More sights around the USA

It's time to once again visit Try it on Tuesday where their theme this fortnight is "Create a scene."

These are more sights from across the USA.

Although there are battleships along all coasts in the states, this one is in the Gulf of Mexico.

I wish I'd noted where this Fort was located, but I didn't.  Perhaps someone will recognize it and let me know in the comments.

This is the driveway leading to the southern antebellum sugarcane mansion known as Oak Alley Plantation. It gets it's name from the over 300 year old oak trees that line the driveway.

Right now I'd love to be whale watching in Alaska.  I've been on several whale watching expeditions, but they were all in southern California, mostly around San Diego. Each one is completely different, so if you ever get the chance to experience a whale watch, I hope you indulge.  This is a photo of a very happy humpback whale.  You'll see Orcas, too. 

Sadly, I've never seen a lighthouse, except in photos.

This is Hell's Canyon near Clarkston, Washington (WA), which is the deepest canyon in North America. 

Near Rockland, Maine (ME), you will get a chance to sail on a schooner.  You can help raise the sails and take a turn at the wheel, too.

I love everything about New Orleans, Louisiana (LA) except the humidity and the heat, which are present even in winter.

If you're ever in Louisville, Kentucky (KY), before you don your fanciest hat and place a bet at Churchill Downs, be sure you know how to pronounce LOO-uh-vuhl.

Be sure to visit Portland, Maine (ME) and visit the lighthouse there.

Sadly, the photo was too large and I cut off the lighthouse.

For this spread I created in my new Scraps altered book, I began by computer generating, then coloring the words using dye ink.  All images came from various travel magazines.  All mats were paint chip samples I've had for years. 

Thanks for your visit today.  I appreciate it, as does Bleubeard.  Don't forget to visit Try it on Tuesday and check out how other mixed media artists Create a Scene.
 

Monday Murals

I hope everyone who is visiting from the states is having a great holiday weekend.  Right now, it's time to join Sami at Sami's Colourful World and her Monday Murals.  Please be aware that Sami's mural link goes live at 11:01 a.m. my time.

If you visited last week, you saw the Immigration is beautiful mural. This mural I'm sharing today was created during the repair of the mural I showed last week.  It sits on the back side of the building where the other mural was painted.

I was having trouble getting close enough because I didn't want to walk past the men who were busy working. 

Although I explained I wouldn't get their faces in the photo, they even posed for me and asked that I take their photos.

Somehow, I didn't feel right walking past them.  I have no idea why, but something made me feel uncomfortable, perhaps the fact that neither of them was wearing a mask.  Perhaps I will return one of these days to photograph this one again when no one is around.

As noted last week, this mural was created by a group of Wichita, Kansas (USA) high school students known as the Latin Leaders (LL) under the guidance of Armando Minjarez.  This mural sits at the back of a building at 21st Street and Park Place in Wichita, Kansas (USA).

If you enjoy murals from around the world, please don't forget to visit Monday Murals at Sami's Colourful World.  

Happy Independence Day and another spread for Try it on Tuesday

Image found on the internet

Today we celebrate the 4th of July.  I thought you might enjoy a few fun facts I learned as I researched this holiday we in the States associate with hot dogs and fireworks.  I took this information from the web site Constitution Facts:

We celebrate American Independence Day on the Fourth of July every year. We think of July 4, 1776, as a day that represents the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.

But July 4, 1776 wasn't the day that the Continental Congress decided to declare independence (they did that on July 2, 1776).

It wasn’t the day we started the American Revolution either (that had happened back in April 1775).

And it wasn't the day Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence (that was in June 1776). Or the date on which the Declaration was delivered to Great Britain (that didn't happen until November 1776). Or the date it was signed (that was August 2, 1776).

So what, according to Constitution Facts did happen on July 4, 1776?

The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. They'd been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes.

