Tasty Tuesday

Mmmm, pumpkin!  I love pumpkin in baked goods, scones, muffins, bread, donuts, pie (especially pie!) This week seemed like a good time to whip up a batch of pumpkin scones with a few tart cranberries thrown in for good measure.

They turned out great.  A nice little treat for those rushed mornings.  Thanks for stopping by, I'll talk to you again soon.

Monday Musing

Delicate strands glistening in the morning light.  A quick capture while on a walk with my girl Heather.  Her sharp eyes saw it first.

More fall color at the local park.  Chokecherries were ripening, a feast for the soon to be migrating birds. I'm so glad you stopped by, I'll talk to you again soon.

Monday Musing

This past week I spent a few hours in the company of family in this quiet spot where we each spent part of our childhood.  It was beautiful and familiar and wonderful to reconnect with people that I love so deeply.  So much time has passed since we had all been together in this place.  We were missing a few of our beloved but being together here brought back sweet memories and gave us an opportunity to create new ones.

Fall is starting to settle in, the water was cold but the children and dogs enjoyed splashing and chasing each other around in it.

I'm already thinking about how I can get back before winter moves in.  I want to dip my feet over the edge of the big rock one more time and splash sparkling drops up into the air just for the fun of it, to dream about spending a few days under the trees listening to the wind moving through the branches and the sound of the water rippling over the rocks, to sit on the porch and breath and make a promise... next summer.

Thanks for stopping by.  I'll talk to you again soon.

Monday Musing

I went looking for some fall colors and shapes.  I found a few.

The air is a little cooler and the wind a little brisk.  I can smell green chili roasting as I pass some of the farm stands in the area.

Things are drying out and letting go of their seeds for next year.  The big trees are just starting to change color.  I'm planning a little drive to the mountains in a few days.  I hope to see more fall colors then.  Thanks for stopping by, I'll talk to you again soon.

Monday Musing

 

It's not officially fall around here but, the mornings are a bit cooler, there has been condensation on the windshield when I leave in the morning and a few of the plants are showing the beginning signs that the change of season is headed our way.  I wandered outside and just shot a few pictures as the sun was going down.  If you look closely, part of the blooms have given up their seeds, the next step in the seasonal pattern has started with just a few baby steps.  From my perch over the valley the trees around the river are just starting to take on those lighter shades of green before the yellow, orange and rust seep in. 

These trees are covered with all kinds of insects, ants, flying things and I even caught a quick picture of a lady bug.  The trees drip some kind of sap and the insects are everywhere.  I started to feel quite itchy after a few minutes of photographing the blooms.  I guess I'm not a true bug person.

I do enjoy the changing of the seasons, each one has it's own special offering and the time seems so fleeting.  I hope you take a few minutes to stop and look at the flowers, watch out for bugs!

I'll talk to you again soon!

Monday Musing

Playing around with Bokeh and post processing in Lightroom this past weekend.  My subject was a small little clump of wild flowers just outside the library door.
 

I used my 85mm 1.8 lens.  I've seen several really beautiful pictures around the web the last few days and wanted to try some on my own.  Still working on getting it just right.

Thanks for stopping by, I'll talk to you again soon.

Monday Musing

We live in a semi arid part of the country.  But, once a year, we have our version of monsoon season.  Just a little moisture and all the shades of brown begin to show off with color.  These sweet little wild flowers started blooming in our yard this past week and I wanted to capture them before everything begins to return to its typical dryness.

It's so nice to have a little pop of color to smile at.  Happy Labor Day.  Thanks for stopping by.  I'll talk to you again soon.

Friday Flip

Friday again! Hope your week was great.  Here's another peek into my art journals.  This time I was playing around with water colors trying to get comfortable with different kinds of media.

Now my mom tells me that when I was little my first word was not momma or daddy it was "uh oh" and I said it for everything.  Then the big day came when I added a second word to my vocabulary my choice, "bird".  So I guess it's not that surprising I like to draw birds and bird related images and collect pictures of them as well.  I also like to photograph them, but I'm still working on getting good at that.

Birdhouses are a particular favorite and I have several scattered around my studio just waiting for the day when I have a tree to hang them on.  I used a photograph that I took at a bio-park for this picture. I just keep practicing.

At least you can sort of tell what they are:o)  Thanks for stopping by, I'll talk to you again soon.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 11 and Day 12

Wishing you the blessings of friends and family this holiday and love and joy in the new year!

I'll talk to you soon!

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 10

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, let it...sigh, unfortunately the only snowflakes we will be seeing are the ones on my card.   Our Friends and family north of us have a bit, but there is nothing in the forecast for us.  It's a balmy 53 degrees on the thermometer on the back porch.  I ran errands today in just a long sleeved shirt and vest.

I made a quick card to add to the top of a treat package.  Thinking of snow and sleigh rides with jingle bells.

