It is Time

Yesterday at 11:30 AM I left school and started my summer break. First thing I did was meet 2 other teacher friends and went to lunch, for 2 hours! No 20 minute quick lunch for us as per usual. This was a long leisurely and summer style lunch. 

Big smile on my face!

And here is this week's calendar journal page. I used the already in the journal background and did a bit of doodling and letter play. 

As the page says "Let's have an adventure."

Flowers

Happy Thursday everyone. It's going to be a really wet and cold day here in New Hampshire today. And yesterday was just gorgeous, but that's they way the weather goes I guess. 

I have a page today for Halle's challenge at Art Journal Journey. The challenge is words to live by.

So my calendar journal for this week had this pink and purple background page. I thought about covering it over but I wanted to see if I could do anything with it. I also felt like painting flowers, an abstract take on my irises (OK, very abstract). So I said to myself, just do it.

And so I did. I like it and I don't like it. I haven't made up my mind. But it does work. 

But let's focus on the words for the challenge. They say

we are fearless,

independent,

original

Hope everyone is having a good week. I've been dealing with some major hives for the last couple of weeks and they are now under control (again), so that is making me really happy. Hives are not fun, especially when they are from an overactive immune system, not something I can just stop using or doing. As my doctor said the other day "I just don't know what we are going to do with you." (Hopefully she hasn't totally run out of ideas or I might need a new doctor.)

Thanks for visiting.

Friends

Happy Friday! The beautiful weather is back and is supposed to last through the weekend, or at least that's what they say. 

The sunshine may not be the most conducive for art, but it is certainly better than more rain since we've had some heavy rain recently. I think all the plants in the gardens will enjoy some sunshine too.

So here is my calendar journal page for this week. 

I covered the page with some Japanese book pages. I don't know what they say as I don't read  Japanese, so if you do, they may be something horrible. But the cover of the book had a happy photo so hopefully not.

I attached 4 pages and then used some very light blue watered down paint to wipe some of the page. Then I stamped the flowers and colored them. I added the TH couple, stamped the quote, and also added this gold paper swan I had in my stash.

So I am linking up to a couple of challenges. First of all I am linking up to the Things With Wings challenge at Moo Mania since the gold swan may not be flying but does have wings. 

And then I am also linking up to Halle's Word's to Live By at Art Journal Journey.

Last night I planned on some art time, but it was such  nice evening when I got home that I decided to enjoy my screen porch. I finally got that set up the other day. It took me long enough this year.

The hammock was so comfortable that before I knew it it was almost 7 pm. This photo is not the most flattering for my legs, is it? (smile)

Happy almost weekend!

Blooming

This past week  my world is greening up.

The gardens are looking more green and I am getting spring flowers.

These quick photos may show that my garden is  behind the gardens of a lot of you, and therefore not very dramatic, but I am excited to finally see spring.

And from my morning walk

There was a crisp breeze to keep the bugs away. It would be a good day to finish my bark mulching, but I'm off to meet my daughter and then take the trip down to visit my mom.

Of course I have to borrow my husband's car since yesterday I hit a deep pothole on my way to work. That blew a tire and even bent the rim. So my car is sitting in the shop waiting for the new tires (I had to replace all 4) to arrive on Monday. That was  just the first of a long list of things that didn't work. Yesterday was just not my day.

But it is a new day and the sun is shining.

And here's this week's page from my calendar journal. It was a quickie as I used lots of punch outs from Studio Light.  I did add a bit of white penned  details to some of these blooms. And I used the background that was already in the journal.

The quote is stamped. It's an oldie from Postmodern Design.

I am linking this page up to Art Journal Journey because there is blue sky and that fun sun image. This month the challenge is In the Air/In the Sky. 

I hope to see you at the challenge.

And Happy Weekend!

A Vacation Day

Hi everyone. It was cooler and cloudy today and so that made it a good day to be inside. I spent some time in the studio and worked some more on cleaning out my books. Oh you gotta love these stay home vacation days.

