Of Dragons and Princesses. Just for fun.

So ever since I found those cute little 3D printed dragons while shopping with my Granddaughter, I've been caught up in my love for dragons.

I did imagine the dragons needing help in some way from other dragons. I did imagine that there needed to be villains and a heroes.

But dragons can look so fearless and ferocious. 

Or they can be cute and charming.

What if. Princess Sara's Quest and Destiny is part of a bigger picture? What if her destiny as Lego Princess is to save a Dragon from Lego Monsters?  How would she find out?

The Frog told her months ago that she just needed to keep wandering and her Quest would become evident. [That was me thinking...I don't know where the h-ll this story is going, but I'll keep having fun]

Surely if the Rock Monsters steal the precious legendary dragon egg, you'd think that the dragons would do anything to get it back.

But rarely are fantasy stories ever that direct. There's always mystical magical stuff going on. Always a Quest or a Good Deed to be done. 

There is Good and Evil, and Finding Your Way through Self Exploration. The main character must be tested and tested again.

And what on Earth does a Magical Frog have to do with all of it other than he set her on her course.

[Actually, with the original post, it was all about making a build from a video that Four Bricks Tall had made about mirrors and extending backgrounds. I named it  Princess Sara and the Frog's Quest in March of this year.] 

Off and on all summer I've tried to figure out exactly what her Quest should be. I knew IF I wandered aimlessly and let my creative mind echo in my brain that eventually I'd figure out something.

I didn't mean for it to become a story in my head or in photos. But it just seems to happen.

I suppose it is a form of play and a form of learning to relax the brain.

----

I think I'm finding my way. Or should I say, the story is playing itself out bit by bit. I just have to follow it.

The Forest Dragon, Emerald has heard of a Legendary Warrior Princess who welds great powers who could save all of the dragons from extinction. Perhaps it is her destiny also to save The Egg that has been stolen by the Rock Monsters. 

That Egg has been said to hold a Mythological Dragon that can also unite all dragons and people. Cracks had formed in the Egg which meant the Dragon was to be born soon.

He spots Princess Sara in the woods and notices her incredible and strong aura of strength and perseverance.

How could he approach such a magnificent warrior woman without being slain? He knows that all almost all Princesses, Kings, and Knights regularly slay dragons! 

He must, must find a way...

Princess Sara and Joan of Knight are still trudging along and wandering the deep forest, searching for an answer to her quest.

And deeper in the woods. Emerald contacts Yoga [yes, a pun on Yoda from Star Wars]. 

Yoga promises to contact the Mystical Frog to relay the dragon's plight.

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With this play, my mind stays active and my love for photography gets challenged by having to create a 'scene' and the photos are like a story board.

What better way to keep exploring my inner sense of kid and relaxation at the same time.

Hmmm, or is it my subconscious trying to figure out a way to deal with being a Caregiver that has to stay close to home and cannot go on all the travels she had planned to do after she retired?

Stay tuned to meet a new character in the Princess Saga.

 

From Trash to Treasure?

So, last week we had horrid weather and I think I pulled lower back muscles or something else. It was painful to walk to bend to stand and well, if you've ever had that sort of pain, ... you will understand.

I spent some time reading library books, I spent some time staring out the window swearing that I'd never complain again about -10 degree weather, and of course spent time supervising the driveway rehab project.

Creatively, I felt stuck. Even with the beautiful foggy  mornings, I didn't feel too inspired. Nothing really got me going. That is until I was bored and decided to watch YouTube videos on how to build dioramas on the cheap using common items.

A guy built a little HO Train Scale tree out of a stick and wire. I was fascinated. Another person made realistic rocks out of foam board and another one that made rock backgrounds out of chunks of wood and mulch. 

I knew I didn't have the patience for the tree or the materials. But making rocks out of chunks of wood was intriguing. We had wood chunks all over the place. I live surrounded by a forest.

Lo and Behold, I found a chunk of foam in an old junk pile while I searched for wood chunks.

Wood chunks from the pine stump in the yard that I'd been pulling apart.

I thought at first I'd try using a box and a paper bag on the kitchen table. Could I 'make' a scene?

Then an idea popped into my head. I took a large paper bag and opened it up. I tried this ----> but it was sort of a fail.

Which ended up being this and this---->

It was just sort of Ok. Like Meh Ok. 

I needed to step away and do something else first. 

I got out the knife, paints, and Modge Podge. 

Let's make some rocks.
I broke the foam into chunks and then used a knife to make it look rough. The dude in the video said to save the pieces of foam for another project. So I stuck them in an old to go container.

I mixed the Modge Podge and the paint and started the messy journey in a nice cool house, while the world baked outside.

Wireless headphones and music helped drown out the sound of the TV blaring in the next room.

After laying it on thin and then thicker, I had to set it all aside to dry -- a long time!

So I rearranged the paper bag on my 'creative' table and grabbed some chunks of wood. I set a piece of packaging material from my trash and added it for texture. It was the right color and might be useful.

I added some figures randomly. 

I finally settled on an old Halloween prop [spider], a Tusken Warrior Lego figure and a small Tusken Warrior figure from my collection.

It really doesn't look like much at all.

But.
Using a narrow depth of focus I wanted the scene just to give an indication of the spider and I wanted the figures to be in sharp focus while the items behind just added texture.

The figures kept falling over because the paper wasn't taped down. I used an Elmer's Glue Stick on their feet.

And the final result was:

Whoo Hoo! 

Meanwhile, the 'rocks' had dried enough so I could add more shades of color.

I wanted dark-ish rocks, but with some eye catching highlights. I added a grey wash to the high points and had to set them to the side again to let them dry.

Finished rocks:

But now I was in the mood to hunt for treasures and see what I could come up with in junk piles. 

These items were part of an old CPAP hose. I wanted to make something like a space junk pile.

Sometimes I wonder about myself. I get in a slump and then all of a sudden I get in a crazy mood to 'make' things and experiment. 

The first attempts with some of the items were fun. It needs more 'work', but here is two just for fun shots.

Mr. Eggstreme must have come to the wrong Lego Scene here! 

My first attempt at my Space Junk. 

I have to figure out what to do with the light better. 

But I think it turned out okay for a first attempt. I may add the rocks and some more light to make something more notable. But for now? This is it.

Let's face it. I had a great time and had my creativity and imagination challenged. It sure makes the days go by and gives me something to enjoy.

I'll be taking some more items and creating texture on some old pieces of pipe using glue and would you believe it...??? Baking soda.

What happens when I am done with all this stuff? Why, I can toss it back into the junk pile outside the shed or send it to recycling. In the mean time, I can have fun with stuff no one else would think of as useful.

One person's junk is another person's treasure?

:)

 

For my little pal...

While I was putting the elves in their clubhouse I thought...I'll make a little story for my neighbor's son, Aiden who is nearly 2 yrs old. 

What if Santa decided to try a truck to make deliveries in our area?
Gosh, what would happen.

Santa Gets Stuck...

A Good Samaritan Arrives

 That didn't work...so

they called on the Elf

with a magic sled...

Oh my, guess who

showed up to give a push!
And the Reindeer pulls!

Santa is on his way

thanks to all

the help!

I sent this series to my little pal's mom and she said he loved it! What child wouldn't?