A Big Mix Of Subjects

 Lots to share for this week so I'll just begin - with this birthday card for a friend:

 Products: lg white notecard; blue, green, yellow, pink cardstock; patterned paper; happy birthday/balloons die set (Our Daily Bread Designs); Spellbinders die cut machine; Versafine Onyx Black in; Versamark ink (Tsukineko); floral stamp (Magenta); assorted rhinestones.

 Linking with the Simon Wednesday Challenge (Anything Goes).

For T Stands For Tuesday I have a few pics from a local winery friends and I visited earlier this month- Black River Farms Winery:

                                                      the tasting bar

                                                      I liked this sign

                                upper level tasting room for private parties

                                  one corner of the vineyard

me and hubby on left along with the friends we go to the beach with for a week every August. The wine was OK but a bit sweet (even the dry ones) and to me local state wines around our area just don't have the depth and richness I enjoy. We had a fun time tho and the owners were really nice, giving us a tour and talk about their equipment and process. Speaking of friends,  Tuesday will be busy for me as I am hosting lunch for my BFFS since elementary(primary) school. Guaranteed fun and lots of laughs!

 I have one more Halloween themed journal page (part of my October calendar journal):

 My page was painted after watching the Art Sherpa You Tube video "Day and Night Cats Willow Tree".  I took the main ideas but changed it a bit :)  Joining Moo Mania and More (theme is Halloween) and Paint Party Friday.

 Going off the art track here- just for a bit , and then I'll end with another journal page.

 This is my cleaned up main art table:

 I am continuing the clean up, clean out, letting go, and purging... and not just things.
Last Friday morning I made the decision to let go of a relationship that was no longer serving me. It has taken me a long time to acknowledge this and although my most supportive tribe has known it quite awhile I had to come to this myself. I was continually compromising over and over again, accepting constant excuses for disappointing behaviors with no apologies. I now realize looking back that this person is  turning a blind eye as to how their actions have affected all of their relationships in one way or another. Although it wasn't easy because there were good times too I know in my heart I made the right decision. Another life lesson that will only help me grow. You know that adage-people come into your life- for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.
 Thanks for listening and now I really would love to hear from you- have you ever had to let go of a friendship that was no longer serving you? How did you handle it? How did you feel afterwards?

 And here is another journal page:

 Background is a combination of Distress Oxide and Distress inks and stencils. Acrylic paint spatters. Silhouette wildflowers stencil (Magenta), Mosaic layering stencil (Tim Holtz), bird stencil (Stencil Girl), circle stamps (Ellen Hutson), stitches stamps (Whimsy stamps), bee stamp (Magenta), Stickles glitter glue.
 Joining Art Journal Journey (thank you Elke for hosting your theme of "Landscapes of the Soul" this month!); Mix It Monthly (autumn); the Simon Monday Challenge (All creatures Great and Small); Try It on Tuesday (Circles), and Paint Party Friday! Talk about serendipity-I didn't know this page would link to so many challenges when I made it over the weekend:)

 Will be around to see what you all are up to - the best part of blogging to me is the connecting!
Leaving you with some words of wisdom...

" Buddhism teaches that joy and happiness arise from letting go. Please sit down and take inventory of your life. There are things you've been hanging on to that really are not useful and deprive you of your freedom. Find the courage to let them go."        Thich Nhat Hanh

From Spooky To Spiritual

Hi there peeps! How are things in your neck of the woods? We have continued to enjoy gorgeous summer like weather later than I can ever remember-awesome! It's about to change quickly though but I'm ready for it.

 Halloween is fast approaching so I have another tag to share:

 Products: manila tag (Ranger); patterned paper (Me and My Big Ideas); Versafine Onyx Black ink; Tim Holtz paper Dolls; Spooky tag and enamel dot (Recollections); Spiders/web stickers (the Paper Studio); bird stickers (Nicole). Joining Moo Mania and More (Halloween); Tag Tuesday (Halloween/Autumn); and the Simon Monday Challenge (Monochrome).

 I have one last meal to share from our last visit to Cape May. We always have one nice dinner at The Merion Inn - a really lovely place we have been going to for a number of years now. The ambiance is lovely as is the piano entertainment, and the food is always excellent!

                                              Caesar Salad - my favorite!

         Crab stuffed flounder for Bill (and it was a very generous portion),

     and broiled scallops, jasmine rice and green beans for me. I pretty much always go with scallops when we dine here.  Sorry if I made you hungry again. Perhaps for next week for the T Stands For Tuesday gang it'll just be tea :)

 And I have a special journal page to share. First I wish to thank Susi for sharing her beautiful page along with the link for the free workshop provided by Laly Mille ( merci beaucoup Laly!). Unfortunately it was offered only for the week and is no longer available but it was a nice introduction representing the artist, her style, and her spirituality combined. And it couldn't have come to me at a more perfect time.

