The Surprise Gondola Ride | LMAC Collage FreeStyle No. 91

The LMAC Community run by Hive account@shaka holds a weekly collage contest for its members. In the Community, you'll discover a variety of themed entries submitted for consideration. If selected for the final round, contest hopefuls anxiously await results indicating where their placement that determines the prize amount. It's a fun contest that any Hive member can participate. If you'd like to join in, just visit the LMAC Community account here and follow the rules of the contest for details on the latest contest.

The LMAC Community also offers an opportunity for members to create and post in the Community "freestyle" collage themes. In the freestyle option, more freedom is allowed to design your creations without having to incorporate the weekly contest photo. However, contest rules still apply.

For my Freestyle Collage No. 91, my theme is a magical gondola ride.

The captain steering the gondola is an experienced female navigator. Her rapport with the beings acting as transport is superior. These beings in nature have offered their services to enthrall young children and instill in them the magic of discovery and adventure.

Any place there is a child in need of attention, she arrives. Accompanying her are unusual magical beings to assist in providing the best experience these youngsters will remember for a lifetime and hopefully share with their descendants.

One such young girl, Amanda who recently lost her father, waits patiently on the side by the buildings. The letter in her hand contains her name, the date, and the adventure she has been granted.

Amanda reads the letter again. Anxious for her adventure to begin, she frets as she looks left and right. Her mother stands nearby in the shadow of the building, but not too close wondering herself about the adventure for it wasn't revealed in her daughter's letter.

A giant emerald grasshopper with large, bulging eyes searches the landscape as if he understands his mission. His head is wide. Ten long legs wade through the river down the middle of the city. Amanda jerks a loud breath. Her hands tremble as the insect approaches.

A buzzing sound distracts her. She glances up just in time to notice a small fairy flying overhead. She's calmed by the fairy's colorful pink-shaded face with two pairs of eyes as she flies nearby sprinkling pixie dust over the insect. The fairy settles in the sky on a flower. Her watchful eyes embrace Amanda.

Amanda's spirit calms as if transfixed. She no longer fears the giant insect.

Immediately, the grasshopper pauses, then lowers his body further into the water.

"Hello Amanda. My name is Captain Hannah," the tall, beautiful female sitting atop the insect soothingly proclaims as she extends her hand. "Come aboard. We've people to see, places to visit, and fun to be had. Let's not waste another moment."

"But my weekend chores," Amanda shouts, then glances back at her mother.

Her mother steps from the shadows. She nods at Hannah, then waves her hand.

Amanda smiles, then waits to be hoisted up with the help of Captain's Hanna's assistant. The aqua angel with colorful wings grabs her hand and steadies her on the large mushroom steps, then onto the giant grasshopper gondola ride.

As she looks back, Loby jumps from her mother's hand and dashes toward the origami sailboat left on the boardwalk. An adventurous tomcat, he's not about to be left behind and miss Amanda's adventure. I'm her protector, he convinces himself as he stares at Amanda's mother and happily wags his tail.

Amanda's mother winks her eye and suppresses a laugh at the adventurous pair.

In preparing my theme, I wanted to use one of the contest photos I felt would blend well with the scene of a gondola ride. I chose the image from LMAC Round 209. The image reminds me of a local attraction, The River Walk, located in another city.

For Captain Hanna and her giant grasshopper as the transporation, I discovered an ethereal image that exudes magic.

The additional images I included in my theme I felt brought magic to life for the deserving little girl. One of the images is a fairy photo I discovered. I envisioned her sprinkling calm over the giant grasshopper before he begins the boat ride down the river.

Item	Contributor	Source
Water Nymph	Pexels	Link
Kingfisher Bird	PurePNG	Link
Cat	Hive account@edgarafernandezp	Link
Origami boat	Hive account@yetsimar	Link
Angel	Hive account@eve66	Link

When compiling my freestyle collage design, I upload my images to Canva. It's my design program I use to blend my images. Below are the procedures I use that incorporate the tools at my disposal in my Annual Pro Membership Subscription.

To a blank canvas, I added the LMAC Contest photo with the buildings

Colorized the buildings, then resized it to fill the entire screen.

Added the giant grasshopper image.

Removed background of grasshopper. Repositioned it between the buildings.

Added the fairy and the angel.

Removed background of fairy, then resized and positioned it in the skyline in the tree flowers. Positioned the angel on the mushroom.

Added the bird, cat, boat.

Placed bird to the left hand side of screen. Removed background of cat. Resized and positioned boat, then placed cat inside. Completed the collage.

Below is my completed freestyle collage:

Thanks for your visit. I appreciate it. I hope you like my freestyle collage theme.