Gorgeous Blooms all around the yard

My yard is just so colorful with all the different plants blooming.  Unfortunately, most of the flowers that are blooming don't have any scent to them. What a shame.

Yesterday, I noticed the first Rose of Sharon bloom on my shrub. Usually my Rose of Sharon doesn't bloom until  mid July. Maybe with all the rain we had this spring, and then the really hot and humid weather that we've been having has speeded everything along. I just know that I am loving all the bright colors and blooms. Hard to tell from this photo, but the blossom is pink with a dark maroon center.

Below: my first Brown Eyed Susan daisies are blooming in my back yard flower garden.

The Bee Balm is another favorite of mine and of the hummingbirds that visit the yard. I love to see them hover over the trumpet blossoms. The first picture of the bee balm below is a close up.  In the second photo  you can barely see, but there is another blue mop head hydrangea behind the bee balm. The bee balm spreads quickly, but I don't mind.

 

The hydrangea's are really starting to fill out, and the colors are getting more intense. They start out white, and then as time goes by the blooms turn color completely. This is the first year that my two purple/violet hydrangea's have  bloomed since they were planted several years ago.

The hydrangea below is a lace cap hydrangea. They are nice, but not as pretty as the mop heads. They bloom from the outsides first. You can see the center is just full of blooms waiting to open.

I had a hard time getting a decent photograph of one my lavender plants that is in bloom. I just love the smell of lavender.

I haven't created any art the past several days, as it has just been too hot and humid. It's been too uncomfortable to do anything, but stay in front of the air conditioner. So, I thought I would share the beauty that is have around my yard on this last day of June. I can't believe how fast the year is flying by.

Don't you think the flowers that are blooming in my yard are pretty?

Our little darling...Bella

I took this photo yesterday of our newest granddaughter. I can't believe Bella will be a month old in just a few more days, on the 24th.
How time flies.

My Hydrangea's are just starting to turn color

Hydrangea's are one of my favorite flowers. About 5 years ago I took cuttings from one of my older Blue mophead hydrangea plants. I nursed those 18  little cuttings thru the winter, and the following spring when the root system was well established, and I hardened the plants off, I planted them along one edge of the side yard and gave some away to friends.

This year all of the hydrangea that I have started are going to bloom. The flowers are starting to turn from white to blue. My Lace hydrangea is just starting to bloom too, but I don't think they are as pretty.
These blue hydrangea are mostly in the shade, and they are further along than my hydrangeas that get full sun.
In the 3rd photo...the birdhouse that is on the pole had a pair of tufted titmice build a nest of moss, and raised a brood. The babies have now flown from the nest.
You can't really tell from this picture, but the hydrangea's go all the way to end of the property. There are clematis plants below the birdhouse that are getting ready to bloom again.

I have a few other hydrangea's in the yard that have never bloomed since I bought them with flower heads on them, and they are also full of blossoms. Maybe it was all the rain we had this spring. Whatever the cause, I can't wait to see them all in full bloom. One was dark pink and the other was a mauve color. I hope they are that color when they bloom.
Pretty, don't you think?
Happy Summer Soltice!

Beaded bracelet sets

 
I decided to do some beading this afternoon. Digging thru my bead stash I came across a couple of strands of beads that I bought a few months back at Not Simply Beads in Plymouth, MA.
This set is done in silver with  AB  Swavorski crystals. The beads are beautiful and depending on the light they look really blue or really green, with a hint of violet, but in this photo they really don't show how pretty and irridescent that they are.


The second bracelet /earring set I made this afternoon is done in red triangular beads that have brown around the edges. I used light and dark topaz swavorski crystals.

Decorative Toilet Paper roll travel tag book

I've  had on my to do list tag book journals made from toilet paper rolls. I had saved up lots of empty toilet paper rolls to make one, but just hadn't gotten around to making one. So, I finally decided it was time, and I sat down to play. Using the empty toilet papers rolls is also a good way to recycle.

