Monday, July 6, 2020

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

                                                           ICAD 34

                                                             ICAD 35

                                                             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

33 comments:

  1. our hydrangeas are doing well too, maybe it's a good year for them. The wascally wabbits ate all our hasta buds, though. We were sitting in the garden and they started nibbling right in front of us.

    be well... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  2. I do like this beach lady for the When It's Hot challenge Linda. It fits perfectly and I love the way you color the background and how it feels like the water at the beach. And very nice ICADS too. I like the series you made of them. And I'm with you about light meals on these hot summer nights. Stay cool! Happy T day and thanks for joining us at Art Journal Journey and my July challenge. HHugs-Erika

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  3. I haven't had salmon in a long time and I really love it. we are eating allot of salads too Your hydrangea is lovely. we are hot and humid here still Great piece for the hot challenge, and I really enjoy seeing your icad's
    Hope you get some good rain soon Happy T hugs Kathy

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  4. Fabulous art, love all of the pieces, and your ICADS are SUPER!!! Great journal page, wow! And lovely food, I would love a plate of that salad right now! Happy T Day, and have a wonderful week, hugs, Valerie

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  5. AHA! So it´s YOU who get´s all the heat and we have to freeze our butts off! (just kidding, but it´s really way too cold for summer here).
    Same here, Hubby wants to EAT, get over and done with your (stupid) food pic!

    Happy Birthday to your Mom then and I do love the lady in the swim suit a lot. To the left I have a card from flow magazine, a lady in a red bikini holding a ukulele.
    One can dream of summer at least!
    Aw, so nice to see all the poitivity in your ICADs. And the quote, 100% true, happy T-day!

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  6. Its a fabulous page for Erika's theme at Art Journal Journey thank you for linking with us all.Its a super picture of the bathing belle.
    All your art projects are lovely.
    I think your meal looked delicious and perfect for warm summer days.
    Stay safe and Happy T day wishes.
    YVonne xx

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  7. I like the flowers on that hydrangea. Parts of my lawn turned brown two weeks ago, due to the unusually hot and dry weather we're having here in Connecticut. Your food looks delicious on those lovely plates. Your artwork is fantastic. Nice card that you made for your mother. Happy T-Day!

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  8. I've never seen a hydrangea like that. Gorgeous! I enjoyed looking at your art, especially those ICADs. Happy Birthday to your mom! These days make celebrations difficult. Happy T Tuesday

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  9. Beautiful hydranga. I love your journal page for When its hot! awesome.
    Happy T day!

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  10. What a beautiful hydrangea. It is a different type than what I am used to seeing, so it is extra special.
    A happy birthday to your mum and I'm sure she will love her pretty card.
    Your ICADs are great. As is the 'hot' journal page.
    Happy T-Day,
    Lisca

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  11. Beautiful artwork! The salad and veggies looks so yummy too 😀. Sending you Happy T Day wishes! Hugs, Jo x

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  12. Love the cards ~ not artwork is divine ~

    Thanks for your online support for me when Zoe went 'over the rainbow' ~ Xox

    Be Safe, Be Well,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  13. I've never seen hydraneas that pink. Not my color, but still very pretty. The card you made your mother is very pretty. Happy Birthday to her. 🎂💐Your dinner looks so fancy and I laughed about not getting a picture because someone was to hungry to wait. Great crop of ICADs. Take care and Happy T Day

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  14. It is 90s here, too, and 100s in the forecast for this week! We water our potted plants several times a day, too. We need rain! Before I forget it, I love the photo for your header! What a beautiful card you made for your mom, in fact gorgeous. You mention her age; I could be your mom agewise! LOL
    Happy T day!

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  15. I'm finally back online. Thanks for joining this week's T party. You didn't need to add the asterisk this week, but next week we will use Inlinkz because you can remove your link and start over again if you forget the asterisk. Be sure to use ONLY your name in the "caption" and not your blog post, please.

    Loved your Art Journal Journey entry using Erika's theme. The beach is a popular place to be. I also love your latest ICADs. The new ones with the splats and splatters are different from the first 30 and I like how you have changed them.

    Thanks again for sharing your drink with us for T this week, dear Linda.

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  16. The Nicoise salad looks lovely. Great page for AJJ ans SSS. Your series of ICADS is stunning - perfect for the SSS challge.

    Happy T-Day! Hugs, Eileen

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  17. Gosh, so much to cheer me on a dull dismal day here in the UK. Love your hydrangea, lots more colour to come by the look of things.
    Your salmon meal looked ever so tasty and just the thing for the heat that you are experiencing, I would be wilting in that kind of heat.
    Lovely birthday card for your mother, iCads and a gorgeous journal page for AJJ. What a fabulous texture that page has and how lovely the paint looks in the bottom corner. It really does make one think of cooling off on a hot day.
    Hugs, Neet xx

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  18. Linda I never comment but I always read and am always inspired by what you post. My fingers aren't hurting so bad today so you are the lucky comment recipient {grin}. Just know that I (and probably many more) am an admiring lurker! Hope that doesn't make me a peeping tom! hahaha XOX

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  19. Hi Linda, happy PPF and have a wonderful weekend! Hugs, Valerie

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  20. I like how your use of colors for the cards - they're cheerful.

    Have a lovely day.

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  21. Lovely Icads and happy 78th to your mom she will love the card!

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  22. These are all beautifully designed pieces of art!You cooked delicious food!
    Have a good weekend, Elke

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  23. Lovely i spirations. Enjoying them at IG also.
    Luv your beautiful card with the pearls
    Happy Friday

    Much🏜love

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  24. although I'd like to share in that meal, your cards at the end are so touching and personal, I like them a lot

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  25. You are such a busy body Linda! There's so much stuff going on here, always and it's so happy to see that It's such an inspiration! I loved all your ICAD's, "When it's Hot" and that birthday card for your mom is so adorable! Wishing your Mom a very happy, healthy and joyous year ahead.
    Happy PPF, Linda!

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  26. So many lovely things you share today Linda i'm spoilt for choice, the ICADS are fab. Beautiful card for your Mum's Birthday, I love a traditional rose.
    Your journal page is just as fab, nice to be able to dip toes in the sea when it's hot.. Happy PPF Tracey xx

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  27. Lovely birthday card ~ you make the best cards ~ beautiful journal page ~ Wishing you a happy weekend ~ Xox

    Be Safe, Be Well,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  28. Wonderful post full of inspiration. The ICAD series is so colourful, and I love the beautiful page celebrating a day at the beach... great use of the white space, especially when that white is so fabulously textured. Happy PPF!
    Alison x

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  29. Your food looks and sounds absolutely yummy! I think I would only want light meals in that heat! Your journal page is fabulous - I'm sure I had a costume similar to that!! I am loving seeing your ICADs on Instagram - it's great to see them together here! Was sure I had left a comment here so.... I'll try again, Belated happy T day! Chrisxx

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  30. your hydrangea bush is gorgeous. Well worth watering several times a day. I hope you got some rain by now.
    I like your index cards, especially the first one :)

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  31. Ohhh your hydrangeas are beautiful. We are going to have a heat wave next week... uuuhhh 75° big deal. It never gets hot here and I would love some hot days. Happy Birthday to your mom. She will love the cards. All of your art is beautiful. Have a nice weekend.

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  32. Love all your artwork ~ simply divine, Linda and thanks so much for your support as I continue to walk through my loss of Zoe ~ Xo

    Be Safe, Be Well,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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