Keeping Creative During The Heat

 Yikes- another heat wave has hit us- too hot to be outdoors very long even for me! So I did what enjoy most- making delicious salads, baking, and playing in my art room!

 A bunch of pages in my art journals got splattered, sprayed and stenciled for great backgrounds. I used Dina Wakley Gloss Sprays and I should have taken a photo of what my hands looked like afterward:):) It took a bit of scrubbing to get them clean again- but I don't mind cuz I don't like wearing gloves unless absolutely necessary. What about you?

 So here is one completed page meant for Art Journal Journey (When It's Hot theme- and when it's hot I stay in and make art;), and the Simon Says Monday Blog Challenge (Art Journal):

 This page was done in the Dina Wakley Blue Media Journal-inside cover page.
Products: Dina Wakley- journal, Faces Collage Tissue, Words Collage Tissue, Leafy Stencil, Mini Favorites Stencil, Gloss Sprays- Turquoise, Lemon. Other- pink, blue Posca pens, Stabilo All black pencil. Speaking of gloss sprays and Dina Wakley- I am signed up for a class she has on all the ways you can create with gloss sprays. I plan on watching some of the videos and playing later.

 Two weeks ago Bleubeard and Elizabeth of Altered Book Lover celebrated the 7th anniversary of T Stands For Tuesday and some of us participated in making an ATC to send out to another person in the link who was also playing. We are sharing our happy mail and art with each other in today's post and link up. Do come and join us and see what everyone's been doing won't you?

Here are two ATCs I made- one I sent to Elizabeth and the other to Erika:

The backgrounds were cut from a paper towel mop up of ink sprays. I simply added a Dina Wakley Collage Collective circle (edges sponged with black ink), Chit Chat word stickers from Tim Holtz, washi tapes (Recollections), and dragonfly brads.

 And look what Elizabeth sent me:

 I love the darling ATC, and what's not to love about receiving ephemera to play with. I visited London many years ago and fell in love with the city and this postcard took me right back to those happy memories! The paper behind it is really special as it was handmade by Elizabeth. It has a beautiful feel and texture and I hope I can somehow do justice to it and show it off in my art projects along the way. Thank you thank you dear Elizabeth! And as we need something drink related to link up I will use her ATC with the kitty and teacup for my ticket in;)

 I made this tag for the Simon Says Wednesday Blog Challenge (Reach For The Stars):

 Products: manila tag, Texture Paste (Ranger); Tim Holtz- Falling Stars stencil, Paper Dolls, Quote Chips; Dina Wakley Collage Collective, Gloss Spray-white; Dylusions ink sprays- London Blue, After Midnight; Versafine Onyx Black ink; Diamond Stickles glitter glue (Ranger).

  And again I will end this post with my latest index card art for the Daisy Yellow Index Card a Day Challenge on IG. Only 4 more to go and I will have completed the 61 day challenge- woohoo!

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  Joining Paint Party Friday as usual also:) Have a super week everyone!

" Just try new things. Don't be afraid. Step out of your comfort zones and soar, all right?"  
                        Michelle Obama

Making a Splash

 How's everyone doing? Staying cool in the Northern Hemisphere? Many of us are enduring sweltering heat at the moment- a true heat wave with temps to near 100 and feeling even hotter with the humidity in my parts! How nice it would be to take a dip in the ocean now...

 This is the full journal journal page meant for Art Journal Journey for the theme this month of "When It's Hot" along with the Simon Says Monday Challenge for the theme of "A Day at The Beach", and the new theme at Try It On Tuesday "Summertime" ::

 This page is in the original Dina wakley Media Journal on one of the kraft pages.  Products: Dina Wakley paints- Marine, Lime, Peacock; Dina Wakley stencils- Pebble Hearts, Mini Favorites; Dina Wakley White Gloss Spray; pink, orange Posca pens; vintage clip art.

 On Sunday I had my Mom over (for the first time since early March d/t Covid -19!) to give her a belated little birthday celebration dinner. We only had our son and future DIL come also:

  Whenever we have more than 4 we move our table from the kitchen into the adjoining den for more room. That table set is over 35 years old- and you can see it -ach! I should have used a tablecloth to cover the worn edges. But as you can see I kept it very informal and simple. We had baked ziti, salads, rolls and wine and water. And then dessert:

I made a sponge cake with homemade whipped cream, strawberries and blueberries - a favorite light, summer dessert. Two more photos of our gathering:

 Cheers to the gang at T Stands For Tuesday! Note: although I do read your posts Karen I am unable to leave any comments on your site-sorry:(


 Another journal page:

 In the Dina Wakley Media Journal on a cotton rag watercolor page. I made this for the Dina Wakley/Ranger Year of Gratitude Challenge. The June prompt was "I am grateful for second chances". I just finished the July page but I'll save that one for next week;)
 Products: Dina Wakley Collage faces tissue paper; Dina Wakley Pebble Hearts , Mini Favorites stencils; Dina Wakley paints- Sedona, Fuschia, Blackberry; Black Marabu Art Spray; Blue, Pink dry chalks.

 And I'll end my post again with my latest batch of index card art for the 61 day ICAD Challenge on Instagram:

                                                         ICAD 44/61

                                                        ICAD 45/61

                                                        ICAD 46/61

                                                        ICAD 47/61

                                                        ICAD 48/61

                                                      ICAD 49/61

                                                            ICAD 50/61

 Linking with Paint Party Friday also.  Have a cool, safe week everyone!

" Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstances."     Bruce Barton

Thalassophile - that's me!

 The word comes from Greek origins and means "lover of the sea". Sadly and most likely we won't be having our beach week in Delaware with our friends- first summer in many years:(:( Delaware was just added to the "quarantine" list along with an increasing number of states. That means once we got back to PA we'd have to self quarantine for 14 days! Hubby is still working so he can't just take 14 days off with no pay. And another couple who go are in the same predicament. Oh how I miss seeing the ocean... so I will make do with many happy memories and creating beach/summer themed art.

 The tag above is for Tag Tuesday's new challenge "The Sea". In two of the corners of the vintage image I used actual jingle shells I had collected over the years and just crushed some to put on my art projects.

 In keeping with the theme of "When It's Hot" this month over at Art Journal Journey  I have this journal page to share:

 The colorful blue strips? They are painter's tape strips I had used to mask a border for another page and when I peeled them off I knew I had to reuse them in my art somehow! Page is in the Dina Wakley Blue Edition Media Journal. For the sunray stencil (Tim Holtz) I used Dina Wakley Lemon and a bit of Cheddar paints. Sentiment and image from a magazine clip art folder I keep. And I would SO love to have that dress:)

 There is a special celebration going on at T Stands For Tuesday as it is the 7th year Bleubeard and Elizabeth of Altered Book Lover have been hosting. Stop by, give Elizabeth some love, and do visit the other links to see how varied our posts can be- and then join in won't you? It truly is a place I look forward to each week! Thank you for providing us such a lovely place to gather weekly and congratulations on 7 years- here's to many more!! Edited in: Forgive me for not visiting you Karen but I am not able to leave a comment on your blog:(  Oh, I need a beverage related photo to link and here it is:

 I made a batch of the Apple Cinnamon Quinoa for breakfast again:) We do love this! I have the link for the post that includes this recipe under the "Recipes" tab just below my blog header:)

 Now on to my latest ICADS  (Index Card a Day) Challenge I am participating in on Instagram:

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    Loving my self imposed challenge of using only a few paint colors or Gloss Sprays along with bits from the Collage Collective book (all Dina Wakley products), perhaps a tissue paper scrap, spatters, Posca pen marks for my one word affirmation card series.

  And that does it for me this time around. Also happy to link with Paint Party Friday!

" There's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away."     Sarah Kay

Summer Heat

  Opening today with my hydrangea bush. I don't know what variety it is but I am thrilled with the number of blooms this year! I've been having to water twice a day though because we are in the midst of a very hot (upper 90's feeling like about 100 in the sun!) heat wave. But along with that there are chances of some heavy thunderstorms throughout the week. I hope so because our grass is starting to get brown:(

 Especially on these super hot days I like to make  light dinners - lots of salads and veggies - and so I will share Saturday's meal with the gang over at T Stands For Tuesday:

 I wish I would have gotten a proper photo with the platter of veggies(in the upper left corner) but hubby was hungry and wanted to eat-lol!  Grilled salmon with lemon, rosemary, and capers. Along with that I made a Niçoise salad with lettuce, red beets, green beans, black olives, artichoke hearts, cucumbers and tomatoes. I even made a homemade tarragon dressing which goes so well with this. And a glass of Pinot Noir :)  Cheers!

 It's my Mom's 78th birthday on Thursday so I made this card for her:

 The sentiment is old and I don't know who made it. Pearls are from Michaels. Other: Neenah Solar White Classic  card stock; Altenew Antique Roses stamp and die set. Foam mounting tape. Inks: Archival - Jet Black, Maroon,Pink Peony, Rose Madder, Leaf Green, Chartreuse. Staz On- Forest Green, Adirondak- Red Pepper.Seashell Pink- Ranger.
 Sharing this card with the Simon Wednesday Blog Challenge (Bright and Cheerful).

There is a new challenge for this month over at Art Journal Journey and hosted by Erika who chose the theme of "When it's Hot", and a new theme for the Simon Says Monday Blog Challenge "Play with Paint" featuring Dina Wakley products so I am IN:)

  Journal page in the Dina Wakley Blue Edition Media Journal. This is one of the heavy 100% cotton rag watercolor pages and I love the texture of it! Products: Dina Wakley paint - Ocean; Dina Wakley Scribble Stick- Cheddar; Craft Smart paint- Foliage; Artists Loft Paint- Deep Red; vintage clip art; Black Stabilo All pencil; scrap of mesh, burlap; circle, bubble stencils (unknown); Tim Holtz Small Talk Occasions Stickers. Boy would I love to be at the beach right now...

 And here are my latest index cards for the ICAD (Index Card a Day) Challenge I am participating in on Instagram:

 For July it will be one word affirmations. Dina Wakley paints or Gloss Sprays, Collage Collective, clear stamp(You are). Versafine Onyx Black ink; Posca pens; colored tissue paper scraps; Tim Holtz mini stapler. Creating variations using the same style and products for the month of July:

       ICAD 30/61. This one was the last in June for this series and style.

                                                            ICAD 31

                                                            ICAD 32

                                                            ICAD 33

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                                                             ICAD 36

 Ha- it just dawned on me that these cards would work for the Simon Says Monday Challenge too;)

 Joining Paint Party Friday with this post as well. Happy week everyone!

" Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time."   John Lubbock