Altered Schoolmarm

Heroes & Villains Altered Book Spread

2012-02-04T09:14:00.001-05:00

In the altered book round robin I participated in, one of the themes was "Heroes and Villains". I chose to do Frodo and Sauron from Lord of the Rings. I did a spread in my own book first and then did an improved version in the Round Robin book. The Round Robin book was really grunge board from Tim Holz and was the first time I had worked with it. The final pages were a bit wonky, but I like them.

Frodo and his valiant hobbit supporters

The evil Sauron

The two pages side by side

I am linking up with Paint Party Friday this week, although a bit belatedly. If you love to look at fabulous art, go over and check out Eva and Kristin's blog. It is phenomenal!

Sailing Collage Art & Paint Party Friday

2012-01-27T20:40:00.002-05:00

Below are the two pieces of art that I created for my daughter's apartment. I had wanted to try collage on a larger scale, so these two are 16x20 each, designed to hang side by side.

These are the final versions of the two pieces I made. Below I will show the intermediate steps. I used maps and music pages for the original collage, then added handmade paper, text pages and gesso. Over top of all that, I painted with fluid acrylics. The sailboat and lighthouse were sketched and painted onto watercolor paper and then added with heavy gel medium.

It was a lot of fun and I will definitely do this sort of thing again. It was exciting to try a larger scale piece after working so long in books.

I am linking up with Paint Party Friday for the first time. I'm off to work today, but I'll be visiting the party later today. Stop over there and check out what everyone is up to.

Round Island Light House Altered Book Spread

2012-01-15T16:13:00.002-05:00

I wanted to do a large canvas for my daughter's new apartment, so I decided to do a two-page spread in one of my altered books to get a feel for the techniques I wanted to use and how it would look. The following is my "mock-up" practice art for the larger art I ended up making for my daughter for Christmas. I used collage, stamping, painting, and water color for this piece. The picture is modeled after the Round Island Light House at the entrance to Mackinac Island.

Final Spread

First I prepped the pages with gesso and light sanding. Then I decopauged torn map pages and text pages onto the page.

Beginning to cover page with torn map pieces.

Completely covered pages

Page covered with gesso.

Painted with acrylics.

Final Pages

I decopauged handmade paper at the horizon to represent Mackinac Island and dotted a few buildings on the shore. The sailboat and lighthouse were sketched and painted separately on water color paper and applied to page using heavy gel medium. I then decopauged torn paper for the base of the lighthouse and stamped randomly on the picture with phrases that were meaningful to me.

I used this work as my guide for the larger canvases I made for my daughter. I'll be posting pictures of those soon.

I'm linking up with the Just Journals Link Party over at Marcia Beckett's blog, Dabblings.

Dabblings

Altered Book Round Robin - Vintage Gypsy

2012-01-07T12:18:00.005-05:00

I have just finished participating in my first ever Altered Book Round Robin. I joined in with seven other participants from the Altering Without Limits (AWOL) Yahoo Group. My book theme was "Vintage Gypsy". Each of us chose a theme and decorated our first page and the cover and sent them on their way. So this book is well-traveled over a time span of eight months and states from Arizona to Michigan. Below are photos of each page. I am so very excited and pleased with the final results.

Front cover

I textured the book cover with "Texture Magic", painted with Pearlescent Liquid Acrylic paint by Daler-Rowney, inked with brown ink to give a distressed, aged look, and then used rub-ons to embellish. I will go back and add more rub-ons and a title now that the book is back.

Front and Back Covers together

Sign-in page on the front inside cover of the book.

I collaged maps, painted with watered down gesso, and then stamped on the suitcases and lines. I like that each of our books had a place for each artist to sign in.

Instruction page

I used a tag inside an embellished pocket for my instructions.

This is my decorated page.

I gessoed and decopauged a painted page, did some stamping and added an overlay on which I printed out a vintage picture of a gypsy. I then machine stitched the trim to the top of the page.

"Take Me With You" - Two-page spread by Sue Pierson.

This gorgeous spread was done by Sue Pierson. There is so much detail to this page. I don't know how well it shows up. She even has a tiny safety pin and charm on the bottom right page that says "Made with Love". Every detail is so amazing. The trim she added to the right side of the spread exactly matches the headband the little girl is wearing. If you click on the photo, maybe you can see more of the details.

"I See It In the Stars" two page spread by Linda Liabenow.

This is another wonderful page that is so colorful and intriguing. I love how she focused on the cards that gypsies use for fortune telling.

"Gypsy Life" by JoAnn Duplantis

I don't know if you can tell by the photo, but the background of these pages is a material that looks very much like riveted tin. So very cool. And I love how she added these two photos that look so very real. The one on the right is glossy and looks like a real photo. Notice the owl in the photo on the left! Awesome!

"Waiting For You" spread by Sandy Alsfasser
http://altered-artifacts.blogspot.com

This spread has beautiful layers, although I don't know how well the camera captures them. She has the rose leaves overhanging the book - I love that! She has wonderful dangly trim on the bottom that coordinates perfectly with my book cover. You can see the trim better in the photos of the Instruction page.

"A Gypsy Life" by Cynthia Chapman
Cynzplace

This wonderful spread has music sheets collaged on the background and three dimensional flowersl. It is so beautiful in real life. The photo does not do it justice. And I love, love the colors! The aged, sepia tones and the words collaged on the top.

"Raven's Call" by Wanda Smith

This is another gorgeous spread and I believe that the picture is torn from an old book. The poem she has added is perfect, along with the raven feather, the raven in the picture and the beautiful trim.

"Where Should I Go" by Terry Glover

This is the last entry and a very haunting one. The text is from a poem in a book called "Bury Me Standing" The Gypsies and Their Journey. I love, love the background and how she complimented her background with the existing page background.

Inside of Back Cover "Mailing List" and "Book Belongs To:"

I included a list with the names and addresses of all the participants. I read about doing this on a "How to" post about Round Robins somewhere, and I thought it was a great idea.

This is the last of the book. This was a super fun project and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves altering books. The schedule keeps you "arting" and the anticipation of what your final book will look like is wonderful. I must say that I was not disappointed. All of the ladies did a fabulous job!

I am linking up with Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. Pop over there and check out other wonderful pink posts. It is truly a great Meme and full of wonderful people.

How Sweet the Sound

I am also linking up with Just Journals Link Party over at Marcia Beckett's blog, Dabblings.

Dabblings

First Watercolor

2011-12-31T17:25:00.000-05:00

I did a project for a Christmas present for my daughter which involved a water color of a sailboat and a light house. So I needed to practice. This sailboat is my practice and I rather like how it turned out. I actually enjoyed the process of watercolor, so I think I will be doing more of it. I used the Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils, and I really like how they work out. It was a lot of fun.
I'll be posting the finished project that I did for my daughter soon.

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-24T19:39:00.000-05:00

Tonight as we think of family and loved ones far and near, let us remember the true reason for the season and God's wonderful gift of love.

"Up North" Altered Book Page

2011-12-11T18:06:00.000-05:00

This is one of my latest pages. I really like it.We purchased some property on a lake up North and this page reminds me of that spot. Just brings a smile to my face.

And here is a favorite ornament. I purchased this ornament through a missionary organization that helps to provide employment for women in Thailand so that they can provide for their families and stay out of prostitution. I love that it is a symbol for peace.

Priceless Possibilities - Altered Book Journal Page

2011-12-10T18:52:00.003-05:00

This is a page I just made last week. Sometimes the page just seems to come together and that was what happened with this one. The small quote within the circle says, "Every day we live is a priceless gift of God, loaded with possibilities to learn something new, to gain fresh insights."

I have had several things that have happened over the last little while that have brought home to me the idea that each day is a gift. A good friend of mine has been been battling breast cancer. She is on the upswing and I am continually praying that she has defeated this thing for good. Another friend and neighbor of ours who is only 49 has just been diagnosed with stage four sarcoma. He is just recovering from surgery and soon will be starting chemo. He has a young son who is only 6. Wow - praying hard for his complete healing, too.

Our church has just gone through a major upheaval. It is hard when people you love and care about are torn asunder by difficult things. Just one more thing to point out that we can take nothing for granted.

We can all use a reminder to treasure each day and its possibilities for the gift it is and thank God for it. I'm taking time this weekend to reflect on all of my blessings.

I'm linking up with Art Journal Every DayArt Journal Every Day over at Balzer Designs with Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. Lots of yummy pages linked up there, so take some time to check it out.

A Smattering of Altered Book Pages & Pink Saturday

2011-12-03T10:11:00.001-05:00

Today, in honor of Pink Saturday, I am posting a few altered book pages. I don't know whether they are actually complete - when do you know?

"Remember"

"Choose Gifts"

"The Birthday Fairy"

They are all pages that lend themselves to Christmas. Remember wonderful times with family is a very important part of Christmas for us. Choosing gifts is a special part of Christmas for us, too, because I think most of us show our love by giving gifts. It is really fun to try to find that perfect gift for someone that fits them and their personalities. Watching the smile on their faces when they open them is really awesome!

And last, but not least, is celebrating the reason for the season, Jesus' Birthday. It is often difficult to keep that in mind with all the hustle and bustle and the bombardment from media to buy! buy! buy! But this year, I am trying to focus more on the reason for the season.

I am linking up to Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. Take time today to go over and visit Beverly and the wonderful bloggers who post to celebrate Pink!