I flattened and creased the sides well of each toilet paper roll with a bone folder. I then cut decorative scrapbook papers, and run the papers thru my 5 inch creative station Xyron and adhered the paper to the flattened rolls. I then punched 2 holes near one edge, and added eyelets.

Since this was my first attempt...I used eyelets that are tad small, and the pages don't slide easily along the book rings that hold the pages together. I have to help them along. The pages move, but not as easily as they should. I don't think I can remove and replace the eyelets with a bigger size, as the eyelets would probably be off the end of the tubes. Oh well, I'll know to use bigger eyelets next time.

I cut and tied ribbons in several colors along the book rings, and added a fancy brad and paper flower to the cover. I left room so a photo could be added or some other ephemera. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this little journal yet, and so I didn't decorate it fully. If I give it away then the new owner can add to it.

Each tube has a tag for journaling that I cut out on my Cricut. I added a ribbon to each tag for easy removal for journaling/photos or whatever.

I still have lots of saved  toilet paper rolls so I will be making  more of these. I thought this little travel themed  book would be great for photos and journaling of a weekend trip.

I'd love to hear what you think of this little journal. Leave a comment if you'd like.

  cover

back side of  cover

front of 2nd page. I added a spot for journaling, the back side  is the same paper

front of 3rd page

back side of 3rd page

front of 4th page

back of 4th page

Paper Bag book journal

cover

back of cover/first bag

front 2nd bag

back side 2nd bag

front 3rd bag/page

left- back of 3rd bag, right side-front of 4th bag

back cover

 I finally finished some art projects that I started last week and earlier this week.
The above photo's are of my latest paper bag journal book. I made some paper bag journals a few years back, but thought it would be fun to make another one. In the past I made some of these paper bag books/journals with a cooking theme.I filled them with recipes and gave those away as little gifts.
I folded each paper bag, and then with decorative stitches on the sewing machine I stitched along two sides. Each page/bag has 2 slots to tuck in photos, or ephemera.
I punched holes into the folded end of the bags and added large eyelets. The  ribbon that holds the journal together was threaded thru the eyelets of each bag. I used a polymer clay donut bead with a large hole that I made ages ago. The ribbon ends were threaded thru the bead, and I then tied the ribbon into a knot. You could also use book rings to bind the journal.
I glued to the front page a circle postmark embellishment. Some pages have ribbon with words, decorative scrapbook paper, fancy brads, paper ribbon tape. A tab from Tim Holtz (measuring tape). I stamped mostly Tim Holtz images on the pages.
I used 4 bags for my journal. This was a fun easy project. Do you like it? If so, leave a comment, and you may find this little journal in your mailbox.

More yard sale Bargains

tall blue floral vase I bought to use as part of a garden totem

 all of these scrapbooking journals in boxes and tins, blank board books for $1

and the tan fabric that you can see is over 2 yards of wool-$1

last weeks Kitchenaide mixer $5 find

irredescent glass angel for use on the top of a garden totem that I found last week.

Yes, I decided to go out to some yard sales again this morning.It was such a gorgeous day, and I got such great bargains last week. I think this is getting addicting!!! The thrill of the hunt. (LOL)
I just love finding these useful bargains at such wonderful prices.  It had been a long time since I went to yard sales on Saturday mornings. I love finding craft items and nice glass.

Stars and Stripes altered patriotic cabinet card

 I found time to make another altered patriotic cabinet card yesterday afternoon. I've had a lot of fun creating my own cabinet cards and altering the old photo's. This card was mounted on 140 # watercolor paper, with patriotic scrapbook paper run thru the xyron. Then the scanned old cabinet card was added. The words-stars and stripes I cut from fabric, and the little hat on the girl is scrapbook paper as well as the stars n stripes border on the border.
Another photo that looks odd shaped after being scanned.
You should try making your own altered cabinet cards.

