fantasy art and tree chatter of aquariann

"If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God." - Gilbert K. Chesterton

Delaware has had a bumpy week, thanks to an unlikely earthquake and now Hurricane Irene twirling toward us! In the midst of nature's madness, a goblin darted in and snatched my custom dragon wallet . I didn't lose much cash, but I did have to get two new credit card numbers and a duplicate driver's license (complete with horrendously retaken photo that looks like Bizarro World version of me with a tan.) What's worse, I went to see about designing another duct tape wallet featuring my art - and the shop has disappeared from Etsy!! Luckily, fellow FAE Kimberly of Night Lily Design heard my cry of dismay and came to my rescue. She has offered to sew me a protective card holder with a fabric transfer of my Steampunk Unicorn , like she did my Winter Fairy bag . That'll be sure to ward off any thieves. Now all I need is a separate pouch to carry emergency cash. I got a bit dizzy searching through the unending forests of Etsy and just couldn't make a decision. ...

"Gracious as sunshine, sweet as dew Shut in a lily's golden core." - Margaret Junkin Preston Grab my button as a reminder to return next week for more photography fun! <a href="http://blog.aquariann.com/search/label/wordless%20wednesday" target="_blank"><img src="http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee329/aquariann/blog/wordless/125x125-wordless.jpg" alt="Wordless Wednesday" border="0" /></a>

Friday I frolicked in my first Sketch Fest , hosted by Ellen Million Graphics. Sketch Fest is a 24 hour creative event where anyone can submit descriptions of visions they wish to be drawn into reality. Artists claim those prompts to use as inspiration when drawing - but are only allowed to work on each sketch for an hour before sharing. I was amazed at the amount of intriguing prompts - so many of them beckoned fantastical scenes into my mind. However, "The Mask" tied itself to my head and wouldn't budge, as that morning I'd procured Beadmask's Little Spriteling Leather Mask in Shades of Olive and Soft Gold . An hour flew by and I reluctantly put down my pencil and uploaded my initial sketch . I couldn't bear to leave her unfinished - the next night I spent another hour editing and inking. Tree Sprite ACEO is inked with black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens onto Strathmore Smooth Bristol Paper and soon to be swaying in Prismacolor pencils . Branch over to ...

An iridescent blue dragonfly has been fluttering about my flower bed. He is swiftly camera shy, though - every time I reach for my Coolpix, he magically disappears. That flighty bugger! Since I haven't been able to capture a photograph of him, I went searching for his kin through the gardens of Etsy. I found these gorgeous dragonfly necklaces hovering above the other insect jewelry. 1. Turquoise Dragonfly Necklace, Long Chain by Botanical Bird 2. Dragonfly Antique Brass and Turquoise Blue Magnesite Necklace by Earthly Baubles 3. Patina Green Dragonfly Necklace with Turquoise Bead by Nesting Nomad 4. Dragonfly Necklace-Harvest Pattern Art Nouveau with Blue Green Glass Stone by Phenomena Jewelry

By the time you hear the tune of the new Fantasy Artists of Etsy exhibition , Siren Song, drifting over the breaking waves, it'll be too late. The Etsy Mini below is just a glimpse at the mermaid paintings, fantasy jewelry and other handmade sea creations that will ensnare you. EDIT: Siren Song has been replaced by another exhibition, but click on the screenshot below to view all the FAE items currently for sale that are tagged with the word "siren."

"I am following Nature without being able to grasp her... I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers." - Claude Monet Grab my button as a reminder to return next week for more photography fun! <a href="http://blog.aquariann.com/search/label/wordless%20wednesday" target="_blank"><img src="http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee329/aquariann/blog/wordless/125x125-wordless.jpg" alt="Wordless Wednesday" border="0" /></a>

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over. Congratulations to the randomly chosen 86th commenter, Clenna! You don't have to be the bride to wear the prettiest jewelry in the room. Paige of Little White Chapel designs beautiful and affordable wedding accessories that are versatile enough to wear any day, whether it be for a special occasion, out on a date, or simply to work! After Paige got married, she wanted to stay involved in the wedding world. She opened her Etsy shop to help other brides look their best on their big day. Now she is giving away a $25 gift card for one winner to choose whatever her heart desires from her online store. My favorite is the pair of firecracker rhinestone earrings above, but there are dozens of other elegant pieces with a vintage feel to delight the eyes. How To Enter The Giveaway Giveaway is open worldwide to entrants at least 18 years old. I will be pulling a number from my random.org top hat after 11:59pm EST on August 31, 2011, and th...

