Too Many Late Nights Watching Ellery Queen Mysteries

I love murder mysteries, especially those set in the 'gumshoe' era of the late 1940's: Ray Chandler, Ellery Queen to name just a couple.
When I saw Fifi's pages on the SBG site, I was inspired to go hunt out Clementine Designs, download her Ladies and Gents kit and well..here is the result.

I call it: 'She Hated Opera, But Most Of All, She Hated That Hat (as well as Its Owner)

Did he escape certain death by nipping outside during intermission for a quick smoke and leave his hat behind?
How did the Mysterious Lady in Red manage to cause the Chandelier to fall? (Was she in cahoots with the Phantom?)
And what is the meaning of the Queen of Clubs? A call to Ellery Queen perhaps?
Blessings to those who like Late Night Mysteries.
Shanti

A New Year, A New Journey, A Crow'ning

Over at Soul Caravan I have been busy creating new digiart pieces based on weekly themes.
So far so good as far as keeping up with things ..(stay tuned..you know me..)
However..this week, I halted my camel Sophie at a rest stop and under a palm, pulled out my mental sketch book and had a good long Think.
This year will see the end of my 'Outrageous 'Baby' Cronehood' or OBC and in 2012 I will proudly become a full fledged Outrageous Crone.

This piece is called 'Reflections On Being Crowned'.

In the word 'crone' is the root word Kron or Crown, as women who reached that August Age were indeed Crowned and honour paid to them on their special day I have also included a blackbird on a branch, which could well be The Crow, The Voice of Inner Wisdom for many of us.
I am also dedicating this piece to my dear friend Charlene, who took her leave of us on November 13, 2010 and never achieved Cronehood.
We shared a February birthday so the Amethyst diadem in the Crown is for her.
Blessings to all my OBC and OC' sisters out there!
Shanti
Credits The Louvre castle comes from the Book of Hours of Jean, Duc De Berry - public domain I adapted the Crown (Tangie Baxter -AJC 2011 parcel) and added gems from the kit: Arock CU Gems - Scrapbookgraphics.com