 I was not in a good place last Friday and decided to go for a long walk to clear my mind. I came back and went online and went to Susi's latest post. I went to the link she provided and that was it. I began to listen to Laly. I prepared myself by putting a combination of essential oils in my diffuser (Sage-for cleansing, Cypress - for opening, and Lemongrass- for inspiring). Then I chose two cards from my Law Of Attraction deck to inspire me:

 I went through the breathing, meditating and visualizing guided by Laly and I was completely in the zone. Immediately after watching the art instruction video (Your True North Star) I went up to my room to create my page.

This doesn't look anything like Laly's example even though it began that way. Somehow my piece took on a life of its own, the layers of writing and collage papers pretty much got covered up with paint layers and became Impressionistic. I wasn't able to capture the glitter on my north star in my photo but it's there. I love that every time I look at this page it will take me to my calming center, AND my true north star.  Sharing with Art Journal Journey (Landscapes of the Soul hosted this month by Elke), and Paint Party Friday. Wishing you a connection to YOUR true north star.

            " Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves,
              we have had our summer evenings,
              now for October eves!"    
                                                         Humbert Wolfe

Falling Into Fall

 Finally the weather is turning and it truly feels like fall. The trees are beginning to get bare, the air is crisp today-AND we may get our first frost overnight! Looks like I'll finally be putting my summer annuals to rest, but I love that they lasted for so long.

 I have a tag meant for  The Simon Monday Challenge ( It's a Dog's Life), Tag Tuesday ( Autumn and/or Halloween), and Try It On Tuesday (Halloween) :

 This is a shot of the background:

 I thought it came out pretty cool and almost didn't want to cover it up:)

 A larger pic of the finished tag:

 Products: manila tag (Ranger); Tim Holtz Paper Dolls, Mosaic Layering stencil; modeling paste (Liquitex); Distress inks- Soot, Vintage Photo; Distress Spray Stain- Fossilized Amber; Dylusions Ink Sprays- Lemon Zest, Black Marble; foam skeleton head (Creatology); witch hat sticker (Nicole); Tim Holtz Seasonal Chit Chat stickers; bat sticker (Recollections); spider ribbon (Michaels).

 My beverage and food of choice this week for T  Stands For Tuesday:

 This is outside our motel room in Cape May. One morning we decided to make our coffee there and walk around the corner to pick up a few goodies at a newly opened bakery. Unfortunately I didn't take my camera with me-but it looked like a fancy bakery in Europe-and the pastries were just as good! We both had a pain au chocolat and Bill also had a currant scone. 

 Our view from our room:

 I have an autumn inspired journal page:

 A coat of gesso was applied to the page. I put dots of Golden High Flow inks (Nickel Azo Gold, Quinacridone Red, and Green Gold) randomly around the page then used a wad of deli paper to smoosh the inks around. Black spatters were added with watered down black acrylic paint. Leaves (Darkroom Door) were stencilled on. Glued on a patterned paper scrap and Tim Holtz Ideaology Quote Chip. Wrote sentiment with a black Molotow pen.

 Joining with Art Journal Journey (theme is Landscapes Of The Soul); Mix It Monthly (theme is Autumn) and Paint Party Friday. 

 I got some new cookbooks to read (and hopefully find some new good recipes!). I love reading cookbooks and these three really appealed to me as they have a wealth of good information. Best of all I got them from a bookseller (via a catalogue) for only a few dollars a piece compared to what they wanted for them on Amazon!

  

Do you like to read cookbooks? What are you currently reading?

 Lastly- I am still cleaning out/purging and took 2 bags of clothes, 1 bag of shoes and purses away-yay! and that inspired me to get my 2018 planner ready to go! You can see the original one in this post along with links and the YouTube video that I used.

 For the front and back covers I simply resized and printed out two of my pieces of art and slipped them into the plastic to change them from last years. Oops- should have changed the color cartridge before printing the back side one! Then I printed out the monthly calendar pages and weekly pages for each month from Scattered Squirrel (free!). I kept the same pockets and dividers I had made last year. Done!

  That's it for now.  Coming soon- some abstract art and photoshop play, a winery tour, and who knows what else:) XO

" Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day."
                                                                                                         Shira Tamir

                                               don't you just LOVE this quote?

When It's Raining...

make art and edit photos! The very warm muggy weather (yes, it STILL feels like summer here despite all the falling leaves; upper 70's to 80's F -yes!) has brought us a few dreary, rainy days (remnants of tropical storm Nate). Perfect for going through our many Cape May photos. So before getting to the art part here are a few more pics of places we visited for the first time. After 25 years of going we can still find new adventures:)

St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church in Cape May Point. Built in  1885 in the "carpenter gothic style" architecture. I love visiting churches and cathedrals. A few photos of the inside:

 

 There is a poem along with this beautiful mosaic on the wall when you first walk in.

Above and below: walking toward the front of the church. And on the right is one of the stained glass windows along the sides.

 Services are still held there during the summer.

Besides all the stained glass, the ceiling is amazing! There is an old general store across the street from this church:

The only little "convenience" store in Cape May Point.  The monarch butterflies were everywhere-so many of them migrating, and they especially loved these bushes in front of both the church and the store:

Don't know what kind of bushes these are- anyone? I'd love to find one to plant in my backyard.
At the back of the store is a small restaurant and we went there the next morning for brunch:

  Coffee for us both. A vegetable quiche for me and pancakes for hubby. Delicious! Sharing my cuppa with T Stands For Tuesday.

