The Holly and The Ivy~Extremely Late!

Before the end of 2012, I took photographs with the theme of "The Holly and The Ivy" based on an Old English Song now sung by the talented group of female singers, The Medieval Baebes.  I was inspired by the lyrics to this song referring to the Holly Berry and the Ivy Leaf which both bloom in the cold and white of Winter.   I was so lucky to find a forest green silk velvet gown that was handmade as a Wedding gown by a woman in the 1930s.  I also added a gorgeous necklace and pair of earrings made by the talented Christina Allen Page of Sihaya Designs Jewelry

The last photograph is available still in my

Etsy Shop

Hopefully, I will be adding new Spring themed photographs!

I hope all is well with you folks in Blogland!

Best!

merle

New Holiday Photos in My Etsy Shop

I have added new photographs to my Etsy Shop
that have themes for the Winter Holidays with Gift-Giving in mind so go and check them out!  The first is very much for Winter.  Welcome my self-portrait version of Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen .  A gift for the lover of Fairy Tales as well as just some fantastic Snow and Ice!

As with all of my photographs except the square format ones, she is offered at both 8x10 inches and 11x14 inches and is printed on a beautiful, satin finish archival photo paper in my friend John's Studio with his amazing Digital Ink-Jet Printer.  I can be there to make sure all the colours turn out just as I want.  Thanks John!

Next, is another self-portrait~my version of Queen Elizabeth The First titled My Elizabeth.

She is a colourful photograph with a lot of Holiday Reds to go with her Pale Green Eyes and Snowy, White Skin. Give someone the gift of Elizabethan Goodness. 

Finally(for now) is The Portrait.~ My offering of a Renaissance Style Painting.  This photograph is the perfect gift for the lover of classic art with the twist of my photographic interpretation.  The photograph is done with warm colours with a bit of an icy, blue veil~a combination that I ended up liking.  Warm and Icy~very much "Winter Holidays" to me!

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I do have more photographs to come!  I am very excited by two gorgeous, vintage gowns I have just found and can't wait to wear.  The characters who will be wearing these gowns and their stories are floating in my head.  I never know quite how the photographs will turn out which is like opening a gift~ a great surprise.  I have my ideas how I want my photographs to be, but I make sure to leave room for "the art" to do its own thing.  Being flexible like this is a sure way that I am never disappointed with my finished pieces.  It isn't all up to me which is a huge relief!

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I hope all is well with with the folks of Blogland!

Wishing you all my best!

merle

Rani Collar Piece Photographs for Sihaya Design Jewelry

I have finished my Self-Portrait Photographs modeling jewelry for Sihaya Designs Jewelry.  It has been wonderful working with Christina Allen Page, the designer and artist behind Sihaya Designs.  Her work is not only gorgeous and so unique, but it is also so well made and comfortable to wear.  I can easily wear her pieces all day, all week long.  She is a photographers dream as well.  Her instructions for this set of photographs were a "White Witch/Jadis from Narnia/Pale and a bit Spooky" look in my own style.  How cool is that?  Christina, I look forward to working with you again!  Many Thanks!

The Rani Collar Piece features a gorgeous, teardrop shaped Cobalt Labradorite stone, silver scroll work, and a silver chain with labradorite beads.

We did some Sepia photographs too to capture the scroll work of the necklace.

Wishing you all the Best!

merle

Photos of Magical Creatures in My Shop

I have two new self-portrait photographs in my Etsy Shop depicting magical creatures from much loved Folk and Fairy Tales.  I can always see the character I want to portray in my head.  The hard part for any self-portrait photo is making it all come through the lens.   This is harder for some photographs than others. 

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After thinking about it for some time, I finally took a chance and made myself into a "Selkie"-a Creature of Irish and Scottish Myth who is Seal while in the Sea and Woman on land.  This final version is in my Etsy Shop now.

"The Selkie"

We shall never speak of how I took this self-portrait photograph after this post.  It involved me building a "beach" and my own little sea in my house, hours of  crying(me), figuring out lighting(natural), getting all my costumes right, tons of vegtable oil, big storage bins of water, about 4 fans, 10 vintage mirrors and 4 little cats who decided they wanted to be in the photograph which made the 10 sec. timer run a wreck. 

"The Faerie's Treasure Trove"

Whew!  This one was a whole lot easier.  This is just what I look like and where I live so no Big Whoo.  Waving "Hi!" at all of you folks in Blogland from my little Treasure Trove home.

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Hope all is well with all of You!

With Loving, Kindness,

merle

Sepia In my Shop~New Photos in Etsy

I have some new Sepia toned photographs in my Etsy shop Rowan DeVoe Arts.  They are both Self-Portrait photographs where I have dashed to beat the 10-sec. timer.  One looks like a serene portrait and the other I am actually dashing away.  But, the way I took these photographs and all of my self-portrait photographs is my secret.  No one gets to watch me taking them which is why I just can't have any help or an assistant.  My finished photographs are always a bit mysterious, but mystery has always been a huge part of my art.  Mystery is something I love.

"Albina II"

"Between Shadows and Light"

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Besides my own Self-Portrait Photographs, I hope to be able to share a new Photography Project that I have been working on very soon! 
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Hope all of you are having a great week!

With Loving Kindness,

merle

New Photograph in my Etsy Shop! This time, there is the Apple~

I just added a new photograph to my Etsy Shop Rowan DeVoe Arts.  I am still editing all types of photographs and trying to get them in my shop, but this recent one is back on the "Snow White" theme and I am jumping and running into place to beat the 10 second timer. I think I am going to add a rating, from 1-10, on how hard beating the timer was for each photograph I post. 

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Everyone seems to like the new movie "Snow White and the Huntsman".  I haven't seen it(I don't really go out to the Cinema), but I have had a few Treasuries using my other Snow White photographs so I thought I should just throw them all in.  I took them at different times and for different reasons.  What would little me think if she saw grown up me getting to wear all these gorgeous gowns and crowns?  She would flip!

Here is "Snow White With The Apple"

I am afraid that the poisonouss apple has been bitten by poor Snow White.  She is headed down to her deep sleep.  No worries though! All is well in the end-right?

A detail of the Apple

Face Detail-Pale Face-that's right! I'm wearing a Circlet by Jen Parrish of Parrish Relics.  LOVE my RELICS! Jen is lovely, amazing, incredibly talented and most of all, patient. You have to be to do the fine, detailed work that she does with her Jewelry.

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OK, I have admit that I am trying to create a new look for my blog and what I have going on now just looks, well, it is not it!  I will figure it out, but I need to get off the computer.  I have given myself a huge headache from looking at this crazy blog I have created and editing more photographs for Etsy-all great things though!

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Please take care!

With Loving Kindness,

merle

What is Up in My Shop!

Hello folks in Blogland!  Wow, I am posting again so soon.  Watch out!  I have added new photographs to my Etsy Shop Rowan DeVoe Arts and wanted to show all of you some bits of them.  To see the full photograph, visit my shop.  I promise it will be fun! You know how I do love to tell stories.

Above is a bit of one...Pomegranate?

This piece belongs to another...cury red hair? But who's? Why?

Do I spy a wax seal? Very Mysterious...

WOWZA! I have no idea what that glittery shoe is all about!

This little piece is reminding me a bit of

this famous painting by J.W. Waterhouse.  I wonder what that is all about?

More to come.  I may even surprise myself with another post this week!  Hope everyone is having a fabulous week.

xoxo,

merle