Fandango Moon

Pink Saturday - Automobiles

2010-05-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry I'm late posting again! Life is just so full right now. But better late than never, as I always say!

Congratulations to Beverly, our host at Pink Saturday! It's the two-year anniversary of Pink Saturday and she has been featured in the summer edition of Artful Blogging! yea!!! Good news!
Thank you for hosting this wonderful event each week, Beverly!

Today I chose to look at cars. Besides pink,I love vintage cars! And I knew there would be lots of vintage pink cars for me to drool over. I was right! But I also found some new, yet Retro cars to drool over. Of course there is always the ridiculous, but I had to limit my consumption; therefore, I am just posting my favorites here.

The wonderfully retro and boss Dodge Challenger in fuschia pink! Here is the article about it and source for the photo: http://carsroute.com/dodge-challenger-furious-fuschia-special-edition/>

Adorable little European number:
Image from Matthieu Aubrey on Flickr.

There is still nothing better than a classic! Tail fins rock! Photo from Sam the Sham.

And now, my all time favorite car, the c. 1957 Ford Thunderbird. Ohhh la!
Image from Morven's photostream on Flickr.

I also ran across a web page that asks the question, "What if pink took over the world?"
Evidently, the people at this company, Design Swan, let it do just that with their Pink Thursdays. On that day everyone has to wear something pink. How fun! Can you imagine how pretty that office is on Thursdays?!
Anyway, they have posted some pics that answer their question. It's quite amusing. Imagine pink clad security officers and soldiers!! It is a quick trip, but one I think you'll enjoy. Click here.

P.S. the pic top pic is from this web site: http://www.hinterlandgrapevine.com/Bits_Pieces/PinkCar.html

Happy Pink Saturday everyone!

Pink Saturday - Accessories!

2010-05-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry for posting so late in the day, but I almost forgot about Pink Saturday!
Whew! Glad I remembered!

Today I went into the closet for yummy pink accessories! What girl isn't addicted to shoes and purses?!
Don't you just love these new shoes I picked up the other day?! They are hot pink and candy-apple red! Delish!!

Here is a candy pink purse - vintage, of course! They just don't make 'em like they used to, do they?!

And finally, a cotton candy pink hat and scarf.

Congratulations to Beverly, our host at Pink Saturday! It's the two-year anniversary of Pink Saturday and she has been featured in the summer edition of Artful Blogging! yea!!! Good news!
Thank you for hosting this wonderful event each week, Beverly!

Happy Pink Saturday everyone!

Sunday Postcard Art - Oriental Theme

2010-04-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

I am so excited that Mandy & Donna at PSA chose "Oriental" as the theme this week! I watched Mae West in a clip from a movie a couple weeks ago...she was singing "I'm an occidental woman in an oriental mood for love..." Well, I just adored this idea, so I was mulling over a way to do an artwork with this theme anyway. I also remembered how beautiful and exotic Myrna Loy looked in The Mask of Fu Manchu. And I can never forget Doris Day in Glass Bottom Boat as Mata Hari. So without further ado, here is my entry inspired by classic cinema and SPA. For this I used an antique postcard, various brushes and textures I created, as well as some Dover elements.

And as a little bonus, a treat for you, here are my inspirations:
Mae West, Myrna Loy and Doris Day. Enjoy!

Sunday Postcard Art (SPA)

2010-04-17T22:33:00.000-07:00

Spring is such a wonderful time of year! I'm glad Wendy at Sunday Postcard Art chose Springtime as the theme for this week's postcards. At first I though I would go with flowers and birds, but then I saw the ballerina and just had to use her!!! And doesn't springtime make you want to dance?! :-)

I have done this design in two colorways: black and red. I am posting both because I like both, don't you? The black for the strong contrast, and the red for the rich color?

Hope you enjoy - have a blessed Sunday!

Pretty in Pink

2010-04-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

It's time for Pink Saturday...my favorite blog activity!
Today, I am sharing some great finds in retro clothing and accessories, as well as a pink "portrait" I did of my niece.

Here is a sweet little purse I found at Bluebird Vintage:

And a darling pink cherry print bathing suit at My Baby Jo http://mybabyjo.com/swim/1pcswim_cherrypink.htm.

One of my muses is my niece...a beautiful young woman who is so photogenic.
I have enjoyed photographing her when I can pin her down! This particular photograph has been collaged and manipulated - because that's just what I do! And just saturated in hot pink - because pink is such a happy color.

Yea! I just got an email that said one of my designs was chosen as a Featured Design on Zazzle's page for princess party invitations! Whoo Hooo! It's nice to be noticed, isn't it?

Here is what they said:

You've won a Zazzle Artist Award! Congratulations, brandyinthesky! Your product, Ladies of the Castle Collage Art Invitations from Zazzle.com, has been hand-picked as an example of creativity at its finest. Out of the billions of designs on Zazzle, yours was chosen for being one of the best.