"Live Your Life" Altered Book Page

2011-11-20T17:12:00.001-05:00

Here is one of my most recent finished pages. I started the background for this page a long time ago. Then I made the paper doll, actually while we were on our boat. I had taken a few supplies - just enough to get by with, and did a lot of playing. My family was quite patient with me taking up so much of the precious space available. I just recently felt this page coming together and I am pretty happy with how it turned out. I really like these bright happy colors.

The handwritten quote along the side of the page reads "Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.... Live, Laugh, Love" I really liked this quote. I am very thankful for the laughter and love in my life!

Last Rose of Summer - Pink Saturday

2011-11-19T11:43:00.000-05:00

Below is a picture of our last little surviving rose from Summer. It is from my Fairy rose bush which often has the first blooms of summer and the last. She is a wonderful rose - requires almost no care and produces bountifully all season long.

Photograph by Jessie Leng - An Organized Madness Photography

Head over to visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound and visit the other wonderful pink posts today.

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Guest Blogger Today at Balzer Designs

2011-11-11T16:02:00.002-05:00

Today I am so thankful to be featured on Julie Fei-Fan Balzer's blog as a guest blogger talking about altering my books and art journaling. I was just floored to even be asked. She is such a fabulous artist, so creative and full of energy. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know that she is one of my art heroes! You can find the post here: Art Journaling Every Day - Altering a Book

Here is the finished page that I submitted:

The Elf King

She hosts a monthly Art Journal Every Day blog party where people post there art journal pages. It is a great treat to visit the blogs to see all the creativity out there. Be sure to visit Julie's blog and get inspired!

I am also linking up with Beverly for Pink Saturday over at How Sweet the Sound. Stop over there and enjoy all the pink posts this weekend.

Attitude of Gratitude #5: Autumn Walks

2011-11-09T07:10:00.001-05:00

Life's been pretty busy lately, but I want to add one more thing I am especially grateful for - and that is the priviledge of going for walks on a beautiful Michigan Autumn day. These are some shots of the beautiful wooded area around Long Lake at Michakewa Shores.

And finding weird piles of mushrooms that look like marshmellows!

Isn't God's creation fantastic! These are from the wooded trails across from our property.

http://precociouspaper.blogspot.com/

Attitude of Gratitude #4 - My Students

2011-11-05T11:36:00.002-04:00

I am really enjoying all of my students this year. I am thankful for the opportunity to teach at a Christian School and I love the elementary age! We have a good time. These pictures were taken after we won the door decorating contest. The prize was a pinata. Since I have grades 2 through 6, it was a pretty good prize - they all got candy.

Gratitude - #3

2011-11-03T22:05:00.001-04:00

I'm thankful for old friends - Say what you want about aging, it's still the only way to have old friends. ~Robert Brault

I so enjoyed my high school reunion last year! Getting together with old friends was a true joy!

Attitude of Gratitude - Days 1 and 2

2011-11-02T09:57:00.000-04:00

I have just started the Attitude of Gratitude Challenge and I'm already one day behind! But I am starting, nonetheless!

First and foremost I am grateful for the family the Lord has blessed me with. This was taken at my best friend's daughter's wedding. We so very seldom get a picture taken with all of us together.

And I am grateful for our place up on Long Lake - many wonderful times there and many memories to come. It is absolutely beautiful and one of God's most beautiful creations!

If you would like to join in the Attitude of Gratitude challenge, you can stop over at Perfectly Precious and join in the fun.

Attitude of Gratitude Challenge

Autumn and Homecoming

2011-10-28T20:48:00.000-04:00

Jess and her friends before homecoming.

Her sister did her hair.

Jess and her friend, Brigette.

I'm linking up with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. Pay her a visit and see all the wonderful Pinks that are being shared.

Rosie the Riveter - Happy Halloween

2011-10-28T18:59:00.000-04:00

One of my daughters is attending a Halloween party as Rosie the Riveter, and after researching to help her with her costume, I found out some interesting things about the model for the famous recruiting poster. Her name was Geraldine Hoff Doyle and was from near Ann Arbor, MI. She only worked in the plant for 2 weeks. I found only one place that had the original photo of her working in the plant which prompted her use as the poster girl. The poster, which was done by J. Howard Miller., became an iconic symbol for women in the workforce. She only died last year - Dec. 26, 2010, at the age of 86. She was married for 66 years and had 5 children, 18 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren. Quite an accomplishment, I'd say!

Here are some pictures.

lhttp://www.bestcelebrity.net/rosie-the-riveter-geraldine-hoff-doyle-dead-at-86-photos.html

This is the original photo that was the inspiration for the poster.

http://www.dnadropbox.com/2010/12/30/iconic-face-of-rosie-the-riveter-poster-dies/

I just thought you might want to know!

Attitude of Gratitude Challenge for November

2011-10-17T11:26:00.000-04:00

I stumbled upon a blog today where a blogger at Perfectly Precocious is challenging us to An Attitude of Gratitude which is to blog about what we are grateful for each day in the month of November. This just struck me as something that would be a blessing in my life to stop and think each day of something special that I am thankful for. So with fear and trepidation, I am joining her challenge. I am not always successful at doing something every day, but I am going to give it a try. You can join her, too. I'd love it if you would take the challenge and hold me accountable! Blessings to all!

http://precociouspaper.blogspot.com/2011/10/attitude-of-gratitude-2011.html

Birthday Bracelet - Pink Saturday

2011-10-15T08:49:00.000-04:00

I bought myself a birthday present - a handmade pearl bracelet. The artist is from Washington D.C. and made it to look like cherry blossoms. I splurged, but it is beautiful.

I am linking up with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. Autumn is in full swing here in Michigan. Not a lot of pinks around - reds, oranges, yellows and greens. So if you are feeling the need for a little pink today, skip over to Beverly's Blog and enjoy the pinks!

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Great Dinner

2011-10-10T21:33:00.000-04:00

My daughter and I cooked this up tonight from a recipe I got here: The Larson Lingo. It was super easy to prepare and really delicious. We used boneless chicken breasts rather than the frozen, bagged type and added an extra can of chopped green chilies. Other than that, we did it the same way. This is definitely going to be one of my favorites from here on out.

Photos and recipe from The Larson Lingo. Check out her blog for some wonderful recipes!

Secret Garden Altered Book Page - "Dickon"

2011-10-10T21:19:00.004-04:00

This is the latest page in my altered book. I really enjoyed making this one.

This is a page about Dickon from The Secret Garden. Below, I have shown some of the steps to make this layout. In the first step, I gessoed the page and added some ink and some torn paper.

Next I added more gesso over the entire page.

I painted the lower half of the pages with a mushroom acrylic glaze and scraped a blue glaze over the top of the pages.

I went over the page with various shades of green acrylic paints and glazes.

Next, I stamped various images and used a couple of stencils to add paint and spray ink.

I then stamped and then hand painted some flowers along the bottom of the pages.

I cut out a tree and glued it to the page and added oil pastels to the tree trunk to make it seem to be hand painted on the page. I added Dickon, the cut out leaves, the bird, the animals and the quote from the book and used a charcoal pencil to shade the elements. I also overstamped with a few stamps and stamped "Dickon" on the page.

I am linking up with Art Journal Every Day at Balzer Designs. If you are in the mood for some wonderful art journaling inspiration, visit Julie's blog - you won't be disappointed.

http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer_designs/art-j.html

Trick or Treat in Wonderland

2011-09-19T21:04:00.001-04:00

I just finished a spread for an altered book round robin that I am participating in. It's theme is Vintage Halloween. I came across a Halloween version of Alice in Wonderland and that was my inspiration for this piece. Here is the finished product.

Below are some of the steps I went through to create this. First I taped the center of the page with book repair tape, as it had a very thick section of book pages that had been cut out. The remainder was sort of prohibitive toward working on the pages, so the book repair tape was very helpful. I then added some ephemera onto both pages to add texture and gessoed the pages again.

Then I scraped various colors of acrylic paint onto the page.

I rubber stamped some images, including a crackle or aging stamp and added drops of walnut ink.

I felt the page was lighter than the look I wanted, so I covered the entire page with brown acrylic paint and then wiped off a lot of it with baby wipes, ala Paula Phillips at Journal Artista. I love the look of her art and use a lot of her techniques that I learned from watching her free you-tube videos. I am so thankful for all the artists out there that freely share what they have learned.

I then added some drops of black acrylic paint along the sides of one page, closed the book and re-opened the book. You can't see it very well, but it left a cool texture as the pages pulled apart.

I dripped some acrylic paint and some ink down the pages. I then added the images, the bunting and the ribbon, along with some more yellow paint circles to tone down some of the black spots. I also re-stamped some of the images that had been obscured by the brown paint.

My final step was to do some shading to make each element pop, ink the edges of the page, doodle jack-o-lantern faces on two of the black spots & sign and date it. I just got the book off in the mail to then next recipient and I was pretty happy with the final product. I hope the book owner likes it! : )

ENTER IF YOU DARE!

I am linking up with Art Journal Every Day at Balzer Designs. If you are in the mood for some wonderful art journaling inspiration, visit Julie's blog - you won't be disappointed.

http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer_designs/

Spread Your Wings and Fly

2011-09-02T11:30:00.000-04:00

This is a art journal piece that I just finished. I can't say that I am really happy with it. I kept working on it trying to improve it, and I have decided that it is done.

