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Tuesday, January 6, 2015

The Promise of Daffodils





The Daffodils in our backyard are poking their little green noses out
of the soil.


From this viewpoint the little sprouts look like green mouths with tiny green tongues!


Winter doesn't last long in southern California. Sure, we still have some rainy days ahead and ten weeks or so of chilly nights. But those of you buried under snow wouldn't quite equate that to what passes for winter in your neck of the woods!





I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH



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Monday, January 5, 2015

A Squatchy Christmas Morning

The Twelve Days of Christmas are winding
down. It's almost January 6th, which is Epiphany!
The Day of Twelve Drummers Drumming is also my birthday, which is another reason I like to celebrate all the days between Christmas and Twelfth Night.

In 567 the Council of Tours proclaimed that the entire period between Christmas and Epiphany should be considered part of the Christmas celebration, creating what became known as the twelve days of Christmas (or what the English called Christmastide). On the last of the twelve days, called Twelfth Night, various cultures developed a wide range of additional special festivities. The variation extends even to the issue of how to count the days. If Christmas Day is the first of the twelve days, then Twelfth Night would be on January 5, the eve of Epiphany. If December 26, the day after Christmas, is the first day, then Twelfth Night falls on January 6, the evening of Epiphany itself.

I've been enjoying time with my family and haven't had a chance to share some of the projects I completed lately. College Girl is a fan of Finding Bigfoot. She says it's the funniest television show she's ever seen. I think she's seen every episode. She saw a Sasquatch stocking online and asked if we could make one for her. So I purchased some nice felt, then she helped cut out the pieces. We layered all the cut pieces over a blue stocking base, which would show at the top and look like the night sky.

the layered pieces are ready to be stitched down

We used a pattern we found here
for the Sasquatch silhouette. I cut out trees from green felt and snow from off-white felt. I decided the stocking wouldn't need a lining since I was using such a thick, sturdy blue felt as the base. The scene I built from the trees and snow added stability, too. Since felt doesn't fray, I just top stitched all the scenery pieces down to the snow or mountain. I changed our stocking up from those we had seen online by adding a fur cuff and moon. To add the fur cuff I placed a circular/tube shaped strip of fur on the inside of the stocking (right side fur to wrong side of stocking), stitched a 1/4 inch seam around the top edge and folded the fur out over the top of the stocking.  Ta da...here it is!


I have to show you one more thing that
I ... oops, I mean Santa... stitched up for 
College Girl. This little guy has been on her wish list for a few years but somehow never got made. While I had the sewing machine warmed up and plenty of felt at the ready, I made a quick pattern from paper and crafted up an Ice Bat!


Here is Ice Bat waiting patiently for College Girl on Christmas morning. I think he felt right at home in the snowy Bigfoot stocking!


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Friday, January 2, 2015

Bee Happy New Year



Lenox Sleighride teacup


Write it on your heart that every
day is the best day in the year.
Ralph W. Emerson

Happy New Year! We slept late, then popped an egg dish and cinnamon rolls into the oven while Handyman made tea. (He spoils me!) The temperatures dipped into the 30's overnight, which is a rarity for southern California and we enjoyed it - perfect sleeping weather, as we like to say. 
I like to craft on New Years Day. It's sort of my way to usher in the coming year, and hopefully will result in many crafty days to follow.



A happy New Year!
Grant that I may bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end

Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,

And made of it a happy year.

Edgar Guest 


I used My Artistic Adventures
to make a greeting card.
 Here is the collage I started with

Vintage Bumble Bee Calm Digital Collage sheet


I also used a honeycomb 
design embossing folder - 
perfect for the bee motif!

Cuttlebug 5"X7" Embossing Folder/Border Set-Honeycomb, , hi-res

I used black embossing powder with gold sparkles in it on the center bee piece.


Here are some close-up photos. I layered two of the tag shapes, inked the edges and placed foam adhesive between them for dimension.


I used golden yarn instead of bakery string for more texture.


If you're itching to make a project and 
would like to play along, a new
Challenge starts on January 2nd. 
Create any NEW tangible item, Card, tag, ATC, Layout, altered art piece, Banner, pretty much anything you can come up with that is tangible using My Artistic Adventures digital images (or others).

Visit ~


My Artistic Adventures Challenge Blog









I don't make New Year's resolutions,
do you? My philosophy is summed up with the following quote -

I think in terms of the day's resolutions, 
not the year's.
Henry Moore


I'm a take one day at a time 
kind of person!


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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

A Look Back

While the clock ticks down the final hours 
of 2014, I thought it might be fun to look 
back over the past year at some of my
 activities and tea times. 

