Mixed Media Monday ~ MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS

MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS is this week's challenge offered by Mixed Media Monday. As the mother of three, I know the magic in moments such as these. I can still enjoy them with my youngest son...but they do grow so fast, so I cherish every "snuggle minute" that we have left.

I encourage you to visit the Mixed Media Monday blog and view the wonderful creations inspired by this prompt.

Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

New Melange Team Slideshow

Thanks to Glenda Bailey for her efforts to promote the members of the Melange Team at Etsy. Another great slideshow is posted on YouTube and we are all grateful for Glenda's efforts.

Illustration Friday ~ FROZEN

How appropriate that the prompt for today's Illustration Friday is FROZEN...we awoke this morning to our first snowfall of the season and that's just about the way I felt at 6 AM...FROZEN!

This collage offers a look at a delightful winter pastime; however, my idea of winter bliss is curling up next to the fireplace.

Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

"Mix It Up with Melange" Challenge ~ WANDER

This week's challenge over at the Melange Team Blog is WANDER and I offer a collage from the archives that features a wandering little soul. Sometimes I think I'd like to join him...just for a bit.

© Nancy Lefko

Mixed Media Monday ~ PINK

This week's challenge offered by Mixed Media Monday was the inspiration behind this collage in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. We have all been touched in some way by this awful disease. I am thankful that it is receiving the attention, and funding for research, that it so desperately needs.

I encourage you to visit the Mixed Media Monday blog and view the wonderful creations inspired by this prompt.

Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

Melange on YouTube

Collage Play with Crowabout ~ Week #56

This week Collage Play with Crowabout offered a fabulous collage sheet with "wild west" images. I wasn't quite sure where to go with this inspiration, so I headed to my journal and created the image pictured.

I used a new journaling pen, that I really like, for the fine line lettering. It's the Sharpie pen and I really like how smoothly it writes.

If you haven't yet visited the Collage Play with Crowabout blog, you really must do so. There is an abundance of inspiration and fun waiting for you there.

© Nancy Lefko

Illustration Friday ~ FLYING

For this week's Illustration Friday prompt, I offer a fabric collage with the message "fly away home." I hope that is something my college bound son will remember to do from time to time.

Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

"Mix It Up with Melange" Challenge ~ FALLING

This week's challenge over at the Melange Team Blog got me thinking of autumn in New Hampshire and the FALLING leaves. And, of course, with the addition of a vintage couple the collage became "falling in love."

Come on over and join in on the fun of the Melange challenges. They are posted every Wednesday (with a sneak peek on Mondays) and are open to everyone. Hope to see you there!

Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

Collage Play with Crowabout ~ Week #55

The images this week from Collage Play with Crowabout were just TOO MUCH FUN ! Nancy B.of Crowabout really hit a high mark. Just looking at the collage sheet made me smile and I had a great time creating the collage pictured here.

I am happy that many of my friends are joining in on the fun that this group has to offer. If you haven't yet visited the Collage Play with Crowabout blog, you really must do so. There is an abundance of inspiration and fun waiting for you there.

Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

New Art Supplies

The wonder of new art supplies!

I had great fun creating this new mixed media piece using, among other things, my new Neocolor II Crayons (water soluble) and oil pastels. My muse stood at attention when the box from Dick Blick arrived and I satisfied her with a few hours in my studio. I love working on these chunky gallery wrap canvases...I love their compact size, yet wonderful depth.


Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

Collage Play with Crowabout ~ Week #53

Collage Play with Crowabout offered up a wonderful collage sheet this week. Nancy B.of Crowabout really outdid herself.

As the mother of three sons, it was easy to create a collage that would be "all about boys."

If you haven't yet visited the Collage Play with Crowabout blog, you really must do so. There is an abundance of inspiration and fun waiting for you there.

Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

Bitten by the Halloween Bug

Whether it was denial that the summer was over or just the "Halloween Scrooge" in me, whatever the reason, I was having a hard time mustering up the interest in creating Halloween themed collages. However, the "Mix It Up with Melange" Challenge this week got my creative Halloween juices flowing and I had great fun making the collages featured here.


I really do enjoy working in the colors that I associate with Halloween and Autumn. I may not really be ready for that nip in the air, but the changing leaves here in New England really are spectacular.

Collages available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

"Mix It Up with Melange" Challenge ~ WEE WITCHES

The Melange Challenge was just the nudge I needed to begin work on some Halloween collages. Once I started on this collage, I was inspired to create three more.

If you are in need of some inspiration, please stop by the Melange Team blog and join in on the "Mix it Up" challenge....we'd love to see what you create.

Collage available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

Summer's Really Over

During the height of summer when the activity and just plain NOISE around my house reached a crescendo, I yearned for a few hours of peace and quiet. Uninterrupted silence...a few moments to create in my studio...seemed like a slice of Heaven.

And yet now that the boys are back in school, some days are just TOO quiet. After the chores are done and the errands run, instead of making a bee-line to my studio, I look for other things to busy myself with and yet nothing quite fills the void. It's almost as if I am looking for someone to nurture and they're not here. The emptiness is palpable and I don't like how it feels.

Oh, I'm sure that I'll adjust to the empty house in time and the silence will be less deafening. But for now, I actually have to force myself into my studio. Today I prepped some surfaces for future collage work and then took my journal out to the screen porch...my very favorite spot in the house...and put those feelings down on paper. Yes, journaling was a good idea. Just that little bit of creative expression got under my skin and I was sorry when I had to set my journal down.

Yes, I'll be fine...there are surfaces ready to collage.

© Nancy Lefko