Diving Into Art Challenges

 How have you been? Has the weather been OK in your parts? Our heat wave has finally ended and it is now quite delightful-even a bit cool in the early AM! Sadly the next season is sneaking in- leaves are falling, and the sun is setting a good 20 minutes earlier now:(. I'm still hanging on to summer though.

 Today (Monday) is Kyra's birthday so Sunday we had her, Todd and my Mom over for dinner. Her request was a steak and rice stir fry. We also had a salad and fresh baked Tuscan garlic bread before having the chocolate cake for dessert. A few pics:

 Kyra loves her dry red wine (that's my girl!) so we got her a nice bottle and a bottle aerator.

 She adores "Baby Groot" (it's a character from a movie but I don't recall what movie as I hadn't seen it-maybe some of you know) and was thrilled I found a Baby Groot online that she can use as a planter or pencil holder!!

 and besides wine, this girl loves her chocolate! So I made her a dark chocolate cake with mini chocolate chips, and a chocolate glaze. Happy birthday Kyra!!

 I'll share our drinks with the gals over at T Stands For Tuesday :)

 Finally getting back into the swing of things by entering some of my favorite blog art challenges. First up this card is for the Simon Wednesday Challenge (CAS) which I made for Kyra:

 Products: large white notecard; Neenah Classic Solar White #110 card stock; Tim Holtz Plaid Layering stencil; Altenew Peony Bouquet stamp and die set, Label Love set; Inks: Archival - Rose Madder, Sky Blue, Leaf Green. Distress ink - Mowed Lawn; Colorbox Fluid Chalk ink - Prussian Blue; Versafine Onyx Black ink; Simon Says Stamp Moonshine Sequins.

 For the Simon Monday Challenge ("S" is for...) and Tag Tuesday (Purple) I made a Halloween tag:

"S" is for my Sassy witch! Manila tag sponged with Inkadinkado Pearlescent Purple spray ink. The witch collage ATC is one I designed for ARTchix Studio some time ago. Other products: Marabu Black Art Spray; Archival Jet Black ink; spider ribbon (Celebrate It!); sentiment (Tim Holtz Small Talk Occasions Stickers); bat sticker, and black enamel dot (Recollections).

 And a journal page meant for Art Journal Journey (theme is Anything With Eyes), and Paint Party Friday:

     These were just the beginning layers to my page-lol

 The finished page in my 8" x 10" Dina Wakley Media journal. Other products: Dina Wakley Collage Tissue Words and washi tape; acrylic paints; gesso; stencils; music sheet and dictionary papers; Posca Pens; Stabilo All black pencil. The face is one I've painted before and made a photocopy of the outlines to trace and to recreate on this page.

 Enjoy the last of our August days my friends!

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. 

For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed”.

- Khalil Gibran 

Back From The Beach

 Hello peeps! I know it's been awhile since my last post but we spent a full week away in Fenwick Island, DE with our usual group of friends as we have been doing for some years now. And it was great as always!

  We had a super fun night when one of the couples gifted us each with bags of goodies! The girls all got similar cover ups like the one I'm wearing along with a hat, flip flops with a gold starfish charm, and a starfish lavender sachet. The guys all got a shirt with little sharks on them, fun sea themed socks, and hats too. Too bad I can't share other pics as some didn't want themselves posted...

 We had our traditional lobster and champagne dinner -yum. Cheers to the T gang over at Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog where we gather each Tuesday and share a drink related post- I've missed you guys! We went across to the bay side one evening to catch a lovely sunset:

 When we returned home from our vacation I found a most lovely bit of mail from Eileen from our 6 year T Stands for Tuesday anniversary ATC swap:

 She made an ATC triptych with beautiful teacup images, and the Eiffel Tower :). And what wonderful, generous bits to play with too! Thanks so very much Eileen- and sorry for the long delay in posting!

 For this month's theme at Art Journal Journey (anything with eyes) hosted by Gill I have this journal page from my Dylusions Creative Dyary Journal:

 The background was an under paper I used from other projects but I liked all the colors so I glued it onto my page. I then added the Dina Wakley collage face from the Dina Wakley Collage Collective book and added some pencil markings to extend some of the lines of her drawing. Faux stitches(Whimsy Stamps) were stamped with Versafine Onyx Black ink, and the quote is Dina Wakley Collage Words tissue papers.

 Finally I'll share the last of the index cards I made for the Index Card a Day Challenge held June 1- July 31:

#54/61

#55/61

#56/61

#57/61

#58/61

#59/61

I'll also share this with Moo Mania and More (theme is butterflies).

#60/61

#61/61!

 It was a fun challenge and certainly kept me on my creative toes for sure!

 That's it for me for now. I'll also share this post with Paint Party Friday. Really looking forward to catching up with you all again!

"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you."  Frank Lloyd Wright