As a reward, your product will appear at the top of the page listed below in the "Featured Designs" section for approximately 2 weeks. This means you, your product, and your store will be center stage!

Thanks, as always, to Beverly...be sure to visit her blog for a list of participators, then go have fun browsing and sampling all the pretty pink posts. :-)
http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Sunday Postcard Art

2010-04-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: I am still a designing fool this week! And I found this fun blog called Sunday Postcard Art http://sundaypostcardart.wordpress.com/ -- It gives you a theme each week, and you are supposed to create a 4x6 piece of art, postcard size! I love that! I am a postcard collector, and many of my designs are so inspired. Can't wait to do this every week. At least I hope to. It's a great way to get inspiration if you are stumped.

So here is my springtime in Paris themed postcard.
April showers don't just bring may flowers! Afterall, it's April in Paris...love is in the air! Lovers on a Sunday stroll in Paris are caught in the rain, but they don't mind!

Copyright 2010 Brandyinthesky - All rights reserved.

Addicted to Designing

2010-04-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

After a two month absence, we are back to the blog! Yea!
A lot has been going on in our lives and we haven't had much time for anything like blogging. Not even art or design!!!!!

But I recently began designing again and once I start, I can't stop! It is so fun and quite therapeutic. The only problem is, nothing else gets done...namely house work! LOL

But here are some of the results of my work today and one day last week.
I opened a new store on Zazzle for business cards and stationery. This is a taste of what's in the store so far. (And yes, I'm also addicted to Marie Antoinette!)

Victorian Rose Elegant Business Cards by CartesduJour
Make custom business cards at Zazzle

Ever After Pink Damask Business Cards by CartesduJour
See more Pink Business Cards

Make personalized gifts at Zazzle.

Pink Saturday-Feb. 6th

2010-02-06T01:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Today is the joyous occasion of Greer's birthday. She is the lovely woman I am blessed to call "Mom" and she is also the fantastic artist of Greer Designs that you see links for on this blog. Please join me in wishing her a happy one!

And happy Pink Saturday to you all, by the way!
Thanks to Beverly, as usual, for the Pink Saturday idea!!! :-)
http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Today, just a couple of my favorite things:

This is my favorite vintage ad! It's just awesome!!!

Pretty in pink...Ms. Ann Sheridan, my favorite classic film actress.

And a Happy Valentine's to you all too.
Here is a bit of advice regarding online flower ordering on a friend of a friend's blog:
http://www.kirklandschoice.blogspot.com/

(This is little Rocky, isn't he cute?!)

Pink Saturday

2009-12-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my first official Pink Saturday posting. yea!

Below is a fun pair of decorative vintage ice skates I found on eBay...aren't they wonderful??!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250539091862&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:1123#ht_4936wt_1167

Beverly (http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/) asked us to share a childhood Christmas memory, but what I am going to share is the project I have begun for kids in the hospital on Christmas. If you would like to help me give these children a more cheerful hospital room, please scroll down to my post entitled "Christmas for Kids in Hospital Project." Thank you and Happy Pink Saturday!

Thanksgiving Table

2009-12-01T13:52:00.000-08:00

My job on Thanksgiving is usually setting and decorating the table. I don't really cook ;-) But I love doing this because I get to use my great-grandmothers pretty things and the interesting linens my great-aunt brought back from overseas. I usually go traditional, insofar as I use the traditional color scheme, but this year, I went the Bohemian/ecclectic route. LOL

I always use what's already here, never really specifically buying things for the purpose of decorating the table, because, as I mentioned, we have such wonderful things from relatives. Anyway, I spotted these gorgeous napkins Mom had purchased at Marhalls. They had birds (2 designs) and an Eiffel Tower collage. I just had to use them, although I usually use linens. Too pretty to pass up. But then I spied my grandmother's scarves! Oh how lovely! So why not, just do something fun with those too!? They were tied to the chairs. hehehe

I then found the poppy garlands I decorated with back in Feb. for Mom's b-day party. We love poppies, so out they came! Oooo! The colors! Poppies draped on the chandelier are so pretty! Next I found some plain place mats...so what if they are light weight & pale yellow!? I live on the Texas Coast so why not?
Granny's embroidered linen runner was placed in the center of the table. But what to use as a centerpiece? Ah Ha!! The gold glitter bird cage! Since it's all things I just love, the Swedish horses and more poppies were placed in and around the cage. My niece supplied the peacock to top it off. Perfect touch!
Oh yes, and my favorite vintage glasses (an eBay find) served as water glasses. They are 50s gold and turquoise glasses and absolutely divine!
I enjoyed this so much. Looking forward to Christmas...I can really go all out with that one! I hope you enjoy the photos and will be inspired to go ecclectic and have a ball just using what you have on hand. :-)

Christmas for Kids in Hospital Project

2009-11-23T11:51:00.000-08:00

Many years ago I was in the hospital 2 Christmases in a row. When I was 10 & 11. I recall the wonderful presents and decorations people brought to my room to give me some Christmas cheer. It meant a lot, and still does. There was the mini tree, the handmade stocking, the teddy bears, handmade cards, etc.

