it in the comments section.  I put all the suggestions on pieces of paper in a jar and let my daughter pick, so the more, the merrier. 

Color This Quote - May Challenge

Hi Artists in Blogland!  It's time for "Color This Quote - May!"  (I know I'm a bit early, but I wanted to get it out there!  And don't worry, you still have a few days to link up for April!)

Last month's quote challenge resulted in so many beautiful entries that had people really exploring who they were and who they are.  Two that particularly spoke to me were by Kim Caine,

whose work spoke to unleashing the free spirit within:

http://funkycaine.blogspot.com/2013/04/back-to-it.html

and Bev Baird whose piece commemorated staying true to the vision she had of herself as a child.

http://bunnysgirl.blogspot.ca/2013/04/be-true-to-yourself-sol.html

Congratulations to everyone for making such beautiful art in response to April's quote!

And now on to May.  Our quote this month was suggested by Corrine Gilman:

"Every act of creation is first an act of destruction."  Pablo Picasso

As I love to alter books, this quote really speaks to me.

Does this inspire you?  I know it did inspired me!  Express yourself!  Here's what you do:

• Grab the button and let people know you're participating!

• Link up your take on this quote in the Linky List below.  It will be open until May 30, and on June 1 the next quote will be revealed!

• Please link to a specific blog post or Flickr page, not your general URL.  

• In your blog post, please let us know how your work relates to this quote.  Sometimes it's hard to tell! Work that doesn't have a connection to the quote will be removed from the linky list, no matter how gorgeous it is, as we're trying to relate to the quote.

• Visit 3 or more people who linked up, and leave loving words on their blogs or Flickr pages;

• Anything goes -- can't wait to see what you do with this quote.

• Have a great quote?  Leave it in the comments section.  I put all the suggestions on pieces of paper in a jar and let my daughter pick, so the more, the merrier.

Color This Quote - April Challenge

Hi Artists in Blogland!  It's time for "Color This Quote - April!"
Thank you to everyone who participated in last month's quote challenge.  There were so many fabulous entries!  Two that really popped out at me were this gorgeous painted over collage by Sandra Sherman:

Sandra Sherman

and this whimsical self portrait by Clare at Miscunthus Crafts: 

Clare

Both artists shared their process, which I know I always appreciate!  But really, everyone's creations were gorgeous.  

This month's quote was suggested by Tracy:   

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." Judy Garland

Does this inspire you?  I know it did inspired me!  Express yourself!  Here's what you do:

• Grab the button and let people know you're participating!

• Link up your take on this quote in the Linky List below.  It will be open until April 30, and on May 1 the next quote will be revealed!

• Please link to a specific blog post or Flickr page, not your general URL.  

• In your blog post, please let us know how your work relates to this quote.  Sometimes it's hard to tell! Work that doesn't have a connection to the quote will be removed from the linky list, no matter how gorgeous it is, as we're trying to relate to the quote.

• Visit 3 or more people who linked up, and leave loving words on their blogs or Flickr pages;

• Anything goes -- can't wait to see what you do with this quote.

• Have a great quote?  Leave it in the comments section.  I put all the suggestions on pieces of paper in a jar and let my daughter pick, so the more, the merrier. 

Happy creating!

Color This Quote: March 2013

Hi Artists in Blogland!  It's time for "Color This Quote - March!"

Thank you to everyone who participated in last month's quote challenge.  There were so many fabulous entries!

The quote this month is courtesy of Karen at Missy K, who suggested these beautiful words by Ralph Waldo Emerson about time:

"Write it on your heart 

that every day is the best day in the year."

Does this inspire you?  Do you agree or do you find it more reassuring to think that our best days are yet to come?  Express yourself!  Here's what you do:

• Grab the button and let people know you're participating!

• Link up your take on this quote in the Linky List below.  It will stay open until March 24, and on March 25, the next quote will be revealed!  

• Please link to a specific blog post or Flickr page, not your general URL.  

• In your blog post, please let us know how your work relates to this quote.  Sometimes it's hard to tell! Work that doesn't have a connection to the quote will be removed from the linky list, no matter how gorgeous it is, as we're trying to relate to the quote.

• Visit 3 or more people who linked up, and leave loving words on their blogs or Flickr pages;

• Anything goes -- can't wait to see what you do with this quote.

• Have a great quote?  Leave it in the comments section.  I put all the suggestions on pieces of paper in a jar and let my daughter pick, so the more, the merrier.

Happy creating!

A New Challenge!

Hi, Jessica Sporn here.  Marcia asked me to co-moderate Artists in Blogland, and of course I said yes.  AIB is such a great community; I enjoyed meeting many of you during our Fall Fearless & Fly challenges.  People really responded to the quotes we put together with each prompt.

And before we get to the next challenge, I am happy to announce that the winner of our very last Fall Fearless and Fly challenge, as chosen by the random generator at Random.org,  is #28, Maria McGuire!  Maria -- a $50 Pan Pastels Gift Certificate is on its way to you!

Continuing with that theme, each month we will have a prompt called "Color This Quote."  In the comments, please suggest quotes for the coming months.

To kick it off, here's the first quote:

I found this quote and image on Pinterest, but was unable to locate a source.  It seems like a great quote to think about as we head into February -- both because it conjures up warmth (it's cold where I live!) and love.  I have to say that my friends are such a source of comfort and support for me.  And I really cherish the friends I have met through arting -- you know who you are.

So please:

• Leave quotes for future "Color This Quote" challenges in the comments.

• Grab the button and let people know you're participating!

• Link up your take on this quote in the Linky List below.  It will stay open until February 24, and on February 25, the next quote will be revealed!  Please link to a specific blog post, not your general URL.  And if it's not immediately apparent how your work relates to the quote, let us know.  Work that doesn't have a connection to the quote will be removed from the linky list, no matter how gorgeous it is, as we're trying to relate to the quote.

• Visit 3 or more people who linked up, and leave loving words on their blogs or Flickr pages;

• Anything goes -- can't wait to see what you do with this quote.

Happy creating!