Monday, December 31, 2018

T Stands For a Wintertime Cruise


I want to begin by apologizing for the length of this post.  I also want to tell you I have received even MORE gifts this week.  They have been photographed and are ready to be shown, but due to the length of this post, I will share them next Tuesday for T.  I apologize if you thought your gift would be shown today, dear friends.

I got a little carried away sewing these pieces together.  When I began assembling them, I realized I had far too many for one page.  Then two pages weren't enough.  Finally, after some juggling, I managed FIVE pages for honoring T Stands For Tuesday and my final Art Journal Journey entry as host this month. 

Let's get rid of the winter doldrums and take a river or ocean cruise where the weather is sunny and bright.

I have learned a few things that I have suspected in the past about sewing paper to paper.  Some of these pages were incredibly thin, while others were almost card stock weight.  When I backed them with either a used tea bag or sheet music, then sewed them to 110 lb card stock, the thin pages buckled and wouldn't sew flat, no matter how hard I tried to "stretch" them.  You can tell the images that buckled, no matter what I tried.

We'll begin in our staterooms, where breakfast and coffee were delivered to us.  Later, at lunch, we enjoyed a cup of tea and water.

For dinner, we had a glass of wine with our meal.


Of course, in between we shared high tea with friends we met on the cruise.

The spread was served by our attentive waiter

who wore the whitest gloves you have ever seen.

On day two, we took advantage of the ship and its amenities.

The first thing we did was head to the spa, then took advantage of the healthy juice and infused water bar.

However, we were in need of caffeine and this was in the form of a cappuccino.

A champagne brunch can't be beat.

Next, it's time to welcome in the new year.

We are "toasting the new year with a special drink." 

Tea, soft drinks, and coffee make the mid-morning treats delightful and special.

At midnight, we toasted in the new year with a bottle of wonderful champagne.

Coffee and cappuccinos, along with a few cookies served in our stateroom were just what we needed if we were to stay up all night.

Breakfast was never overlooked, either.   Our favorite hot drink, along with a buffet of fruit, jam, and scone were served in one of the restaurants while others read their morning news via their phones or tablets.

Of course, we could always have champagne served in our stateroom as we gazed out on the scenery or the calming water.

No amenity was overlooked.

Whether we chose

to relax alone watching the scenery, or to share time with a loved one while reading a favorite book as we sail the sea,

there was always time for afternoon tea.

Of course, as evening set in, we gathered in the main dining hall.


A glass of our favorite wine,

or a spot of tea,

or food and drinks served in our stateroom,


or being greeted by our chef,

all led to a very fulfilling experience on this cruise. 

About three years ago, I decided to send for information from several different cruise lines.  Little did I know I would be inundated with these little travel magazines that have become the basis for many of my 7-Continents art pages.  In the past, I have pitched the information on the individual ships and the pages on the food and drink that are offered on each cruise.  Not so this time.

I actually got the idea from Kate who used tea bags with her postcards.  I thought this would be a great idea, but decided most of the images didn't fit the size of the tea bags I have, so Plan B was to use vintage sheet music left over from my Christmas cards and my previous T Tuesday post.  Whether backed with tea bags or sheet music, I used variegated thread on all assemblies.

This spread took three days to complete.  I first stamped the tea set image on two pages, then five pages.  This tea set was a gift from a British company called Toodles and Binks.  When I looked for their blog, http://www.toodlesandbinks.blogspot.com/, I found it had been removed.  However I found a YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch6hMdUEllU that showed a WOYWW post by Kay, the original owner.  SO sad that another red rubber site had gone under.

Again, I apologize for the length of this post.  To make a long post even longer, it's time to share your own drink related post.  It can be photos, a place you visited, movies, postcards, books, sketches, mixed media, drawings, paintings, tags, scrapbooking, or other art that is digital, hybrid, or traditional, as long as it in some way relates back to a drink, any drink.  Regardless, please share below and Bleubeard and I, along with the rest of the T gang will be by to visit.   Please link only your T post and not your blog in general.  Old photos are acceptable because they may be taken any time, not just on Tuesday.  Tomorrow I will also be able to say "and not even this year!" which also means you should be looking for a Second on the 2nd post. 



Have a joyous, safe, and peaceful new year's eve and day, dear friends, followers, lurkers, and readers.  And now a look back at My Favorite Season(s).

The journal pages I created this month while Bleubeard supervised.

24 thoughtful remarks:

Valerie-Jael said...

Wonderful pages, and I know some people love going on cruises, although it would not be my idea of fun! You did an enormous amount of work this year, you can be proud of yourself. Happy new year, Valerie

johanna said...

taking the vintage music sheets as a base to hold all the pics together was a great idea. you are a sewing master meanwhile, what a big session this must have been! and your mosaic also looks great remembering all these pieces of the month!
happy t-day, i hope 2019 will be a great year for you! xox

chrissie said...

Amazing pages as always Elizxabeth and an interesting story about the cruise catalogues. A cruise would be my idea of of torture even though I do like short voyages on the sea.

Love all the pages you made this month as well and good of Bluebeard to help you.

Have a great T day and a wonderful 2019

Love Chrissie xx

CJ Kennedy said...

Your cruise pages brought happy memories of my honeymoon cruise to the Bahamas. So much food and treats. Thank you for starting my new year off with a smile and less calories than the cruise. Happy New Year to you and the boys and a Happy T Day, too.

Eileen Bergen said...

It's a fabulous series to close out the year, plus your month of hosting "favorite season" on AJJ, Elizabeth. I wish I could have participated. One could say you drew the short straw with the busiest month of the year (grin).

I especially enjoyed this spread because Chris and I are counting the days until a Panama Canal cruise we've booked this coming spring.