June Nature themed lottery swap

I belong to the yahoo group, Art Haven, and every month there is a lottery. Anyone who wants to submit something they created related to that month's theme has a chance of winning everything at the end of the month. Then, the winner gets to chose the theme for the following months lottery.
 The theme for June is nature.
I decided to make a pin. I started with a silk flower, to which I added wool roving and angelina fibers and felted the fibers to the center of the flower. I then drew a pattern for my leaves onto fabric, cut them out, stitched them, and filled them with some batting for puffiness. I hand stitched veins down the center of each leaf. The flower was then  stitched  to the leaves, and  a pin back was added. I hope whomever wins my submission will enjoy wearing it on a blazer or jacket.

Patriotic Altered Cabinet Card

It was still raining this morning, and so I decided to change up the previous altered patriotic cabinet cards that I did earlier in the week that I have on my blog. If you go back you can see the updated versions.
Here is a an altered patriotic cabinet card that I created this morning.
For the card below I scanned a cabinet card photograph, cut it out, glued it to some star scrapbook paper, and then added a few stickers and a piece of red, white, and blue ribbon.

My story of the woman in the photograph that I used on this card is....This lady is waiting for a letter from her soldier and is sad that it is the 4th of July and he isn't there to celebrate with her.
I've had fun making the cards for the swap, and I just may make one for everyone that signed up.

Another Saturday of yard sales that I found some nice finds

Their was a neighborhood yard sale this morning. Did I need anything? Of course not, but before I left to do errands I had to have a go see if there was anything I couldn't live without. I am so glad that I went and looked to see what was being sold.
At my next door neighbors I bought a little maple drop leaf accent table for $5.00.  I will probably give it to someone in the family.
 Then at the next neighbors house, I found a solid, irredescent glass angel  that is approximately 4 inches tall for $1.00. I bought it to use as a topper on a glass garden totem project.
I then went across the street, and for $5.00 I bought a used, stand up Kitchenaide food mixer with all the attachments and stainless steel bowl that has a handle. The mixer is white with a red stripe on the head of the mixer. I was told by my neighbor that it works. I took it home, cleaned it up, and yes indeed it does work perfectly. I already own a Kitchenaide mixer, but I couldn't leave this mixer there for that price.
Even if I would have known that the mixer didn't work the bowl and attachments are worth many times the $5.00. I couldn't believe the price, and that it was still there at 10:30 when the yard sale started at 9 a.m..
I paid for the mixer, but left it at the neighbors until I got home from running errands. After I bought it, I guess 5 other people saw it and wanted  to buy it.

I then walked over to another neighbors yard, and found some polymer clay books. One was priced 25cents and the other two that I bought were 50 cents each.
At this table they also had a brand new crafting pasta machine to use with polymer clay, but I already had one, so didn't buy it.

I then went up town and did my errands. Stopped in 2 antique stores, but I didn't find anything that was in the price range that I was willing to spend. I did buy two pieces of old linens for $2.00 total.
Then, on to the next yard sale that will benefit Christmas Wishes.
I found a brand new book for 10 cents that has all kinds of decorative birthday cake shapes to make for kids. When I got it home, and took the shrink wrap off, I found some really cute cakes in that book. The book itself is shaped liked a birthday cake.
My other 10 cent finds were a new hand sewn pot holder filled with balsam wood shavings. Smells so nice.
A wood mounted PSX stamp of a sheep. I will send that on to a friend. Also a new package of 50 assorted size safety pins. And, my best find at that yard sale was... for $1.00, a vintage bakelite shoe horn with an E intial on the handle.
But, the mixer was the best find of the day, don't you think? Woohoo!

Now, I have to put a chicken roasting in the oven for our supper. While that is cooking I want to bring out the sewing machine and make some fabric postcards.
It has just started to rain. Drats, it had been warm and sunny earlier in the day.
I hope you are enjoying your Saturday.