Spread Your Wings and Fly

It actually started out as a mock-up for a round robin I was doing, but I didn't really like how it turned out so I ended up doing something completely different for that one. But here it is - and maybe I'll have a fabulous idea at some point to make it better. But for now, it stays like this.

I am going to link up with Julie at Balzer Designs: Art Journal Every Day: September. You can visit her and see lots of wonderful art journal pages. Her own pages are just phenomenal! Great inspiration!

I am also going to link up with Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday! She always has such wonderful bloggers posting every imaginable type of pink. Go visit - I know you will love it!

New Altered Book, Art Journal Page - Pink Saturday

2011-08-27T10:53:00.000-04:00

I did an art page that was actually a mock-up for my round robin altered book exchange. This one I actually did while we were on our sail boat. It was interesting to see what you can accomplish with a few supplies in a very small space. It actually was a lot of fun. I will be linking up with Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound again for Pink Saturday. Please take a few minutes and visit her and see all the other wonderful pink posts for today.

I will also be sharing this page over at Art Journal Every Day which is hosted by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer over at Balzer Designs. This keeps me going and working on my journals, if not every day, at least regularly. There are lots of links for art journaling for the month of August that will impress and inspire you. I love her quirky style and honest posts. You will definitely be blessed by visiting her blog. I'm here to tell you, it is really awesome.

Sail Boat

2011-08-21T10:31:00.002-04:00

Original artwork by Efemeraink

Boat, originally uploaded by Efemeraink.

Altered art canvas from flickr

An Altered Book Page for Pink Saturday

2011-08-19T23:55:00.000-04:00

I'm just going to do a short post for Pink Saturday. I've been really busy and I'm running out of summer! But I want to take a minute to join Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. This is a two-page spread I did as part of an altered book Round Robin I am participating in. The theme was "Spread Your Wings and Fly".

Come Fly Away With Me

Pages and sign in tag

Take a few minutes to visit Beverly's blog and join in the Pink Saturday fun!

Going Somewhere

2011-07-19T18:30:00.001-04:00

I Heart Photos Entry - theme is Props. Photo by Jessica Leng

An Organized Madness Photography

http://iheartfaces.com

Mackinac Pinks

2011-07-08T16:49:00.000-04:00

We made a trip to Mackinac Island for a day and while there I took a few photos of pinks that I saw along the way. I will be linking up with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday, so take a few minutes to drop over and visit some wonderful pinkie bloggers!

Our first stop was at the coffee shop, The Beanery, where my daughter's friend works. I must say she made a wonderful mocha for me! One of the best I've had!

Then we rented bikes and rode around the island. I just love, love doing that. The island does not allow cars, so it is a most beautiful and relaxing ride. You just have to avoid the occasional horse droppings!

And the last thing before we left was to drool over the fudge!

Last week, I highlighted one of my favorite blogs, but never had time to go visiting for Pink Saturday, so I will try again. If you'd love to see a wonderful, art-filled, inspirational blog, stop over to visit Pat at The Artful Diva. She is great to share techniques and tutorials that I have learned so much from.

The Artful Diva

So, everyone, Think Pink! And head over to Beverly's to enjoy more pink finery! Happy Pink Saturday!

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Red, White and Blue and Pink

2011-07-02T12:17:00.003-04:00

This week I am linking up with Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. June in Michigan is very beautiful and I have a few "pinks" to share from our summer garden along with some 4th of July red, white and blues. Here is a wonderful peony and its sister below.

Pink Peony from my garden

More pink peonies

Also our rhododendrons have been beautiful this year.

Rhododendron from my back yard


More rhododendrons from my back yard

Petunias on my front porch

Isn't God the most wonderful artist. He paints such gorgeous blooms for us every year at this time and it is something that we often take for granted. This year I am going to try to be more intentional about appreciating the beauty around me and giving thanks to God for it. Notice the little bee in the last rhododendron picture.

And for the 4th of July weekend, I am sharing some red, white and blues.

Altered Book Background Page In Progress


New York cheesecake with fresh strawberries made by my oldest daughter

Round Island Light just off Mackinac Island


My two beautiful daughters on Panacea as we sailed away from Mackinac Island

Be sure to visit Beverly and her Pink Saturday party. It's lots of fun. Also, take a minute to visit Pat at The Artful Diva and enjoy looking at the art and techniques on her blog. Her's is one of my favorite places to visit on Pink Saturday! I always learn so much from visiting her blog!

The Artful Diva


HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

And finally, have a wonderful 4th of July holiday celebrating the freedom God has blessed us with in this country!

My Newest Altered Book & Pink Sat.

2011-06-26T19:38:00.000-04:00

Finished Pages and Tag

Last week I finished up a two-page spread that I was doing with my book on the theme "Butterflies". This was a mock-up or practice try before I worked in a round-robin book that I am in. It was my first time to work in someone else's book, so I was pretty nervous. I opted to experiment in my own book first. Her book turned out slightly differently than mine did, but I really liked both of them. Mine is a little more "vintage" and a little darker; hers is a little more bright and happy. Here is my process. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures when I was starting out, but basically, I gessoed the pages, sanded them and then decopauged a paper napkin down. Then I painted the surface with some diluted gesso to tone down the color. I used a different napkin above than the one below and then I glued on some matching ribbon and rubber stamped and inked the edges.

Next I used spray color over an old plastic table runner and used acrylic paint and I pencil eraser for the dots. I then rubber stamped and embossed the butterflies.

After this was done, I added the dress figure that I made, the fan, the flower and the tag. I cut a slit through part of the pages to make a pocket for the tag to slip into. I also inked and embossed the slit opening to keep it from fraying or tearing.

And then I stamped the quote on and added the brown velvet ribbon. I also put some swirls on my painted dots with a glitter gel pen and added some of the glittery gel pen to the flower. That doesn't show up very well on the photos, but in real life it adds a lot of interest. I also stamped a few smaller butterflies all around in the background.

I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. I'm linking up with Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound. Head over there and check out all of the wonderful pink posts.

Rednesday - Tulips and an Altered Book Spread

2011-06-15T16:49:00.000-04:00

Today I am sharing a few reds for you. I don't know what it is about colors for motivating me to blog!

Some pretty red and yellow tulips from our bike ride around Mackinaw Island.

Interesting "plate flowers" made from glassware that I spotted at our Art Fair last weekend.

An in-progress altered book spread titled "The Birthday Fairy"

And not in red, but my two very pretty daughters!

I'm linking up today with Sue at A Very Cherry World and Rednesday. I haven't shared there in a long time, but I do so love the color red. So zip over there and check out all of the Rednesday posts!

Pink Saturday

2011-06-11T11:15:00.000-04:00

I'm back! I took a few weeks off to get finished with the school year and take care of chores that had been sitting patiently waiting for me to complete them. So this week I'm back and will be joining Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. I have missed visiting all of the talented bloggers that share each week the pinkness in their lives. Today I am going to share a smattering of "pinks" from the last few weeks.

May Tulip in Our Yard

Crab Apple Tree Blossoms - Our city is known for its Crab Apple Trees.

Another May tulip : Lone Ranger planted by a squirrel in our side-lawn

Flower bouquet presented to me by my dh at the Medieval Feast - my last hurrah of teaching at the Home School High School Co-op.

Beautiful gazebo along our historic main street with pink flowering tree in the background

Happy Pink Saturday to all my "pink" friends and especially Beverly,our wonderful hostess!

Aileen's Musings: 1000 Steampunk Creations Giveaway

2011-06-10T11:56:00.000-04:00

Aileen's Musings: 1000 Steampunk Creations Giveaway: "Its Here! If you love the steampunk style art you'll find this book to be very inspiring to look through and it will surely get surely get your creative juices flowing!" Be sure to click on the link and enter Aileen's give-away.

1000 Steampunk Creations Book Cover

What I love about steam punk is it reminds me so much of my Dad. He was a "junque" collector and always saw the potential of other peoples' cast-offs - so often metal and machinery. Our back yard was "steam punk" way before its time - LOL! I would love to start putting some things together in memory of him. It is awesome of Aileen to have a give-away of the book. I haven't done any steam punk yet, but would love to give it a try. This may be a new direction in my art endeavors. I am a little like my dad in that I see potential in everything - it is a gift and a curse! Ha.

Birthday Dinner at CC with Grandma and Grandpa

2011-06-01T22:22:00.000-04:00

My two lovely daughters.

Since we have three April birthdays, we have a communal birthday dinner. This was a lovely time at the new Country Club. The interior is just beautiful.

Mmmmmm: French Press Coffee

2011-05-24T11:30:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things is French Press coffee which I discovered while in Bath, England, last summer. My favorite right now is Kona beans ground fresh.

Easter, Pink Hats and Pink Sat.

2011-05-21T22:18:00.002-04:00

My daughter sporting a pink hat on Easter!

Our wonderful husbands don the traditional Pink Hats to hide the eggs!

My oldest daughter made a fabulous cheesecake! Everyone was raving about it!

Relaxing around the tables after a wonderful Easter dinner.

Even the older kids got into the act - it was fun for everyone - from 7 to 70!

Be sure to link up with Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound and share some pink fun!

