Tropical Sign

Quite a while back I worked on a backyard tropical sign as an art project, and it was a project....then I laid aside the pieces until I decided where they would go, and needless to say, it was out of sight, out of mind.  So I have finally installed the sign.

There are still some dangly pieces that I plan on adding, and another project I have is to paint a little "beach shack" birdhouse that goes on the top.  Hopefully that won't take me as long to get to!  I sprayed each with multiple coatings of sealant for weather.

Latitude Longitude Card

I made this card as a Valentine's card for my honey, but I've seen other versions of this type of card...you could do as a Father's Day Card with memories with the kids, Anniversary Card, or a Graduation Card with memorable places in the graduate's journey.  The coordinates are latitude and longitude of places you have been together.

I left the heart free-flowing so I could add more behind it.....I made him work for the memories. To get coordinates of a place, you can go here: https://www.latlong.net/

Wedding Exploding Box

I made this fun Explo Box for a neice for her wedding this last year.  Her colors were yellow and gray, so I went with those colors.  I used a tea-light inside top layer of cake, and just set it within the roses so it wouldn't slide off to the side, and it could be turned off and on.  I used a Martha Stewart Punch All Over the Page for the lid, and added tags, charms, a calendar, and tabs for her to put some memorable little photos in.  Unfortunately the tea light instructions say they only last about 24 hours, so having it as a night light or décor is out of the question, but it's a fun wedding or party gift box.  I included a tiny gift bag with jewelry I made for her inside also.

 

Baby Quilt with Pinwheels, Applique, and Prairie Points

This is a baby quilt I made for our 3rd grand-daughter Elora.  I combined a few different patterns I have seen, and the applique letters...I added a "prairie point" border on each end...prairie points are so easy to do, and just love the look...and it adds something for baby to grab onto.  It was my first time doing alpha applique...I used sewable "Heat n Bond Lite," and you have to draw the letters backwards when cutting them out.  I wanted the edges of the applique letters to fray, but unfortunately forgot to leave enough of a gap in the Heat n Bond under the fabric border of it to have that happen...so it just ironed all down flat.  I just sewed around the border.

Releasing "Wintering" Monarch Butterflies

Since this year in Central Florida has been a real mild winter, we had quite a few Monarch Butterflies lay late eggs.  And since the population is struggling, I decided to try to help the cause.  So a neighbor loaned me her butterfly cage, and I had some milkweed plants, so I helped release 10 new butterflies.  I held some of them over for a day or so (which they said is ok since they don't have to eat first day out of chrysalis) before release because the weather was in 40s and 50s, then back up to 60s.  I heard they have trouble flying in 50 degree temps.  I kept them in the garage at night and outside in sun during day so the temp wasn't so drastic between outside release temp and where they were kept...house temp was much warmer, and thought it might shock them too much. 

 

And I learned that when you run out of milkweed, "some" caterpillars will eat organic cucumber...they mostly ate some of the skin.  I'm sure not their choice (milkweed gives them their poisonous taste so predators don't like to eat them), but good in a pinch.

The pic above is of one of the males (one with black dots on wings) and a female....had almost all females, and 2 males....I have had quite a few come back and visit my garden recently, so I know they are surviving!  Wish more of the garden centers would carry more Milkweed....I'm growing some of my own from seeds this year.

Roses de Noel Quilt with lace accents

I made this  straight forward block lap quilt for special family for Christmas, but decided to add lace and special stitching accents on blocks throughout the quilt.  Some blocks turned out well, and others with the special stitching, I could have used a little more practice....but all in all, it worked pretty well.  It was a fun quilt, and I just love Robin Pandolph fabrics!  She used it for a Christmas tea as a table topper....perfect idea!