January - Tea at 221B
Ireland and England Weather Map teacup 
by Ali Miller of London

Moriarty carves a somewhat sinister message into an apple when he comes to see Sherlock at 221B in The Reichenbach Fall. "I owe you a fall, Sherlock."


February - Cup And Pansies


Birthday cup by Kent Pottery- a present from a dear friend. She also baked teacup cookies for me!




Footed Cup & Saucer Set in the Viola pattern by Wentworth-Japan

This cup and saucer inspired me to create a Viola greeting card





March - Leprechaun Lane

home made Irish Soda Bread and tea. Slainte!


Daffodil Time by Shelley



Enesco musical teacup party with mice

June - Oak Canyon

Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world. 
 John Muir



The Whistling Kettle's 1776 Blend




August - Queen's Seagull


Queen's Centenary Seagull Cup and Saucer


September - Kelos - It's Hot!



Fairy Garden in our old tiered fountain






Boo!


Halloween countdown


November - Autumn's Gold




I'm going to see how many more tea times I can squeeze into the remaining moments of 2014!

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Tea Time Tuesday
A Return To Loveliness



Monday, December 29, 2014

On The Fourth Day Of Christmas~


At this stage in my life Time flies whether I'm having a good time or not! I've missed posting regularly and visiting your blogs, and am looking forward to catching up when I can. My mother was hospitalized on Thanksgiving eve. She spent several weeks in the hospital. Happily, she was well enough to be released in time to enjoy Christmas at home. Meanwhile, College Girl was sick with a lousy flu bug - just in time for finals- she missed out on Thanksgiving dinner and her own birthday celebration! Here are a few cards I made before all the holiday rush set in~

birthday card with dry and wet embossing

card for my sister- more embossing! I love the sparkle and texture it adds. I inked the doily. The ribbon looks neon on my monitor but it is a lovely shade of rose.

I misted the background, stamped the die cut lacy circle with the creche scene and mounted it with foam adhesive, then used embossing powder again- I love the effect the heated powder has on card stock.


I managed to knit four beanies before Christmas and got them mailed out to their new owners, but forgot to take photos! It was my first time knitting caps and they turned out really well. I was so proud of myself - haha! I can't wait to share some photos from Christmas Day and also some of the nice light displays we saw in our neighborhood. 
I hope you had a lovely Christmas full of warm moments and special memories!
Happy 4th Day of Christmas~ We celebrate each day until Epiphany on January 6.



On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love
gave to me,
Four calling birds...
The four calling birds are the four Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These men spread the good news of the Gospel. 
“Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world.” (Psalms 18:5)



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You're Going To Love It

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Santa's Pack

We are halfway through November! Just wanted to share some news from Heather at My Artistic Adventures. She is having a  giveaway from her etsy store. Here is a note from Heather -

Hello Friends!
I just wanted to mention that on the 
I am having a Give Away.
A chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate 
for Collage sheets 

All you need to do for a chance to win is to

 and the

Subscribe to my Youtube Channel.
When you are finished with all the tasks, please send me an email letting me know what sheets you would like to win..or a general idea.  So I know you played along.
heatherahudson@gmail.com


At My Artistic Adventures a new Challenge 

begins on November 16. Here is the easel card

 I made using her






Collage sheets make it easy to craft up a card 

or gift tag without having specialty decorative 

paper. Just print out the digi sheet and start 

creating!








Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Autumn's Gold


I am rich today with autumn's gold,
All that my covetous hands can hold;


photo from wallpaperswa


Frost-painted leaves and goldenrod,
A goldfinch on a milkweed pod,



photo dec.ny.gov


Huge golden pumpkins in the field
With heaps of corn from
 a bounteous yield,
Golden apples heavy on the trees
Rivaling those of Hesperides,





Golden rays of balmy sunshine spread
Over all like butter on warm bread;
And the harvest moon will
 this night unfold
The streams running full of molten gold.


photo from ibtimes


Oh, who could find a dearth of bliss
With autumn glory such as this!

 Gladys Harp

I love Fall and am enjoying the drop in temperature, which finally arrived this week. In southern California signs of autumn are hard to come by but there are some trees here and there that have put on golden cloaks. Before you know it, I will be getting out our Advent calendars - can you believe it's only a few weeks until Christmas?
I made a card using 
a vintage book page and a doily. I also used embossing powder on the heart and tied a wooden charm to the front with pink bias ribbon.
This one is a birthday greeting but I am starting to make a few Christmas cards too.



Are you working on home-made gifts 
or cards?


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