Free Peace Signs To Celebrate Global Oneness Day

Peace, love, and joy are important elements to any life. The Painting Queen is having a giveaway of digital peace signs, so you can spread the love! We do this in celebration of visualizing peace all ways. Each of the 7 peace signs are 1800 by 1800 pixels. Download by clicking on the image, if a plus sign appears, then click again, then right click "save as." The peace sign images are presented in PNG format which means the background is transparent. These PNG's are a gift. You may use them for promoting thoughts of peace in the world, within your own artwork, and peace filled creations.

Lately I have been busy on my sister blog "The Queens Table". If you have been over to the food blog, you may already know that is where I share healthy recipes and tips. The information on the Queens Table is what I used to get healthy again, plus lose 76 pounds! If you are suffering from an unhealthy lifestyle, please visit my other blog where I am happy to help point you in the right direction to assist you in feeling better.

  

"Peace comes within the souls of men when they realize their 

oneness with the universe."  - Black Elk

"Be the change you wish to see!" - Ghandi

Peace. Start with your self. 

Spread that energy and light.

Shine On!

Musical Vintage Victorian Ephemera And Freebie

'The Painting Queen loves ephemera, vintage or digital. Honestly, collecting digital ephemera may be an addiction. Oh let's be nice and call it a hobby! My love of vintage images actually started when I was in art college studying typography. I happened to tell my grandmother about the design class where we studied the history of type usage. This resulted in her gifting me two amazing vintage albums filled with trade card collections! Very often I sat with those old volumes on my lap, gently turning the care worn pages, marveling over the sometimes curious old trade cards. As I looked closely at the detail in each card, I thought about the people who made the art, as well as those who were taking the time to collect the post card sized trade cards. As part of a work study job at my college, I designed an event brochure trying to emulate this type of artwork and typography.  A sad student attempt for sure, none the less done with love and excitement.

I so dearly loved and valued the antique images within those old albums my Grandmother had so thoughtfully given to me. Unfortunately someone in my life was jealous of this antique gift. They saw those albums as worth only money, and took them from me. As the wheel of karma turns, apparently the albums were stolen from that person, and possibly sold on E-bay. Sad. If left in my care, those images would be here to share with you today. Thankfully I still have two of the soap trade cards to enjoy, since they were kept under glass on my bureau. You can see one of the trade cards above this post, I call her the pink lady. In the Spirit of giving back to the Universe, and honoring the gift from my grandmother, I am sharing her with you freely today. You can click on the image and download her to use in your creative digital artwork projects. This way we can share the beauty together! Some unknown artist in the past did a lovely job drawing this pink lady. So let us celebrate that creative life, beauty, and people we love!

 

Now let me share with you the talent of a creative artist that does incredible ephemera work, and astonishingly lives in our time! Besides ephemera, you know 'The Painting Queen' also loves music, and when both favorites meet within an exceptional project, I must share that good news with you!  English traditional ornamental glass artist David Adrian Smith was commissioned by Sony Music to create the stunning album cover artwork for John Mayer's new release called 'Born and Raised.' You can click on the link above to view many large photos of the artwork on his website.  David A. Smith has the unusual vintage Victorian skills to create mirrors and Victorian inspired signage using glass embossing, acid etching, reverse painting and artwork, gold leaf, creative typography, and incredible line and scroll work. Watch the video above to learn more about the artist and the process.



When exceptional musician John Mayer found this unique artist, he worked with David to create John's vintage style vision for the album cover of  Born and Raised . Yes I said album cover! This is not dinky little CD case artwork. This is the real glorious, hold the large album in your hands, and pull out a real record artwork! The video above is an 18 minute documentary about the artwork and design process. This is a real must see for any designer, artist, or lover of vintage things! Behold this master of vintage art and Victorian typographic design, David Adrian Smith! You will experience all the time, care, and detail that went into his designs. If you would like a poster of the design you can go here. Both videos on this post were created by film maker Danny Cooke.

Most recently, Jamison Whiskey in Dublin had David design and execute a label celebrating St Patrick's Day 2013 for a limited edition collectors bottle. You can view this design along with others of this modern/vintage master at his uber-gorgeous website. Filled with drawings, designs and photos, this website is superb eye candy! You are going to be blown away by this man's incredible skill! Along with some of his scroll designs and fonts, David also sells a gilding tool he created for fellow gilding artists there as well. I recommend you look through the photo gallery on his gold leaf gilding workshop page, the Peace sign makes me cry. The beauty of his lyrical line work is beyond words.

