Ringing in December ...

Welcome to December and another year is about to speed past us.  Hopefully everyone is getting excited by the prospect of Christmas and spending time with family and friends.

This month we are being inspired by this painting, To wish you a happy Christmas and New Year by Ethel Spowers.

Criteria is to use this colour palette - your entry does not need to be Christmas themed

 (unless you would like it to be).

A little about Ethel Spowers

Ethel Louise Spowers was an Australian artist associated with the Grosvenor School of Modern Art. Born on 11 July 1890, in Melbourne, daughter of a New Zealander father and a London-born mother. Her father, William Spowers, owned a newspaper. Spowers trained as an artist in Melbourne, with some study in Paris as well. Spowers had her first solo exhibit in Melbourne at age 30, showing fairy-tale illustrations. In 1928–29, she studied linocut printmaking at the Grosvenor School. She was one of several Australian women artists at the Grosvenor School, including Dorrit Black and Eveline Syme.  She mounted an exhibition of Australian linocuts in Melbourne in 1930. In 1932, she became a founder of the Contemporary Art Group, promoting modern art in Australia.

Spowers died on 5 May 1947, after a long illness from cancer, in Melbourne, age 56.The Art Gallery of NSW holds several of her works, some from an early period of realistic illustrations, others showing the marked influence of her time at the Grosvenor School.

This month our sponsors are:

 Julie from Time to Create

and 

and Donna from Mystical Scrapbooks

and of course every month we also offer a prize pack totally by random draw.

(this month donated by DT Lesley French) 

I would also like to make  mention that this month is the last from our super talented team member Julie Short.  We will miss you Julie and wish you well in your creative journey.  Many thanks for all you have done for ARTastic during your time with us.

And now our delightful Christmas inspired layouts from the first half of our amazing team ....

LIZZY

 I used all the colours from the palette, then took inspiration from the stars – adding lots!  And I’ve used the design from the painting as a sketch guide for my page – keeping the angled lines with the patterned paper under the photo, & placing my photo where Santa is! And the title alphas? They were dull ole red….amazing what some heat embossing can achieve!

JULIE

2014 has brought many cyclones and storms into my life this year.

It is the events and celebrations that provide the sweet memories, the taking a breath and enjoying the simple moments that I have focused on.

Crafting refocuses me!

Am I ready for Christmas? No! There is a layout for a very different family photo ready for 2014.

The photo which is there temporarily is from a long ago Christmas Celebration.

Thanks to the ARTastic challenge this month I've used yellow on a Christmas page - that's a first!

Creating before the photo - that's a first too!

May I take a moment to wish the ARTastic team led by Jane as well as all the wonderful crafters who interact with me a peaceful and loving Christmas.

TONE-LIL
 

This months inspiration picture is about Santa and giving presents in the Christmas holiday, so I thought about decorating a box of caramel chocolates( Toffee) as a Christmas present. I used all the colours in the palette and was inspired to add some reindeer's as well. I hope this inspires you to enter our challenge with an off the page project. 

DEB

As well as using the colours from the artwork, I also took inspiration from the stars and included them on my page and also used the Christmas theme to scrap this photo of a keepsake tree decoration.

HELENE

MARY

And now it is your turn ......

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry with the link tool on the LEFT by 11.55pm on December 31st, 2014.  We'd love to see your new paper, digital, or off the page entries.  Please no back-dated submissions.  

 You may combine our challenge with a sketch and a product/technique challenge (so two additional challenges).  Please include our inspirational picture and challenge details on your blog post as well as provide a link back to ARTastic.  Don't forget to tell us how you were inspired by it.  

You may enter more than once in any month as long as each item is with a different creation.  International entries are very welcome however please be aware that some of our sponsors may not post overseas. 

Please pop back on the 8th for The ARTastic 3T's - Tips, Tricks and Techniques brought to you this month by our lovely team member, Lesley French.  You will love what she has to show us this month.