Life's A Beach!

     

 Well, it was anyway-for two weeks! How are you lovelies??? Although I have neglected you and my own blog for (really???) almost 4 weeks I have thought of you often. It was my choice to completely unplug while away, and then when you get home to STUFF in addition to the cleaning, unpacking washing etc. etc. time gets away but you just have to grab it back, right? So here I am again with photos , art and good news to share-if you can bare with me to the end of this post:)

 Above is a page I did while on vacation. I'll have other similar pages to share, thanks to Dianne of the T Stands For Tuesday gang over at Altered Book Lover, and the great little tutorial she provided in this post! The only bag of art supplies I took with me while away were supplies to do sketching, watercolor and collage-something I needed to continue work on-including my "Draw Your Awesome Life" class lessons.

 The beach part:

     We enjoyed so many gorgeous sunsets over the bay side, and a rainbow over the ocean!

  We all ate very well, each taking turns cooking the dinners each nite. Some of our dinners included pasta primavera, caprese salad, lobster and champagne, and penne a la vodka-YUM!

 We got a shopping day in and also had some fun modeling some new things:

  
 Our sweet hostess and friend Lynne (second from left at top) gifted each of us ya ya sisters (beach goddesses) with a gorgeous scarf from Seville Spain! Of course she gave me a red one:):)











  And not to be outdone by us girls-hubby had to have some modeling time in too:

   Showing off the special shorts he bought especially for our lobster nite dinner (they have little black embroidered lobsters on them).

  OK, and in this pic he is wearing MY leggings-the ones I just bought that he originally made fun of!! They are now safely tucked away in MY dresser drawer thank you:):)

 Lots of talk and laughter both on the ocean deck and bay deck, with cherished friends-it doesn't get better than this!

  Even our Annie (who will be 14 in October) was a trooper despite all the coming and going and being tired.

 In addition to some family drama I did come home to some great news too. Our son (who had to move back home a few weeks ago) has landed a good job right here in town after job searching the last 8 months!! It is in his field and he was so excited to begin today. And I received my complimentary issue of Holidays and Celebrations 2015 for having these two pieces published:

                                                           "America"  6" x 6" quiltie

                                                            "Erin Go Bragh" prayer flag


  This is another journal page like the one I shared at the top of this post:

 One more page to share:

 This was inspired by Kim Dellow. Watercolor squares in which I quickly drew faces in ball point pen(yes it was scary) then made frames around each with Pitt pens.

 Whew! Linking to Art Journal Journey, Art Journal Every Day, Art it Friday-Show Your Face, Express Your Creativity, Paint Party Friday, and T Stands For Tuesday. I am SO looking forward to reconnecting with you all again!

" The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination, and brings external joy to the soul."  Wyland



  

Songs Of Summer

  Well, the weather continues to be very hot and humid, with a serious heat wave expected the next days ...but no complaints here! We are enjoying the fruits of our neighbor's wonderful garden for one thing:

There is basil and dill within the fence along with from left-eggplants, cucumber growing along our yard fence, peppers, new lettuces, green beans, kale, more lettuces, swiss chard. Other herbs outside the fenced area are thyme, tarragon, sage, mint, raspberry bushes and rosemary.

Another view-further back. Pole beans, tomatoes along the wood fence, and behind it is zucchinis!

SO, with all this fabulous and healthful produce I wanted to use a lot of it to my best advantage-and I am doing that by not only cooking with it all, but by drinking it!