Medieval Faire & Feast

2011-05-21T19:00:00.001-04:00

These two are from Jess's project and photoshoot of some of the girls in their dresses. We have 15 Konos students and we also involved some of their younger siblings to assist in serving and greeting our guests. All told we had around 100 guests. Each student had three main things that they created or performed - each brought an authentic Medieval dish for the feast, each presented a 6 week project and each represented a skill or job during the Middle Ages, including a banner and a coat of arms. They each also made "tokens" relating to either their booths or their projects and sold them at the faire for a penny each. Our greeters gave each guest 15 pennies and then the guests visited the faire. We had musicians, jugglers, artists, dressmakers, bakers, candlestick makers, kings and queens. There was lots to do and see. During the feast, each student presented their project and also their monologue.

Jess giving her "Eleanor of Aquitaine" monologue

Her hair in a French Braid

Our Greeters - the sign on the right says "We take tips" HaHa!

"King Arthur"

The famous Medieval painter, "Giotto" and illuminated manucripts.

"Anna Comnena" - first woman historian and Medicinal Herbs

A "Noble woman" and Medieval Dancer

A "child from the Children's crusade" (costume) and our castle cake baker

"Nicola De la Haye" and our Spice queen!

"Queen Isabella" and jewelry maker

Jessica's Booth - Medieval Fashions

Giotto's Artist Booth and The Medicinal Herb Booth

The Blacksmith and the Castle Builder's Booth

The Baker and the Candlestick Maker's Booths

The Bard and the Juggler's Booths

Arms and Armorers and the Spices Booths

Some scenes during the faire

Just a Quick Finished Page

2011-05-14T22:22:00.002-04:00

I thought I would share a finished page - I really liked the way this turned out - the words really seemed to complete the page.

Before

Middle

After

I also added some shading, ala Pam Carriker and some extra stamping.

Present in the Mail - Thanks, Amisha!

2011-05-11T17:43:00.000-04:00

I was so delighted to come home to a gift in the mail, sent to me by my dear blogging friend, Amisha, from Gorgeous and Fun Things. She sent me the wonderful book Journal Spilling: Mixed Media Techniques for Free Expression by Diana Trout. I am so excited. I have already thumbed through and it just looks like exactly my cup of tea! Thank you so much Amisha!! You are the best! I am truly blessed. I have looked through this book at Barnes and Noble, but didn't want to spend money on myself! It is full of so much good information, beautiful art and tutorials - all about art journaling!


The Front Cover

This is the artwork from a chapter called "The Inner Critic". I just love this artwork.

This is another page about doing an autobiography.

I can't wait to start trying out some of this. I know what I will be reading tonight!

Coffee Table Re-Do & Being Creative Blog Party

2011-05-02T22:03:00.001-04:00

Last summer, my daughter and I refinished some furniture for her apartment. This is an old oak coffee table that we refinished with black and red. We did several coats of paint - red first, then vaseline, then black. Then we sanded it so that the black came off the vaseline and showed the red underneath. This was done similarly to the tray that we did. I was pretty happy with how it turned out.

This is my creative addition to Amisha's Being Creative Blog Party. You can join her over at Gorgeous and Fun Things.

Medieval Girls

2011-04-27T16:24:00.004-04:00


Photo by my daughter - 2nd from right

This is a photo from my daughter's project on Medieval Clothing. We are preparing for our Medieval Faire and Feast which is our grand finale for our school year studying Konos History of the World Vol 2 - Ancient Rome and the Middle Ages. She is doing a project on clothing in the Middle Ages and had some of her friends dress up in our dresses and did a photoshoot.

Being Creative # 10 - Our Biggest Fears

2011-04-25T11:39:00.000-04:00

This is the last of Amisha's topics for us to blog about at Gorgeous and Fun Things Being Creative Blog Party. It is #10 - our biggest fears. Am I creative enough? Am I good enough? And some more of such big beasties......

For the first question - "Am I creative enough?" - funny, I don't worry too much about that one. I have a strongly held belief that every person is creative - because we were all creative as children. It is more about uncovering or rediscovering our creativity. If you ever used crayons to sketch a picture in Kindergarten or built a castle with Legos, or created a playhouse out of leaves, twigs and pine straw, etc. - then you are inherently a creative person! We have just become so organized and rigid and accomplishment-oriented in order to survive as adults, that we have smashed down that creative little inner person. So for me, I feel that somewhere deep down inside, there is that little creative person pushing to get out. My job is just to figure out how to relax and play again! So that is not a fear that I struggle with.

Next is "Am I good enough?" - Again, I don't worry about that one either, because I just don't care if anyone else likes what I do. I just do it for myself and try to have fun. My enjoyment comes from experimenting, learning and occasionally liking the outcome. It makes me happy to just be doing something creative and expressing myself in a way that I haven't used in many years. I haven't been published, and frankly, I don't think that I have anything unique enough or good enough to get published. But maybe someday, I might, if I keep on giving myself permission to continue exploring and practicing and playing. But for right now, it is just about the personal enjoyment. So that is not a fear I struggle with either.

Ahhh, but there is one big, bad beast that I do struggle with often, and that is the big GUILT word. I struggle hugely with feeling guilty about taking time just for myself to do something that is just for me and is purely for enjoyment. I'm not selling, accomplishing, performing, cleaning, helping others or whatever else I feel that I "ought" to be doing. Instead of cooking dinner or grading papers, I might just be playing in my little creative spot - and often I feel guilty! My heart races and I start to feel anxious, like the housekeeping police are going to come and arrest me! I am thankful that my dear husband continues to encourage and affirm me in my creative efforts. However, he is a type-A personality that is ALWAYS accomplishing something, so I feel inferior to him. He tells me over and over that I should not feel that way, but that is my biggest fear, I think. And that is that I will not be accomplishing something "meaningful".

To overcome this, I have set a goal that I will be creative at least 20 minutes every day. I have been faithful to that and I am starting to shove down the Guilt monster.

And the other monster I deal with is the "too much stuff" monster. I feel like I am a hoarder of stuff - I have such a huge collection of supplies and ephemera and magazines and books. This summer I plan to whittle down my stash in a significant way, because truly, it becomes a hindrance to being creative. My dad was a true hoarder of stuff, so I want to be careful not to let my stuff overwhelm me. This is where there is a line you walk between seeing the beauty and usefulness of every little thing and not saving so much that you can't find anything or have a place to actually create. Hence my goal of decluttering my stash as soon as school is out. I hope to share my wealth with others and throw away the junk!

Lastly, I will share with you my latest creation. I actually just love this one. It contains a picture of my very creative Grandmother and my son when he was very little. She was a great inspiration to me and one of my greatest cheerleaders. I made a color copy of the photo and added it to one of my altered book/art journals.

The right hand page is actually not completed, but I have done the layers in the same colors so that the two pages will be unified and coordinated.

Mamaw, Me and Ryan

I want to thank Amisha over at Gorgeous and Fun Things for hosting this blog party and for giving us really thought-provoking things to blog about. Her Mr. Linky is going to stay open so you can still join in the fun by just posting something that you have done creative. I love that it can be anything without a time table or format. Hop over and see what she has going on and say hello!

Happy Easter! Pink Saturday

2011-04-23T13:07:00.001-04:00

This weekend we celebrate the most important event in human history! The resurrection of Jesus Christ. Tomorrow at daybreak we will celebrate Easter. Because Jesus died and rose again, we all can have hope of a future - not just here on earth, but for eternity in heaven. Praise God for his immeasurable grace!

Today I will share with you just a few "pinks" in honor of Easter. First is my little thrift store bunny that welcomes my guests in my entry way.

Next is a two-page spread in one of my altered books. It is still a work in progress, but I think it is turning out beautifully.

And here are close-ups of each separate page.

Left Page

Right Page

These pages are in an oversized book - actually an old atlas - that I am loving working on. I first gessoed the pages, then applied a decorative napkin with matte medium. I then cut out the beautiful ladies from a calendar I had for last year. To pull the ladies into the overall spread, I added the big pink roses you see with an old rubber stamp set I have from Stampin' Up and then added more detail with a dark pink marker. I have a few more elements I plan to add, but I thought I would show you the in-progress pages.

And lastly, I will share with you the rest of my Vintage Bunny and Chicks book from my swap at Altering Without Limits Yahoo Group.

Page by M. L. Perlow

Back of Page by M. L. Perlow

Page by Carolyn Kropp at www.artfulhands.blogspot.com

Page by Deb Patrick at http://artziehodgepodge.blogspot.com/

Back of page by Deb Patrick at http://artziehodgepodge.blogspot.com/

Page by Ellen Gray

Back of Page and Front Next Page by Ellen Gray

Back of Page by Ellen Gray and Inside of Back Cover

Open Book to Show Wonderful Dimension in Book

There - that is the last of the wonderful book that I have been sharing to celebrate Easter. Books were bound and covers provided by Deb Patrick at http://artziehodgepodge.blogspot.com/.

Please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound and her Pink Saturday Blog Party to see many more wonderful pinks today.

May you all be richly blessed this Easter.

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

christianfaithdownloads.com

Being Creative #9: Big and Small Ideas

2011-04-18T21:14:00.000-04:00

"Big and Small Ideas. Things that I have come to learn along the way," is the topic for the Being Creative Blog Party over at Amisha's place at Gorgeous and Fun Things. Stop over and check out other Big and Small Ideas being shared over there. I think you will learn something useful!

I usually smile when I look back at my first altered books because they look so - well - like a beginner made them. And that is just what I was. I think the biggest thing I have learned it that I need to be intentional and just make art, or I won't get very far. Experience is truly the best teacher.

