Where Has Spring Gone?

 

   Oh my - winter has come back!!! Very cold weekend and today we had record breaking cold temps: 26 F (about -3 C) with gusty winds and snow flurries making it feel like 17 F (-7C), and that was the high for today 😱! I sure hope it doesn't kill the budding spring flowers...how are things in your parts?

 Needless to say hot tea is what I've mostly been drinking. Speaking of tea, I made this journal page with T Stands For Tuesday in mind:

 The background was just some excess paint from another project scraped onto the page with an old credit card. That pretty teacup is from an old calendar page and the words were computer generated. I hope everyone is staying warm! Happy T day!

 This next journal page is meant for Tag Tuesday (Faces), and Try It On Tuesday (Say It With Flowers):

 I used all Dina Wakley products and the tag is on a dark denim page in her Blue Edition Media Journal.

 And though it certainly doesn't feel like spring at the moment I did this journal spread and took photos outside on a much warmer day. this is for Art Journal Journey (theme is Spring), and it actually works also for Try It On Tuesday:)

 I used a ton of Dina Wakley products here but will not list them so if you have a ? about anything please ask in the comments. 

 There is a new challenge for this week on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog and I just had to play😁. The theme for this week is "Recycle"

 Things I recycled: cardboard box, postage stamps, thread. After peeling away some of the top layer of the cardboard I randomly applied modeling paste in some areas and sprinkled some sparkling glitter on top. Once dry I sponged  Jet Black Archival ink on the edges of everything. I used vintage ephemera from my stash along with  Dina Wakley  Growing mask/stencil set and Fir Gloss Spray. Sentiment is Tim Holtz Small Talk Menus sticker.  

 It's a free standing piece- the ledger paper behind it was only to photograph the collage. And there you have it from me this week. Have a wonderful week ahead 😘.

   "As we transcend our past in the things we do, we also become who we can be. Thus creativity is those attitudes by which we fulfill ourselves."        John G. Young

Happy Spring Happy News

 

 Happy spring to all in the Northern Hemisphere! We are still having up and down weather but temps are rising, the sun is shining longer, the trees and flowers are budding, and the seasonal birds are arriving -yay!

 Thank you all for the birthday wishes last week 💓🙏. I'm still getting a few cards in the mail:).

 I'm going to start with two announcements before I get into the art and blog challenges.

First, our son Todd started a new business blog - remoteworkjunkie.com. He sold his last business blog (which was quite successful) but has decided he really enjoys blogging about business in his spare time and loves sharing his experience with others. This blog already has LOTS of content and links regarding working remotely. Would love for you to check it out 👍.

 And secondly:

 Bill and I  are going to be grandparents for the first time!!! Todd and Kyra are expecting their first child mid October, and of course we are all so very happy!!!They will eventually want to find out the baby's sex but have decided to go with a woodland animals theme no matter as they love the outdoors, hiking and visiting the national parks. Photo is courtesy of Kyra - thanks my girl💓

 

 Now for some art. This is an art journal page I will link to Art Journal Journey (Spring),  the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge (Bright and Cheerful), and Paint Party Friday:  

Supplies: Dina Wakley kraft media journal, paints- Rouge, Ruby, Carnation, white Gloss Spray, Collage Papers - Elements (tissue flowers), Just Words, stencils- Lattice, Mantras. Other- white acrylic paint, Tim Holtz Small Talk Menus sticker. 

 Next up is a card for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge (Use your favorite things):

 I have been making cards -stamping, using decorative papers and cards, and die cutting for many years and here I am using my favorite new die (flower), and favorite new stamp set. 

Products: Simon Says Stamp Etched Layered Daisy wafer dies, Stitched Banners wafer dies.; Pink Fresh Studio Floral Bunch clear stamp set (sentiment); Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks- Squeezed Lemonade, Fossilized Amber; Versafine Onyx Black ink; yellow, brown, white cardstocks; patterned notecard- Sunbeam Meadow set from the Paper Studio.

Time for a break  so let's join T Stands For Tuesday with a favorite beverage and see what everyone there is up to this week:

 Last week I made a large baking pan of pumpkin bread so I could freeze some for later. Of course I had to have a bit -with coffee :). Happy T day!

 And one more journal page in the Dina Wakley Media Kraft Journal:

  Supplies are all Dina Wakley 😁.

 Lastly, I want to say one HUGE final thank you to Paint Party Friday and our incredible hosts Eva and Kristin for the 11 years it has run. This photo collage is of our lovely hosts- courtesy of them:

 It's been a fabulous long ride and I have "met" so many beautiful creatives through PPF I hope to still be in touch with in other ways. Wishing you all the best, whatever the future holds for you! XO.

You will still find me blogging, and I'm also on Instagram - @heartfullyinspiredbylinda.

          "Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light."       Roethke

T Stands For BirThday!

 I am going to forget all about the winter storm that dumped 4.5 " of snow on us along with heavy, gusty winds Saturday, and go right to my birthday, which is on this Tuesday, the 15th! 63 and proud of it:) I'd love nothing more than to share a piece of cake and a drink with the T Stands For Tuesday gang💓. My Mom bought the cake- same one she got me last year  because everyone liked to so much- a chocolate cake filled with a layer of chocolate pudding, and a layer of chocolate cream in between cake layers 😋. Kyra and Todd also joined us for dinner which hubby took care of (so I wouldn't have to cook) by way of carry out pizzas, and it was definitely a wonderful indulgence! Cheers!