2 more altered Patriotic cabinet cards

I worked on a couple more altered patriotic cabinet cards this morning before I left the house to babysit for a swap that I signed up for. I need to make three, but maybe I will make a few more. I love the old cabinet cards.
I thought the young boy was adorable, and that he looked like he should be marching in a 4th of July parade. The woman with the parasol...well, I think she is waiting for the parade to go by.
I had a huge roll of ribbon that had stars, stripes and so I cut it down to use on the cards. I don't know why the little boy scan looks so much wider than the woman, as they are both  4 1/4/ x 6 1/2 inches.

I got to babysit for Bella today

Today Bella is 17 days old. Bella went to the doctors this morning, and she grew an inch, and gained 5 ounces. So, she is now 8.12 pounds and 21 inches long. She is growing so fast, and is so much more alert.

After Bella got back from the doctors I got to babysit her from 12:30-7p.m. while her parents went to Boston to lend support to their good friends Larry and Jenn, whose son is in Children's Hospital with a head injury. Robin found it hard to leave Bella for the first time, but I assured her that I would take excellent care of her, and do a little spoiling while I was at it. I enjoyed my time with my new granddaughter. I wonder what she thought of grandma's singing. :-)

Please Pray for Trevor Wright

Trevor is 13 years old, and is in Children's Hospital, Boston. Trevor, and his family are family friends, and his parents are best friends with my son, Steven and his wife, Robin. Jenn and Larry were in Steven and Robin's wedding.
Trevor had a bicycle accident on Saturday night, and he wasn't wearing a helmet. Trevor was going down a hill, and lost control when he hit soft sand, and went flying over his bike's handlebars. He landed on his head, and fractured his orbital bone (eye socket). He couldn't be med flighted out because of the extremely windy weather, and there were tornado warnings over the weekend.
Trevor is in an induced coma, has already had 2 holes drilled in his head to relieve the pressure and swelling. He is also on a cooling mat to regulate his temperature. The doctors are hoping that the meds will keep his brain's swelling down, and that they won't have to remove a piece of his skull.
The doctors have no idea at this time if there will be brain damage. We are all hoping and praying that won't be the case. There is a facebook page that was started for Trevor. Pray for Trevor Wright. Please keep Trevor, Jenn, Larry and their daughter, Alee in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.

Flabbergasted by a RAK I received in the mail today

I came home this afternoon to find a big box on my kitchen steps. I saw the box was from Kerry Peasland, who is a member of the yahoo group, Art Haven. Kerry had emailed me to see if I might want some felted wool roving fibers that she wasn't going to use. I had told her if she didn't want them, then yes, I would love to have them.Never in a million years did I expect to find what was  inside that box.

Kerry sent me 36 good size balls of beautiful colors of felted wool roving fibers. Also a small baggie of wool trims to use in the making of wool felted hat.
Also in the box were a couple of patterns and a huge piece of 5 color felted wool roving, and a rubber ball to blow up to shape a hat.
The big piece of 5 color fiber is for making the hat.
Holy mackerel!!! I couldn't believe it, and I never expected anything like I found inside the box. Kerry, I can't thank you enough. Now, I guess I better improve my felting skills. Again, thanks so very much for your generosity, Kerry!!!!!

A visit from Baby Bella

I got a nice surprise this afternoon. My son, Steven and daughter in law, Robin stopped by after a doctor's appointment with baby, Bella.  Our little Bella is 2 weeks old today.

 I haven't decided yet what I will call Izabella. Sometimes it's Izzy, sometimes it's Bella, Cutie, Pumpkin, Sweetie, and other endearments.  :-)

 Will just have to wait and see what name fits best for a nickname as she gets a bit older.

 Here are a couple of pictures I took during their visit while we were out in the yard. Bella was a little fussy, as she was hungry, and needed her diaper changed. After she was fed and changed, all was quiet again.

I also noticed while we were outside that some of my gladiola's that I planted a week ago are starting to break thru the ground. Can't wait to see them in full bloom later in the summer.

Proud Daddy and Mommy with grumpy baby. She was hungry.

