Colorful Mermaids

Ah, the mysterious mermaid!

vintage nautical mermaid print

www.vintageholidaycrafts.com

We have been fascinated with her for ages.

John Waterhouse, 1896

"Ariel" from The Little Mermaid, Disney

a 1951 Jantzen advertisement

Let's celebrate the colorful mermaids today!

mermaid from all recycled junk mail by inkspired

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

aqua mermaid tattoo

www.tattoos.co.nz

mermaid Paper Doll by Kim Sherrod

www.TheEnchantedGallery.com

"Mermaid holding moon"

unknown source...Fotosearch?

unknown artist, possible tattoo artist?

Most mermaids we find are in shades of the sea:

turquoise

sky blue

blue-green

bottle green

shell pink

"Blue, Blue, Blue Mermaid"

original Collage Art Doll by inkspired

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

The American Weekly, March 26, 1939

"Mermaid Fashionista"

original Collage Art Doll by inkspired

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

Many times a mermaid may be subtle,

but her surroundings are very colorful.

"for love of a mermaid"

by Josephine Wall

mermaid performer

www.mermaidmelissa.com

unknown mermaid figurine

I'm not sure why,

but many mermaids are portrayed with red hair.

vintage 1912 illustration for "Bill the Minder"

courtesy Dover Publishing

"Birth of a Mermaid" by sakimichan

www.deviantart.com

vintage illustration

Mermaid advertisement for Martinis

But I think my favorite hair colors
are shades of blue, or green!

"Mermaid Ariel" by Alena Lazareva

www.deviantart.com

Mermaid created from bottlecaps

artist unknown

"Shopping for Lunch" Collage Art Doll by inkspired

Let's end today's colorful mermaids theme
with pretty sirens from the sea
that include all colors of hair
and rainbow waves!

"Mermaid Preening"
original Collage Paper Painting by inkspired
www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

movie poster

Rainbow Mermaid
bitsandpieces.fanpop.com

'til next time - 
inkspired

www.inkspired.etsy.com
www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com
www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com
and on pinterest:   kkloberdans

"Ocean Frolic"
original Collage Paper Painting by inkspired
www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

yellow bugs and humor galore

WELCOME!!

greeting card made with kirigami purple cutting and stamped, colored and cut out fish

by inkspired

I have been working in my etsy shop:

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

and visiting some of my followers.

I have found just some terrific finds that I have been pinning on my various boards on pinterest.  You can find me  with this: kkloberdans
This one went on my board: "Tea for you and me"

garden hanging tea light

www.Beyondthegardenwall.etsy.com

Don't know what pinterest is? Go to www.pinterest.com and plan to spend a bit of time! It has soooo many interesting things to find! There's humor (which I will discuss more in a bit) and crafts, and tutorials on everything, and recipes, and patterns for just about everything, and gardens and international sites, and...well, the list just goes on!

name painting by www.DSStudioFlorida.etsy.com

So, in my browsing, I found the most HILARIOUS and just plain old fun shop:

www.YellowBugBoutique.etsy.com

If you are needing a bit of humor in your day

or

love sarcastic humor

or

are in the witness protection program

or 

know someone too geeky to even explain

then this shop is for you!!!

computer mouse pad

www.YellowBugBoutique.etsy.com

Here is their Profile on Etsy information. I thought it was so funny I have just copied it all for you!

from www.YellowBugBoutique.etsy.com:

ABOUT:

“Honey! We need to write a bio about us for the Etsy Shop!”

“Oh, great. You know how upset the Witness Protection Program people get when we publish anything.”

“Well, they can just get over it. Etsians want to know who we are and what we do. We don’t have to tell them about the episode in Jakarta.” 

“Fair enough. What should we talk about?”

“We could tell them that we’re college sweethearts and have been married since the Reagan administration. Or we could tell them that we’re hopelessly addicted to Looney Tunes, Mythbusters and Monty Python. Or tell them that you’ve been doing technology and I’ve been doing crafts for thirty years.”

"That makes us sound like we're old as dirt."

"We ARE old as dirt!"

“But we don't need to tell the whole world about it. Leave all that out. How about telling them the story of how you named the shop?”

“You mean how my mother taught me and our children how to cherish their individuality and uniqueness by telling them that while little yellow bugs were cute, the world would be pretty boring if EVERY car was a little yellow bug?”

“On second thought, that's so mushy it makes my teeth hurt. How about telling them how you were one of the first employees at the original Michael's store?”

“Michaels, Schmichaels. Who cares? Let's tell them something current. How about telling them that as our nest empties, we’re getting even crazier and having fun embarrassing our children?”

“Nobody would believe it. Empty Nesters are supposed to be sitting in recliners and yelling at the TV news. We don’t even own a recliner.”

“This is harder than I thought.”

“You’re right. Maybe we should tell them about Jakarta.”

“OK. <sigh> We’ve been wanting to move again anyway. So, Etsians, when were were secret agents during the Cold War, we tailed our target to Jakarta and -”

THE REMAINDER OF THIS BIOGRAPHY HAS BEEN REDACTED BY THE FEDERAL WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM. MOVE ALONG. THESE AREN’T THE DROIDS YOU’RE LOOKING FOR."