I finished up this page in my calendar journal for Wendy's Have Fun challenge at Art Journal Journey. 

I began by painting and stenciling with a Dylusions fish scale stencil.  Then I added these fun punch figures from Studio Light, Marlene 3 Cut Block. I picked up this booklet of images ready to punch out of the page and then add to your art. I thought they were pretty fun images.

I stamped the starfish on the corners and also added some sequins. 

Here's a close up of the quote.

So there's still some piles of books to deal with, as well as a few things my daughter keeps at home for when she is home, but otherwise the project is moving along. Most of the piles towards the front of the photos are needed to be taken to a charity box, or binned up for my daughter to take. But I must say I am having fun doing this cleaning job as it is nice to rediscover books and organize them.

Hopefully I'll get it finished before I go back to work.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Yes You Can Go Back In Time

Hi everyone. Today I have this week's page from my calendar journal to share with you.  I thought it would work perfect for the Polka Dot challenge over at Moo Mania as you can see lots of dots in the background.

My page also has some recycling in it. I was cleaning a kitchen cabinet a few weeks back when I found this plastic cake doily stuffed int the back corner. This was a scalloped edge pink piece that you would put on your dish and then put your cake down on. It is meant so the pretty pink scallops would stand out around the bottom of the cake.

Now I didn't even remember I had this piece, and I have never used it. So what do I do? I cut it in half and use it as the border for this giant spring flower.

I painted the center and stamped some little yellow stars on it. For the rest of the page I painted in the stem and leaves, stamped some postmarks and bumble bees. I also stamped the quote and added the sticker letters to make up the word spring.

This page makes me happy because I am ready for some spring flowers.

And as it is a happy page, I am also going to link up to Wendy's Have Fun challenge at Art Journal Journey because I had a lot of fun making this page.

Think it is going to be awhile before I see spring flowers though. This what I came home to yesterday.

And to think last Sunday afternoon I was sitting on that lawn chair reading for a couple of hours and enjoying the warm sun.

Happy mid-week. Hope your day is a good one.

Cherry Blossoms

With the last few days of March here, I thought I would share another page for Jo's Hello Springtime challenge at Art Journal Journey.

Today I have cherry blossoms for you. They were just saying on the news last night that this weekend will be the peak cherry blossom bloom for the Japanese cherry trees in Washington D.C. I would love to go see that, one of these days, or even better, go back to Japan during their cherry blossom festivals. I don't know if I will ever get back to Japan, but maybe once I retire and have this time of year off, I could get to DC.

So my page today takes a Japanese theme with lots of paper collaging. 

I layered napkins, tissue paper, some cut outs from some Japanese paper I brought back with me last year, a stamped traditional Japanese woman and some clock and cherry blossom stickers.

Finally a painted a small block and stamped my Live It quote.

Not much else to say today. It's been a busy week but not exactly a very exciting one. We're wrapping up the end of the quarter at school and next week are the mid-semester exams. Already. 

Hope everyone is having a great week and maybe a little more exciting than mine.

Thanks for visiting.

Time for Green

Happy Friday everyone. We expect lots of rain here today but warmer temperatures. This week our weather has been more like March and the snow melt is starting. Hurrah!  Hurrah! 

Now I don't celebrate St Patrick's Day but it is this weekend so my calendar page this week is all about a little green. 

I added some green ink to the pre-printed background and stamped a few shamrocks. The centerpiece is a practically ancient transparency I had in my stash, and then I added these 2 little TH ladies. Finally a bit of green metallic paper trim and a couple of shamrock stickers finished off this not so complicated page.

Since St. Patrick's Day is one sign of spring here in my world I am going to link up this page to Art Journal Journey. Jo is the wonderful hostess this month and her theme is Hello Springtime.

Not much else going on here. It's been a busy work week but it is almost the weekend.

Another hurrah for that.

Hope you are having a good week, and thanks so much for stopping by my blog. It is always appreciated.

