My monthly calendar

 

 This is the first time this month I've had an opportunity to share my monthly calendar.  I'll start as I always do, with the completed month, which in this case is June.

For those who want to see how boring my life truly is, here is the left side of June, 2021.

This is the right side.  I got a little carried away with the butterflies, but my life is no more glamorous this month than any in 2021 so far.

July has already been written in.  It shows a stamped bird in the countryside, so I'm also sharing this with Alison Bomber, who many of you know as Butterfly, our host this month at Art Journal Journey.  Her theme is Summer Countryside.   I hope everyone is having a great extended holiday today.      

 

Thanks so very much for joining me today.  Feel free to laugh at my calendar pages and my very boring life.  Bleubeard is snickering in the background.  It's a good thing you can't hear him yowl. 

 

Since my calendar is rather pitiful, I thought I would share an herb update.  These are photos I took yesterday.  

For those of you who don't visit every day, my lawn mower is in the shop waiting on a back ordered part.

My overgrown back lawn

 

looks like a disaster.  If I don't get my mower back soon, I'll need to hire someone to mow my yard.

My "grass" is nearly as tall as my basil, which has certainly gotten out of hand.

My cantaloupe (in the large pot in back with the tomato cage) has finally developed some pretty yellow flowers. My orange mint is growing strong as it does every July.

I am thrilled there's at least one squash blossom, although it appears something is attacking the leaves.

 

Frequent visitors saw how high winds broke my dill.  I put the broken end in the pot and hoped seeds would develop.  It appears they have.

That's all for today.  I hope those of you in the states have a wonderful extra day off for our extended Independence weekend.  I wish everyone else a lovely Monday.

Monday Murals: Patriotism

 

It's time once again to join Sami at Sami's Colourful World and her Monday Murals.  Even though it's still Sunday in my world, please be aware that Sami's mural link goes live at 11:01 a.m. my time today.  

I photographed this house awhile back, not really intending to ever show it on Monday Murals.  However, when I was looking for something patriotic that would honor our Independence Day, this came to mind.  It is located at 1920 W. 29th 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.  Thanks for stopping by to visit Bleubeard and me today.  I especially want to wish all my friends and visitors in the states a very happy and safe Independence Day.

 

Index Card A Day: Days 27 through 33 (and June wrap up)

 

It's Saturday, which means for the next two months, it's time for my weekly Index Cards. 

Day 27: My Blue Period.  Security envelope, wallpaper, bingo card, felt marker.

Day 28: Meal on a tray.  Watercolor background, magazine image, computer generated text, sewing.

Day 29: Tea. Tea image from my stash, two foreign texts, ransom letters, sewing.

Day 30: Untitled. Magazine image, sewing.

This is everything I created in June.  I must have been hungry a lot when I created these.

Day 31: O Canada. Watercolor background, Canadian flag.

Day 32: Pickled Carrots. Watercolor background, magazine image, sewing.

Day 33: Abstract mind. Foreign text, hand painted page cut into various pieces.

Bleubeard and I are grateful you stopped by to check out these ICADs.  As you may know, this is the only place you will find them on the internet.

 

Second on the 2nd: a trip to Tuscany

 

Many of you know I like to bring back a post that relates to the theme of the current host at Art Journal Journey.  And this month, our host is Alison Bomber, who many of you know as butterfly.  It's amazing that last month, my second look involved a challenge set by Alison.  This second look takes us back to 2019 and a trip to Tuscany.  I've eliminated the challenges I entered for this page but have kept most of the words intact.  I now give you:

 In the Tuscany Hills

 For this page, I included three towns in the hills of Tuscany.  

Our first stop is Orvieto.

This Tuscan town sits high atop a rocky perch.

Apparently, getting to the top where Orvieto sits is half the fun.  You have your choice of ascending by escalator or cable car. The strategically built town is free of modern-day traffic, which means there are no cars anywhere in Orvieto.

The entire town is filled with narrow streets, beautiful churches, a historic palace, and a maze of tunnels and caves, which includes an underground lifestyle.

 

Yes, we are visiting the hill towns in Tuscany today.

 

Our next stop is Cortona which is just a few miles from Sienna (a city visited in a previous post).  The city is enclosed by stone walls high on top of a Tuscan hill.   This hilltop town offers a panorama view of the entire countryside.  

Here I have shown the Piazza della Repubblica in Cortona.  Unfortunately, I typed Cortana in the text and delta instead of della.  Piazza della Repubblica is the main square and dates back to the Roman age.

In case you can't read it, or need to interpret:

Visit the tight-knit alleyways snaking out from its center of Piazza della Repubblica.  Don't forget to visit the 13th century town hall and the imposing cathedral.

For those who love literature, this is the town made famous by the novel Under the Tuscan Sun written by Frances Mayes.  Mayes still lives in Cortona throughout the year.
 

Only a few miles from both Sienna and Cortona is Assisi, a medieval jewel.  This includes the stunning UNESCO World Heritage Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi which was completed in 1253. 

 

The basilica, visible for miles, is built into the side of a hill and comprises two churches and a crypt where the remains of St. Francis of Assisi are interred. 

These two ladies are visiting these hilltop towns.

 

For this page, I began by spritzing my handmade shimmering mists on both sides of the substrate, which is 110 lb card stock. 

