tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10345321519558633062024-03-19T08:02:35.138-04:00BioArtGalMy name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.comBlogger5104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-58930960759336758502024-03-19T04:00:00.073-04:002024-03-19T04:00:00.269-04:00A Song on a Spring Day<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> This is a scheduled post as I am away on a girlfriend adventure. I'll be home Friday night, and like the rest of my journey, time is flying by too fast. 😏</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> It's time for a new challenge at <a href="https://myblog-lunchbreak.blogspot.com/">Try It On Tuesday</a>. Before I get to that, let me thank <a href="https://ankestempelwelt.blogspot.com/">Anke</a> for being our guest designer for our last spring-themed challenge. Also thank you to everyone who joined in.</p><p style="text-align: center;">And for our new challenge, this time we're asking you to</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>USE A STENCIL</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The design team has some wonderful ideas, so be sure to check out their art. For my piece I made a journal page. I used some blue paint and a music stencil to make the background.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_V1C0I1_eyQy2bv7OBUz3V-bHKFumP_slhG3a4i6gXsj7e_XUcwbnwF3c6F3fl0lSLAP6GLRw09Sg8_BFgtI4RugVt7cvU4wBL9Us40kBZkf_5MmmY5NBgDSqh7L_lpYiHLLAQaGJahW4sB8MEvDMxwc8FrSA2aLm2hUiNbLYG7t4FQjOgd90iiXNrw/s3545/IMG_0161.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3545" data-original-width="2824" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_V1C0I1_eyQy2bv7OBUz3V-bHKFumP_slhG3a4i6gXsj7e_XUcwbnwF3c6F3fl0lSLAP6GLRw09Sg8_BFgtI4RugVt7cvU4wBL9Us40kBZkf_5MmmY5NBgDSqh7L_lpYiHLLAQaGJahW4sB8MEvDMxwc8FrSA2aLm2hUiNbLYG7t4FQjOgd90iiXNrw/w510-h640/IMG_0161.HEIC" width="510" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I also used a bit of blue spray ink on the background too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> The flower ( from a large AALL & Create stamp) was stamped on white paper. I then cut out the flower from the rest of the image. I glued it down on my page and colored it with water color paints, paint pens, and a couple of markers. I also added 3 small heart stickers that I used a paint pen to color over.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> The leaves, the dragon fly and the watering can are all die cuts. I used markers and paint pens to color them in. I also used a bit of a glitter pen on the dragonfly to create the iridescent effect. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> I drew and painted in the arm holding the watering can, and I used a marker and blue watercolor paint to make the water coming out of the can. Finally I added a sticker quote from an Art By Marlene set.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfvxyXJ9mXLgMoDIFgRAkzqUQ8F8DfRfKq_RgYw52vYTgiNICxEO9CwVSCk2n6JUMHEqFe7O4zaCf7RbRec6_Kf0iE8Y9tRwXFuhIVP_T5W98ZBNm5TuSscPwCXimQVuc8f0Aw6ngJVvUIg_ylGH0MerCyEvPo8npxHPMQTgiagZ5x7wlmQm8ojsWv9w/s4032/IMG_0163.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfvxyXJ9mXLgMoDIFgRAkzqUQ8F8DfRfKq_RgYw52vYTgiNICxEO9CwVSCk2n6JUMHEqFe7O4zaCf7RbRec6_Kf0iE8Y9tRwXFuhIVP_T5W98ZBNm5TuSscPwCXimQVuc8f0Aw6ngJVvUIg_ylGH0MerCyEvPo8npxHPMQTgiagZ5x7wlmQm8ojsWv9w/w480-h640/IMG_0163.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As always, our <a href="https://tuesdaytaggers.blogspot.com/">Try It On Tuesday</a> challenge runs for the next 2 weeks, and we accept all types of art.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope you're feeling like playing with a stencil, and we get to see your art linked into our challenge. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thanks for stopping by my blog.</div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-55171353216478131872024-03-13T04:00:00.114-04:002024-03-13T04:00:00.131-04:00Lowell National Historic Park-the Final Part<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. Today's post is a scheduled post since I am now (hopefully) in Greece. However, I did want to finish my Lowell National Historic Park posts because I know that when I come home, there will be other things to share. 😏</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> For this last post about the National Historic Park we'll be heading to a boarding house museum where, in the early years of Lowell's manufacturing history, the women employed by the mills would live. The first 2 parts of this visit, if you're interested, can be found here <a href="https://fat-emma.blogspot.com/2024/03/lowell-national-historic-park-part-1.html">Part 1</a> and <a href="https://fat-emma.blogspot.com/2024/03/lowell-national-historic-park-part-2.html">Part 2</a>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> These boarding houses were very close to the mills themselves, so the mill girls (as they were called) could easily walk back and forth not only at the beginning and end of the day, but also for their meals. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSis8m-EWnFAEpA88gqsePaCZSdFfuMHsJMY_Fe0RXNul_CcF0IA4iaMDo0FNISA7QfV4wW90Wiv82_lC9T7FhW_YraWJ1SXjXys8GF8S-xXGpmMbTnBuES3e07Q4VdnEEw_IfPB9ioYyx7aCu9SLMwAZX-yeCoGRsW9E7TyCCfGTE6xoJkxeTs_M04Q/s4032/IMG_9741.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSis8m-EWnFAEpA88gqsePaCZSdFfuMHsJMY_Fe0RXNul_CcF0IA4iaMDo0FNISA7QfV4wW90Wiv82_lC9T7FhW_YraWJ1SXjXys8GF8S-xXGpmMbTnBuES3e07Q4VdnEEw_IfPB9ioYyx7aCu9SLMwAZX-yeCoGRsW9E7TyCCfGTE6xoJkxeTs_M04Q/w640-h480/IMG_9741.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> That brick building behind this park is one of those boarding houses. A lot of the mill girls came from farms in the area up to a few hours away from the mills. At that time, New England farms could be pretty tough places to live because most farmers were not wealthy, and farm work was not easy or leisurely work either. The soil here is rocky; there are so many trees to clear and keep clear, and the winters are fairly long (in comparison to other places). Never mind that the small family farms meant there were always animals to care for or crops to deal with. And on top of that, there was the normal day to day living for women which included cooking,cleaning, keeping fires going, and helping out with child care.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> A lot of the stories the museum shared talk about girls who felt they had a chance to get out in the world by going to work at a mill. Besides work, there were concerts, parties and often church related events the workers could attend.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> However, keep in mind, the workers were at the mills 6 days a week, many day for 12 (+) hours, so even though these girls were out in the world, it's not like they were socialites who slept in and went to glamorous balls. (And the question is, did they really escape to better conditions?)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gsnEouAKUOl1jt9raEFBUYX7cqsoiZH6DrzfZLLJdWTJg-0VxJkYYSezYu9a3dKAqgVAPr6-A2YaQCqNrEU2q5LQMjq0YOFZXV22xrH06nk8nlpUzCUUHYRlA7ukKOQz77AOx_psBbXT0kmbg7LOMNfDxGRLIkPGXzpZhZPe-UEsf4ZL9k25jo1_XNo/s3612/IMG_9731.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3612" data-original-width="2689" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gsnEouAKUOl1jt9raEFBUYX7cqsoiZH6DrzfZLLJdWTJg-0VxJkYYSezYu9a3dKAqgVAPr6-A2YaQCqNrEU2q5LQMjq0YOFZXV22xrH06nk8nlpUzCUUHYRlA7ukKOQz77AOx_psBbXT0kmbg7LOMNfDxGRLIkPGXzpZhZPe-UEsf4ZL9k25jo1_XNo/w476-h640/IMG_9731.HEIC" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZ-rHyHrG-MVUcf4MFXgKcpM5aRbzd_3ebS0n6rt2irwAq-vIiHMNKh74JtUyU3qps0SSC5iNqirZftLF2R0WBLgi9Om5HB2B2Z3jMiCGDlBpD9bfKSjUvVNF46chYtg80J8apa5Kmq4bGGcoaH0s7JggBmjnRGeMgvNqBjH0tasR2ZpYFtib-UJr5Wk/s4032/IMG_9727.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZ-rHyHrG-MVUcf4MFXgKcpM5aRbzd_3ebS0n6rt2irwAq-vIiHMNKh74JtUyU3qps0SSC5iNqirZftLF2R0WBLgi9Om5HB2B2Z3jMiCGDlBpD9bfKSjUvVNF46chYtg80J8apa5Kmq4bGGcoaH0s7JggBmjnRGeMgvNqBjH0tasR2ZpYFtib-UJr5Wk/w640-h480/IMG_9727.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's a boarding house bedroom where several women slept and even shared beds. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrgitXgeY4oqOaTQ127EHaSwIdLS765fCeYBG88lA0E79sjSx4AFiM6vMIyFk6YMvctsQYC3w7JSqOriMEWT9jAuZhGb1c2acL-9innrSXjW6shTn0k9DS9XdFGKSzB5zKhXgN3QGC6BTTwSKy-A-Zdlfd8qWsVrsupOrMMBYCtakNOqewIkk8HOYHE0/s4032/IMG_9734.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrgitXgeY4oqOaTQ127EHaSwIdLS765fCeYBG88lA0E79sjSx4AFiM6vMIyFk6YMvctsQYC3w7JSqOriMEWT9jAuZhGb1c2acL-9innrSXjW6shTn0k9DS9XdFGKSzB5zKhXgN3QGC6BTTwSKy-A-Zdlfd8qWsVrsupOrMMBYCtakNOqewIkk8HOYHE0/w640-h480/IMG_9734.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And this is part of the dining room where the women shared communal meals.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And you might not be able to read these next few photos, but the meals the girls were fed were pretty hearty sized meals. This exhibit showed typical breakfasts, lunches and dinners. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2_oHj-l9HH_A5GuCs3001T1_P9xMIefUxSR9stNMpkH3VdL28fStG2xXCqefKKp_9Wg5krYFgEWgmOnRF5IaQFU9eGwgT0J3QA1bxAcfITZ1_W2P9as5D-IuKdhFHbD91P0olQVprUInOAAqpT1WlCJS5sU75O9ZmJXVTdHMTLMjEDa4Ig2c0SINQ2A/s4032/IMG_9723.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2_oHj-l9HH_A5GuCs3001T1_P9xMIefUxSR9stNMpkH3VdL28fStG2xXCqefKKp_9Wg5krYFgEWgmOnRF5IaQFU9eGwgT0J3QA1bxAcfITZ1_W2P9as5D-IuKdhFHbD91P0olQVprUInOAAqpT1WlCJS5sU75O9ZmJXVTdHMTLMjEDa4Ig2c0SINQ2A/w480-h640/IMG_9723.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ynsN-n9afWCQQZvsEizRmo5xzyW89ho5nGiOjhoiMyiPYn3RG0JR4IsVPVuMbZ29wHbjXqjWqR3JgYk5IIjNzRwmOJJLNoCJlmMSppNnlVhzmfafHJ-cjLsQS1Ffnzn3bm99yWwzeMbMblX6yd_Rau0Y9-pZnl3GUVT4wtGBl3jqtv6jKLoQxVE8B9Y/s4032/IMG_9724.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ynsN-n9afWCQQZvsEizRmo5xzyW89ho5nGiOjhoiMyiPYn3RG0JR4IsVPVuMbZ29wHbjXqjWqR3JgYk5IIjNzRwmOJJLNoCJlmMSppNnlVhzmfafHJ-cjLsQS1Ffnzn3bm99yWwzeMbMblX6yd_Rau0Y9-pZnl3GUVT4wtGBl3jqtv6jKLoQxVE8B9Y/w480-h640/IMG_9724.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TIjZfM79eXlBX1C2kQjWNsbRqVaNV2pOhMIg1QoueXECpzekPGUGzhwl3wmP6T4VqJXALppwoN-1KHqZcsoy12S0kWR10D9hKqmbwPKb-1pLeiqzdWiiisVSRqUlHCzx6KeFSwt91D8zWvVC6XppETEMHHGdIK4rHCYZ0Xu-Y-TnhReJsIEET0gYTSE/s4032/IMG_9725.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TIjZfM79eXlBX1C2kQjWNsbRqVaNV2pOhMIg1QoueXECpzekPGUGzhwl3wmP6T4VqJXALppwoN-1KHqZcsoy12S0kWR10D9hKqmbwPKb-1pLeiqzdWiiisVSRqUlHCzx6KeFSwt91D8zWvVC6XppETEMHHGdIK4rHCYZ0Xu-Y-TnhReJsIEET0gYTSE/w480-h640/IMG_9725.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSk9KCnZzjrqQxL3Fu_DtrrZaHn3mqoX8mOootNlSfK9Stjstbq3QI6ufHymzDwxYbcm7mHnZkt_5KVpMq8NeNse9DLLLtuM46joewGYDAZilkp9hwcAGpbpCH5LS1Bk44S2P32isZGulv4SXQlsyCj3YUt1uy5BEMRKLT_H922Crg_URfE0nXflPCwZY/s4032/IMG_9726.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSk9KCnZzjrqQxL3Fu_DtrrZaHn3mqoX8mOootNlSfK9Stjstbq3QI6ufHymzDwxYbcm7mHnZkt_5KVpMq8NeNse9DLLLtuM46joewGYDAZilkp9hwcAGpbpCH5LS1Bk44S2P32isZGulv4SXQlsyCj3YUt1uy5BEMRKLT_H922Crg_URfE0nXflPCwZY/w480-h640/IMG_9726.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As you can see, it was not a glamorous life. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHq-zI0bbGDDqUuRSVgTFVncJW6QOi5jl9AGl4zbpjTwlkLfZRgQ31VC73_uTehX3S7PFVnkG1KOV5zQRY6mowc3JFYIsf4KW5IMpaEv9fiSO9mhqy1O1y5aVmjf12Jc1Ck8Q6FI5PnPnsLMuhXTC1nU5YfHtrS9wD5fu1HxGaKFotwApfPArXGvfWpc/s3858/IMG_9732.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2893" data-original-width="3858" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHq-zI0bbGDDqUuRSVgTFVncJW6QOi5jl9AGl4zbpjTwlkLfZRgQ31VC73_uTehX3S7PFVnkG1KOV5zQRY6mowc3JFYIsf4KW5IMpaEv9fiSO9mhqy1O1y5aVmjf12Jc1Ck8Q6FI5PnPnsLMuhXTC1nU5YfHtrS9wD5fu1HxGaKFotwApfPArXGvfWpc/w640-h480/IMG_9732.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Over time, the overall make up of the mill workers changed, especially as other opportunities for women came into being. As immigrants arrived from other parts of the world, they began to fill those mill jobs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">However, when the mills shut down, it did create a lot of hardship. New England is filled with mill towns, some textiles, some not. Even some farming communities had small mills, including my town where we have under 3,000 people today and where there were fewer in the past. Was it an easier life than farming? I don't know the answer to that question, but as the west opened up with better farming land, many New England farms ceased to exist. Mills became a place for people to make their livelihood. The forests grew back. People left the country and went to the city where there were more opportunities. Immigrants arrived from various places in the world. And the economy in New England over time, as it is in many places (and as many of you probably already know) has changed from manufacturing to white collar and service jobs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">However, I think the history of an area is always interesting to glimpse. The history of the Lowell Mills might have begun as a unique commercial project, but it does reflect one part not just of Lowell's story, but in New England's history as well. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie06c_tmqEKFL0AGQb42TDLGLVq4-fbufKFH3RZhQZRPErAwD-yrGy72ivwyy1QFFYhrJiEv3pVEBML10fwUD7m13rYGVu3rifLeWW1BtB_SwDY6v7ZUG8mJo4DfIsFcvQa3V7cWNAj1hKvIJsj-SqGCCBonjxGamUFGlmrIVxnrJyg2e5vuD9pqWxK8c/s4032/IMG_9738.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie06c_tmqEKFL0AGQb42TDLGLVq4-fbufKFH3RZhQZRPErAwD-yrGy72ivwyy1QFFYhrJiEv3pVEBML10fwUD7m13rYGVu3rifLeWW1BtB_SwDY6v7ZUG8mJo4DfIsFcvQa3V7cWNAj1hKvIJsj-SqGCCBonjxGamUFGlmrIVxnrJyg2e5vuD9pqWxK8c/w640-h480/IMG_9738.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'll finish this post with a view of a mill and the same park (only a different view) as my first photo.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's all for me today. I'll "see" you back in the blogosphere when I return home at the end of next week. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-77870845823203221972024-03-11T18:09:00.000-04:002024-03-11T18:09:05.551-04:00T Stands for Last Week and Signs of Spring<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. And hello to all of the ladies stopping by for T this week also. 👋</p><p style="text-align: center;"> Our weather here has definitely gotten spring-like. Well, New Hampshire spring-like. I don't have any spring bulbs popping up yet, but the snow is all gone, the mud is slightly drying out, and temperatures have been above 40 degrees F (4.4 degrees C) <i>most </i>days. It's exciting to see spring arrive so early because I'm someone who has had it with winter by March. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhde1BWiA_sGjBJL6I4fQkWR922g1b0_2rcqIRfAYPZgDUku4cr_w8iywMBuhOjZZcIklVgTKCW2lG2ddlQ4685MP3Uf_1horz52noC9yQv2CQtuKHFLQr4eOCCIfCWJipfcq2WEQoBIkHdy3Nks5fpNnAdpT6fhKEQZALOQO2R8kdfGXGRNx2bu3HsqJk/s4032/IMG_0471.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhde1BWiA_sGjBJL6I4fQkWR922g1b0_2rcqIRfAYPZgDUku4cr_w8iywMBuhOjZZcIklVgTKCW2lG2ddlQ4685MP3Uf_1horz52noC9yQv2CQtuKHFLQr4eOCCIfCWJipfcq2WEQoBIkHdy3Nks5fpNnAdpT6fhKEQZALOQO2R8kdfGXGRNx2bu3HsqJk/w640-h480/IMG_0471.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"> But since March and April aren't over yet, I'm not holding my breath the snow is over for the year yet either. But I'm hoping. 😏</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Last week I went for a couple of beach walks. One day it was cloudy and cold on the beach, the other day it was sunny and beautiful.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWppfcurfHE3VdnbGiAqIiGyZONI597tAiyzU2L7lRoDwsj2TTuB5_VdeQISJFL6tlqIWWZHWbJEJZE-Rja6Es53bQd6dJRDHWS3ZGGqLXjWLB2mt1oT9XPlvCO40mJwr8gkTzBfVTTYyriKzN4jycY2bdmiMWJNh6siGnT6vx2MsPajfSsA5gtSDPgMM/s4032/IMG_0368.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWppfcurfHE3VdnbGiAqIiGyZONI597tAiyzU2L7lRoDwsj2TTuB5_VdeQISJFL6tlqIWWZHWbJEJZE-Rja6Es53bQd6dJRDHWS3ZGGqLXjWLB2mt1oT9XPlvCO40mJwr8gkTzBfVTTYyriKzN4jycY2bdmiMWJNh6siGnT6vx2MsPajfSsA5gtSDPgMM/w640-h480/IMG_0368.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As soon as I let Miss Maddie off leash (the beach was empty as you can probably see in the photo), she went running for the water, and Mr. Pete followed along.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIX8EBztX_NjsfL0hI5Lyea0_dYdGNO4ZVMv0QhJWUxDUGqduGGk5DMEYmAi8LT8Hczr3EaBV2siIcMzF9HkNqazAIIqFo4Ujv6J_GlpXwUPIIuca1pbALu8SrpSoQh1qB9LrlN0Jlmy1fr3ZGrek5poHJBSaoXBZngsGWNuq5dR3OCjwkvGngwDU_nU/s4032/IMG_0380.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIX8EBztX_NjsfL0hI5Lyea0_dYdGNO4ZVMv0QhJWUxDUGqduGGk5DMEYmAi8LT8Hczr3EaBV2siIcMzF9HkNqazAIIqFo4Ujv6J_GlpXwUPIIuca1pbALu8SrpSoQh1qB9LrlN0Jlmy1fr3ZGrek5poHJBSaoXBZngsGWNuq5dR3OCjwkvGngwDU_nU/w640-h480/IMG_0380.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This rock exposed at low tide was covered with rock-weed. It's not the prettiest of algae, but I thought it made an interesting texture in my photo.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuPycqBC5HrwNn2F9YeSmzdjRJ1OHZzVn2j6TVtMifwqrsh3nofbJMHStMpuWZm1-2tIPQuelF4HdRZuhWUf8zXZGnmgMjnY1K1W02C9ma45EjcXzkaO7w_A7o58krD-xtygZfTLJMoeYSUaly_hZZxUyfI0t8aC7YKLcKFc8ZtRIBPHhyto_6VJPupc/s4032/IMG_0408.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuPycqBC5HrwNn2F9YeSmzdjRJ1OHZzVn2j6TVtMifwqrsh3nofbJMHStMpuWZm1-2tIPQuelF4HdRZuhWUf8zXZGnmgMjnY1K1W02C9ma45EjcXzkaO7w_A7o58krD-xtygZfTLJMoeYSUaly_hZZxUyfI0t8aC7YKLcKFc8ZtRIBPHhyto_6VJPupc/w640-h480/IMG_0408.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRPdzAz4yz_Ly9YvsdcwEl7K9A51cuWGorw3eV_MJVbQfgjFXONctr6YX8dkPWIs2qFEFBDk4HrIArFpZYb-lrOCCh_tmIMDl47J-mwgvGvQEyrgnEkYTO8rkBZU4J_ISppHxw4Xg2DZGc6TcPPmuoFbpDUscdl8CiOqznvVJgmFXqOzeZsSLbg-qh8o/s4032/IMG_0410.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRPdzAz4yz_Ly9YvsdcwEl7K9A51cuWGorw3eV_MJVbQfgjFXONctr6YX8dkPWIs2qFEFBDk4HrIArFpZYb-lrOCCh_tmIMDl47J-mwgvGvQEyrgnEkYTO8rkBZU4J_ISppHxw4Xg2DZGc6TcPPmuoFbpDUscdl8CiOqznvVJgmFXqOzeZsSLbg-qh8o/w640-h480/IMG_0410.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74no4rV-PlIuRHjKkuklmnlWi_pBLDfg_N46iIaff_JdiR3mlB0VwZMesXKep0fWRm0ejmtDa3pOouPxh551WeuLDvYn5f3q-RUP9FvKlw2Gx0Uhgzi4Jd2m4x5XowFnpuiBYNiUqiZeFwQdxzGV66BRNuD5olzpE_mgCtr5O_F6RuMkOFU79BtXo3HE/s4032/IMG_0412.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74no4rV-PlIuRHjKkuklmnlWi_pBLDfg_N46iIaff_JdiR3mlB0VwZMesXKep0fWRm0ejmtDa3pOouPxh551WeuLDvYn5f3q-RUP9FvKlw2Gx0Uhgzi4Jd2m4x5XowFnpuiBYNiUqiZeFwQdxzGV66BRNuD5olzpE_mgCtr5O_F6RuMkOFU79BtXo3HE/w640-h480/IMG_0412.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For my birthday last Monday I went out for soup and an ice cream sundae with a couple of girlfriends. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIF8-va0CTGiJgshyv0dmU88XgB7RPvmVBnrvYwcrf5zkWbcxtARhtsxn6WNK4Hn8sp9DU00LjlbFT_oPVwQGRGdFch83Op6Bc9IY1PZ6RIuZ3LbxhxmIw5MrlesqRrkLuDuDBn4ya5fryOzOpa5kH1srqz4IOHulvcn-kQtj36kJaVxGYqhZ6JBdibo/s4032/IMG_0362.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIF8-va0CTGiJgshyv0dmU88XgB7RPvmVBnrvYwcrf5zkWbcxtARhtsxn6WNK4Hn8sp9DU00LjlbFT_oPVwQGRGdFch83Op6Bc9IY1PZ6RIuZ3LbxhxmIw5MrlesqRrkLuDuDBn4ya5fryOzOpa5kH1srqz4IOHulvcn-kQtj36kJaVxGYqhZ6JBdibo/w480-h640/IMG_0362.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> My friends told our waitress I needed more than 6 cherries on my sundae. I had to explain to the waitress how the last time (back last summer) when I had a sundae at this restaurant, my husband had moaned how bad his day was going. The waitress had given him 6 cherries and only given me 1. This time we had a good laugh when our waitress returned and announced she had to beat the 6 and that she had given me 9 cherries. The photo shows 8 of them since one had slipped down on the side out of view. I think since she got a bit carried away with the cherries that she skimped a bit on the walnuts, but oh well. 😏</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> Another day last week I was at Target and found these plain wooden eggs in the dollar section. I decided to get some to decorate.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWmkEpw2w6LaYK41CAVAOE4u7IMSQsuSDNQYB1XjMKfQJl3LbpD4RBtRt0E_JVbhyNwLPym9TELAmy6qw1m-zWuESrMsY7nA9MaVlved7-HuSAjUaPL-bCVA92IB3uBYGorzPrk73c6MLnAcST71XPp7acoHyVXXu8WgYrxLu0NRvX02j8fzSrJhjwHQ/s4032/IMG_0418.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWmkEpw2w6LaYK41CAVAOE4u7IMSQsuSDNQYB1XjMKfQJl3LbpD4RBtRt0E_JVbhyNwLPym9TELAmy6qw1m-zWuESrMsY7nA9MaVlved7-HuSAjUaPL-bCVA92IB3uBYGorzPrk73c6MLnAcST71XPp7acoHyVXXu8WgYrxLu0NRvX02j8fzSrJhjwHQ/w640-h480/IMG_0418.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> At first I painted them, and then I decorated them. The tape (in this next photo) is <b>not </b>part of the decoration. I was using it so I could paint part of the egg a different color and have a more or less straight and distinct line between the 2 colors.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFK-Djctnj28gquJ202IYSqaRMkBoBoQlPhP23sVztd7m-HRXWCiez1D8UBVct24KvWIQaW65b9FktOQGsyAmoTlgQEwjCQ_WTQ9yR6Hb4FT8GYRzHJbw_v55O3JxBhKjPgbsBtNFKptP9nX-qJMCXY14eb7j_wasVwTRYbillacsW7iurc9J6-BAjNzs/s4032/IMG_0474.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2770" data-original-width="4032" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFK-Djctnj28gquJ202IYSqaRMkBoBoQlPhP23sVztd7m-HRXWCiez1D8UBVct24KvWIQaW65b9FktOQGsyAmoTlgQEwjCQ_WTQ9yR6Hb4FT8GYRzHJbw_v55O3JxBhKjPgbsBtNFKptP9nX-qJMCXY14eb7j_wasVwTRYbillacsW7iurc9J6-BAjNzs/w640-h440/IMG_0474.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> I'm including this photo (above) as it is my ticket for T this week over at <a href="https://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/">Bleubeard's and Elizabeth's blog</a>. Some days for lunch I have a protein shake. Although I don't drink hot coffee, I love coffee flavoring. That's a coffee protein shake with a bit of ice in my glass. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I haven't quite finished decorating the eggs, but once they are done, I will share them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> One spring thing that hasn't happened in my area yet is ice out. There was hardly any ice this winter. Ice in was not until February, which is very very late. But as of this past weekend there was still some hanging on in all the lakes. We walked into my mother-in-law's home this past Saturday, and that's where I took this photo. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaytnQx6p57FDqfkphCozn7-sJCIULhBG3TLLYTkbiSPy16gR_R4mR-d6MrUWDnRJ9vjHqbygx2uQpxMeD86iYNBU_wQ8MuQlb1-I57wTLp4c7_kuOgWeJmyqNwN1HrtD4_KZur743l5u83Cn7xw7wvYYQTSGaT409fxrmORnM3ZoQ1LlUwmVHHwBxtQ/s4032/IMG_0495.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaytnQx6p57FDqfkphCozn7-sJCIULhBG3TLLYTkbiSPy16gR_R4mR-d6MrUWDnRJ9vjHqbygx2uQpxMeD86iYNBU_wQ8MuQlb1-I57wTLp4c7_kuOgWeJmyqNwN1HrtD4_KZur743l5u83Cn7xw7wvYYQTSGaT409fxrmORnM3ZoQ1LlUwmVHHwBxtQ/w480-h640/IMG_0495.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> It's unusual for there to be open water at this time in March. Usually ice out is usually sometime in April, so this year it will be early, and probably it will even happen this week with the wind wind or more warm weather in the forecast.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">That's all for me this week.</div><p style="text-align: justify;"> I will be missing T next week since I'm heading out on a 10 day long planned and twice a postponed trip to Greece with a couple of girlfriends. This is our "retirement celebration" trip that took a while to happen between COVID and a few other life events. I am sure I will have lots of stories when I get back home.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="text-align: center;">"See" you later this month. Have a great T day and the next couple of weeks.</span></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-19105118737474305722024-03-10T04:46:00.032-04:002024-03-11T16:22:29.486-04:00Pretty in Pink<p style="text-align: center;">Hi everyone. I hope you're having a great weekend. Mine right now is is wet and dark, but with the clock change, at least I could sleep in that extra hour. 😏</p><p style="text-align: center;">My page today is for Chris' challenge at <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a> . This month the theme, <i>On All Fours</i>, is all about 4 legged animals .</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CF8ZJmt_eDfipkYd5nn2aNZRG4-wgGWAIRifH5Hflan417zPISjDPxLST88zkOPnS_lepzxyzhyPH6wIclTWQwjLFitWS23lcoVZUrVuSmNURQ76979ZIbQRHCFbwMEWXlMrf4OIRBD_VyT9Kkdk_4Th7_aq9hvxEtINFMB9CHSpu-00LQQbJ8LIfQE/s3490/IMG_0201.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3490" data-original-width="2426" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CF8ZJmt_eDfipkYd5nn2aNZRG4-wgGWAIRifH5Hflan417zPISjDPxLST88zkOPnS_lepzxyzhyPH6wIclTWQwjLFitWS23lcoVZUrVuSmNURQ76979ZIbQRHCFbwMEWXlMrf4OIRBD_VyT9Kkdk_4Th7_aq9hvxEtINFMB9CHSpu-00LQQbJ8LIfQE/w444-h640/IMG_0201.HEIC" width="444" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> I started by rubbing some ink pads on my page. Then I used a stencil and some pink paint to make the big dots. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> That cute pig is cut out of an old greeting card that I found recently while doing some cleaning. She was too cute to get rid of, so I chopped her out of the background and glued her down on my page. For some reason I felt she would be sitting in a flower patch, so I die cut some flowers from pink and burgundy textured paper and added them to my page. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> I couldn't find a quote (that I liked) to stamp, but I did think about how my page has a lot of pink on it, and so I used some letter stickers and made the quote I added to the page. But I think pink is perfect, especially for a page about a piggy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> That's all for me today. <span style="text-align: center;">I am also linking this page up to Gillena's </span><a href="https://myblog-lunchbreak.blogspot.com/" style="text-align: center;">Sunday Smiles</a><span style="text-align: center;">. Have a great rest of your weekend!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-90473405494462251192024-03-08T07:07:00.000-05:002024-03-08T07:07:50.009-05:00Lowell National Historic Park-Part 2<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. Happy Friday. It's almost the weekend too, so for many people, it is almost time for a little down time. 😏</p><p style="text-align: center;">And FYI-today's post is a bit on the long side. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"> This past Wednesday I shared some photos and info from a trip last month to Lowell National Historic Park in Lowell, Massachusetts. My daughter and I visited this park back in early February when she had some vacation time before starting a new job. Here's my Wednesday post if you're interested in reading it: </span><a href="https://fat-emma.blogspot.com/2024/03/lowell-national-historic-park-part-1.html" style="text-align: justify;">Lowell National Historic Park-Part 1</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Since it is time for Nicole's <a href="https://beadwright.blogspot.com/2024/03/friday-face-off-ffo-3824.html">Friday Face Off</a> and also for Gillena's <a href="https://myblog-lunchbreak.blogspot.com/2024/03/3443.html">Friday Lunch Break</a> , I have some face photos today, as well as some photos from the museum at the Historic Park. The museum is on the floor above where the park has a large number of actual still working looms.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIaH0emdlE2rLvUP-rtDPzxjvEZ46GbxBe06Zkr85LUX3O6Gh7777TplDGlfCiKFSxZECaijdSLOdkkHoRSA0FA8ppHPHXAaqFlWYOjW4yb0CZx0W9h3PNWJIYJDu1VJZaTLT6naOgEhBtweFEBSNcucbqUxIek7XW_pHhIScVvW6kpB0vBV-CVM3kaAE/s4032/IMG_9807.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIaH0emdlE2rLvUP-rtDPzxjvEZ46GbxBe06Zkr85LUX3O6Gh7777TplDGlfCiKFSxZECaijdSLOdkkHoRSA0FA8ppHPHXAaqFlWYOjW4yb0CZx0W9h3PNWJIYJDu1VJZaTLT6naOgEhBtweFEBSNcucbqUxIek7XW_pHhIScVvW6kpB0vBV-CVM3kaAE/w480-h640/IMG_9807.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> This historic park had me thinking about <b>Fabric/Textiles,</b> and how it is one those "things" that most of us probably take for granted. Textiles are all over the place; in clothing, linens, towels, curtains, rugs and other items too. I'll use clothes as an example. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> We go to a store or go online and buy clothes. Or perhaps we get second hand clothes from someone. Or maybe you even sew and just get the fabric to make your clothes. Obviously we couldn't have clothes without the fabrics that make them. (Unless we shot all the animals and ran around in fur, but that would definitely decimate the animal population. 😒) I don't know about you, but other than the type of fabric something is, I don't usually think about what it takes to make the fabric. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> I can see why weaving fabric by hand would take up so much of a household's time before mechanization came into play. Clothes were needed for warmth, privacy and protection. Yes fabrics could be bought, especially specialty materials like silk, but it was often out of the budgets of many people. It also explains why clothes closets were small or weren't even put into many older homes. People didn't need them because they didn't have all that many outfits. Unless of course they were wealthy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> Mechanization was good for fabric production, even though there were a lot of negatives too. Not only were the early workers subject to long days, no safety constraints, and relatively poor working conditions, there were also nasty environmental effects like dyes and other discharges. I could probably write a whole post about the pros and cons of mechanization, but I think you get the point without me doing that. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> The mills in Lowell were historically about making cotton fabric. I liked this glass tube they had in the museum that showed the results of the entire process, starting with the actual cotton. To keep this short, I'm not writing about each step but you can see in the photos how the original cotton changes to become, eventually, fabric.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzSfkbHVGb4ihbDOPN84cqGQCCIk2f_jHXx8WOiRO4X_dDZ7FcZucD6BAEFaIw4UO37HpWgPHo6sTEcqOcwM9flPSfXzkdHA1eKz3N34jkijWxut9g1qULPB9F0DQfex34qnrNNWJuNo91WBiZC0UDoSnVqV2sqbf1PBeYVe4e-uOQlrxz7B3_ESYhwk/s4032/IMG_9785.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzSfkbHVGb4ihbDOPN84cqGQCCIk2f_jHXx8WOiRO4X_dDZ7FcZucD6BAEFaIw4UO37HpWgPHo6sTEcqOcwM9flPSfXzkdHA1eKz3N34jkijWxut9g1qULPB9F0DQfex34qnrNNWJuNo91WBiZC0UDoSnVqV2sqbf1PBeYVe4e-uOQlrxz7B3_ESYhwk/w640-h480/IMG_9785.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The cotton must be cleaned and then spun to be turned into thread.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuoJ_-7K2URo5GTMmB962KeRJD7t07SZQP1kcHLxEGkBIT07fQj8K1L8luEMuKBN2KqkApa4zk_ofTHNHoqRQ_8BU-UQ2sy2c4qGa9V-inMsG4WbWqn7WCL0Sb2-FRobdPR6Jjif7dO5zimIysJJtr9rjl1r9CK3xTHJMqC1K3bIWBaT7-SKef1U6iF4/s4032/IMG_9786.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuoJ_-7K2URo5GTMmB962KeRJD7t07SZQP1kcHLxEGkBIT07fQj8K1L8luEMuKBN2KqkApa4zk_ofTHNHoqRQ_8BU-UQ2sy2c4qGa9V-inMsG4WbWqn7WCL0Sb2-FRobdPR6Jjif7dO5zimIysJJtr9rjl1r9CK3xTHJMqC1K3bIWBaT7-SKef1U6iF4/w640-h480/IMG_9786.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4S06UwRoLrQNPwx9f1hYUEacgE-NzNyFKQS3odeWvBOKrEAIKad-YiAm1H4p3K9OIxu82DRopDqLp9lNsHGXbEXVJ_aQQLwJnYIMJheh_IK70C6JtJSUkTx5FMAH-ihHyJii4jHnHC8pwwDS4k3akHUscxLJ13Ei56YMI2k26azWklywcMwwysuGLXE/s4032/IMG_9787.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4S06UwRoLrQNPwx9f1hYUEacgE-NzNyFKQS3odeWvBOKrEAIKad-YiAm1H4p3K9OIxu82DRopDqLp9lNsHGXbEXVJ_aQQLwJnYIMJheh_IK70C6JtJSUkTx5FMAH-ihHyJii4jHnHC8pwwDS4k3akHUscxLJ13Ei56YMI2k26azWklywcMwwysuGLXE/w640-h480/IMG_9787.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The thread is woven into cloth, which might need to be whitened before it is finished.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLllI5WvKHIzxtF44JMujhXFQzgMFa6iWSKCSZJjMZmtFXWZwp6akmWwTtBOpekczjyeDsSZZOPRVXHSBQtDathJuKtoCXWd0agq2eaq9aWh2UGeJid00T6FaenXtzpQAimBQ8xrvoREGcXuMMvsTyEemCLMhQ0gKRjoUa4x-lZoIIIgPlKL2UK9G-70/s4032/IMG_9788.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLllI5WvKHIzxtF44JMujhXFQzgMFa6iWSKCSZJjMZmtFXWZwp6akmWwTtBOpekczjyeDsSZZOPRVXHSBQtDathJuKtoCXWd0agq2eaq9aWh2UGeJid00T6FaenXtzpQAimBQ8xrvoREGcXuMMvsTyEemCLMhQ0gKRjoUa4x-lZoIIIgPlKL2UK9G-70/w640-h480/IMG_9788.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> And it might then need to be dyed to create colorful threads, or perhaps the entire sheet of fabric is dyed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68nRrcxqWfqZX0PUw2zokg-4d1qA_d8wrAD7iNE6Gz5Ycd9xR_p5XJl6X3kQnuOQAQC2o1KdZIueSQlk5O16lD1zMsLVpfIns6r5F7hsapIv9hZy7D7Wm8xYamngb1HnBb4NYF3oL2OskXRMNNhlkZcyJxX3HSqEhurG3XCPgkhI8qvdJ2gM_w17v02M/s4032/IMG_9789.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68nRrcxqWfqZX0PUw2zokg-4d1qA_d8wrAD7iNE6Gz5Ycd9xR_p5XJl6X3kQnuOQAQC2o1KdZIueSQlk5O16lD1zMsLVpfIns6r5F7hsapIv9hZy7D7Wm8xYamngb1HnBb4NYF3oL2OskXRMNNhlkZcyJxX3HSqEhurG3XCPgkhI8qvdJ2gM_w17v02M/w640-h480/IMG_9789.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And then you get bolts of fabric.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> (Sorry for the lousy clarity on this next photo. I think I smushed my finger over the lens on my phone before I took this photo.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquuS51mzVNruI6UJrDxUdgEbD67tKglRpdktpeMV4DJwsx7Q5QDLcN7iVi7w9DTyWWhbz8UWUbDaVVGeGJBCE1qSFQ7kKrLaPCjngNzaLvVBWZczZ3OhD61ml9yfMU5teo2qvamBMcBVJdkdu1sH_OLR1_6QfyEs5DZl7tMVjoynlAYfxMao__3lSL40/s4032/IMG_9805.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquuS51mzVNruI6UJrDxUdgEbD67tKglRpdktpeMV4DJwsx7Q5QDLcN7iVi7w9DTyWWhbz8UWUbDaVVGeGJBCE1qSFQ7kKrLaPCjngNzaLvVBWZczZ3OhD61ml9yfMU5teo2qvamBMcBVJdkdu1sH_OLR1_6QfyEs5DZl7tMVjoynlAYfxMao__3lSL40/w480-h640/IMG_9805.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After production, the bolts of fabric have to be shipped to their destinations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqhI9_76mRiWCWoXcjwiLXYWxhUDSMXW7zMA9EtoB4DGU7GL6zSBw7HtiAxpAS8Mz8AmDJFqe48GTazUy3ezduyNtCTreTXNDwy56o1FJ2tGlM1LgRTyv-URdjrJDYOCGXjRdxMqtcsdC439fvJmQKppWUMnyQbm_KZKxnR0i6567bq_TfhpITn1UejM/s4032/IMG_9808.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqhI9_76mRiWCWoXcjwiLXYWxhUDSMXW7zMA9EtoB4DGU7GL6zSBw7HtiAxpAS8Mz8AmDJFqe48GTazUy3ezduyNtCTreTXNDwy56o1FJ2tGlM1LgRTyv-URdjrJDYOCGXjRdxMqtcsdC439fvJmQKppWUMnyQbm_KZKxnR0i6567bq_TfhpITn1UejM/w480-h640/IMG_9808.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> I really like this (above) photo because of the perspective of the museum display with my daughter. She loves fabric, as you can see from all the various types in her outfit. She also is a clothes horse extraordinaire. And she is a pretty decent quilter too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> Historically, the importance of making textiles was right up there with getting food. The oldest garment found to date (based on my internet search as I am not a fabric expert) was from somewhere between 3482-3012 BCE/BC in Egypt. You can see it and read about it here if you are interested: <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2016/feb/ucl-petrie-museums-tarkhan-dress-worlds-oldest-woven-garment#:~:text=The%20Tarkhan%20Dress%2C%20a%20V,the%20late%20fourth%2Dmillennium%20BC.">Tarkhan Dress</a>. Sadly, fabric doesn't often survive the millennia things like pottery, sculpture, tools and buildings do, and a lot of early archaeologists didn't bring the importance of fabric front and center in the research, mainly because even they found it, it wasn't showy and usually very decayed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> I was also reading about natural versus synthetic fabrics. Although natural fabrics (cotton, wool, linen and silk) come from non-man made sources, man manipulated those sources in order to have the fibers to make fabric. One example is how sheep have been bred for millennia to have more wool, and wool that does not shed. The ancestors to today's sheep shed their woolly "fur" or had people pull it off. (Rather like having a shedding dog and pulling off clumps of hair.) Sheep are most likely the second oldest domesticated animal right behind dogs because wool makes fantastic yarn then used to make fabric.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> There are books written about textile production, types of textiles, uses of textiles, etc. I've read quite a few, but this is a blog post (and it's already pretty long) and not a book about fabric.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">OK, this is enough for one post. I'll end this post on the lighter side with a selfie my daughter took of herself and me on our day out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDjwkDAfiUgVUInS2wQiaDM6qDrmlHlC8zZiGKn6U2CCHi9g62aWUYL12v_BH4bCFPe7u3VGUHb79d7-GUaccpeMK1D3rL88MJkWKIVJsvdqeIQY5Vhx1aInoJ1AD_xjkrrTscXS-tqH4fkJWzK9THQ6G1EyyuBp9AK-Vk5Gg7__HqrfpQhqVwZKjNlo/s4032/IMG_9688.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDjwkDAfiUgVUInS2wQiaDM6qDrmlHlC8zZiGKn6U2CCHi9g62aWUYL12v_BH4bCFPe7u3VGUHb79d7-GUaccpeMK1D3rL88MJkWKIVJsvdqeIQY5Vhx1aInoJ1AD_xjkrrTscXS-tqH4fkJWzK9THQ6G1EyyuBp9AK-Vk5Gg7__HqrfpQhqVwZKjNlo/w640-h480/IMG_9688.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you're interested my final Lowell Park post will be scheduled next Wednesday.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope my look at fabric wasn't too boring. I will be missing the next couple of weeks of Friday Face Offs and Friday Lunch Breaks as I'm heading out on a long planned and twice postponed girls trip. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have a super weekend.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-26253756174683011502024-03-07T04:44:00.043-05:002024-03-07T07:30:18.837-05:00Thursday Art<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> Hi everyone. Happy Thursday. It's a wet early morning at my house, but warmer than usual, so instead of snow, the wet is mostly rain. And all the rain, means we have a lot of mud too. It definitely feels like spring, which is great, although this year we have record setting ice outs so you can tell it's been a warmer than usual/normal winter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> One thing I want to share today I have a page for Chris' <i>On All Fours</i> challenge over at <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a>. My 4 legged animals for today are dinosaurs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUwxVYXNoEu1Z2vIBp3-Ma9yn0u0Z4yDYVdIK5NO_tuMGJy6hj1PoS0k73Hbxd2Z1GEKNTey-_W-NIXv_3x6vyZEWLTwA5p9Sl8aQ5zYrGxmCDUOjc6ERzNNYMoSCF3uKWkFOBNrUshAOjx6UUH4Qle13Hw15GG18OTCov5j91QdedOKa8cSBJ76C7Yk/s3745/IMG_0227.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3745" data-original-width="2895" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUwxVYXNoEu1Z2vIBp3-Ma9yn0u0Z4yDYVdIK5NO_tuMGJy6hj1PoS0k73Hbxd2Z1GEKNTey-_W-NIXv_3x6vyZEWLTwA5p9Sl8aQ5zYrGxmCDUOjc6ERzNNYMoSCF3uKWkFOBNrUshAOjx6UUH4Qle13Hw15GG18OTCov5j91QdedOKa8cSBJ76C7Yk/w494-h640/IMG_0227.HEIC" width="494" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> I die cut the dinos and colored them in with inks. <strike>Since we don't really know what color dinosaurs</strike> <strike>were </strike>(Thanks David for linking me up to Jakob Vinther and his work on dinosaur coloration. They can now infer what colors many dinosaurs were) Since many dinosaurs are closely related to birds who come in various and sometimes bright colors, many dinosaurs were also brightly colored. And I didn't include feathers, but many dinos probably had feathers over at least part of their bodies also. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> I haven't added any postage stamps to my art in a long time, but I love mail art, so I created a set of fake postage stamps for my page. The actual white stamps are die cuts, and I used some number and some dinosaur skeleton rubber stamps for the images. I need to correct myself since the pterosaur is an ancient reptile and NOT a fly dinosaur, even though it lived at the time of the dinosaurs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> The palm trees (the closest I could come to some of the tropical trees found when these quadrupeds lived) are also die cut, and I stamped the postmark and the special delivery with some ancient postage related rubber stamps I had in my stash.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBymiWwI_UE6SJDX_2OpcafDj2qD2Vjv-uokCY2wy-_DmrmyHzVYUe116h033p5KvciO85EGndeN4yxuU6vriOjuBxaW7glyjCTpIEy8T9sk_Zq5qJzs3jN924DuhtsVokSUgwfaNp_sO4P-X0vEEyQ5A3vFMzASBOwN79c67VA8PFuIKNZTW8phqe3bU/s2638/IMG_0225.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1870" data-original-width="2638" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBymiWwI_UE6SJDX_2OpcafDj2qD2Vjv-uokCY2wy-_DmrmyHzVYUe116h033p5KvciO85EGndeN4yxuU6vriOjuBxaW7glyjCTpIEy8T9sk_Zq5qJzs3jN924DuhtsVokSUgwfaNp_sO4P-X0vEEyQ5A3vFMzASBOwN79c67VA8PFuIKNZTW8phqe3bU/w640-h454/IMG_0225.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And you can see the quote better in this above close up photo. It is from an Art by Marlene set. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Also for today, I have a tag for Pinky's challenge at <a href="https://tagtuesday.blogspot.com/">Tag Tuesday</a>. The challenge is <u>Rabbit or Hare, I Don't Care.</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9alk73o7G4kw7aONZV0c_E_cXAEocz0I6jg-MPfBcWqgQZ1ZNHBY1m_2mpzJy63Rf6Rx8iHzv3Qe0N3rpreC4AhwKkz76oBhOK9t3y-AEJ6D_pXpEgjzk9HiHgeoB3hnDA-Cs7UR5bGtavW57lJywcKxH8L7R3ysZ19o1PSE-gWU9DImlKeE_y2VXlA/s3938/IMG_0419.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3938" data-original-width="2071" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9alk73o7G4kw7aONZV0c_E_cXAEocz0I6jg-MPfBcWqgQZ1ZNHBY1m_2mpzJy63Rf6Rx8iHzv3Qe0N3rpreC4AhwKkz76oBhOK9t3y-AEJ6D_pXpEgjzk9HiHgeoB3hnDA-Cs7UR5bGtavW57lJywcKxH8L7R3ysZ19o1PSE-gWU9DImlKeE_y2VXlA/w336-h640/IMG_0419.HEIC" width="336" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> I had a page I painted with some shiny blue paint, and while it was wet, I laid the tag up against it which made a few blue blobs. I then used some purple ink spray and a paper towel to color the rest of the background, except that I took some dark blue ink and inked the edges of the tag. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> I then used that same blue ink and some bunny word stamps and stamped them several times on the top of the tag. After that I took some flower paper and die cut the big bunny. I drew in the eyes, filled in the ears and gave the tail a bit of sparkle. The tag still needed something, and I remembered I had a die that cut out all these little confetti sized bunnies. I used the die two times, and then took all the bunnies and glued them down on my tag. I hope if she's the Mommy bunny she didn't give birth to all these babies at one time. 😏</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> That's all for me today. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-17594916685714445482024-03-06T04:36:00.153-05:002024-03-06T06:27:20.507-05:00Lowell National Historic Park-Part 1<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. Happy mid-week to you. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Back at the beginning of February my daughter was on vacation before she started a new job. We met one day in southern New Hampshire and took a little trip to Lowell National Historic Park in Lowell, Massachusetts.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> In the 1810's, some business men met and decided they would build textile manufacturing mills along part of the Merrimack River in an area of Massachusetts close to the southern New Hampshire border. They also planned out living places and other needed resources so their mill workers could have a life close to where they worked. Their ideas created the first planned industrial city in the United States. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> This new development was called Lowell, named after Francis Cabot Lowell, one of those business men. F.C. Lowell had visited England to see how their textiles were produced. He memorized the construction of these British looms so similar automated looms could be built when he returned to the United States. At that time, the design of those British looms was top secret. Lowell was able to come back to the US and build a replica. With that replica, the start of American cotton fabric production went into full swing. Although he did not live long enough to see the planned mill complexes built (F.C. Lowell died in 1817), the rest of the men decided to name the city after him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> At one time Lowell, Massachusetts was the largest textile producing area in the United States. The industry was going strong until it became cheaper to produce cloth in the southern US (where the cotton was grown), and then eventually, cloth production was shipped overseas. When the mills went out of business, Lowell went into a deep economic decline. It was then that some of the old mills became a National Historic Park to commemorate and be a teaching tool about that part of US history. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbsnPzPpxrXZjDiZnzIqeByB5KmDoY3eQsRzHLHRmmRhsUjhNpEAR2y147wcN5WNtdykz0YzUlA_0GOZtM7jlMcfHAy-k7fpVNfV_mSvquCIt0UHGDnEnbpDWnS77_sUTjDqSZY71Ui9obIoscWy1ugSg_T3O0vC5rXj8ZyKY2Lzl8UkPWIADW2piVPE/s4032/IMG_9739.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbsnPzPpxrXZjDiZnzIqeByB5KmDoY3eQsRzHLHRmmRhsUjhNpEAR2y147wcN5WNtdykz0YzUlA_0GOZtM7jlMcfHAy-k7fpVNfV_mSvquCIt0UHGDnEnbpDWnS77_sUTjDqSZY71Ui9obIoscWy1ugSg_T3O0vC5rXj8ZyKY2Lzl8UkPWIADW2piVPE/w640-h480/IMG_9739.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The National Park Service operates some historical museums. In the photo above you can see some boarding houses where the women who worked the mills lived. Part of this building is now a museum. I"ll share that in a future post.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Below are the canals and some of the mill buildings from the mill complexes. The park service operates a museum in the Bootts Cotton mill.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xqHSWp8ak-RsyuidaL8ckp7pqeeZSuLg-ao6LS605cUCkpC-27u-E44_3s3c_H4YTboMkkfj_cetzsf1yJWVNDRUbljZmGmDVmD-be23tu3syTm-BbKMd9lKTpZOhkSeuJ6rSmUHn_jWA5Vpz3WvtDFm_JSQbPhHeVKVHSeE35IeaqD4_o3W9neswVo/s4032/IMG_9744.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xqHSWp8ak-RsyuidaL8ckp7pqeeZSuLg-ao6LS605cUCkpC-27u-E44_3s3c_H4YTboMkkfj_cetzsf1yJWVNDRUbljZmGmDVmD-be23tu3syTm-BbKMd9lKTpZOhkSeuJ6rSmUHn_jWA5Vpz3WvtDFm_JSQbPhHeVKVHSeE35IeaqD4_o3W9neswVo/w640-h480/IMG_9744.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKYy0-mtCsNvaf1-yDIyaY4czv-W7Aan7CDoM6AmIhYq28lTjxcG1X6Qc8_zmtHZ8EUYvpbdlBpGuxEl3_nHtNfhzAMiDxaHuGFEv-MIgmKiQxvx2jqYqPU12f0DdmKsSBx4rstnawr9PHYZPw_UwDDlNzEfQnqfBwH3VCmAhm__loStjzDbhWbQMHQ8/s4032/IMG_9750.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKYy0-mtCsNvaf1-yDIyaY4czv-W7Aan7CDoM6AmIhYq28lTjxcG1X6Qc8_zmtHZ8EUYvpbdlBpGuxEl3_nHtNfhzAMiDxaHuGFEv-MIgmKiQxvx2jqYqPU12f0DdmKsSBx4rstnawr9PHYZPw_UwDDlNzEfQnqfBwH3VCmAhm__loStjzDbhWbQMHQ8/w640-h480/IMG_9750.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEVDODdLP4o-K_33fwGuBSSSpYcRglf5s8hz2BPKgffMk2CNHsDxG0X0EhT3W7-2LRZtzh9CHmbAI_oj4Ws-7zCRSW7jMVNjpV6G83-lHBjo4dQsVNGRAS4tJ1O8aSnc2bIii53YIfwkSzeLw1Yk_8_WXQRwumC9cx4bDE8CGLdAkjNSZp801a-giMQU/s4032/IMG_9823.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEVDODdLP4o-K_33fwGuBSSSpYcRglf5s8hz2BPKgffMk2CNHsDxG0X0EhT3W7-2LRZtzh9CHmbAI_oj4Ws-7zCRSW7jMVNjpV6G83-lHBjo4dQsVNGRAS4tJ1O8aSnc2bIii53YIfwkSzeLw1Yk_8_WXQRwumC9cx4bDE8CGLdAkjNSZp801a-giMQU/w640-h480/IMG_9823.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNy2vVgwL8EdI0vz1FBUfONi-XShE1OSKMVhNEKcqyJtKxMDjJo7RzdOz_x4EufflsIjR_ZXrnp2pz21DFJQ5GRc43PGecKcRQgq1Of-IJiSUZWxHz5cFnXCTJKl5z-JZVzr6lH93EQR2NiGvTLZ5FPUG2FcMZpC_PU7xH5H6-m4cSvm7_taTzpqPeRuw/s4032/IMG_9825.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNy2vVgwL8EdI0vz1FBUfONi-XShE1OSKMVhNEKcqyJtKxMDjJo7RzdOz_x4EufflsIjR_ZXrnp2pz21DFJQ5GRc43PGecKcRQgq1Of-IJiSUZWxHz5cFnXCTJKl5z-JZVzr6lH93EQR2NiGvTLZ5FPUG2FcMZpC_PU7xH5H6-m4cSvm7_taTzpqPeRuw/w480-h640/IMG_9825.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMMjh1nLMNGbLIp0-rn8jJvqy-XT4iCnz14W2HAnMBkXFFr_V75mgvaEtv7CS1rsuyasrDRPwX1DklSoyTfCUki0UMaOX4ltGR95gXVTGN64b2cmpIax7-QiGqF6B2_lx9h-v_R-pIRzoKSh1ynMhZ3t6a5JF0VdO6LopKxHfhG1VNkkiumWGaEDk_mo/s4032/IMG_9828.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMMjh1nLMNGbLIp0-rn8jJvqy-XT4iCnz14W2HAnMBkXFFr_V75mgvaEtv7CS1rsuyasrDRPwX1DklSoyTfCUki0UMaOX4ltGR95gXVTGN64b2cmpIax7-QiGqF6B2_lx9h-v_R-pIRzoKSh1ynMhZ3t6a5JF0VdO6LopKxHfhG1VNkkiumWGaEDk_mo/w480-h640/IMG_9828.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZPWPKaFPBnngySM7IGOcUigSzugluzlp8BW4eZYM6l2u1tITvao4U0fcVeOWNhjy9LffqbntPBLEhVGQAQs0N9-LPoQ5HFzakc9tBUnsEPMN-9wFcgaLauJgTyaynME0AhG6MeLVZPWP64ai_oQPk0ev7AoE0t7nSNKxVBnQ43PVx59Uo-YrpXy_7Fg/s4032/IMG_9752.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZPWPKaFPBnngySM7IGOcUigSzugluzlp8BW4eZYM6l2u1tITvao4U0fcVeOWNhjy9LffqbntPBLEhVGQAQs0N9-LPoQ5HFzakc9tBUnsEPMN-9wFcgaLauJgTyaynME0AhG6MeLVZPWP64ai_oQPk0ev7AoE0t7nSNKxVBnQ43PVx59Uo-YrpXy_7Fg/w640-h480/IMG_9752.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Inside the old Bootts mill, there was one floor still filled with old weaving machines. On the floor above the machines, there was an interesting small museum about the mills.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXv4Uxy8D1a60DiD6JIJbsUkXaDOVkLcG1l5zLSDb-rB6Ig57XvD6WWG-vvKNEkc2oW7eILq2ZHsiQ8XOovp0bPZw3OH3cRE1-uw_q9qoIRI2xSQ0CaWEYCXbK9ewtPbF58MuFeb8Po2MAXgyU9msitigb63VY_Gd64ikCndYuy2BS7CjatBi2chn9464/s4032/IMG_9773.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXv4Uxy8D1a60DiD6JIJbsUkXaDOVkLcG1l5zLSDb-rB6Ig57XvD6WWG-vvKNEkc2oW7eILq2ZHsiQ8XOovp0bPZw3OH3cRE1-uw_q9qoIRI2xSQ0CaWEYCXbK9ewtPbF58MuFeb8Po2MAXgyU9msitigb63VY_Gd64ikCndYuy2BS7CjatBi2chn9464/w480-h640/IMG_9773.