Calendar Journal

Hi everyone. It's another very cold morning here in New Hampshire and feels like January. BUT, the sun is up and these days are definitely longer. Got to love that even if I can't stop wearing my winter clothes. (Which I am very sick of wearing)

And it is Friday. The week goes fast when it has been very broken up, which mine has been. I am glad to be back to work and my normal routine again thought, and let's hope that lasts. 

So not much to share today except this week's calendar journal page

Since this was my week to turn a year older, I made this celebratory page in my journal. I stared by stamping the background with some newsprint and then adding this fun orange-yellow paint. The typewrite is an image I cut from an old FLOW magazine, as are the cat and bear parade.

And then  I stamped the page on the typewrite and the cake quote. Stamps are from Hero Arts and Impression Obsession.

That's all from me.

Happy Friday and Happy almost weekend!

Inspired By A Word at Try It On Tuesday

Hello everyone.  It is Tuesday and time for another fun challenge at Try It On Tuesday. But before we

we move onto the new, I want to thank our last guest hostess, Bleubeard and Elizabeth, and all the artists who shared some super art with us. 

For our new challenge, we're asking you to be inspired by a word.  Can you guess mine?

I began by using some tropical blue paint on my page. Then  I painted the palm trees. I added some more palm trees with the palm tree paper tape along both edges of the page. The ship (Impression Obsession) was stamped on tissue paper and added with some matte medium. Once dry, I painted it. I stamped the small quote several times, as well as adding a few small metal stars. Finally, I used this ancient stamp from River City Rubber to stamp my word. 

One has to have dreams, right?
Please remember to let us know your word also!

And I'm sending a big welcome to our newest guest designer Sabine!

Hope you're inspired by a word, and I'm looking forward to seeing your inspiration art

over at Try It On Tuesday.

Welcome March

Hi everyone. Today I have a piece of art to share with Jo's Hello Springtime challenge at Art Journal Journey. It's from my calendar journal. I basically painted the designs already on the page (it was a very light image in the background),and then added a stamped and colored bird, some doodled music notes as well as the label  and the Paper Artsy stamped quote.

The birds are always the first sign of spring in my world, even when we still have snow on the ground. They come out on nice mornings and sing. I love it.

And for Bleubeard and Elizabeth's Second on the Second challenge, I have this page from March of 2016.  

It's lots of paint and collaging. An abstract view of the spring!

You can see the whole post here: Making Art Ain't Pretty.

My husband and I headed down to southern Florida for a few days this past week. It was school vacation for me and he took the week off.  It was very warm and humid (the only place in the US that had above normal temperatures), but it still felt good to be out and about. It wasn't a lounge on the beach week (well maybe just a little) but I got in lots of walking and did some fun things. I have lots to share another day, but here's a couple of photos just to tease.

I'm back to the cold and the chance of a big snowstorm on Sunday night. Hope your weather is spring like where you are.

Happy Valentine's Day

Hi everyone. Happy Valentine's Day! And it is already Thursday. I knew this week would fly since it's been very busy with appointments, snowstorms and tonight is our second (and final) parent's open house at school . And tomorrow I am being naughty and taking one of my personal days and doing something fun with some girlfriends. More about that another day.
It's the day of hearts today so I splashed a few on my calendar journal page for this week. The background was grey and I left it this color, but added scraps of pink and orange paper to create some pops of color. I like the way it works.
And even though these photos are horrible, the buzz at school the other day was this one snow goose within a flock of Canadian geese. We rarely get snow geese here in New Hampshire.

 I didn't have my camera with me so I had to use my phone and I took these  from my classroom window which is on the third floor. But can you just make out the white goose on the left? That's as good as my photos of it gets.
OK, the photo doesn't really show you much but it isn't everyday that a bird is the talk of the school. For me it made a great spontaneous lesson with the kids.

 You maybe can see the white bird on the right here.

The next day I brought my camera in hopes that the snow goose would be back, but of course, he wasn't.

