A round robin swap, my first with five other players

I've started a new round robin with five new players. The last one was so much fun, I'm sure this one will be also. For this swap, five other players signed up to create two tip-in pages, decorated front and back using their favorite colors. My colors and theme are the same as before. I am going with rust, but this time, I'm adding white to the mix. I'm looking forward to this swap, but know it is going to be a challenge, since this swap is all about colors.

My first recipient is Halle, who requested that her pages be blue. Although they could include other colors, and blue could be any shade or hue, the overall page had to "read" blue.


I was hoping this page would have turned out a bit better than it did, since I was actually going for an image of the earth as seen from the moon. Although I tried my best to turn it into a moon, I thought it looked a bit like an ice cream cone. I used maps and dressmaker tissue for the moon, over which I painted anywhere from a deep blue to a pale blue. I was going for a moon that was partly dark and partly light. I think I should have made it a bit round or elliptical, but I already had it in place when I realized that mistake.

For the earth, I started with a blue circle, then added the white swirls and deep blue land masses. Behind the earth, I painted a black sky, then added the words "Blue Earth,"the only words I used on any of the pages.


For the back side, I started with a deep blue fluid acrylic, then watered it down in spots. Next I added the paper lace I cut from my Martha Stewart punch, over which I placed a feather. I dyed the fabric last fall, and it was a good color combination to compliment the blue fabric I layered over it. Finally, I added an image of a little girl. I couldn't help putting some pink in Halle's page, because I know how much she loves pink. I just hope it didn't detract too much from the blue.


I actually got these two spreads turned around after I started working on them. I turned the "back" side into the "front" by accident because I started working on both sides at the same time. You can see I had more dark blue fluid acrylic on the right side of the above spread, which should have been the gutter side. I just hope I left Halle enough room for the gutter, which is now on the left of this spread. And another thing I feel I did wrong was sanding the center image. I wanted it set apart from the other images, but feel I probably shouldn't have done it that way. At least I raised the center head using pop dots. I just hope Halle can "imagine" the overall effect.


Originally I was going to add words to this side, but I couldn't bring anything together. I was thinking words like her heart was in a cage and she needed wings to fly away, but I couldn't make any words make sense. So, I left the spread so the images could tell their story, which can be interpreted by Halle and anyone who wants to add their own words. This background was created using three different pigment inks and one chalk ink.

The first page was made using 110 lb card stock and the second page was made using 110 lb watercolor paper. The icon at the top of the above page is actually an old pin back button that I removed the pin from.


For the tag, I started with a page from a psychology book, over which I added various blue inspired bits. The tiny earth from space started out being my model for Blue Earth, but ended up looking nothing like what I created. And yes, making these pages was a true adventure.


The back side of my tag has my information on it. It's a good thing Halle knows me so well, or she would need an interpreter to read this. I'm not sure this is what Halle was hoping for when she asked for blue pages, but I hope she's not too disappointed with what she got. At least she now has them, although they took awhile to get to her.

What's on your worktable, Wednesday # 99

If you aren't sure about this WOYWW phenomenon, please check out my dear friend Julia's blog for all the details.

This week I'm actually trying to make a bit of art, although I'm having little success. I DO love my new art tool holder, though. It is even better than the one that rotates, and this one takes up less space.

My rocking horse tonight is rather Christmas-y, but I like it because it acts as a planter or a large candy container. And of course, it rocks, too!


I thought I would make some elephants for Amy, but I'm not sure they are going to be good enough for her. After all, Amy is madly in love with the elephant Julia sent her.

And here is the final piece I worked on this evening. Actually, I've been working on it (and the other one, too) for three days, because I keep waiting for parts to dry. And just think. I've only started on it. These are made of wood left over from my new porch.

I hope to visit many of you this week, but today I have to be gone all day, then tomorrow I have another commitment for part of the day, which means I'm not starting the WOYW week out very good. Have a great week, anyway and know I'll really try to visit you when I can, since I'm sure some of you will be at the "big" wedding this week, too.

Still celebrating my birthTEA

I'm hoping at least some of you will stop by today for some cake and tea. I have more of each than I know what to do with them.


I've given several pieces of birthday cake away, and I'm hoping at least a few of you will take a piece, too. However, the tea I'll save for myself. On the left, are some lovely tea "pearls" that blossom when infused. I got them from Cath in Cyprus when she sent her color swap pages to me. I also got these tea bags from my friend Halle as part of a birthday gift.


I also got the most beautiful handmade card from Annette. Lots of chipboard and embossing powder turned the letters into a beautiful sentiment. And the card with the tea pitcher and cup are from Patty S, who is now on her way across the pond. And there is even a bag of tea as part of the gift and card. Love it!


And here is a bit about the blossoms. They should be served in a clear glass (they suggest a wine glass), so you can see them better when they open.


And this is the name of the tea house where they came from.

So I hope you have some cake with me today, and visit Kimmie for the links to all my other Tea Tuesday friends and participants. And since I'm wide awake, I might as well go to Kimmie's right now and join in on the fun of the day. Then maybe I'll try to get some sleep.

My birthday goodies

I thought I would share some of the wonderful gifts I received on my birthday. Although I took BOTH cameras with me, I took NO photos of anyone or anything on my birthday. So what you see is what I GOT!


Useful gifts are my forte, so this small travel holder may be the trick to keeping rein on the mess on my desk. I've tried to clean the circular holder in the past, but once I use something in it, it is messy again. So, will giving up the rotating aspect be enough for this new holder? Although I love how the old holder goes round and round, I think this new holder will be nearly as handy, and probably more efficient.


