a T kind of Day

  A big hello to my friends over at Altered Book Lover for T Stands for Tuesday! For this week's entry I am going to make you hungry :)

 Recently my 3 BFFS  since elementary(primary) school got together for an afternoon of antique shopping and lunch in the tiny nearby town of Bath. We ended up spending a few hours just looking, laughing(lots!) and reminiscing about the huge variety of vintage items in this shop. What fun! It certainly gave us an appetite so we walked to the nearby Red Wolf Bar and Grille.

 The menu has 6 pages and there is definitely something for everyone. We all chose one of the wraps and agreed they were excellent!

 I had this Campus wrap made with grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, mozzarella and balsamic vinegar, and we all stuck to water with lemon. Definitely worth another visit for lunch again!

 Still making Valentines (just can't seem to stop:). Another card:

 vintage image and patterned paper (ARTchix Studio), silver card stock (Canvas Corp), rub on words (Royal and Langnickel Brush Co.) Linking this to the Simon Wednesday Challenge (Anything Goes).

 and these mixed media ATCs are for the Simon Monday Challenge this week - " Pets Corner" :

  Substrates are painted paper, stamped kraft paper, and torn corrugated cardboard. The faux poste images are ARTchix Studio-and YES, I use products and images often, but that is because I swear I have a lifetime supply! I had designed some collage sheet images and Helga (owner) was always so very generous in sending extra sheets and goodies. The vintage image on the right is from Retro Café Art. Paw print rubber stamp (All Night Media, script rubber stamp (Love to Stamp). Ribbon (Celebrate It). The sweet cocker spaniel on the left is a picture of my friend LuAnn's dog Ginger who is now just over 16 yrs old. LuAnn designed this postage which says "my sweet angel". And that she is <3.
Sorry; by the looks of this photo in preview I either need new eyes -or a new camera:):)

 I am also joining in at Try It On Tuesday (theme is "hearts and flowers") and later this week - Paint Party Friday.  Special post coming up on Wednesday ;)

Your heart is the size of an ocean. Go find yourself in its hidden depths."    Rumi

Sharing The Love

 Hello lovelies. Thanks so much for taking the time to pop in. I just love the blogging community and getting to know so many of you thru cyberspace!

 Still in Valentine mode so I have a few more cards to share first:

  These are for the new challenge this week over at the Simon Monday Challenge Blog which is "Spread Your Wings". The vintage image on the left is a rub on from Royal and Langnickel Brush Company. The papers have been in my stash quite awhile so I don't know the manufacturer. Vintage lace was glued down and Stickles glitter glue was added to it. The vintage image on the right is from Retro Café Art. The black and white card stock is American Crafts and the felt heart is from JoAnn Stores.

 Speaking of love, my friend Betsy recently got married so I made this card to celebrate their day:

 Silver paper from my stash, sentiment (clear stamp set Stampabilities), dimensional sticker (unknown), rhinestone. The Dot Scallop Border is a die I recently got from the Simon Says Stamp Shop and I LOVE!!! it. I have been die cutting like crazy with this:)

 For my T Stands For Tuesday peeps I have a healthy drink to share:

 Curried Carrot Soup I made using my NutriBullet. A wonderful warm drink on a cold winter's day!

 A journal page:

  The background is a deli paper Gelli Plate print. The dress and heart are prints from card stock. Face and hair painted with acrylics then detailed with gel pens, navy, black, and white pencil and charcoal.

Close up of the hair:

 Joining Art Journal Journey hosted by Erika this month with the theme of  "Tell Me A Story". I am also joining Try It On Tuesday (theme is "anything but square") and Paint Party Friday at the end of the week.

Have a super week ahead!

" Happiness comes when you are doing something because you really love to do it, and not because it gives you riches or makes you a prominent person."   Jiddu Krishnamurti

Just Chillin'

 Oh yeah-it has been very cold again so of course I mostly stayed in and decided to "chill out" by getting a head start on some simple Valentine cards. "Chill out" is the theme this week at the Simon Says Monday Challenge blog. Open for interpretation. Just go and see what the DT made! You have a week to link up-and there is a $50 GC up for grabs every week too! Won't you join in?

 The first card was made with a vintage image from Retro Café Art and the patterned paper is a  Gelli Plate print. For the second card I used a vintage image from ARTchix Studio and the patterned card stock is American Crafts.

 I have a few more cards in the works but haven't completed. And the proof is in the pudding- just look at this:

 and that was only on the spare bed-you should have seen my art table LOL!