I hope everyone has  wonderful Valentine's Day. Thanks for visiting.

Happy New Year

 I'm a  couple of days late with this post but this past Tuesday was the Chinese/Lunar New Year celebration. It is now the year of the pig. 

I decided to make this week's calendar spread have an Asian feel.

I liked this background as it was, so I just added several stamped  and stenciled images to it. I stamped these cute little Chinese children on some white paper, colored and then fussy cut them. And the pig and the other Chinese zodiac animals were on a page of an old Flow magazine I use for cutting so I added them to both sides of my spread. 

Here's what I found out on the internet about people who are born during the year of the pig. (Info is from travelchina website)

Pig is the twelfth in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac sign. The Years of the Pig include 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031, 2043...

Pig is not thought to be a smart animal in China. It likes sleeping and eating and becomes fat. Thus it usually features laziness and clumsiness. On the positive side, it behaves itself, has no plan to harm others, and can bring affluence to people. Consequently, it has been regarded as wealth.

People with Chinese zodiac Pig sign are considerate, responsible, independent and optimistic. They always show generousness and mercy to endure other people's mistakes, which help them gain harmonious interpersonal relationships. However, sometimes they will behave lazy and lack actions. In addition, pure hearts would let them be cheated easily in daily life.

That's it for me today. Hope your day is a good one.

This Week's Calendar Page

 Hi everyone. Can you believe it is just about the end of January?  Time is flying. (Which by the way is also the latest challenge at Try It On Tuesday and you still have time to join us.) 

And even though the month flew, I must say I am ready for spring which is still a long way off in my world. So this week's  page in my calendar journal was a pink background  to start with so I ran with that and decided to go tropical.  Tropical is a good fix for the mid-winter cold and snowy weather.

I stenciled the flamingos on the page and colored them with markers. I also stenciled the red grids. The flowers are hand painted and the leaves are all stamped., as is the escape word. 

And because of the little squares in the grid and the circles in the background, I am linking up this one last page with Alison's challenge at Art Journal Journey. Thanks Alison for such a fun challenge.

I'm waking up to some fresh snow this morning. 

Guess I'll spend the day dreaming of escape.

Hope you have a fantastic day!

Advice for New Year-My Calendar Page Theme

Hi everyone It's been a warm and wet Thursday here. Lots of rain and melting snow. BUT the bad news about that is the ground is still frozen so there's some water in my basement and for some reason,people have forgotten how to drive in the rain so I had major traffic issues on my way to work and then again on my way home. New classes started today and  one of my classes might be a bit challenging. Time will tell once I get to know them better. Oh what a day!

My calendar page ended up looking a little too busy, but it is what it is. I decided rather than covering it with gesso and starting from scratch I would leave it.

Last week I showed you this week's page because I wanted to use it at Moo Mania before the challenge ended, so now you get to see last week's page. 

Maybe next week I will get back on track. Smile.

You might see some little diamonds in the background and the stars which are all geometric shapes so I am going to link up another page to Alison's challenge at Art Journal Journey

Tomorrow is Friday and this week has flown by and I think my daughter will be home for the weekend. That is good news.

Hope all is well with you!

Cool Colors

Hi everyone. Moo Mania's latest challenge is cold and frosty colors, and other than that pink dress I think this page works. 

As you can see it is next week's calendar page in my calendar journal, but I guess it isn't so bad to be looking ahead. 

I began by painting my page with 2 shades of blue paint. Once dry, I used some blue and white napkin scraps to add a bit of detail. Notice I left the geometric shapes on the edge? I liked the black and white border and they also help this page work for Art Journal Journey and Alison's Geometric Shapes challenge. 

The quote is all about time, and so I liked this lady waving goodbye to old habits. She is a stamped B Line Design image.
I finished off the page with some postage stamps my my stamp stash, a few postmark rubber stamped images as well as a few other bits out of my "scrap pile".
Not much else new here. Just keeping my eye on the weather and the potential for a big snowstorm coming this weekend. Before that I am wrapping up the semester at school. Finals begin this Friday.
Hope all your week is going well.
And thanks for visiting.