Another thing I have learned is to just have fun. For me, making art is not about impressing anyone else - it is just for my own enjoyment. That keeps it fun for me. I don't have to perform for anyone. I am actually shocked when someone actually likes what I do. My two daughters have been my biggest cheerleaders. That gives me a lot of joy, as well. When they really like my work, I am sort of incredulous, but happy just the same.

I am like Amisha. I tend to do a lot of different things. I jump from one thing to another, because I am easily bored. Lately I have migrated from doing as much in altered books and more into art journaling. Last year I was all about felting old sweaters and making purses. I think I just love to learn new things. I love trying new techniques and seeing how it all turns out.

Now I will share a project from a couple of summers ago. My daughter and I make this tray from an old frame, some paint, hardware and some scrapbooking paper. I love how it turned out!

This tray now resides in my daughter's shabby chic apartment. We did several layers of paint - black and then white. We put vaseline on the black before painting on the white in places where we wanted the white to rub off to achieve the worn look. I think this is one of my favorite projects.

Gorgeous and Fun Things

52 FLEA: Romantic Prairie Style and A Give Back

2011-04-15T09:20:00.000-04:00

52 FLEA: Romantic Prairie Style and A Give Back is having the most wonderful give-away of this book. Stop by her blog and read her wonderful review of this book. If you love all things family and simplicity and re-purposed and heirlooms, you will love what she wrote.

Altered Book Cover - Angels

2011-04-12T20:35:00.000-04:00

This is the cover of one of my altered books. It is a book about angels. I hope to add a title to it, but I'm not sure how I will do it yet.

Being Creative #8 -Tools, Tips and Technology

2011-04-10T09:02:00.000-04:00

This week over at the "Being Creative" Blog Party at Gorgeous and Fun Things, the topic is "Tools, Tips and Technology!" What are you favorite tools? Do you ever feel like you are cheating because you are using some tool?

I don't often think of what I use as "tools" but more as "supplies", of which I have way too many! The tools that I use most often include my scissors, my paper cutter and little foam paint brushes. Those are things I use over and over. I have a pair of Cutter Bee scissors that I use all the time. I love them because they are small enough to cut fine lines and they have a coating that doesn't get sticky. That is very important, since I am constantly using glues, tapes and gel medium in my art and I hate it when scissors get gunked up and don't work well. I use my paper cutter when I need to make straight cuts. It is a life saver for that sort of thing. And those little foam brushes are great for laying down gesso, acrylic paint and washes and are disposable. (I do reuse them until they fall apart - but they work really well for what I do with altering books and journals.)

Another important tool that I use quite often is my rubber stamp supply. I find that there are so many wonderful stamps that make great additions to the pages I create and it is hard to duplicate that effect. They work so well for layering and adding interest. I use all sorts of images and have many alphabet sets that are wonderful for adding words or sentiments.

Altered Board Book in Progress

This is a picture of a project in progress on my desk and you can see many of my tools around. Here I am altering a board book. I first sand the pages, then apply gesso and then apply any color I like using acrylic paints. I am not sure what my theme will be for this book. All I know is I want it to be happy!

Below I will share an altered book 2-page creation that I completed a few months ago.

In the first step, I used gesso to apply some tissue paper that came in a Fossil purse that I had purchased. I just loved all the keys.

Next I used acrylic gel paints and an ink pad to apply color. I used my trusty foam brush to apply the gel paint and then used a direct-to-paper technique just rubbing the ink pad directly onto the paper. I like to use this method because it highlights the wrinkles in the tissue and add great texture and dimension.

I applied a torn piece of scrapbook paper across both pages to add a horizon line. I then cut out random circles of various papers, using my Cutter Bee scissors and glued them to the pages. I added a circle of acrylic paint in the center and a line of paint to represent the flower stems. I also dry brushed some additional colors onto the page in pink and turquoise. Finally, I outlined the circles and added the stems using a black Sharpie marker.

I may go back later and add some words when the mood strikes me. But this is the final product at this point.

Many thanks to Amisha over at Gorgeous and Fun Things for keeping us motivated to do something creative and encouraging us each week. Stop by her blog and enjoy her wonderful posts.

Gorgeous and Fun Things

Vintage Bunnies & Chicks II -Pink Sat.

2011-04-09T10:32:00.001-04:00

Today I am joining in with the Pink Saturday Party being held over at Beverly's at How Sweet the Sound. I am going to show a few more pages from the completed Vintage Bunnies and Chicks Book swap that we did over at AlteredWithoutLimits (AWOL) Yahoo Group.


Page by Cathee Stegall www.catartnsoul.blogspot.com

It is hard to see the wonderful dimension on these pages through the lens of a camera, but this page has beautiful prima flowers, tags and handmade paper that give the page a wonderful, textural touch.

The page on the left is the back of the Best Friends page and the right is another wonderful page of musical bunnies. The music page has a pocket with a tag.

Page by Terry Glover

Here it is showed with the tag exposed.

Left Page by Terry Glover

This is the back of the page and the back of the tag - Awesome details!

Page by Ellen Gray

Here is a close up of the next page.

Page by Ellen Gray

And the back of the page.

These ladies did such an awesome job with their pages. My friends have all been ooh-ing and ahh-ing over them. They are all so tactile and beautiful. I will be posting more of the pages as we approach Easter. Stay tuned!

Beverly has asked us to highlight a special blog we have visited and today I would like to highlight Pat over at The Artful Diva. She has the most wonderful blog and often has great instructions for her projects. I am just loving her wonderful art journaling posts. Maybe you have met her during your Pink Saturday ramblings, but if not, please stop by and enjoy perusing her wonderful blog. I know you will be blessed and inspired!

If you would like to visit more wonderful "Pink" party posts, head over to How Sweet the Sound and visit some wonderful and talented bloggers. And don't forget to stay tuned for more pages from my Vintage Bunnies and Chicks book.

Writing Down Ideas - Being Creative #7

2011-04-03T11:29:00.002-04:00

This week's topic at the "Being Creative Blog Party" over at Amisha's Gorgeous and Fun Things is "Writing down ideas? Do you do it? Do you like it? Does it help?"

Truthfully, I would have to say that I very seldom write anything down, nor sketch out ideas. I have done so on rare occasions, but it is definitely not a habit. Probably the closest I come to that is when I flag an idea or a layout in a magazine that I really like, but so often I forget to go back and look for it.

So I think that this is an area where I might really gain some benefit. It has only been a short time that I have been making art on any kind of regular basis. Before about a year ago, I was very sporadic and made art primarily when I was on vacation and had time to do it. But over the last year I have tried to be much more intentional in being creative on some sort of consistent basis. So I think I will begin to make an effort to write things down. We'll see how it goes. Maybe next week I can give you a little update! : )

Now on to my creative effort that I am going to share today. I just want to share a couple of backgrounds I've been working on and a page from one of my altered books.

First are a couple of background pages that I made from instructions in Strathmore Visual Journal Workshop 2 called "Start Where You Are" by Linda Blinn. I made my own sprays by adding ink to water in spray bottles. I then used some items that I had around as stencils. This is done in my water color pad. I'm practicing before I put something into my actual Art Journal - sort of a "journal for my journal", as one lady in the workshop put it. Maybe this will turn into my idea and resource book for writing things down!

Spray inks over assorted home objects - item on the right is a paper overlay for scrapbooking.


Used spray ink over household items

I used a doily, heart tag from clothing item and I picture of a woman that I cut out from a book. The blue in the right hand lower corner is some metallic blue water color that I brushed on. Upper right is just some white plastic mesh I had around the house. Again - this is my "journal journal".
I don't know what I will actually end up making on these pages, but it sure is a fun beginning!

Altered Book Double Page Spread - Red booklet on right opens up.

I already posted this picture in a previous post, but I wanted to show the booklet opened up. See below.

Booklet opened

Front Cover of the Book - work in progress- I used a map of my beloved home state of Mississippi as the background!

Book Spine - I'm using the various countries in the book as my page inspirations.

So there you have it - some of my work from this week. If you'd like to see other posts on Being Creative and Writing Things Down, head over to Amisha's at Gorgeous and Fun Things. You might find you want to join in the fun. It is a great inspiration and very gentle and affirming. I love it!

Vintage Bunnies & Chicks Book - Pink Sat.

2011-04-02T09:54:00.000-04:00

This week I received my final version of the Vintage Bunnies and Chicks Book from our Swap at the AlteredWithoutLimits Yahoo Group - and it is awesome - beyond beautiful - and above all my expectations. Each and every page in the book is worthy of pouring over and soaking in all the wonderful details. Each lady brought something special and unique to the party. I am going to share a few of the pages this week in honor of Pink Saturday. I will be sharing more pictures on future blog posts, so come back and visit soon. I have just loved being in these swaps because it really stretches me to get out of my comfort zone and also to complete something! So without further ado -


Front Cover of the Book by Deb Patrick at http://artziehodgepodge.blogspot.com/


Inside and the first page - this is my page that I submitted.

Next Page - "Spring" by Cyn Chapman www.cynzplace.blogspot.com

Next Page - Easter Greetings plus Tag! by Rhea Freitag http://starrgazercreates.blogspot.com/

You can see the backs of the previous pages - requirements were that the backs were to look nice & include their name and state, but did not have to be decorated or embellished. Most of the ladies did a beautiful job on the back, as well.


Tag Extended


Next Page and Back of Previous Page with Tag Extended


Close-up of the next page by Jo Ann Duplantis

I wish you could see the details on these pages - they are awesome. The one above has tiny little beads added to the center of the flowers. I love it!


