Not much art going on

I haven't written anything on my blog in a few days. But, I want to share a fun surprise that arrived in my mailbox the other day. I love birds, but especially owls, loons and hummingbirds.  I am a member of  the Yahoo group, An a Affair with Art. 
I usually post weekly sales and the sale coupons for all the craft stores to the group. We have no Hobby Lobby craft stores in our area which just breaks my heart. I loved the HL stores when I visited them years back while on vacation in Texas.  I happened to see on the Hobby Lobby website ad, cute owl beads and I happened to mention how cute I thought those beads were. 
Well, last week a small RAK package arrived from Cher, who is also a member of the AAWA group. Cher wrote instructions to open the package first and then read the enclosed note. Inside, I found the owl beads. Oh my!!!! I couldn't believe it.  Cher...thanks again for the owl beads and for thinking of me.  I LOVE them!!!! Here are the beads. I haven't decided what I am going to do with them yet, but 2 will most likely be used for earrings and probably the rest in a bracelet. I will post finished pictures later of what I make.  For now..Close up picture of the beads on the left and full strand on the right. Aren't they cute?
  

I haven't felt like doing many art projects lately. Do those dry spells ever happen to you? Nothing is wrong physically, but I just haven't been motivated to sit and work on art projects. And, the end results of what I have created aren't to my liking and not many ideas are coming to me.  My muse seems to have flown the coop for a bit, unfortunately.  Gosh, I hate when that happens and I hope it returns ASAP.

The weather has been really nice. Sunny, but no humidity, and so I have been spending time outside working in the yard and garden, and sometimes just sitting under the apple tree relaxing and reading. I have to enjoy the nice weather before the temperature changes and fall truly arrives. I don't like going out in the cold winter months. Time for hibernating and creating art when the snow arrives.
I do have a few Halloween cards/tags in the works, but not yet completed.

Saturday, was our oldest son, Tommy, celebrated his 42nd  birthday. WoW!!! How the heck can that be?  Anyway, a group of 14 of us went out to a Japanese hibachi grill restaurant to celebrate his birthday. We had a really nice time.

Yesterday, I took my mom and dad to Sandwich for my mother's eye doctor appointment. After the appointment we went to visit with my cousins in Yarmouth. There was a lot of Cape traffic.  We left to head for home around 6:30 p.m., dusk. Driving home on route 6 A in  Barnstable,  traffic came to a dead stop in both directions. I couldn't see what was going on as there were several cars ahead of me.  Then, I caught movement, and  I saw about 12 turkeys strutting in single file beside a white picket fence in someone's yard on my drivers side, heading for a spot to roost for the night. Then, finally, I saw  2 birds crossing the road.  I counted about a dozen birds. You could barely see them as it was getting dark. When traffic finally started moving, I was saddened to see in the other lane someone had hit and killed the first turkey that had tried to cross the road. I guess someone didn't see it in time to stop. I was glad that the other turkeys were able to cross the road okay.

Today, Thursday, is one of Steven's days off, and so I called to see if he and Robin would like to go to the Olive Garden for lunch. First, just Steven and Bella were going to go, as Robin wasn't home. Robin had to go to Plymouth this morning for jury duty. Robin called just as we were leaving their house that she didn't get picked for a case, and so she met us at the restaurant. Our lunch was delicious and little Bella was well behaved.
Well, that's it for now. Enjoy your evening.

Busy Hummingbirds after Tropical Storm Earl

Well, there was a lot of hype about Hurricane Earl for several days, but by yesterday early afternoon the storm was downgraded to a Tropical storm and really fizzled out. Thank goodness! We got some heavy rain in short bursts yesterday afternoon and evening, but ended up getting less than 2 inches of rain total. The Cape and islands got the brunt of the storm with high winds and more rain. This morning the sun is shining and it is just a gorgeous day.
Anyway, before 8  o ' clock this morning I went out on the deck to fill my hummingbird feeders, and the wee birds were waiting for me. One just hovered in front of me for several moments. Like it was trying to tell me...hurry up..I'm hungry, why aren't those feeders filled yet.  I think the birds must have been this years hatchlings as I saw no red on these ruby throated hummers and I haven't had that many females come at one time throughout the summer.  This morning I saw about 8 at one time, all chasing one another off. They waste more time trying to scare the others off. I have seen photos where several are feeding on a feeder at once, but that doesn't happen in my yard. That's why I bought the single feed tubes.
I would love to find a hummingbird's tiny nest at the end of the season. So, I could bring it in to save and display on my bookcase. I guess the hummers are getting ready for their migration so that is why they have been to the feeders so often the past several days. Yesterday, during the rain they came to feed. They chose the feeders under the roof overhang during the rains.
I ran and got my camera after I filled the feeders, and snapped off these photos. I so enjoy these fierce, little, awesome birds. Don't you just love how fast their little wings beat and the camera can catch them in slow motion. Enjoy!


this photo has 2 birds. One sitting and the 2nd one flying in for a drink on the lower right corner.
  