Calendar Journal Day

 Howdy folks! Last week I introduced you to my new journal for 2019. I switched weeks around and last week I showed you this current week's page and so today I am showing you last week's page. 

I love this giant face. He is in shock it is already 2019. I cut him out of a bag from Trader Joe's. The background was green with white dots and I added the blue diamonds, black grid marks and the little bit of music. All of these were stenciled with some acrylic paint.
And last I knew diamonds and dots are geometric shapes, so I am linking this page up to Alison's fun challenge at Art Journal Journey.
And over at Try It On Tuesday the newest challenge is Something Old, Something New. My old calendar journal is filled and done and put on shelf and this is my new calendar journal for 2019.
Not much new here in my life except for going to work and some dreary rain, ice and snowy weather. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

New Journal

Hi everyone. Hope everyone's January 1 has been a good  start the new year. I spent mine cleaning up the house and putting away the holiday decorations with the help the hubby. By the time I finished I had done over 7,000 steps. But now I am ready to go back to work and move forward into 2019.

So last year I liked Yvonne's calendar that she kept using a Dylusions Journal and that she shared with us every Friday. Months ago I came across one of these journals that was marked down so I picked it up. I didn't need it last year so now I am starting it for 2019. I can' say I love all of the backgrounds that the journal comes with, but the paper is pretty thick and forgiving. Last week while on my holiday vacation I spent some time "fixing" up several weeks worth of pages in my own way. (I know Yvonne did the same thing in her journal also.)

I made my page by first stenciling these red Y shaped images over the background that was already on the page. Then I added this image that I pulled out of a FLOW book for paper lovers. What appealed to me about it was that woman on the couch  wrapped in that big blanket. That's what I love to do. I could have used this page for T since there is a pretty teapot on the bookshelves. 

I had covered up some black triangles on the edges of the page so I painted these in and also added the gold diamond shaped tape along both the top and bottoms.  I also added some stars and hearts on the right side and this rectangular quote about cats because I also liked the lounging cat in this picture.

All these geometric shapes means I'll be linking up to Art Journal Journey  and Alison's challenge for January which is Geometric Shapes.

And I won't be posting again before tomorrow so here is my repost from January of 2017. 

Here's a link to the original post: Ms Dreamer at the Beach.

You can join in this challenge by reposting something from the past and  linking up over at Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog.

I thought this was a perfect post to reshow because I am starting my last full calendar year of teaching at my school with my retirement coming in June of 2020. And also if you pop over there are some photos from a beach walk (I won't reshow those)  that I posted back in that post also. Yesterday my husband and I finished off our 2018 with an afternoon beach walk. (That's 2 beach walks in one weekend-I love it!)  I'll show you the latest beach photos in another post another day.

That's all for me today. 

I appreciate you stopping by to visit.

Fall Flowers

Happy December everyone. We're already in the last month of 2018! Wow! 

Today I am joining in for Bleubeard and Elizabeth's challenge over at Art Journal Journey. This is a page from my calendar journal which seems really out of place here in New Hampshire right now, since we are crisp with some  crusty snow still on the ground. The tall flowers were already in the calendar for coloring, but I added the small stamped ones, the words, the yellow background spots and also stamped the postmark.  It is a nice fall garden view. One thing I love about the seasons is that they each have their own color, and these are definitely the colors of autumn.

I also have a flash back to 2014 and a card I made for a niece at Christmas which I am linking over at Second on the Second, also over at Bleubeard and Elizabeth's. 

I made a little pocket on the backside to enclose her gift and die cut the skate from a Sizzix skate die.

You can see the full post here: Saturday Afternoon Project.

I'm off on a weekend mini-road trip so I probably won't get to link this up until later tomorrow.

Happy new month and thanks so muc for visiting.