IT'S TIME FOR A SPOOKY TIME JINGLES ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

EVERY MONTH ON THE 13TH DAY, SPOOKY TIME JINGLES HAS AN UPDATE FOR NEW ITEMS IN IT'S SHOP.   THERE IS AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF FANTASTIC ARTISTS TO VIEW THEIR HALLOWEEN OR CHRISTMAS CREATIONS WHICH ARE AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE UPDATE...WHICH IS TODAY!!!

THIS IMAGE IS ACTUALLY A GRAPHICS FAIRY IMAGE BUT I AM USING IT FOR THE ICON TO LINK TO SPOOKY TIME JINGLES ON MY SIDE BAR.

THERE ARE SO MANY FABULOUS ARTISTS WHO SELL THEIR AMAZING SCULPTURES AT S.T.J.    PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK AND SEE THE SPOOKY ITEMS FOR SALE.  THE SALE BEGAN AT MIDNIGHT!!!

posted by Teresa

TIME TO AWARD MY FAVORITE BLOGS THE LIEBSTER AWARD...

'VALINA' HAND-MADE BY JANICE MOORE-PETTY

THE LIEBSTER AWARD IS AWARDED TO THOSE BLOGGERS WHO HAVE 200 OR LESS FOLLOWERS.  IT IS A CHANCE TO ENCOURAGE THE KINDRED SPIRIT ARTIST MUSE.

THE WORD LIEBSTER IS GERMAN FOR 'FAVORITE'

My list of bloggers whom I have chosen is in no way an exhaustive list as I have many favorite blogs who have MORE than 200 plus followers.  Their blogs speak for themselves as some of my favorite blogs have over 1,000 followers!  Among my favorites are: 'Castles, Crowns, and Cottages' blog with Anita Rivera; and 'A Fanciful Twist'  typepad blog with Vanessa Valencia.  Those two blogs are my daily muse. They have too many followers to award them the Liebster Blog award, but I wanted to recognize my two favorites just because!!!

Today I am only going to highlight one of my friends blogs and will post more blogs as the week progresses.

The first blog I am going to award is to 'Cheeky Rose Boutique' hosted by Janice Moore-Petty.  Janice creates amazing dolls from her own paper mache recipe.  Her most favorite kind of doll to create is the Queen Anne style doll.   Her blog site is: http://cheekyroseboutique.blogspot.com/  (The link to her site is also on my right side bar).   I won the most gorgeous doll on Janice's blog a couple of years ago (Time flies!) so I will post 'Valina' the doll I won.  I cherish this doll!!!

'VALINA' IS IN THE STYLE OF THE QUEEN ANNE DOLLS.  SHE IS DRESSED IN A HAND-SEWN VINTAGE HEART DRESS, WITH A VINTAGE LACE BODICE.  SHE IS WEARING HAND-SEWN PANTALOONS WITH LACE UNDERNEATH.  SHE IS ALSO WEARING A HAND-SEWN LACE PETTICOAT.  'VALINA' HAS RED MOHAIR  WHICH IS APPROPRIATE FOR VALENTINES' DAY.  SHE WEARS A SWEET RED HAT AND HOLDS A TINY PAPER HEART ON A WIRE ATTACHED TO HER WRIST THAT READS 'LOVE CONQUERS ALL!'  I ADORE THIS PRECIOUS DOLL!

 PLEASE BE SURE TO VISIT JANICE AS SHE SELLS ON ETSY AND EBAY AND LOCAL ART GALLERIES WHERE SHE LIVES IN FLORIDA.

AND NOW ON TO THE QUESTIONS FOR JANICE!

1.  Who inspired you the most in the realm of art while you were growing up?
2.  When you are creating your dolls, do you tend to find an 'Ah! Ha! moment when all of the right fabrics and ideas come together?
3.  Do you make sketches of your creations before making them into your dolls?
4. What on-line sites have inspired your creative muse, such as ning sites, swaps sites, challenges for magazines, etc?
5.  What advice would you give to a fledgling artists to encourage them to get started to make their own dreams come true in the realm of art?
6. Are you a Mozart person or a Beatles person or do you tend to like both styles of music?
7.  Who has been your guide in life?
8.What are the five best individual words that describe who you are?
9. Please list all of the sites where your dolls and creations can be purchased or seen on-line or in galleries.
10.  Please list four positive things about yourself.
11.  What are your latest goals and how do you hope to achieve them?
PLEASE ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS ON YOUR OWN SITE AND CHOOSE SEVEN MORE BLOGGERS OF YOUR CHOICE TO RECEIVE THE LIEBSTER BLOG AWARD.