 

Charleston and Beaufort SC, and Savannah GA

I had a trip a while back in October as a reunion with some girlfriends from High School, and we took a week to enjoy beautiful Charleston & Beaufort, SC.  On the way, I spent a little time in old Savannah GA.  If you've never been to Charleston, it is now going to be my most recommended vacations or trips.  I've been in 47 states, and Charleston is my favorite town, bar none, including coastal California (Monterey might be my second).  The beautiful old southern homes, gardens, cobblestone streets...world class restaurants galore, shopping, Old City Market and all the amazing collectable Sweetgrass Baskets (quickly becoming a lost art), wonderful Plantations, historical homes and coastal marshes and beaches.  The city is drenched in history, and a learning experience you won't soon forget.  We went in Oct, and the weather was perfect.  I hear Spring is the best time to go to see all the Azaleas blooming (Camellias were blooming in Oct, and were beautiful), but I hear it is crowded.  Reserve early in Charleston!  We rented a wonderful home downtown on "Home Away," and wouldn't have changed a thing!!! It was amazing!



More Charleston pics if you click on this pic...

These are some of the hundreds of Sweetgrass Baskets you will see around town, with the artisans sitting along some of the streets and highways, and in the Old City Market.  As the specific grasses to these baskets are becoming more scarce, and as the children of many of these artisans decide not to learn the trade but to go into other lines of work, these baskets may soon become a thing of the past.  I sure hope not, because they are amazing, unique, and worth every penny (you'll think them costly, until you realize that the little lady (or man) that made the basket may have taken an entire week or two to make it, then you will reconsider).  If you are on a tighter budget, we did find that the basket makers out on Hwy 17 in Mt. Pleasant were more reasonably priced than some downtown (but usually not out on Sundays)...and lesson learned from a very feisty lady, most don't like their picture taken, or of their baskets, unless you are buying from them.  We did find a few deals in Old City Market though, and bought a few.

These are 2 of the baskets that I bought....from Del and Donald (D and D Creations) out on Hwy 17 in Mt Pleasant....LOVE THEM!!!  And Del and Donald had such sweet, Christian spirits...will buy from them next time I am in Charleston...am hoping the flooding hasn't caused too many problems for the basket-makers!

BEAUFORT SC

Halfway between Savannah and Charleston is a beautiful, quaint little seaside town of Beaufort, SC.  Beautiful marshy estuaries, marinas, shops and restaurants make this a charming and relaxing place to visit!  The beauty and wartime history have made this town a popular Hollywood film making venue.

For more photos of Beaufort, click on this pic!



OLD SHELDON CHURCH RUINS (in Yemassee SC)

Just outside of Beaufort about 18 miles are the Old Sheldon Church Ruins....a great historical venue of a Greek Revival style church built between 1745 and 1753, that was burned down by the British during the Revolutionary War, and then rebuilt in 1826...also a popular photo op location, so I decided to visit during the journey. 

Click on this pic for more Old Sheldon Church Ruin pics...

Savannah GA

 And last but certainly not least, my short visit to Savannah GA.  The town is built on the Old Savannah River, and River Street has so much to do...cobblestone streets lined with century old buildings that were originally cotton warehouses, now house artisans, shops, antique dealers, restaurants and hotels.  The town has many parks and historic buildings and homes.  Parking is at a premium and driving a little difficult/stressful/crowded (and I don't say that lightly)....so take a trolley or park and walk everywhere would be my choice/recommendation. 

Click on this pic for more Savannah GA pics...

 

Suncoast Center for Fine Scale Modeling (Odessa, FL - Tampa area)

A recent visit of ours to this local wonder leaves me longing for our model railroad days.  This amazing place has so much to see....amazing model railroad exhibits of several scales, historical wartime exhibits with amazing perfection in detail.  These people are artists, and this place is definitely a must see if you like miniature scale and visit the Tampa Area!!!  Check their website to be sure of the hours...they open to public 3rd Sat of each month 10:00-4:00 (except closed June through August).  There is so much to see, we went back several times already, and will go back again. Suncoast Center for Fine Scale Modeling

And apologies to the artists, I took so many pictures (you can see my pics by clicking on the pic above), there are some out of order!  Some of the "blurry" pics are actually videos. But I LOVE THIS EXHIBIT...worth your trip!

Here's just one of the amazing wartime exhibits.

Journal Pages

Here are a few more of my journal pages...

