Thursday, April 22, 2021

Celebrating Mother Earth


 Hi everyone. Happy Earth Day. 

And  ๐ŸŽ‚Happy Birthday ๐ŸŽ‰ to my good friend Elizabeth too. I hope you have a great "bearthday".

Thanks to those of you who sent well wishes with my second shot. I woke up with a low grade fever, and Tylenol helped for awhile.  I had hoped I would just keep improving during the day, but as soon as the Tylenol wore off my fever hopped up a bit again. My plan was to take the day easy and that I did. I think I caught up on a month's worth of sleep-ha-ha. I finished writing this post last night shortly after taking some Tylenol, so I'm hoping as you read this I am back to feeling myself. 

Today I thought I would share this collaged and painted journal page with you to celebrate Mother Earth.


I particulary like the tree on the left. I used some textured paper to make it, and I love how it really looks like bark.


I am linking up to Art Journal Journey where this month's theme is Inspired By. Chris, also known as Pear Shaped Crafting and I are hosting in Eileen's memory.

This week is also US National Park Week. 


I'm a big fan of National Parks, as well as National Monuments and Historic places. There are 423 of these in the US. I have made it to 137 of them in my life, so far. I don't think I'll ever get to them all, as they keep adding new ones, but that's OK. I am hoping to add some more in the future though, once travel is easier.


Here's some  photos from a few places I have visited. I took the photos off some of my old blog posts, and depending on the camera I used for the photo,  a few aren't as clear as others.

Lassen National Park

Lava Fields National Monument

Crater Lake National Park

Redwood National Park

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Death Valley National Park

Glacier National Park



Saguaro National Park

Acadia National Park



Northern Cascades National Park

And the only one in my state of New Hampshire, St. Gauden's National Monument.

Arches National Park

Biscayne National Park

Canyonlands National Park

Everglades National Park

Mesa Verde National Park

Mount Ranier National Park

Badlands National Park

Devils Tower National Monument

Mount Rushmore National Monument


The last park I visited was Chaco Canyon in New Mexico in February of 2020, just before the world came crashing to a close with covid.  I wonder what my next park will be?



Thanks for visiting.

18 comments:

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Happy Earth Day back to you, Erika, and hope you are feeling better. Seems like that shot really walloped you and thankfully you are done now, unless of course we have to get booster shots, like annual flu shots. i have only been to a few of the National Parks you showed in this post and, like you, doubt that I will ever make them all, but it would be a goal.

Iris Flavia said...

Love your page, but how dare they! Simply adding new national parks, LOL!
Sad stamp, but yes, these days it´s all but virtual - at least we have that...
Thank you for the journey, wow, that water in Northern Cascades NP looks amazing, oh, and the lighthouse with boats.
You saw a lot! Thank you for sharing and hugs from here.

Barbara said...

National parks are amazing places, we all need to appreciate their protection. Your collage is so creative! Feeling better is sure to come soon. It’s a good sign your vaccination has been working!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Happy Earth Day to you, too, Erika. I absolutely LOVE the spread you created. That must have taken you forever to create that. It is so well done, and there must be lots of texture in it, too.

I've been to a few of the same National Parks as you, but many I have not. I was also amazed there were so many until I started researching them. Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos and your incredible art journal spread with us honoring Eileen's theme at Art Journal Journey dear friend. Thank you beyond belief for your wonderful bEARTHday wishes, too.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Forgot to mention how I hope your headache is gone and your reaction to the COVID vaccine has now passed.

Divers and Sundry said...

You've been so many great places! Thank you for sharing these opportunities for a bit of virtual travel :)

R's Rue said...

So pretty. ❤️

Valerie-Jael said...

Wow, Erika, I'm in love with all of the beautiful photos, thanks for sharing. Happy earth day. Sorry you're not feeling too good, I had my first shot yesterday and no bad side effects. Your journal spread is wonderful, it goes so well with the photos. Look after yourself! Hugs, Valerie

CJ Kennedy said...

I hope you're feeling better. I had my 2nd shot yesterday. Woke up fine this morning and then everything went downhill! I'm feeling a little better. I had to get up out of bed because I was growing roots! You've been to some beautiful places. I should try to get a trip to St. Gauden's National Monument. He carved the lions at the Boston Public Library. Supposedly my great-uncle Manny worked on the lions, too.

Tammy said...

What a beautiful collaged page Erika, love the scene you created and gorgeous bright colors! Awesome photos of the national parks, I've been to several that you've listed... all so beautiful!
Hugs, Tammy

lichazul said...

So very pretty mountains, happy day๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’
Hugs

Let's Art Journal said...

Wow, what stunning pages! Your celebrated Earth Day perfectly, I love the mountains and the way you created the shadows for the clouds is so amazing ๐Ÿ˜. Such beautiful photos too, they brought back so many happy memories as I've visited 12 of these parks myself - yay! I hope you've had a lovely week and wishing you a very happy Friday and weekend! Hugs, Jo x

craftytrog said...

A wonderful collaged scene Erika, and great photos of the national parks.
Hope you're feeling much better now. I only had a slight tenderness in my arm with both of my jabs.
Have a good weekend,
Alison xx

Neet said...

What a fabulous post Erika. I love your collage and agree with you re the tree bark but all the other collage looks kind real to me. I don't think I have ever seen one done better than this - or coming anywhere near as good. This is really fantastic!
Love all the National Parks you have shown us, how lovely to be able to visit them all in real life. I was drawn to the water ones, maybe because I am a Piscean but then the mountains drew me in as well. Oh heck - they all look darned good to me.
Hugs, Neet xx

Jeanie said...

Your reaction to the vax was much like mine. Low key and feverish for a day and then fine. Isn't it the biggest relief? Two weeks and the world is your oyster. Still carefully, but nonetheless, good!

I love this spread. It's really beautiful. I love the colors and textures.

nwilliams6 said...

Fab creation- love how you did it and it goes so well with all your National Park pictures! So fun. I love your pictures. I especially loved the ones from my home state of New Mexico - brought back lots of memories. I love that you have visited so many parks - a great thing to do! Hugz

Lowcarb team member said...

So sorry to read about the reaction to the second vaccination - hope you are feeling much better now.

The photographs here are just so beautiful, I enjoyed seeing them.
Happy earth day.

All the best Jan

pearshapedcrafting said...

Sorry you had a bad reaction to your second vaccine - hope you are feeling better now! I absolutely love your journal spread - what fabulous landscape .
It's great to see the National Parks - I'm afraid we will only see them in documentaries. I have heard of quite a few.
Enjoy your weekend, we are off for our second vaccines tomorrow! Hugs, Chrisx