Life and Liberty

It's that time of year here in the States that we celebrate our very existence. Two hundred and forty years ago we got really rambunctious and wrestled for our independence much like a three year-old at a candy store. I can't say that life has improved but we still have some inalienable rights--to say what we want, bear arms or arm bears and defend anyone else to pretty much do as they damn well please.
So, we have a giant party that has more to do with the pursuit of happiness than life and liberty. There are barbeques, parades and if the weather cooperates, FIREWORKS!
(Here in the desert, they can get called off for mostly wind and high fire risk. If we don't get rain this week, there may have to be cancellations. I hope not. I like watching them).
Thus you have my contribution for the EIM, "party."

I compiled a few flag images while I was working on next week's TwobyTwo. The word there is, "Victory." Please take a peek at the some of the prompts I put together; it was a lot of fun and if the mood suits, participate? Love to have you join the fun. Go ahead and look. I'll be here waiting for you.
Anywho, these are what came about as I tinkered with some ideas.

I selected flags that are appropriate for an era--the bottom one represents the original thirteen colonies with the Declaration of Independence; the middle has the Marines raising the forty-eight-star flag at Iwo Jima (Arizona was the 48th state, admitted Valentine's Day, 1912) and the top is our current flag, the Statue of Liberty, our Pledge of Allegiance with the sonnet, "The New Colossus." To me, these images represent the fight for those freedoms.
Indeed, the pen is mightier than the sword.
I like to think I have super powers wielding my trusty Sharpie. This is what we accomplished this week:

That's for the Diva 272, black and white and red all-over. Not the most original comp, but it kept me busy filling in all those squares.
Thanks for checking on what I've been up to. Be sure to see what all the other artists out there have been up to...Hope you have a brilliant day. c

It's a Stretch

If I had scoped out the Inchie for this week in advance, I may have saved the one I did a couple weeks ago. The word prompt is "weapon." Alas, I used my pistol a couple posts back [click here to rewind]. I scratched my head for a minute and asked myself what is my chief weaponry? And what came back out my grey matter is this form of subterfuge. It may not save me in battle, but it depends on the opponent, I guess, and what the fight is all about.

My friend Corinne suggested something else that totally confounds men: a BRA. Although I don't seem to have that problem, it gives me a lot of ideas to work with.
The twinchie word this week is "magic." Back in college, I had to write a paper on a level of Hell as described by Dante in his "Inferno." I drew a very intense image to accompany the essay with a wizard's hand holding a crystal ball and a fiery Earth within. It won me a lot of brownie points and the professor asked to save my work. I've been meaning to recreate it ever since. For now, this will have to do:

Be sure to check out the Inchie responses this week, which will certainly lead you to some very talented artists and their work. That's where I'm headed now!