OUT WITH THE OLD...

 

I bought this China hutch a couple of years ago from a neighbor who was downsizing, with the intention of painting it black.  Well, that didn't happen, I just couldn't bring myself to go to that much work (besides I am the world's worst painter).  So here it sat, oversized and out of place, plus hubby HATED it but being the patient husband that he is he kept the grumbling to a minimum.

 

I really loved the amount of storage it had, lots of dishes, linens and decorations were stored in the bottom drawers and cupboards.

 

However, I never could bring myself to fall in love with it.  I am sure in its day it was a very sought after piece but let's face it, it had gone out with the previous century.

 

 

This is what my heart truly was yearning for.  A simple black beauty that is like Goldilocks in the baby bears bed,  it is JUST RIGHT!

 

Oh the fun I will have decorating it for each holiday and season.

 

MY ATTEMPT AT MIXED MEDIA ART

Mixed media art, from what I understand, is using different forms of art and combining them to create an art piece. 

 

This is the inspiration piece that I used to create my own design. 

 (I was unable to track the original source from where it was posted on Pinterest, it only led to the Flicker where it was pinned from.)

 

 

 

 

This is my version. 

I started by tearing pages out of an old paperback book, inking the edges and then glued them to the board.  Next I cut the petals (about 24 of them) out of scrapbook paper along with two circles for the center. NOTE: I didn't try to match any of the papers for the petals, I just grabbed what I had and started cutting.   I cut the stem and leaves also out of scrapbook paper and used an ink pad along all the edges of the paper.  Next I glued those all where I liked them and then tore small rectangular pieces of scrapbook paper for the words to go on.  I hand wrote the words using a black Sharpie, inked the edges and glued them in place.  Finally, I took a small glue stick and dipped it in black paint to create the dots along the edges.

 

It sure was a nice change from just cutting vinyl lettering and making signs.  I really need to venture out and try new techniques, it's refreshing.

GETTING MY CREATIVITY ON

 

Creative:

krēˈādiv/

adjective

adjective: creative

1. 1.

   relating to or involving the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work.

I guess that would describe me (well, except for that little 'original idea' thing).  Let's just say that I get "INSPIRED"  by other people's work.

 

Today's post is about a few little creations I have been working on this summer in order to keep up with the sale of said items in a local salon.  I have also been itching to get some fall and Halloween items going too.

 

 

We have quite a few hobby farmers in our area so the farm related signs have sold well.

 

 

 



 

 

I'm loving this pumpkin set, I think I need to make a few more of them to sell.

 

 

Again, the farm theme.

 

 

Creative adventures keep me out of trouble.  Besides, like I tell my hubby, my hobby supports itself.

LOVIN' LIFE IN THE MOUNTAINS

 

 

Hubby and I just spent seven glorious, lazy, relaxing and fun filled days camping in our favorite getaway in the mountains.

Yep, life is good.

 

 The Cispis river is near where we camp and is running quite milky from glacier runoff.

 Hubby relaxing and catching up on some reading.

 

I was able to do some zentangle drawing and had fun drawing these trees.

 

This is a small tributary that flows into the Cispis river.  It was a nice little place to cool off in.

 

 

I took all of these photo's with my cell phone so they weren't very clear but I wanted to post a picture of our dog Paige, who mind you is not real fond of water, but found this little stream to be quite enjoyable.

 

 

Wildflowers were abundant...


 

 and huckleberries too.

 

 

I highly recommend getting away where there is very limited internet or cell phone access, it rejuvenates the body and soul.



ODDS & ENDS

July Odds & Ends

 

"The dog days of summer"

 

 

"Happy Birthday America"

 

 

"Blossoms & Birds"

 "Sun Dried Sheets"

"Venus & Jupiter Showing Off:

"Blue Moon"

{July will have 2 full moons this year, this is the first one}



"Beautiful Mimosa"

BACKYARD GARDEN TOUR

 

With the dryer than normal weather we are experiencing I am finding it hard to keep up with the watering and such.  Hopefully all the plants and flowers will thrive.

