Monday, December 29, 2025

T Stands For Ceramic Mugs

 

For those of you who visited last week, you read I was headed to The Spice Merchant as soon as I scheduled my post.  I know better than to visit during December.  There were no parking spaces anywhere near the shop and there were people coming in and out as fast as mosquitoes land on my arms in summer.  I knew I would never be able to stand in line that long, so gave up and came home with no coffee.  Not a problem.  I still have an ample supply.  

My friend Scott was here over Christmas and he did a bit of maintenance on my computer.  I thought he might get my "Failed to Publish, Try Again Later" message to go away, but that didn't happen.  I hope blogger gets its act together soon, because my readers and followers are getting tired of me making these excuses.

I found these ceramic mugs while I was there before.  

I was really shocked at the cost of these.  Who knew they would be that expensive.  Certainly not me!  In case you can't read the prices, these are all $25.99 (USD).

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. 

 

Don't forget to dig up your Second on the 2nd post.  It can be any genre, any length, as long as it has been published sometime in the past.


Saturday, December 27, 2025

Heading home for the holidays

 

In case you haven't read or been by my blog in awhile, blogger is not allowing me to leave comments.  I cannot seem to get rid of the dreaded "Failed to Publish, Try Again Later." Please understand I am very frustrated and hope you realize I DO keep trying.  

Today, however, you will find me at Art Journal Journey where I am joining Sharon from "That Girl Fritchey!"  Sharon wants us to share anything Winter

Bleubeard, Squiggles, and I are heading home for the holidays.  Thankfully, it will not be in this truck.  Detail of words is below.

I want to thank Sharon for being such a great host this month.  From the posts I have read, she is doing an excellent job.  I wish I could have played more.  There are still several days left, so I hope you will join Sharon and me at Art Journal Journey with your journal pages of Winter.
 
 

Monday, December 22, 2025

T Stands For Fur Lovers

 

This post almost didn't happen.  I was on my way to The Spice Merchant when I realized I had no T Tuesday post scheduled.  I am now fighting a deadline, after which I schedule, will be heading back to The Spice Merchant for my "free" pound of coffee and more gifts.

These mugs are for all the furry friends and family lovers out there.

You know who you are.  You are the pet pamperers and these mugs are dedicated to you.  Merry holidays.

For those of you who have no fur babies, here are some random mugs, including the snow men you can use to toast T Tuesday for Christmas.

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. 
 

 

 
Bleubeard, Squiggles, and Elizabeth wish you a happy Hanukkah and a merry Christmas.
 
 

Monday, December 15, 2025

T Stands For Christmas and More Mugs

 

By the time my T Tuesday post went live last week, I was on my way to Oklahoma, where a dear friend had been placed in hospice.  It was my last chance to be with her, to tell her how much she meant to me and how much she had influenced my life.  My neighbor drove me there and left me.  Little did I realize how long I would stay.  I got home earlier this morning (Monday) and was experiencing heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and severe coughs.  Besides my health concerns, I'm hoping the blogger curse will be lifted by now. 

BTW, those of you who normally get one, your Christmas card or tip in will be a bit late this year.

If you search the shelves at The Spice Merchant long enough,

you will find Christmas inspired mugs interspersed with non-Christmas mugs.

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. 
 

 


 

 

Monday, December 8, 2025

T Stands For Naughty

 

In case you haven't read, blogger is STILL not allowing me to leave comments.  I cannot seem to get rid of the dreaded "Failed to Publish, Try Again Later." Please understand I am very frustrated and hope you realize I DO keep trying.  One of these days, I'm sure they will publish.  Meanwhile, I have decided if I have your e-mail address, I will leave you a comment there.

Now, however, it's time to check out this Christmas mug from The Spice Merchant.

I've been known to sneak one or two 

of Santa's cookies in my day!

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. 

 


 

 

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Second on the 2nd: Altered Playing Cards

 

Blogger is STILL not allowing me to leave comments.  I cannot seem to get rid of the dreaded "Failed to Publish, Try Again Later." Please understand I am very frustrated and hope you realize I DO keep trying.  Thanks for sticking with me.

This post is for Second on the 2nd.  If your second look and your T Tuesday post are the same, please add it both places.

 

As most of you know, I like my second look each month to reflect our host at Art Journal Journey's (AJJ) theme. That means I needed to find something related to Winter

In 2014, I made the mistake of joining a 16 week, 52 card altered playing card group.  We altered two playing cards every week.  Most of the supplies the host Claudine used and asked for, I didn't have.  I had to improvise a lot of the time.  Below is the post in its entirety when the prompt was Winter. BTW, Claudine hasn't posted new content on her blog since 2016.

This is Week 11 of Claudine's altered playing card (APC) challenge, and we are in full winter mode.  Not just because the APCs are inspired by winter, but because winter has hit my front door with lots of snow, below freezing temperatures, a few record lows, and high, blustery winds.  And mine isn't the only place.  It seems every state in the US, except Hawaii, and much of Canada, had freezing temperatures Monday night.

So, yes, my APCs have a definite winter feel to them this week.

As usual, I had practically none of the supplies Claudine asked for.  In fact, I was thrilled when I found this partial piece of dyed paper towel, all that was left after I used most of it earlier this year  (As an aside, if you want to see how I dyed it, please go here or here, and how I used the dyed paper towels here).

Supplies, from back left clockwise:

Dark blue acrylic paint
White glue, although I ended up using a glue stick instead
White pigment ink
Paint brush
Foam snowflake stamp
Dyed paper towel using printer ink
Computer generated cup, which I fussy cut
Two gessoed playing cards

So why, you ask, did I simply show the supplies and not take any more step out photos?  Because it's so cold in my craft room and my hands (and entire body) were shaking so hard when I tried to take a photo, I decided to simply explain what I did and save photos for when my craft room warms a bit.

For the first playing card, I made something similar to Claudine's card that used a dyed paper towel.  However, Claudine's paper towel had been dyed with spray mists, which will bleed when wet, while mine was made using printer ink, which did not bleed.   I colored the cup and found a small piece of scrap paper I'd dyed with some of my shimmering mists and wrote the sentiment by hand.  It reads "Make mine cocoa please."

For my second card, I knew the paper towel wouldn't bleed like Claudine showed us.  So I opted to paint my playing card with dark blue paint, then add pigment ink snowflakes after the paint had dried.  Once the snowflakes were dried, I once again found a scrap piece of paper and wrote the sentiment: "Snowflakes are winter's flowers."  I used a black Micron 25mm pen for both sentiments.

I realize these are rather simple altered cards this week, but by the time I had finished these two, I was definitely ready to warm my numb hands and get to my less cold office to document the process.

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I've shown you mine, now it's your turn to share your own Second on the 2nd.  Be aware, this link is for your second look only.  If you are also sharing a T Tuesday post as your second look, please add your link both places.

 

 

 

 

 

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