:::Posting Link Problem:::

Last week we had a serious problem with wordpress but also with the spam filter.
Please submit your link no more than twice - if it is still NOT posting that means it has been caught in the spam filter. Sometimes when several posts are made within a few minutes it will automatically put your post into spam. Hopefully this will lead to less frustration for everyone who is participating.
You can also send an email (under FAQ’s) Thanks!

:::Chair:::

Our hostess this week is Audrey who has created this beautiful arch using the theme she selected “Chair”…
“A chair is a piece of furniture we all have and need to sit on it and rest or work. So I thought it was a great idea to use this as the centre of your arch. I’m curious to see all your arches with chairs!”

A bit about our hostess:
Hello, I’m Audrey from the Netherlands. I’m a mom of 3 boys and I’m married.
I discovered stamping about 5 or 6 years ago. I wanted to make some different Christmas-
cards so I went to an unknown store in my town. I attended my first workshop there and was
addicted right away. I didn’t have my own space in our house and had to use the dining table,
but that didn’t work. So 1.5 year ago I bought a table of 1×1m and I’m much more productive
since.

I started my own blog on July 2007 and I’m enjoying it every minute of the day.
I love to stamp and scrap, so I love mixed media. I work a lot with stamps, paper,ink,
fabric, paint and grungeboard. I’m a fan of Paper Whimsey images as you can see
on my arch. But I also search the net to find all kinds of images and I’m very grateful for all
the freebies.

You may see more of Audrey’s beautiful artwork on her blog:
http://www.audreyart.blogspot.com

:::Garden Fairy Sampler:::

We had some amazing fairies in the garden this week! Beautiful entries everyone!

:::Garden Fairies:::

Our hostess this week is Debby Harriettha who has made this beautiful arch for our challenge. Debby selected the theme “Garden Fairies” for our inspiration. What comes to mind when garden fairies is mentioned? We want to see your art this week in gothic form.

A bit about the hostess:

I started the mixed media craze with a rubber stamp, about 5 years ago. I became a wandering lost soul after I lost my parents which led me into my local stamp/scrap store. I was amazed when I walked in and saw what they had to offer. I immediately signed up for a stamping class and I was hooked. One thing led to another and the stamps do not come out all that often anymore. I am totally hooked on mixed media today and I have a real passion for doing altered book round robins.

This being said it has brought much happiness to my life and I have met so many friends online.
I have chosen Garden Fairies for my theme this week. Have fun!!! Looking forward to all the great garden fairies..

Debby Harriettha

You may see more of Debby’s beautiful creations on her blog:
http://innerreflections.typepad.com

:::Me and My Doll Sampler:::

We had some beautiful entries this past week - so many precious dolls! Thanks for playing!

:::My Doll and Me:::

Our hostess this week is Mandy who has selected the theme “My Doll and Me”…isn’t her arch just darling?! What do you invision with this theme? A favorite childhood doll? teaparties with little girls and porcelin babies? We want to see your creations in gothic form!

A bit about our hostess:

This weeks theme of ‘My doll and me’ was chosen by me because I have a fascination of vintage dolls… they intrigue me and yet are quite scary too. I have a little collection of images which I have been dying to use so I thought being the hostess this week on Gothic Arches would be the ideal opportunity to use one of them and to also see what everyone else comes up with. I cant wait to what you create!

Theme chosen by Mandy who is a full-time mum and lover of art
see my blog at http://mandysmagicalworldofart.blogspot.com

:::Paris Sampler:::

There were many beautiful and romantic entries this week! Gorgeous art everyone!

:::We’ll Always Have Paris:::

The theme for this week’s challenge is: “We’ll Always Have Paris” presented by Keron Lee (aka The Colourguru) from Melbourne, Australia. You cannot visit Paris & remain unmoved. No book can describe it. Each door you go through, every coffee you drink, beckons you, wooing your soul like a secret lover…….then it ensnares your heart like a vine.

I must confess, I ignorantly & blissfully lived down under for what I expect to be about half my adult life, before I experienced the ache that comes from leaving it behind. My first trip to Paris was in November 2000; my 40th year.

They say life begins at 40, it’s true. The constraints & strivings of youth have evolved into life experiences that, to some extent define you. You are ready to embrace new ideas & romanticize about possibilities the future may hold. You are more deliberate about things & more (in my case, but less in others) willing to take a risk, give something a shot, go out on a limb. I hope you have fun with this theme - you are welcome to interpret it with photos, maps, memoribilia, or commercially available materials.

A bit about our hostess:

My arch is made up with a combination of all of these things – plus memories & feelings of loss….. You see, this morning I was supposed to be enjoying church in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. My trip to Europe (scheduled for April/May) has been postponed due to a knee injury, & I would have arrived there yesterday. On the back is a photo our daughter took of my hubby & I the evening we arrived in Paris for the first time from the top of Arch d’Triomphe, & a map from an old Beaddekkers travel guide. The line drawings on the front (Notre Dame) & the Back (Sacre Coeur) are from a calendar I bought in Paris. Nancy & I cooked up this theme in November last year & I was going to give you a report from an internet café, but alas, not to be this time, so, from my art studio to your special place, lets celebrate a place that invades your soul & possesses you from the moment you arrive.
When I hosted the arch last year, I spoke about what everyone was doing with their arches. If you look on my blog later in the week, you will see my revolving book of arches, it’s a lovely treasure.…………what’s everyone else doing with their stash of gorgeous arches????

You may see more of Keron’s beautiful art on her blog:
www.thecolourguru.typepad.com
 

:::By The Sea Sampler:::

We had many beautiful arches made this week. Gorgeous work everyone!!!

:::By The Sea:::

The theme this week is “By The Sea” and our hostess this week is Nellie van Leeuwen who came up with this beautiful arch and challenge. What comes to your mind when the sea is mentioned? Bathing along the beach? Lighthouses? Nautical? Whatever the vision may be we want to see it here in gothic form.

A bit about our hostess:

I love sea as a theme in my artwork and I definity love the beach chair stamp I used for this arch. It’s from Oxford Impressions. But of course I love the sea in real too. Especially when it’s a bit windy. I love to stroll along the beach with our dogs, hearing the sound of the waves. I don’t live near the sea so have to travel quite a way to experience that special feeling.

Groetjes, Nellie

You may visit Nellie’s blog to see more of her beautiful artwork:

http://dutchstamptramp.wordpress.com