{the end}

www.YellowBugBoutique.etsy.com

I saw that they have a blog also.

Too fun!

www.YellowBugBoutique.etsy.com

Here is one of the blog entries I found. I thought it was funny enough to share with you all.

from www.YellowBugBoutique.blogspot.com

Playing cards?

"So we're working on updating our shipping prices in the Etsy store, and in the process we are discovering some interesting things about the morals, politics and idiocracy of  Customs rules.  Here's a little sampler of true, actual Customs regulations:

• You can't ship melatonin to Germany.  Apparently the German government is afraid that it's population might get sleepy and fall into the gears at the factory.  Which makes a real mess and slows down production.
• If one of your Albanian relatives asks you send them them the toothbrush they left at your place over the holidays, don't even try to send it.  Albania strictly forbids the shipment of anything that's been used.  Extravagant clothes are also verboten.  So Levis good, Prada, not so much.
• You can't ship Uncle Hassien's cremated remains back to the family farm in Algeria if they are in a funeral urn.  Just put him in a cereal box and everything will be fine.
• It's illegal to ship bananas to Armenia.
• Aussies don't want your used bedding. Ever.
• Shipping pink Quinine to Bangladesh will get you in a lot of trouble.  Blue, red, polka dotted or plaid Quinine is apparently OK.
• The government of Belgium will be very upset with you if you try to send a used ink cartridge to them.
• Do not send a fancy greeting card that sings 'Happy Birthday" to a relative in Bulgaria.
• You can't mail margarine to Canada.  Really.

So this has us through the letter C, and the rest of the world promises even more entertaining  regulation.  Stand by for next post.

Oh, and by the way, don't try to send the 6 of Spades to Germany.  Gunplay could ensue." 

www.YellowBugBoutique.etsy.com

I hope you have found some humor to make it through the rest of the day - Who knows? Maybe even through the rest of the week.....

Oh yeah, it's Friday!!!

:0)

"Office Lunch Break"

original one of a kind Collage Art Doll art, using all recycled junk mail!

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

Have a super duper day!!

...and isn't 'galore' a wonderful word?!

:0)

inkspired

www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

www.inkspired.etsy.com

and on pinterest: kkloberdans

Valentine Iris Folding and Pop-Ups

"To send a letter

is a good way to go somewhere

without 
moving anything

but 

your heart."

- Phyllis Theroux

free poison dart frog Valentine courtesy the Denver Zoo

Dolly Dingle in the Pictorial Review, 1942

found on www.vintageimagecraft.com

Have you discovered Robert Sabuda yet?

He is my all-time favorite pop-up paper engineer!

He has a terrific website,

and he gives away LOTS of freebie patterns

to make your own pop-up cards!

He also has a store where you can purchase signed copies of his books,

and also limited run pop-up notecards.

After reading my blog, go check him out!!!

www.robertsabuda.com

tee hee

Here is a pop-up heart bear card from his site:

and here are the directions and patterns to print out:

For the exact directions, go to his site, and check out 'free patterns'.

He gives wonderful, detailed directions with lots of photos.

Here is a cute little bear card,

with a whole page of Valentine outfits!

I believe I got this from 

www.origamibears.com

Sticking with my theme of 

Paper Valentines

today, let's get some super Iris Folding going!

I find iris folding to be a great craft to do in front of the TV.

I can't just sit there, I always have to be doing something!

Here is a great, simple heart pattern:

from the Yahoo group Iris Folding

I would suggest that you pick 3 coordinating colors for the paper strips.

I usually mix solids and patterns,including dots.

Here is another, by Valerie Reynolds:

The blank heart in the corner is for you to use to cut the opening in your card

(sometimes called an 'aperture')

where the iris folding will show on front.
With this pattern I would choose 4 color groups, plus one for the arrow part.

Remember, you are laying your strips down on the

backside of the card!

For simple and easy iris folding directions, check out my blog on:

May 8, 2011

Here are a few more iris folding patterns that I have picked out

for Valentine's Day:

copyright by Elly de Rooy

Eiffel Tower pattern by Teri V.

please note the personal use only

These patterns are for enjoyment

NOT re-sale!

Here is a finished coach to go with a princess:

www.bergkaarten.nl

the finished coach with Cinderella

I think I would like to try it with an orange pumpkin coach,

with vine-y green wheels!

Here is a fun 'n easy pattern for an envelope.

Can't you just see rainbow hearts of all different sizes coming out of it?

pattern by Silvia Griffin, www.ifg@yahoo.com

free printable valentine courtesy of the Denver Zoo

In keeping with my 'paper' theme today,

here is another cute paper doll

for you to print and cut out with your favorite paper doll friend!

This is a paper doll set by Charles Ventura.

I found it at: 

www.marlendy.wordpress.com

I find it much easier to color before you cut it out!!

and another Robert Sabuda free pop-up card:

the finished card

the card base, and directions where to place glue and tabs

butterfly wings

:0)

Here's my last one for today -

another goodie from marlendy's site

See you later!
inkspired
www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com
www.inkspired.etsy.com
and now on pinterest too - kkloberdans!!

'Time for Red and Gold'
original Collage Art Doll by inkspired
made from all recycled junk mail

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com