Working on my Journal pages

Wow, I have been busy today...3 blog posts. I don't write for days and then I can't stop. (LOL)
 I don't even feel one bit guilty being on the computer and creating in my journal for most of the day.
I did do some housework and laundry earlier this morning. 

I have been following along with the prompts that Autumn posted to our An Affair With Art yahoo group.
http://autumnsantics.blogspot.com/
But I am doing my own thing. I keep going back and tweaking the pages. When I first started I made my covers, and gathered papers for my pages, collected game cards, tags and whatever caught my eye. The following photos are from my journal so far.
The beginning of my journal. Here is a small page with all the prompts that will be used throughout my journal. We start on a new page every Monday. Click on the photos to enlarge the photos.

Week 1....A New Page
  pocket with tag
the tag is out so you can see it
Back of the page above and is opposite the pink Beautiful Things page.


Week 2...Beautiful Things
I am still playing  around with this page. I used a silk beaded flower and wrote some of my thoughts. I need to finish the back side of this page.


Week 3....All that I Am
left side of double page spread. I love the My Life stamp that I bought at Michael's in their $1 bin of stamps.

dress form shaped tag with a picture of me when I was two, and one now in a bead store.


back of dress form tag and All that I am journaling with vintage image. I don't wear dresses very often. I love my jeans. I tell my sons that when I die I want to be buried in a pair of jeans.  :-)
goddess page. Stamped goddess, goddess saying. Map tape alone left edge of large tag that I stamped and used gold paint on bubble wrap. Punched holes on left edge and added ribbons.

Well, that is all for now. I think this project is fun. The hardest part is the journaling. Hopefully I will get better as I go along. My handwriting is terrible. 

Week 4..Prompt....Deep Within
Wow, a month into this project already. I started working on my page this morning. Will post when I get more done.  So, this is TO BE CONTINUED.

Are you journaling? If so, are you enjoying it? Anything you care to share with me on what you find helpful with  journaling?  
I have to scan some old cabinet cards and other vintage pieces to share with all of you. I hope that you could use the other 2 scans I shared recently. That's it for today folks. Thanks for stopping by.    Happy Journaling!       

Halloween ATC

I had a artsy day today. Worked in my journal and made this Halloween ATC for a swap on Art Haven. The background paper with the tree limbs is from Memory Box. The raven with word background is a rubber stamp that is also from Memory Box. The paper came in single sheets, but I found a small paper stack that had these wonder fall themed papers at Colorful Creations in Hyannis. October 31 was stamped using those clear $1 stamps from Michaels. I love Halloween, and I have some other  Halloween atc's and cards that I aren't quite finished that I worked on this morning.  This one isn't too spooky and I love the colors.

We've got Crabs and a new photo of Bella

Cooked crabs for dinner tonight that is. Gee, I hope you didn't think I was refering to something else.  :-) 
Steven and his friend, Larry went crabbing last night and caught about 75 crabs. This afternoon Steven brought over a big container of  some of the crabs he had cooked.  So, it looks like we will be having crabs for dinner.  It is a lot of work to open and pick the sweet crab meat out of the shells, and also very messy, but so yummy.

And, here is a picture of our little Bella that I took while Steven and Robin were here. She had been sleeping in her car seat in the truck, but opened her eyes and I snapped this photo. I probably should have started a new blog post instead of putting Bella in this crabby post. (LOL)


Enjoy your afternoon.

A Button Fairy for my hydrangea inspiration

Greetings bloggers... it's been several days since I last wrote on my blog, or for that matter created any kind of art. In fact, I hadn't done much of anything since I got back home from the Cape last Monday. except for household stuff. It was a really blah week. Long, dreary, rainy days.My hand that I hurt, was and is still not quite right, but it is feeling much better.

I finally got all my 100 post giveaways mailed out on Friday. Sorry that I was late in getting them mailed out, but with all the rain we had until Thursday, I didn't leave the house. I hope the prizes arrive to their new homes okay.  Please let me know when your packages arrive, ok? Thanks!!!!