July 4, 1776, became the date that was included on the Declaration of Independence, and the fancy handwritten copy that was signed in August (the copy now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.) It’s also the date that was printed on the Dunlap Broadsides, the original printed copies of the Declaration that were circulated throughout the new nation. So when people thought of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 was the date they remembered.

Interesting facts indeed.  And now you and I know why we call today Independence Day.

Now let's visit Try it on Tuesday where their theme this fortnight is "Create a scene."

This is my second set of pages I created from across the U.S.A.

Karen asked about one of the images I showed yesterday, and it hit me I hadn't told where all these places were in the States.  I believe this is a building in Alaska, but I can't find information on it, and I threw the original information away.

If you've been here, or know where this is, please let me know.

I've been to Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain's home in Hannibal, Missouri (MO).  The white washed fence like the one Tom Sawyer got Ben Rogers and other boys to paint, surrounds the home.

These are the remains of the volcano that erupted in 1980 at Mount St. Helens in Washington (WA) state.

The top battle is from Pea Ridge in Arkansas.  Pea Ridge was the pivotal Civil War battle west of the Mississippi River and is one of the most intact Civil War battlefields in the United States.  I bought a small metal canon at their gift shop.

If you make it to Baton Rouge, Louisiana (LA), be sure to stop at Three Rolls Estates.  They even give you a small glass of their rum.  You can choose from several including white and dark rums.  I assure you, the glass was small enough, it didn't take long for the "buzz" I got from the rum to wear off.

The photo on the right is from Boothbay Harbor, Maine (ME) Botanical Garden.

I haven't been here, but I believe Divers and Sundry has.  It's the Hall of Awards, a part of Elvis Presley's mansion tour at Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee (TN).

For these pages, I began by laying down dye ink direct to paper (DTP). I also colored "Sights across the"  and "USA" using the same dye ink.   All images came from various travel magazines.  All mats were paint chip samples I've had for years, and need to use or get rid of.  The words were computer generated, then colored as noted. 

Thanks for your visit today.  I appreciate it, as does Bleubeard.  Don't forget to visit Try it on Tuesday and check out how others Create a Scene. 

Friday Smiles 378: playing catch up

It's Friday, so let's join Annie (at A Stitch in Time) along with the wonderful ladies at Friday Smiles.

I'll start with a few funnies I found on the internet.

 

Now for my ICADs this week.  I created a series of hearts:

You make my heart sing

I love you because you ARE different.

A magic heart

I'll take hope any day.

And since it's the end of the month,

here are all the ICADs for June.

Happy Birthday Canada!

Drain me.

Wrong song, too!

Please let me know if you like any of these latest Altered Index Cards.

Now it's time to share my calendar pages for June and July.

For those who like to read minutia and those who like to laugh at my very, very boring life,

I give you my completed June calendar.

July ready to write in.

And finally, as much as I hate to combine challenges, here is one for Try it on Tuesday's challenge "Create a scene."

This spread was created in my new Scraps altered book.  Already I'm having issues with this book I chose because it is too small.  Each page is 5.5 X 8.5 inches (13,97 X 21,59 centimeters).

Those of you living in the states will surely recognize at least one of these places.

All of these iconic sites are found in the USA.

For this spread, I began by laying down dye ink direct to paper (DTP).  I was surprised how pink the red turned out in the words "Sights across the."  I had more green backgrounds than red, white, and blue, so used those on the opposing page.  All images came from various travel magazines.  All mats were paint chip samples I've had for years, and need to use or get rid of.  The words were computer generated, then colored using dye ink. 

Thanks for your visit today.  I appreciate it, as does Bleubeard.  Don't forget to visit Try it on Tuesday and check out how others have Created a Scene.  Let's also head over to Annie's because she knows how to put a smile on everyone's faces.  And whatever you do, please don't forget to start your weekend off right with a few Friday Smiles of your own.  And remember, if you would like to play along, Annie will welcome you just as she did me many years ago.