We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
"Little Gidding"
T S Eliot

Thursday 5 February 2015

February - enjoy all its days!

The Craft Barn Challenge prompts for February's calendar page are, predictably, Red and Hearts!

Using watercolour paper again, I stamped some hearts and heat embossed them in white.  I then threw on some grains of Brusho in red and black, and spritzed.  The stencilled girl is in Distress Inks. Next I cut some hearts out of a piece of canvas I had used to mop up a spillage of Liquid Gold (I remember that mishap all too well), and then cut the hearts again in black to create shadows.

This time of year I'm usually yearning for Spring to arrive, as I hate these dark, drab and miserably cold days - too little sunshine!  So, to remind me not to wish my life away - Carpe Diem!



I did a little research on this phrase. The original source for it is the lyric poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65 BC - 8 BC), more widely known as Horace.  I also found this information regarding its translation:

'Carpe diem' is usually translated from the Latin as 'seize the day'. However, the more pedantic of Latin scholars may very well seize you by the throat if you suggest that translation. 'Carpe' translates literally as 'pluck', with particular reference to the picking of fruit, so a more accurate rendition is 'enjoy the day, pluck the day when it is ripe'. The extended version of the phrase 'carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero' translates as 'pluck the day, trusting as little as possible in the future'.

So - enjoy your day!

15 comments:

  1. Et tu Kay ~ enjoy YOUR day :D Your page is fabulous and I love the idea of cutting the hearts again in black for shadows. It's these little tid-bits that can make all the difference to a page. I just wish I remembered them! :o))

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  2. Gorgeous page I love the dreamy effect of the Brushos in the background. he gold canvas hearts look great - I must remember that next time I make a mega mess!

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  3. An excellent page. Love the girl.

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  4. Very beautiful, I love the background and hearts. Thanks for your kind words at my blog, it's appreciated, Shirleyxx

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  5. Just love everything about your page, the brushos looks like fun, the hearts are great and the girl is very sassy. Love the fact that it is not a traditional valentines page which was rather hard with the very predictable words.

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  6. Very beautiful, these brushos are fab. I still need to check them out :)

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  7. Fabulous design! Thanks for the interpretation - very interesting!

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  8. That's an amazing page, full of joy.

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  9. Really lovely and lively. I love the Brushos, hoping to get my hands on some soon x

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  10. Your spillage came good in the end... Wonderful Brushos background, love the resist hearts, great page!

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  11. Great quote - I'm like you wishing for warmer, sunnier and drier days. Love your page Have a lovely sunday x

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  12. Brushos are such fun to work with aren't they? Love what you have done with them here with the white emboss resist. x

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  13. Brusho's are amazing aren't they and so is your page!! Lovely idea!
    Thank you for joining in the Challenge.
    Jane (The Craft Barn) x

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  14. A fabulous page, full of interest.

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  15. Great page, I love the background! xx

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