Now, for the one piece of art that I made today.  On a group that I belong to - An Affair with Art we have a inspiration mingle each month. This month, Susan gave us the picture of Hydrangeas and hydrangea decorated cupcakes for our inspiration. I had a lot of ideas, but finally went with a button fairy. I drew and cut out the wings, and then covered them with hydrangea scrapbook paper.  I also used some silk hydrangea petals.  Below is the inspiration photo and my little button fairy with a  bell on the bottom that I created for Ellen. I will get it out in tomorrows mail. Don't those decorated cupcakes on the cake stand look yummy?


This afternoon I also worked on my A New Page Journal. I will post pictures tomorrow when the lighting is better. I am having fun with this, but my journal is pretty basic compare to others. I will probably add more to the pages I've already done, as I go along. Thanks, Autumn for getting me to try something new. http://autumnsantics.blogspot.com/

I also mailed out my silver mermaid pillow to Barbara Moore in NJ on Friday.  We were going to trade fabric ATC's, but Barbara liked my mermaid pillow, and from there we went to swapping pillows instead, Funny, huh?   I received a small, colorful, fabric hot air balloon pillow during the week from Barbara. I am going to add some ribbon to the beaded balloon and use it as a Christmas ornament.
Barbara told me that she added a sprig of sage inside the balloon pillow in with the stuffing. Barbara inserts a sprig of sage in all her pillows, spirit dolls and everything else she stuffs. The sage is from her garden. A Native American tradition says sage brings positive energy and she is part Native American. Here is a link to Barbara's blog. http://pinelandspatches.blogspot.com/

Barbara's hot air balloon                   My Fabric mermaid
 
Barbara would like to trade small beaded pillows with others, and if I have time I wouldn't mind doing that either as well as trading other art that I do.

I took my granddaughter school shopping on Thursday, as she starts school on Tuesday. Katie had been gone for most of the summer visiting with a friend in PA. It was nice to have her home. It sure is different shopping with girls. Also picked up some stuff for Lily.
Katie has her learners permit, and she asked if she could drive my car. So, I let her drive my car everywhere we went. I think I stayed pretty calm and she did a good job.  It has been such a long time since my sons were in high school and learning to drive. 

Granddaughter's, Lily and Katie stopped by Friday night with their dad, our oldest son, Tommy. Thankfully they took home vegetables from the garden.
This morning Tom and I went out to breakfast. Then went to visit with Steven, Robin and Bella. Bella is getting so big. She was 3 months old on the 24th and is now turning over all by herself.

Well, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I did, but the weekends always fly by too quickly, such a shame. :-)

Back home again

I left last Thursday morning for a few more days on Cape Cod. I just love going to the Cape. The weather was just beautiful until Saturday night when it started to rain. Rain on Sunday and it was raining today when I left. From high 80's to low 60's. That's New England weather for you.

Thursday we took a another ride to Provincetown and there were thousands of people walking the streets as there happened to be the annual carnival parade. Kind of like what they have in Key West only much tamer. I had never been before and all I can say is Oh My!!!!!!  (LOL) 
I created a photo album of the photo's that I took at the parade in my Picture trail. Check it out. http://www.picturetrail.com/elaine_akers

This years parade theme was Jungle Fantasy 2010 Carnival. Beads were thrown from floats just like at Mardi Gras. Some walked the parade route down Commercial Street and others rode in floats. The majority that were in the parade were men dressed as women. Very hard to tell on so many of them because of their makeup, costumes and wigs.

 It was so very hot, and we had to stand for almost 2 hours in the sun waiting for the parade. BIG, BIG mistake...I hadn't eaten since breakfast. So between not eating and getting dehydrated from the afternoon sun I almost passed out. I got clammy, and my legs got all wobbly and I felt funny and very week like I was going to  faint. I had to sit on the sidewalk or I would have fallen down. I think I scared the heck out of my cousin.  I drank a couple of bottles of water  had a little something to eat before I felt better.

Saturday, while my cousins went to a funeral I went to Colorful Creations scrapbook store. I bought a few rubber stamps, and papers, and distressed embossing powder.  I also found some Graphics 45 papers. Those papers are really lovely. I had never seen them before other than on the computer. I also walked down to the bead store, but only bought one strand of beads that were white and shaped like skulls.

Saturday afternoon while I was working in my cousins yard, I was using the big pruning loper shears to cut branches. I was trying to cut a branch that was over an inch thick, and while I was straining hard to close the pruning shears to make the cut, I heard something go pop in my wrist area. Oh boy, instant pain!!! I didn't end up breaking anything, but my hand/wrist area got all swollen. I pulled/stretched a tendon.  Almost faint one day and then do damage to my hand, how fun is that??? Not!!!