 I bit the bullet and bought the Bullet (sorry, I just couldn't resist). It's the NutriBullet 900 pro series juicer that I was able to get for an amazingly great deal! This is a kale and mango drink and it is delish!! I have been enjoying playing with a variety of ingredients-so far a mix of greens and fruit. They are enough to fill me up at noontime or so since I don't usually eat lunch, plus with all the nutrients I'm getting I don't feel it necessary to take so many supplements. Since I couldn't possibly eat all the ingredients whole in a salad bowl this is a perfect solution for me.  Now I have hubby and son wanting in too:)

 Enjoying all the birds outdoors too-and I was thrilled to be able to get a few pics of one of our visiting hummingbirds! They're not the best as I had  the zoom on my camera but at least I got something. Poor hubby has been taking his really good camera out off and on-and if he even sees one-they take off and he has yet to get a pic. Competition has kicked in and he's determined more than ever though:):)

 Linking to T Stands For Tuesday. And speaking of, last week Elizabeth celebrated her second anniversary of this challenge and welcomed a swap of ATCS if anyone linking was interested. I sent something off , and yesterday I received this beautiful packet of things:

 This came from Debbie (Craftymoose). She not only sent a darling tea inspired ATC with a sweet little teapot charm attached, but two cold brew teabags to try, a packet of wonderful ephemera, and a card with a hummingbird and my very favorite poppy on it! Thank you Debbie!!

 And for my art part:

 

 

This journal page was inspired by several things. First, I watched the Tour De France cycling  race every day for the last several weeks until it ended in Paris on Sunday. Second, my Mom just booked a trip to France to see her family (they all live there) for a whole month! And thirdly, I was having dreams about being in France-and my dreams were actually in the French language! Has that ever happened to any of you- where you speak more than one language and dream in it too? I am sad that I am not able to go with my Mom but so happy that she will have this opportunity to see her sisters, brother and extended family members, as some are not in good health and aging.

 

 The background is a gelli plate deli paper print. I used a profile image from a French magazine, along with some postcard ephemera and stamps from an envie I received. A few postmark stamp images and a rust heart finish the page.

 

 Linking to Art Journal Journey (theme of post/postage), Mix It Monthly (theme is the facial profile), and Paint Party Friday. I'll be seeing you!

 

    " Everything comes to us that belongs to us if we create the capacity to receive it."   Tagore

 

 

Par"T"y Time!

 

 A very happy 2nd anniversary to Tuesday's "T Stands For Tuesday" hosted each week by Elizabeth and Bleubeard of Altered Book Lover!!! Through this link up I have met people from all over the world. It's a place where we share anything drink related-like an actual beverage, or an outing, or an art page, or a book-anything so long as there is a link to a beverage somehow. Anyone can join in and link any week so please do take a peek and perhaps bring a cuppa to share too:) Thank you to our fabulous hostess!

 

 

 The other week I had a celebration dinner for my Mom for her birthday and mentioned the special  baba au rhum cake I was making her. I didn't even think to explain what it was or translate-so here it is. The French translates to "cake of rum" It is a yeasted cake with raisins. You make a sugar syrup with rum , pour some over a handful of raisins to soak, then slowly pour the remainder over the warm cake to let it soak in also. Here's a few pics:

 

 These are the flowers and cards I left at her house on her actual birthday day since she was on a day trip with friends.

 The baba au rhum:

And this is how my Mom was enjoying it:

 As if there wasn't enough rum involved, the tradition with my families in France was always to bring the rum to the table and splash a bit more on the cake! those French:):) My Mom thoroughly enjoyed it-and not to worry-she didn't have to drive!

 On a completely different note-lookie what my neighbor discovered in her yard:

I looked it up and found that it is an Imperial Moth. Here's another pic to give you a better idea of the size of it:

 See it on the bottom? It's on a large bag of grass clippings and behind it are large bags of mulch! My neighbor knew I'd want to get a pic. I'd never seen one of these nor any of this size. Apparently the wingspan is anywhere from 4" - 6 7/8 " (8-17.4 cm)! I looked earlier today but it's gone.

 Do you like investigating strange bugs and critters? I think the only insect I really freak out about are the centipedes-eeeewwww!!

 Linking to T Stands For Tuesday and Art Journal Journey (theme is post/postage). I'll be around to visit in between  a dr. appt. I have to take my Mom to this AM. We are having yet another oppressive hot and humid day so I plan on staying in mostly. Still purging and cleaning to make room for our son moving back next week too:)


                      " Life should not only be lived, it should be celebrated! " Osho



Orange,Orange,Blue!

