Monday, June 6, 2022

A New Art Challenge!

 


  Hi all! Yeah, I didn't post last week again... As these beautiful spring/summer days are here I'm finding it quite difficult to be at my desktop computer. It's such a joy to be outside- morning, noon, and night. We've been watching different species of fledglings and parent birds at our feeders, I saw our first firefly (lightening bug) of the season last night😁, and we have a mother and baby skunk under our shed! Last night as we sat on our patio (a safe distance away) we watched the mother skunk keep trying to coach the baby up our one step to the back gate and open carport. She even picked it up by the scruff of its neck a few different times. It took many attempts but she finally got the baby up the step and following behind her on their way up the alley. It was such a touching thing to be privileged to see 💓. So, no, we will not do anything  but be very careful at night and hope they soon move on.

  
The ICAD challenge has begun again and I am participating for the 4th year, posting a card a day on Instagram. You don't have to be on IG to play - I know that our very own Bleubeard and Elizabeth are playing and don't have an IG account.

 At the top of this post I shared day 1. Here are the next 6 (posting #7 here one day ahead). My only plan is to use lots of the collage sheet images and paper bits I have collected over the years- some old, some newer. And I think I'm going to work in little series' - perhaps changing every week or so. We'll see...

Day 2

 Day3

       Day 4   

Day 5

                          
Day 6

Day 7

  Some of the paper bits are recycled business envelopes, tissue from Simplicity patterns, text books, and painted paper bits. The paints, tissue paper images, and quotes are all Dina Wakley. I did some wonky stitching to finish them off.

 And now for our gathering at Altered Book Lover for T Stands For Tuesday:


 Another favorite restaurant bar we went to in Cape May, NJ last month - Hemingway's. We tend to walk here and sit at the bar our first evening in town. And we have come to deem their Caesar salad the absolute best anywhere else we've been...until this time 😞. Apparently there is a new chef who decided to change things up. What we got was a large flat parmesan crisp with the salad on top. This was NOT a homemade dressing on the salad! The piece of bread was SO hard you couldn't even break it in half, and then there was a smear of olive paste on the side and some black olives with it. It was so disappointing that neither hubby nor I finished our salads. But the J Lohr wine was good😉,  and we got to catch up with some newer friends we had met here two years ago. 

 Although I didn't get to make anything specific for any blog challenges this week I will link to Rain's Thursday Art Date. My day 7 ICAD above will work nicely for her theme:). I did recently do another journal page in my second Dina Wakley square kraft journal:


 
 Have a wonderful week all! Will be around to visit, and I hope to get some blog challenge art done for next post - but that will probably depend on whether or not we get some rainy days so I can play inside in the art room without the guilt of missing a beautiful day outside😁.

" It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside."           Maude Hart Lovelace


28 comments:

  1. Oh no. Skunks. I wouldn't want to hurt mama and baby either, but do you notice a smell? It's amazing how much wildlife is around, isn't it? Your art this week is great too. I like seeing your ICADS. The stitching adds some lovely texture. And your salad looks delicious. I hope you have a lovely T day and week ahead, and hopefully no one gets sprayed either. Hugs-Erika

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes, we have smelled that skunk scent in our shed a few times the last two weeks- but it wasn't overpowering like when they spray or get killed in the street. Guess I really should buy some extra large tomato juice cans - just in case:)

      Delete
  2. Nice art but sorry the restaurant disappointed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm sure it's great to see the mum and baby skunks, but I hope they soon go somewhere else! Love your ICADs, they are really wonderful. Sorry your salad was so dispappointing! Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie

    ReplyDelete

  4. We don't have skunks here but I would love to see one up close, but maybe not that close. It makes me think of Pepe le Pew lol. Loving your ICADs Linda, really lovely small art pieces. Last year I used watercolour pigments, one for each card, and a lot of collage pieces I had to use up. This year is all about cats :) Happy T Day Elle/EOTC xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am SO glad you are sharing your ICADs on your blog. Otherwise, I couldn't see them. Seems you must have a cell phone where you can receive a confirmation text before you can join. I love yours and you have given me some ideas, too.

    That's a lovely journal page. I like the very positive message it conveys. You created a great visual of the mother skunk and her baby.

    How sad about your salad at Hemingway's. I wonder if that will affect their business. Nice to read the wine was good, though. Thanks for sharing your art journal, your ICADs, and your meal and wine with us for T this Tuesday, dear Linda.



    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely card work, Linda. Love the colors, details and sewing! So disappointing when a favorte meal or restaurant deteriorates. I still think of some of my favorites over the years and they are like lost friends. Lovely share of art and wine. Happy T-day! Hugz

    ReplyDelete
  7. Skunks are said to be very sweet and good-natured, but make terrible pets because of their odor. I love your story of the mother and baby.

