T stands for Trail

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you," Philippians 1:3

This morning, I was finally able to return to the trail. The weather was dry and cool, providing the perfect conditions for a 4-mile walk.  Unfortunately, rain returned later in the day. Despite the weather shift, I managed to capture several photos during today's cloudy walk.  

Any one know what those berries are called?

By the way, last year when I walked the trail with our son, one of these hedgeapples dropped on my heard!

Here I am in Elizabeth's hat!  There was no wind this morning either.  There was no sun either, so really didn't need it.

I also have photos from Saturday, when the weather was sunny, creating a striking contrast with today’s overcast conditions.

Thank you for visiting! I hope you take a moment to check out Altered Book Lover and meet our hosts for T Stands for Tuesday, Bleubeard and Elizabeth.

T Stands for Truly Cool

  "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you," Philippians 1:3

Good afternoon! Yes, it is cool here; highs in 70s!   I am enjoying it, going walking and spending time in my craft room.   I have been working on my submission to Art Journal Journey challenge for September.  Mia has challenged us to make our own background.  I had just made a card where I did a color wash with watercolor and still had my paints handy.  So, I started my page with a watercolor wash.  Then I did some background stamping and spraying.  I stamped my title and added a photo I took this Spring on my trail. Be sure and check out the entries at Art Journal Journey.

I used Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors and Tim Holtz Distress Mica stains: Sugary Gumdrop and Wonderland and Frosty Mint.   I stamped the letters with  Stampin' Up inks, and   stamped the Stampendous background writing stamps with Archival black ink.  The panel in back of the photo is a gel print scrap.  I used the weekly art journal sketch from ACOT.

And here is the card I made with the color wash and doodling.

I had fun doodling the people and then hand wrote the sentiment, too. I was just practicing this technique while watching a YouTube video.

That is what I have been doing craft wise and of course we went out to eat, this week to Hog Wild.   We always get the $5.99 special.  He gets the fries for a side and I get the coleslaw, then we split them.  We like the coleslaw on our pulled pork sandwiches to make it Carolina Pork.  Yum, yum!  Sorry, Elizabeth. :)  This time our drinks came with our combos, so he got cola and I mixed the lemonade with the unsweetened tea and had an Arnold Palmer.  This is my ticket to the T Stands for Tuesday over at Altered Book Lover hosted by Elizabeth and Bleubeard.

Then we went to an ice cream social!

I put almost every topping on my ice cream.  It was like I had ice cream on my toppings!  Also, besides the variety of nuts, different candies, and cocoanut, they had chocolate and caramel syrups, cherries, and whipped cream!

Thank you for stopping by.  It is always fun to read the comments and see who visited me.  Happy T Day to the T Gang.  See you next time.

T Stands for Terrific Weather

 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD;

and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. Psalms 33:12

Yes, it is beautiful here.  Overcast & cool! It is 71 now, but earlier in the 60s.  I even walked a couple of miles this afternoon!  70s is so much better than 90s!  We have our windows open, and everything smells so good because it has sprinkled off and on all day.  It smells laundry on the line good!

I am taking part in an Altenew inspiration color challenge, so here is my card using one of their images, Blossoming Freesia. There are prizes!  So check it out.  Even if you don't have their stamps, you can get free coloring pages right there in the link.  I die cut it and used their stencil for sponging color on.  This is for a precious lady friend at church.  We both celebrate this birthday this year, only she is first. :) I die cut the happy and 80th out of gold (poster board paper) and added green rhinestones to the centers of the die cut image.  I used a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder on the Certainly Celery panel and layered on a 110 lb white base.

For today's TSFT ticket, I will share a photo of our recent "brunch for dinner" at the local jimmy's egg, and yes, their name is in lower case letters.

I ordered the three eggs Western Omelet with two sides.  I chose mini stack and fruit.  They made an error and gave me hash browns, too, which I didn't eat.  I didn't like the taste.  The pancakes and omelet and fruit were great.  My husband had the meat lover's skillet and left the potatoes that were in it.  I guess he didn't like their potatoes either. We had our usual waters.  We just can't see paying $2.50 to $4.50 for drinks when we go out to eat.  That is like adding another $10.00 to your ticket.  We can drink our coffee and tea at home.  The only time we get the drink is when it comes with the meal, like a combo.