 

I outlined the edges around the images using my brand new Krylon Leafing Pen.  I computer generated the words and printed them on my laser printer.  I colored them using water soluble crayons.  I also printed a postcard back and cut it.  I used a metallic gel pen to write the words and address.  I secured the TH paper dolls securely to the ground so they didn't float.  Unfortunately, I didn't see the parts I was supposed to punch out before I glued them tightly to the page.

 

________________________________________________________________

I hope you enjoyed this look back at the sunny Tuscan countryside.

Now it's time to share your own Second on the 2nd.  The rules are quite simple and everyone is welcome to join the fun look back.  All you have to do is bring back a post that you are especially proud of, or perhaps one you shared before anyone knew your blog existed.  Any post, any genre, any artistic endeavor is acceptable, as long as it's been published sometime in the past.  Then link below (direct links only, please) and Bleubeard and I, along with other Second on the 2nd friends, will be by to visit.  This link will be good until 4 p.m. my time on Monday afternoon when T Tuesday goes live.

Summer Countryside

 

Today we welcome with pride a first time host, Alison Bomber, who many of you know as Butterfly.  Some of you will recognize her from her incredible quotes she creates for Paper Artsy.  We are simply thrilled she agreed to be the host at Art Journal Journey this month.  Her blog is called Words and Pictures.  Her theme is Summer Countryside.
 

For my first entry this month, I actually drew these shapes and cut them to size.

 

You are probably having trouble reading my lousy handwriting.  This reads "Summer is singing with joy

 

and the countryside

 

is calling."

Each of these shapes was fussy cut, not punched or cut using a die cutter.

I placed what I hope you believe is a fence

in front of

the various trees

I colored using various greens.

This page is now ready to be glued into my Collage Two altered book.  I started by adding some Staz-on and 91% Isopropyl alcohol to create the background.  I then colored three pages using water soluble crayons, watercolors, and watercolor pencils. For the circles, I laid down various plastic cups and drew around the back side of the pages.  The triangle was very simple, and the other tree was a bit of whimsy from my imagination.  Tree trunks were painted brown using one watercolor.  The fence was first drawn using a ruler, then filled in using a brown felt tipped pen.  The designs were created using various pens, including a black marker.  The words were written with that same black marker.  The words came from my imagination.

Thank you ever so much for visiting today.  Alison, Chris, Erika, Valerie, Yvonne, Bleubeard, and I are delighted you joined us and hope to see you this month at Art Journal Journey with your own take on Summer Countryside.   

We welcome art journal pages that meet the size and theme requirements, altered book pages, canvases, loose or stand alone pages including fabric, and digital art.  We do not allow cards, tags, index cards, ATCs, or ATCoins, and as much as we don't want to, will be forced to delete your entry. 

And for my dear Canadian friends, happy Canada Day.

 

WOYWW 630: Wendy's show

 

It's Wednesday and that means it's time to join Julia at Stamping Ground.  

It stays light so late these days, it's hard to tell that it's really Tuesday evening in my world.

The only thing on my desk today is a wooden rocker.  I have dozens and dozens of wooden rockers and they are all different.  The reason my desk is devoid of any project is because I'm going on vacation soon.  Friday in fact.  Not to worry.  I'll be by to visit everyone before I leave.

Julia likes to keep things short and sweet, 

so I'm going to turn things over to Wendy.  That way, Julia can be mad at her, not me!  This is the caddy Wendy guards, so go for it, Wendy! 

 

BTW, for those who didn't know, I created Wendy 12 years ago for the first WOYWW anniversary. It was the first time I stamped on fabric. I stamped her face, then stuffed and sewed it in place. I added a few long hairs because I have very short hair, but bangs that come to or below my eyebrows. I then cut the bodice out of fabric and the skirt out of some very heavy cloth I had. I used the ONLY stencil I owned at the time to write the letters down the side of her skirt. I have a friend who made a real cloth doll she didn't like and when she deconstructed it, she got rid of the arms and feet.   I took them home where they would do some good.  Wendy has been everywhere with me over the years, from the grocery store to the bakery, the florist, the voting booth, and the ATM to name a few. She looks pretty good for 12, I think.

Yes, my name is Wendy and I am E's alter ego.  I'm also a lot cuter, too!  I guard the tools on this desk.  There are scissors, needle nose pliers, an architect's scale (I think E calls it a drafter's ruler), and a new gifted ruler that tears paper in awesome ways.

 

A peek inside the caddy shows different types of sponges, several paint brushes, and a paint tray palette.  Inside the baggie you'll find various stencils, including several sizes of punchinella (sequin waste).

 

Occasionally, E finds items she didn't remember she had, like this bleach pen and the water brushes.

 

There are loads of pockets around the outside.  Just so you know, these "nail files" are for sanding art, not shaping E's long nails.  She also has a plethora of old faux gift cards she uses to spread paint on paper.

I seem to be digressing.

 

Pencils, pens, and toothbrushes for spattering paint take up this side. 

 

There's even a tiny mirror in the mix.

 

I hope you enjoyed this look into my caddy of shame.  I think Wendy did a good job of describing the contents, although she forgot the side opposite this one.  Please join Wendy and me at Julia's, where you'll meet tidy, messy, product laden, enablers of craft supplies, and the sweetest and most generous people on the planet.