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I can only imagine how loud the entire building was when all the stories were filled with running machines. When we entered some park rangers started up a section of machines to run, and my ears were ringing when I left.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FynKqxBdZlUW_xTl_0lfUYzaFzpRHjgJhdUAoWapoI5UEnOZdV0nTUjgens1-3v3QSGicPG_4-B_sP8yvzIcjtz9XYoqh4gRM4G5UZXlw35QGsrT7nJ5XTTgMc1yx2qTo5zTOZmB8IlHahRzrZSxRhTXBf79_Sf6nbflyKluSucjI0J3X3woeZuamNs/s4032/IMG_9761.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FynKqxBdZlUW_xTl_0lfUYzaFzpRHjgJhdUAoWapoI5UEnOZdV0nTUjgens1-3v3QSGicPG_4-B_sP8yvzIcjtz9XYoqh4gRM4G5UZXlw35QGsrT7nJ5XTTgMc1yx2qTo5zTOZmB8IlHahRzrZSxRhTXBf79_Sf6nbflyKluSucjI0J3X3woeZuamNs/w480-h640/IMG_9761.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFp1zF2Mt2NIqfMhilzLmHjgWTbeF_5Ff9dX3bOr-KpbZq_mH_Cj-0C2yJeRpESABLOelaWUx3C_oBmCVBWqAYPfbWerZbGrJ7xJiVIu_y229AQL0y1YuylSvY3v9RCfcgpKBUD314iLWBy2EGA0dH12vRrSby5SJQKCSWRpgh37YSw7zSTgSYPy0tKe0/s4032/IMG_9766.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFp1zF2Mt2NIqfMhilzLmHjgWTbeF_5Ff9dX3bOr-KpbZq_mH_Cj-0C2yJeRpESABLOelaWUx3C_oBmCVBWqAYPfbWerZbGrJ7xJiVIu_y229AQL0y1YuylSvY3v9RCfcgpKBUD314iLWBy2EGA0dH12vRrSby5SJQKCSWRpgh37YSw7zSTgSYPy0tKe0/w640-h480/IMG_9766.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Plus the cotton fiber dust must have been horrible to breathe in. Factory worker safety was obviously not like it would be today. You could see the fibers stuck all over the machines.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicR_Swh6hpqnmH5OvkWGk-Z0hipw_0Avpm2mQe-WlRdO_ZnlXu6HmPdDaYvnU7JgRk9qHLH_lBdwwlM412IP66yyiLUiZo8ILk7OKxGZPyTGwMt6UtfFAduz_W8cHDfCklpnZZ_8aJetM-pjk0v6GN9xL2M79fCISivRqDh9XJMpoO2ht7xg25VwiF5eg/s4032/IMG_9764.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicR_Swh6hpqnmH5OvkWGk-Z0hipw_0Avpm2mQe-WlRdO_ZnlXu6HmPdDaYvnU7JgRk9qHLH_lBdwwlM412IP66yyiLUiZo8ILk7OKxGZPyTGwMt6UtfFAduz_W8cHDfCklpnZZ_8aJetM-pjk0v6GN9xL2M79fCISivRqDh9XJMpoO2ht7xg25VwiF5eg/w480-h640/IMG_9764.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The roll of the workers (mostly women) was to be sure that the thread spindles were constantly put in and that the machine was actually producing fabric. This is because the machine could weave the fabric automatically, but these older machines weren't robots and needed a person to keep them working. Here are some of those loaded spindles, ready to go onto a loom for fabric production.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0msadz4gOjaCWPPCvWojqiTZFd-BSo1dzK8DpNPBuMoEbrWc9N26WbEWPrBBIYw_c_L9thyphenhyphenZrEipSec4mszpV13FzO_ICvte36DAn82DkPtppKljUuHe18cTDsuvqr7J69xqQX8GOOb0Tr_dp7tlUjjEMgHPGPICTHG3mMD5PP25G2G3o8jdOCPJbfMM/s4032/IMG_9771.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0msadz4gOjaCWPPCvWojqiTZFd-BSo1dzK8DpNPBuMoEbrWc9N26WbEWPrBBIYw_c_L9thyphenhyphenZrEipSec4mszpV13FzO_ICvte36DAn82DkPtppKljUuHe18cTDsuvqr7J69xqQX8GOOb0Tr_dp7tlUjjEMgHPGPICTHG3mMD5PP25G2G3o8jdOCPJbfMM/w480-h640/IMG_9771.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally for today's post, here's some fabric that was currently being made in the mill. The park service cuts and sells this fabric to help support the park.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzjYL2Zs6vkWAUHxF8yYfvzJXi5jLGIdSgvZvurex5M1t9l-kpU2q7n11_TRqotP0oy5WC4jhMHSEjvSBEB82L5vuoiXOKZw4wP2RUhzeMNXlygv0cWlVFNs1tIA0F83J21jgGmiJFu2H29HMmw3p2t4WV3Sbf16ts2YxpZH796H0msb5EnSWwIeWsU4/s4032/IMG_9769.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzjYL2Zs6vkWAUHxF8yYfvzJXi5jLGIdSgvZvurex5M1t9l-kpU2q7n11_TRqotP0oy5WC4jhMHSEjvSBEB82L5vuoiXOKZw4wP2RUhzeMNXlygv0cWlVFNs1tIA0F83J21jgGmiJFu2H29HMmw3p2t4WV3Sbf16ts2YxpZH796H0msb5EnSWwIeWsU4/w640-h480/IMG_9769.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'll share more on Friday. Thanks for visiting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-73398859925182184792024-03-05T04:00:00.001-05:002024-03-05T04:00:00.127-05:00Spring!<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hi everyone. It is another Tuesday and another start of a new challenge at <a href="https://tuesdaytaggers.blogspot.com/">Try It On Tuesday</a> .</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">First let me thank <a href="https://kartenkram.blogspot.com/">Silke</a> for hosting our Spotlight Challenge, and also let me thank everyone who joined in. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our new challenge is one that speaks to the upcoming season for everyone who lives north of the equator. This time our theme is</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>SPRING</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu31p7bddGCwzIbsorFqRBrhyphenhyphenVF73B2jdL8gEKsPMiXUtUQoKH1QiNhLlnbBOT_-e5xKzM4Ipr-vOCGLj3-mc4P4FnDdKq6BfpGfwbKXlSi77hfgoDzW7-wGZIs6SfFRlovE5jz7TUwfPBxTNAPRf-Nxys52-ShO7Ft2rjCTAvXD-and1WMUyYvfYR6jM/s3822/IMG_0184.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3822" data-original-width="2598" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu31p7bddGCwzIbsorFqRBrhyphenhyphenVF73B2jdL8gEKsPMiXUtUQoKH1QiNhLlnbBOT_-e5xKzM4Ipr-vOCGLj3-mc4P4FnDdKq6BfpGfwbKXlSi77hfgoDzW7-wGZIs6SfFRlovE5jz7TUwfPBxTNAPRf-Nxys52-ShO7Ft2rjCTAvXD-and1WMUyYvfYR6jM/w436-h640/IMG_0184.HEIC" width="436" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I made a blossom filled page that used a lot of stamping and watercolor paints and pencils.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I started by taking some watercolor pencils and making some "spots" on my blank journal page. Then used a wet brush and spread out the colors so I had various colors around my background. I then used an ancient Technique Tuesday cherry blossom stamp and stamped it multiple times around my background. A few spots didn't stamp very dark so I even over-stamped some of those images.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I used watercolor paints, a marker, and a white pen to color in the background flowers. I also stamped one branch of flowers on some white paper. I used the same supplies to color them in, and then I fussy cut them. I used a die to die cut the black oval in the center of my page. I stamped the quote on it with white pigment ink. Then I stamped the bunny on white paper and fussy cut that out. I added that and my single branch of cherry blossoms around the base of my die cut. Finally I stamped some tiny butterflies and colored them in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Our spring challenge runs for the next 2 weeks, and if you don't know, <a href="https://kartenkram.blogspot.com/">Technique Tuesday</a> accepts all types of art. And don't forget to check out all the fun spring ideas from the design team members also.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I am also linking my page up to Chris' challenge at <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a>. This month Chris' challenge is <i>On All Fours</i>, and she asks for 4 legged animals. Just a reminder that at <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a> only journaling is accepted. Please no cards, tags, or other art forms.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I look forward to seeing everyone's spring inspired art. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-69903137813760603382024-03-04T19:42:00.000-05:002024-03-04T19:42:31.729-05:00T Stands for Celebrating All Weekend<p style="text-align: center;">Hi everyone. It's the first T day of March. I hope everyone had a great start to the new month. I can't believe we're in the third month of 2024 already.</p><p style="text-align: center;">My post is a bit long today-warning you and apologizing in advance.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Last week there was spring, a lot of mud and wintery cold in New Hampshire. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOWXq_RskQUI7vtAYYRd3gM-vSweuWWSmRHcsYZwvnjcb-UVexRnJgwSaGm5ibPfyicTtkhrzQKfU82BCCUpx047udOhc7mvG4ey7TMw7YavIugvZSSX-iXCNmecxhDVH2IPkxwErRPas9gWW4XLPhPEaIHQ1w25JvNDcFyWyC-S_uQ2OTbv1RD4W0Sc/s4032/IMG_0322.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOWXq_RskQUI7vtAYYRd3gM-vSweuWWSmRHcsYZwvnjcb-UVexRnJgwSaGm5ibPfyicTtkhrzQKfU82BCCUpx047udOhc7mvG4ey7TMw7YavIugvZSSX-iXCNmecxhDVH2IPkxwErRPas9gWW4XLPhPEaIHQ1w25JvNDcFyWyC-S_uQ2OTbv1RD4W0Sc/w640-h480/IMG_0322.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">It's not very pretty outside right now at all. 😒 </p><p style="text-align: center;">I did buy some daffodils at Trader Joe's the other day so at least they brightened up inside.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4zyG79FvY2-va9LbSPQavhzT5Bs9aM4Bu5yakrSKYWs82ybC_YbJChmw6LlXhFIx91gbNqTn8_sEl3rX7e1WDA3N4C_8tFNFxiA8oOy-YtO7FyBJBmkokTeqlPyueZIVOSK9JUQyMVi0yf9UaOmAi_Be4ZT-KJ8EFRUCVFNgOLSvTFwzgzkrWGg_Cd8/s4032/IMG_0246.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4zyG79FvY2-va9LbSPQavhzT5Bs9aM4Bu5yakrSKYWs82ybC_YbJChmw6LlXhFIx91gbNqTn8_sEl3rX7e1WDA3N4C_8tFNFxiA8oOy-YtO7FyBJBmkokTeqlPyueZIVOSK9JUQyMVi0yf9UaOmAi_Be4ZT-KJ8EFRUCVFNgOLSvTFwzgzkrWGg_Cd8/w640-h480/IMG_0246.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkua6zsThi4Mi0l62sgUNtZUv7IE5mDaTPIR5qW3ICvSHwyv0MsP9YEcPVRWT7rTiPOa1VrCcQ1pbEkmDC1U2WhyphenhyphenFdqxPTBuOvpSONiuadY6u6MUk8JVGoz-j8KB9kPYslmJZBHBxlIaozuplhjL2FiTpkKenJWHgaMbyZMHicFUwNIkpBtFiOHSSuTTg/s4032/IMG_0247.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2949" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkua6zsThi4Mi0l62sgUNtZUv7IE5mDaTPIR5qW3ICvSHwyv0MsP9YEcPVRWT7rTiPOa1VrCcQ1pbEkmDC1U2WhyphenhyphenFdqxPTBuOvpSONiuadY6u6MUk8JVGoz-j8KB9kPYslmJZBHBxlIaozuplhjL2FiTpkKenJWHgaMbyZMHicFUwNIkpBtFiOHSSuTTg/w468-h640/IMG_0247.HEIC" width="468" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I never managed to get to the ocean to walk last week, but I did a bit of baking. This next photo is also my first ticket to T over at <a href="https://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/2024/03/t-stands-for-spice-merchant-spices.html">Bleubeard's and Elizabeth's blog</a> this week. You can see my Diet Coke. It takes me 2-3 days to get through a bottle this size.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FAsGSrJzm5r7E7_n5cBFktY9hJRsPi224EuO2pycT3SpDufnNFh5LCz4a2ppk8Ox5kNYQkWjlLDcnX1o990L0OZaR1P3ltFgdvMrPImOj-myibREniICP-Q3DggFskb8TrC1GCY_Tu98g9aufhlWwKe0allSZ0ux3hmFFlwFpENQ1Jix57xSlXunQgA/s4032/IMG_0243.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FAsGSrJzm5r7E7_n5cBFktY9hJRsPi224EuO2pycT3SpDufnNFh5LCz4a2ppk8Ox5kNYQkWjlLDcnX1o990L0OZaR1P3ltFgdvMrPImOj-myibREniICP-Q3DggFskb8TrC1GCY_Tu98g9aufhlWwKe0allSZ0ux3hmFFlwFpENQ1Jix57xSlXunQgA/w640-h480/IMG_0243.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I was making myself a birthday cake because my daughter and her husband came last Friday evening for an early celebration. This cake was a new recipe for me, and I tried 2 new things in cake baking with this recipe. First of all I have never made a cake with self-rising flour. Self-rising flour is something that for years you could barely find here in the parts of New England where I've lived. Now that I can easily find it, I was ready to try it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The other thing I tried was using freeze-dried powdered strawberries. When I opened the package they smelled great, and they did make the cake taste like strawberries. I think when I use them again I will add a bit of red food coloring just because I think some people (like my husband) expect strawberries to be red. I know smell affects taste, but I think color can and does also.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Before we had birthday cake, we went out for Mexican food. I haven't had Mexican food for a long time, and it was yummy (but I forgot to take a photo). With dinner I had a margarita too. That's drink number 2.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZXHs3M5oGNtd86PZzgNId6rQrDoVqDU0i4MivIxvYflnxymb6H4zzRtWbwpPyuq4ipgcoGLlRsTVenUbtXfvIeM5azYiaDz4rRXC-hl1mLKYdY2Q5AoJuJzhAsetE5KrysOh7zUkHOT5k5djWBPsqvVlHU_l1hFEsXzH-JlBBM-Ad-dA0WBfVDprig0s/s4032/IMG_0285.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZXHs3M5oGNtd86PZzgNId6rQrDoVqDU0i4MivIxvYflnxymb6H4zzRtWbwpPyuq4ipgcoGLlRsTVenUbtXfvIeM5azYiaDz4rRXC-hl1mLKYdY2Q5AoJuJzhAsetE5KrysOh7zUkHOT5k5djWBPsqvVlHU_l1hFEsXzH-JlBBM-Ad-dA0WBfVDprig0s/w480-h640/IMG_0285.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div></blockquote></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The photo in this angle makes my margarita look gigantic. It was the same size as my daughter's which you can also see in the photo. And you can see the water I drank after my margarita was finished.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We were too tired Friday night to have my birthday cake so the next best thing was to have it for breakfast on Saturday. 😮</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The layers go (from top of the cake to bottom) strawberry, vanilla and then chocolate. There was homemade whipped cream and red berry jam in between each layer. Some of it squeezed out when the cake got carried upstairs from the garage. I had it in a cooler out there because the whipped cream it needed to be kept cold, and since I didn't have room in the fridge, a cooler in the garage was the next best thing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's me with morning hair ready to blow out the candles.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVZ62KmZdGeeLW0TrqWFoDwUQ2TVLRmxFbmKrycpM-FRm6xxUSgyyk0Pk4_gsKL0aGJqTCThS5LMpehBNN6EMd5VmGcp1CCqs5C-JWGrY6xyr9G6jyi3W29Rn-lptX8mEGpDdMOxoOepl2v4eNUvNIP91Z132f9C7lnnUBuZtiIfju9ZHw7BYuivNkmY/s3024/IMG_9782.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2121" data-original-width="3024" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVZ62KmZdGeeLW0TrqWFoDwUQ2TVLRmxFbmKrycpM-FRm6xxUSgyyk0Pk4_gsKL0aGJqTCThS5LMpehBNN6EMd5VmGcp1CCqs5C-JWGrY6xyr9G6jyi3W29Rn-lptX8mEGpDdMOxoOepl2v4eNUvNIP91Z132f9C7lnnUBuZtiIfju9ZHw7BYuivNkmY/w640-h448/IMG_9782.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I actually celebrated all weekend. 😏</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> This past weekend my husband and I also went out tractor shopping. The hubby has been stashing money away for many years (we all are sick of hearing him tell us he wants a tractor), and finally he found a used one that worked for his budget and what he wanted.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikF5wwKooinj8AOuXhSUlJeFmzvRkWtyLZCciqTen3c2ql1zknixZh_xXV-pvkFM43U5TW-SHeTdHgW5TjuByjaDabT0jWz7Ge1drCkZ6aYmJY2r8-j0PaRUQJRtGY9PxWjUTBh-fx0gSUVtRp0fJb5UHmulUQFZQQwv2PbIEFGDqUWqu1_bkOmRNvNh0/s4032/IMG_0314.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikF5wwKooinj8AOuXhSUlJeFmzvRkWtyLZCciqTen3c2ql1zknixZh_xXV-pvkFM43U5TW-SHeTdHgW5TjuByjaDabT0jWz7Ge1drCkZ6aYmJY2r8-j0PaRUQJRtGY9PxWjUTBh-fx0gSUVtRp0fJb5UHmulUQFZQQwv2PbIEFGDqUWqu1_bkOmRNvNh0/w640-h480/IMG_0314.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Yes that's me on the tractor at the dealer. It's the first time I've ever driven one. I'm actually excited he finally found one because I have a few projects I want to work on. A little more practice with the bucket, and I'll be ready to use it myself. ❤</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Since he bought the tractor in Maine, we headed a little further east to go visit his Mom. She was not having a great day, but her assisted living is near one of our favorite pizza places. After our visit we went and had pizza for a late lunch. This diet Pepsi is another drink ticket for T day, even though I forgot to take a photo with most of the pizza.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxk8NP_oAcNl6-ML36lD9TW_vehyphenhyphenoymOAFdi4FcR9nh0rI1hDSaNvllvURfAFqOPaerg2_Cx3osLz42sn23GWbwiRcHoQxeRCF-frahExhpWjbWZJtJLGxaIVUc1ku6mT5FKx515FJvc2B_NYXwI5CbWVc5fZIHrzVI5tFKUNieIUReJm70kirQKsZYSs/s4032/IMG_0319.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxk8NP_oAcNl6-ML36lD9TW_vehyphenhyphenoymOAFdi4FcR9nh0rI1hDSaNvllvURfAFqOPaerg2_Cx3osLz42sn23GWbwiRcHoQxeRCF-frahExhpWjbWZJtJLGxaIVUc1ku6mT5FKx515FJvc2B_NYXwI5CbWVc5fZIHrzVI5tFKUNieIUReJm70kirQKsZYSs/w480-h640/IMG_0319.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Since this post is getting long, I'll end it here. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm hoping everyone has a great T day and first full week of March. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-1084466072406862842024-03-03T14:02:00.003-05:002024-03-03T14:08:35.580-05:00February Books<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. I hope your weekend is going or went well.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Last month I had a great reading month. I not only finished 11 books, but the books I read or listened to were very good. I will say my reading choices were all over the place, with a couple of histories, a little fiction and a lot of mysteries. If you like book posts, I hope you'll choose to read on, and maybe you'll see something that appeals to you also.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnf-1wBs7GOjOi4U761rC5xb9DjZbrDCz1jVArBKA-GRZrUuP4eJoQSrq32dQx4y8bOyxoymsPnhqqdFaBp6y8oVBLKSs1IhC9Mro3XdshHQEU-0HLubElGBDPB6wsMebOpZZSuA3bMGhZ4QSzwDFoFr3NHWvKIN5k_R-f0N-QHhdZziIlgxcmsNmsy0g/s466/61N2lq9sIrL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="301" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnf-1wBs7GOjOi4U761rC5xb9DjZbrDCz1jVArBKA-GRZrUuP4eJoQSrq32dQx4y8bOyxoymsPnhqqdFaBp6y8oVBLKSs1IhC9Mro3XdshHQEU-0HLubElGBDPB6wsMebOpZZSuA3bMGhZ4QSzwDFoFr3NHWvKIN5k_R-f0N-QHhdZziIlgxcmsNmsy0g/w414-h640/61N2lq9sIrL._SY466_.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My first book for February was this non-fiction history by Michael Capuzzo. <u>Close to Shore</u> is not only about shark attacks, but also about a more innocent time in history. The 1910's was a time when people were just starting to actually go swimming in the ocean (rather than only promenading along the shore or taking a quick dip in a bathing box), and it was also a time before people really thought about killer sharks in the ocean.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Although there is a bit of language embellishment in this book, I liked it. The author focuses in on what was the <i>new</i> thing to do, swimming in the ocean. Before that people went to the shore to escape the heat, but starting in the Edwardian Age, people (mostly men) decided that long distance ocean swimming was much healthier than a quick salt water bath. The new men's bathing suit styles also helped; they were stylish (for 1916) black wool shorts and a black wool top. These made swimming much easier than the more cumbersome layers of the past. (As the author noted, colored swimsuits really didn't start until they were seen in Hollywood in the 1930s.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I really enjoyed how the author described this era in detail and also how the author described the way the Jersey shore became such a hot vacation place back in that time period. Even in today's media crazy world, those shark attacks were gruesome. I probably wouldn't have read this book, seeing I thought it was something different than it ended up being, but it kept showing up in various places over the month of January. They had a huge stack out in Barnes and Nobel one day, and I also saw it on a couple of online reading lists. That made me curious, and I am glad I read it. I learned a lot, not only about sharks, but also about early beach days. It was a very interesting story.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTEs471UJDeSAQCvuwE6GIgNlt3SeAS0Q0LDoB73C9ggGxi4h9qE_hhrvBPRl3HL-nS-UvDW2LMNnXbBEgLERtTTDhSd7JP2J5wpBnYqopS9b7smMVvSWIXP9vw6k2CeZTsU5jGHB0ypMbNdNsnCEpcysXPnXwzlK_HW7h4XhvPykijdAeuLEdPtdge8/s466/61TRIpAtPlL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="291" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTEs471UJDeSAQCvuwE6GIgNlt3SeAS0Q0LDoB73C9ggGxi4h9qE_hhrvBPRl3HL-nS-UvDW2LMNnXbBEgLERtTTDhSd7JP2J5wpBnYqopS9b7smMVvSWIXP9vw6k2CeZTsU5jGHB0ypMbNdNsnCEpcysXPnXwzlK_HW7h4XhvPykijdAeuLEdPtdge8/w400-h640/61TRIpAtPlL._SY466_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My first listen in February was this novella that I had in my audible account. Willa Cather was a great American writer, and since this year I am trying to add more classics into my reading mix, I decided to listen to it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u>A Lost Lady</u> is really the story of Neil, who grows up in Sweet Water, Kansas. Here a teenage Neil meets and is befriended by Mrs. Forester, a woman who married a man much older than she is. Throughout the years Neil was growing up, he was invited to the Forester's home for various events. By the time Neil became an adult, he was quite fond of Mrs. Forester (but <u>not</u> in a romantic way). However, as Mrs. Forester's husband ages, although she was still a good wife, she became quite restless. She assured Neil that when her husband died, she would be going to live <i>her life</i>. She makes it clear at that time that living in Sweet Water and being married to her older husband has not been the way she really wanted her life to go.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is an interesting and well written story in how it portrays a woman who wants to live her own life even if that means going against the conventions of her time. This story also shows how that idea is viewed from a younger person who happens to be male. The juxtaposition of the 2 main characters, Mrs. Forester and Neil, adds a lot of depth to the storyline. And Cather, being such a good writer, also focuses on how the times changed between the 2 generations, the elder being part of the later but still “pioneer" generation and the young man being a part of the next generation once the west was more established. Mrs. Forester was really a woman a bit ahead of her time, even if the younger Neil thought she had some dubious habits.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3v8hVfATzibDr3DrbNHkNRCi0FMgp7AxeLIY2B9bNEC3-bGbNoEDnQG8l_JCDxYrwVdlDRZaOfEHOVeEY61r2ckrd9dLTOqPDWcvfPGp1rbRPAnvRaX7yAdo1o8PFrgRPQoplZWfzFpyYncATDR4fyV1KgeSRjuZoIt78IKTW2SNQ8sgUbWDKXyFB2Xc/s466/916YrgQwYZL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="312" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3v8hVfATzibDr3DrbNHkNRCi0FMgp7AxeLIY2B9bNEC3-bGbNoEDnQG8l_JCDxYrwVdlDRZaOfEHOVeEY61r2ckrd9dLTOqPDWcvfPGp1rbRPAnvRaX7yAdo1o8PFrgRPQoplZWfzFpyYncATDR4fyV1KgeSRjuZoIt78IKTW2SNQ8sgUbWDKXyFB2Xc/w428-h640/916YrgQwYZL._SY466_.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I decided not to wait very long before listening to book 3 in the Lady Trent memoir saga. Last month I listened to book 2 when Lady Isabella Trent was in the jungle of Eriga studying serpent-like dragons. This time she is on a two year around the world voyage to not only study dragons, but with a goal of learning how to reproduce dragon bone artificially. That would save all the dragon species instead of slaughtering them for the questionable uses and benefits of dragon bone.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Of course, some of the places Isabella Trent visited were not happy about her showing up. Lady Trent also took her son Jacob with her on this trip, and being a curious child or 8 and 9, he wasn't always the perfect sailor, getting into things boys will but captains of ships don't want them to touch. On this voyage Isabella also meets a foreign a archaeologist whom she finds quite interesting. Romance is possibly in the air in future stories. 😏</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There is also a round of dengue fever. The ship they are all on, the Basilisk, is wrecked on the shore during a terrible storm. And then there's a diving bell experience and a kidnapped Princess on a diplomatic journey. There is never a dull moment in these stories, that's for certain. This book is another fun fantasy romp with a great character (Lady Isabella Trent) who has lots of interesting adventures.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ocYn4p0UguOUGdsRn84Lmw7D1m5jEwRpSij9yTucf1YJjINR37G3xo2D1mgwye1a3gnK62WzLFQe8jPuGQGWr70IEbN-98cePfF7hXhQkXVlXyEeJSjFNwN6iXeQRvLwptLXpZFUT6QvZ0HpzEuPtFiphjeS8ZSBjJbBxGTjhrM8qvhZq0QuhK0L47g/s1500/81Gc5pmzeFL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="991" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ocYn4p0UguOUGdsRn84Lmw7D1m5jEwRpSij9yTucf1YJjINR37G3xo2D1mgwye1a3gnK62WzLFQe8jPuGQGWr70IEbN-98cePfF7hXhQkXVlXyEeJSjFNwN6iXeQRvLwptLXpZFUT6QvZ0HpzEuPtFiphjeS8ZSBjJbBxGTjhrM8qvhZq0QuhK0L47g/w422-h640/81Gc5pmzeFL._SL1500_.jpg" width="422" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A friend of mine recommended this novel to me. <u>Things I Wish I Told My Mother</u> was a fast read, light but still with a good amount of depth. (I know those 2 things seem to not go together, but even though the reading was light, the story hit home for me and probably many women on many levels.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Laurie Margulis is a thirty something woman who works at an advertising agency in New York. She's a pretty down to earth woman. But her mother is not. Her mother is a top gynecologist, who is a perfectionist in every sense of the word. When he mother ends up in the hospital with some heart issues, she and Laurie decide to take a trip to Paris, and then onto Norway where her mother is from. In Laurie's mind (as she is the narrator) this might be good but challenging trip. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This book takes you on an enjoyable romp through their travels, and then, it ends with a twist. Not totally unexpected, but I will say I was connected to the characters enough to have an emotional response. I did enjoy the story, and it's not a hard or too long of a read. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7KVyym8aR8TW0f0-CZWCqEpQMCr5qdCczmL_cp3ia6CTL4DbcNWZYvftAp_958qniKx709fXX1W8pqOywcmET7v6scHFs00Tu4NFlHQdugQ4XmlIdMU7T4sQb6yLJKxRtHhFRdzmxCym8mz08ElXzKKobTPbtSD2W3ArYyxpSKTEy_UKoqOzXNTAfwA/s445/51v+Lpoq-jL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="292" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7KVyym8aR8TW0f0-CZWCqEpQMCr5qdCczmL_cp3ia6CTL4DbcNWZYvftAp_958qniKx709fXX1W8pqOywcmET7v6scHFs00Tu4NFlHQdugQ4XmlIdMU7T4sQb6yLJKxRtHhFRdzmxCym8mz08ElXzKKobTPbtSD2W3ArYyxpSKTEy_UKoqOzXNTAfwA/w420-h640/51v+Lpoq-jL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hadn't gotten back to reading the next Brunetti mystery (which are set in Venice) for too long. I read the first 2 books back in 2022, and I really liked them. Since it was finally time to pick up another one, my next book was #3 in this series. <u>Dressed for Death </u>was published in 1994. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The book started off with 2 events. First of all a cross dresser was found dead in the grass next to a slaughterhouse across the bay from Venice. The red shoes he wore were what drew attention to him. Since the police in that area are short staffed, Brunetti's boss comes to him and tells him he is on the case. It takes Brunetti and the local police ( from the area where the body is found) several days before they even discover who this murder man is. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> The other event that starts the book is that Brunetti's boss's wife has left him and run off with the "prime-mover" of Italy's pornographic film industry. That makes everyone in the office tip-toe around for fear of setting him off. Perhaps it is a good thing that Brunetti is working across the bay in Maestra. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's summer, and it's very hot. Brunetti can't go on vacation with his wife and 2 children to the mountains because of this murder. I never really thought about Venice in the summer, and it doesn't sound pretty. (Since this book is set in 1994, perhaps things have changed? But I think if I ever visit Venice I won't go in the summer.😏) As with the other 2 books in this series that I've read, the story is well plotted and much more in depth than it first appears. What seems like just a transvestite's death is more to do with banking and the law. The topic of this story is, as was also true in the first 2 books, not exactly a cozy subject, but well done. As far as I can tell ( 3 books in) you can't go wrong with this series if you like a good mystery.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8i0xrES_z8wtMe8Nk5dCDdiI4Af2DxtCt2QPKry0DQqxQaGfyAoUPcDlecp9GX4o5rIXyZTtX2h9aU9HPSQdIMCfKLiigUPoF8uhQjfYR76ZdVhd-3CPXoTN9kRXB9vpRuOO7UNUBMdKDHsV4ZDaFxd8svLYLnJXi5Wok8S8iWDCnSTjsHFUOGe51XMY/s466/81DLjJkadiL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="309" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8i0xrES_z8wtMe8Nk5dCDdiI4Af2DxtCt2QPKry0DQqxQaGfyAoUPcDlecp9GX4o5rIXyZTtX2h9aU9HPSQdIMCfKLiigUPoF8uhQjfYR76ZdVhd-3CPXoTN9kRXB9vpRuOO7UNUBMdKDHsV4ZDaFxd8svLYLnJXi5Wok8S8iWDCnSTjsHFUOGe51XMY/w424-h640/81DLjJkadiL._SY466_.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My next listen is something out of my normal choice. This book is a history about Pompeii, the famous Roman city that was wiped out when Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE. I was lucky enough to visit Pompeii back in 2005, and even before my visit, it's always been a place I wondered about.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mary Beard was a new author for me. She has written a lot of histories about ancient Rome. I often look up authors to learn about them, and I did that with Mary Beard. She not only was a professor at Cambridge University (where she also completed all her college level education), but she is a trustee of the British Museum. I could tell from listening to this book that the author was an expert in her subject. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That information shouldn't intimidate you though because this book was really accessible and actually a pretty easy listen. I like how Beard did her chapters. A few examples are Street life, House and Home, Painting and Decorating and Who Ran the City. I will admit I skipped one chapter about politics since it really wasn't speaking to me, but the set up of the book made it easy to move forward since skipping a chapter did not mean I was lost for the rest of the book. I learned a lot listening to each of the other chapters though, and it was NOT dry information. In fact, the chapters were fascinating. I actually wish I had read this book before going to Pompeii, even though I could not have read it because it hadn't been published at that point. 😏</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I really enjoyed this history, and I am adding Mary Beard to my I want to read more of their work list. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPabz9TNg_cCeEWjCqpuv8fHRK0DkFaQ3cnWNOUJDLxEg4VLgV0Of99MAzSUFyDiJpp0Dv3lBWIvrjk74_LoiT69KHxcXyS9wbEPZKwNTGZn0X0jqyE7-nMUjxQz4RA1si0uPBDff_dOtvBt7Ou9pAHGldRtB1FXJ2UrfymEjEnuU9PALYFJUdn33SbrE/s445/51GEGBl0Y+L._SY445_SX342_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="293" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPabz9TNg_cCeEWjCqpuv8fHRK0DkFaQ3cnWNOUJDLxEg4VLgV0Of99MAzSUFyDiJpp0Dv3lBWIvrjk74_LoiT69KHxcXyS9wbEPZKwNTGZn0X0jqyE7-nMUjxQz4RA1si0uPBDff_dOtvBt7Ou9pAHGldRtB1FXJ2UrfymEjEnuU9PALYFJUdn33SbrE/w422-h640/51GEGBl0Y+L._SY445_SX342_.jpg" width="422" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My next book was this 2023 release from Anne Hillerman. This book had been sitting in "<i>my next to the bed</i>" book pile, and I don't know why I didn't pick it up earlier because I really enjoy this mystery series. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This story takes place at Bear's Ears National Monument in Utah. Navajo police officer Chee is there on business, and his wife, Navajo police officer Manuelito, has come along with her husband just to get away for a couple of days. However, it doesn't take long before Manuelito has a scary encounter with some people with guns, and Chee comes across a dead body in a wealthy man's yard.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Both of these events are connected to the sometimes illegal trade in fossils. What I liked about this story is that you, the reader, knew the guilty parties long before Manuelito and Chee did. What you don't know is how the story would carry out, and that kept me reading. This is another very good mystery in this series started by Tony Hillerman in the 1970's and then continued by his daughter Anne after Hillerman died. I'm excited that the next book in this series will come out this spring. Now let's hope it doesn't take me almost a year to read it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGbtrKufgO5mQVoRB2LLVhMHKg06Kz9PJfKxSefbzo7AJourP4Tmv3xmKB3SsiTesxKUFKl-WXGZ7-9mcx7daUnSkCIXs7GVaKAPNRWaJfbfqMXNwNIWlIcvQA62OLJYt54qy5woF6dXXHoReIscKg6gBXCWwwL_jjM-X24PojiAuVmbQLpBaZQjCDJ4/s466/518Vo6-NXXL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="294" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGbtrKufgO5mQVoRB2LLVhMHKg06Kz9PJfKxSefbzo7AJourP4Tmv3xmKB3SsiTesxKUFKl-WXGZ7-9mcx7daUnSkCIXs7GVaKAPNRWaJfbfqMXNwNIWlIcvQA62OLJYt54qy5woF6dXXHoReIscKg6gBXCWwwL_jjM-X24PojiAuVmbQLpBaZQjCDJ4/w404-h640/518Vo6-NXXL._SY466_.jpg" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After Utah in the US, my next book is # 3 in Asa Larsson's mystery series set in Northern Sweden. This series features lawyer Rebecka Martinsson. It also features police officer Anna-Maria Mella. Both of these women have been in the series since book 1, and now they officially work together.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In this mystery a woman named Inna is found dead in an ice fishing bob house (or what the book refers to as an ark). She has been stabbed and electrocuted. This woman is a big wig when it comes to high stakes and risky investments. The mystery of her death goes back in time and connects to the story of this woman, her brother, and a close associate as well as a few other people that are part of her inner circle. I think the author was very fascinated with these characters because she devoted much of the book to writing about them. Early on, I'm not sure that worked for me, as I wasn't as interested in knowing as much about them as I was with the process of the murder investigation. At one point it almost seemed like the author was trying to avoid the police investigation. Saying that, the backstory made sense as the police investigation returned in full swing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What I didn't expect was where the book went after that. Wow. This book goes from being just a murder mystery to an international crime story that winds itself back to the 2 main characters Mella and Martinsson. I didn't see the story behind that original murder coming. And the author does leave some things hanging so sometime soon I'll be reading the 4th book. I did read in the postscript that this is a 6 book series, so it sounds like this is not one of those indefinitely continuing series but has an ending. I don't think you must read books 1 and 2 first, but it definitely makes the story much richer if you do.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXA-_uONVAFjKN5annbC7SGVLz6StcZbL9RkFpFd4FP_tqwS0s0jRz2K7ajZqWfT82rYKUj3MjHnzI9gMPvVNm4qP0i745Fvwm45uhjvWs6Sv5qpgbJpHhBadCOMFfHLT6VBe9ZV6ppDidxbrZ3GC3BKMMgVqIC9oW9g5wX4Wv2Ipll5uSH5-zRqXc92Q/s445/5112eIqM9pL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXA-_uONVAFjKN5annbC7SGVLz6StcZbL9RkFpFd4FP_tqwS0s0jRz2K7ajZqWfT82rYKUj3MjHnzI9gMPvVNm4qP0i745Fvwm45uhjvWs6Sv5qpgbJpHhBadCOMFfHLT6VBe9ZV6ppDidxbrZ3GC3BKMMgVqIC9oW9g5wX4Wv2Ipll5uSH5-zRqXc92Q/w426-h640/5112eIqM9pL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The book world seems to be flooded by WW2 books lately (which is NOT a bad thing), but I was looking for something set in a different time frame. Hannah's latest book is about nurses serving in Vietnam, and that sounded like the change I needed, so my next listen was this book, <u>The Women</u>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This book is historical fiction. Hannah jumps right into the story, so within a very short time you are right along with Frankie McGrath, a new nurse on the ground just outside of Saigon. The colors, sounds, smells and views are in your face. I think Hannah does a great job with the setting and the overwhelming feeling a nurse first arriving in Vietnam must have had. I also think she has the pacing right, so this book moves along and really sucked me into its flow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As the story continues, there is romance, personal conflicts, and friendships. Home from her service time, Frankie is shocked at how people want to act as though that part of her didn’t happen. There is also the division in the country about whether the US should be in the war. Veterans are not being treated well. I was surprised that so many people said there were no women in Vietnam. I thought it would have been obvious, because if male soldiers are getting shot and injured, there needs to be medical staff to treat them. But then again, this book is set in the 1960's , and times were different.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As with many historical fiction stories, this novel is written for entertainment based on facts, but I learned more about the time reading it. It is <u>not </u>an indexed history book, just entertaining and at times, predictable reading. I also thought about how many of this book’s readers were not around at the time this story was set. I recommend this book if you like women's historical fiction, want an enjoyable read and/or like Kristen Hannah. Although this book could have been a bit shorter because the ending seemed to drag out just a bit, I think Kristen Hannah is getting better with every book she writes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOzyP02XC02VsEcmu17z3wTOwz4Ht5tT04u_sX5wmlbYyuPDtAvvNdcXsjkN1kvofuTgA1N9dPysOfdR9NkY-Sdq11aaCBWsE-bCXBg_eDKOgXT98qYEPbck5rxze2OTEFFc8Pwbek90PTVv9DiDKpH8RlhWC82eirpwwLhoFNphtbySvCLk9yXeh8Ck/s445/51VqQanjWoL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="290" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOzyP02XC02VsEcmu17z3wTOwz4Ht5tT04u_sX5wmlbYyuPDtAvvNdcXsjkN1kvofuTgA1N9dPysOfdR9NkY-Sdq11aaCBWsE-bCXBg_eDKOgXT98qYEPbck5rxze2OTEFFc8Pwbek90PTVv9DiDKpH8RlhWC82eirpwwLhoFNphtbySvCLk9yXeh8Ck/w418-h640/51VqQanjWoL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u>The Housemaid's Secret</u> was the least complicated and the quickest book in February's book list. In January I read the first book in this thriller series (<u>The House Maid</u>), and it did have a great unexpected twist at the end. When I had a chance to borrow book 2 in the series, I decided I would read it. Just like book one it was a very fast read (around 3 hours one afternoon), and just like book one there were times I was saying to myself "Don't be stupid." about the main character. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This time Millie is working in a NYC penthouse cleaning and making meals. However, her client's wife stays locked away in a bedroom when Millie is there working. Her orders are, do not disturb my wife. Why? As the book proceeds you know something is up besides what the author is telling you. Once again Freida McFadden writes a story with a few surprises. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you're looking for an afternoon of twists and turns and something not very difficult to read, then this might be a good book choice. I enjoyed it, and will probably, on some other afternoon when I have time and am feeling lazy, will read another book by this author.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_65iNjxeaFI0DEM6J6KqN4gdNCIJeA_OkrOwkQStXQB4iilpOfvR08Zc2-O8qhhG3zrkr2-mXe4XulEae7s_AFa6rL4sMe9omk96shLfnva7OSSbfVjDR-MDu1pG8QoNvnz5U3JbSRLbAxoSoXpeWb9yFKsFwLndQ7JytzyMAha7cfQp-LKAMoivTdX8/s445/51I03k0boYL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_65iNjxeaFI0DEM6J6KqN4gdNCIJeA_OkrOwkQStXQB4iilpOfvR08Zc2-O8qhhG3zrkr2-mXe4XulEae7s_AFa6rL4sMe9omk96shLfnva7OSSbfVjDR-MDu1pG8QoNvnz5U3JbSRLbAxoSoXpeWb9yFKsFwLndQ7JytzyMAha7cfQp-LKAMoivTdX8/w426-h640/51I03k0boYL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My last book for February is this novel, <u>The Berry Pickers</u>, which is set in Maine and over in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1962, a 4 year old girl named Ruthie went missing while in Maine with her family. The family are Mi'kmaq First People. Her brother Joe is the last to see her alive.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The chapters in this book alternate between Joe and Norma. Joe's chapters are told in present tense, when Joe is in his 50's and dying from cancer. Parts of his chapters are memories of his childhood including when the family searches for his missing sister. Joe has always felt responsible for her disappearance. In his chapters Joe tells the story of his life, and you do have to wonder how much of who he was is because of guilt from when his sister disappeared.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm not sure I liked Joe. I think he was a good soul who would rather take the easy way out. I didn't enjoy reading his chapters the same way I enjoyed reading the other chapters.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Those other chapters are about Norma, a young girl who grew up with a very over protective mother. Norma has dreams about another life. As a child her mother tried to squash the content of those dreams as just a bad nightmare, but it is obvious early on that Norma does not know everything about who she is. I spent much of the novel wondering when we would learn who Norma really was.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I liked this book. I didn't love this book, but it is definitely a story that makes you think. It stuck with me also, because I've been thinking about it since I finished it last week. And it brings back the question (to me) of what makes a book good? Is it something you really enjoy reading, or is it something that you keep thinking even after you are done with it? Obviously if you enjoyed a book you would say it is good, but in 6 months or a year, will that book pop into your head if someone asks you to recommend a book?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">OK, I'm getting philosophical and will be writing on a tangent in a moment, so it's time to end this post.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As usual, I love a good recommendation, and thanks for putting up with my long monthly book posts. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-72530112985773006672024-03-02T05:09:00.004-05:002024-03-02T05:09:00.135-05:00Second on the Second<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hi everyone. Happy weekend to you. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's March 2. I hope everyone had a lovely start to the new month. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My daughter and her husband are here for a short visit, and sometime this weekend my husband and I are also talking about going to visit his mother over in Maine. I'm not certain whether that visit to Maine will actually happen this weekend or wait until next weekend. A lot depends on how long my other visitors are at the house and what else my husband wants to accomplish this weekend.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Because being March 2, it is time for <b>Second on the Second</b> over at <a href="https://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/">Bleubeard's and Elizabeth's blog</a>. All you need to do to join is show something you've already posted in the past. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> My 2 pieces of art today go back to March of 2020.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This first journal page was speaking to me because by March I am actually craving the color green. Obviously not to eat, but I want to see it. This page has a bit of green in the grey/brown world just like it is at my house in early March. Although sadly we don't have any outside green yet, just a lot of grey and brown.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PSHozZa9dUdpG6h1QRc8hwDBbeDoLZpJv_crr2UVC6h56ETWn0_KSAgCSsD8x2REFEv_K82USbAseEOlDYj9P683LwxI0VlWI6Z1lpaF-vsy_LZcWlieDX9NJVViNan8Rcj_C07mINjoWeYM669Wgt55ZnLunHLuYG4gN5UJJbdhovisTq3NjqABeiE/s640/IMG_3363.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="478" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PSHozZa9dUdpG6h1QRc8hwDBbeDoLZpJv_crr2UVC6h56ETWn0_KSAgCSsD8x2REFEv_K82USbAseEOlDYj9P683LwxI0VlWI6Z1lpaF-vsy_LZcWlieDX9NJVViNan8Rcj_C07mINjoWeYM669Wgt55ZnLunHLuYG4gN5UJJbdhovisTq3NjqABeiE/w478-h640/IMG_3363.JPG" width="478" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Plus this little green men piece makes me smile. The original post is here: <a href="https://fat-emma.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-good-and-bad-of-working-at-home.html">The Good and The Bad of Working at Home</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And this tag was speaking to me also. Here's the original post: <a href="https://fat-emma.blogspot.com/2020/03/just-some-chatter.html">Just Some Chatter</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bunnies always make me think of spring and Easter, both which are happening this March.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And although tags are <b>NOT</b> allowed at Art Journal Journey, Chris’ theme this month is about 4 legged animals. Bunnies are perfect examples!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4XPAVemkToSKLbhKd_BbWHWL2gWh4lSKCbBWZwMxUUiNtytoBIT4nqj-UwggqIPKOO7iXTMNLTWm2HnclduS1qcRFd7rqGog99P1f4klpu48Iykqt-rqKlkvN0wy5d2mWIdpiR0Ujj_6Xz1ApAAMGQqz9kuAeRqumwMYHh7w0piz_x1pM9umU9oZSJU/s640/IMG_3493.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="336" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4XPAVemkToSKLbhKd_BbWHWL2gWh4lSKCbBWZwMxUUiNtytoBIT4nqj-UwggqIPKOO7iXTMNLTWm2HnclduS1qcRFd7rqGog99P1f4klpu48Iykqt-rqKlkvN0wy5d2mWIdpiR0Ujj_6Xz1ApAAMGQqz9kuAeRqumwMYHh7w0piz_x1pM9umU9oZSJU/w336-h640/IMG_3493.JPG" width="336" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am also linking this post up (tomorrow) to Gillena's <a href="https://myblog-lunchbreak.blogspot.com/">Sunday Smiles</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's all for me today. It's a little busy around my house this morning. I hope you have a great weekend.</div><br /> <p></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-7403408026052580382024-03-01T04:00:00.000-05:002024-03-01T04:00:00.133-05:00I'm A Guest Designer<p style="text-align: center;">Hi everyone. Yes, this is a second post from me today.😀</p><p style="text-align: center;">I'm really honored to be chosen as a guest designer over at <a href="https://creativeartistemixedmedia.blogspot.com/">Creative Artiste MIxed Media blog challenge</a> for the #102 challenge. Their challenge always starts the first Friday of the month, which just happens to be March 1 this year.</p><p style="text-align: center;">For those of you who may not know me, I love mixed media play time and getting messy with paints, markers, crayons, and inks. You name it, and I like to play with it. I love trying out new media too. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Creative Artist's theme is always "<i>Anything Goes" as long as it's mixed media</i>, and here's a journal page I made.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEJkIPlSPGKicO_GXl5RZVtA32S0MBTTO0OzzWUv0Uw36r-NgqHNP7UJ_E-jxRim38gO7sEavblE4NYqVWKFgoqT6V7wu2sJUkQbCVVPDYyp2SCpncrDqXx6aYb_IOaxLnbEEDSYyoIBJRv1j75ogZSA3hJhnKZGXYHMQoTZ-iSzeJvXuRvPpaFbZ__g/s3872/IMG_9682.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3872" data-original-width="2978" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEJkIPlSPGKicO_GXl5RZVtA32S0MBTTO0OzzWUv0Uw36r-NgqHNP7UJ_E-jxRim38gO7sEavblE4NYqVWKFgoqT6V7wu2sJUkQbCVVPDYyp2SCpncrDqXx6aYb_IOaxLnbEEDSYyoIBJRv1j75ogZSA3hJhnKZGXYHMQoTZ-iSzeJvXuRvPpaFbZ__g/w492-h640/IMG_9682.HEIC" width="492" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I started with a piece of black water color paper that I attached to a page in my journal. To make the background I used a multi-flower rubber stamp and some white pigment ink. I stamped the flowers several times around the page. I gently rubbed some areas to smear the ink a bit, and then I stamped the flowers with pigment ink a second time. I wanted some shadow flowers because I like the depth they created on my page.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Before I heat set the pigment ink, I used some white embossing powder on the flowers also </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These stamped flower images have a hole in their centers, and I wanted to cover that. I chose a bottle of Dina Wakely paint because it has a pin hole opening that let me make a dot in each flower. Before I made those dots, I squeezed out paint and used both a brush and paper towel/kitchen roll to color the edges of my page pink. I also added a little smear to the background with some left over paint still on my paper towel/kitchen roll. I had also been using some gold paint on another page and when I wiped up the left overs with a paper towel I smudged that on the black also. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looking at my page I thought of a garden at night. To keep that thought going, I die cut the ferns using a Sizzix die and some black paper. The moon is a gold metallic paper image from my stash. The face is made with an old die cut from Cheery Lynn Designs. I cut her out of off-white paper, and at first I thought I would leave her uncolored, but then I decided to use some very watered down watercolor paints to color some of her. The bow is a metal paper item from my stash.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I added the black metal paper trim to frame the edges of the garden, added the face, and then used a Paper Artsy quote from an older Alison Bomber set. I cut the quote apart rather than using it whole, but thought the words were perfect for my night garden theme.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQoDqe35yf8ShKzsvzbPhGUpX9RcvvxiPQI2u11qNQnkM30CcFfKcGLXB9Wh6dRhldP3YPK5JN7ZnLaX991dLCYzSO7jnnLsHffVvwAwCUMAWjXzoNTCRaXZPH82eVXNxttoOE_i3er_N-eSxKjEIJhwKxa6xfaJQit5JOl9FeYdS-JwOJwcrq_mCjYM/s2427/IMG_9683.