Congratulations! And...Thank you Janice!  And now it is your turn to nominate and post the Liebster Award on your blog sidebar as a recipient of the award, and contact seven people who you wish to nominate and notify them.  Please link back to my blog with the Liebster Award logo on your sidebar.  (You can download and use both the logo on this post for your own post and also download to your own files the Liebster logo on my side bar to place on your own sidebar).  And please link it back to my blog:    www.http://amagicalwhimsy.blogspot.com/     Thank you so very much!
posted by Teresa

A FANCIFUL TWIST'S MAD TEA PARTY IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER...SATURDAY, JULY 13TH, 2013! ! ! !

IT IS WITH GREAT DELIGHT THAT I ANNOUNCE THE UP-COMING 'MAD TEA PARTY' HOSTED BY VANESSA VALENCIA AT HER 'A FANCIFUL TWIST' TYPEPAD BLOG.
YAY! 
THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR TO PARTICIPATE AND I AM OVER THE MOON, AND INTO THE RABBIT HOLE WITH EXCITEMENT!!!

IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE CLICK ON THE SIDE BAR ANNOUNCEMENT.  ALL OF THE INFORMATION IS ON THAT LINK.

DON'T BE LATE FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT DATE! COME ONE, COME ALL FOR THIS WONDERLAND EVENT!

GOING OUT WITH A BANG! FOR THE 'SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE FRENCH BLOG PARTY'!!! PARIS, FRANCE - THE EIFFEL TOWER

WELL, MY FRIENDS, WE HAVE SEEN FRANCE IN ALL VARIOUS NUANCES...IN THE ART WORLD, IN VINEYARDS, LAVENDER FIELDS, CATHEDRALS, AND NOW...THE ICING ON THE CAKE!!!   THE EIFFEL TOWER.  I CHOSE BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS AS THE EFFECT IS STRIKING AND HAS A VINTAGE APPEAL.  AND REMEMBER TO PLEASE GO BACK AND VIEW MY DAILY POSTINGS FROM MAY 17TH UNTIL TODAY AS EACH POST IS DIFFERENT.

A VERY VINTAGE SNAP SHOT OF THE EIFFEL TOWER

THIS APPEARS TO BE AROUND THE 1940'S.

A SIMPLE GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION OF THE EIFFEL TOWER

ALONG A TREE LINED CORRIDOR BY THE EIFFEL TOWER

A PHOTO SHOWING THE IMMENSITY OF THE EIFFEL TOWER

A CANDID YET ROMANTIC PHOTO OF THE EIFFEL TOWER

A NIGHT VIEW OF THE EIFFEL TOWER

A BEAUTIFUL VISTA OF THE EIFFEL TOWER

BEAUTIFUL AUDREY HEPBURN AT THE EIFFEL TOWER

A SPLENDID CLOSE TO A SPLENDID WEEK OF, LIGHTS, CAMERA, AND ACTION IN FRANCE.

I HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS LOVELY WEEK OF THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF FRANCE.  THANKING ANITA FOR A LOVELY TIME AND GRATITUDE FOR HOSTING SUCH A GRAND AND GLORIOUS 'SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE FRENCH BLOG PARTY'

I BID YOU ALL GOOD DAY!

MERCI!

posted by Teresa

FRENCH ARTIST PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR - 1841 TO 1919 THURSDAY, MAY 23RD

TODAY'S POST IS ABOUT RENOIR.  HIS IMPRESSIONISTIC STYLE DURING THE SAME ERA AS CLAUDE MONET, IN FACT THEY WERE FRIENDS.  

Renoir was born in Limoges, France, on February 25,1841.  His drawing talents led him to become a painter of scenes on fine china in a porcelain factory.   As a young man he also visited the Louvre quite often to study the great masters paintings.   He then began to study art in Paris, where he met Claude Monet.

PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR

Renoir chose to paint his subjects close up rather than at a distance like Claude Monet did.  And he was also an Impressionist artist choosing a bright pallet for his colors.

THE SWING 1876

A GIRL WITH A WATERING CAN

LUNCHEON OF THE BOATING PARTY

JULIE MANET WITH CAT

THE THEATER BOX 1874

DANCE AT LE MOULIN DE GALLETTE

DANCE AT BOUGIVAL

TWO SISTERS

 RENOIR IN HIS OLD AGE STILL PAINTING AND IN A WHEEL CHAIR. 

I HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS TOUR INTO THE LIFE OF RENOIR.  HE WAS ONE OF THE MORE SUCCESSFUL ARTISTS OF HIS DAY.

Please do go back and view my daily posts as from May 17th I began posting daily for the 'Simply Irresistible French Blog Party'...and I will have one more post on Friday....so stay tuned~

posted by Teresa

NEW BLOG POST FOR THE 'SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE FRENCH BLOG PARTY'

TODAY WILL BE ABOUT RANDOM PLACES IN FRANCE THAT ARE LOVELY TO VIEW.

I KNOW I MISSED THIS ONE WHEN I WAS POSTING ABOUT MONET'S GARDEN.   IT IS A FURTHER VIEW OF THE FAMOUS BRIDGE IN MOST OF MONET'S WATER LILY PAINTINGS.  GORGEOUS! ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!

NAPOLEON'S TRIUMPHANT ARCHWAY. WOW!

AND I FORGOT ABOUT THIS PHOTO OF THE BELLS IN NORTE-DAME CATHEDRAL.

AND THIS IS THE MAD HATTER HAVING TEA ON THE RIVIERA. NO?  THIS IS FOR ALL OF YOU JOHNNY DEPP FANS OUT THERE.  GOTTA HAVE A LITTLE FUN! HEE! HEE!   OH!  BUT THERE IS GOING TO BE AN UP AND COMING 'MAD TEA PARTY' AT VANESSA VALENCIA'S 'A FANCIFUL TWIST' SOON.  HER ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE FORTHCOMING!!!

CHATEAU DE SAUMUR

AH...HERE IS THE FRENCH RIVIERA. ONE OF ITS SECLUDED INLETS.

AND A MORE POPULATED AREA OF THE FRENCH RIVIERA.

BEAUTIFUL LAVENDER FIELDS!

RIQUEWIHR, FRANCE

MONET'S ROSE GARDEN.

TUSCANY.  WHICH I HAPPEN TO HAVE THIS AS MY DESK TOP IMAGE AT THE MOMENT.

TUSCANY VINEYARD.

TUSCANY. WHICH ALSO REMINDS ME SO MUCH OF OUR OWN CALIFORNIA VINEYARD AREAS.

AND A FREE DOWNLOAD FOR YOU.... SOME CAN-CAN GIRLS FROM THE GRAPHICS FAIRY BLOG

I hope you have enjoyed today's random tour of France, and be sure to see my other daily posts which began on May 17th.

posted by Teresa
photos courtesy of Yahoo, or Wikipedia the free online encyclopedia

NO FRENCH BLOG PARTY POST TODAY... TUESDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE ON OKLAHOMA TORNADO

OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH THOSE IN MOORE, OKLAHOMA

As I was checking the news on Monday evening, the tragic news was about the huge tornado which struck Moore, Oklahoma late in the day.  The path of the tornado was 2 miles wide and left a 20 mile long swath of devastation in its wake.  Two elementary schools suffered severe damage from the 200 mile-an-hour wind.  THE DEATH TOLL HAS BEEN REVISED TO 24 DEAD, 9 OF WHICH WERE CHILDREN. (At first the news media had the toll at 51 dead, maybe some of those people were missing and were found alive).  They are saying this is the worst tornado of its kind to cause this much chaos, damage and loss of life.  Search and rescue teams are still searching through the rubble of the city which flattened houses to their foundations.  I will update this as new news comes in.
But for now, this will be a day of prayer for the city of Moore, Oklahoma.
I will be posting more or the French Blog Party and France on Wednesday.  Please see my three previous posts about France.
May God comfort the hearts of those who lost loved ones and be with the whole city of Moore, Oklahoma.
We hold them up in our prayers across the world.

posted by Teresa