If it's Sunday, it's time for Rocking Horses.

 

I'm also joining Nicole for Sunday in the Art Room or SITAR, and Gillena with Sunday Smiles.   

What really draws your eye in this area is this is where I display all my completed altered books.

 

It's a bit hard to see, but here are two of my smallest rocking horses.  Both were gifts.  The one on the table is a bit hard to see.  

 

The tiny one in the frame was sent to me broken.  I make a habit of opening every gift on camera.  I was devastated to see this tiny blown glass rocker was broken during transport.  Since I had proof it was broken when I opened it, the seller sent a new one after the person who bought it for me showed proof using my photos.  

 

I wasn't about to toss this tiny beauty.  It was still loved, so I found a way to make it stand out by framing it like an award.  

 

NO rocking horse goes unloved or destroyed in this home.  Thanks for visiting today.  I am grateful you dropped by to check out two more of my rocking horses.  Also, please join me at 

 

 and  

 

Friday Smiles

 

It seems we can't get enough of Vince the sign guy (Vince Rozmiarek).  We love his puns, his double entendres, and his play on words.  Here are a few more of his wisdoms. 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

  

 

   

Thanks for visiting. Surely you know by now, there would have to be a cat in the final sign.  I am incredibly grateful you dropped by.  I think this is a good place to stop.  As long as Vince keeps creating them, I'll show them.  

 

 

Week 7 of Index-Card-A-Day or ICAD

 

It's Friday and time for ICADs.  I'm joining Nicole for Friday Face-Off and Gillena for Art For Fun Fridays along with Tammy Garcia at Daisy Yellow (Index-Card-A-Day).  Would you like to see another ICAD?  Then please visit Rev. Arnoldo L. Romero here.           

Day 41: Grow.  Background is Russian text. Green and blue dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is grapes on a vine. Names in blue felt tip pen.

 

Day 42: Bus.  Background is crossword clues. Blue and brown dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is a school bus in front of a school. It is used when an additional ounce is required.  Names in blue felt tip pen.

Day 43: Relevant.  Background is French text. Green and brown dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is Frank Lloyd Wright (a famous architect of the 20th century).  Names computer generated.

Day 44: Fresh.  Background is vintage sheet music. Green and red dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is lemons. Names in red felt tip pen.

Day 45: Huge.  Background is Russian text. Green and brown dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is Venezuela dam. Names in green felt tip pen.

Day 46: End.  Background is Spanish text. Red and brown dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is Help End Hunger. Names in red felt tip pen.

Day 47: Cat (It's Squiggles' birthday).  Background is Spanish text. Red and blue dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is Postage Due*. Names in red felt tip pen.

 

*Postage Due stamps were issued from 1880 to November, 1985.  They were issued because postmasters who received cash didn't always claim the money at the end of the day. According to the Smithsonian Postal Museum:

The 1880 Report of the Postmaster General noted that the former system of collecting postage due had one great weakness: “In securing the full returns of [the postage due collected in cash] the department was entirely dependent on the fidelity of the postmasters.” Postage due stamps, affixed to underpaid mail as receipts for the underpayment collected, solved that problem by requiring postmasters to account for cash receipts that would balance any postage due stamps no longer in stock, in the same way that they had to account for regular postage stamp sales.

 

  I'm creating ICADs but am not on the sites where Tammy posts.  Therefore, this is the only place you will find Bleubeard's and my ICADs.  

Today I'm also joining Nicole at Friday Face OFF, and Gillena at Art For Fun Friday.

 

   

Thanks for visiting today.  Bleubeard and I hope you enjoy the ICADs and will let us know your favorites.  We hope to see you at these art blogs, too.  We are delighted you dropped by.

 

Friday Smiles will be posted this afternoon.

 

 

Priorities

 

I'm once again at Art Journal Journey joining my friend, Halle of Halle's Hobbies.  Her theme for the month of July is Fabric, lace, and trims…oh my!  Below is my next entry for her theme. 

Unlike yesterday's sentiment, I actually chose this based on the elements I used.  Details are below.

 

I began by sewing the very stretchy background fabric to 5 X 8 in (12.7 X  20.32 cm) 110 lb cardstock using blue variegated thread.  Then I created both sub assemblies.  The one on the right started with a sample of Sunbrella fabric to which I sewed the last of some gifted lace ribbon and a small piece of shimmery fabric.  I then added that assembly to the striped fabric that I bought years ago as a fat quarter.  It was the first time I used it.  I then sewed these pieces to the background fabric and the other piece of shimmery fabric I found in my stash.  Finally, I added the sentiment I colored with a watercolor pencil.

 

Thanks beyond belief for dropping by today.  It means everything to me. I also hope to see you and your interpretation of Fabric, lace, and trims…oh my! inspired art at Art Journal Journey. 

 

Flutter Lover

 

Today I'm at Art Journal Journey joining my friend, the very talented Halle of Halle's Hobbies.  Her theme for the month of July is Fabric, lace, and trims…oh my!  Below is my latest entry.