And here it is, all filled with everything in the rotating container, except for a couple of bamboo skewers that I worried might put my eye out (just joking). And there's room for more goodies, too. Next to it is my new battery powered OTT light which has 30 LEDs. Both of these gifts were given to me by my neighbor Sally. She is such a sweetie.

Dana gave both Kathy and me (because Kathy's and my birthdays are only 11 days apart) each a lovely wall hanging she made. I was more impressed with the background than the face, I think. I love the background techniques she used.


On Saturday morning, my friend Billie arrived with her dog and a bag of goodies for me. After she and Bitsy left, I began putting everything away.


Billie admitted that she was simply giving me things from her sewing room that she no longer wanted or would ever use. Fabric and a shower cover (the lacy piece) were on top.


Look at this lovely mess! Rick rack, lace, bias tape, zippers, and a music box were all revealed after the fabric (from above) was removed.


It took almost an hour to go through the bag and put everything away. But I finally got everything put in its place.


It occurred to me, as I headed to my neighbor Sally's house on Sunday to help her put a bed together, that I had not shown the completed porch.


And although I didn't expect it, on Saturday, a couple of painters showed up to scrape the house paint. They will be back this week, as will the people who will replace the gutters. Apparently there is some order to all this. And again, I don't pay them till the job is completed to my satisfaction.


But right now, I'm thrilled with what the painters have done. I hope your day is as wonderful as mine was this weekend. I forgot to mention that I ate cake and ice cream compliments of Kathy, who brought a cake and bought ice cream at the market. It was wonderful.

Silent Sunday: Easter greetings (mouth painting by J. May)

Inspiration Avenue: Dream Angel

It's Friday and time for me to show my Inspiration Avenue creation for the week. This week's Inspiration Avenue theme was Angels issued by Tammy.


It couldn't have been a better theme, because it pushed me to finish my Rust book cover, this time adding a touch of rusty white. I rusted, then burned (in my chiminea) an altoid mint tin. I added the rusty nail and other goodies which really don't show up well in the photo that I took using my Vivitar camera because I couldn't get the Kodak to focus properly on anything. The bottle cap holds the precious angel that I named Dream Angel. The greenery is also supposed to be wings. The rusty mint tin sits on a rusty, but well coated, and therefore protected, piece of rusty metal. The other image came from one of Marlynn's pages. Although it fell off Marlynn's original piece, not to worry, I'm putting it to good use for this photo only, then I'll be putting it back on her page.


And in case you have forgotten what the front cover looks like, here it is, created during another Inspiration Avenue challenge I documented here.

And in case you are wondering, I am putting my basement challenges away today, and spending the day with a few friends. After all, it is Earth Day and my bEARTHday, too! So thanks to all of you who have already sent birthday wishes.

Porch Update

Here's a quick porch update before I get busy in my basement. You can see some of my irises are in full bloom, and my mailbox is nearly back to where it normally belongs.


The above photo was taken from just outside my front door this morning.

After I worked my way down the steps, liked what I was seeing.


That new post will be a blessing once the rest of the railing is in.


Not sure I'm in love with the construction of the porch, but it is better than it was, I guess.


I like the slimmer look to the mailbox. Using the old rails saved a ton of money. All I needed was one new railing across the front. Apparently, most people don't like their railings going all the way around their porches. I'm going to love my new railing, though.

Why I'm not at WOYWW this week

I wanted to join WOYWW, but I had too many photos and too much going on in my life that will keep me away from my computer and visiting my Wednesday friends this week. So having said that, this photo intensive post is why I'm not joining Julia this week.


Many months ago I had four different companies come and give me bids on a new front porch. Some of you may even remember the process I went through. Last week, I finally signed papers with the company I had chosen many months ago. It's a good thing they don't get paid until the job is completed.


They began destroying the porch before I even realized they were doing it. They hadn't even asked me where I wanted the things that were on the porch.


One of the workers was checking the size of the decking.


Another worker removed the precious cargo (AKA a rocking horse) I didn't want destroyed.


The rocking horse looked a bit forlorn as it left its place on the porch.


Then there was lots more discussion about the decking. That's certainly not how I would replace the porch, but it's the way the older gentleman wanted it done.


I didn't realize how bad the porch was until everything was off it.


It wouldn't be long, now.


You can see the decking is running crosswise to the boards, but that's not the way it will look this evening. I asked them to save the wood because there was some wonderful stuff there that could have been used for art, but they


threw it all in a pile, then threw it all in their trailer. I was sick!


By this time, the railings were also gone,


but the columns were still hanging on.


By evening, the decking was in, and it still seems counter intuitive to me that they would put the decking the same direction as the floor boards, so I will have to wait to see how this works out.


Not sure you can see, but the columns are now also gone.


They left the one that has my mail box, I assume for the mail.


Of course, the big guy


had to inspect the project, too.


After a brief bowl of soup, I was off to the basement, where the floor was finally dry and I could walk on it. My first encounter was my laundry basket, which appeared to be broken under the strain of too many things being put in it.


What a MESS the painters made. They had NO idea how to pack anything, nor did they care if anything had rhyme or reason. This is ONE HUGE mess I'm walking into and I'm the one who will have to


figure out where everything goes.


And even though I asked they not put anything on the shelves in the hall, it appears they did, anyway.


Even my well organized shelves in the studio were jammed and crammed with things that definitely didn't belong there.


Right now I'm shaking my head in disbelief. At least this is just the mess that will go back in the hallway. The studio items are still in storage, and I hope they don't want to bring them back until I


have the chance to get this mess cleaned up and cleared. Not sure how "up to it" I am, but I know it won't get done unless I do it. Enough said. I'm off to greet the guys building my porch, then I plan to spend at least SOME time in my basement today.