The Est Challenge Entries

And here are the entries in this week's challenge...birds in literature, legend, mythology, religion and film.

I just love this Jonathan Livingston Seagull necklace by kraplap! If you don't remember the story, written in 1970 by Richard Bach, about a seagull who dreams of greater things, click on the photo to read about it in the description of the item.

This flamingo greeting card is from ColoursandTextures, and is from an original silk painting.







Here is Bennu, the Egyptian equivalent of the phoenix, a heron associated with the rising of the Nile, resurrection and the sun, representing creation and renewal. Alatvian says this challenge made her leave her comfort zone and learn something she had wanted very much to learn.

This amazing necklace is the Simurgh Bird Necklace by LeelaBijou. The simurgh is is a Persian mythological flying creature, depicted in Iranian art as a gigantic bird with the head of a dog, and sometimes with a human face.

This gorgeous Golden Bird Ring is by staroftheeast and features a vintage stamped bird. The story is The Golden Bird by the brothers Grimm. Click on the photo to read a part of the story, and get a link to the entire story! You may remember it from your childhood.

This lovely hand printed vintage tea towel with the tweety design is by lamarquisedesanges, from France.

The Bird and the Bell by Martice, is inspired by a Japanese poet, in a poem about the flight and the song of the bird. Click on the image to go to the item description and read the details!

Dawn of LaTouchables, has created a Migrating Bird Cuff in beautiful rich colors.

European Street Team Challenge

Wow! Thank you Nicole, from UltimateOrganicSoap, for choosing my fish as the winner of last week's challenge! Actually, it was Nicole's son who apparently liked this underwater creature!

So, this week it's my turn to choose a theme and collect all the outstanding entries, present them here...and then to choose a winner, which is the hard part, because the EST is full of talented and hardworking artists!

The theme this week is close to me, for I love these creatures. They are familiar and yet mysterious. The theme is birds in literature, legend, mythology, religion or film. The subject is vast, but I know everyone has a favorite bird from a story. What about the dove who told Noah that the flood was over? Or the four and twenty blackbirds from the nursery rhyme? My favorite is the Raven from Poe's poem. Don't forget Aesop's fables, the albatross from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Quetzacoatl from Aztec mythology. Tell us of birds from African, Chinese, Japanese, Hindu, Mexican cultures. Show us a bird from your culture.

Monday Moodboard

Aren't they all so cute?

Upper left: fleurfatale
Upper right: dinafragola
Lower left: sabahnur
Lower right: krize

For more moodboards featuring the European Street Team, go to fleurfatale's blog.

What's New!

Lots of new pieces in my shops! Tiny mixed media houses, shrines...charms or amulets.

The insects are coming! A grasshopper, a bee, a wasp, a leaf insect, a blue scarab are already in my shop...more will be arriving soon. You can celebrate spring by sporting an elegant fabric insect on your shoulder!

Sign up for my upcoming newsletter - Spring 2010 - for news and exclusive promotions on these and other items!

Monday Moodboard

A little romantic, a little dreamy.

upper left: staroftheeast

upper right: lilarubyking

lower left: lapomme

lower right: LaTouchables

To see more great European Street Team moodboards, go to fleurfatale's blog.

La boîte à rêves

I recently interviewed a French artist, Catherine, who creates a wonderful world from paper maché. Her online shop is called la boîte à rêves on the French site alittlemarket and I interviewed her for the online magazine ModernHandmadeChild.

She lives on the banks of the Marne River in the Paris Region of France and she used to work as an assistant television program manager for the overseas French territories. Now, she spends her time with her family and creating her tableaux, diorama-like scenes and also mobiles in paper maché. To get to know Catherine better and discover her amazing work, you can read the interview in the latest issue of ModernHandmadeChild, page 64.

Monday Moodboard Exotic

Taking an imaginary voyage, I found these on my way: from the European Street Team!
Upper left: GiftsandStars

Upper right: alatsupplies

Lower left: DutchCraftWork

Lower right: LaTouchables

For more moodboards, go to fleur fatale's blog!