    Nice collages!

    best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. So glad that you're enjoying the summer weather, I thought you may be on your holiday by the beach as you haven't been around 😁. I'm loving your ICADs, the amount of detail in the backgrounds is amazing and looks so beautiful with the silhouette flowers and leaves - perfect! Happy T Day wishes! Hugs Jo x

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm sorry about the disappointment about the Cesar salad. Did you tell them? It might lose them some old customers and it might gain them some new. (somebody must have liked it). I've had similar disappointments. Here in Spain they have no idea what a Cesar salad is like. Very disappointing.
    Your ICADs look great. Thanks for sharing.
    And the story about the skunk is wonderful. I have never seen one and I gather they smell. (I have no idea. Perhaps better this way)
    Happy T-Day,
    Hugs,
    Lisca

    ReplyDelete
  10. A neighbour has a family of pigeons on his balcony (neighbours not happy) in our condo. But they had settled in with their eggs while they were in Florida and he didn't have the heart to move them. He said it has been such fun watching the babies.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That is so amazing you got to see the mom and the baby skunk like that, and fireflies. What a privilege. Lovely journal page and cards. The black silhouettes are really quite dramatic.

    -Soma

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh your Icards are all so wonderful colorful and creative ~ you go girl ~ Xo

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh delightful story about Mom and baby skunk ~ We once had a whole family living under our shed ~ and we had a dog that tussled with them and needless to say ~ we had to bathe her (in douche) not tomato juice ~ When we got rid of the shed ~ they followed the shed to the neighbors. ~ More to the story but too long ~ great post you did, Xo

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Skunks! How adorable!! Hubs and i got to see so many baby animals when we lived in Arkansas.. miss them dearly.. Our neighbors would sadly shoot the raccoons and opossums etc... Never understood why.. To me they were shoot happy.. We had nothing outside that they could get in to so it was fun to see them.. LOVE your ICADS maybe one of these years i will participate.. (read 'get off my butt') lol Happy T day! Hugs! deb

    ReplyDelete
  15. I can fully understand that you prefer to spend beautiful days outside than on the computer - I feel the same. I have no idea what ICAD is, but I do like your cards a lot. The stitching is a pretty addition. - We once had three little skunks under our deck (we had been gone for five weeks, so they had the place to themselves), honestly, we were delighted since we just love wildlife. They eventually moved on, but we never felt bothered or limited in our movement by them. We often have skunks in our garden - I'm more concrned that the cats might get in trouble, but they are smart enough to keep very still when the skunks are around. They never hang out for a long time, mostly just passing through.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Your projects are beautiful! I like that you used pattern tissue on them. That gives me ideas how to use the pattern I received at the retreat. Loved the skunk story! Too bad about the salad. Happy T Day.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Skunks are cute, but Ewwww. Hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap is better at removing the smell. I enjoyed your ATC series, like a pastel rainbow. Happy T Day

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your Art Date is awesome with its yellow color and love the quote ~ Be good to people for no reason ~ Xo

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  19. you are a wonderful colorist ~ each card is so lovely with its palette ~ Xo

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  20. I like it all. I also think you are right enjoying nature and good wether. Art can wait for a rainy day. Or sitting outdoors painting. Wich I never have done so far. But I have been sketching lately. When I need a break to save my back. :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. These look beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing and enjoy the sunshine!
    Laila
    www.lailanblog.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I loved hearing about the mother and baby skunks, Linda! It's beautiful here in Colorado, and like you I am feeling the pull of the outside. I enjoyed the soft color palette in your art pieces. Have a happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Wow! These are all so pretty. I really love your art. Have a very nice day today.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Skunks are cute and really, without the scent, they can make good pets. I have had several friends over the years who have had a descented skunk in their home. But yes, the smell can be overpowering and the spray is impossible to get out over time so tread carefully :)
    I love you ICAD cards, all of them and the wonky stitching really adds flavor to the overall effect. Great job and I love your Journal page as well.. I love your technique and yes, I do believe you are a fighter :) Stay strong, Linda :)

    Andrea @ From the Sol

    ReplyDelete
  25. Your color combos are divine ~ Hope you had a great weekend ~ Xo

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Your index card art is beautiful Linda! I also find it hard to be on the computer this time of year! We're cooped up indoors long enough during winter, we should all take advantage of the beautiful spring/summer/fall!! Oh what a shame about the salad! We've had that experience...we had an old diner we used to go to all of the time, they had the best poutines in Quebec...then something happened and suddenly we got frozen fries instead of homemade...and they topped it all with rosemary, ick.

    ReplyDelete

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