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1128" data-original-width="2427" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQoDqe35yf8ShKzsvzbPhGUpX9RcvvxiPQI2u11qNQnkM30CcFfKcGLXB9Wh6dRhldP3YPK5JN7ZnLaX991dLCYzSO7jnnLsHffVvwAwCUMAWjXzoNTCRaXZPH82eVXNxttoOE_i3er_N-eSxKjEIJhwKxa6xfaJQit5JOl9FeYdS-JwOJwcrq_mCjYM/w640-h298/IMG_9683.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally, when I downloaded the photo, I added a bit of black vignette digitally just along the bottom and the top of my page. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I want to once again thank the ladies at <a href="https://creativeartistemixedmedia.blogspot.com/">Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge</a> for inviting me to join them as their guest this month. ❤</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm excited to see all the mixed media art that's linked up, and I hope you'll think about joining too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-66111330812122319002024-03-01T01:00:00.155-05:002024-03-01T01:00:00.137-05:00Going to the Dogs<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hi everyone. Happy March 1 to you.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's time for a new challenge at <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a> Already! I was just getting rolling with February's light challenge and now I need to change gears-<i>grin</i>. Perhaps the dog's face in the top left hand corner of my latest page would be a great expression for that sentiment-ha ha ha.😌</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But seriously, happy March everyone. I am actually quite ready for it to be spring.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Before I introduce our new challenge over at <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a> let me once again thank Vicki for hosting last month, and let me also once again thank everyone who joined in. February was a great art month, and light was a super topic!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This month I want to welcome one of my co-administrators and blog friends as our AJJ host. For March the very talented Chris is hosting. You probably know from her blog <a href="https://pearshapedcrafting.blogspot.com/">pearshapedcrafting</a>. Chris' topic is</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>On All Fours</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6_kJm5Fq0vKByMAwjFCDRXiSIGKxkPaL7MaJlX-D0kl1VPWaDTqXlHj6YbKmH1938GAg4b8HxDP0Q3gkiL0VUy5RHJq8sxPjnVnAej2ngavjVY6OXYXzBNW3mmqW7UM1hLZYOXV2joCkNtNhePxPZQL4AuErHKZh2_8ufRr1DHiZFqViJmPr7p7Bq0M/s3697/IMG_9960.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3697" data-original-width="2737" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6_kJm5Fq0vKByMAwjFCDRXiSIGKxkPaL7MaJlX-D0kl1VPWaDTqXlHj6YbKmH1938GAg4b8HxDP0Q3gkiL0VUy5RHJq8sxPjnVnAej2ngavjVY6OXYXzBNW3mmqW7UM1hLZYOXV2joCkNtNhePxPZQL4AuErHKZh2_8ufRr1DHiZFqViJmPr7p7Bq0M/w474-h640/IMG_9960.HEIC" width="474" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Since Chris wrote that her theme is all about 4 legged animals, I couldn't resist celebrating one of my 4 legged family members, Miss Maddie. You can see her several times in the big heart on my page.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Maddie goes to doggie daycare a couple of days a week. When I was working we sent her because she does not like to be left, even if our other dog Pete is home with her. She likes doggie daycare so much that even though I am now retired she still goes a couple of days a week. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Every Christmas Maddie's doggie day care always gives their "clients" a calendar with lots of photos that one of the owners, Jess Sweat, takes over the course of the year. To make my page, I cut out a bunch of photos from the 2023 calendar and collaged them. I die cut the heart, the bone and the dog paw. I stamped the title and the small quote. Jess and her mom run a fantastic place with no leashes or kennels, and Maddie is lucky to be a member of their pup family. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I probably am amiss in making this post about Maddie, because today it is my other canine's birthday. (Or at least it is the day we picked as his birthday.) Mr. Pete turns 10 today. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUf7efiFh1WYzWGtBAC5XQnCneVsfuZWsN4jYZ0UVUbxQLB7d0ckS8PLNngATnkIDH4-j3f80JGtjBrZOf8KWBupxULKn_Fzm1Oh4JbAhqgGC4kbvy1DIekS9TvkBYWuJLE0C52xfWjBWqNACfzJhoNnWiWKXgXp2L7YL2EUhwzgFbUhTi6lSxLLLQS0/s4032/IMG_6342.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUf7efiFh1WYzWGtBAC5XQnCneVsfuZWsN4jYZ0UVUbxQLB7d0ckS8PLNngATnkIDH4-j3f80JGtjBrZOf8KWBupxULKn_Fzm1Oh4JbAhqgGC4kbvy1DIekS9TvkBYWuJLE0C52xfWjBWqNACfzJhoNnWiWKXgXp2L7YL2EUhwzgFbUhTi6lSxLLLQS0/w640-h480/IMG_6342.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mr. Pete doesn't go to doggie daycare because he was too possessive of Maddie. His happy space is definitely at home, even if he's there all alone.<span style="text-align: left;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And I would also be amiss if I didn't mention the dreaded <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a> rules. We accept any kind of art journaling, but please, NO TAG, ATCS, CARDS, etc. However, we would love to see your art journaling, whatever your journaling preference is.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope you're as excited about Chris' challenge as I am., and I'm excited to see a plethora of zoological specimens this month. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And since it is Friday, and since there are a lot of faces in my post today, I am also linking up to Nicole's <a href="https://beadwright.blogspot.com/">Friday Face Off</a> and Gillena's <a href="https://myblog-lunchbreak.blogspot.com/">Friday Lunch Break</a> .</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have a great start to your weekend.</div><p></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-58807314854159703152024-02-29T04:52:00.110-05:002024-02-29T04:52:00.131-05:00Happy Leap Day<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. Today is February 29th, and for some folks, they get to celebrate their birthdays on their actual birthdays. Besides the fact that those of us who use the Julian calendar get an extra day this year, today is also the last day of meteorological winter. I am ready for spring (which may or may not actually arrive tomorrow in New Hampshire), and my journal page for today celebrates the idea of the upcoming season.</p><p style="text-align: center;">This is my last page for Vicki's <i>Keeping It Light</i> challenge at <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a>. Thank you Vicki for hosting. I really enjoyed your challenge theme too. It was perfect for February as the days start to get lighter. I also want to thank everyone who joined in as we had some great art and ideas this past month.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRl2hVoxe-Urc_E-47GMoNTuZMJ4sQ__4P_J_hRTG49yhBSTT-u1rNdPfT7tyA5u532YrnkthoYHEM15OepeO_0SI19rFAHFI5DmJJZxcV9Ui3qpKE82XOcUx7JJZEFfL2jE-yGXDTJw1xWRjyaYr6j-x_-uNkNo6hfubyrccNyYh7BIDv8XBMINtgNZg/s3047/IMG_9612.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3047" data-original-width="2243" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRl2hVoxe-Urc_E-47GMoNTuZMJ4sQ__4P_J_hRTG49yhBSTT-u1rNdPfT7tyA5u532YrnkthoYHEM15OepeO_0SI19rFAHFI5DmJJZxcV9Ui3qpKE82XOcUx7JJZEFfL2jE-yGXDTJw1xWRjyaYr6j-x_-uNkNo6hfubyrccNyYh7BIDv8XBMINtgNZg/w472-h640/IMG_9612.HEIC" width="472" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My page today uses light in 2 ways. Most of my images are light colors, and I also used the yellow-gold color. Yellow is a color of light. My lady is the goddess of light and nice weather. She brings the sunshine back, and with that sunshine we get flowers and butterflies. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I also have one more tag for Sandie's asemic writing challenge at <a href="https://tagtuesday.blogspot.com/">Tag Tuesday</a>. I think I should have written the word what instead of who because someone may be asking what the writing on my tag says. And of course, asemic writing doesn't really say anything. Grin😏.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaaFlZn5v8qlFXchBHiAwTk6y_IHwTlqLYq4IZKX2dTJNmKK0EquVqicvpSpkn6wR9NXr_3hNq5vJ-jaO4F1VxaUhtT8RTkiQEry4y-ZaqbFVK5-qScidrwZ37uLHOQi7DusdgizSuK8c-SA34IToPi2NVyZwIJSh5Ju5k4G7kQKivBTBiv1AvSFUk5s/s3556/IMG_9995.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3556" data-original-width="1742" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaaFlZn5v8qlFXchBHiAwTk6y_IHwTlqLYq4IZKX2dTJNmKK0EquVqicvpSpkn6wR9NXr_3hNq5vJ-jaO4F1VxaUhtT8RTkiQEry4y-ZaqbFVK5-qScidrwZ37uLHOQi7DusdgizSuK8c-SA34IToPi2NVyZwIJSh5Ju5k4G7kQKivBTBiv1AvSFUk5s/w314-h640/IMG_9995.HEIC" width="314" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope everyone's month wraps up in a good way. "See" you tomorrow with our new AJJ challenge for March.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-62383819264356147932024-02-28T04:44:00.000-05:002024-02-28T04:44:00.125-05:00The Rest of My Harry Potter Journal<p style="text-align: center;">Hi everyone. It’s just about the end of February, but as you know, we do get an extra day this year. I thought I’d save my end of the month final <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/"> Art Journal Journey</a> post for tomorrow, the 29th.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I am linking up this first page to Vicki’s<i> Keeping It Light </i>challenge at <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a>. This page, even though it is on a black background, is again a contrast between light and dark. It may not be the most creative nor varied media page I've ever made however. 😏</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj0OvoMh-9BbNUD8mNZ8b9EAr-_Xb-MkHY1wBFrmnWCDeRT3KEWXYktvDQ2CMGkHmz59UAs6BvPIIS62HvKy2sC4K2Orz14iU-TfcAhVAYTc74X-tdeCrMvYE4bQqrujnQWESelrCHaXxJHwaDB_pMqgg-n6N57A6G_7bpLTTI-mczIaWcONaZt_CzYM8/s3692/IMG_9942.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3692" data-original-width="2742" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj0OvoMh-9BbNUD8mNZ8b9EAr-_Xb-MkHY1wBFrmnWCDeRT3KEWXYktvDQ2CMGkHmz59UAs6BvPIIS62HvKy2sC4K2Orz14iU-TfcAhVAYTc74X-tdeCrMvYE4bQqrujnQWESelrCHaXxJHwaDB_pMqgg-n6N57A6G_7bpLTTI-mczIaWcONaZt_CzYM8/w476-h640/IMG_9942.HEIC" width="476" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I used mostly stickers as well as die cut spoon for this page. But the ice cream circle is the actual top from my little personal sized tub of butter beer ice cream. (And it was very yummy!❤)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And here are some other pages not for AJJ. Let me start with the cover. I've shown this before, but my friend Deb had the idea that I should add some actual Harry Potter quotes i my journal, so I added one to the cover to finish it off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwojSiu6hr68s9z4S4YLmRuDhGTMTwSQGbCr8bicR_SLKI5G3L_3ESx1dxAb5V9SbN5ikCO1ll_CgwKWOekccCnjJ4FdQMKUs5XCDsnJzI6wBxp4ME90RAXf-omkzSWT-UyGrtnuAu4w7lorn9mNRRZLhU9GA9TYjWFz_BbGCqpdfP5neBkcQbfrvkObI/s3538/IMG_0204.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3538" data-original-width="2692" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwojSiu6hr68s9z4S4YLmRuDhGTMTwSQGbCr8bicR_SLKI5G3L_3ESx1dxAb5V9SbN5ikCO1ll_CgwKWOekccCnjJ4FdQMKUs5XCDsnJzI6wBxp4ME90RAXf-omkzSWT-UyGrtnuAu4w7lorn9mNRRZLhU9GA9TYjWFz_BbGCqpdfP5neBkcQbfrvkObI/w486-h640/IMG_0204.HEIC" width="486" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dobby is one of the house elves in the HP books. House elves are more like a slave than a servant. I made a house elf page and created another window view because they had some house elves in windows around the park. This time the window lifts up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The background is made with sponged on paint glaze.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrFGRPe3KiJlLLB8eapJyh9zggUccg2dd05skileG_me2R6caSzT7-RZ-BKl7TgQCL7Llsoy7dzwND3bkpp2LSy-zCYhKkVAbzLLoE8RpENSTAdc9IUruszAXGP-TKGfe2DJq8HvjU8f6jAP6jKPZJZFQrmgkKcJxuq68U_1F7s_iwMc7LlCyk-8icx0/s3751/IMG_9947.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3751" data-original-width="2391" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrFGRPe3KiJlLLB8eapJyh9zggUccg2dd05skileG_me2R6caSzT7-RZ-BKl7TgQCL7Llsoy7dzwND3bkpp2LSy-zCYhKkVAbzLLoE8RpENSTAdc9IUruszAXGP-TKGfe2DJq8HvjU8f6jAP6jKPZJZFQrmgkKcJxuq68U_1F7s_iwMc7LlCyk-8icx0/w408-h640/IMG_9947.HEIC" width="408" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We went to the Hard Rock for lunch one day, and I had a sandwich. We chose the Hard Rock because it was located in the City Walk area (of the parks) which is quiet during the day. It was nice to have a little crowd escape and to sit down at a more private table. I made a page about that meal.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3TFNmlsHBx_5LzONhrPbOIZyw8mozTuMM9SnugFErHHUtOXWsRF0LSh_hFBorrvU9ieAMwpOh1uIwAMovAdnvQUFLLdRe4OibfSxW66ubbcmbQkYBLY1JHzdq_tQ2QBEZ5RKgrwblmX2XfqLWn9csk9U5QbsNHWfuVhkrDARnx6ItXjlZWRIipagEpg/s2963/IMG_9940.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2963" data-original-width="2134" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3TFNmlsHBx_5LzONhrPbOIZyw8mozTuMM9SnugFErHHUtOXWsRF0LSh_hFBorrvU9ieAMwpOh1uIwAMovAdnvQUFLLdRe4OibfSxW66ubbcmbQkYBLY1JHzdq_tQ2QBEZ5RKgrwblmX2XfqLWn9csk9U5QbsNHWfuVhkrDARnx6ItXjlZWRIipagEpg/w460-h640/IMG_9940.HEIC" width="460" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My background started with a napkin I brought home. I gave it a spray of some liquid ink, and then I used some stickers, die cuts and the little flag that was in my sandwich. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWCGZtluOZosRiQFENNas7Zp56A8tPnFtjP7RNZjHDQQxaE4Z0P6TBzGS-ts2N9CArlExZxnFZuGpAZ8R2DZm_jGEb9g5QDr60E-Xs3L25FILdBR0q6w5ZQFFLqPqgZFyQ8Y-oB_OODbItSV7Pwv7uMDNm4dMlOEaO9mD81I2Rzpk9DYqEoC7hOLCuzg/s3577/IMG_9926.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3577" data-original-width="2351" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWCGZtluOZosRiQFENNas7Zp56A8tPnFtjP7RNZjHDQQxaE4Z0P6TBzGS-ts2N9CArlExZxnFZuGpAZ8R2DZm_jGEb9g5QDr60E-Xs3L25FILdBR0q6w5ZQFFLqPqgZFyQ8Y-oB_OODbItSV7Pwv7uMDNm4dMlOEaO9mD81I2Rzpk9DYqEoC7hOLCuzg/w420-h640/IMG_9926.HEIC" width="420" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One night we went over to Disney Springs and walked around the shops. I hadn’t been there in close to 20 years and boy has that area gotten huge. I picked up this post card ( you can see it above) at the Coca Cola store. I also picked up a free Mickey Mouse sticker at the world's biggest Disney Store and grabbed a menu from the ice cream shop where we had dinner. You can see those in the photo below. Dinner was that hot fudge brownie sundae shown on the right hand page. (And boy was that yummy too. ❤)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2FP0229FDqjN-BvJNkrlEkQTmTD0i08AlynT3X1-xNuEhfjhScMjxTJlk2SaFA02u7aQk2IcH5540XNEO808rNpPTxMikNTm0jdu6w0pz_k3VAgf0msdtVgkv5LovmmqkJSSYdNF5J8_cCXXtrU2N_S4FnsyUtiTfPpbJ6z7faNMrEWAlBCenA7gulg/s4032/IMG_9928.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2600" data-original-width="4032" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2FP0229FDqjN-BvJNkrlEkQTmTD0i08AlynT3X1-xNuEhfjhScMjxTJlk2SaFA02u7aQk2IcH5540XNEO808rNpPTxMikNTm0jdu6w0pz_k3VAgf0msdtVgkv5LovmmqkJSSYdNF5J8_cCXXtrU2N_S4FnsyUtiTfPpbJ6z7faNMrEWAlBCenA7gulg/w640-h412/IMG_9928.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And who doesn’t love a minion? If you're not familiar with them, they are from some children's movies, and they're looking to work for the most evil person there is. I had a blast making this page.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1rjAmES6apnkWjuC3riV0-G_CPNSGZEnPuYPK_4MWCk_lKUQDF8LaWrBTboaMHmJYq6eGKrkt3Bu6xN8BtFOqqNgR0khRw6ULMmkKGD4pF79KwBdyvrkJf58LaPLVnfiwPjn1NQgScBMvWdlGGeDsxAlAK0_62TCF-ySGIlLhSwziFk6MkcGuEjvCEc/s3511/IMG_9924.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3511" data-original-width="2235" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1rjAmES6apnkWjuC3riV0-G_CPNSGZEnPuYPK_4MWCk_lKUQDF8LaWrBTboaMHmJYq6eGKrkt3Bu6xN8BtFOqqNgR0khRw6ULMmkKGD4pF79KwBdyvrkJf58LaPLVnfiwPjn1NQgScBMvWdlGGeDsxAlAK0_62TCF-ySGIlLhSwziFk6MkcGuEjvCEc/w408-h640/IMG_9924.HEIC" width="408" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You might remember my post about my new mug and the insane ride on the Veloci-coaster. I had to make a page for each of those.</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSNVd_g94lmumApo2Q6Atp-3a1PwiIBG9lVShpFJNSMp93yaFtkowQGlVxewYiyfRCWmbph9OXod8u9MUNQIDd3j5nYPRlLNCY9j5jpTcvGE4vlmIQLFRpxHdkzNmTMs6zDRdqnKgh6PESuEs5PtZLKkwFxPV3Hq1IQnOL1xzrNXJR9FQy4Mty0qI2ps/s3482/IMG_9936.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3482" data-original-width="2489" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSNVd_g94lmumApo2Q6Atp-3a1PwiIBG9lVShpFJNSMp93yaFtkowQGlVxewYiyfRCWmbph9OXod8u9MUNQIDd3j5nYPRlLNCY9j5jpTcvGE4vlmIQLFRpxHdkzNmTMs6zDRdqnKgh6PESuEs5PtZLKkwFxPV3Hq1IQnOL1xzrNXJR9FQy4Mty0qI2ps/w458-h640/IMG_9936.HEIC" width="458" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I should have drawn in some upside down riders on my page. I might go back and do that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpJ4cuTvlNl4J7amUH-z9mxWK7WqsT5i6BLzrXXlUyN7e__W6Lzq5VyO3XW37v_wAEXSQ0x4axwwuBk9thCgBySZF4hK9vGtgZUzcr7oA1phdIL_xaaFCkk4tY8v_WcCA9koQJ_UnxcIqSEjFe3TttPex_OQeCqwFsPi2qiRt95eLfjq4R9qfW-QaxDc/s3579/IMG_9934.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3579" data-original-width="2960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpJ4cuTvlNl4J7amUH-z9mxWK7WqsT5i6BLzrXXlUyN7e__W6Lzq5VyO3XW37v_wAEXSQ0x4axwwuBk9thCgBySZF4hK9vGtgZUzcr7oA1phdIL_xaaFCkk4tY8v_WcCA9koQJ_UnxcIqSEjFe3TttPex_OQeCqwFsPi2qiRt95eLfjq4R9qfW-QaxDc/w530-h640/IMG_9934.HEIC" width="530" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And next here's a page I made with the saved tea packages from some mugs of tea I had in our hotel room. One thing our hotel did not have was free tea (what hotel doesn't have free tea?), but luckily my friend Deb brought some from home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuuEruXjRb9kKEFK1a1a4H2wUXg6usNymyI-WXZNbhPCCEKalziGc_9tDF-20G3aNDUzNUzaP13Q3My9THFX7stgFhTV5URhOPqKpWlUxwmhciyjjfE0hhWbeG1wsBR55lNrkBVpG1UCL4ZXCjUNpElDwK1lZeDdUFimSKHOVlzU2ih0yXQl3fOFLZJys/s3630/IMG_9925.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3630" data-original-width="2421" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuuEruXjRb9kKEFK1a1a4H2wUXg6usNymyI-WXZNbhPCCEKalziGc_9tDF-20G3aNDUzNUzaP13Q3My9THFX7stgFhTV5URhOPqKpWlUxwmhciyjjfE0hhWbeG1wsBR55lNrkBVpG1UCL4ZXCjUNpElDwK1lZeDdUFimSKHOVlzU2ih0yXQl3fOFLZJys/w426-h640/IMG_9925.HEIC" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then it was time to get ready to go home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMWHunK_7jzlY6g1LXxAXdXbYg2BD5tPwNNtmEnzpXghi2KALnx1S0uZ0Fn2-kXViwpU6YwRKfp3vQKszJG3Jzj19KK3pHOElXy5Iydxg1LGgiMTNcC11BTqiHKQFOm2tVcMIZ_69FCAdhjS49iGFLsFDJ6jcYfmufLXY8fzsBkRl2-b_3JmeON22CvI/s3101/IMG_9952.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3101" data-original-width="2813" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMWHunK_7jzlY6g1LXxAXdXbYg2BD5tPwNNtmEnzpXghi2KALnx1S0uZ0Fn2-kXViwpU6YwRKfp3vQKszJG3Jzj19KK3pHOElXy5Iydxg1LGgiMTNcC11BTqiHKQFOm2tVcMIZ_69FCAdhjS49iGFLsFDJ6jcYfmufLXY8fzsBkRl2-b_3JmeON22CvI/w580-h640/IMG_9952.HEIC" width="580" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I made this (above) page using the inner packaging from some Hogwart's Express tickets I bought as a souvenir. I liked the gold border around the packaging. Above, I added the polka dot paper and the stickers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Below I just attached the Hogwart's Ticket. My ticket package had 2 tickets, one for each direction. I used the going to Hogwart's ticket in the front of my journal, and this one in the back.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdB557a3wtyi7JnqHDdVBPFfN_zZ7sFFnl34PE_4YJMnqjAKQC2r3k1uZ0O5UOqdelhhoobVAadhGR_lc01kRNghisxiDUZSTsaFEFtHOX_o9UWw50H0a2Dc6N9RI5l4VrVaOjV1WdS92ja9dpMzIJb1sI2rOEqfMPBV8Af0OeMUBA_B5D21me5oXUHvs/s3042/IMG_9951.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3042" data-original-width="2528" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdB557a3wtyi7JnqHDdVBPFfN_zZ7sFFnl34PE_4YJMnqjAKQC2r3k1uZ0O5UOqdelhhoobVAadhGR_lc01kRNghisxiDUZSTsaFEFtHOX_o9UWw50H0a2Dc6N9RI5l4VrVaOjV1WdS92ja9dpMzIJb1sI2rOEqfMPBV8Af0OeMUBA_B5D21me5oXUHvs/w532-h640/IMG_9951.HEIC" width="532" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And finally, the back of my journal. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The final page was stenciled before I made a sticker collage. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6BmL3RGcyz8H7dppvSJwPULXD6qlIgeERRutbN4lUU0XsMZf5pZH-8bUZsrUeyJl0nGTBEks5oIVknAfadEG-QffxRTdn0IfQjswAKXlRtbWxLj2QABPJxHyz6OnFslDJp_eLWkoAYfzTF_sml20IQLEiaZEv4Iow9I7PveceaQnZfCVtV2ytXlBarQ/s3777/IMG_0015.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3777" data-original-width="2884" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6BmL3RGcyz8H7dppvSJwPULXD6qlIgeERRutbN4lUU0XsMZf5pZH-8bUZsrUeyJl0nGTBEks5oIVknAfadEG-QffxRTdn0IfQjswAKXlRtbWxLj2QABPJxHyz6OnFslDJp_eLWkoAYfzTF_sml20IQLEiaZEv4Iow9I7PveceaQnZfCVtV2ytXlBarQ/w488-h640/IMG_0015.HEIC" width="488" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And on the inside of the back cover, I used some stickers and painted some buildings. I also used another quote from the Harry Potter stories.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQjFRUOmD-WX_Y4jjCUAN_vW62Skiqvn37oifNvSOnIXhEzThOGPPFHsmtyxt55w0TgTDQfBH3GSKuLm_CqQvFNLWOEj9wUsgq_l7w97JzqQglmHwp9KoVUonQgQ6Fph1bJMnwkrZUWDnj6GpRDpRRLCa-xjEKQhSwdmByWZjOATON43fa-P5doRYjmU/s3391/IMG_0209.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3391" data-original-width="2756" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQjFRUOmD-WX_Y4jjCUAN_vW62Skiqvn37oifNvSOnIXhEzThOGPPFHsmtyxt55w0TgTDQfBH3GSKuLm_CqQvFNLWOEj9wUsgq_l7w97JzqQglmHwp9KoVUonQgQ6Fph1bJMnwkrZUWDnj6GpRDpRRLCa-xjEKQhSwdmByWZjOATON43fa-P5doRYjmU/w520-h640/IMG_0209.HEIC" width="520" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have a couple more pages I haven't shared. If I have time I might share them on another day, and if not, you basically saw all of the journal.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope it wasn't too boring.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have a great day.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-91363952348665142782024-02-26T19:01:00.000-05:002024-02-26T19:01:37.347-05:00T Stands for a Few Random Things.<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. It is the beginning of the new week and time for T. I hope everyone had a lovely week since we last met.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Last week was a weird week for me, but not a bad week. Some of you might have read how my husband was diagnosed with pneumonia and spent a night in the hospital. Luckily the antibiotics are doing what they should, but that totally changed how I expected the end of the week to go. It also wasn't how my husband expected his week to end either. And luckily, it went a lot better than is could have 😏. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Last week, I also squeezed in a couple of ocean side walks. One day I was at the beach and on another I went to a state park near the beach. It was a beautiful day when I went to the state park, and I managed to get a few photos that I thought I'd share.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tQ1ZypN6pp7h4wNmXZAef794j48ukxWJmN1ivbSDpF8c5Zo4AvUU1PnTafiS9_wmkvudbqWQT98fraX5M8_2a4bG-CUfSe2E4i-JrVQF-fCLcAfgnggRTWQhCnIiqfuiOhGGc4AcpWb5xZ0MYMYxrT4XnhpgYTQS5cV_ZAKa-6NDC-lgZj5iFLOqLFE/s3929/IMG_0026.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2564" data-original-width="3929" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tQ1ZypN6pp7h4wNmXZAef794j48ukxWJmN1ivbSDpF8c5Zo4AvUU1PnTafiS9_wmkvudbqWQT98fraX5M8_2a4bG-CUfSe2E4i-JrVQF-fCLcAfgnggRTWQhCnIiqfuiOhGGc4AcpWb5xZ0MYMYxrT4XnhpgYTQS5cV_ZAKa-6NDC-lgZj5iFLOqLFE/w640-h418/IMG_0026.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69sdmY2OTZhxY5lX8olNINU6sBcdBrWIbBxdppQ3MoVNW3mlHiIGkeEIFiWOCzZRk58rPaxvdp11hCgvjVAP5IBDdXVdMsVSx_MdBEvvqriDfvFxZcZ4uBGsgo7Oq-X776sL4aWYH-Hq4nj30yf7sd0MYrQOT97lcrPnTbJTCDFjlsq9aqFqAm94A8fo/s4032/IMG_0022.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69sdmY2OTZhxY5lX8olNINU6sBcdBrWIbBxdppQ3MoVNW3mlHiIGkeEIFiWOCzZRk58rPaxvdp11hCgvjVAP5IBDdXVdMsVSx_MdBEvvqriDfvFxZcZ4uBGsgo7Oq-X776sL4aWYH-Hq4nj30yf7sd0MYrQOT97lcrPnTbJTCDFjlsq9aqFqAm94A8fo/w640-h480/IMG_0022.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArMSzUHXR8VinQRiKRAoOD-LzYTcpzVyYhQSe_e4gYgQh2ORFwmfBLIyuIL9SOM45UGLLUWZByR2d9w4ev8eGX56GGjv5zsE4Tu-Dn1Xr_sYLU8JXVjlMadqxSnTy8tYX1F7MLLKZX55wMpXGKFgeF7M7mdg08CMSfDZdEHS6tsWXZbGzN233fDuUIZY/s4032/IMG_0029.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArMSzUHXR8VinQRiKRAoOD-LzYTcpzVyYhQSe_e4gYgQh2ORFwmfBLIyuIL9SOM45UGLLUWZByR2d9w4ev8eGX56GGjv5zsE4Tu-Dn1Xr_sYLU8JXVjlMadqxSnTy8tYX1F7MLLKZX55wMpXGKFgeF7M7mdg08CMSfDZdEHS6tsWXZbGzN233fDuUIZY/w640-h480/IMG_0029.