 

Here are a few pictures of what is blooming right now in my back yard.

 

 

 

 

The grass is already turning brown which usually doesn't happen until July.  We can't afford to water our lawns because our water rates are ridiculously high.  Here we live in the Pacific Northwest where we have tons of rain and numerous rivers and lakes but our water isn't affordable.

 

 

This is one of the few daylilies that I have kept in my garden bed.  They can be quite aggressive and tend to take over so I have to really keep this one in check.

 

 

Not sure if this is a salvia or maybe a member of the lavender family but I sure like the color of it.

 

 

 

I have yet to find something I like to plant on this trellis so it will just have to hold it's own for now.

 

 

 

The tomatoes are quite agreeable to the hot temperatures.  

 

 

And that's what's happening in my back yard for June.  I am looking forward to July and August to see how these all fill in and take off.

 The watering can started leaking around the bottom so I cut out some vinyl and stuck it on to spruce it up a bit.  I think I will keep it even though it is useless.

GRANDchildren

SILLY, GOOFY, FABULOUS AND PERFECT JUST THE WAY THEY ARE.

 

 Looking back through some pictures in my Picasa files some of the cutest kids ever just seemed to jump out at me.  These kids are the light of my life but seem to be growing up way too fast.  A magic potion needs to be invented that would freeze these kids right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I COULDN'T ASK FOR MORE, THEY ARE MY WORLD.

QUALITY FAMILY TIME

We spent a few days with our daughter Natasha and her family in Spokane.

 

 



 

Hubby Jim with Paige and Lucy.  These two dogs LOVE to play together and fetch a ball.  Actually Lucy fetches while Paige races her to see who gets to the ball first.  It's a given that Lucy get the ball.

 

 Matthew loves to play cards and games as much as I do so we were often found playing highly competitive games of  Rummy.

 

 

 

 

 

Grandpa Jim and Spencer spent quite a bit of time throwing a baseball and riding bikes.

 

 



 

 

Next we were off to Nampa, Idaho to spend a few days with Maria and her family.

 

 We got to hang out with this cute boy, what a ham he is.

 

 

 

 This is one of their dogs, Soley.  She is getting to be an old timer at 13 years old.

 

 

 

 Skipper is their other fur baby.  He is quite the sweet little guy, always happy to see us come.

 

 

 I thought this picture was funny, Landon is holding the binoculars upside down.

 

 

 

 

Granddaughter Addison took quite a few pictures trying to get a good shot of this butterfly.  It joined our little gathering in the front yard flying around for about 20 minutes.

 

 

 

 

Logan (top left), Addison and Landon (top right), Addison (bottom left) and the cute little creek we stopped at to have dinner of Dutch oven potatoes and bacon along with some hotdogs for the kids.

 

We took a drive up into the Ohywee (sp.?) mountains of southwestern Idaho.  Although it was a dusty and bumpy ride we did make it to a tiny little town (that is putting it mildly) called Silver City.  It looks like a town from the 1800's.  I kick myself for not taking pictures of the old buildings.

 

I did get this picture from up high in the mountains looking north east in southern Idaho.  This picture just doesn't do justice to the view from where we were.

 

 

Of course what is a little getaway without some excitement?  In Spokane we had a doozy of a thunder and lightening storm with advisories for flash floods.  Once we got to Idaho we had to deal with a couple of wildfires.  I am afraid this year is going to be remembered for all of the wildfires here in the west.

 

 This particular fire was about 12-15 miles from our daughter's house.  We drove to see it, luckily it was across the Snake River.  The smoke was awful and you could really feel the heat from the fire, such an eerie feeling.  This fire started on Saturday, June 6th but was put out by the next day, thank goodness.

 

 

 

 

This was the second fire we witnessed in the five days we were there.  It was about 10 miles away and across the Snake River also. 

 



 

Beautiful farmland surrounds the area Maria lives in, it would be a shame if the fires were to reach them. 

 

 

Our final night was spent at the Cheesecake Factory for dinner.  These three put together couldn't even finish one slice of Oreo Cookie cheesecake, it was SO rich.