The John Mayer album design is reminiscent to me of the wonderful old album covers I could hold in my hand and then display in my teenage room. In our last home we had a room dedicated to displaying about 20 of our old favorite album covers. Perhaps someday in this current 'Hobbit House' we can find a place to hang a few album covers in the basement, when we get around to setting up a practice area for Ben. Well...way back in those high school days I had told my fellow art students that when I grew up I wanted to design album covers. 

Although I never did live that dream... I sure do a lot of website designs and photos for my musician husband Ben Sherman seen above. Certainly you can see the vintage influence on Ben Sherman's main gig and teaching website design which you will find also has a fun steampunk twist, even within the photos section. Then there is Ben's other website Ben Sherman Classical Guitar. A more modern young bride look. Hint: White is the new black.  Marketing. Marketing. To marketing I must go.

Our Christmas Card, Tree, And A Message For You!

In the Spirit of the season, I would like to wish all my blog followers a wonderful time enjoying their family and friends. This also includes the many followers of my newest blog called, "The Queen's Table" that has been striking a chord in many people this past year. That makes me very happy! I feel blessed to see the results not only for myself, but also for those who I meet that are experiencing positive changes to their mind and body as well! It is a pleasure to share the good news of health through whole foods! It warms the heart to help awake those like me, who had been living in the blind world of processed foods and prescriptions. It is my goal to help more people transition into healthier food choices and patterns over the coming years too.

I would like to share with you our Christmas card for 2012, which was made with a combination of ephemera, photoshop brushes, and a few scrapbook elements. The photo was taken at Faerie Con a few months ago. So much fun to have a hubby that enjoys the world of fantasy too! The card got sent out late since the printer was not so quick in getting it mailed to us. Plus the printed verion came out a tad darker too! This digital version is just as I meant it to look.

Yes, much has happened this year... wonderful changes in my health, a cancer diagnosis, major weight loss, Hectic Red's 25th Anniversary, and recently moving to a new home. I was not going to super decorate for the holidays as I have had my fill of emptying boxes.  Easier said than done for me! I still wanted the grandchildren to get joy from the lights and decorations. So I did the quick tree decor that I wrote about here, and added the pieces from the fairy chandelier that I had to take apart when we moved, to the tree as well. It is a sparkling beauty.

There is still a corner full of boxes that need a new piece of furniture to hold them, so I covered that area with the folding screen I painted. A few presents arrived for the grandchildren today and they look so festive under the tree!
 

Having grandchildren to enjoy always brightens any day. Grandparents out there, know the feeling of cherishing these moments that remind us when our children were toddlers and babies at Christmas. When you are young, trying to make your way in life, raising your family and learning life lessons, you don't generally have the gift of time and experience to reflect upon. When we are older we know how fleeting time really is.... 

This is also the time when souls may many view the world with a lighter Spirit, and that is a good thing. Let us try to incorporate those feelings into how we view all the moments everyday... with wonder, awe, compassion, and the open heart of a child.

Since 2012 marked the year that in the land of time and space, begins the awakening towards a new vision, 

may the next year fill you with the magical light of love!

Thank you for all the kind words, good thoughts,

 and cheer you have brought into my life!

Credits: Cover of Book - Magical Reality Lost Treasures, Elements - Joelle Old Winter Valley,

100 Posts Freebie: Vintage Book Cover

To celebrate 100 posts on The Painting Queen Blog, I am giving away this freebie PNG photo of my treasured vintage photograph book cover. Poor old book has electrical tape on the spine, but you could cut that off. I also added a standard shadow. You are free to use this image as you wish. It would make a cool cover for your modern photo collections as well! Even though I am sharing this photo as public domain it would be wonderful if you would link back to this blog, or share what you create with this image! Thanks!

Hopefully one day I will get a new scanner and be able to share with you some of the awesome images inside this book as well. Enjoy!

