July/August challenge - Jane Austen quotes

This post will remain as a sticky until the end of August as it's eaten too much hunny! Please scroll down for newer posts. ;)

Hello there, goodness, is it new challenge time again? Don't the months fly by? Well it's Wilbear's challenge choice this month, and he's continuing with our 19th century novel theme, we do love our classic novels. Wilbear has chosen Jane Austen.

Jane Austen was born on December 16th 1775. Austen's books were all set amongst the landed gentry, the novels are full of irony and social commentary and are still widely read around the world.  The books all have a comic humour, showing Austen's wit.

Although she only published 6 books - Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park - with two of the novels being published posthumously, she is one of the most enduring authors of her time. Today there are book clubs dedicated solely to her works, which is a testament to her writing skills.

Wilbear has all of Austen's books on his Kindle, as well as owning this rather huge edition of her works, which he can often be found perusing.





Wilbear decided the best way to honour Jane Austen was by combining quotes from all of her books, as well as quotes from her personally, to use as this month's book challenge. Like her or hate her, there are some fantastic quotes to be found within her novels. These can be used literally, or subverted and used in any way you see fit. Funny, subversive, sad. Whatever suits your art.

Usual 'rules' apply.

Use one of the quotes below to make a piece of art, tag, altered book, card, art journal, anything you wish. This can be digital or 'real', we don't like to exclude anyone..

Try to visit your fellow joiner inners, after all, half the fun of joining a challenge is to see how many different interpretations there can be.

Add a comment after you link, so we know to come and visit you.

Please provide a link back to our challenge in your post, we really appreciate this.

This is a just for fun challenge. We can't offer prizes as we are non working bears with no sponsors, it's just little old us in our bungalow, having fun, but we do hope that doesn't put people off playing along.

Although most challenges pick a top three or a winner, we often have close friends and family joining our challenges, so would not want to be accused of nepotism, or conversely, of disliking our dear friends' work. We truly believe that every entry is a winner in its own right, and at challenge end we will provide a link to every entrant's art in one post.

Ooh, one more thing, have fun, that's the most important part of the bears' challenge.

I guess you'd like to read the quotes now?

I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them. (Jane Austen)

Every man is surrounded by a neighbourhood of voluntary spies. (JA)

Where so many hours have been spent in convincing myself that I am right, is there not some reason to fear I may be wrong? (JA)

One man's style must not be the rule of another's. (JA)

An artist cannot do anything slovenly. (JA)

Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way. ( Emma)

Oh! Do not attack me with your watch. A watch is always too fast or too slow. I cannot be dictated to by a watch. (Mansfield Park)

An agreeable manner may set off handsome features, but can never alter plain ones. ( Persuasion )

We none of us expect to be in smooth water all our days. (Persuasion )

The more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. ( Sense and Sensibility)

One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other. (Emma.)

If none of the above are agreeable to you, please feel free to pick your own quote from any of Austen's works, or any of her personal quotes, for your art.

The challenge will run for two months, until the end of August, to allow for summer holidays. We hope this will allow time for anyone who wants to join in.