Retro Week
Connie had always been given to nostalgia, even for things that she hadn't actually experienced the first time. Swing music from the 1940s, old farmhouses, rotary telephones, and fashion from the 1920s or 1960s; it all resonated for her as strongly as the TV shows from her own childhood.
She met Phil at a friend's cookout, and didn't expect that they would hit it off. He worked with computers and spoke eagerly about the latest gadgets; Connie used modern technology willingly enough, but she didn't find anything exciting about it. But Phil didn't look askance at the hat she wore, and when she talked about her favorite songs he immediately looked them up on his phone. Then he pulled out a bluetooth speaker so that they could listen together, and she was tickled to see that it was fashioned to look like an antique radio.
When the virus hit, it was easy enough for Connie to embrace new old-fashioned habits: baking bread, fermenting food, and narrowing her focus to the things she could touch. These things made her feel safer. She didn't mind putting most of her regular routines on hold, but she did wonder if this meant an end to her growing friendship with Phil. They kept in touch a little on social media, but it lacked substance.
Then one cold, sunny morning a small package arrived. It held a flash drive shaped like a cassette tape, and a handwritten note. Just looking at them made Connie feel as warm as her grandmother's cookies.
Another great short story by JessaMar :)
This was fun to put together! There's so many hidden treasures on dA 
Magic Week
The power flowed into him, filling his lungs, spreading out in his blood like oxygen, and settling into the marrow of his bones. He felt himself smile in a way that he hadn't since he was a boy learning to cast his first spell. He had devoted decades to the study of magic, but now, now he was magic.
A glow lit the trees around him. He couldn't be sure if it was the setting sun, or if the glow came from his own skin. A beetle crawled on the ground nearby, seemingly unconcerned with what it had just witnessed, but yet its movements were in time with his heartbeat. A bird in the sky flapped its wings to the same rhythm.
A breeze plucked at his hair and clothes. He began to dance, slowly at first; he followed the wind, and the wind followed him. He moved faster, twirling and leaping, until even the fallen leaves were dancing around him. When he stopped, all was still.
He smiled again, and raised his arms to the sky. The first stars were visible. He watched them for a long time, and felt each twinkle as a tingle in his capillaries. By the time the sun rose, there was no trace of him.
If you'd like to participate, here's the link ^^^ Have fun! I know I did- I found lots of new and amazing artworks whilst browsing the galleries
Cheers,
Monica!
Greetings all :)
It's been a week of interesting observations here on dA. One thing I have noticed is how few photo-manipulations (compared to other mediums) I'm seeing in my inbox. Why is that, I wonder?
You should know that I love ALL art, but since I'm a photo-manipulator, compositor, photo-basher, collagist, whatever you want to call it... I thought that this week's feature should be all about my chosen medium.
Each of the following artworks have less than 200 favourites. Some are fairly recent works, others have been craving some more time in the limelight!
I do hope that you will give these talented artists and their artworks some love! Enjoy!
Cheers,
Monica
(Don't worry about the lack of stock credits on this one^^^) I know Cam, and he renders everything himself.
And there you have it! I'm glad you made it all the way to the bottom. ;)
Weekly Feature 5th Edition
Hello all :)
Feature time! I don't have anything to chat about this week. I've been quite dull and boring! 
I did, however, receive the most lovely gift (and welcome back to dA) in the form of the following deviation by the always gracious and generous, Selina <3 Thank you so much <3
And here's this week's feature! An eclectic collection, as always. Enjoy! <3
And... that's a wrap for this week! Hope you discovered some new art, and even a new artist to follow. :)
Also, if you want to know what's going on in the dA community... https://www.deviantart.com/justacapharnaum/status-update/21139851
Hello all :)
Just a quick reminder: when you submit your lovely artworks to the group, please remember that they need to have a clearly visible textural quality.
Also, if you use the resources of others to create your art, please- don't forget to credit them for their contribution to your artwork.
Cheers,
Monica