The big button in the middle of the rosette is from my stash of vintage buttons from Grandad's traveling salesman days.  It was the perfect fit for the rosette and the two little jingle bells tied to it just right.  Once upon a time it was a bright white but now it has aged to a lovely creamy color sitting prettily on some vintage music paper.

I have to think grandad would never have imagined I'd use these old buttons in projects like this, but I'm sure he would like it.  I miss him this time of year, it was his favorite, he couldn't wait to hug us all in that big bear hug of his, with the pocket protector filled with pens, squished up against our cheeks, hugging us until we were breathless.  The memory makes me smile and tear up and the same time.

I hope you are taking time out of the hustle and bustle of the season to make sweet memories with your loved ones.  Have a wonderful evening and for a little more snowy jingle bell magic head over to the Shabby Tea Room for some inspiration.

I'll talk to you again soon.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 7, Day 8 and Day 9

Cookies, candy, and packaging! Oh my. The last three days have been filled with finishing up the week at school and baking and candy making.  Here are some of the goodies waiting to packaged up in containers to take to our volunteers. 

From the bottom of the picture up there are chocolate crinkle cookies, salted carmel chews, traditional chocolate chip cookies, fool proof fudge, and Grandma Cowan's peanut brittle.  She made it every year that I can remember.  She didn't use a written down recipe, so one year I watched her and wrote down what she did.  Now I make it just about every year.  I panicked for a few minutes this year when I couldn't find my hand written note in my recipe files but a third time through I found it.  Mr. Darling says I should scan it into the computer "just in case" I really do lose it.  It's a good idea, we'll see if I remember to do that.

Well I'm off to finsh tags for the treat containers, only 3 more days. I can't believe it, it has come so quickly this year.

Have a great day and I'll talk to you again soon.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 6

Gift tags with a little merry and bright added to them.  Of course I found the snowmen tea lights on Pintrest they are all over the place.  Such a fun way to dress up an simple little item. 

I've made several for the top of little gifts for the office folks.  The snowman ornaments are lightly attached to the tag so it can be removed to hang on the tree.
I'm linking this bit of Christmas cheer on the Shabby Tearoom site. Head over to see more cheerfulness!

Candy and cookie making is happening too.  I hope to post pictures tomorrow.

I'll talk to you again soon.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 3

Making gifts and wrapping them up is one of my favorite things to do.  This year for our bible study group we made subway art.  Mr. Darling and I collaborated on the project and we were happily surprised with how they turned out.

Brown wrapping paper and a sparkly little ornament and they were ready to go.

The packages made me think of that line in a song:  Brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things.  Now that song will be playing in my head all day, how about you?

To make the project we used 12 x 12 canvas' painted black.  I cut a stencil with my Cricut, used temporary adhesive to hold it on to the canvas and then painted it with an airbrush. (I'm terrible with spray paint I usually get more of it on me than on the project.) But, the airbrush worked like a champ. Off to wrap more packages!

Have a great day and I'll talk to you again soon.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 2

One day I would love to decorate the outside of our house for the holidays.  But, for now, I'll have to be satisfied with taking pictures of some that I like.

Have a great day and slow down a little to look at the lovely sights this time of year.  I'm thankful for my family and friends and the chance to spend time with them during the holidays.

I'll talk to you again soon.

Why Blog?

I’ve asked myself that question many times lately.  My posting has been rather hit and miss, mostly miss over the last several months.  I initially started this little spot in the blogsphere as a way to share ideas and information with my stamping and scrapbooking friends and customers.  But, as my circumstances and focus changed my intentions shifted, I found that I was just floating along with no real direction.  Was I still creating? Yes.  Did anyone care? I’m not sure. 

As I sent my thoughts and ideas adrift over the cyber waves I would continue to ask myself the question, why am I doing this?  Slowly (it took some time) my thoughts began to settle into a small stream of consciousness that eventually wound its way into my brain and heart.  I came to realize, as so many others have shared in their own blogging experiences, that I am doing “this” to fulfill a personal need to share information and see my art/work from a different perspective.  This awareness  brought with it the understanding that I also blog to get a response.  Did something I create make someone smile? Or did it inspire someone to try their own creative venture?  I’m a teacher at heart after all.  Just like in the classroom I need a little spark from my students, am I getting through to them? Are they catching a glimpse of the possibilities, are they inspired to take a step, to believe, to feel passionate about something – anything?

So, my decision made, my vision clearer, I will continue on, because, well… I must.  Somewhere out there some one may need that little push, a nudge, some coaxing, to try; maybe I can help.

My promise to myself – to be a little more “hit” than “miss” this coming year.  We’ll see what happens.

Join me, won’t you?

I’ll talk to you again soon.

Happy Easter!

Wishing you a blessed Easter!