Sylvia's Simple Shots

It is coming to the end of summer. Fall colors are starting to appear and I am not ready.

This little chipmunk is getting ready for winter. 

His cheeks were so full of seeds from this large rose hip. They create food storage areas called larders to give them food for the cold weather.

They eat seeds, fruit, nuts (acorns being one of their favorites). Worms can be in their diets but that must be only a summer food.  Hard to store food that walks away.

 

I was over visiting my aunt recently and she offered me some cosmos flowers.  I said yes please.

These make such nice cut flowers for the table. My Mom grew them every year. I did have a couple of vases which were not packed.  I love this cube vase.

I so want a flower cutting garden when I get a new place. Cosmos flowers are very easy to grow, come in a lot of different colors, last a long time in the house with fresh water, and make my heart full.

 

 

 

I am discovering that I really like books set in Ireland.  This book Four Letters of Love by Niall Williams was a pleasure to read.  The 2 main characters are Nicholas Coughlan and Isabel Gore. They are destined to meet but have many life experiences before that happens.

Nicholas has a tough life because his father quit his regular job because he felt that God wanted him to be a painter. The father spent a lot of time away from home painting then when he was home he was in his home studio. Painting did not generate a lot of money. Things from from bad to worse until he has lost both parents.

Isabel grew up in a good family but she felt responsible for an accident her brother had so that colored her world view. They live on a small island in the Galway bay.

When she finishes school she travels to Galway to attend higher education and grow up a bit away from Mom and Dad. She ends up with a job in a wool/tweed store and dating the son of the owner. 

Nicholas is on the hunt for one of his father's paintings which was given to Isabel's father for a poem he had written. He arrives in Galway and meets Isabel (who was home for a visit) and her parents. 

The ending was very good and worth the heartaches that these two young people went through to find each other.

I was out shopping with my sister this week when she came into town with my brother in law on errands. 

She was looking for art supplies. Earlier, I had a conversation with one of my aunts and she recommended Payne's Gray for outlining watercolor if the black marker was too harsh.

I also needed a very small brush to make thin lines and I found this set of brushes at the thrift store for a great price. 

We both found what we needed between Staples and Michaels. First time I used the coupon on my phone. Worked great.

I am working on watercolor Christmas cards again but inspiration is hard to find.

I picked up this small book a while ago.  A simple blessing by Michael W. Smith.

He describes when he started offering a blessing to the audience at his end of his concerts.

He wrote a blessing to cover certain things he wanted to share and pour out to the world at large.

It was well received and many of his fans communicated with him about what changed in their lives as a result.  Of course, it is very hard to give a blessing without it having some of it fall on yourself.

The practice changes Michael's live as well.

Just a nice positive and encouraging book.

Card Club - Incentive - Watercolor Thank Yous

These are cards I made for those ladies who signed up for all classes in this semester.
I painted watercolor onto small textured card stock Thank You cards with a medium paint brush.  On this set I painted a few brush strokes over the silver foil word.  I really like these.

These I painted a larger area on the card front in several different colors. I generally chose at least 2 to 3 shades of a same color.  I adjusted the level of water as well. 


These were pressed under books over night.

How To: Nature Printing

I created some Nature Prints last week.  I have done this many times in the past.  I came across the maple leaf the other day and thought I should make some more.  The leaves are falling here so it was time do it before there was only dried ones left.

I plan to use these four as a set of Nifty Notes for sale this craft sale season.

I have put together a HowTo tutorial to show step by step how to produce these lovely images from nature.  There are so many interesting shapes in leaves.  You will be able to pick supple ones not dried ones from the trees or the ground. Check out my HowTo Tutorials.

This makes a fun activity to do with your kids or grand kids.

Share Your Cup - The Bs

These are the blues that came to me this week.

I found another dish that matches my blue dinnerware.  I'm not sure who makes it because there is absolutely no markings on the bottom at all.

I needed a bottle brush for my travel mug and my yellow tea pot so I was on the look out.  I found this one at IKEA the other day and look at the color!!! The price was great as well.

These are the birds I saw this week.  I was working at the dining room table which faces a large window and movement caught my eye. I checked and saw this bird on the tree outside.  It had a red throat/chest so I'm not sure what type it is.  The other was a bird of a different kind.  Again, as the late afternoon sun hit the plane it stood out in the clear blue sky.

During my late afternoon walk I caught the sun on the dome of this government building.  The shine as it hits the edge, the completely still flag, and the trees in the foreground all contribute to a great picture.

That's some of my week.

Submitting to Share Your Cup hosted by Carol at Art & Sand.

Card - Deer in Neutrals

I took a sheet from a Spanish dictionary and applied Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Antique Linen and Gathered Twigs.  I dried it with the heat tool and then used TH Distress Stain in Walnut Stain with a brush to paint the landscape and the trees.  I ripped all the edges.  I stamped the greeting in the top right hand corner with Versafine Vintage Sepia with a clear stamp. I chose a Bazzill Pinecone card stock for the card. This layer was adhered to the card front with glue stick which helped to smooth out the wrinkled paper. I punched a 1" circle from Champagne pearl card stock for the moon and adhered it with 3D foam tape.  The chipboard deer is left over from this card project. I applied a bit of bronze shimmer on them with a dry brush but it does not show up in the photo.

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges.
52 Christmas Card Throw Down - Coffee and Cream
Hazels Christmas Card Challenge - Anything Goes