Sunlight was fading fast. He had precious little time until the soldiers noticed his infamous pirate ship anchored just offshore. Boosting himself over the balcony wall, he was relieved to see his love had received his signal and was waiting rather anxiously. There wasn't a moment left to fret about her answer. He took a deep breath and withdrew the engagement ring from inside his captain's coat. "Will ye be me wench?" the pirate proposed. Pirate ACEO inked with black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens and colored with Prismacolor pencils onto Strathmore Smooth Bristol Paper . Sail to Sunday Sketches to see more art by creative souls.

Fireflies are fluttering about the trees, adding magic to the warm summer nights. Although I've studied these amazing creatures closely and know they're winged beetles, I still daydream that lightning bugs are fairies in disguise. Their soft glow is enchanting. It makes me gloomy that the world's firefly population is dwindling, perhaps because of an abundance of pesticides and artificial light. Firefly.org has suggestions on how to help encourage firefly survival on a local level, but the steps are too new to judge if they're working yet. I went hiking through the forests of Etsy, searching for a way to treasure their sparkling beauty, even in the dead of winter. These firefly lanterns came twinkling through the woods to illuminate a path. 1. Unique Twist On A Traditional Wedding Bouquet Firefly Lightning Bug Bouquet Lanterns by Bragging Bags 2. Small Firefly Lantern/ Flower Girl Basket Alternative by April Hiler Designs 3. Firefly Latern - Battery O...

"Tell me how many beads there are In a silver chain Of evening rain, Unravelled from the tumbling main..." - Thomas Lovell Beddoes Grab my button as a reminder to return next week for more photography fun! <a href="http://blog.aquariann.com/search/label/wordless%20wednesday" target="_blank"><img src="http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee329/aquariann/blog/wordless/125x125-wordless.jpg" alt="Wordless Wednesday" border="0" /></a>

International Talk Like a Pirate Day pillages the world next month on September 19th. The wheel in the sky has turned many times since I last sketched a pirate, so here one be for the occasion. It's been a year and a half since the Ogre proposed, and if you missed the story, I'd still sink ships for him . We will eventually walk the plank in a pirate-themed wedding, but for now are treasuring our engagement. ACEO is inked with black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens onto Strathmore Smooth Bristol Paper and soon to be swaggering in Prismacolor pencils . Sail to Sunday Sketches to see more art by creative souls.

When I gaze up into the twinkling night sky, it seems infinitely arrogant to conclude that Earth is the only planet in the entire universe where intelligent life transpired. Yes, Fox Mulder, I want to believe. (And yes, I still watch X-Files :) I don't know if little green men have ever flown their UFOs within a billion light years of our galaxy, but the History Channel's Ancient Aliens show makes fascinating arguments that aliens have hovered amongst humans. I may never discover whether the pyramids were built with extraterrestrial technology or a flying saucer crashed at Roswell, but I am sure of one thing. Aliens have invaded the imagination of several crafters. I orbited around Etsy, and these stunning spaceship sculptures landed my attention. 1. U.F.O. Box with Lost Wax Cast Bronze Aliens by Wood Fusion Studio 2. Steampunk Space Ship Sculpture by Steam Planet 3. Crash Landing in Roswell, New Mexico UFO Sculpture by Close Encounters Studios 4. E. T. Pot - Raku-fired, U...

"The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire." - Pamela Hansford Johnson Grab my button as a reminder to return next week for more photography fun! <a href="http://blog.aquariann.com/search/label/wordless%20wednesday" target="_blank"><img src="http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee329/aquariann/blog/wordless/125x125-wordless.jpg" alt="Wordless Wednesday" border="0" /></a> Visit the Summer of Color to see more wonderful images in orange.

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over. Congratulations to the randomly chosen 49th commenter, Little Fever ! One of you shall be the best accessorized damsel of the next masquerade ball you attend. Andrea Adams of Beadmask is giving away a $30 gift card to spend on her beautiful bead and leather art. Her Etsy shop glitters with beaded cabochon jewelry and gleams with sculpted leather masks, crowns, hair sticks and barrettes. Andrea is a second generation artisan living in Seattle. She was fortunate to learn from her father, who also supported his family through his art. The amazing work she creates now is the culmination of many years spent honing her skills and developing a distinctive style. Despite working with beads and leather for so long, her favorite materials still intrigue her. She keeps dreaming up projects that are just beyond the scope of her expertise, which motivates her to learn new techniques. This creative process helps her to find her center, and also brightens the world...