A View of the Book Open so you can see the dimension

The requirements for the book were that the pages had to be 6x6 inches or less and have a picture of a vintage bunny or chick somewhere on the page. The Yahoo group coordinator - lovely Deb Patrick at ArtZhodgepodge, did the covers and the binding and sending out of the books. She did a lovely job! Hop on over to her blog for a treat and tell her I sent you.

I am linking up with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another wonderful Pink Saturday. You can stop by her blog and visit many wonderful ladies and their Pink Saturday posts. Pink is not just a color, it is an attitude!

And don't forget, I'll be posting more pictures of this fabulous book next week for Pink Saturday!

Sunday Song

2011-03-27T09:59:00.001-04:00

It's not Sunday, but I am going to try this new technique to link up with Natasha at 5 Minutes Just For Me.

And then I'll know how for future Sundays! What a great idea! So today, I'll post one of my all-time favorites - Amazing Grace by Il Divo ! Their voices just blow me away! So hope you all enjoy this one!

Inspiration and Being Creative Blog Pary

2011-03-27T09:21:00.000-04:00

INSPIRATION AND BEING CREATIVE BLOG PARTY!

I am sharing a finished art journal page and if you would like to see the steps I used to create this, check out my last post at Art Journaling and Joy.

Art Journal Page Using a Photo of My Daughter

Today I am linking up with Amisha over at Gorgeous and Fun Things for her Being Creative blog party. Her topic for the week is "inspiration" - and I have so many areas for inspiration that it is hard to find a place to begin!

First and foremost for me, I believe, are my children! I have 3 very creative children who love to create and don't get bogged down by "self-doubt" or others expectations. I remember sitting with my girls watching them do scrapbook pages by the dozens while I struggled to complete one or two. They just were happy and didn't second guess things, nor were they afraid to use my "special" supplies! LOL! All of these things are important for me to incorporate when I attempt to do something creative!

Next is magazines and books - there are so many wonderful things out there to expand your thinking and introduce you to new ideas. I remember when I first started reading Stampington magazines - I was sort of blown away by the edgy art they showed - especially in the Melange section of the Somerset Studio Magazine. But now I love trying so many things that I see there. I have stacks and stacks of books and magazines and I go back to them again and again. Something that did not mean anything to me the first time I saw it, may be very inspirational later, when I have been exposed to more regarding that particular technique!

And lastly, one of my most recent discoveries are online tutorials that are just awesome. There have been times where I have stared and stared at a page that I loved, but could not for the life of me, figure out how the artist accomplished it. Now that I have discovered these online tutorials, my eyes have been opened and I even think - wow! maybe I could do that! Here are just a few sites that have inspired me:
Pam Carriker's Blog Pam has so many wonderful things on her site including some free tutorials!

Journal Artista Paula Phillips has lots of wonderful tutorials and videos that are FREE on this one!

All Norah's Art Sharon Tomlinson - wonderful painter of faces and also does wonderful fabric art!

Misty Mawn - Just wonderful blog and her art is fantastic!

I could go on and on, but these are a few great stops for you to try out.

Thanks so much to Amisha for putting on this wonderful blog party! I am having a blast! Pop over to visit her blog and visit some other very creative blogs that are joining her for her party!

Art Journaling - Joy - Being Creative Blog Party

2011-03-26T10:56:00.004-04:00

ART JOURNALING TECHNIQUE :

Today I am sharing my latest art journaling project. I will show some of the steps, although I did not get photos of some of the intermediate steps. This project is based on a photo of my youngest daughter.

This is the original photograph that I started with. It was taken by my oldest daughter last summer.

I then modified the photo using the sketch function of my printer software on my computer and printed this out. Unfortunately, I wanted the reverse, so I just outlined it with Sharpie marker and held it up to the light and traced it onto the back. Then I went over it with pencil and traced it onto a sheet of paper.

This is the original sketch on a piece of colored paper that I have in another altered book. I then made a color copy of this and cut it out and glued it into my art journal. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of the original collage before I started working on it. I tore pieces of paper from other artwork and glued them down prior to gluing in the portrait. I then painted just the face and skin area with gesso and then acrylic paint avoiding the eye area. I then began shading and adding color with oil pastels using the techniques I learned in Pam Carriker's Strathmore workshop 1.

This is the first photo I took of my progress. This shows some of the pink that was in my original work.

Here, I have added more details and shading.

This is the final version - at least for now. Her cheeks are still pink! Sort of! I will come back to it later and see if I feel that I need to add more to it. I will be joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. Head over there to experience more pink fun!

INSPIRATION AND BEING CREATIVE BLOG PARTY!

And tomorrow I will be linking up with Amisha over at Gorgeous and Fun Things for her Being Creative blog party. Her topic for the week is "inspiration".
Thanks so much to Amisha for putting on this wonderful blog party! I am having a blast! Pop over to visit her blog and visit some other very creative blogs that are joining her for her party!

What Art is to Me

2011-03-19T21:53:00.001-04:00

Art, to me, is a new-found passion after years of performing as a research chemist using the left side of my brain. It is also a way to deal with my perfectionist tendencies. I especially like altered art and art journaling where there is no real right or wrong. It is my time to relax and just be myself and let myself play. I think I might have been artistic once as a child and it has been a lot of fun rediscovering that passion now. It has also given me a way to connect with others with similar interests, which is also a lot of fun. Below are a few examples of my foray into the artistic realm:


Copy of Brown Creeper I drew a while back


Another Vintage Bunny Card for Swap


Art Journal Page in Progress

This week's topic over at Gorgeous and Fun's Being Creative Blog Party is:
"What counts as creative time, how much time do you need to create?"


http://gorgeousandfun.typepad.com/gorgeous_and_fun/

This is a very interesting question. For me, creative time is more than just being in my studio creating. It also includes creativity sparking - and I accomplish that in a variety of ways. One is browsing through other creative blogs. This is a great way to get inspired, learn new things and meet wonderful people. Another way is to visit local Scrapbooking stores, art stores, etc. That can really get you going as you see new products and new ways to use old products. As I've already mentioned before, one of my most favorite ways is to look through creative magazines such as Somerset Studio.

But probably the most important of all is - as Nike says - "Just Do It!" So spending time in my art room playing is the number one way that I classify as creative time. I tend to get frustrated if I don't get some time to spend in there, and if my life is busy with other priorities, which is most every day, I tend to obsess over when I can get back to my art. This is a nice time of my life where I can actually spend time there, now that my children are older. So I look forward to spending more time in there in the future.
If you want to play along with the Being Creative Blog Party, drop by Amisha's place and join in the fun. I know you will be glad you did. It is a great way to spark your creativity!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-16T21:37:00.000-04:00

Enjoy your day!

Vintage Bunny/Chick Swap - Pink Sat. & Being Creative

2011-03-12T09:27:00.000-05:00

As a part of "Being Creative" and Pink Saturday this week, I am going to post a couple of items I've made for a Vintage Bunny/Chick Swap I am in. We will each submit ten cards and they will be divided among ten ladies and made into a Vintage Bunny Chick Book. The neat thing about this swap is that all of the cards are allowed to be different sizes. I can't wait to see how the book turns out. What a fun way to start celebrating Easter. Easter is my second most favorite holiday after Thanksgiving! And an even more fun thing about this is that my oldest daughter, who was on Spring Break, helped me and we had a wonderful afternoon being creative together. This hasn't happened very often since she has been in college!


4X6 Card with a "little extra"


Card Back


Made by my Dear Daughter - not included in swap


Back of her card

I will post more photos once the books have been completed. This is only my second swap, but I find that being involved in a swap forces you to complete things and pushes you creatively. It has been a fun and challenging way to stay creative.

The topic for this week in "Being Creative" is "Things that stop you from being creative". Well my first and foremost is, as it might be for a lot of people - time limitations. It is hard to make time to be creative on a regular basis. I tend to go in creative spurts. When I am busy with heavily scheduled times in my regular life, it is hard to slice out a little time to be creative. One thing I have been learning from reading other creative blogs is that even 10 minutes can keep you rolling creatively. So I have tried to do that - try to something creatively almost every day - even if it is for a very short time.

Well, if you would like to read more about being creative, head over to Amisha's blog at Gorgeous and Fun and visit some of the other bloggers there. She is one of the "pink" bloggers that I have met through Pink Saturday and has a wonderful blog.

And if you want to see other wonderful Pinks, stop over at Beverly's blog How Sweet the Sound. There are lots of fabulous links to every sort of Pink you can imagine.

Have a happy and wonderful Pink Saturday! Go be creative!

Being Creative - "Art Journaling Page: Paris" & Pink Sat.

2011-03-05T08:40:00.000-05:00

Happy Pink Saturday!

This is another two-page spread that I have done in my Altered Book/Art Journal. I tried to use some of the techniques used in Strathmore's Pam Carriker's Art Journaling class as far as shading and blending. The red page on the right opens up and has more journaling inside. I have really enjoyed using the new techniques-it definitely gives the pieces more depth. The background is a map of Paris that I had.

This is a great example of how to learn - taking an online class. This Strathmore Art Journaling class has been fantastic because it is free. I don't know if I would have had the courage to try it if I had to fork out lots of money to take it. But now that I have gotten my feet wet, I might try one that I have to pay for. But for now there are two more workshops - on that just started yesterday and one that starts May 1. Taking this class sure has opened my eyes to new things that I don't think I could have figured out on my own.

