Thalassophile (n.) a lover of the sea, someone who loves the sea, the ocean. Lisa Frisch: Straits of Mackinac (2015) Welcome to the July Monthly Muse! This month, we invite you to explore your relationship with the ocean, seas, lakes, rivers, and creeks (and all the critters, real and mythical, that occupy them). What is it about the seamless waves crashing upon sandy shores that draws us in? ... pulls at our heartstrings ...instills such a yearning, a desire... ...for somewhere else – an adventure! ...or for some other time. Well, maybe that’s the Capricorn in me. The sea-goat. This month, however, belongs to Cancer – the crab – a creature who exists in both emotional and material realms. Cancer is ruled by the moon... ...and so is the sea. To the evolutionists, the ocean is the beginning of life on Earth. It is a place brimming with all sorts of amazing life forms, real and mythical. The smallest plant on Earth lives in the ocean – Algae. And the largest mammal on Earth takes residence in the ocean – the Blue Whale. The sea, the ocean, is a place full of mystery. And perhaps, it is the last frontier. It is the home of the Kraken and Calypso. And, need some movie inspiration? Watch the Pirates of the Caribbean. The oceans and seas serve as a symbol of the unfathomable, of chaos, and formlessness; ...waves, churning, causing everlasting change. For me, when I look out at the horizon on a large body of water, I know there exists other lands and other cultures vastly different than my own. I will never get to travel to these exotic places. Thus, for me, the sea, the ocean, produces both wonder and melancholy. For the first Monthly Muse of July, the challenge is simple. Create a layout about the sea (the Ocean), and what it means to you. Challenge Requirements: 1. For the Art Muse, you may create any style of layout (ie. clean and simple, artsy, pocket style etc.), with or without a photo. Create any size page you wish. The Art Muse is for everyone! So, have fun and see where the mysteries of the sea takes you. 2. You can use any products in The Lily Pad store or retired products from current Lily Pad designers, (just make sure you follow our gallery guidelines). 3. Please post your layout to the Art Journaling Gallery HERE by Midnight, 02 August 2021 and post your layout in this thread by copying the "Share BB Code" to the right of your gallery image. Each post, up to four total, regardless of the week posted in the month of July earns you one chance to win a $5 coupon to the TLP store. Thus, 1 Muse = 1 chance to win 2 Muses = 2 chances to win 3 Muses = 3 chances to win 4 Muses = 4 chances to win. This is a very open-ended challenge. You may decide to journal with words or with images (or both). I simple ask that you reflect upon the prompt and let the ocean guide your soul in your creative endeavors.
A bit of artspiration. Please note - these are "old" layouts for inspiration purposes only. The expectation is a new layout be made for inclusion in the end of month random draw for a $5 coupon. I knew the July Monthly Muse theme, but couldn't help but make this page for Photography Challenge this month: And this one is a tribute to the Capricorn - sea goat
Oh Lisa, I LOVE this Muse!! I LOVED that M3 Kit with the lady that looked like she was under water - I have one of these, too. Leaving the sea (The Gulf) was SO hard for me, but we have beautiful bodies of water here, as well. The ocean is in my Soul, though - always has been and always will be.
I've been thinking and thinking about this challenge ever since you posted it, Lisa @ArmyGrl - I decided to scrap a series of the pictures I took after Hurricane Dorian in 2019. We just happened to be fortunate enough to be able to gather, as a family, in a suite on Ft. Myer's Beach, so we had a bird's eye view. Here's the photograph I took, immediately after the storm passed. I used it as my background. I've never seen skies like this on the Gulf and I've been there for many years. You could hardly see where the water ended and the sky began. It was a magnificent experience and one that I'm so thankful to have had. Here's the page I created, using this photograph as my background.
whenever I think of the ocean, I remember this hymn. It means a lot to me for many reasons, the lyrics, it's a Welsh revival song, I went to University in the area ... My husband also loves this hymn and loves to spend time in Wales. One of my Welsh friends sang it in Welsh during the signing of the register at our wedding. We then all sang it in English together.
I grew up in Maryland, maybe 45 minutes from the Chesapeake Bay...and 2 hours from the eastern shores of Maryland. The hubs and I are searching for a home in Missouri - lots of water there but so odd to think that the ocean won't be a few hours away for a nice day trip. It always fascinates me, the special bond or feeling folks have with the ocean. Not all seem to have it, but for those who do its like the beach is constantly calling.
Thanks for this challenge! It made me remember so many places! Lakes, rivers,streams; the ocean has always been a part of my life. They evoke wonder and envigorate my soul while at the same time bring serenity. I feel blessed to always have been/be near them! "“Water pulls on me the way the moon pulls on it. It's just in my blood and bones. It makes me feel alive in a deep, calm way. It sort of brings me in.” Laura Rosenbaum. Ya'll might like this article.
It IS a special bond, Lisa. It's a part of us - those of us who have it. We have lots of water very near us, thankfully, a huge lake and the Illinois River, but like you said, it's not the ocean. If you get a minute, look up Lake Tenkiller. We can see a snippet of it from our property.
The ocean is my heart and I crave it. Heaven knows how I ended up living in the mountains. Oh wait. I love them too.