Colour Challenge 52 - Amazon

Last colour! It seems fitting that I've ended this challenge as I began, with a faun, so bringing it full circle. I don't know why I like fauns so much; usually I'm much more a fan of the predatory species; but green makes me think of woodland, and this is a particularly coniferous shade. It matches the detail on my shirt which is part of the outfit for a wood elf, in everybody's library, and something I'd already played around with. Looking for antlers, I decided to go with the new ones I won on the Enchanted Frost hunt and make it a white faun for winter. It also has echoes of Cernunnos or Pan, the ancient forest god. I think I will name her Ceinwen, which is Welsh, meaning 'beautiful' and 'white, blessed'.

The wood elf outfit was fortuitous as I didn't have a lot of time to find a match, what with the colour swatch being announced late (over the Christmas holiday, indeed..!) and me falling ill AGAIN - just as I was recovering from the bronchitis and chest infection, Jamie's school sent him home with a really nasty cold for the holidays. I've been sick for nearly a week and we missed Christmas dinner, which I'm hoping to make up for as soon as I get my sense of taste back. I've now been ill for two solid months >.< Anyway that's why I'm only just posting this up with 2 days of the year left to go.

*\|\* Guardian of the Winter Woodlands */|/*

Panpipes haunt the forest gloaming

Where the sacred deer are roaming

Watched o'er through the winter's night

By Ceinwen, Horned Lady White.

*\|\* Credits */|/*

Location: Lair of the Winter Wyrm (part of the Isle of Wyrms)
Windlight: Fairy dark blue (Paulina)

Cloak, shirt, buckskin pants, belt & gauntlets from WoodElf avatar by Wraith Unsung
(Gamer Male avatar in library) - cloak modified with additional decoration from KOSH Maplewood Smith necklace (as worn in post #31) because the ties interfered with the necklace itself.

KOSH oaken wristbands (worn on upper arm)

Boudoir 'Frosted Faun' antlers (from MadPea Enchanted Frost Hunt, just ended)
Boudoir 'Forest Faun' animated panpipes & leaf attachment (the full avatar has a brown, autumnal version of the hunt head, legs, and many more leaves, but also a lot of butterflies which weren't quite wintry enough so I had to leave them off).

Skinthesis 'Chia Mia' hair (CAHH3 prize)
By Snow 'Alienite' eyes (free gift!)
Frick 'Dragonfly L'Exposition' skin in noir
Rotten Defiance White Raven faun legs (modified)

This is the end of the Colour Challenge, as Luna won't be running it for a third year - I think the colours are getting too similar, now that all the clear contrasts have been used. I'm sorry for everyone who was hoping for another go, but I would have ducked out of the next round anyway. I had a fantastic time and am so glad I did this (and managed all 52 colours! W00t!) but it was a struggle, and I think I've achieved everything I set out to, and more than I anticipated. I knew going in that the challenge would stimulate my creativity, but I never quite realised how it would stretch my ingenuity and even change my attitudes to certain colours. I haven't changed the primary colours in my wardrobe, but I view other colours in a much kindlier light, even the dreaded pinks! I've amazed myself with the lovely (or at least interesting) avatars I've been able to put together for the most difficult hues, and will doubtless wear them all again. 

I am so grateful to Luna for thinking up and running this challenge, but also to my sister Rudh. Without her I never would have heard of the phenomenon of blogging challenges, and her crazy, creative posts during the first year (2011) were a huge inspiration. I probably wouldn't have kept going this year, when the colours were tough and real life conspired against me, but I always knew she would post something I'd have to live up to each week, in a spirit of friendly competition, and that motivated me in the same way it helps to visit the gym with a friend. Rudh isn't the only person I have to thank, as over the course of this challenge I've come to know other bloggers and admire their style and talent. Everyone is a winner in this challenge, I don't think there are any 'firsts'; we've all shown a unique perspective in the ways in which we interpret and showcase the colours, and I have learned a lot from you all in styling, photography, framing and the discovery of delightful new stores to raid for my hoard! I'm sorry that I haven't been able to comment as much as you all deserve (or that sometimes I commented so late, you probably didn't realise!) but I have really enjoyed looking through the posts for each week and have seen many pictures so lovely I would gladly hang them on my castle walls as artwork (I haven't, because that would be theft). 

I hope everyone has enjoyed this challenge as much as me, and gained as much from it, and I hope we all continue to work on our blogs the way Luna intended us to. Here's wishing you all a healthy, happy new year and continued inspiration. As Ceinwen would say, Blessed Be!