   I did manage to also finish this postcard:

 Materials: watercolor paper, gesso , French dictionary page, torn pieces of Gelli Plate printed deli paper, vintage image (Retro Café Art) Versafine Onyx Black ink, Distress Vintage Photo ink, rubber stamp (Hero Arts), tiny heart brad, vintage clip art (unknown). I finished it by sewing the edges.

 I am also linking this post to T Stands For Tuesday and Moo Mania and More for the theme of "love".

 Some super exciting news has me pretty busy right now (which I can't mention yet but there are some hints in this post:) that has me arting up a storm but I shall continue to get in as many of the online challenges as I can . And on a final note- WE JUST GOT OUR TICKETS TO SEE IL VOLO!! AND, in the 5TH ROW CENTER this time!!! Woohoooo! So many good things happening to wile away the winter. I think I'll make it through:)

Stay warm, or stay cool depending on where you are. Thank you so much for popping in. I'll be around to visit during the week:) And of course I'll join in at Paint Party Friday too!

     " Do it now. Because sometimes 'later' becomes 'never'. "  Unknown

Taking On Some Challenges

the art kind of course! It has been bitter cold and windy with some bouts of snow so it's a perfect time to stay in, continue on my "cleansing" path, and make more art too. Oh, and make some get away plans. I already have 3 beach trips lined up and a visit to the Adirondacks in NY to spend time with my dear friend LuAnn in her new home! Always good to have something to look forward to.
 What do you ( in the Northern hemisphere) do to wile away the winter?

 I decided I wanted to make a new journal dedicated to calendar pages so I began with a 7" x 10" Strathmore watercolor journal. I covered the front with Victorian tissue paper and edged it with washi tape:

 Linking to Try It On Tuesday for the theme to use tissue.

 Here are my spreads for January:

 They will all be done in a similar format. Similar to the DLP Project I had seen people doing the last few years. Watercolors to separate the days on the left and art to coordinate on the right. The new year piece is a napkin to which I added glitter(doesn't show), cardboard numbers painted black and doodles all about.

On the right- printed deli paper background, collage elements from Oprah magazine. A reminder to self:):)

 I decided I needed to do some type of calendar/documentation as I missed not doing any the last two years. It's such a great way to tell the story of one's year by writing daily snippets. And this segs into linking to Art Journal Journey hosted by Erika this month with the theme of  " every journal page tells a story".

 Speaking of calendars I was gifted a Paris/ French themed calendar for Christmas and today I am sharing the January art with my friends at T Stands For Tuesday:

Lastly I have a journal page that celebrates the Chinese New Year (January 28) along with the theme of "Asia" over at Moo Mania and More.

The good luck image and rooster are rubber stamps and a combination of Asian themed papers and tissue were used for the collage.

 Also linking up later this week to Paint Party Friday. Have a super week everyone-see you soon!

" Act as if you are worthy of what you want, and the universe will demonstrate that your faith is justified."    Alan Cohen

Welcome 2017!!

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you were able to enjoy some quiet time during the holidays. I had a nice break but did miss posting and visiting while taking the time off. And I am READY for a new year!

 Time to say goodbye to Christmas decorations...

Time to play with new art supplies:

                  some stencils, masks and stamps from Magenta

                  new pens (some to replace completely used ones) from Jetpens

    and a few more stencils from Collage Stuff-each of which only cost me $2 !!

So, who else got some new art supplies-and what are they?? Do tell:)

Anyone choose a new word/phrase for the year??? You can see mine in the detail pic at the top.

                                                              CLEANSE.

 I recently read the book 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up' and enjoyed it very much. Have any of you read it? Now, I have NO plans to be so drastic with some of the techniques however I knew this and my chosen word comes at a perfect time. Especially after having renovations done and needing to look for places to store more stuff until everything was completed.Yikes! I'm going to cleanse that which doesn't serve me or my well being any longer-no matter what it is. Clothes. Books. Mementos. Art supplies. Etc.

 I created my affirmation page from a bonus lesson in Tam Laporte's LifeBook 2015 online class. Another great new lesson and technique.

And look what I spotted only after I finished it (text on the left side):

wow! I'm always awed when this happens.

 I also made a dream board/ mood board page :

 Cut and paste collage using calendar pics, Oprah magazine and a few stickers.

 So looking forward to connecting with you again. Joining with T Stands For Tuesday; The Simon Monday Challenge (Start Afresh); Art Journal Journey (new monthly theme is "Every Journal Page Tells A Story" hosted by Erika) and Paint Party Friday. See you soon!

" A simple celebration, a gathering of friends; here is wishing you great happiness, a joy that never ends."        Zahid  Abas