With Christmas almost upon us and a loved one in the hospital now, I have remembered those times and wish to brighten up the rooms of children here who will be in the hospital on Christmas. We have several hospitals here, including Driscoll Children's Hospital. My hope is to make and receive donated handmade Christmas decorations, ornaments, etc. to take to the hospital (or hospitals, if I can) so that the children will have a pretty room and some of that Christmas cheer we all enjoy so much at home.

If you can help in any way, please contact me at brandyinthesky@me.com. I am looking for fairytale, storybook style decorations, but any donation is greatly appreciated.

Thank you and God Bless!

Figgy Pudding

2009-11-19T21:34:00.000-08:00

With the Holidays upon us food is on the brain...ok it always is, but now more than ever! ;-)
Thoughts meandered to "figgy pudding" (a.k.a. Christmas pudding or plum pudding), so I did a search and read a little about it on the net. What I found most delightful were the pictures! I think I will have to do some figgy pudding artwork. Here is Mrs. Beeton's antique cookbook illustration (public domain)which served as my inspiration.
Update: Here is my Marie Antoinette Figgy Pudding creation..."Let them eat pudding!"
available on my Zazzle site at www.zazzle.com/brandyinthesky* And in my Etsy store...handmade Christmas cards: http://brandyinthesky.etsy.com.

For more on figgy pudding: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figgy_pudding
For inspiration, see Mrs. Beeton's book illustrations and recipes for plum pudding: http://www.fashion-era.com/Christmas/christmas_food_beeton_pudding_recipe.htm#Mrs._Beetons_Food_Plate_of_Puddings_-_1890s

Vintage Roses

2009-10-26T21:46:00.000-07:00

In my previous post, I spoke of my Grandmothers, the color pink, and roses. Here is an inspired design of mine...Shabby Roses...that is a collage of many different elements, but most importantly, Victorian roses. I know they would love this print.

Shabby Rose Collage Art by brandyinthesky
See other Shabby Invitations

Pink Roses 1

2009-10-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Rose tree by golden_oldies
Create design your own notecards with zazzle

Vintage Roses

2009-10-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

Hello from Brandy, the other half of Fandango Moon! :-)

Today I will write about pink vintage roses...

I love roses--what girl doesn't!?--and especially pink ones because that is my fave color! I know it's in the genes because my great-grandmother (Granny) loved roses and the color pink and so did my Grandma. Our favorite shade is "cerise," a beautiful hot pink shade! As it happens, the meaning of these flowers is the perfect sentiment for this post: Love, gratitude & appreciation. They also symbolize grace and elegance.

(http://www.proflowers.com/flowerguide/rosemeanings/pinkrose-meanings.aspx)

Anyway, I can't help but think of Grandma and Granny when I see pink roses, especially like the ones on the Victorian postcards. I was close to these wonderful women...I miss them, but this is a way I connect with them, even now. In fact, I read a book once (Capt. Corelli's Mandolin) that talked about such things. The main character's father described how he took the time to stop and enjoy things that his deceased wife enjoyed when she was alive...things he didn't particularly care for, but he was doing it for her because she couldn't anymore. I thought that was sweet. But in my case, I believe that my Grandmothers are experiencing much more wonderful things in Heaven! I just enjoy enjoying the same things they did, ya know? In that small way, I feel like they are with me still. And I dedicate my vintage based designs to them. Granny was one of the best china painters ever. And her roses were exquisite! She collected postcards from the Victorian era to use as inspiration and for design ideas. Mom and I have added to that collection because we love them so much, but we are also now using them for design elements in our own work. Thanks, Granny!!!

So, dear readers, I hope you enjoy the beautiful roses I am posting here for you and my Grandma & Granny!

2009-10-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

For the best vintage postcard digital downloads we have found . http://www.frenchkissed.etsy.com/ There are many favorites but I really love this one of a French couple from the 18th century.

This is a card I made using the postcard:

I added my own painting of the bluebird, a nest from an old print, my painted background and my hand made frame, French writing and vintage roses. I also added the pink roses to the harpsicord and some foliage in front of the lady.

2009-10-24T14:50:00.000-07:00

Working on new designs for Etsy

2008-07-11T15:51:00.000-07:00

Right now I am working on my purse/pocket mirrors and new designs for greeting cards. Here are some of my new creations.
I love the dogs and also the tropical birds so I am using my paintings to design mirrors. Just got a machine and having great fun.