Monday, February 26, 2018

Playing Around

 Hello! Hope all is well with everyone. Warning: this is a fun filled post but it's also going to be photo heavy. Enjoy!

 First up is some alcohol ink play. I was inspired to break out those inks again after seeing some beautiful alcohol ink backgrounds on glossy paper on Jennifer's blog and Carole Dion's blog. I felt like experimenting with vellum:



 I cut down 2 different patterned vellum sheets and began applying inks on the back side using a foam applicator. I used Adirondak alcohol inks in Sailboat Blue and Sunshine Yellow, and Distress ink in Worn Lipstick (which is NOT an alcohol ink). I then began tapping over the paper and got this surprising very cool effect.

 These are the dry backs:

 
 And these are the front sides:


I quite like the vibrant backs as well as the softer patterned fronts. What do you think?

 Here they are backed with dark card stock:


and with light card stock:


And I did make a card using the vellum on the left:


 The thank you die is from Our Daily Bread Designs. Joining the Simon Wednesday Challenge for the theme of 'Make Your Own Background'.

 Next I have some fun photos (and a short video or two if it works:) to share from the birthday celebration dinner for hubby at the Aladdin Middle Eastern restaurant:

                                         Love the decor!

 We went with friends Andrew (hidden) and Lynn and our son Todd and his GF Kyra. Wine on the table to share with T Stands For Tuesday :)


  We all shared 4 appetizers to start: hummus, vegetarian grape leaves (shown), spinach pie and Arnabit (fried cauliflower). Then came the entrees:

                      Shrimp kabobs-my choice

                steak and shrimp kabobs (hubby said the steak was perfection)

                  chicken and shrimp kabobs

                                   a falafel platter

                       and lamb stew. We all agreed our meals were excellent!

 And then came the belly dancing:

 There were two dancers who came around to the tables offering special skirts for anyone that wanted to come up to the front and join them. Well of course we made Bill go , and Andrew went along:




 It was hysterical- and boy, does Bill have a new career ahead of him?? :):):)  Just look:





  A springtime card:



  Products: white note card; white, leaf green cardstock, Choose Joy, Showers and Flowers clear stamp sets (Simon Says March Card Kit- Simon Says Stamp); alcohol markers; colored pencils; Archival Jet Black ink, Buttercup, Leaf Green; Tim Holtz Rays stencil; foam dots; Stickles glitter glue; Moonshine Sequins (Simon Says Stamp).

 Joining the Simon Monday Challenge (In My Garden), and Moo Mania and More (Think Of Spring).

 One last entry for the theme of 'Animals A - Z' this month at Art Journal Journey (thank you Rike!):


 Products: Tim Holtz Thinlits Wildflowers dies, Scribbles and Splats dies; Cover a Card stamp - Graph Paper (Impression Obsession); Tangerine Fluid Chalk ink; Archival Turquoise ink; various collage sheet ephemera; washi tape (Recollections)

 Linking to Paint Party Friday too! Thanks for getting thru this long post. I hope you leave with a smile or two.

" Hope and faith flower from the cheerful seeds of the old year to the sprouting garden of the new year's dawn."        Terri Guillemets

48 comments:

  1. fabulous cards and fun pics..I am so glad you played along with us at simon says stamp wednesday challenge!

    blog-paperie blooms
    ig-2klines

    sparkle & shine, kindness *~*

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  2. Awesome art pieces here-I loved your first project-and I agree either side was good depending on what you wanted. Loved your card and that food is making me hungry-it all looks so delicious.
    Looks like you all had a very fun evening
    Happy T Day Linda

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  3. I would have never thought to use alcohol inks on vellum but your results are gorgeous! I have never tried Middle Eastern food but it looks amazing.
    Happy Tea Day,
    Kate

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  4. Love your ink projects and the card you made with the one turned out great. Loved seeing the guy entertain everyone LOL! Bob would have never do that. All of that food looks so good too. For someone who has only eaten soup and sandwiches for over a week it ws tempting to crawl into the computer and enjoy the food :)
    Happy T Day
    Carol

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  5. Lots of wonderful art again, you have been having some inspired fun. Love the spring pieces, too. Your visit to the restaurant looks great, what a fantastic atmosphere, and wonderful food and bell dancing, wow! Have a great week, happy T Day, hugs, Valerie

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  6. Definitely a career back up plan;

    and definitely a fun filled post.... I love what you did with the vellum

    Karen xxx

    thank you for visiting btw :)