  For Tag Tuesday (All Creatures Great and Small) , the Simon Monday Challenge (Anything but a Card) and Try It On Tuesday (Halloween) I have this:

Large manila tag painted white, then  Deco Art One Step Crackle was applied around the edges. After cured, the edges were sponged with black Archival ink. Added materials: bat stickers, spider, boo tag, brad, washi tape twine (Recollections). Felt owl (JoAnne stores). Assorted fibers and ribbons.

 My first Christmas card this year made for "World Card Making Day" for the Simon Says Stamp Blog, and the Simon Wednesday Challenge (Christmas):

 Products: snow bear rubber stamp (OLD! PSX ); sentiment (Stampa Rosa (another oldie); Neena 110 lb. solar white paper (Simon Says Stamp); navy cardstock; Jet Black Archival ink; alcohol markers; Spellbinders die cut machine; Spellbinders Standard Circles Lg dies; Our Daily Bread Designs Stitched Circles dies; glitter glues (Ranger); Moonshine Assorted Sequins (Simon Says Stamp).

 And for Art Journal Journey ( Landscapes of the Soul); and Paint Party Friday  I have a journal page:

 It began like this:

Art script (Wow! stamps) was stamped repeatedly over the page with Jet Black Archival ink. Dots of baby blue, ochre,  and white acrylic paints were added and then brayered over the page with a sponge brayer. A baby wipe was used to remove paint through Darkroom Door Ferns stencil.

 Fossilized Amber Distress spray ink was sprayed thru Tim Holtz Mosaic layering stencil then Distress Fired Brick was sponged on thru the Studio 490 Basically Bricks stencil. To complete the page: black paint was sponged thru Home Decor wheat stencil. Circle collage (Studio 490 Stampers Anonymous) stamped on with Jet Black Archival ink. Bird stencil (Stencil Girl) added with black paint. Stitches (Whimsy Stamps) stamped across bottom of circle. Black and white watered down paint was spattered over the page. Computer generated quote by Henry Ward Beecher was glued on and edged with charcoal.

  Thanks for bearing with this photo heavy post if you made it to the end here:). Will be around visiting you throughout the week! XO

       " To play is to yield oneself to a kind of magic."        Hugo Rahner

Back From The Beach Again

 Hi there! Sorry to have missed the wonderful things you all have been up to the last almost two weeks now-yikes- but hubby and I were able to get another trip in to Cape May, NJ for 5 days to celebrate our 34th anniversary. The weather was perfect-like mid summer rather than the beginning of autumn. And of course I just soaked it all up:) Just a few pics (I'll share more another time) then on to the art.

 The gulls were everywhere and totally unafraid of humans. They were just about on my towel-and I didn't have any food on me!

                   One of several sunsets we enjoyed sitting on the beach near our motel.

 For T Stands For Tuesday (hi guys!) I'm sharing lunch at Delaney's Irish Pub, our first stop after settling in:

      Hubby's choice- a turkey club, fries and a beer.

 and I had a CA grilled chicken wrap and a glass of sauvignon blanc along with lemon water. The food here never disappoints!

 I made this card for our anniversary:

Here's a detail shot so you can better see the gold leaf I used on the feathers:

 Products:
white cardstock, feather stamp (Magenta), black detail embossing powder, Versamark inkpad, Versafine Onyx Black inkpad, stitched rectangles dies (Our Daily Bread Designs), Spellbinders die cut machine, Duo embossing adhesive (US Artquest), patterned gold leaf gilding paper, blue and yellow markers, sentiment stamp (DeNami Design).

 Linking to the Simon Wednesday Blog Challenge (anything goes).

 I may have just missed the cut off but I made this steampunk inspired tag for Tag Tuesday. Also joining Moo Mania and More with the theme of "Up in the air".

     The hot air balloon is from a purchased acetate sheet. I used colored glitter glue behind  the image before adhering it to the tag.

For the Simon Monday challenge  (theme this week is A Walk on the Dark Side) I have this ATC:

Patterned paper, assorted ribbons and fibers, collage sheet image, sentiment clear stamp - studio g, orange marker, yellow glitter glue, Versafine Onyx Black ink.


My September calendar spread (the second part ) was finally completed:

and I have also done the first half of my October spreads:

 Watercolors on the left and an acrylic painting on the right.  I was inspired to create this page watching Angela Anderson's  You Tube video. Edited In: So sorry, this was not from Angela's channel but from Painting With Jane.  I had been watching a variety of videos and got the artists mixed up. My bad. It's the first time I followed and painted along and I loved it! I learned some great tips along the way and love how it turned out. I am planning on doing a few more:) Here are a few  close ups:

 Joining in at Art Journal Journey (Landscapes of the Soul), Mix It Monthly ( theme is "Autumn"), and of course Paint Party Friday!

 It's going to be so much fun catching up with everyone again. Be well, and see you soon.

      " Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile."           William Cullent Bryant