House of Cards

 

This will be my final entry this month at Art Journal Journey.  I'm joining Matilde from Craftowanie whose theme is Houses and Buildings.  

 

My final entry this month is a play on words.  I call it House of Cards.  Details are below.

 

 

I got the idea for this final house while mowing my yard.  I had to mow, or the city would fine me if the grass is over 5 inches tall.  They can't do anything as long as it's raining, but once there's a rain free day, it must be mowed.  I heard a lot of other lawn mowers going as I was mowing, too.

 

I used a bunch of gift and member cards, as well as freebies I received in the mail to create the house and roof.  The "door" was a food shopping card which allows discounts to certain items if you have the card.  

 

Recently while at the bank, the teller gave me several different denomination money bands, one of which I used to differentiate the house from the roof.  The ransom letter words were from two magazines in my stash.

 

I hope you will join Bleubeard and me at Art Journal Journey and share your own take on Houses and Buildings.  Thank you so very much for visiting today.  We are extremely pleased you stopped by.

  

  

The Green Apple House

 

I'm once again joining Matilde from Craftowanie.  You probably know by now she is our host this month at Art Journal Journey.  Her theme is Houses and Buildings.  

I'm not sure if this is my penultimate or final entry this month.  It all depends on the weather because I am fighting water in my basement due to all the rain we are getting.  We got over 4 inches overnight last night and more is on the way.  We set a record for the wettest June since 1928.

Today I give you The Green Apple House.  Details are below.

 

 

I began by cutting a sheet of green cardstock into a circle.  Next, I cut both sides so it looked like the apple had been eaten.  Next, I cut and affixed the stem which I am calling the chimney.  Then it was time to stamp the apple inside the core.  That represents the door.  I then outlined the house using green dye ink.

 

Next I colored the sky blue using a watercolor pencil.  For some reason, it doesn't show on the scan.  I used a peach Posca pen to draw the ground on which the house sits.  Finally, I added a bird sticker and the words that I outlined in black dye ink.

 

I hope you will join Bleubeard and me at Art Journal Journey and share your own take on Houses and Buildings.  Thank you so very much for visiting today.

  

 

 

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.  

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And for all you cat lovers out there (you know who you are)

 

Thanks for visiting today.  I am SO grateful you dropped by.  Hopefully I'll find more of these next Friday. 

 

Week 4 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).    

Day 20: Quirky.  Background French (?) text.  Blue and green dry erase colors. Postage stamp a pelican.  Names in green felt tip pen.  

 

Day 21: Dignified.  Background is Spanish text. Green and brown dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is Albert Einstein. Names in green felt tip pen.

Day 22: Freedom.  Background is crossword clues.  Red and blue dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is shield.  Words are Freedom to speak out.  A root of Democracy.  Names in red felt tip pen.

 

Day 23: Home.  Background is encyclopedia. Green and blue dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is one of the 50 states: Washington state.  Names in blue felt tip pen.

 

Day 24: Daring.  Background is Russian text.  Red and brown dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is a Red Fox.  Names in red felt tip pen.

Day 25: Ancient.  Background is text from old school book.  Blue and brown dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is plant eating Brontosaurus dinosaurs.  Names in blue felt tip pen. 

 

Day 26: Bell.  Background is Spanish text.  Blue and green dry erase colors.  Postage stamp is Liberty Bell (inscribed Proclaim liberty throughout the land).  Names in blue felt tip pen.

 

  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 also hope to see you at these art blogs, too.  We are delighted you dropped by.

 

To see another ICAD, please visit Rev. Arnoldo Romero at 

https://arnoldolromero.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-lord-is-my-shepherd.html 

 

Friday Smiles will be posted this afternoon.

 

  

 

Looking at America 250: a commentary

 

If you live in the USA, you know we have a big anniversary coming up on July 4, 2026.

 I'm sure you have seen one of these signs,

  or something similar.

  Perhaps one or more of your neighbors has 

  one of these signs in their yard. 

Why do I find this offensive? Perhaps I am being too fussy or inflexible.  Perhaps it's semantics.  However, I believe it's because we in the States believe we are superior.  After all, there are two other countries in North America (Canada and Mexico), seven countries in Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama), and nine countries in South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela).  

What makes us in the States so special we can take credit for ALL of America?  After all, Canada turns 159 as a nation on July 1, 2026.  You don't see them touting the fact they belong to North America.  I believe we are only one wheel in the cog, although we are apparently the wealthiest and biggest bullies.  

I prefer to believe I am a member of the United States OF America.  Thank you for putting up with my diatribe.   

 

T Stands For Mugs That Caught My Eye

 

 

I thought this mug that was shaped like a camper van was quite cute.  I liked the subtle windows that contrasted nicely with the blue van. 

 

Even though I'm a cat lady, I fell for this adorable dog mug.

 

Who wouldn't fall in love with this face?

 

Yes, I was on a pet kick when I saw these paw print mugs.

  

I'm not sure this is PG rated!  Yes, the box is crooked.

 

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.  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.   

 

 

 

Friday Smiles

 

It's a fact.  We all seem to love Vince the sign guy (Vince Rozmiarek).  We love his puns, his double entendres, and his play on words. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just in time for all you fathers out there, happy Father's Day this Sunday.

 

And for all you cat lovers (you know who you are): 

 

Thanks for visiting today.  SO grateful you dropped by.  Hopefully more of the same next Friday.