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0vhrsKwVB-IEv3mvzoxrxvf5V9nXLCsP4inHSTxLCYRhc6udfNpCeUtt8tahI3sjVQb2pqDSfjv3Oa7lhaDtKDDFdcxVkiJdL92OEyexxr8Nvuj3in9AxItkmt9FneWAfdWo6kuuglfXLoGPevxCCxCp99RcfHVk5gHLCGwDyLOsKSCtCIjtIgbIlUk/s4032/IMG_0056.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2490" data-original-width="4032" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0vhrsKwVB-IEv3mvzoxrxvf5V9nXLCsP4inHSTxLCYRhc6udfNpCeUtt8tahI3sjVQb2pqDSfjv3Oa7lhaDtKDDFdcxVkiJdL92OEyexxr8Nvuj3in9AxItkmt9FneWAfdWo6kuuglfXLoGPevxCCxCp99RcfHVk5gHLCGwDyLOsKSCtCIjtIgbIlUk/w640-h396/IMG_0056.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFKjDXA9WSdTB-OSh9IiPnNdN2CZYOSU4pavRbCEawWT9q11A4UhGcWI02VikU_m2Jk-fHhy3TE0QwPDBbPxPZf-x3wx7WwxANI3qSOisFucLuKrz2xFm_RsNSszOXL_Akmh8nt9oiWfWLdTgQDcdrRASBiQPyUlL4L_9nGIRdtLBI4_hVwjRULqy_zs/s4032/IMG_0052.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2716" data-original-width="4032" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFKjDXA9WSdTB-OSh9IiPnNdN2CZYOSU4pavRbCEawWT9q11A4UhGcWI02VikU_m2Jk-fHhy3TE0QwPDBbPxPZf-x3wx7WwxANI3qSOisFucLuKrz2xFm_RsNSszOXL_Akmh8nt9oiWfWLdTgQDcdrRASBiQPyUlL4L_9nGIRdtLBI4_hVwjRULqy_zs/w640-h432/IMG_0052.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sjL6GUIGOCkrIB8XYyM-pY85OmU3U9WcGoj4PfXo3ZyM_ONhoqGbf5Mkx1pfFb4jYn9D4fB18xHGCGKPQEkkVq97In9TJJqeeUDR203RgEZEW1Wc31BhBBSrqlW5rP3ZcztiibvZdVEgRtn88vN2hYfhiNyZSc0PRJ7Hwa7t3yjbNdn2jTVHNXuW2vY/s4032/IMG_0047.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sjL6GUIGOCkrIB8XYyM-pY85OmU3U9WcGoj4PfXo3ZyM_ONhoqGbf5Mkx1pfFb4jYn9D4fB18xHGCGKPQEkkVq97In9TJJqeeUDR203RgEZEW1Wc31BhBBSrqlW5rP3ZcztiibvZdVEgRtn88vN2hYfhiNyZSc0PRJ7Hwa7t3yjbNdn2jTVHNXuW2vY/w640-h480/IMG_0047.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was fun to see this large ship so closely passing by, and below, I really liked the view looking up at the sun through this cedar tree.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuXrEoWxvtGGUrpUVCKdr5fNvSBVYGwYs3PsE1VhaWKTZBJrl6ac__i8ZBwYURKKEYWXMRv-RdPMiyXywfNiJTPkEBbpB_uHm_WAqF563kHbAQYDBHBTHCOD3hlLVTALLpxY7pCwKAtAWvEhxH3y4OMuUktT3oaInSBveeT_v0y137ZY2rt_b4w5i5gY/s4032/IMG_0044.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuXrEoWxvtGGUrpUVCKdr5fNvSBVYGwYs3PsE1VhaWKTZBJrl6ac__i8ZBwYURKKEYWXMRv-RdPMiyXywfNiJTPkEBbpB_uHm_WAqF563kHbAQYDBHBTHCOD3hlLVTALLpxY7pCwKAtAWvEhxH3y4OMuUktT3oaInSBveeT_v0y137ZY2rt_b4w5i5gY/w480-h640/IMG_0044.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwB1XoAwzHy6jCMTuEPVSMIyGu0lVHAfvJ3KV4287tUraZdCEKqM1kdFoD_DVrPYl9-x58hBdx6ejKb36-J8rAGWjMudL9A_5GVxQFpqYV7ijndLTXKeZJTA0a-5dfkt3Q8PC7prcQ24z3P2MWy-cAATsgJlT9GI-nwCTrwQo0aqPGFS2EHL0aNcl0o2A/s4032/IMG_0121.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwB1XoAwzHy6jCMTuEPVSMIyGu0lVHAfvJ3KV4287tUraZdCEKqM1kdFoD_DVrPYl9-x58hBdx6ejKb36-J8rAGWjMudL9A_5GVxQFpqYV7ijndLTXKeZJTA0a-5dfkt3Q8PC7prcQ24z3P2MWy-cAATsgJlT9GI-nwCTrwQo0aqPGFS2EHL0aNcl0o2A/w640-h480/IMG_0121.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This tree lined path always looks so inviting to walk down. The high clouds were quickly moving in even though the bad weather didn't hit until Friday.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Since it is T day, I need to share a drink over at <a href="https://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/2024/02/t-stands-for-spice-merchant-teas.html">Bleubeard's and Elizabeth's blog</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Last Friday the hubby and I went down to the pharmacy to get his antibiotic prescriptions filled. He also owed me breakfast. I say that because last Wednesday he had a colonoscopy scheduled, and I was his designated driver. He told me that once he got out of his colonoscopy, he would take me to breakfast. He was the first patient of the day at 6:30 AM. He suspected he would be out by 9 or 9:30. However,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">after his colonoscopy he was having some breathing issues, and this is when they discovered he had a mild case of pneumonia. That was when he was admitted to the hospital so they could pump some antibiotics into him. Needless to say we never made it to breakfast. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">To keep this short, he came home Thursday afternoon, and Friday we had to get his prescriptions filled. We decided we'd stop for a late breakfast at our favorite hole in the wall breakfast and lunch place. Here's my diet Pepsi along with my meal.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFphDb8b3eYsFA5Dqp84CubkXQNRfTymSq0JDL60rMSFMrrrY9dJWjwkhLPVz-LYfqcbw-iLlvyWbkm5pkFkGLadSC25XSnvjF-arO5vC24SFwBxNBVqI1MUpV5rJCrV9oEKJRjNe3JwUWRsWut2g4FXA4B9CkylcDzdco8Ey1MrAsaZwWJPBXpN7fcE/s4032/IMG_0127.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFphDb8b3eYsFA5Dqp84CubkXQNRfTymSq0JDL60rMSFMrrrY9dJWjwkhLPVz-LYfqcbw-iLlvyWbkm5pkFkGLadSC25XSnvjF-arO5vC24SFwBxNBVqI1MUpV5rJCrV9oEKJRjNe3JwUWRsWut2g4FXA4B9CkylcDzdco8Ey1MrAsaZwWJPBXpN7fcE/w640-h480/IMG_0127.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had a cheese omelette, some cinnamon raisin toast along with home made baked beans. Yum.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's all for me this week. Have a super T day and week ahead. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-24842223369514915682024-02-25T05:53:00.046-05:002024-02-25T11:45:43.110-05:00More of My Harry Potter Journal<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hi everyone. I hope your weekend is going well. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Since my husband is in recuperation mode, it's a fairly quiet weekend at my house. Our dining room light stopped working the other day, so that's been the project my husband is playing around with. He's not feeling 100%, but pretty close, so the light project is just enough to keep him busy, but not so strenuous it will wear him out. Yesterday I cleaned out a cabinet that needed to be organized for about 10 years. Phew, I am glad that is done because every year I write it down on the to do list. I'm glad I won't have to add next year!😀</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I'm back today with some more pages from my Harry Potter journal. I had a lot of fun making this project. One reason I had so much fun was the subject and the fact that I already had this book of HP stickers. I was glad to have a good place to use some of the stickers, and I tried to use them in a creative way and not just stick them onto paper. Whether I succeeded or not is up the eye of the viewer.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I also enjoyed making this album in a 3 ring binder. I certainly was able to get it completed a lot faster than in a bound or glued journal because I could work on multiple pages during a sitting. Of course that meant I had a lot of pages on the floor drying too. 😏 </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gl_IjELCpPBpVvAkkdtXIWBme56T41_yUFHfQjzazu7kxNM9jGMTbXv51J4QegAaIfvw4v2iiSYQNmFZCZ74L5OcwI26O06XY7q_XNXp291cfsyiCc0KWTiGt_ShyRStUIiq50g1xem7EwxyXEzFjQk-d68XfLdOr9Kw0JjJBrZhyY_wVXzuByEJdJQ/s3346/IMG_9929.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3346" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gl_IjELCpPBpVvAkkdtXIWBme56T41_yUFHfQjzazu7kxNM9jGMTbXv51J4QegAaIfvw4v2iiSYQNmFZCZ74L5OcwI26O06XY7q_XNXp291cfsyiCc0KWTiGt_ShyRStUIiq50g1xem7EwxyXEzFjQk-d68XfLdOr9Kw0JjJBrZhyY_wVXzuByEJdJQ/w442-h640/IMG_9929.HEIC" width="442" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This first page in today's post was actually quite easy to make because I recently found a half done card I had started a long time ago. The back of it had gotten crushed, but the dragon in the window design on the front was still in good shape. Since the dragon in Diagon Alley at Harry Potter world was my favorite "creature" in the park, I cut out this image from the card. My background was made by inking some blue and wine colored ink pads, and then I added the sticker quote</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The page below is actually the front of a greeting card I picked up in the park. The Dumbledore image is actually holographic, but with my camera it didn't pick up the other view.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5BsCWag2VKybw9Ih0VzGOjd9oRItksl9W_NQj7qUpb0eA8PL6BOB76HXNvyRCHu_iXRyjjAM2k_8gUNOOAsctYX9hEU6M1VarqrdO_dBYH8_j-k3W8AOWTRR9h0T2z-9xY8yfTorvFwrsESK0-v0672kEs_MBS01bJe9YTC6xELKWsModryoufve0lw/s2766/IMG_9602.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2766" data-original-width="2206" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5BsCWag2VKybw9Ih0VzGOjd9oRItksl9W_NQj7qUpb0eA8PL6BOB76HXNvyRCHu_iXRyjjAM2k_8gUNOOAsctYX9hEU6M1VarqrdO_dBYH8_j-k3W8AOWTRR9h0T2z-9xY8yfTorvFwrsESK0-v0672kEs_MBS01bJe9YTC6xELKWsModryoufve0lw/w510-h640/IMG_9602.HEIC" width="510" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I cut the front of the card off, and on the back I made this page.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbL_srVak-H8dqiL8zk2aIyJzsjcek003sTOxlzFJGQDzu5tl17Rx-XqPmOBvVe30L_mKXJJiK2mzufqdefDquygKzhtWUqMd5elMrCS1lRl-1103PxIi6KEjVr9SBrz1uQf6cZJKn9SscASbbOTyxNAVMINgAySNXGEBsnO7FpxEhlukAukygw04Nqk/s4032/IMG_9605.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbL_srVak-H8dqiL8zk2aIyJzsjcek003sTOxlzFJGQDzu5tl17Rx-XqPmOBvVe30L_mKXJJiK2mzufqdefDquygKzhtWUqMd5elMrCS1lRl-1103PxIi6KEjVr9SBrz1uQf6cZJKn9SscASbbOTyxNAVMINgAySNXGEBsnO7FpxEhlukAukygw04Nqk/w480-h640/IMG_9605.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> My next page is about a ride we took, Hagrid's Flying Motorbikes. I used stickers and some rubber stamps on this one, as well as a bit of drawing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpViD-b9J_DiagwE8e6jIDTbH5_khU8QKeTpdndZeg02vhuGSowfwBybZ3OleyIvRfCvrDi91HOiqCzoheIsaxh7vlR2DvexfOJdA_NmS2-W9crUPnAf3baRuYk6Ez8020t8WwFBuNU2Gt9GIZM0_HlGEDMzBthRJDc9myTLn-iwa632G1_gGAYywxe8/s3326/IMG_9604.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3326" data-original-width="2538" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpViD-b9J_DiagwE8e6jIDTbH5_khU8QKeTpdndZeg02vhuGSowfwBybZ3OleyIvRfCvrDi91HOiqCzoheIsaxh7vlR2DvexfOJdA_NmS2-W9crUPnAf3baRuYk6Ez8020t8WwFBuNU2Gt9GIZM0_HlGEDMzBthRJDc9myTLn-iwa632G1_gGAYywxe8/w488-h640/IMG_9604.HEIC" width="488" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I also die cut the pumpkins and added a postage stamp that came on a card from <a href="https://empireofthecat.com/">Elle</a> either on a Halloween or Christmas card. The ride is similar to the postage stamp, a motorcycle with the sidecar.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was easy to do a bit of window shopping in Diagon Alley, and my sticker book had lots of matching stickers. The top page is made from acetate with a die cut window and are the windows we looked into.</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPonhUAo74uEc9DNrKpPN_UT4OIK1vQ3Mqg3HFwNubay5uf4KvrmjQIfRJpblNfBIiWdlVi_y7pyeAX8Sqgb4DaxB6AcG5_h7uuGhFmivXf0VGQyaR9ylN_ys6hohiis-YaMRXXCoJRXkwtHm0TcT7sqfUCY2UF1bO-e47fQbjWLNNXfKJbLwiGNFHh_g/s3271/IMG_9608.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3271" data-original-width="2200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPonhUAo74uEc9DNrKpPN_UT4OIK1vQ3Mqg3HFwNubay5uf4KvrmjQIfRJpblNfBIiWdlVi_y7pyeAX8Sqgb4DaxB6AcG5_h7uuGhFmivXf0VGQyaR9ylN_ys6hohiis-YaMRXXCoJRXkwtHm0TcT7sqfUCY2UF1bO-e47fQbjWLNNXfKJbLwiGNFHh_g/w430-h640/IMG_9608.HEIC" width="430" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can lift it and see what's underneath.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6xziSi66AQHUr2a5pq6ShwgWKAcWBaFjbB55yBJKyIVcOoS3i_1F75v9bhSoe91JxbrLz55uYb5wRn7xbwbR0XuNtyY1Zo9L0yK7Qq2e51yDS7Fc2DeygpVAXeHq26OOUbu2odpdByNNItrK58e4VAF-eUCLZgKlF9A6_vJLv0WX4bQQFefK882CTs8/s3663/IMG_9609.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3663" data-original-width="2444" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6xziSi66AQHUr2a5pq6ShwgWKAcWBaFjbB55yBJKyIVcOoS3i_1F75v9bhSoe91JxbrLz55uYb5wRn7xbwbR0XuNtyY1Zo9L0yK7Qq2e51yDS7Fc2DeygpVAXeHq26OOUbu2odpdByNNItrK58e4VAF-eUCLZgKlF9A6_vJLv0WX4bQQFefK882CTs8/w428-h640/IMG_9609.HEIC" width="428" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And the rest of the pages for this post are various places we visited in the park, starting with the Knight's Bus. I stenciled and colored in the stars and added the other postage stamp that came on the same card from Elle I mentioned earlier. The quote is stamped. I used a couple of stickers on the page also.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKTWQsEIBBBt3lknaSC5YDQ94CFtRWpFOJRkAiuEHX0DmYvu8V8O028whvYr99EO4nvvj-J_DURcqQ9lj1kq8iDc-gjK8cNqErFOk0hJtjCjAzNaeEYWll5KSaQEbaDRsNSMfB1dkg0T3cZBqOPwyPKlePJd1t_LWQ-pGfWSCdnVLgZhQEUuX1OGckeI/s3236/IMG_9600.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3236" data-original-width="2151" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKTWQsEIBBBt3lknaSC5YDQ94CFtRWpFOJRkAiuEHX0DmYvu8V8O028whvYr99EO4nvvj-J_DURcqQ9lj1kq8iDc-gjK8cNqErFOk0hJtjCjAzNaeEYWll5KSaQEbaDRsNSMfB1dkg0T3cZBqOPwyPKlePJd1t_LWQ-pGfWSCdnVLgZhQEUuX1OGckeI/w426-h640/IMG_9600.HEIC" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We also went to a wand store where they had a little demonstration of how your wand picks you. I chose to use Dunbledore with his wand fighting "he who should not be named", even though the show was nothing to do with any battle scenes.Those of you not familiar with Harry Potter, Dumbledore is the head of the school, and "he who should not be named" is the dark and evil character.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQY1d_B-BYUP4dYk3XIJAlL3gje7uZO-L04aam1DUJrgVQqwKNWwVBmnjLkRzY9PZOj15JsEQgGaYlMxiON2jQwZ8YLklrfGs0GLbB28PWzFFUlFLV1cHZAKpHQ3quWXj9im4tqSIz0gl4ljsYdvyMMIXW_HmWhRvalVWmisRkv2WR8VvWqCaI6TOtUI4/s3919/IMG_9919.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3919" data-original-width="2530" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQY1d_B-BYUP4dYk3XIJAlL3gje7uZO-L04aam1DUJrgVQqwKNWwVBmnjLkRzY9PZOj15JsEQgGaYlMxiON2jQwZ8YLklrfGs0GLbB28PWzFFUlFLV1cHZAKpHQ3quWXj9im4tqSIz0gl4ljsYdvyMMIXW_HmWhRvalVWmisRkv2WR8VvWqCaI6TOtUI4/w414-h640/IMG_9919.HEIC" width="414" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Gringott's, the bank, is where the witches and wizards stored their gold, so I needed gold paper for my background. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC9_2DOeMBcpTQ0iBrEiCX5XNMD0Q2m165qsT9qmDOYOYg5cEPKH00vntQoEAfwp5O50HibTuXxVFgjVSccY68ew49bjOj3sbU0RurHq5Mf6gTTMni2PalnCmfO9IDw7gNIcjNcTExbv9glLzPnY0dzoqySqTTmTTfbu1ngUL5EXlzlffcYUImsoZ9fok/s4032/IMG_9918.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC9_2DOeMBcpTQ0iBrEiCX5XNMD0Q2m165qsT9qmDOYOYg5cEPKH00vntQoEAfwp5O50HibTuXxVFgjVSccY68ew49bjOj3sbU0RurHq5Mf6gTTMni2PalnCmfO9IDw7gNIcjNcTExbv9glLzPnY0dzoqySqTTmTTfbu1ngUL5EXlzlffcYUImsoZ9fok/w480-h640/IMG_9918.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally for this post a sticker page about the Weasley twins joke shop. I had a lot of stickers that worked for this store. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4c1ce4bxq0f1TlJr_woEqm3PnOTYCAL-WtmlK4ifSf3cQdosu8asp9jElCAseiK_mzoA_vqF6r5dIJlc-fPDMsbdzj_t2bzWvH_rLJbkrAk5bl7X5xma00CtnDOhv6pbWGCKrs3-m3JbQ0kC2wU8ds7LUWFrS3Z4sY6Fqq2qzYP7FFZco0R7dvlgbp5c/s3683/IMG_9949.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3683" data-original-width="2610" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4c1ce4bxq0f1TlJr_woEqm3PnOTYCAL-WtmlK4ifSf3cQdosu8asp9jElCAseiK_mzoA_vqF6r5dIJlc-fPDMsbdzj_t2bzWvH_rLJbkrAk5bl7X5xma00CtnDOhv6pbWGCKrs3-m3JbQ0kC2wU8ds7LUWFrS3Z4sY6Fqq2qzYP7FFZco0R7dvlgbp5c/w454-h640/IMG_9949.HEIC" width="454" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I have one more post to show you of my journal. I hope you're enjoying seeing it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'll be linking up this post to Gillena's <a href="https://myblog-lunchbreak.blogspot.com/">Sunday Smiles</a> . </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have a great rest of your weekend and start to the new week.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-28072842079321009622024-02-23T04:41:00.014-05:002024-02-23T07:25:17.157-05:00Some Random Faces<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hi everyone. Happy Friday. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Let me first thank all of you for your thoughts that my husband gets better quickly. If you didn't stop by my blog yesterday I mentioned how he ended up in the hospital for a night with pneumonia. I think most people would have been sent home with antibiotics, but because he is immuno-comprimised the doctors were playing it safe. The good news is that he is now home and recovering. 😀❤👍</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Today for Gillena's <a href="https://myblog-lunchbreak.blogspot.com/2024/02/3435.html">Friday Lunch Break</a> and for Nicole's <a href="https://beadwright.blogspot.com/">Friday Face Off</a> I have the rest of my faces from my January trip to Universal Studios in Florida. There is more to the parks than Harry Potter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This first face is definitely different.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalu8zE9NkBRyfUWa3uctGg4bRG0tje62py2QdpWw_qM31-EjTREH09zg_nULAA2XjCDQPe7EChi7ZsqqC4Netmwc5QUz2SmaB4NbiUvtnQ6opG7oRYK-mz1qVZaSk_wBnZWJWq-s4nMhlOs7x9TkeT54jl3vBVzNd1YfsoeBcu7tJmY-fuL4UflwZf6o/s3024/IMG_8830.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2825" data-original-width="3024" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalu8zE9NkBRyfUWa3uctGg4bRG0tje62py2QdpWw_qM31-EjTREH09zg_nULAA2XjCDQPe7EChi7ZsqqC4Netmwc5QUz2SmaB4NbiUvtnQ6opG7oRYK-mz1qVZaSk_wBnZWJWq-s4nMhlOs7x9TkeT54jl3vBVzNd1YfsoeBcu7tJmY-fuL4UflwZf6o/w640-h598/IMG_8830.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One night before we headed back to our hotel room we stopped at the Voodoo Donuts in the park, and we each picked out 1 donut for our breakfast. The park hotel didn't include breakfast, so we had done a grocery store run to get some food, and we figured a donut would be a nice little accompaniment. Mine was the chocolate frosted one (that was delicious by the way). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I think his scream looks better with half his body missing because now he really has something to moan about-not just the pretzel voodoo poke.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQEHNhbViMHSe66UGRG7hy71QHlnpxVRR9ODzI7Tmd2noPn23-4lF0rxeMlxF0t7GFOWPheThEkNnn5X01YDO9Wu02CQG2rMXO5cdKonnibz_wkSTRZ5kYcyttIbMbOnRP92oOzFDkmUUi8Oopx8WV3HKDAOUuCtwnqtqVIojQ92vJJl_Ny2-bTDZrFbE/s3613/IMG_8837.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2230" data-original-width="3613" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQEHNhbViMHSe66UGRG7hy71QHlnpxVRR9ODzI7Tmd2noPn23-4lF0rxeMlxF0t7GFOWPheThEkNnn5X01YDO9Wu02CQG2rMXO5cdKonnibz_wkSTRZ5kYcyttIbMbOnRP92oOzFDkmUUi8Oopx8WV3HKDAOUuCtwnqtqVIojQ92vJJl_Ny2-bTDZrFbE/w640-h396/IMG_8837.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And there are some faces on the donut box too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Years ago I was in Portland, Oregon and went to the original Voodoo donut shop. I see now they are in many places, including at Universal Studios.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One show we went to while in the park was on horror film make up. It was interesting, and I learned a lot. It was also pretty funny. (But they didn't allow photography.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">While waiting for the show we went through the small museum in the front of the building. I didn't know it was Universal Movie Studios who made the first ever horror movies.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhou_fj0EFhjabYxNJfEHI0oBOoOXJnGZ7ccCpwZcK7Rcl3aW3Rbcm-ZVHORBCeyiM9HrwxD2nmdP0xjSxHW8G0KRfTyXE8EaGoPl-nsAh9cWX4FBkNwi7nacc6FGQ5qXBY56aJo6xY-vJAVEdlpBpWCM8KYYKJxYsI5SnkFUh0tkhiz6qnnqIuIJRrtgE/s4032/IMG_9122.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhou_fj0EFhjabYxNJfEHI0oBOoOXJnGZ7ccCpwZcK7Rcl3aW3Rbcm-ZVHORBCeyiM9HrwxD2nmdP0xjSxHW8G0KRfTyXE8EaGoPl-nsAh9cWX4FBkNwi7nacc6FGQ5qXBY56aJo6xY-vJAVEdlpBpWCM8KYYKJxYsI5SnkFUh0tkhiz6qnnqIuIJRrtgE/w480-h640/IMG_9122.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWjm7DW0mCUhv0Jrj_zUhXaqRZ5NxUoIm5XrzpAre_CGf53mqaKoE9w6Lv-ul5bS_HJHT63yVFPtc02obzaS8rQyAWiBZnIsY6SHxQzSWSak-YWrE1YUWkKJQIvHT7_q3Lw1jL0zSL9m7v8Pfz6YZD0ltMnh82Mlq_JOODuWsE4kS0wKLK8B9_NtLJ_c/s4032/IMG_9123.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWjm7DW0mCUhv0Jrj_zUhXaqRZ5NxUoIm5XrzpAre_CGf53mqaKoE9w6Lv-ul5bS_HJHT63yVFPtc02obzaS8rQyAWiBZnIsY6SHxQzSWSak-YWrE1YUWkKJQIvHT7_q3Lw1jL0zSL9m7v8Pfz6YZD0ltMnh82Mlq_JOODuWsE4kS0wKLK8B9_NtLJ_c/w480-h640/IMG_9123.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIneQjUqMOFkB09zQWc-Uj-i9tDbCJ9LHAhA_zmiL773uqokxrM22Tc9JiqWilKB_tQPti4ChdtPHQ_tTcBQ1vVc08JPrc2E_FJ7r9PKkiFgBi_tsO9CRRdKHyoE1G2WFt9aoQkSqxhTzZfSc5Xd_i7tsk4rsvG50Zd8q2VX6mDpmnSfMoovP3QHuERfw/s4032/IMG_9124.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIneQjUqMOFkB09zQWc-Uj-i9tDbCJ9LHAhA_zmiL773uqokxrM22Tc9JiqWilKB_tQPti4ChdtPHQ_tTcBQ1vVc08JPrc2E_FJ7r9PKkiFgBi_tsO9CRRdKHyoE1G2WFt9aoQkSqxhTzZfSc5Xd_i7tsk4rsvG50Zd8q2VX6mDpmnSfMoovP3QHuERfw/w480-h640/IMG_9124.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And they made TV shows too. You might remember <u>The Munsters</u> from 1313 Mockingbird Lane. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclyVXn3QO6eWNCt31a82fHHFkrWlbQt-OVpx-RK0sKc5g8VoO_LN5a04iMX22tW6NsRwy-CAvZXY6alkvaoCrXK21kmy-gU7DLxxSsW9KF9Y8DmKFxm4ToFUsEegeDfoIomskgmXcQD6NdGuWLDdvwSMD2iy3TKUjkJwAPBuu1BAur5k5j-prjqtYPsc/s4032/IMG_9126.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclyVXn3QO6eWNCt31a82fHHFkrWlbQt-OVpx-RK0sKc5g8VoO_LN5a04iMX22tW6NsRwy-CAvZXY6alkvaoCrXK21kmy-gU7DLxxSsW9KF9Y8DmKFxm4ToFUsEegeDfoIomskgmXcQD6NdGuWLDdvwSMD2iy3TKUjkJwAPBuu1BAur5k5j-prjqtYPsc/w480-h640/IMG_9126.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And how can you not love the Minions?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcx5XQ5cBUvDSDXz2EvLGLWCtxVh2IA8UGomg0vXsUwhPeLiC20xGiYi3gBg_C8nJg-BFNLSoul2lvzbLk9MZuuT4aq5dNuUoFKFBY2tQvmQNCSspCRfG3H7wMcuvHMDyT-GAD2zvVLjRGAXlfl4S2Fk1rieL8Wg0sb3rt0CzNtoW3O7TLBwOLembME-Y/s4032/IMG_9141.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcx5XQ5cBUvDSDXz2EvLGLWCtxVh2IA8UGomg0vXsUwhPeLiC20xGiYi3gBg_C8nJg-BFNLSoul2lvzbLk9MZuuT4aq5dNuUoFKFBY2tQvmQNCSspCRfG3H7wMcuvHMDyT-GAD2zvVLjRGAXlfl4S2Fk1rieL8Wg0sb3rt0CzNtoW3O7TLBwOLembME-Y/w480-h640/IMG_9141.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLG5gceOIRy1UoPFXHPJYYOx8D9W8WROvcpM_EFuvSJ_UAG9xOXlJRaZpE_ff1YtNm5POeoqmEEQJ6ORFuYfHY16JCFdI2OBMjFsByBuAB3w5obqz6fi_fkEYbIypk1GXlRrGyeuAcYllBZ-eT4fMa6Jx7iLlKVnOL8kzg2TbikX9iIHpqU9GGbon7eSg/s3024/IMG_9334.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2767" data-original-width="3024" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLG5gceOIRy1UoPFXHPJYYOx8D9W8WROvcpM_EFuvSJ_UAG9xOXlJRaZpE_ff1YtNm5POeoqmEEQJ6ORFuYfHY16JCFdI2OBMjFsByBuAB3w5obqz6fi_fkEYbIypk1GXlRrGyeuAcYllBZ-eT4fMa6Jx7iLlKVnOL8kzg2TbikX9iIHpqU9GGbon7eSg/w640-h586/IMG_9334.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One ride we went on was called The Mummy, based on the 1999 Brandon Fraser film by the same name. Here's an Anubis view from when we waited in the line for the ride.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjGofRbBMGFVy0lqYqUm6AFwUgN6QmzHeFmnxGyA24TbJTNrXGHfnMXBMrcs9DsVDsEVVN7ENmyrcl3ZLBXPQrPq3covNLDzU66n4Gq3ixGLcjpiRZeZCX6ab3pfs67UR3vf7adqkSFG8DefaTQfQoFWH9YxnBmb_1_odXTvGl0reaR9T8i7YqBRTTQc/s4032/IMG_9146.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjGofRbBMGFVy0lqYqUm6AFwUgN6QmzHeFmnxGyA24TbJTNrXGHfnMXBMrcs9DsVDsEVVN7ENmyrcl3ZLBXPQrPq3covNLDzU66n4Gq3ixGLcjpiRZeZCX6ab3pfs67UR3vf7adqkSFG8DefaTQfQoFWH9YxnBmb_1_odXTvGl0reaR9T8i7YqBRTTQc/w480-h640/IMG_9146.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And finally, I'll end with me about to get eaten by a <i>T. rex</i>. I don't look very afraid😏, even though I was trying to act like I was. I think had I known how bad the Jurassic Park roller coaster ride was going to be I would have looked petrified at this point.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FzGBw4-OGuMRSP-CgRJ5lEk1RJ3u33yyjQz0dKmTSDLZFNSN-uwbZqr4SPER4V7My4nu4HXPEJWWzhY_UO46P0zmMKfwnqJE4OVXmR1epYnOabD43PegOM6bdkSgedcOF05OkzP8hCqIZz_XJiTxFsq-C0uzCTm-1sFecG062b70RQny6AyWiHAinuc/s3469/IMG_0403.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2669" data-original-width="3469" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FzGBw4-OGuMRSP-CgRJ5lEk1RJ3u33yyjQz0dKmTSDLZFNSN-uwbZqr4SPER4V7My4nu4HXPEJWWzhY_UO46P0zmMKfwnqJE4OVXmR1epYnOabD43PegOM6bdkSgedcOF05OkzP8hCqIZz_XJiTxFsq-C0uzCTm-1sFecG062b70RQny6AyWiHAinuc/w640-h492/IMG_0403.heic" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's all for me today. Have a great weekend.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-48304536112071318202024-02-22T04:20:00.031-05:002024-02-22T06:50:18.340-05:00Blue Skies and Sunshine<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. It's already getting into the second half of the week. I hope your week is going well. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Today I have a journal page and a tag for a couple of challenges.</p><p style="text-align: center;">First here's my page for Vicki's challenge at <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a>. You probably know by the now her theme is <i>Keeping It Light.