Other projects this week:

The Challenge of Splitcoaststampers was to use pencils.  I chose to use watercolor pencils to color my angel.  I think this is only the second Christmas card I have made so far this year.  I better get on the ball.  I love that patterned paper.  Isn't it beautiful?  It is from an old 8x12" paper pad that has been in my stash forever.  The angel image is from Stampendous and I had picked it up at a garage sale for a dollar!

Thanks for stopping by.  Happy T-Day.  See you next time!

T Stands for Too Hot!

 "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,"  Philippians 1:3

Although, I tried to go walking this morning, it is still too hot.  I walked about a mile at 9:00 this morning.  I did errands and was home by noon, and it was hot.  I am so over this heat!  Maybe by September I can walk again.  I haven't even crafted much, only made a couple of cards and printed off some photos for scrapping.  

What I have enjoyed is reading.  I have read a couple of good books.  One was Restored in Tuscany: A True Story of Facing Loss, Finding Beauty, and Living Forward in Hope by Angela Correll.  I really enjoyed this book.  The writer has also written a trilogy of fictional books called Grounded, Guarded and Granted.  I haven't read those yet but loved her book of her renovations of a home in Italy, and restored faith.  It was a beautiful story of the little village and people in Tuscany and even included photos. 

What else is going on this Summer?  We have discovered a new place to eat, Magnolia Cafe.  We love their Chicken and Waffles! We went for lunch.   I forgot until we were almost done to take a photo.  We were full after eating the large waffle and one of the chicken pieces so we each took home two pieces of chicken, and had that for dinner, later.  Everything was absolutely delicious.  The chicken was drizzled with honey.  Oh, my goodness, scrumptious!

I recently was reminded of this sunburst technique when perusing the Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers.  She had a link to the way to cut it.  For a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 card or A-2: You cut 2 strips of three different patterned papers of 1 1/4 x 5 1/4.  You then cut those strips diagonally from opposite corners.  This is great way to use up those scraps!  You glue to a 4"x5 1/4 panel.  Arrange how you want and cut off what is off the card and cut off the points instead of gluing down.  I put another panel to cover up the points. I distressed everything with TH Vintage Photo Distress ink.  I submitted this for three challenges on Splitcoaststampers: Featured Stamper, Clean and Simple &  the Fan Club Monthly Challenge for Back to School.  The image with the books is from a free digital from Sande Woodson or Sande's Poema on Facebook and You Tube.

This one is a submission for a card challenge of ACOT to use a inspiring sentiment.  The DSP for both these cards is from a 6x6 paper pad by Authentique.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you are staying cool and having a great T Day.  Stop over at Altered Book Lover and check out TSFT.  See you next time.

T Stands for Tea

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,"  Philippians 1:3

Happy Tuesday!  I am a little late to our tea party!  I wanted to finish a journal layout for Art  Journal Journey for Chris's August Hot Summer (Nights and Days) challenge.  I am still working in my Smash book and using leftover photos from my scrapbooking.  These are Summertime photos from different years. Besides leftover photos, I used leftovers from a Simple Stories kit that I got at a scrap retreat in K.C. Mo. in 2018!  The journaling was printed off with my label maker.  After everything was down, I covered the photos, and spattered with Mango Lemonade Memories Mists.  I kid you not, that is the name!  That could be my ticket to the TSFT, couldn't it?  It is a drink related reference....  but, see below, as I have a more normal ticket.

This is also for a Splitcoaststampers "Summer Fun" Clean and Simple Challenge and for the Art Journal Art Journal Sketch Challenge on A Cherry on Top, (ACOT)

Here is my ticket to TSFT over at Altered Book Lover:  This card is for the Alpha Challenge on Splitcoststampers. The letter this week is F for furniture.  These were gifted dies, so I am excited that I could actually use them!  I layered the scene on a heart embossed panel, another gifted item.  I stamped and punched Just for You from Tea Shoppe, an old retired Stampin' Up! set. This is also for a challenge on A Cherry on Top (ACOT) to use some shiny paper and to use at least 5 sequins.  I inked the edges and over the raised hearts with TH faded jeans Distress Ink.