Kisses for Bella from Daddy

tiny feet

Altered Cabinet Cards

I signed up the other day in the AAWA group to make 3 Patriotic themed altered cabinet cards. I have never made an altered cabinet card, so I hope I did these correctly. The name of the photography studio on the bottom of each of the of the photo's that I selected didn't show up in the printed out copy.  Finally, after many attempts I just cut out the people. I glued the image to a piece of decorative patriotic themed scrapbook paper which was then glued to 140 # watercolor paper.

The finished card size needed to be 6.5 x 4.25.

Weird, they are both the same size, but here they don't look like they are.

The story behind my cards...The little girl is dressed and ready to attend the 4th of July parade.

The woman is waiting for her lover/husband  to come home from the war.

The 2 cards below are my first attempts. I still have to make one more.  What do you think?

Busy Saturday creating some art for swaps

I haven't had much time to do art lately, and this morning I just felt like sitting down and working on art projects
 I dragged out some supplies and went to work. I just finished working on the swaps that I joined for the month of June.  I had never made a button fairy. That was one of the swaps for this month. I didn't sign up until I tried my hand at making one. I didn't want to commit myself to a swap if my fairy ended up looking awful. It has been cloudy all day, and the fairies buttons look dark in the picture from the digital camera.
I used a clay face glued onto a smashed bottle cap on one, and the other I glued a face onto the bottle cap  and then coated it with dimensional magic. I also hung beads from the bottoms.
Click on all  photo's to enlarge them.

I worked on my fairy first thing this morning. I found lots of great buttons in my stash, but the one's I really liked had four holes. So, after I made my button selections I made my versions of a button fairy. I had two color choices out, so I decided to made a second fairy. For my version I used silk flowers for the wings on one, and gold colored leaves that I had found in a clearance bin at Michael's on the other. I had fun making them. I have other versions floating around my head waiting to be made up. Have you made a button fairy? I had a lot of fun making mine.  What do you think for a first attempt?

The second swap I signed up for I had to make one tag using the color green. When I went to the Cape on Tuesday, I bought a new mermaid stamp that is made by Cats Life Press, at Colorful Creations scrapbook store. I love Cats Life Press rubber stamps. They have some really fun images. I have wanted that mermaid image for quite sometime. The store ordered the stamp for me, and it had come in. Perfect timing!
My tag for this swap just had to use my new mermaid stamp. I cut out a tag shape using handmade green paper that I backed with another handmade paper. The background has sheet music- Mermaids, stippled in green ink. Rubber stamped seaweed, and then I added some small silk leaves. On the seaweed I added a bit of  glitter glue. I also put glitter glue on the wings of the Mermaid fairy. On the bottom of the tag I used heavy Golden gel medium that I sprinkled on some white, Florida beach sand and a few sprinkles of what looks like fine sawdust that I bought years ago from Judi Kins. The gel medium also has shells that I collected while beachcombing in Florida . There is also a bit of glitter glue on the shells. If you have followed my blog, you know that I really like mermaids. I love all the textures on this tag, and loved creating this one.

The third swap I signed up for was super easy. I had to make two gift tags using papers from the Mariposa Stack of 12 x 12 inch scrapbooking paper by DCWV. I had bought the stack on a clearance sale awhile back. Beautiful papers, you hate to use it up.
So, after I completed my button fairies and the green tag, I started work on the gift tags swap. I'm not sure if I am going to punch a hole in the gift tags and add a ribbon, or put double stick foam blocks on the back.

I went back and added felted silk flowers to the tags. I also punched holes, added grommets and ribbons to tie the tags to a package.

Since my sewing machine was still out from my last sewing project. I created a small bird pin. I found a scrap piece of batik fabric that I really liked.  I thought it would make a nice bird pin. I rubber stamped an image of a bird in black Staz on ink onto the fabric. I added a pin back.


So, these are my artsy projects that I completed today. No housework was done like I should have been doing, but this was a lot more fun. Hope you enjoyed viewing what I created. Leave a comment if you like and come back again soon.