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsMsTyta5HPTJrLXKWtJU3r0B3bUk3LX0lltnmduN81FGO5n3pi7khrj2lP_i1GGzlCbM-2WV1vKi3L0ipjZxua0f71JCMuDMCR5vSh5y9CAsS9Krfm9Uns4VPh0r4C8Z3R8FENTBIYa-H1zeTrpblWu0R0VFH3PdKvrZr0_VEjSHzijELn4ek3H9OMc/s3501/IMG_8540.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3501" data-original-width="2165" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsMsTyta5HPTJrLXKWtJU3r0B3bUk3LX0lltnmduN81FGO5n3pi7khrj2lP_i1GGzlCbM-2WV1vKi3L0ipjZxua0f71JCMuDMCR5vSh5y9CAsS9Krfm9Uns4VPh0r4C8Z3R8FENTBIYa-H1zeTrpblWu0R0VFH3PdKvrZr0_VEjSHzijELn4ek3H9OMc/w396-h640/IMG_8540.HEIC" width="396" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">My page started with this scrap of packaging that you see on the left. I liked the image too much to throw it out, but I was a little stuck about what to do with it.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Before I attached it to my journal page I painted my background blue. The background on the packaging was white, so I used some blue paint glaze over my whole page hoping it would pull the 2 parts together. The glaze colored the packaging nicely, but the rest of the page was still too blue. To fix that I used my favorite color fading trick. I sponged a bit of gesso over the dark blue.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I then stamped my favorite cow image. She has such a sweet face; I just love her. I actually stamped the image twice, once on the page and once on acetate. I added the acetate image over the other image because doing that really makes the image pop more. </p><p style="text-align: center;">I die cut some small butterflies and flowers. I inked them for color. I added them, along with some confetti foam circles to the packaging design. I also added a metallic paper sun, and I colored in a few of the details. Finally I used an old stamp set for my quote.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I also have a tag today for Sandie's <i>Asemic Writing</i> challenge at <a href="https://tagtuesday.blogspot.com/">Tag Tuesday</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_2iqEKWTOrgKjYesbFf0iQCbNYHPmFLuAG2OEKglV3zpI3N7Pp-fIPaY8eBaqIdvLAr3xWBodDgb85gImyxcNE5VXBPQBDrEzKSzN-wjV9aumTnFmqcE3JXRlrlhu2sF5rBIj-4vj7XLZNd112TPwI-qUgi5wqda1x0fOtp7wzRWQN03DJhx17N3baE/s3465/IMG_9991.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3465" data-original-width="2122" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_2iqEKWTOrgKjYesbFf0iQCbNYHPmFLuAG2OEKglV3zpI3N7Pp-fIPaY8eBaqIdvLAr3xWBodDgb85gImyxcNE5VXBPQBDrEzKSzN-wjV9aumTnFmqcE3JXRlrlhu2sF5rBIj-4vj7XLZNd112TPwI-qUgi5wqda1x0fOtp7wzRWQN03DJhx17N3baE/w392-h640/IMG_9991.HEIC" width="392" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I don't know if you can see the turtles in the water. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I originally had asemic writing on all of the tag, and it made me think of water. I thought turtles in the water was a great idea, but then they didn't look right being on the water. I tried using a narrow tipped paint bottle to write over the turtles, and that just looked weird and not like the ocean, so I added some darker blue paint. This is how my tag ended up when I was finally (mostly) happy with it. I just wish the quote was smaller in size, but it fit the boat on my tag so well that I decided the heck with it and used it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfC2D9EjLX083z3XWNhQRXljsXmv-mY7qmOCLDYwea7U3YWK4QTMTi6wEYrp-9ZkMSWr4XQ-dNzgpp9GSKkfnUa637N0-a9trr5M3Dsv35KXjDal9u1ir3_9aE0mrz6AUVH_9I0orxxpvusNzVLI65hIqVYVDXAs9XaeL_Zt6FdHCdSDch_DiwuaIZdOM/s4032/IMG_9997.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfC2D9EjLX083z3XWNhQRXljsXmv-mY7qmOCLDYwea7U3YWK4QTMTi6wEYrp-9ZkMSWr4XQ-dNzgpp9GSKkfnUa637N0-a9trr5M3Dsv35KXjDal9u1ir3_9aE0mrz6AUVH_9I0orxxpvusNzVLI65hIqVYVDXAs9XaeL_Zt6FdHCdSDch_DiwuaIZdOM/w640-h480/IMG_9997.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had an early morning commitment yesterday morning, and I also have one for each of the next couple of days. However, Wednesday's appointment ended up with my husband being admitted to the hospital. He had some pneumonia in part of his lungs, and since he's immune suppressed, they wanted him to go in for observations. At least he doesn't have covid, because that test came back negative. I'm hoping when I hear from him this morning he'll be doing better and able to get home. So please excuse me if I don't/ didn't get by your blog.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's all for me today. </div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-6161541290364285952024-02-20T04:00:00.089-05:002024-02-20T04:00:00.240-05:00New Challenge at TIOT<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. It's Tuesday which means it's time once again for another new challenge at <a href="https://tuesdaytaggers.blogspot.com/">Try It On Tuesday</a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Thank you <a href="https://uschiskartenkrams.blogspot.com/">Uschi</a> for hosting our Hearts and/or Flowers challenge. And thank you everyone who joined in too. It was great to see so many participants. ❤</p><p style="text-align: center;">Now we're onto a new challenge. Like all our challenges, this one runs for the next 2 weeks. This time our challenge is something that was new for me. We're asking you to make some art</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>IN THE SPOTLIGHT</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUOUMmE1Tt6ObazoXgMR5IF6bKNYxt0Q4EoY8uglCHcIYBw6BN7i_egmdihjMqc3WjQTOD0MVXZr5PPpqPxyzJgOSucuAhpn6G-yQpXKJz9FdRGuLt9rEycVhAC6ROABTcle2csYMcdsAWwKHariHpshC_IQI_-6g1mL2ZSdYXT3dqEjJmI7Fv5j1zTY/s3630/IMG_9885.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3630" data-original-width="2548" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUOUMmE1Tt6ObazoXgMR5IF6bKNYxt0Q4EoY8uglCHcIYBw6BN7i_egmdihjMqc3WjQTOD0MVXZr5PPpqPxyzJgOSucuAhpn6G-yQpXKJz9FdRGuLt9rEycVhAC6ROABTcle2csYMcdsAWwKHariHpshC_IQI_-6g1mL2ZSdYXT3dqEjJmI7Fv5j1zTY/w450-h640/IMG_9885.HEIC" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you're like me and didn't know what was meant by <i>In the Spotlight,</i> spotlight art is when you only color in a small area (or areas) of your design. That way your colored image stands out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I made a card for this challenge. I started by stamping a piece of white paper with this old Hero Arts quilted image. Then I used a pencil to outline a circle and colored in that area. I wasn't the neatest along the edge of the circle, so I die cut a black ring to not only enhance the colors, but also to cover up where I went outside the lines. 😉 Since there was not a focal point in my colored part, I added the small die cut heart and a metallic paper bow. I then stitched my quilted piece onto a white card. I over-sewed the corners so the stitching would actually stand out more. I finished by adding the stamped quote. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You should definitely check out the rest of the design team's art because some of them were much more familiar with this technique than I was and really made some great spotlight pieces.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We hoped you'll be inspired and make some <i>In The Spotlight </i>art to share with us during this challenge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And thanks for visiting my blog also. ❤</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-28529928001208591692024-02-19T18:48:00.000-05:002024-02-19T18:48:39.804-05:00T Stands for Walking and the Shorelineat<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. Here's a big hello to the T day ladies since it is time once again to share our drinks and lots of other things too. And of course that hello goes to everyone who stops by.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Last week I had a fun week. I was home for a few days with no place I had to go. ❤ I made good use of my time and made a lot of art while listening to a couple of different books. It was the perfect way to spend a few <i>windy </i>and <i>cold </i>February days especially since the spare bedroom (now my art space) gets lots of wonderful sunshine.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXw41iZGZzSzi_GcDwo0JGSHJErzOGZK7zOdNK6KVZXEz0vuLHQlwMzKN8sRZIYzn2eKdhf3fuQ9_f56gGfYslgHLOkO-qUIvPzWgDDyrH31cbx60rfMzC9Yai6E6Ar10h_XfQWGSmPztS2fbgslm45UrQYmPb1v-zk6dhBn5IP7oIGvt4nLBfnbB4bCU/s1979/IMG_8002.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1979" data-original-width="1328" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXw41iZGZzSzi_GcDwo0JGSHJErzOGZK7zOdNK6KVZXEz0vuLHQlwMzKN8sRZIYzn2eKdhf3fuQ9_f56gGfYslgHLOkO-qUIvPzWgDDyrH31cbx60rfMzC9Yai6E6Ar10h_XfQWGSmPztS2fbgslm45UrQYmPb1v-zk6dhBn5IP7oIGvt4nLBfnbB4bCU/w430-h640/IMG_8002.HEIC" width="430" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">On a couple of other days last week I met up with some friends and went walking. Between mud, ice and snow, we can't trail walk right now, so one day a friend and I walked around the outside of 2 back to back shopping malls. But later in the week the tides were finally right at the beach so Thursday I had plans to meet my friend at the beach.</p><p style="text-align: center;">We had a fun surprise for our beach walk too. Just before I reached the beach I stopped at a gas station to use the bathroom (since there is none during the winter at the beach). I was back in my car getting ready to drive when I heard a lot of horn beeping. I looked up and who had pulled into the space next to me but 2 other friends. They also had planned to go to the beach to walk and were taking a pre-walk potty stop. It worked out great that all 4 of us could walk together and catch up, and then we all decided to go get lunch afterwards. I love these kind of spontaneous events. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOqb7_rDsCPb94bCqwg-HhLC5LjOna64MHizUa8yVKWHoOydxU4u285dPnTAnIx6Q21FlJc9iH1j3ByaUg9WXZyTER1c9LXVF4U-50mbOmA-KT_nkG9Xof5xthAwDeQahchZhHNCVY3krz5v3tViSm8TVH03xquaONFCEodJItDCUY8EBGL4HAo6VpDo/s3941/IMG_9653.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2234" data-original-width="3941" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOqb7_rDsCPb94bCqwg-HhLC5LjOna64MHizUa8yVKWHoOydxU4u285dPnTAnIx6Q21FlJc9iH1j3ByaUg9WXZyTER1c9LXVF4U-50mbOmA-KT_nkG9Xof5xthAwDeQahchZhHNCVY3krz5v3tViSm8TVH03xquaONFCEodJItDCUY8EBGL4HAo6VpDo/w640-h362/IMG_9653.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This photo is looking down on the beach from up on the road.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The storm surges had been rather rough at the shore lately. Storms have been hitting during the very high tides (spring tides) that happen when there is a full or new moon. I think I've shown the remains of this shipwreck before, but the other day it was more exposed than I've ever seen it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmD9nXr9OA4nAlIbnopyo8FnG0wQXrfcQO0J_uAhqRiNeHgYAWIrdZfXVujXGqweiWJvlWXhfkgMaNnJ4keS-0XGAZSTyLJ5UavxmuDDwYaT-gKoR0OwG0zJx6AHaBV63XdrKircxrfZ_pW6ulJmcCh0KNjZclQqi8MGa3R5WvDmc143zmAQo-WRfYHgY/s3185/IMG_9906.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3185" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmD9nXr9OA4nAlIbnopyo8FnG0wQXrfcQO0J_uAhqRiNeHgYAWIrdZfXVujXGqweiWJvlWXhfkgMaNnJ4keS-0XGAZSTyLJ5UavxmuDDwYaT-gKoR0OwG0zJx6AHaBV63XdrKircxrfZ_pW6ulJmcCh0KNjZclQqi8MGa3R5WvDmc143zmAQo-WRfYHgY/w608-h640/IMG_9906.HEIC" width="608" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These houses lost a bit of their " front yards" in one of the recent storms we've had. You can see just above the stone retaining wall some erosion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDCdojUISjM3ZiMfFSXHm9wnAxlK3kjeZ7jWjZHdMqVd2eO_eZWxBim_Ala9IT5XWh3M-TX1u29s9LoMHnQ01r-RFOxZChhrb7F-aWDoNvqK52x8fD4-5liYgySj8fXwWEbIFiY21V3rbAUWDOGWmtAA5l23-_ycghypRu28EDG5XnI_X-rgV7J2MvF0/s2268/IMG_9643.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1565" data-original-width="2268" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDCdojUISjM3ZiMfFSXHm9wnAxlK3kjeZ7jWjZHdMqVd2eO_eZWxBim_Ala9IT5XWh3M-TX1u29s9LoMHnQ01r-RFOxZChhrb7F-aWDoNvqK52x8fD4-5liYgySj8fXwWEbIFiY21V3rbAUWDOGWmtAA5l23-_ycghypRu28EDG5XnI_X-rgV7J2MvF0/w640-h442/IMG_9643.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm guessing the high tide surges went as far as where the erosion is, but maybe some people even got a bit of water into their houses. I'm not sure.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And someone lost part of a walkway that led down to the beach. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LacjAmhu4wmqQAhZWqXAsz8p1NbUdtTvSH45QlX0RXqmcL2s99k61V0qOLQUKfqhY9cXTQjYNsTmjsQVUIW_0uOyo1WVCxdqFe8BwRh4sl6e-_dhCBjejCGzKDw73_7qUEdLUVk5QudgRRm0diOsQbQ5g95oB27liqI1TfQRbblc4PJGnZ4DTEu-Wtc/s4032/IMG_9650.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LacjAmhu4wmqQAhZWqXAsz8p1NbUdtTvSH45QlX0RXqmcL2s99k61V0qOLQUKfqhY9cXTQjYNsTmjsQVUIW_0uOyo1WVCxdqFe8BwRh4sl6e-_dhCBjejCGzKDw73_7qUEdLUVk5QudgRRm0diOsQbQ5g95oB27liqI1TfQRbblc4PJGnZ4DTEu-Wtc/w640-h480/IMG_9650.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A couple of recent ocean storms really wracked a bit of havoc on the road that runs along the beach also. It's a state road, and it was closed for over a week. Now there are still signs of the mess, including these debris piles all along the edge of several miles of the road. These piles are a mixture of sand and mostly small rocks that the waves brought up and then left behind when they receded. They all were plowed off to the side using snow plows or some type of heavy equipment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzCnTQXhdmGEYjq6GEulHxiUGehtsk-2AxASXAzivhX10tqz0MnZoXzCULBSqRVppi0hLHhONWyz0vnvXtcAthXCi6ajjqVlutxPKDf-e3ADfVnnAdVCtn-D_6K26Ggkt5FxZmKFL2wOzgYD3UkG4r4EjeV7mEHdqMck3WJlCQE5ND-FtvOknicAqHhw/s4032/IMG_9661.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzCnTQXhdmGEYjq6GEulHxiUGehtsk-2AxASXAzivhX10tqz0MnZoXzCULBSqRVppi0hLHhONWyz0vnvXtcAthXCi6ajjqVlutxPKDf-e3ADfVnnAdVCtn-D_6K26Ggkt5FxZmKFL2wOzgYD3UkG4r4EjeV7mEHdqMck3WJlCQE5ND-FtvOknicAqHhw/w640-h480/IMG_9661.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This next photo is a pull off where you can park and watch the ocean. Right now it's still a big mess.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5bvQYW3EnNyGtd58Lr7vjP89brBqGLK9qy_BRIHvmuaDZA6EOzmdYRTxDsLTBzktvqL1hOLYGSFnlAtVWdHjkyjZBJWV-OIM4VIYop0xmUY4f0o_bBNImrQrNnpetk8gZHk-PLP0nutLGowdSetvW7Wn80e1HTegnwHaa4yZ56f5U72fvRW7IIjQhTM/s4032/IMG_9665.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5bvQYW3EnNyGtd58Lr7vjP89brBqGLK9qy_BRIHvmuaDZA6EOzmdYRTxDsLTBzktvqL1hOLYGSFnlAtVWdHjkyjZBJWV-OIM4VIYop0xmUY4f0o_bBNImrQrNnpetk8gZHk-PLP0nutLGowdSetvW7Wn80e1HTegnwHaa4yZ56f5U72fvRW7IIjQhTM/w640-h480/IMG_9665.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm just sharing these views, but for those of you who might point out what's going on other places, I know this is small damage compared to some locations on the planet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After our beach walk the four of us went and had lunch. You can see my glass of water which is my ticket to T day this week over at <a href="https://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/2024/02/t-stands-for-another-visit-to-spice.html">Elizabeth"s and Bleubeard's blog</a> . You can also see my sandwich which was a pulled pork grilled cheese. I could only eat half of it, since the fries were pretty tasty. I managed to devour them.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtnfsh-hRU55pWfcNhonfAAw29Sa6k2ZX6B33jzbRTkH22Rdx8zR-wt1k_wPFo72heG0vWTsC_41dMgGS9vXa9qo1WOwrJqyQEUlF74QYDDf6uUGJbs-iJdrAKXLylvBmpeSFuRDga7EyArAOeYudzIH5-J6ipVLEKxaFTOJz1BoH52GVo7fmtW8y7d8/s4032/IMG_9913.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtnfsh-hRU55pWfcNhonfAAw29Sa6k2ZX6B33jzbRTkH22Rdx8zR-wt1k_wPFo72heG0vWTsC_41dMgGS9vXa9qo1WOwrJqyQEUlF74QYDDf6uUGJbs-iJdrAKXLylvBmpeSFuRDga7EyArAOeYudzIH5-J6ipVLEKxaFTOJz1BoH52GVo7fmtW8y7d8/w640-h480/IMG_9913.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But that meant I had half a sandwich for later. 😏 </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's all for me today. I hope everyone has a super T day and week ahead.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-2161111875632621892024-02-18T05:35:00.007-05:002024-02-18T05:35:00.131-05:00Harry Potter Journal<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. I hope you're enjoying your weekend. Mine has been "fairly" quiet, and yesterday I spent a lot of time on the couch reading. I'm actually hoping for another relaxing day today. 👍</p><p style="text-align: center;">Those of you who have stopped by my blog for a while might know I like to make journals when I get home from a trip. In my travel journals I include all kinds of paraphernalia I pick up, as well as other items. My trip to Universal Studios at the end of last month is also getting a journal. I decided it would have an overall Harry Potter theme, since that is how we spent most of our trip. This journal has some paraphernalia pages, but also some pages made with Harry Potter stickers. I had a book of stickers that I bought a few years back at Costco, and they work with the theme of this latest journal.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Here's the cover. I am using a little chipboard 3 ring binder that I painted Hufflepuff yellow (or what the most people would call mustard 😏.) I covered the binding with some brown book binders tape.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUXxAqXAujHLZtRF4Nww00CN-X-OJD8CBBmuLDJWzmp319F1kQEBuHbrBuWQhPQgYn-SUYTdvYvm7R2KldDxyHN0yQVLKYtvEfdpSowXXv6XFzyEcqG-Jfm_65snrPM8n347Wpc01DF9oGDjy4HVXEiIicjSPHEINTOBUinh81OVJEO26A47pYlgnPmc/s3523/IMG_9576.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3523" data-original-width="2805" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUXxAqXAujHLZtRF4Nww00CN-X-OJD8CBBmuLDJWzmp319F1kQEBuHbrBuWQhPQgYn-SUYTdvYvm7R2KldDxyHN0yQVLKYtvEfdpSowXXv6XFzyEcqG-Jfm_65snrPM8n347Wpc01DF9oGDjy4HVXEiIicjSPHEINTOBUinh81OVJEO26A47pYlgnPmc/w510-h640/IMG_9576.HEIC" width="510" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I added a Hogswart's sticker from the sticker collection, sanded the edges and then rubbed a bit of paint on those edges. The key is a souvenir I bought at the Gringotts (bank) store on my trip. I still need to add a title, but I haven't decided what or how I want to do that yet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And this next page is my inner cover. You can also see I painted the inside of my actual cover green. That's because when I've been sorted in Harry Potter schools, I've been sorted as both a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin. The green stands for the Slytherin and the yellow outside for the Hufflepuff.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(And if you're not into Harry Potter, sorting decides which of the 4 groups/houses within the Hogwarts school you belong.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYtqR-QCMqmTlqCumWaXbvWUCj81mJH3UKcpy91C_ILRaTpaBzcNd6CsLb0WWpVBw5uvJgfmVKCBl_II7N4niJLE09qmGuAZT2obBjiHKGMEHNPLgNB7RdaJ1LyGFlcD0wfwFc9J9GnT9X3T8OHkYkVFfaMcS-RdTdQB2I5-zJELH-wavYkB_6lZVmU4/s3172/IMG_9579.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3172" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYtqR-QCMqmTlqCumWaXbvWUCj81mJH3UKcpy91C_ILRaTpaBzcNd6CsLb0WWpVBw5uvJgfmVKCBl_II7N4niJLE09qmGuAZT2obBjiHKGMEHNPLgNB7RdaJ1LyGFlcD0wfwFc9J9GnT9X3T8OHkYkVFfaMcS-RdTdQB2I5-zJELH-wavYkB_6lZVmU4/w640-h610/IMG_9579.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I made my page with some stamped stars, a die cut center block, some stickers, confetti dots and some smudging.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUj_7R7n1yfq5afnYhZryN8IM83zWujd4bxhFHXlS96P8AEx1tcIWA8AaBHz6ZzAbjH6f1rHzBjAm0FTNmfRnrrveldIHLDDkGodONmcMmgIw1_SMLIqhSTvrcybP7LE0VuQq_6kmOvurqDsnaoKROuK1AAva-a_AfJz9t0mM281a8AdDP7y7UaILCuM/s4032/IMG_9580.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUj_7R7n1yfq5afnYhZryN8IM83zWujd4bxhFHXlS96P8AEx1tcIWA8AaBHz6ZzAbjH6f1rHzBjAm0FTNmfRnrrveldIHLDDkGodONmcMmgIw1_SMLIqhSTvrcybP7LE0VuQq_6kmOvurqDsnaoKROuK1AAva-a_AfJz9t0mM281a8AdDP7y7UaILCuM/w480-h640/IMG_9580.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Since we rode the train between the 2 Harry Potter parks several times, I made a page using stickers, a stamped and fussy cut train and train ticket, a paper clock, a die cut pointing finger and a paper crown. I used a stenciling brush and a red ink pad to slightly smudge a bit of color on the background.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And on this next page I used stickers, an acetate frame as well as a white Posca paint pen and some little brown plastic dots.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6if56AaHTeZY5WT1t33HLYLsKYzqbFMog5enWIRRiZMsTJXI2Ks6zbqmXJu-z9Gn8Q8D23EsPeFD0WEEywKC9_RlH_NsZfdB6JsTRMEad-3AXFE8QqHWxQ28xBJhyphenhyphenYMsSkWF5nIuX059iNqjpCxSG0JdjcV7FzrM0F0r15dpebviAHv9vbn7nTDV4jws/s3804/IMG_9589.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3804" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6if56AaHTeZY5WT1t33HLYLsKYzqbFMog5enWIRRiZMsTJXI2Ks6zbqmXJu-z9Gn8Q8D23EsPeFD0WEEywKC9_RlH_NsZfdB6JsTRMEad-3AXFE8QqHWxQ28xBJhyphenhyphenYMsSkWF5nIuX059iNqjpCxSG0JdjcV7FzrM0F0r15dpebviAHv9vbn7nTDV4jws/w508-h640/IMG_9589.HEIC" width="508" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In my travel journal, I try to make pages or include items that bring back memories. Hot butter beer was definitely something I wanted to remember. On this next page I covered the background with striped paper. The cups are stamped, fussy cut and lightly colored with watercolor paint. The butter beer heading is cut out of the koozie from an actual cup of butter beer I had. I also added a few other embellishments.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCO6e6-bg4Ql5O47vkqUHfGKjP0TcNAkWnvyW-6fEmN-7k2FyQtbscqDCxeIOWX-X35ERWsWtJYXav3SK9XRFhAATuIqiEyMG-tF8qk0GpGGCfU3vFxQgWU8wiAaK7yESWq8kPIGJldgZC2tLuN2xdsCsxgdR5temqhZM-srcZ0EFz94LysmLi1Fg1ZA/s3103/IMG_9592.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3103" data-original-width="2292" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCO6e6-bg4Ql5O47vkqUHfGKjP0TcNAkWnvyW-6fEmN-7k2FyQtbscqDCxeIOWX-X35ERWsWtJYXav3SK9XRFhAATuIqiEyMG-tF8qk0GpGGCfU3vFxQgWU8wiAaK7yESWq8kPIGJldgZC2tLuN2xdsCsxgdR5temqhZM-srcZ0EFz94LysmLi1Fg1ZA/w472-h640/IMG_9592.HEIC" width="472" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Some handwritten journaling, a big sticker, a small sticker and a stamped postmark are used on this next page.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGya5_IoupsJiyvLdSOS1NsjKEnuMuNzhbRVrnfLrPbDvGt5hkBFo6nohFi3Au_Bi7XGYTDqlwtyBN1dzRrUG4_fcz1T53cu9BkG2eZmjsm-Q_4uZozOEqMCeCUtaj1R3pyalAd0SEIrpqFziKzOMdLmJ9hXbzAWiK6F12KQon40LEmlh69cYEf7k2RBE/s3066/IMG_9597.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3066" data-original-width="2102" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGya5_IoupsJiyvLdSOS1NsjKEnuMuNzhbRVrnfLrPbDvGt5hkBFo6nohFi3Au_Bi7XGYTDqlwtyBN1dzRrUG4_fcz1T53cu9BkG2eZmjsm-Q_4uZozOEqMCeCUtaj1R3pyalAd0SEIrpqFziKzOMdLmJ9hXbzAWiK6F12KQon40LEmlh69cYEf7k2RBE/w438-h640/IMG_9597.HEIC" width="438" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And finally for this post (before it gets too long), I have a page for Vicki's <i>Keeping It Light</i> challenge at <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a>. This time I have a black and white(ish) page which I think shows the contrast between dark and <i>light</i> quite well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sjNv7a-1VE7Pz0_meo_TfgLkFvhXlinBjcz6hlACiHTWBpRS8Z2IVAVp6vWXPKUEPkbjIlbIRzBqbGW-NCKNVtdy8ZEK7f9d-_AboXDMkeey6dGCI5Kmw_6NB05GItj-R9M8yH2SVWrDP9GgEazedLnIH3UOZvnckzqsDWLcFeOzVGm2EIUHE6ULVPA/s3661/IMG_9596.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3661" data-original-width="2524" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sjNv7a-1VE7Pz0_meo_TfgLkFvhXlinBjcz6hlACiHTWBpRS8Z2IVAVp6vWXPKUEPkbjIlbIRzBqbGW-NCKNVtdy8ZEK7f9d-_AboXDMkeey6dGCI5Kmw_6NB05GItj-R9M8yH2SVWrDP9GgEazedLnIH3UOZvnckzqsDWLcFeOzVGm2EIUHE6ULVPA/w442-h640/IMG_9596.HEIC" width="442" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We had lunch one day at the Three Broomsticks, which is what the above page is all about. I added the clock because neither my friend nor I were quite sure about the ordering process, and so a quick lunch took a lot longer than we planned. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I die cut the center black and white paper as well as the fork from silver paper. The stars are hand drawn. The sticker is from my sticker book but I first put it on some black paper and then trimmed it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have quite a few other pages done, but instead of making a long post, I’ll share those another day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm also linking up to Gillena's Sunday Smiles.