Another of my favorite ways to learn is through magazines like Somerset Studio, Art Journaling, Artful Blogging and more. They are just great to look through for ideas and links and also often have tutorials that help me to learn.

And today I would love to highlight a new blogger that I have recently discovered! Karen over at
A Scrapbook of Inspiration. She has the most wonderful blog and the most beautiful creations. You will just love her blog and her work and be blessed by your visit, I am sure! I am in awe of her wonderful creations. Here is a peek at one of her wonderful creations!

Photo and creation by Karen at A Scrapbook of Inspiration

I am linking up today with Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound to celebrate another Pink Saturday. Head over there to see more wonderful "Pink" posts.

I missed the linking up over at Gorgeous and Fun this week for Being Creative 2, but thought I'd post anyway. You can go over to her blog and see links to other posts on "Being Creative".

Why I Love Winter

2011-02-26T20:00:00.000-05:00

As I was sitting here this morning having my coffee, I was watching the snowflakes drifting down outside the window. It struck me just how much I love snow! Snowflakes represent quiet beauty to me - and a time to slow down. When it is snowing it is necessary to slow down - you just can't go fast when it is snowing. It is, I think, God's way of making us slow down and "BREATHE"! When I am out in the countryside in the snow, everything is just so quiet and beautiful. It would not be so beautiful if everything was not covered with snow. The trees and plants are mostly sleeping and look pretty dead. Although I must say that the evergreens are glorious! And even more so when they are sprinkled with snow. We went skiing today and it was absolutely stunning out there! So here are a few shots. Enjoy!

Our deck on Long Lake - It will be grand this summer!

The stairway going down....

Our picnic table...

Looking back away from the lake - that's where our house will go!

A couple of interested friends...

More Snow!

Shabby Chic Make-Overs

2011-02-24T20:46:00.000-05:00

Today I am going to post photos of one of the projects I did with my daughter to make furniture for her apartment. This is a book shelf that we did and I really like the way it turned out.

Being Creative - Where Do I Create?

2011-02-20T21:21:00.001-05:00

I have decided to join in the "Being Creative Blog Party" that Alisha is hosting over at Gorgeous and Fun Things. I was a little reluctant to join in because I am not an artist - I'm actually a Chemist - logical thinking and all that jazz - plus a Latin teacher - more logic! But I do love to go into my creative space and "play". It is healthy for my attitude and a release for me. I just have fun. Alisha challenged us to share how we feed our creative souls and slay the "fear" dragon. So I just decided to have a go.

This week the topic is "Where do we create?" I have a small 9X10 room that used to be a study which I took over and turned into my little "studio." My hubby calls it my "Girl-Cave". Ha! But I really like having all of my supplies in one area and a place where I can leave my work out to dry and just close the door. It is pretty messy most of the time, but it is my own little space. I have hopes of some day having it fantastically organized, but so far, that hasn't happened. Little by little I am getting it more organized toward the altered books/altered art/collage work that I have been doing. I am starting to dabble more into art journaling as well. One thing about altered art and collage is that there is lots of stuff! And books - I love books! So I really enjoy reclaiming old, cast off books and turning them into art to be enjoyed.

Here are a few pictures of my space.

And I will add just a couple of art journal background pages that I have been working on. They are layered, so it is a process to put things down and letting them dry before you put another layer down. It requires patience, which I don't usually have much of - so I think it is good for me.

So if you would like to join in or see more creative spaces, head over to Gorgeous and Fun and see the fun happenings going on.

Pink Art Journal Backgrounds - Pink Saturday

2011-02-19T09:33:00.000-05:00

I am learning a new technique called Art journaling. I have always journaled the conventional way - hand written journals. But lately, I've discovered Art Journaling and it seems to mesh perfectly with my Altered Books and Altered Art. I have been spending some time making some background pages, so today I thought I would share some of the "pink" ones in celebration of Pink Saturday. I am also learning so much from the Strathmore Art Journal class. These pages will be added to later as I learn to journal more in this fashion.

It has been fun so far, and I am looking forward to adding to these pages. Happy Pink Saturday. For more wonderful Pink Posts, head over to Beverly's at How Sweet the Sound and enjoy some wonderful bloggers. They are quite a friendly bunch and you will be glad you did!

White Wednesday Art: "Peace in White"

2011-02-17T12:26:00.000-05:00

I would like to show you one of my favorite pages from my Atlas Altered Book - this is a "Woman in White". I still have some work to do on this and I think I am going to add some shading that I have learned in the Strathmore Art Journal Workshop. But this is where I am at this point. Hope you like it!

Peace in White

You can sort of see the atlas in the background, and the word Peace is from a piece of Christmas wrapping paper. The white is a torn paper doily. I am having so much fun with this!

I am linking up to White Wednesday over at Faded Charm even though it is Thursday here. I have been wanting to post on this Meme for a while now, so I am happy I got to it, even though I'm a little late. If you'd like to see other beautiful things in white - head over to Faded Charm and check it out.

More Artwork from my Strathmore Art Journal Class-Pink Sat.

2011-02-11T14:04:00.002-05:00

These are the final - or almost final pages that I worked on after finishing the first one in the Strathmore Art Journal Workshop . I may work on these more, but this is how they look today.

BE YOURSELF

"BREATHE"

Breathe is my word for the year. I am practicing trying to be more relaxed, less stressed and trying to learn to take care of myself. It is a process, but I feel it is a very important one.

I am connecting with Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. So hop on over there if you'd like to see more pink posts!

Strathmore Art Workshop Project 1

2011-02-11T13:50:00.000-05:00

I have been participating in an online workshop sponsored by Strathmore which can be found at this link: http://www.strathmoreartiststudio.com/ Workshop one, Recycled Journal Pages, is taught by Pam Carriker. The neat thing about the workshops are that they are self paced. You just enter your workshop and there you find a video, a supply list and instructions. Plus there are lots of discussions going on by participants. This is my first ever workshop like this - either live or virtual. It has been so much fun. I believe you can still join in. I am also signed up for the other two workshops. And best of all, they are FREE! It is an awesome opportunity. Here is my project in stages:

Step 1

This is the first step, in which you glue down pieces of copies of previous artwork onto a single water color sheet in the journal. These pieces were selected from some of my altered book art. The black and white tree is actually from a doodle/zentangle card made for me by my youngest daughter.

Step 2

This step involves journaling, shading with charcoal and oil pastels and then covering with thinned gesso. I addes the bird during this step, along with the shell, feather and oval seal.

Step 3

In this step, you continue to shade with acrylic paint, oil pastels and also fill in the negative space with textures. In this step, much of the journaling is mostly hidden.

Step 4

This is the final step in which the colors are revitalized and any additional journaling and shading are added. This is a photo, so the colors don't really show up that well. But overall, I was pleased with my first attempt. I felt like I learned so much, just with this first attempt. I tried a few others, which I will post later. One thing I learned while doing this is just how much I DON'T know! But I highly recommend it. I just truly enjoyed the entire process.

Below I have included the pages from which I drew my pieces for the above artwork. Can you tell where the parts came from?

This last doodle in black in white was done by my daughter as part of a card for me. I really liked incorporating that into the image! I know that I will be doing more of this type of art. It is really fun!

A Teacup for Pink Saturday

2011-01-29T00:01:00.003-05:00

I was able to stop by an estate sale recently and purchase a few beautiful old English teacups. Here are a couple of them to honor Pink Saturday.

I think they look lovely perched atop some of my old books. I am definitely a book-a-holic and possibly a tea-cup-a-holic! Is there such a thing?

If you would like to see more beautiful pink posts, drop over to Beverly's place at How Sweet the Sound and visit some of the lovely ladies that link up to her Pink Saturday post! You will be glad you did! They are such a wonderful bunch of bloggers over there! Tell 'em I sent you!

Women in White Altered Book

2011-01-15T20:10:00.002-05:00

I have been working on this book for a couple of years, and I finally got around to scanning the pages. This is one of my favorite books. However, it is falling apart, so I will have to figure out a way to rebind it to keep it together. I ended up scanning these pages because I am participating in an visual journal online workshop put on by Strathmore Artist Studio and the instructor is Pam Carriker. This is my very first try at an art journal. I needed some copies of my existing artwork for the first step, so therefore, I finally got these pages scanned and printed. I will be sharing my journal as I go along.

WOMEN IN WHITE

This book is a very personal book. This is one of my favorite pages.

This is the entry page to the book. Come on in!

Once Upon a Time

Regret.Com

Vows

He Gave Me Wings

Pink Rose

Vulnerable

Real Women

Cafe Des Arts

Altered States

Wonder

A Stitch in Time

Tiny Dancer

When Did you Stop Trusting?

White

Which Way?

Forgiveness

I'm also going to post this to the Pink Saturday happenings over at Beverly's at How Sweet the Sound. I do have a few pinks in here, so I hope it qualifies. I find I don't always have time to do separate posts. She has quite the following over there and lots of really wonderful bloggers take part in Pink Saturday. So if you have time, go over and check out some wonderful posts and some wonderful ladies!

Final Christmas House Book

2011-01-09T14:13:00.000-05:00

I am finally getting around to posting photos of my Christmas house book from the Christmas House Swap. I was so impressed with the work of the other participants. It is sort of difficult to get the full effect, but it is an accordion shaped book that I placed on my piano as a Christmas decoration - now one of my favorites! This was such a fun swap to participate in and so I have now signed up to do another one focused on Easter!