Wishing you all the best in 2019. One of the blessings I count for 2018 is counting you as a friend.

Happy T-day and a very Happy New Year! Hugs, Eileen

My name is Erika. said...

They say that there is always food and drink on cruise. I don't know about real cruises, but on your T day cruise there sure is also of T to celebrate. What a glamorous excursion! I don't know how well I would manage being waited on on a cruise as I am (as I have been told a few times) an independent old cuss. You did make some gorgeous art though. It is perfect for celebrating the new year. Happy 2019 and the start of new year of many exciting and interesting and even glamourous T days. Hugs-Erika

Divers and Sundry said...

I've never been on a cruise -never really even been tempted. Now, though, looking at all this I can see that I'd most likely love this life lol

Thank you for all you've done for me and this blogging community through this year. You are a highlight of my day :) I'll be back tomorrow to link up.

Sharon Madson said...

I love your Winter Cruise pages! Lovely post! Thank you for the reminder of the second. I have one picked out, if I can just remember! I did see my card on your post last week. But we were really busy, and I was sick on top of having a house full of family! What a whirlwind week! Are you going to call me sometime? :)

Lisca said...

Thank you for taking me on a cruise. It looks delightful (I've never been on a cruise. It doesn't appeal tome to be cooped up with many people on a ship and then going sightseeing on shore ''én masse'.)
But armchair cruising is wonderful.
Happy New Year to you and Bluebeard and Squiggles.
Lisca

Mia said...

Lovely pages, Elizabeth.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, my friend!!!!!!!!!!!!

kathyinozarks said...

These are awesome pages Elizabeth-and I can tell allot of work too. they came out really nice and with a story,
My Mom and her traveling girl friend went on several cruises-she really loved them. I know I would not enjoy it-would be sea sick for sure lol and I don't like being trapped in a place like that.
Love your New Year collage too
Happy T and Happy Happy New Year
Hugs Kathy

Cindy McMath said...

This is a great use of cruise promotional materials! Love to see your grid of the month’s pages as well. Happy New Year my friend!

Meggymay said...

If I wasn't staying with one of our sons I would love to join you on that trip as long as the waters were calm. I am no sea or plane traveller but those pages look so inviting.
It was also lovely to see all your AJJ pages together, I loved this past months theme.
Thank you for adding my link to T day , I really appreciate the friendship I have found here with you and the T gang.
Happy New Year Elizabeth, I hope that the coming year will be a good on for you and of course Bleubeard and Squiggles.
Yvonne xx

froebelsternchen said...

Another O****M****G from me today!
I love how you used the sheet music paper for layering the images - This is a fantastic sew-per layout! Meanwhile you are also the "paper ♥ sew ♥ baroness" for me beside of Elizabeth the Mixed Media Queen! I am thrilled about it! And I am thrilled about the mosaic! And most of all I am impressed with the huge amount of work you put in this past 2018 being our host at Tuesdays, 2nd on the Second days, Art Journal Journey and showing tutorials!
Tell Bleubeard that the same applies to him and the youngest helper ! Thank you Bleubeard and Squiggles!
You also impressed me with even one more December entry and such a special one on top of it all for Art Journal Journey!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your
ART , ART-SUPPORT and most of all for your heartwarming friendship!
This all is very dear to me.

Happy T-Day dear Elizabeth!
Hugs, Susi

craftytrog said...

What a fabulous final page for 2018! I love your use of sewing, and the music paper backing for the images!
Alison xox

Darla said...

What wonderful cruise pages. On this day I want to thank you for your friendship throughout the (how many?) years. You do so much to keep this blog community together. You are so generous with your time. Like D and S said, you are a bright spot in my day.

Halle said...

Very clever pages. The thought of a cruise appeals to me...but then I hear about Norovirus and I think again. The spa and being waited on sounds good though.
Happy New Year and T day!

And yes I did notice your paper was thicker without the little rusty spots. Very nice indeed!

Let's Art Journal said...

Wow, what wonderful pages! I love the layering and the stamping of the tea service makes for an amazing background 😁. It's a lovely way to toast in the New Year and finish your theme at AJJ too, I had so much fun joining your fabulous theme last month, thanks very much! Wishing you a very Happy T Day! J 😊 x

Krisha said...

Happy New Year! WOW! you really did a lot of work on these pages! I have been on a cruise, a 3 day one, and I loved it.........DH not so much!
Happy T-day

pearshapedcrafting said...

I absolutely adore these pages and the way you have sewn the images but I fear that I would not be so keen to go on a cruise - mainly for the reasons you highlight here - too much temptation to spend the time eating and drinking! I have been in cities where cruise ships visit and met folk who seem to be in rush to fit everything into their short stop overs!
Not that I am ruling it out - I have seen some very interesting itineries for river cruises and Tony has his eye on the Scandinavian countries by cruise ship too!!!
Hugs, Chrisx

Carol said...

GREAT JOB on the journal pages! The music pages with the stitching was a grand idea. Love seeing all if you Art everyday photos together also.
Have a Blessed and Happy New Year!
One I will hopefully be around more for :)
Carol

Dianne said...

What a clever idea to use cruise brochures for collage! I am thinking this would be the only way I will ever take a cruise...but I guess you never know. miracles happen they tell me. ;) Hope you had a wonderful and peaceful holiday, full of all the things that give you joy. Hugs from Ohio!

Jeanie said...

I've never really sewn anything and certainly not paper except once in a workshop. I have to say I really love the texture and visual interest it provides. You do it so well -- it really works with the things you design.

Kate Yetter said...

I love how you sewed all your pages together and backed the photo from the travel brochures with your vintage sheet music. I love how you took the tea bag inspiration and made it your own. It frames the pictures beautifully along with the stitching. What a wonderful way to commemorate your cruise.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate