Simplicity

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I'm fairly new to this mixed media thing ( self taught too) and my confidence in my abilities often wavers like a flag in the wind. Gee I'm not so bad -Oh my goodness who am I kidding I suck. I know I shouldn't but I can't help compare myself with others and boy this can be tough on the ole ego at times.

I have been hanging on to Cassandra's Marie Altered book for well over 2 months way passed the alloted time. I just couldn't get passed all the amazing work everyone had done, how to I keep up with such stunning creations. I knew I would have to pull out some elaborate over the top stuff to fit in with this crowd, but I'm a simple girl and the more pressure I put on myself the more my heels kept digging in deeper until I was completely sunk.

Now I've really gone and done it I'm frozen and can't move and I'll never get my pages started, stupid confidence come back because I have work to do.

Simplicity, echos in my heart my soul knows the answer it just takes my body and mind a bit to catch up. Time to put away those ideas that I must do as others do just be myself and create what feels right for me.

So simplicity it is and once I allowed this idea to surface things started to flow and this is what I came up with

I found these illustrations in an old English news paper (1880) and as soon as I saw them I knew they would be perfect. I wanted the ladies to stand out so I just added a bit of colour only on them, I used pastels. These are the original images and using them was a bit scary if I messed up with the cutting or colouring to bad so sad there won't be any others so make this good. I usually scan and reprint my old stuff but since I wasn't doing all that fancy painting and what not with my background, and I still wanted the pages to be special. So only the originals would do. I really like how they turned out and I plan on using more of the images from the old papers for future projects.

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I managed to get Shelly's Steampunk pages done too, these are the images I showed in my previous post and this is how I finished them up. I've just starting using more of my own photo's in my art I'm teaching myself how to alter my images in photo shop elements still waiting for the big purchase of Photo shop cs4, must save many pennies for that one. I think the more original work I use the better, of course I do love the old antique photo's and I have fun altering them so I consider them my originals too.

I used a photo I took of a old train bridge for this page I think it makes the perfect a Time Machine.

Bob's filling station is a shot of an old building I took while on a excursion with my dear friend Karen Ciderantiques

I still have more steampunk pages to do this time its Sandy's book, I'm in the tinkering stage with my images hope to have them done soon. I'm also working on some journal pages, chunky pages and a larger piece all for group swaps. I'm trying some new products can't wait to see how they turn out. I also found the perfect book for an art journal at a second hand shop the other day. I have been wanting to start one for years I just have been to scared, but I think the time is right, I'm ready.............I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Thanks for stopping by until next time

Hugs Deborah