Word for the Year - "BREATHE"

2011-01-08T14:37:00.000-05:00

My word for this year will be “breathe”, because I have been having real difficulty with that this year. My doctor says a lot of it is stress-induced, so I have to learn to live my life so that I can breathe. When you can’t breathe, it becomes oh so much more important to you! When I get to the point that I can't inhale and fill my lungs, I hyperventilate and then pass out. NOT FUN. And then I get to spend the rest of the day recovering.

Lisa Leonard is having a give-away over at her blog: LisaLeonardOnline.com. She makes wonderful jewelry. Drop over and check out her necklaces and enter for a chance to win one yourself!

Learning to slow the pace of my life will help to enhance stress management. I also need to stay away from people who use me or stab me in the back while pretending to be my "friend". With friends like that, who needs enemies! A true friend is one who appreciates your good qualities while forgiving those idiosyncrasies that make you sometimes unlovable. I am fortunate some true friends like that in my life and part of my New Year's resolution is to spend more time with them and less time with the others.

Learning to slow down will not be easy for me. I have always lived life at a very fast pace and I have been having trouble accepting that as I get older, I can't do the same things I used to be able to. But God and my friends have been reminding me of my limitations, and when I don't listen to them, my body speaks to me loud and clear!

So for this year - BREATHE! It is a wonderful feeling!

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T22:29:00.000-05:00

This is what the Lord says, ... "Forget the former things; do
not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs
up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and
streams in the wasteland."
-- Isaiah 43:16,18-19

I am looking forward to all that 2011 has in store.

Christmas House Swap

2010-12-16T21:25:00.001-05:00

I participated in my very first art swap - Christmas houses. Here are the pages that I made and submitted.

Each person made ten pages and sent them to the hostess who took one from each set and bound them into a book for each of us. It was so exciting to receive the book in the mail. I will post pictures of the final book later.

I WON A BOOK!

2010-12-14T19:32:00.000-05:00

Wow! I am so excited. I won a book give-away over at Craftside.typepad.com! Take a few minutes to go over and peruse their wonderful blog. This is the book that I won:

Over at Craftside, they were using old recycled Christmas cards to make new greeting cards. There are some great ideas. I have pulled out many of my old greeting cards and I am using them in my altered art. More pictures to come.

Lovely Give-away at Jones Design Co

2010-12-02T19:05:00.000-05:00

There is a lovely freebie of printable gift tags and a fabulous December give-away over at http://jonesdesigncompany.com/. You should really take a few minutes to browse her blog. She has wonderful ideas and a beautiful blog and some great tutorials. Plus, you might win something really pretty. All you have to do is comment on her blog. Here is a peek at one of her photos showing some of her darling gift tags.

I'm definitely going to print them out and use them this year. Have fun and good luck!

Putting Up the Tree

2010-12-01T18:03:00.000-05:00

Our annual tradition is to put the Christmas tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving, and this year was no different. I was blessed to have all three children here and Ron and Jess graciously put together the artificial tree. My camera seems to have gone on the blink so most of my pictures are blurry. But it is what it is. Each child has their own box of special ornaments along with the standard ornaments that we have collected over the years. Christmas carols were playing, and Jess insisted on retrieving the remainder of our ornaments and trim from the attic - so everyone was happy.

The final product - well, almost. Kate still has to add her ornaments. She was too busy with school to help decorate. But she was sitting nearby doing her homework.

Thanksgiving in Michigan

2010-11-25T18:04:00.002-05:00

Well, it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving if we didn't stop and reflect on the things we are thankful for today. I personally am always so thankful for my husband and my children. They make my life so full and complete. I can't imagine life without them. I'm thankful for a warm, comfortable home and health and jobs to pay for those things we need and the little specialties we enjoy - like mochas from Barnes and Noble! LOL! I'm thankful for good friends, both near and far - and thankful for reasonably good health. I'm thankful for sweet potatoes - my favorite! And I'm thankful that they now ship them up North from south. In addition, I'm thankful for Jesus Christ, my Lord and savior.

This year, Ron's sister, mom, dad, nephews and his sister's fiance are joining us for dinner. This has been an annual tradition for many years. It is a great time to share our lives and just be together. Ron's mom's health is still good enough for her to be with us and for that, we are especially thankful.

So this year, remember your blessings and enjoy this journey that we call life.

After dinner dessert: Jess, Kate and Ron

Grandpa and Aunt Janet (Ron's sister)

Boys watching football.

Jane Austen Center - Pink Saturday

2010-11-19T21:41:00.001-05:00

Here are a few pictures from our visit to Bath and the Jane Austen Center this past summer.

"It would be mortifying to the feelings of many ladies, could they be made to understand how little the heart of a man is affected by what is costly or new in their attire... Woman is fine for her own satisfaction alone. No man will admire her the more, no woman will like her the better for it. Neatness and fashion are enough for the former, and a something of shabbiness or impropriety will be most endearing to the latter."
— Jane Austen (Northanger Abbey)

Thanks to Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound for sponsoring Pink Saturday. Head over to find more Pink Saturday links and visit some awesome bloggers.

Trick or Treat - Smell my Feet

2010-11-05T20:24:00.000-04:00

This year there was quite a gang over here that went out trick or treating. The weather was unseasonably nice. The girls gathered here and painted faces, while the guys got into their costumes. We adults sat around and drank wonderful French press coffee and caught up on our lives. There seems to be so little time for that any more. But here are the pictures just before the crew went out.

Here are the girls - mine is on the right.

And here is the girl in the newspaper dress. Quite creative, don't you think?

And here is the entire crew.

We had lots of goodies, homemade chili, fresh salsa, hot apple cider, chai, cookies and more. It has been an annual Leng tradition for many years. Nowadays, we have - let's see - 11 chaperones and one bonafide trick or treater.

Real Men Wear Pink

2010-10-30T05:00:00.002-04:00

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I thought I would post one of my favorite pictures of my hubby and two of our friends. They always don pink hats to hide the Easter eggs for the little ones. But I thought I would also be a good tribute to Breast Cancer Awareness.

And I am here to tell you, these three are the real deal - great men and great husbands!

And here are three Pink Ladies that I borrowed from Vintage Catnip to help us celebrate Pink Saturday and the day before Halloween. : ) She has the loveliest free clipart.

If you would like to see more Pink posts, head on over to Beverly's place at How Sweet the Sound to find other links.

My Home Town - Pink Saturday

2010-09-25T09:17:00.001-04:00

Here are some recent photos from where I live. Happy Pink Saturday!

If you would like to see more Pink Saturday posts, take time to visit Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound for links to lots of fabulous Pink Sat. posts.

HOW SWEET THE SOUND

Give-away at Jones Design Company Blog!

2010-09-21T20:08:00.000-04:00

There is a lovely give-away happening over at Jones Design Company. There are several fabulous things that she is giving away. Check it out over at Jones Design Company.
All you have to do is subscribe to her blog to enter.

And while you are over there, take time to view some of her tutorials. They are fabulous!

Late Summer at the Nature Center

2010-09-18T08:49:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday we took some time to go out and visit our local nature center. It was an absolutely fabulous day for being outside. Septembers in Michigan are usually very pleasant. The old homestead log cabin and grounds are so well done. It makes you really want to go back in time and experience life on your own when people were more self-sufficient.

We enjoyed watching the farm animals.

I tried out a newly-discovered function on my point-and-shoot camera - a macro setting - on some of the flora and fauna.

Here are a few shots of my family having fun.

Original Photo

2010-08-09T13:26:00.000-04:00

Surprise!!

Homeschool Prom 2010

Photo by Katy Leng

I Heart Faces "Surprise"

2010-08-09T12:46:00.001-04:00

Surprise!
Photo by Katy Leng

Are they really ready for the Prom?!

New Altered Book Page

2010-07-30T16:57:00.000-04:00

This is a new Altered Book page I just finished. The Daily Prompt theme was "3".

I have been doing quite a bit, but haven't taken the time to upload any photos. Hope you like it.

Katy's in a Wedding - Pink Sat.

2010-07-24T11:59:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, my daughter Katy was in a wedding.

These two pictures are from the bachelorette party. Katy is on left, Jessica on right.

I think she was a beautiful bridesmaid! The flowers were beautiful, and so was the outdoor wedding.

And the bride was beautiful, too! Kate made all the necklaces.
Well, that's it for today's Pink Saturday. If you'd like to see other Pink Sat. posts, pop over to Beverly's at How Sweet the Sound.

A Neighborhood Walk - Pink Saturday & Outdoor Wednesday

2010-07-10T17:20:00.001-04:00

Happy Pink Saturday. Today I am going to share some photos from my recent walk around my neighborhood. The flowers are so beautiful, that you almost feel like you are walking in a park. I love my neighborhood! I will also be linking up with Outdoor Wednesday over at A Southern Daydreamer.

Here is a sweet little robin to welcome you. Have you ever seen a prettier perch?

Now I will show you one of my prettiest, pinkest, showiest roses in my garden:

And last but not least, three little yard friends to serenade you or help you out along the way!

I hope you have enjoyed your little stroll through my neighborhood. If you would like to see more lovely pinks, hop on over to Beverly's at How Sweet the Sound and enjoy the posts for today's Pink Saturday!

Or if outdoors, photography and gardening are your thing, you can also stop over at A Southern Daydreamer and check out her Outdoor Wednesday links!