This has been a disaster from the very beginning.  I love to tear my fabric, but this gifted bit of fabric was cut on the bias, so I had no way to tear it.  Detail images are below.

 

I began by sewing the fabric to 5 X 8 in (12.7 X  20.32 cm) 110 lb cardstock using blue variegated thread.  I dyed cheesecloth using a Staz-on reinker.  When dry, I sewed it to the right side of the assembly.  I then sewed the lace to the top of the assembly.  Next, I adhered the computer generated words I colored with a watercolor pencil.  Finally, I sewed the rick rack to the bottom of the assembly.  I personally don't believe I need a sentiment in my art, but I know Halle does. Therefore the lame name of the art assembly.

 

Thanks ever so much for dropping by today.  It means the world to me. I hope to see you and your interpretation of Fabric, lace, and trims…oh my! inspired art at Art Journal Journey. 

 

 

T Stands For It's Been 13 Years, Let's Celebrate

 

I thought it would be fun to celebrate our anniversary outside among my herbs for a change. 

Before we celebrate with a drink, I wanted to show those of you who saw how much my herbs had grown, the fastest growing herb is my dill. I've already harvested it three times and it is still growing like a weed.  A dill weed!  This photo, however, doesn't show its true height.

 

That's better.  The plant on the cart, one of two, is my sad cilantro.  

 

EDIT: Lisca mentioned that my dill had bolted.  Dill doesn't bolt.  Cilantro and basil bolt.  Dill makes seeds which I will plant and have a second harvest before it dies in late autumn at the first frost.  That also ensures the rest of the dill seeds I purchased this year will be available for next year.

 

I knew this would happen because cilantro doesn't like heat.  I got tired of taking the pots inside every time the heat hit 90+ F  (32+ C).  Enough stalling.

 

It's time to party and celebrate.  And of course, I had to use the newish mug I won from The Spice Merchant that holds coffee I got from The Spice Merchant.  I also love the oilcloth place mat.  It wipes quickly with a damp cloth.  It's definitely great for outdoor use.

 

But what would be a party without treats?

 

I've been saving this box of shortbread chocolate chip cookies that came in the basket I won from The Spice Merchant.  I was having trouble getting the box open, so decided to grab the fork to help pry it open.  The fork was so hot from sitting in the sun, I dropped it, but I managed to burn one of my fingers in the process.  That's when I decided it was time to go inside.

 

The cookies were tiny.  They were about 3/4 inch in diameter.  That's also when I looked at the fine print!  Number of cookies per serving: 7.  Number of servings: 4.  There was more container than anything else.  Seems I got 28 tiny cookies that were smaller than those shown on the cover.  And I suspect they were expensive, too.

 

I've shown you mine, now it's your turn to share your T entry this week.  The rules are extremely simple.  Your drink related post may be anything from a photo of a glass, cup, or mug, to an actual drink.  You may choose to share a sketch or a digital, hybrid, or traditional page in your scrapbook, art journal, or altered book, as I have done.  Maybe you'd prefer to share a tag, or wow us with your photography.  You might choose a postcard or decorated card.  You might even draw an image on a used tea bag.  Or perhaps you prefer to review a place you visited, a movie, or book.  It makes no difference as long as it's drink related.  And don't forget that the more unique and outside the box it is, the better we like it.  Please tie it back here, and please link only to your T post, not your entire blog.  When you link, Bleubeard, the T gang, and I will be by to visit.   Bleubeard would also like to remind you that your photos may be taken any time.    

 

 

 

 

 

If it's Sunday, it's time for Rocking Horses.

 

Several of my art friends are sharing their photos from around their homes.  I decided that every Sunday I would show a few of my over 450 rocking horses.  If you joined What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday or WOYWW, you know I showed one each time I joined in.  Here I will share where they live when they were not being displayed on my work table. 

I'm also joining Nicole for Sunday in the Art Room or SITAR, and Gillena with Sunday Smiles.  I checked to make sure my post qualifies at both places, and it appears to qualify.

In case you weren't here last week on Sunday, this is what you missed.  I realize my home looks very cluttered.  Believe it or not, I've gotten rid of things I will never use again, but I somehow can't seem to get rid of my altered books and journals, or my rocking horses.

 

There are five rocking horses that live among the silk flowers and flicker lights, several of which are hidden.

 

The ceramic rocker that holds the candle is a Hummel.  You don't have to tell me.  I need to climb on a step ladder and clean everything on that shelf.

 

The two rockers, a candle, wooden box, tin of Prince Albert tobacco, and a tin of Singer sewing machine oil add to the vignette.

 

These two rockers, one of which reminds me of the horse that sits on my front porch in which children like to ride, sit together amid the flowers. 

 

Thanks for visiting today.  I am grateful you dropped by to check out a few more of my rocking horses.  Also, please join me at 

 

 and