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Enjoy whatever is left to your day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-11983438480071889642024-02-16T07:13:00.000-05:002024-02-16T07:13:58.556-05:00More Harry Potter Faces<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. Happy Friday. I hope you had a great week and have a great weekend ahead also.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Today I have the rest of my "Harry Potter" faces to share. These faces are for Nicole's <a href="https://beadwright.blogspot.com/">Friday Face Off</a>. I am also linking up to Gillena's <a href="https://myblog-lunchbreak.blogspot.com/2024/02/3429.html">Friday Lunch Break</a>. </p><p style="text-align: center;">You might remember me mentioning that back at the end of January I took a quick trip down to Florida to visit Universal Studios with a friend. We both really wanted to visit the Harry Potter parts of the park, and neither of us was disappointed with the art and atmosphere.</p><p style="text-align: center;">My post today has some fun window views, a couple of statues, and a few other faces too.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ExM5iq7dec1ExXzIR8m_Q7IYLIFQzG0sMRSKRBHV_rGPdMYmNAa92uyWUzk0Cj2PnbCo-0r_O9lWUHrd_nqDteszBrUqJd6Suim2HeymhmGCJGTlt-xTDruU2lZmcbffIOvr9q52s4Ik3hpEKDaSPz7EIVRRSSEr5w0Q3Apfi0YtMzClzdGTB2XMImg/s4032/IMG_8867.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ExM5iq7dec1ExXzIR8m_Q7IYLIFQzG0sMRSKRBHV_rGPdMYmNAa92uyWUzk0Cj2PnbCo-0r_O9lWUHrd_nqDteszBrUqJd6Suim2HeymhmGCJGTlt-xTDruU2lZmcbffIOvr9q52s4Ik3hpEKDaSPz7EIVRRSSEr5w0Q3Apfi0YtMzClzdGTB2XMImg/w480-h640/IMG_8867.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2_0qf_4jRb5_N4gTolVPC2xQvMnfituEzNm3FrtP06e6Ni1QGxYrGcfTa_nCZTSyMFMGIXD7O4oL10a0eUjvS21q41CiJw9RpQ3OrugIyL82KrirxqJ6SpuahQ-DVWwo6zCDjq6PT93_dd4RMUoRCxn6QcCGhtWgqcdzcSIo4RFFg0irr8W8dvorD5E/s2652/IMG_8880.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2612" data-original-width="2652" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2_0qf_4jRb5_N4gTolVPC2xQvMnfituEzNm3FrtP06e6Ni1QGxYrGcfTa_nCZTSyMFMGIXD7O4oL10a0eUjvS21q41CiJw9RpQ3OrugIyL82KrirxqJ6SpuahQ-DVWwo6zCDjq6PT93_dd4RMUoRCxn6QcCGhtWgqcdzcSIo4RFFg0irr8W8dvorD5E/w640-h630/IMG_8880.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you want to spend $75 for a wand, you can make things happen at certain exhibits. This statue was one of them; water would squirt out. We didn't get wands, because even if it might be fun to play at the park, when you got home the wand would just collect dust. But it was fun to watch kids who had a wand get the wand exhibits to react.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbLA6iilBr6Q-M1Ju1SAid3stAQsvLKjz5sfckqa59fygUzeZotjVA7RIz_hTruaDIDMot-sw_MTRmPeGuuUfIbWrbK_xbJYLotHG2xivJfZUEfFlJbmoUqqTqgIq7ZrFUnoQEDyt2BdUlNPYHtYzlYjzhPKiSFvQn-Aq7NGBGF6ydtDmATfDXO0CJ8k/s4032/IMG_8888.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbLA6iilBr6Q-M1Ju1SAid3stAQsvLKjz5sfckqa59fygUzeZotjVA7RIz_hTruaDIDMot-sw_MTRmPeGuuUfIbWrbK_xbJYLotHG2xivJfZUEfFlJbmoUqqTqgIq7ZrFUnoQEDyt2BdUlNPYHtYzlYjzhPKiSFvQn-Aq7NGBGF6ydtDmATfDXO0CJ8k/w480-h640/IMG_8888.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_S-_77ND2ZsqOUh1mbFxk9ohBqZoFcd-QxgKtL7gwizxxeShLL4urgXbe7H7qSBx2ggwy2-07Dtt5NxqHVv5pNp-n6RJHdRXUsnQQ3SRCTjGsUXdlM7N4jnBewPgHxJyYfrbmDz6Ru_Yby001udps4ARtVh8pdJVFRGtJxcTlXtJe3dqz40QwKZ_OLg/s3378/IMG_8914.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3378" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_S-_77ND2ZsqOUh1mbFxk9ohBqZoFcd-QxgKtL7gwizxxeShLL4urgXbe7H7qSBx2ggwy2-07Dtt5NxqHVv5pNp-n6RJHdRXUsnQQ3SRCTjGsUXdlM7N4jnBewPgHxJyYfrbmDz6Ru_Yby001udps4ARtVh8pdJVFRGtJxcTlXtJe3dqz40QwKZ_OLg/w572-h640/IMG_8914.HEIC" width="572" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ET23uNFfegYB3hjTgjOowne-aStTH4YC6cQdWo7iNlBHlm0RO2Xw08NHrgjjMH7XMSvwZQAsplrMX243eQeaBmRzDorfeRqLzMpEVHAT1xtXbGpleDZ5m0bxiIvRDV_bzz5ELY4uzRywoy0JdOKlMFqZwsru6Db-zbkiDRWha1kziMkFYkaLpsrEgD0/s2949/IMG_8963.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2949" data-original-width="2824" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ET23uNFfegYB3hjTgjOowne-aStTH4YC6cQdWo7iNlBHlm0RO2Xw08NHrgjjMH7XMSvwZQAsplrMX243eQeaBmRzDorfeRqLzMpEVHAT1xtXbGpleDZ5m0bxiIvRDV_bzz5ELY4uzRywoy0JdOKlMFqZwsru6Db-zbkiDRWha1kziMkFYkaLpsrEgD0/w612-h640/IMG_8963.HEIC" width="612" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dumbledore was a projection in this exhibit, which was along the way into a ride. At least they kept you entertained while you waited. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's some goblins that worked, looked up and made a comment every now and again. These were also seen while waiting for a ride.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJ458tQevk-95vyEQswrBUx9J5WMKF9RZtznGoSSUyWIhlHvhrnPPKhw26ISwyI4ptu0VgqOUG5oTcXliQCOmhIVBxPG9pAsp8eEE-1ifq5GI9ApiA8S43yetIYgp36bHU6N-yHrcSUeDFSPa5jymURdFIVVztn1M3BNfdDybTvBiWa2OcsDg8MkAmec/s3841/IMG_8895.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2881" data-original-width="3841" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJ458tQevk-95vyEQswrBUx9J5WMKF9RZtznGoSSUyWIhlHvhrnPPKhw26ISwyI4ptu0VgqOUG5oTcXliQCOmhIVBxPG9pAsp8eEE-1ifq5GI9ApiA8S43yetIYgp36bHU6N-yHrcSUeDFSPa5jymURdFIVVztn1M3BNfdDybTvBiWa2OcsDg8MkAmec/w640-h480/IMG_8895.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6LB_GJqQUGZw6rdiH41LIF0GoYnqN5sitr6lv1q2GnqwoPRzgk8gIuHEwkYiQx9xobNr9JB989JjK3yuusrBNjH6FkEz9kZDjp70ixoPVEFHYR3vfFndWqRxUZ7EVq7dEfxEbgjZZVGbQSqAZeDNnT2axANEVH1ZoE5wovWAyM6Qwbrhoy3x3N6Xn-w/s2989/IMG_8894.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="2733" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6LB_GJqQUGZw6rdiH41LIF0GoYnqN5sitr6lv1q2GnqwoPRzgk8gIuHEwkYiQx9xobNr9JB989JjK3yuusrBNjH6FkEz9kZDjp70ixoPVEFHYR3vfFndWqRxUZ7EVq7dEfxEbgjZZVGbQSqAZeDNnT2axANEVH1ZoE5wovWAyM6Qwbrhoy3x3N6Xn-w/w586-h640/IMG_8894.HEIC" width="586" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I would hate to see what the lines were on a busy day. Most of the line mazes were closed off when we were there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And here's some more faces.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCeOKqVpFhk_JtwjCZbgCl470bqriVKniVa4irlk16IvKv-Z-UxrjSaBjYvxTBJCxjqI2dzoS0ALfGHvcORTHRxtzBKG8JtONv-E88UQCpKAnn0dGi-LGlzWt5WZLcsUFlLp6S-3hDEp9DQBUGAVRsSwfieXauMNh04OCsnGFIJVkC6XvdszjL1nYt9q4/s4032/IMG_8910.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCeOKqVpFhk_JtwjCZbgCl470bqriVKniVa4irlk16IvKv-Z-UxrjSaBjYvxTBJCxjqI2dzoS0ALfGHvcORTHRxtzBKG8JtONv-E88UQCpKAnn0dGi-LGlzWt5WZLcsUFlLp6S-3hDEp9DQBUGAVRsSwfieXauMNh04OCsnGFIJVkC6XvdszjL1nYt9q4/w640-h480/IMG_8910.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidx8j_knWuQi-l-m8rwtfateaeTMBabTlq3Ok6NOos-SGMGvzzwgq0eZnTZwZd1EFJFgh8w2K4GNaLaFrGpXM3iikz-utv7m3X8BuqlReIxq2FkYQYe6rZbCk0Bt3OUxuaot3c17f-5E221pf8u1O_4DgBa46imjXwLToCZWpkXLrkTIH5rY_ArSBk5pk/s4032/IMG_8909.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidx8j_knWuQi-l-m8rwtfateaeTMBabTlq3Ok6NOos-SGMGvzzwgq0eZnTZwZd1EFJFgh8w2K4GNaLaFrGpXM3iikz-utv7m3X8BuqlReIxq2FkYQYe6rZbCk0Bt3OUxuaot3c17f-5E221pf8u1O_4DgBa46imjXwLToCZWpkXLrkTIH5rY_ArSBk5pk/w640-h480/IMG_8909.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzHO1f9eWDAcC7H5xkdnIrowZ_Mb-oeoeMiQQ_7S2sFEnUTgfoHWaKKhpxItDGbpPWdkl_QUe3N3QaCX5C2rvMjYbNIHxAj9ZcAbLM0q1co1d6Ukzt0Y1-3xDIuBgZi9Hgyse3C7B-GyhbkcFJ6S3paY9rS-9Y3CvkdXjipDZhLQnyj9U3kkUrWYObGE/s4032/IMG_8916.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzHO1f9eWDAcC7H5xkdnIrowZ_Mb-oeoeMiQQ_7S2sFEnUTgfoHWaKKhpxItDGbpPWdkl_QUe3N3QaCX5C2rvMjYbNIHxAj9ZcAbLM0q1co1d6Ukzt0Y1-3xDIuBgZi9Hgyse3C7B-GyhbkcFJ6S3paY9rS-9Y3CvkdXjipDZhLQnyj9U3kkUrWYObGE/w480-h640/IMG_8916.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMtRJBXwM0XHQvgjhfE8ux9GC5pvwKELrFFFoBmcUnv_Dc5yz59SNnPoSWld2c-OxrXFp6gvbrHP3hXahSk7KBxYUE8Q7iki06Fv7IQminFR84Em3FYvcFafqpye9iDpA3xo95Uuc4V6EGRqzVbJqhtXzilQz_Dq2scj_BBt1v9ehpK9OBYfFoOd0kqQ/s4032/IMG_9045.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMtRJBXwM0XHQvgjhfE8ux9GC5pvwKELrFFFoBmcUnv_Dc5yz59SNnPoSWld2c-OxrXFp6gvbrHP3hXahSk7KBxYUE8Q7iki06Fv7IQminFR84Em3FYvcFafqpye9iDpA3xo95Uuc4V6EGRqzVbJqhtXzilQz_Dq2scj_BBt1v9ehpK9OBYfFoOd0kqQ/w480-h640/IMG_9045.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This house elf peeked out of the window every few minutes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31hE1_b09sREHR2f9d-7Ffo7uX60RIGE56nffV3Ds5RBhh9NInF9r25U0O_s8E_gY_zF1smh9KzTkO5P6ec5ecL-tPK7bI06vceQle8lMhcHWrhkkPlFL3nCf2T-3095SWSQb4KoAan7YofBR4zAQ-8LVY5cXj2SPhJ2TQcPH0HG-OWKjTzDbNyAfqgo/s3134/IMG_9106.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3134" data-original-width="2554" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31hE1_b09sREHR2f9d-7Ffo7uX60RIGE56nffV3Ds5RBhh9NInF9r25U0O_s8E_gY_zF1smh9KzTkO5P6ec5ecL-tPK7bI06vceQle8lMhcHWrhkkPlFL3nCf2T-3095SWSQb4KoAan7YofBR4zAQ-8LVY5cXj2SPhJ2TQcPH0HG-OWKjTzDbNyAfqgo/w522-h640/IMG_9106.HEIC" width="522" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And here's a couple of photos of my friend Deb and myself, posing with a couple of characters in the park. Sometimes it was hard to tell the park characters from people who were dressed up visiting the park.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx908sEu5NOXIHbbQi-5qZsN5dPHpSoSzJiStKLpsRF0luwo7PkuaBkxLH7yKi63h_6ebuoMV6cXpk8wZzqAj6LfQsrFlHwdrH40BgmGNvjive1l4bn_CjtAkopJ34AEqp4omNkbOEeRe1a7KmkgOyCrVKebvNydAd6MBV_QJhXCaisKh3u839tN7zYB8/s4032/IMG_9280.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx908sEu5NOXIHbbQi-5qZsN5dPHpSoSzJiStKLpsRF0luwo7PkuaBkxLH7yKi63h_6ebuoMV6cXpk8wZzqAj6LfQsrFlHwdrH40BgmGNvjive1l4bn_CjtAkopJ34AEqp4omNkbOEeRe1a7KmkgOyCrVKebvNydAd6MBV_QJhXCaisKh3u839tN7zYB8/w640-h480/IMG_9280.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Don't miss the shrunken head (that talked) behind Nigel the Knight's bus driver.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6c-0Ln2kBpMHqSuQHH7gtSPcWeVjWtzHMJlbmVGCxJEQkZnrqwtThJGKlcYMKrG-mtjnbOIUHnjlJNqRjsbkrO32A7BVivDucHxScxDN7uAcMHEajTHb5luLBX0eXS9WSDYD_bF7Ryx669EZakZbLyo2-oJJzntbDHWE8nxk6bI2mj1pa5uOMix9S-eA/s4032/IMG_8918.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6c-0Ln2kBpMHqSuQHH7gtSPcWeVjWtzHMJlbmVGCxJEQkZnrqwtThJGKlcYMKrG-mtjnbOIUHnjlJNqRjsbkrO32A7BVivDucHxScxDN7uAcMHEajTHb5luLBX0eXS9WSDYD_bF7Ryx669EZakZbLyo2-oJJzntbDHWE8nxk6bI2mj1pa5uOMix9S-eA/w640-h480/IMG_8918.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And finally, how about a head of another sort.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwa2OwpnyPutNu7HI0YvJwMR8_B346R-mjYK-yfnFUqMW19iJ-WLp_BDp_to59QbxO_BFiPYtrpi8A43nYjxjq1eTTLCEqTaja9rpdpLBe0ozfgDX2EzY-86XlxyLYRjKYAKJF8cnH5hyZ04y4fZZ7KA9k-Ig1nChzHo8t_1vcPgmXOevWviNT4J8mwdM/s3066/IMG_9046.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2437" data-original-width="3066" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwa2OwpnyPutNu7HI0YvJwMR8_B346R-mjYK-yfnFUqMW19iJ-WLp_BDp_to59QbxO_BFiPYtrpi8A43nYjxjq1eTTLCEqTaja9rpdpLBe0ozfgDX2EzY-86XlxyLYRjKYAKJF8cnH5hyZ04y4fZZ7KA9k-Ig1nChzHo8t_1vcPgmXOevWviNT4J8mwdM/w640-h508/IMG_9046.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have a great weekend.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-12453180616488759302024-02-15T04:05:00.190-05:002024-02-15T08:04:47.097-05:00Fun In The Sun<p style="text-align: center;"> Hi everyone. Happy Thursday to you. I hope your day is/will be a pleasant one.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Today I have a page for Vicki's <i>Keeping It Light</i> challenge over at <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a>. I'm celebrating summer gardens with this page.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4TOJaJ-vIZxBnn9HBC5b1Jmz8-x84Xy6oIpzWHK422E0vKMBUA0dvHcAaGuGWkJ4sGCzDgmGCvuoz_JXJzD9pxxLfYfl_tDXyMAgXGE143r9EE6N4FEmuASDUWNSzQharcvpWAQEa_7mAEBW7Poav39_R21pXKvUx-c0a7ilWZnuJA5eZbKUiPrsm-g/s3320/IMG_9903.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3320" data-original-width="2261" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4TOJaJ-vIZxBnn9HBC5b1Jmz8-x84Xy6oIpzWHK422E0vKMBUA0dvHcAaGuGWkJ4sGCzDgmGCvuoz_JXJzD9pxxLfYfl_tDXyMAgXGE143r9EE6N4FEmuASDUWNSzQharcvpWAQEa_7mAEBW7Poav39_R21pXKvUx-c0a7ilWZnuJA5eZbKUiPrsm-g/w436-h640/IMG_9903.HEIC" width="436" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The background is painted with left over pink and gold paints. I then used a white ink pad and a flower stamp over the entire background. It's hard to tell they are flowers in the photo, but the idea was to use them more for some texture.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I couldn't quite get the sun image in the upper right hand corner to work like I wanted it to. I stamped it, water colored painted it, stamped it again, embossed it, watercolored painted it again... you get the point. Finally it ended up like this, and I decided that's how it was going to stay.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The flower-bee image was stamped multiple times in various directions. I used water color paints and markers to color them in. I also stamped the image on some scrap paper and cut out the bee that you see flying in the middle of the page. Finally I stamped the quote and added it to my page.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It seems like it's been a long time since flowers were in bloom. We're having chillier weather this end of the week, but luckily we missed Tuesday's snow. However, last Saturday it hit 56 degrees (13 degrees C), and it was definitely warm enough to lift the lid on the beehive just a bit and insert a pouch of bee fondant. Fondant is a solid sugary square of bee food, used when liquid food would freeze and when natural food isn't available. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And it was quite an exciting sight when I lifted the lid and bees came flying out at me.❤</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkmzrJDyfQjKT2Jazk95aE15MesdfRQ7pCb5QZ0LH47_YghrkcfzoXyU2S1p-XKuYJc29I86cC5XpRUX2RDI33Z40bz-gia3HczTG1BfJ6yerb0OFAoAhgJ9mcrK_T-7qLEzaZarbCu_sGNJErB5YRgCRBKpZjXPfmzrm-jsCnrPcokAJtyCUhgsW8qo/s4032/IMG_9854.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkmzrJDyfQjKT2Jazk95aE15MesdfRQ7pCb5QZ0LH47_YghrkcfzoXyU2S1p-XKuYJc29I86cC5XpRUX2RDI33Z40bz-gia3HczTG1BfJ6yerb0OFAoAhgJ9mcrK_T-7qLEzaZarbCu_sGNJErB5YRgCRBKpZjXPfmzrm-jsCnrPcokAJtyCUhgsW8qo/w480-h640/IMG_9854.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This first photo is not great, but if you look carefully you can see some dark spots on the plastic and on the blue blanket. Those are the bees. Although it was a little disconcerting to have a small swarm come at me (note to self-light the smoker next time you do this), it was exciting to see the hive was doing so well. ❤</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Since it was a gorgeous February day, some of the bees decided to fly around for awhile. Here's one lady that landed on my husband's bright yellow jacket. Since it was a warm afternoon I brought a chair outside and sat outside soaking up some sun and reading a bit. And I loved hearing some buzzing around me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbBX_Azpr8xZob1o6MDqA1XX3TAO1OH6Rypy1dq2cXGeiR6LcAK2dDUbcA5Vc6DGGD0_qlpe0narDcAHPm90eRhpkgmP1nF08230dEmm84FNJfAH9orW3F4Vu-Man6MfwEeTTQ2TB2LHfuj-Qkg9Lahiy5EZuLTxMH1Ko7GsshIMewBE6fkJK-7BHdQk/s4032/IMG_9864.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbBX_Azpr8xZob1o6MDqA1XX3TAO1OH6Rypy1dq2cXGeiR6LcAK2dDUbcA5Vc6DGGD0_qlpe0narDcAHPm90eRhpkgmP1nF08230dEmm84FNJfAH9orW3F4Vu-Man6MfwEeTTQ2TB2LHfuj-Qkg9Lahiy5EZuLTxMH1Ko7GsshIMewBE6fkJK-7BHdQk/w480-h640/IMG_9864.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And here's something that might be new to you. I haven't ever seen this before, but I've heard about it. See the brown spots on the snow? The bees have come out to relieve themselves . This photo hardly shows all the brown spots around the hive. That means a lot of bees came out, and that means there is a good sized colony in the hive. And the fact that they now have extra food in the hive, hopefully means they can get through any or all of the cold spells we might get in the next few weeks. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3MuYEkGzvObb4Y9i_MP4oxF1AOaB-El6XjsSrYgZBTQJ1Vw2DcasLFcB8gcMV9qQZNIRcoQKKGeN9jugzhcM1o8P09bzMGPnGcft77eLW6FqKPJQP3rysSPvR9FioIWl8lZB8bjCKUS5HUr-LxN8Kwv_XhRy1rqFO5F0uU9fDIx52ou8knsTLURmdBU/s4032/IMG_9865.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3MuYEkGzvObb4Y9i_MP4oxF1AOaB-El6XjsSrYgZBTQJ1Vw2DcasLFcB8gcMV9qQZNIRcoQKKGeN9jugzhcM1o8P09bzMGPnGcft77eLW6FqKPJQP3rysSPvR9FioIWl8lZB8bjCKUS5HUr-LxN8Kwv_XhRy1rqFO5F0uU9fDIx52ou8knsTLURmdBU/w480-h640/IMG_9865.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can also see the black spots which are a few more dead bees that the living bees cleaned out of the hive.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I mentioned earlier in this post how I pulled out a chair and sat on the deck reading for a while. Sitting there I could also watch the birds at my feeders. Most of them wouldn't come into the feeder with me so close ( both dogs as well as my husband were also on the deck), but there was a pair of fearless bluebirds. Here's the male who I managed to get a photo of with my phone. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5loHMGjpl9FR5VUl1dpS0Cp1iCQZ9aem0POCOJOmM4cOc0NGref8zy8WSwuNEUmdBlhLUTr9P9R8eKe9yybasHiTujI6l7ZHAb1x3s1l0DZiNnlZT2LUnpt0BT8xVgwY9-ySShBUhbCh1D9Z2RJFIonvMMj_alnX-RX9qV0oU7HvkZeRlVkiesr0GGJc/s4032/IMG_9857.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5loHMGjpl9FR5VUl1dpS0Cp1iCQZ9aem0POCOJOmM4cOc0NGref8zy8WSwuNEUmdBlhLUTr9P9R8eKe9yybasHiTujI6l7ZHAb1x3s1l0DZiNnlZT2LUnpt0BT8xVgwY9-ySShBUhbCh1D9Z2RJFIonvMMj_alnX-RX9qV0oU7HvkZeRlVkiesr0GGJc/w480-h640/IMG_9857.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mr. Bluebird is sitting on a snow gauge my son-in-law built us. It has a solar charger on the top so it can light up at night. As far as bluebirds go, I've only had the occasional one up until this winter. It's exciting having them at my feeders on a regular basis. I hope a pair will nest in the bluebird box I have come spring. 🤞</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Enough said. That's all for me today. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1034532151955863306.post-49374186908386323442024-02-14T04:49:00.063-05:002024-02-14T07:48:00.060-05:00All About Red<p style="text-align: center;">Hi everyone. Happy February 14th. If you celebrate Valentine's Day, I hope you enjoy yours. I'm not a big celebrator of this holiday, but I love the shape of hearts. Even though I don't use that shape all the time, today I have a lot of them in my art. 😉</p><p style="text-align: center;">Since Valerie's challenge at <a href="https://tagtuesday.blogspot.com/">Tag Tuesday</a> is <i>Valentine's Day</i>, let me share another tag I made.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOzvueOFkA6tKMFxdsdfsbWcYhoPRWBriB-Jm97tE3IXayFAz4rOyqtMwAs2S4l6A70VbrH-nLTA5RaZgbezF4EZCTW7yqvHP2HURAb5L2wz31dYwovuEAVeWA-aEYepxaHPvJPhpl4QqUesU_2zjJqmT1xvqVIpmOx0dQsWSparyzfrdmhifoQ-FpqU/s3965/IMG_9620.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3965" data-original-width="2128" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOzvueOFkA6tKMFxdsdfsbWcYhoPRWBriB-Jm97tE3IXayFAz4rOyqtMwAs2S4l6A70VbrH-nLTA5RaZgbezF4EZCTW7yqvHP2HURAb5L2wz31dYwovuEAVeWA-aEYepxaHPvJPhpl4QqUesU_2zjJqmT1xvqVIpmOx0dQsWSparyzfrdmhifoQ-FpqU/w344-h640/IMG_9620.HEIC" width="344" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I find red a color that doesn't always photograph as well as it looks in person, but I still like this playful tag. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The background started with some pink ink, and then I dropped a couple of drops of red re-inker. I then sprayed the tag with water to moved the drops around, and I also held up the tag and rotated it a bit to make a nice grungy background.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I used a heart chain punch (an oldie from Martha Stewart Crafts) to punch out the upside hearts along the bottom. I also punched some out of pink paper and layered them along the bottom. I added the tiny confetti hearts inside each one.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The 2 bigger hearts are die cuts, as is the SWAK. I added some hot pink sparkle to the bigger hearts, and also used a Sharpie and a white pen to create the border around them. The quote is an old stamp from Impression Obsession.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My other piece of art is a journal page I actually made last month for my calendar challenge and then never had time to share. I am going to share it with Vicki's <i>Keeping It Light</i> challenge at <a href="https://art-journal-journey.blogspot.com/">Art Journal Journey</a> because <i>that bride's smile looks like it would light up a room</i>. Now the groom on the other hand, he must be a shy guy and not like to pose for photos. Hopefully (since it's Valentine's Day) he's not having second thoughts already.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuvDnUYeITUEAd5TGH1wiRLRsmLYmcBKUE0O35L267R-fxRBaz9SF5H_7Je5rkpzPadTDQWk6IcGpeBzdc5I45bJcD1NO7Bqo0fh11SbZxzQuvKixH6AV4C4Ny3GCjttz_8tW2KVrkn13fih-04N_MlrUQH6kRhyq1VgQ0ouSsnXC-kh3fY22NHjbeII/s4032/IMG_7367.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuvDnUYeITUEAd5TGH1wiRLRsmLYmcBKUE0O35L267R-fxRBaz9SF5H_7Je5rkpzPadTDQWk6IcGpeBzdc5I45bJcD1NO7Bqo0fh11SbZxzQuvKixH6AV4C4Ny3GCjttz_8tW2KVrkn13fih-04N_MlrUQH6kRhyq1VgQ0ouSsnXC-kh3fY22NHjbeII/w480-h640/IMG_7367.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If candy and sweets are your thing for Valentine's Day, how about sweets from Honeyduke's Candy Shop at Harry Potter World in Universal Studios.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJp-8MjbvQWoC2daHiLJp8AwtpwQGDfW7wUJ3vmKQGF6-RRJ8IxbD74KgETUoG3N1hwGKh0GakF4vHuzuwU6DSnlykj8eg459WhJRL2jyKmQCvmjlUTpYtsm_Yu1RwKKO9MjQAhmDC-Bk22I0gRzzRtvvisOS_lu8BFXhvXWDOjUp_TIiKat_U83RX8Q/s4032/IMG_9306.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2497" data-original-width="4032" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJp-8MjbvQWoC2daHiLJp8AwtpwQGDfW7wUJ3vmKQGF6-RRJ8IxbD74KgETUoG3N1hwGKh0GakF4vHuzuwU6DSnlykj8eg459WhJRL2jyKmQCvmjlUTpYtsm_Yu1RwKKO9MjQAhmDC-Bk22I0gRzzRtvvisOS_lu8BFXhvXWDOjUp_TIiKat_U83RX8Q/w640-h396/IMG_9306.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6vfq5CTbP4-Zam7epEdYMJ-tRmwLkDkGjXoMGpHTmVpNTK2r4HTl5KExXp1AYDBHEU6Vei6qpgPpJTraweQI_se9eWQ2dML8wWUNDc_XF4M-pKUFWMmj6vqF1yrh9a7g6GBEDlY_9rdTSwJiFKud12Ij6B8obtNsjTkItxz8NNf2-5CyuC3f0tyLP1o/s4032/IMG_9304.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6vfq5CTbP4-Zam7epEdYMJ-tRmwLkDkGjXoMGpHTmVpNTK2r4HTl5KExXp1AYDBHEU6Vei6qpgPpJTraweQI_se9eWQ2dML8wWUNDc_XF4M-pKUFWMmj6vqF1yrh9a7g6GBEDlY_9rdTSwJiFKud12Ij6B8obtNsjTkItxz8NNf2-5CyuC3f0tyLP1o/w480-h640/IMG_9304.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1c_t50nsCayMbTOwCT8Z7KScjZ_46trZpUskLilfjFnEFXTWob5UlCudsfsfMozACNrRsZeEby0E-SA-WxsAmeatPrZMWFCfaI7SKpXMG1Y71YreF9gLsaMFxDSEFUvbTeGsbxEvC4CwyV53G_RdLWmj_VsgpqKosOvr2y7p6szsyxGxtOT0v2uPl-UE/s4032/IMG_9301.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1c_t50nsCayMbTOwCT8Z7KScjZ_46trZpUskLilfjFnEFXTWob5UlCudsfsfMozACNrRsZeEby0E-SA-WxsAmeatPrZMWFCfaI7SKpXMG1Y71YreF9gLsaMFxDSEFUvbTeGsbxEvC4CwyV53G_RdLWmj_VsgpqKosOvr2y7p6szsyxGxtOT0v2uPl-UE/w480-h640/IMG_9301.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOS9Vkj4gDbah4Zm6njirDJ6zA_7ekSt6meBFfcMnD1qPAU9XD6Z805WcEOCwnkASUz0Gtd5ijJzH9QYq4I7sPkl3dSjZHhWqTEav2aTR9FDyASKR8MMuoMNI-JuQa3sbraw-v2JkwdiRGoQENT_0mj0B73-wSwUmtPwr041vHfb4YAIcwU-GhSSl32c/s4032/IMG_9307.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOS9Vkj4gDbah4Zm6njirDJ6zA_7ekSt6meBFfcMnD1qPAU9XD6Z805WcEOCwnkASUz0Gtd5ijJzH9QYq4I7sPkl3dSjZHhWqTEav2aTR9FDyASKR8MMuoMNI-JuQa3sbraw-v2JkwdiRGoQENT_0mj0B73-wSwUmtPwr041vHfb4YAIcwU-GhSSl32c/w480-h640/IMG_9307.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZ_J5N2glvQoqVc61CtwXeulCtZ9Uuqpu9lDJnxjG3vgbUReYasOB_ANFLnpTYxEoE3MBuHkfEdqqJ_aHOjvFjL7Wll3hfPSGcgW_tUc-bAw_1QxMEqHE-zpA1fS5gd3QoLs-S7gp4hhrYQLwD8S6IsfWhNmJ-hSqhptbCkoibj3jiMYsrVOhGuyMq-Q/s4032/IMG_9313.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2747" data-original-width="4032" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZ_J5N2glvQoqVc61CtwXeulCtZ9Uuqpu9lDJnxjG3vgbUReYasOB_ANFLnpTYxEoE3MBuHkfEdqqJ_aHOjvFjL7Wll3hfPSGcgW_tUc-bAw_1QxMEqHE-zpA1fS5gd3QoLs-S7gp4hhrYQLwD8S6IsfWhNmJ-hSqhptbCkoibj3jiMYsrVOhGuyMq-Q/w640-h436/IMG_9313.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-k2DwEY-Tf02WIKqWaAQZFQr4P9W1lqAo0cKHqv-mBvAkicYsyObAc5zpEY0Ac1gCRORAMFHaiio96WgE4MgzAmZf1Whvxv9MG_RxSmzKm72rhVSWYs17GDDZVeHJ9nez_F7o1UesbnG1tZNgfgJDuTYQW-6Ts2Ko0cqH4Eowf6GUnXI8a8sTQa9K-Q/s4032/IMG_9316.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-k2DwEY-Tf02WIKqWaAQZFQr4P9W1lqAo0cKHqv-mBvAkicYsyObAc5zpEY0Ac1gCRORAMFHaiio96WgE4MgzAmZf1Whvxv9MG_RxSmzKm72rhVSWYs17GDDZVeHJ9nez_F7o1UesbnG1tZNgfgJDuTYQW-6Ts2Ko0cqH4Eowf6GUnXI8a8sTQa9K-Q/w640-h480/IMG_9316.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They're not exactly Valentine's Day traditional, I know. It was very tempting to buy a treat when I visited, but a butter beer ice cream was on my menu for later in the day. 😏</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Have a great <b>LOVE</b>ly day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>My name is Erika.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04834435573574156495noreply@blogger.com20