The Sweetest Kingdom

I love wonderful surprises! It's a lucky summer day! I happily learned that I won this scrapbooking kit from SussieM! I just love winning things! Originally I thought this would make a great kit for photos of our second grandchild (that is due to arrive after Thanksgiving). As I looked through the folders of this kit, I just had to make something now! Using a photo I took Of Aowyn yesterday, I quickly created this yummy wonderland. Summer sweetness! More than a child's dreamland...we could all use a cool treat in the heat of this sizzling summer weather! Can you picture yourself here!

This is a huge kit with lot's of goodies, it is now on sale for 25% off from the SussieM shop at Scrapbook Graphics.  You could also add on the 'Birthday Candle Set' on sale for $1.50. Be sure to take a peek at her other beautiful kits while you are visiting the SussieM shop. 

Moments of Peace and Wonder

Wishing you a Magical Holiday Celebration 

and Peace on Earth! 

Busy now with the usual wrapping presents, making cookies, and cleaning the Castle for our Merry Christmas/Festivus activities weekend. We are very excited to be enjoying much laughter and relaxing time with The King, The Royal Princess, The Prince, and 
our Littlest Angel. (Well...most of the time she is... Oh that little smartypants!) Maybe we will get a bit of snow too!

May peace expand in your heart, and magic shine in your eyes, while you spend time with those you love amongst the twinkling lights. Pray for Peace for all of us.


PQ

Credits for this Page I created are from Scrapbook Graphics: Lorri Davison - Sussie M-design

A Chilly Peaceable Kingdom

I see so many of my blogging friends both in this country and around the world have had snow already! It was bitter cold here with winds for four days, but no snow for us. The car is acting up because it does not like the cold at all. Apparently neither does Ben or his Ipod, especially if he leaves it in the car. I am just trying to stay warm and cozy while I create and learn more Photoshop in the Castle studio.

I've been working on all sorts of projects, but I had to do something of our 'Blessed Bink' for the Season. I just love the Samoyed in this page because he looks exactly like my old furry sweet dog Nikki. When my daughter was the Bink's age she had been crawling all over that dog from the time she could move. Nikki just sat there enjoying those moments. We also had Nikki's mom Tanya, who was gorgeous and looked like a beautiful sleek white wolf. She had such wild instincts for feeding her pups that it was amazing to observe what animal she would attempt to bring into the house as food. 

This mini peaceable kingdom digital scrapbook page reminds me of my Christmas dogs of yore, and their happy smiling faces. I just loved those furry beings. Hope you are starting to get the warm and fuzzies this Season of Peace. I really think I need to bake some cookies...mmmmmmmm

Credits: Joelle - Fairy Flight, Winter Valley,  - Holliewood Studios - Christmas Morning,  Sussie M - Cookies For Santa

Pink Dreams

I won a digital scrap booking kit called 'Pink Dream's' recently on Mary Pop's blog! Lucky me! So last night I decided to play. Since I had this recent sweet photo of Aowyn just waking up in her fairy costume at Faerie Con, I thought it would make a good dream image. Eventually as this digital creation came into being I also used Mary Pop's 'Little Angel' for some pieces. I made the tips of our fairy's shoes from part of a wooden bird in 'Pink Dreams'.

Every time Mary Pop designs a new kit I really want to have it, as she does lovely work. Her creative team is great and shows beautiful examples of what can be created. Although I want my pages to look like many I see on her blog... they still come out looking like I did them, because they turn into fairytale fantasy scenes. That's me and my muse for ya! Now I just cannot decide which version I prefer, the one above, or the one I did below.  Maybe you could tell me with a comment which one you like!

(The frame is from retired 'Catherine Designs' and the butterflies are my photos.)

My First Scrap Book Pages

I feel like a little kid who made their first art class project and fell in love with paste.  Actually takes me back to when I fell in love with the fun of creating art with felt cut outs and Color-forms. Remember them!?!  Oh I can just smell the Play-Doh!

This is my first attempt at Digital Scrap booking. A few months ago I did not even know what that term meant. In the past two years that I have been learning about Photoshop, I often saw references to digital scrap booking, usually on "brush" sites. Sure I'd seen the multiple aisles in 'Michael's' dedicated to old fashioned scrap books. I even bought a number of beautiful paper stacks to use for my wedding signs last year. Eventually I hope to make a scrap photo book about my own wedding with these beautiful papers.  There is a mini collection of elements and paper stacks on a shelf in the studio.  But, still I wondered what is this 'Digital" version of scrap books?