Here are some photos I took to share with you. In the center of downtown Hyannis is the JFK museum. I took a couple pictures of the bronze of JFK that is in front of a front and side view. The bronze has beach grass and sand, and he is barefoot.
Also a picture of the JFK Memorial in Hyannis that overlooks the water.


Well, have to start thinking of what to make for supper, unpack, and do some laundry. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I did despite my mishaps.

Another Mermaid pillow and DOTD ATC

Yesterday afternoon I started making another small fabric mermaid pillow with some beading. I finished my under the sea diva mermaid this morning before I took my mother out shopping.

Yesterday I also played around with my Day of the Dead fabric. I made an ATC that I added a colorful braid trim around the edges. I then added bone skull beads that I won in an ebay auction several years ago. I know the Mexican DOTD celebration is November 1-2, but I will be participating in a swap, and wanted to see what I could come up with. I don't know why, but I love skull beads.


Have an artful day!

100th Post Blog Giveaway...and the winners are........

Tah dah!!! This is it, my 100th post since I started blogging. It has been fun even though I am still trying to figure some things out as I am fairly computer illiterate. I hope you have enjoyed my photos and art as you have followed along.

The names of everyone who left comments were placed in a bowl and the names have been drawn.
Congratulations to the winners! I hope each of you will enjoy your prize. Please send me an email with your mailing info so I can get your prizes mailed out to you.

Now...to announce the winners.

Liane, Penny, Susan, Celeste

Somehow I always feel bad for those who names weren't pulled...so for those of you who left comments, but your name didn't get drawn, send me an email with your name and address.  My email address is EAkers@aol.com with 2nd chance in the subject line.
I will send you each a piece of art that I have created in the past several months. I have some ATC's, tags, and cards and other art that need a new home.

Thanks again to all of you for following my blog and entering my 100th post giveaway.

Mermaid Pillow

This is the first time that I have been on the computer since Monday. I picked up some kind of summer bug. I was freezing one minute and sweating the next and all my joints ached. I felt horrid!  Friday was the first day that I felt somewhat human. Yesterday, I felt great.  I decided to go out for a bit.

I went to the Joann Fabric's in Raynham, and found that their store renovations was almost complete. The store looked wonderful. Not a jumbled mess like before. The beading section has really expanded. The scrapbooking section had many more papers and a wonderful new variety. Some that I could only find in a scrapbook store before. The papers were on sale too. Score!!

Yesterday afternoon I went digging thru my many containers of fabric. I  originally was looking for my day of the dead fabric. I did find that , but also found a panel with several different  mermaid/mermen on the  fabric. I bought the piece  of fabric at  Saftlers in Whitman last year.   http://saftlers.com 

Since my sewing machine was already out I decided to make a small mermaid pillow. I cut around one of the mermaids and then cut out a piece for the backing. Stitched, stuffed, and beaded. To take a photo I placed the little mermaid on a blue background.  She is 4 1/2 x 8 1/2.

 

Our garden is really taking off after getting a very late start in the beginning of July. We picked our first cherry tomatoes and they tasted so darn good. We are overrun with zucchini, and we only planted one hill.  Summer squash are thriving and Tom picked our first cucumbers this week.

I want to share with you a vintage lotto card. I found and bought the game  in a yard sale last year. I used one in my journal that I am working on. So below is a scan for you to copy and paste if you wish to you use it in your art.

Also...here is a scan of a vintage sewing notion..snaps for you to copy for your art if you'd like. The stiffed paper that the snaps are on was pretty beat up, but don't you love the peacock design? So neat. I wish I still had the whole card, but it fell apart years ago.

If you haven't already left a comment on my 100th blog post giveaway post..there is still time to leave a comment and maybe win one of my prizes. But, there isn't  much time left,  as this is  my 99th post.

Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend.

100 th Blog Post Giveaway

Time has flown since I started my blog in February of this year. I am fast approaching my 100th post. So, to celebrate I am having some giveaways. I have had fun blogging, and visiting so many of your blogs.  Lots of inspiration and ideas to be found. Thank you for sharing your creativity with me.