 This journal page can also be for T Stands For Tuesday, but I made it first with Try It On Tuesday (black and white plus any one  color):

 

 "Come, have a cup with me". Napkin and magazine collage. 

Next up two cards I made for blog challenges:

 This card is meant for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge (Bit o' Green). 

Products: small notecard, white cardstock (Recollections); Embossed Foil Shamrock Sticker (Dollar Store); Stitched Circle wafer dies, Leaves Lucky to Know You stencil set (Simon Says Stamp shop); Inks- Colorbox Fluid Chalk - Olive Pastel, Lime Pastel, Gray Whale.

 I made another card using the same background for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge (Feminine):

 I positively LOVE the Etched Layered Daisy Wafer dies from Simon Says Stamp! Here I turned it into a sunflower using alcohol markers to color it in. The friend Wafer dies is also Simon Says Stamp.

 The theme for this month over at Art Journal Journey is "Spring" and so I made this journal page:

 Dina Wakley: white journal; Aloe, Sage, Carnation, Rouge, Fir, Lime paints; Always Flowers stamp set; white collage paper(tissue). Tim Holtz Small Talk Menus sticker. Bees are from a napkin. Black, white Posca pens. 

 And now I am going to take a look back to the very first time I linked  art to Paint Party Friday. It goes back to September of 2012- the same year I began my blog in March on my birthday:) Paint Party Friday is celebrating 11 years soon, but sadly the time has also come for it to end with the birthday celebration. We have been asked to share a collage of some older art posted for their blog. I have been having trouble making a collage so I will share  some individual art like this one:

Besides being my first link to PPF, this post was my first foray into Gelli Plate printing!!

 And finally, since it is St. Patrick's Day this Thursday I will share this journal spread also from 2012:

 Slainte🍺🍻!

  

May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day.
May songbirds serenade you every step along the way.
May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue.
And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.
- Traditional Irish Blessing

 

 

March Madness

 

 Aah yes, March madness- and I'm not talking about basketball! Talking about the continued crazy weather. Record breaking highs the last two days with rain and a T storm around, then down to below freezing the remainder of the week with snow and a wintry mix predicted for Wednesday-😲. I have both a pair of flip flops and a pair of winter boots next to each other right now!

 Enough of that, let's get to the art. My first is a journal spread meant for Art Journal Journey (theme is Spring for this month), and the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge (Add Some Green):

 Products: Dina Wakley- kraft journal; Fir, Sage, Syrup, Orchid paints; Angled Blobs, Lattice  stencils, and Sprouts mask/stencil set; Face is from Elements Collage paper pack; Typed Ledgers set1; White Gloss Spray; text stamp in the flowers are from the Ledger Girls stamp set. Other- Jet Black Archival ink, black Posca pen.

 This journal page I recently shared on IG and I will add to Tag Tuesday with the new theme of "Flowers or Plants":

 In my last post my friend Carol from acreativeharbor.com asked in the comments what favorite art journal would I recommend to purchase so I thought I'd share my favorites here. Really, much will depend on what mediums you are going to use, and whether or not you like a spiral binding. Personally I like the spiral bound journals so long as I use each page individually rather than attempting a two page spread. So, here we go:

1. I love all the Dina Wakley Journals but my very favorites have become - the kraft journal and the white journal. They are   6" x 6" square format journals. The kraft is made of heavy cardstock, excellent for acrylics and mixed media- but not watercolors. The white journal is made with very thick, heavy cotton rag watercolor paper. If you don't mind the textured paper it will take on any medium you throw on it!

2. Strathmore Watercolor Spiral Bound Visual Journal 8" x 5 1/2". Made of heavy paper. Excellent for watercolors and other mediums as well. I must have about 7 of these either finished or being worked in:)

3.Canson XL Mixed Media Pad 7" x 10". Spiral bound. Really good for most all mediums. I also have  a handful of these ;)

 Hope this was helpful Carol. 

 What are your favorites people? 

For T Stands For Tuesday:

  My Mom received a container of assorted mini chocolate bottles that are each filled with assorted real alcohol  and she brought them to dinner one time for us to each have one as our "after dinner" drink if you will😁. They are only 2 1/4" high. Once you bite off the solid neck of the bottle you can sip out the alcohol (of which there is very little in these tiny cavities) and finish with the remaining bite of chocolate. I remember getting these in Europe every time I went- they are very hard to come by in the US with the actual alcohol in them. Have you ever tried these or seen them? Cheers!

 And now I have a card for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge (Add a Diecut):

 

 Products: small white notecard, black card stock (Recollections); Neenah Solar White #110 card stock (Simon Says Stamp); Spectrum Noir alcohol markers; Diamonds Stickles glitter glue, white embossing powder, Jet Black Archival ink (Ranger); sentiment (Papertrey Ink - mega Mixed Messages set); Floral Bunch stamp set and dies (Pink Fresh Studio).

 And a larger photo:

 Linking my art in this post  also to Paint Party Friday. Happy week to you. Let's keep praying for Ukraine 🙏.

"Above all we must realize that each of us makes a difference with our life. Each of us impacts the world around us every single day. We have a choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place – or not to bother."          Jane Goodall