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  7. The AAI background experiments turned out amazing and the card is just beautiful and I so enjoyed your Aladdin Middle Eastern restaurant visit - with all the yummie food and those videos! Bill smitten by the rhythm - wow --- amazing! The springtime card is so BEAUTIFUL and I am thrilled to see it linked to Moo Mania & More dear Linda. And you made my day with this gorgeous - soft layered BLISS page - beyond beautiful! Thank you so much for showing and supporting Art Journal Journey with your wonderful T-Day post!
    Happy T-Day my friend!
    oxo Susi

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  8. happy belated b-day wishes to your hubby! it really Looks like you had the greatest dinner at aladdin´s, the dishes look so tasty... i´m drooling on the Keyboard here;)
    the vellum pieces turned out super - oh my, i nearly had forgotten vellum exists... can´t remember the last time i played with it. your experiments were totally successfull!
    happy t-day:)

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  9. Your backgrounds look fantastic, it would be hard to choose but I do like the ones with the light backing, it showed up the lovely colours and pattern on the vellum .
    The cards and journal page look wonderful, super words on your springtime card.
    The Birthday party looked real fun, you were all so enjoying yourselves in the photos and films you shared, the food looked delicious as well.
    Happy T day wishes.
    Yvonne xx

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  10. Your backgrounds with the alcohol ink playing are gorgeous! What interesting results!
    I like ALL the belly dancing you showed us! Very funny!
    Your springtime cards are sweet!
    Thank you so much for your last entry to Art Journal Journey - it is such a bliss to see this sweet bird with eggs and I love these colors very much!
    Wish you a happy day!
    Rike x

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  11. Wow, what a fun packed post! All your art is beautiful and your vibrant background with the softer fronts looks amazing and I loved seeing how you created them too 😁. The restaurant looks wonderful and I love your menu choices - delicious! It looks like the belly dancing was a big hit too, great videos with everyone having such fun ...lol 😉. Thanks for the smiles and wishing you a happy T Day! J 😊

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  12. Wow! What a fun post this is. Your artwork is great. I too love both the pattered and the other side. They will have different destinations.
    And such a fun birthday bash! The videos worked well and I am impressed with Bill's dancing. The food looks absolutely delish! Definitely a place to go. I love middle eastern food. (I travelled a lot in middle eastern countries in the seventies). After the appetiser and the entrees. I don't think I could eat a main course!
    Your cards are great. Well done.
    Happy T-Day,
    Lisca

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  13. love the cards and what a fun video

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  14. Beautiful artwork Linda! I love how you showed all the different options.. and how you turned it into a card. Lucky recipient for sure! Looks like you had a fun evening and good food and good company! Happy happy T day! Hugs! deb

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  15. A great post, Linda.

    Thank you for joining us at MOO MANIA & MORE

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  16. Happy Birthday to Hubby what a great place to celebrate! Also your artwork is delightful and sooooo creative and you make it sound like such fun!

    Happy Week to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  17. hey, your hubby is a pretty good dancer! lol...what fun! Loved your ink experiment on vellum. it turned out stunning! and really cute Spring card and bird collage! happy T day!

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  18. Creative Birthday card ~ love it!

    Happy Week to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  19. Wonderful inky backgrounds and beautiful art Linda!
    Alison x

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  20. I like Middle Eastern restaurants, but I've never been to one like that! Such fun! And the food looks delicious. Happy T Tuesday :)

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  21. This post just made me smile and smile. What a fabulous time you had. The food and the entertainment looked great. Bill really has some good moves. Maybe a fall-ball career or something when he's old enough to retire! Love the backgrounds you made with the alcohol inks. I've never used them. They look very intriguing. Have a Happy T Day!

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  22. The food looks wonderful, and I totally enjoyed Bill’s belly dancing. I do think he has a new career! Love your alcohol ink bacgrounds. But the belly dancing was the best! LOL. Happy T-Day!

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  23. What a brilliant post! Your food looks delicious!I'm going to have to show T the video - Bill has set a new example! Lol!! Love those ink experiments- you got some great backgrounds!Your AJJ page is wonderful! Happy T day!Chrisx

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  24. Wow Linda, your vellum and inked pages are just gorgeous. That is a really really clever idea. Sometimes playing around gives the best results, doesn't it? And what a fun dinner. The food looks delicious and that dancing is so fun!!!!What an enjoyable post! Hope it was a fantastic T day and that you are enjoying some nice weather too. hugs-Erika

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  25. Aah, kebab, hummus, dolmas, tzatziki...now I'm hungry!
    Oh, and I can see lovely cards too! :)

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  26. I am back from Missouri, where I spent two very sleepless days and nights. After returning, I crashed. Finally awake and drinking my first coffee of the day, I am thrilled to see you shared your T Tuesday experience.

    Not sure where to start, but I guess it's with the alcohol inks. I always have trouble with them looking so blotchy, but you certainly corrected that with the vellum. No one would know it was AIs from the beautiful card you made.

    I LOVED seeing your husband belly dancing, and I thoroughly enjoyed your meal and drinks, too.

    Your entry for AJJ is astounding. I really LOVE those eggs and I can say that because you sent me some. Most impressive. This is a gorgeous entry for Rike's theme.

    Thank you for your incredible contribution to T Tuesday this week, and thanks beyond belief for sharing your fabulous bird with us at Art Journal Journey, too.

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  27. I love what you're doing with the inks on different color paper. Sweet.

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  28. Your alcohol ink experiments are lovely, Linda. I felt the same as you (based on which one you chose to make a card). I like the soft front look that shows off the pattern on the vellum and I like it against light card stock because that preserves the soft look. Beautiful card!

    Bill was awesome and a very good sport.

    Bloom is my word of the year, so of course, I love your "Bloom where you're planted" card.

    What a fun post today!

    Happy T-day! Hugs, Eileen

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  29. Happy PPF and have a great weekend. Did you get my mail? Hugs, Valerie

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  30. Those ink cards look great! I especially like with the darker background, it brings out the details so beautifully. Oh that food looks absolutely delicious! Sounds like you had a great time there.

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  31. You made fantastic backgrounds, Linda, and the card is beautiful.
    You have had a fantastic celebration for your hubby! Congrats xx
    Happy PPF and weekend xx

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  32. All your art work is spectacular this week, Linda. I love the AI backgrounds. The back side is so vibrant and beautiful, but the designs on the vellum showing on the front made the pieces more dramatic.

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  33. Gorgeous cards, thanks for showing your progress with the alcohol inks, beautiful. I love middle eastern the food looks fantastic.

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  34. Hi Linda. I love the patterned vellum. I have never seen that before. I really like the white background, because the colors show through. The backs were impressive, too! I love the video of your husband dancing! What a good sport and he looked like he was really having fun. Great card as usual and journal page, too.

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  35. Super work as always, Linda. Love all those different effects and that card is just full of spring; just what I needed, it's been around -5 all week here and next week looks set to be the same. That food looks delicious, but there's no way I'd have done the dance, not even for a free skirt. LOL

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  36. Wow you've been busy. Lovely art and fun times out it seems.

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  37. Very pretty ink play! I like the dark card stock pieces. By your night out looks like such fun! The food looks delicious!

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  38. Hi Linda, You're obviously having way too much fun!!! Thanks for sharing your world!
    xo Irene

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  39. hahaha, he's moving very energetically, looks like he's got a natural talent for this ;-) What a great idea to use your inks on patterned vellum like that. The result is stunning! Let's hope your springtime card brings real spring very soon! Happy PPF!

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  40. You were right, this is definitely a fun-packed post! Great art, great cards, happy hubby and some fantastic looking food & family! YAY!!! Everything here left me with a HUGE smile on my face. Thank you! Have a wonderful week. Big hugz to you, Rasz

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  41. Oh my! That food looks incredibly delicious! YUM! Love your cards and the backgrounds under the vellum. The spring boots are super cute! :)

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  42. This is just a wonderful post. I love how you inked on the backside to get the effects that you did. Great photos and that card is fabulous.

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  43. Great art, and fun times, what could be better?

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  44. just love the "playing around" at the top. I think they are all gorgeous and could be used in different places :)

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  45. What a wonderful and fun post. Love your photos of your alcohol ink play. Your cards are lovely, so well designed.
    Happy PPF
    Tori :-)

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  46. Super fun post! love the cards, love the pictures! Thanks for joining us this week on Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog! Barbara

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  47. First off, I'm not one for foreign food but some of that looked delish to me! Your hubby is priceless! Love how the vellums turned out and my fave is on the dark card stock! Love your cards and the journal page, xoxo.

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Thank you so much for your comments; it's a pleasure to connect with you!