A Saturday Drive to the Market

 

Mt. Rainier looms above happy horses enjoying the spring sunshine at the end of my mountain road.

 

Beautiful old cherry trees line the road through town.

This cherry tree at the post office has both pink and white blossoms!

A majestic old snag marks the turn in the road. You can tell it was once hit by lightning by the scorch marks at the top.

More beautiful cherry blossoms along the way.  Scattered raindrops on my windshield.

I drive to the end of this road, take a left and I am there.

I am rewarded with a rainbow on the way home.



Linking up to Weekly Top Shot

http://www.theviewfromrighthere.com/blog/

Hand Colored Art Nouveau Journals

I created these easy and useful Journals as a gift for my sweet Sister in Law's upcoming birthday.

These are very fun and easy to make.

If you would like to create your own journals, these are the supplies you will need:

Blank Journals

Matte Photo Paper

Graphic Art to Copy

Ribbon for Book Markers and Decoration

Glue Stick

Colored Pencils

All of my art came from this Art Nouveau Treasury published by:

www.doverpublications.com

It is copy-right free.

But you can use any type of image you like. I chose black and white images so I could hand color them.

And because I could only find black and white blank journals! (I do live in the middle of no-where)

Simply make a Copy of the Art you have selected and print it out on Matte Photo Paper. It is very important to use the Matte Photo Paper, as it is sturdy enough to hold up to glue and can be colored.

I chose rather large images so I could cover up the front of the journal, which was less than pretty. If your image isn't that large, simply cut the photo paper to cover the journal, leaving some white space.

I hand colored the images with the colored pencils. This gave a soft pastel quality to the images that I really liked.

I used yellow, green, and blue

It was fun! Remember getting that new box of crayons and new coloring book when you were little? Yea, it was like that!

Once the image was colored, I used a glue stick to adhere it to the front of the journal.

I also printed and colored an image for the inside cover.

This covered up the unattractive 'schedule' and created a beautiful cover page.

Next, I cut a long ribbon for a page marker. Make this a little longer than twice the length of the journal. Glue this to the inside cover starting at the bottom. This can be looped down to 'mark the page'.

This journal is an example of having an image that wasn't quite large enough, so the image was centered and the photo paper was cut to fit the cover. I added a thin polka dot ribbon to the edge of the binding.

An easy way to glue thin ribbon is to just pull it over the top of the glue stick!  

I hope this inspires you to create your own journals. They are easy, fun and make wonderful gifts, for yourself, or someone  you love!

Snow in the Foothills and Heartfelt Gifts

Can you see what has fallen on the foothills outside my window?

Yes, it is snow!

If not for a few hundred feet of elevation, that would be us!

It has been so cold and wet here, but today we are getting a little break from the rain before the next 'system' as they call it, comes in from the Pacific.

This is mid morning, when it had 'warmed up', Last night before I went to bed, it was 39 degrees and falling.

You can see on my slightly blurry digital temperature gauge, that it is 43.8 degrees at 9:43 this morning. Not exactly t-shirt weather! My little digital model is warmly dressed today. She has various costumes according to the temperature, all the way down to a bathing suit!  It is 39% humidity, and 71 degrees inside, as I have a nice cozy fire going.

The sun is teasing us, peeking out from the low gray clouds, then hiding once more. Oh, how warm she is when she is showing her face!

But no matter! Today I will be working upstairs in my little office/art studio on the hand made gift for my sister in law.

Here is a little peek!

But I will have to leave you guessing for a while yet!

So while it is too cold to play in the yard, I will play with my colors instead!

And later this evening, I have the most delightful reading to attend to!

A Dear and Special Friend sent these to me. An ocean and a continent away.

She knows of my love of reading, my love of art, my love of writing. A Dear Friend from Far Away,

So much to be grateful for.

So let it rain, let it snow, I am cozy and warm, surrounded by my favorite past times,

Life is Good.

I wish the same for all of you! xoxo

Happy May Day!

Happy May Day to all of my Dear Reader's! I made this little basket just for you!

I wish I could tip toe up to each of your doorways, leave the basket, and ring the bell while I slip away.

I would hide behind the rose bush and watch the delight upon your face!

Every year, for as far back as I can remember, I made a little May Day basket for my Dear Mother.

She lived just down the country lane.

She would open her door in her flowered house dress, always happy to see me.

She would serve me coffee and sweets in her warm and cozy country kitchen.

I miss you Mom.

This basket is also in remembrance of you.

There are Pansies, these are for 'Thoughts'

There are 'Forget me Nots'

There is ivy, this is 'fidelity'

When you hear the doorbell, open the door and this you will find. For you, my Dear Blogger Friends. Thank you

And Happy May Day!



Versatile Blogger Award

 I have been nominated for 'The Versatile Blogger' award!

Thank you, Stacy Lyn!

Here is the link to her interesting and engaging blog:

http://stacyallbritton.com/

In order to receive this award, I must also nominate my favorite 'Versatile Bloggers'.

Here is my list:

• http://christinelaennec.co.uk/ 
• http://www.theviewfromrighthere.com/blog
• http://thrusquirreleyes.blogspot.com/
• http://thebeehivecottage.blogspot.com/
• http://www.mysouthernheart.com/
• http://www.valeaston.com/
• http://meandmyyellowhouse.blogspot.com/
• http://resurrectionfern.typepad.com/resurrection_fern/

• http://isitmedown.blogspot.com/
• http://donnasnhdream.blogspot.com/
• http://thecottagenest.blogspot.com/
• http://homespunliving.blogspot.com/

I must also share 7 things about myself.

1. I love the colors of the sea. Blue's, Green's, Blue-Green. These are my favorite colors.
2. I love to read. Anything. Books, Magazines, Newspapers. The Encyclopedia. If I am sitting, I am reading.
3. I love Chocolate Milk. Especially when I am upset, sick, or if I get up in the middle of the night. Chocolate Milk and Toast are comfort foods to me. (Now I drink sugar-free chocolate milk)
4. I love all animals. I can't bear to hear about animal abuse. It upsets me for days. All of my pets were rescued. Even my bird.
5. I have terrible insomnia. That's why I am sitting here writing this. At 3 a.m. There's something about the stillness and quiet that I really enjoy.
6. I love to sing. And dance. When I am alone. I make up songs while I am cleaning the house, working in the yard. I dance when nobody is looking.
7. I love my family. I love my home. I love to cook and clean. Domestic Bliss.