 It's week six, the last week for Kistin's Summer Of Color Challenge and it has been a blast!! I have loved it all, from the color challenges, to her videos (I was so excited to see what color her nails were going to be each week as much as the art she created:), and to all the very clever, creative and amazing entries! THANK YOU Kristin for  a most artful 6 weeks-you ROCK girlfriend!!

 My completed journal page:

"She Practices Joy"

 

 I used Grumbacher Academy acrylic paint-Cadmium Orange Hue; Apple Barrel acrylic paint-Pumpkin Orange; Americana acrylic paint-Turquoise Blue

 

 Other products used: Stabilo All pencil, gesso, rubber stamp swirls and splatter, bird glitter sticker, collage sheet sentiment, flora poste (ARTchix Studio).

 

 And here are all six week's worth of my portraits. These are only partial images but you can see the complete portraits in previous posts.

 

                                                      Week 1                             Week 2

                                                      Week 3                            Week 4

                                                      Week 5                           Week 6

 Linking to Art Journal Journey (for this week's portrait-theme is postage), Art Journal Every Day, Art It Friday-Show Your Face, Paint Party Friday, and of course the Summer Of Color Challenge!

 In going through things in my art room and purging clothing and books too I came across a stamp pad I hadn't used in a long time. I decided to revisit an old technique and share it with this card:

 I used this inkpad:

 

 It is still available along with reinkers:)

 

 How to: All you need is a stamp image, glossy card stock, and a few dye ink pads! Ink up your image(s) using the resist ink pad and stamp onto the glossy card stock. Allow it to completely dry-very important!! It will be a bit difficult to see the image as the resist ink has no color. Once it's dry sponge some dye inks over the whole card. The stamped areas will stay clean and white. I think this is a simple but lovely effect! I do hope you'll give it a try.

 

 Linking this to the Simon Monday Challenge Blog (theme is - "anything goes").

 

I'll be visiting you over the next few days to see what you've been up to. Thanks so much for all the comments you have been leaving-I so appreciate it!

 

 

" Orange is fun, flamboyant, dynamic and radiates warmth. A close relative to red, the energy of orange is gentler and more restrained. Orange uplifts, gives confidence and always injects fun."

 

 

 



Green, Green, Pink

 Hard to believe there is only one week left of the six weeks of the Summer Of Color Challenge!! Kristin has done an absolutely amazing job of posting, participating and visiting each and every link-over 100 every week !!!

 Before I share my completed piece I want to show  you a photo of two art postcards I received from a SOC participant:

 
 Miriam graciously offers a few copies of her art to the first few who ask-and she sends anywhere! Well, I love her abstract pieces (this photo just doesn't do justice) and I boldly asked not once but twice -and she sweetly obliged! Thank you Miriam- I love these cards!!

 Here is my entry for this week:

 My color choices: Americana Baby Pink and Yellow Green acrylic paints and Folk Art Kelly green acrylic paint.
 Other products-black, white gesso, Stabilo All pencil, graphite pencil, script stamp, Staz-On Jet Black ink, Caran D'Ache watersoluble crayon in Emerald Green, ARTchix Studio collage sheet sentiment.

 I thought I was doing OK -and then I gave her eyelashes-and was NOT happy. I debated a do over of the eyes and set it aside. And then I went in search of one of the sentiments I've been using from the same collage sheet each week. My eyes rested on this one and I knew it was the one. I also knew I wasn't going to redo her eyes to try to make them "better" or more "perfect".

 Today is my mother's 73rd birthday so I made her this card:

                                                  Bonne fête MéMé-je t'aime beaucoup!!

 Since she will be away all day with friends I will host a dinner for her this Sunday and am surprising her with her very favorite French dessert- a homemade baba au rhum! I'm safe to share because she does not own  a computer:)

 Linking to Summer Of Color, Art It Friday-Show Your Face, and Paint Party Friday.

"Anyone can be pretty in pink but you can only be beautiful if you add a little green."   Unknown