A little bit of experimentation with stencils, Distress Inks, Pigment Inks, Stamps, Gel Pens, and gold Pearl Ex Powder Pigment...the Stamps used on left page are from Heartfelt Creations "Italian Grape Clusters" set, and right page flower is from Tim Holtz "Flower Garden" collection.

After being engrossed in Pinterest for any length of time, you realize that you have so many favorite things....so sorry, but my list went on and on, and these REALLY are my favorite things!  Mostly passionate about faith, art, birds, flowers, nature, music, and well....a whole lot more lol!  Those are supposed to be Colorado Aspen trees on the side...

My first Journal Watercolor

My first watercolor and one of my favorite CS Lewis quotes (well, I just recently found out that this quote was actually from George MacDonald, whom Lewis considered a mentor and frequently quoted in his own works...duh....well the picture stands as it was painted until I figure out how to put George MacDonald's name in there lol!) The painting was so much fun!  A friend of mine in Arizona and I decided to do 2 journals, and after we each do 5 or so pages, we trade the journals, and do 5 more pages, then trade again back and forth.  In the end, we will have journals with a little about each of us, and some of the other person's art.  I think I win in this deal, because she is a trained artist, and very talented!!! It is a blast so far! 

Beautiful Colorado!

A quick collage of some of the beautiful scenery on this year's trip back to Colorado...an annual thing :).  It was August/September, and there were so many beautiful wildflowers blooming!  And the weather was perfect!

Baby Boy - Side Step Card

The Lamb was cut out using Cricut Expression "Wall Décor and More" cartridge, and the Booties and Overalls on Hanger are from "Baby Steps" cartridge.  The mirror is die cut of Spellbinders "Labels Twenty."

Botanical Tea - Card in a Box

I used Graphic45 Botanical Tea papers for this Card in a Box for a gift for a woman going through breast cancer.  The little girl fighting cancer on back of the box is the cute freebie digital from Milk Coffee "Tiffany Fight Against Cancer" http://milkcoffeestamps.blogspot.com/2012/07/showcase-home-sweet-home.html

 

Fall Birthday Card

I decided to do a Fall card (idea of bring the outdoors inside with this great door die)....used a neat little cloud making technique I found on Pinterest (cut edge of piece of cardstock or board as cloud puffs, and use as a mask as you rub the blue ink around it...reposition to get variations).  I used Distress Inks.

 

Dies/Punches:  Joy! Crafts Cutting Die, Vintage Flourishes/3 Birds On A Branch

                          Ellentina Double Doors

                          Marvy Mini Envelope Punch

                          EKSuccess & AllNight Media Mini Maple punches 

                          McGill Craftivity Oak Leaf punch

Stamps:            Repeat Impressions Stamp - Cat

                          Rubber Stampede - Winter Woods

                          Stampin Up - Big Day Stamp set - Birthday sentiment

 

 

Zig Zag and Prairie Points Baby Quilt

 

 

Fabrics are Michael Miller Modern Basics

Here's a great tutorial at Moda Bake Shop on Prairie Points....very easy to do.

8 point Christmas Star Ornament

I used the Cricut Edge to Edge cartridge to print this 8 point star twice, scored hills and valleys at each juncture, painted with Mod Podge Hard Coat finish (probably could have skipped this step as it was stiff enough with good cardstock), and added some glitter glue.

NOTE:  I tried it as a much smaller star, and the holes don't cut through, so whatever your preference for size...I liked how the lights show through the holes a little with a larger star. Next time I might use a hole punch around the edges to let more light through.

Tattered Roses Explosion Box

Dies:  Spellbinders Rose Creations; Ironwork Motifs

Box and Tabs cut with Cricut Mini Books Cartridge

Legs are wooden oriental beads

Bauble Tiffany Fight against Cancer printed on Shrinky Dink - "Milk Coffee Stamps" blog... http://milkcoffeestamps.blogspot.com/2012_07_01_archive.html



Bauble printed on Shrinky Dink:  "by Digital Paper" Etsy shop, Sweet Banners 3  https://www.etsy.com/shop/bydigitalpaper#items