Thanks for stopping by.  I will see you next time.

T Stands for Taking it Easy

  Delight thyself also in the LORD;

and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

⁵ Commit thy way unto the LORD;
trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Psalms 37:4-5

By taking it easy, I mean less walking; it is just too hot, and I can't get motivated to get out early! It is just nice to stay in the A/C and play in my craft room.  All week-end I watched videos for the Card Makers for Success Summit.  I got a lot of ideas and have several cards started.  I was inspired to begin making a few Christmas cards.  

Let's get to what I have been working on today.  I looked up the Art Journal Journey Challenge and found that Chris aka Pearshaped Crafting's theme this month is Hot Summer Nights and Days.  Great theme!!  I am journaling/scrapping in my smash book just to use it.  It lay unused for many years!

I used some 49 and Market papers, and ephemera, but the feathery paper was what was in the smash book.  Every page in the smash book has different patterned paper, which makes it nice.  I also entered in the VSBN Challenge on Splitcoaststampers to use a sun on your layout.  Also, it is a submission for the Art Journal sketch on ACOT.  I used some leftover zoo photos, which I liked and really wanted to use.

For our TSFT party over at Altered Book Lover, I show our meal at Bagatelle's recently, with our free cake.  I had a wonderful chicken peach poppy seed salad and soup.  Everything there is always so good, and the portions are always generous.  This time they gave us our dessert right with our meal!  We usually go about once every 5 or 6 weeks.  So good!

Happy T Day!  Stay cool!  Thanks for stopping by.  I will see you next time, dear friends.

T Stands for Technique Re-visited

 Delight thyself also in the LORD;

and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

⁵ Commit thy way unto the LORD;
trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Psalms 37:4-5

 How are you all doing on this hot afternoon?  I am composing this post Monday afternoon, and it is 95degrees F out, with heat advisories for 105 degrees heat index!  Great day to spend inside with the A/C.  Although, I did go to Michaels earlier, went in and used their 5.00 reward coupon and only spent $1.06!  I got some mini-ink blending foams, 20 of them in a package.  I am happy with that.  I have no idea why they emailed me this reward, not because I have spent any money there.  In fact, I haven't spent any money since the last $5.00 reward they sent me!  I only spent $2.00 then, the difference between the coupon and some snail adhesive.  Thank you, Michaels!  All that to say, that I then walked the whole parking lot of the very large shopping center, even walking another block to Dollar Tree to get some double-sided tape, then back to my car, near Michaels.  I now have 6000 steps!  But the heat was brutal as it was around noon.

Down to business!  As the title says, I revisited a technique this week.  It is called Cling Wrap Background.  Here is a tutorial on Splitcoaststampers.

I did a few of the backgrounds in different colors using oxide inks on Watercolor cardstock but didn't take a photo of the one I used before I made the card.  Below shows the process:  Swipe the oxide inks onto the cling wrap, spritz with water, scrunch up, then lay on the cardstock, and leave until dry.  When you lift it there will be a pretty pattern on the paper.  You can do this with inks, or watercolors, either one.

Below is the finished card using TH stamps, Archival black ink, and twine.  This particular card is going to one of our church ladies who will me 102 or 103, can't remember which.  A couple of years ago I made her a special card for 100. 

Lastly, here is a photo of freebie digitals from Scrapbooking With Me on YouTube, Edith Wray

I can't wait to make a journal with these pages.  Don't those drinks look scrumptious?  I think these would work especially for a coffee drinker who likes music.  Of course I have someone in mind.

Happy T Day, as celebrated every Tuesday over on Altered Book Lover where our host and hostess are Bleubeard and Elizabeth.  Thanks for stopping by.  I will see you next time.