Finally I decided to ask on a Photoshop Brushes page what is "it" ???  Only one kind person responded to me.  I had asked "did these scrap bookers just post their digital pages online, or did they print them out?" This person said the answer was both, depending on the person's choice. People can print them out on a scanner and make a physical book themselves. What really caught my attention was that you can have your scrap book printed at many POD photo book companies including Blurb.  I had already downloaded the Blurb software months ago, since I planned on making hard cover books of my Wedding and Baby photos. So this news intrigued me.  I still do not know where scrap bookers might display their pages online other than perhaps in a flicker group.

Off I went, in search of digital scrap page information and found some scrap booking blogs.  Well actually lots of them!  Most styles were not for me, but then I found 'Mystique Designs'!  Wow!  I really loved the look of Brydka's work and how her creative team were arranging their own pages with her elements.  These gals were very design savvy and creative. I do not have time to design and make everything in my life. So making use of another artists talent is a big time saver! This digital work becomes a co-creation in the end.

'Mystique Designs' provides backgrounds, full kits and quick pages all for sale at very reasonable prices.  With every new kit design released on her blog, Brydka gives away freebie downloads for anyone...  That is how I started, with two of 'Mystique Designs' free downloads.  One was just a background and the other was a quick page.  I played with photos of the grand baby and then was hooked!  What's a fairy grandmother to do? Well... I went over to the store at 'Oscraps' and bought a variety of 'Mystique Designs' kits and backgrounds during one of her great sales...that's what!

 
I have been sick the past week, and I wanted something to do where I did not have to think.  I thought this would be good time to check out the kits I bought and just play.  I just let whatever popped into my head flow onto the pages.  There was no plan.  God would design the pages for me and I would follow along having a blast!  This was so much fun!  It feels like solving a playful puzzle, and getting a beautiful prize at the end.  Plus I now have started my own collection of memory pages! One thing leads to another! Ben is enjoying looking at my pages too. And isn't that the point of making such things?

'Mystique Designs' kits have a large amount of pre-made elements on PNG files.  You just plop down and transform the size of the items to your desire.  Easy!  I found I could mix and match the items from her various kits as well.  I only used a few elements from the kits, and I can see that there are going to be endless ways to arrange them on a page.  I added a few photoshop brushes from Obsidian Dawn and GBG here and there, and by the way both of those brush web sites have freebies. I quickly realized this is a very good way to practice your photoshop skills with no pressure.  You can always go back in a few days to tweak and change your mind about your page arrangement when you create a digital page. I just love that!

The quick pages are just that...quick!  The PNG QP pages come ready made with nicely designed frames already in the background.  Just make your own 12 x 12 Photoshop document, add a layer and paste in a copy of the PNG QP.  Slide your photos under this layer, add some type, and your new page could be finished that quick.  
I tend to keep going.....and going......and going........

Visit 'Mystique Designs' and look over her wonderful collection and be inspired.  She is making new designs amazingly fast! Get yourself some of her cool freebies, which for those people who need them, include free blog designs too.  You can find other styles of scrap pages at 'Oscraps' where there are many artists making digital scrap booking kits for sale.  Some are modern and some more traditional.  Another scrap artist whose design work I enjoy, and also has freebies, is called 'Mary Pop.' If you have trouble designing your pages, you can get ideas from both 'Mystique Designs' and 'Mary Pop's' creative team (CT) by perusing their blogs.  

 
If you are a good seeker on the internet you can find lots of freebies out there!  Some are only available for a limited amount of time. Others remain like golden eggs, waiting for you to find them! Once you discover something you really like it is nice to support an artistic entrepreneur by buying something of theirs too. All the digital scrap book pages shown on this digital scrap book blog post were created with various 'Mystique Design' elements and backgrounds. (Every Time, Glorious Spring, Faith, Secret Life, Spending, Enchanted, Romatical Album, My Biggest Wish, Beside You, and 1001 Dreams) 

I think the next time I make some digital scrap book pages, I will try using some of the ephemera I have found online to make some funky vintage digital scrap book designs. Have fun creating your own digital memory pages and feel the love of freebies!