First prize is a triptych handmade journal that I made. It is hand stitched, tied with sheer black ribbon, and the handmade paper that I covered my book board is a cream/black/gold paisley print. There are 4 signatures inside and some overlap each other. The triptych is unfinished waiting for the winner to decorate the cover and inside pages. You can use this as a journal or a photo album journal. Measurements 8 x 10 3/4 inches.
Below is a photo of the closed journal and the 2nd photo with the book open.
I have a decorated triptych photo journal that I did several years back on my picturetrail. If you want to see how I decorated mine with paints and photos. http://www.picturetrail.com/elaine_akers


Second Prize: Is another handmade book that I made. This is an accordion book with blank pages waiting for the winner to decorate the inside pages. The outside is purple velvet that was rubber stamped with a magnolia image. Tied with sheer light purple ribbon. Book size is 5 x 5 inches.

Third prize: Old book board Bingo cards that I already punched holes in the Bingo cards to make a journal. Included are the book rings, a page that hold baseball cards to be cut down and added to your journal. Some tags, large grommets, punchella for adding paint to pages, old paper from a vintage book, a tiny key and doorknob and envelope to use as a page. You will just need to cut down cardstock, punch your papers to get started. Bingo journal size 5 1/2 x 7 1/4.

 
Fourth prize: A small alphabet rubber stamp set, a pack of Strathmore artist trading cards, and a package of decorative brads.

Now, how do you win one of these prizes? Just leave a comment on my blog for a chance to win. If you mention my giveaway on your blog and leave another comment telling me you did so you will have a 2nd chance of winning.  Leave a way for me to get in touch with you. Good Luck to one and all.

Trying Something New..Journaling

I belong to the Yahoo group- An Affair with Art  (AAWA).  Autumn, who is also a member asked if anyone was interested in creating a journal. There was a lot of interest, and so she posted instructions on how to get us all started. She also gave us a list of suggestions to follow along with her journal if we wanted to.

We have all been busy gathering what we  need to create our journals.  Visit  Autumn's blog...Autumn's Antic's to see her neat journal pages. http://autumnsantics.blogspot.com/

Autumn also suggested we visit  The Graphics Fairy Blog for great free clip art to use in our journals. You just have to sign up on the homepage. http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/

Journaling is new adventure for me.  So, we shall see how it goes, but I think it will be great fun. I cut my journal covers from an old Reader's Digest book. I then  found double sided scrapbook paper that I liked to use for the pages in my book. My pages were cut a little  smaller than the cover size, as that will leave me room to add tabs, etc to the edge of the pages.  I cut the holes in the journal pages and the book covers with my Crop O dile . I had never used this tool until now and I've had it for ages.  Shame on me!!! The Crop O dile cut thru the book board with ease. I used the largest hole so that my book rings would fit easily.  On pages with heavier embellishments I used grommets so the paper wouldn't tear. It's a pity really to have so many tools that don't get used after they are bought. Unfortunately, I have lots of stuff that I haven't used, but had to have. I'm sure I'm not alone when it comes to buying and not using or hoarding supplies.

I have several pages  that I didn't photograph as they were bare. I am still gathering items for my journal..tickets, ephemera, vintage papers or other papers, torn envelopes, templates, photos, whatever strikes my fancy. When I find the box of large sheets of baseball card protectors I want to cut a page to fit my book to hold ATC's and bits of found objects. I thought that would be also be a  nice addition.

I am still tweaking my pages, and most haven't been inked and decorated yet...just bare bones so far, but I thought I would share with all of you what I've put together so far. To make things easier I will remove my pages out of my journal  to work on them.

The following are guidelines for each page that our group will be following.  Our own  interpretation of  the following page themes.
1. a new page
2. beautiful things
3. all that I am
4. deep within
5. battle plan/repair
6. beginnings
7. fond memories
8. never grow up
9. standing beside me
10. growing
11. change
12. nurturing
13. I carry in my heart
14. the rest of the story
15. freedom to be myself

Click on the photos to enlarge them for better viewing and reading.  My photos aren't in order of  how the pages will be worked on.

My Cover...not embellished yet.

inside front cover and first page.. I jumped right inside my journal, as a jointed  art doll. A New Page a new beginning.

Fly away..fond memories of time spent at my grandfather's

 

beaded pink fabric flower added to floral paper..Beautiful things

Now and Then/change

 

pocket

lotto card

tags

calendar 

inside back Cover

So far it has been easy, and I have lots of ideas of what I want to include.  I'd love to hear what you think of my journal so far.

P.S..I almost forgot to mention. I will be having a 100th post giveaway which is coming up very quickly as I am almost there.  Check back on Monday for photo's of the prizes and details on how to win.

Thanks for following my blog.  Happy Blogging to all of you!!!