Slow Stitching - Embellishments to Book Bags

I went back and revisited my book bags and chose embellishments for some of the earlier ones. 

1. I added a dragonfly charm on a peice of blue felt

2. An orange cloth flower on a blue bag.

3. A yellow and green circle accent for the masculine striped one.

4. Just a bit of a strip of turquoise fabric with stitching for the first one I made.

You will see that I have added a "My Bag" tag to each of them as well.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

I have had to remind myself recently to Not Give Up!  I have had challenges with the car, the house, creatively with cards and photography and then there is the pandemic! 

I took a picture of a park bench at a church yard in my neighbourhood. Plastic ends with 5 pieces of painted 2 x4 and lickadee split you have a bench. I was inspired to use it as a quote back drop.   Here it is!

Things are hard and hopefully we are not all down at the same time.  When you feel better be sure to encourage those around you!  You don't know who may need it so just give it when you can.

I have had quite a few flying creatures appear on my balcony recently which is quite unusual.  I have had a couple of sparrows just sit on the rail for a few minutes just where I can see them.  They never stay long enough for me to get the camera but I enjoyed them anyway.

This large dragonfly staying for quite a while and I was able to get the camera. I wondered what it was doing.  Upon checking the photo on the computer you can see a set of wings right next to the corner.  I checked on line for what they eat and they are carnivores!  I expect it was eating a fly.  Wow!  I did not see that coming.  

I think of them as pretty and mild kind of creatures!

I  have been filling my face full of ripe chokecherries on my walks in the last few mornings.  They are always better after a freeze which I hope is not near. 

Canada Red Chokecherry trees are full of them and I can pick the bottom ones and leave the high ones for the birds.

I finished "The Paris Orphan" by Natasha Lester this week.  It was a great read. 

Set in the 1940's during World War II and then in modern times.  The main character Jessica May goes from model to photojournalist covering the war in Italy, France and Germany.  Victorine is the orphan that Dan Hallworth, an American soldier has rescued and "adopted" as she has no one else.  Dan is a good man and a great leader so is being promoted during this conflict.  He is working hard to motivate his men, protect the women (journalists and nurses) and children. There are many twists and turns in the story so keeping it all straight is a challenge.  Great characters which are honorable, trustworthy, prepared to do the hard stuff and love with all their hearts!

After talking with my sister yesterday about the papers I posted here I decided to give it one more try.

I made this one this morning and it comes much closer to what I had in mind.

I used liquid acrylic ink in teal, chrome yellow and silver metallic on this grey patterned designer paper.  I was looking for ink splotches.  I achieved this by knocking my wet paintbrush against another directly above the card stock from about 2 feet.

Really happy with this one.

I have found several window paintings during my walks around town.  These are reflections on windows of building where the glass creates a distorted image of the reflections.  The panes around it are flat and reflect the objects quite realistically but these are different.   I don't know what accounts for one pane being less flat than those near it but it does create nice images!

Flickr Macro Monday's challenge this week was "water". That should be easy!  Again, I don't know if it is my head space or what but it was another challenging week with hundreds of photos taken and not really meeting the concept in my mind.

On the left is a bubble showing off all it's color. You can check my Flicker SMDPics photo stream to see which one I submitted.

I am sharing with Angie who hosts Mosaic Monday #92 and with Mersad who hosts Through my Lens #252.  You can check out my Instagram SMDPics100 for a photo a day!

Recent Photos

I was so thrilled to see my first BIG bird.   I was at Patricia Lake early one morning this week and investigated a white patch across the water.

It was a Blue Heron.  This is the best shot I got and was hoping he had decided to go fishing or at least stand but he was content to sit there and look at me.

I will go back in a few days but they must into migration already headed to the States so it likely will not be there when I return.

This creature was a more cooperative.  It is a Yellow Dragonfly.  I love the bright spots a the ends of its wings!

The structure on it's back where the wing attach is very interesting and detailed.

It has big eyes and looks like a being a person could connect with.

I was glad to have spotted it in the yellow green grass in the meadow.

This the latest book I had on my night stand.  "The Road to Paradise Island" by Victoria Holt.  My Mom had read the book and passed it onto to me.  I enjoyed the book very much.



Annalice Mallory, the sheltered daughter of a family of map makers, discovers the cryptic diary of her long-dead ancestor that includes a map of a mysterious far-of island. Philip, Annalice's brother, sets sail for the island, lured by the promise of incomparable riches to be found. But when he doesn't return, Annalice sets out to find him -- and the secrets of the diary -- in a desperate journey that leads her through the worlds' most exciting outposts . . . and finally to the tropical islands of the South Seas, where she encounters heart-stopping peril, but also the promise of love.

I found the discovery of the diary very compelling.  She grows up from a teenager to an independent woman during the experience of searching for her ancestor.  Set in England in the early 1900s and included travel on a ship to Australia. It all ends well in the end. 

Eleanor Alice Burford Hibbert (1906–1993), better known to readers as Victoria Holt, Philippa Carr, and Jean Plaidy, was one of the world’s most beloved and enduring authors. Her career spanned five decades, and she was heralded as the “Queen of Romantic Suspense.” She continued to write historical fiction under the name of Jean Plaidy and romantic suspense as Victoria Holt until the time of her death.

Of course, it is time to harvest so I was fortunate to be able to pick raspberries in a friend's patch on 2 Sundays.  The first Aug 4th garnered enough to make a double batch of Raspberry Bavarian with my Mom's recipe.  I shared half with my sister and brother in law when I visited to pick saskatoon berries last week.  I have frozen a container of raspberries with enough to make Bavarian again!  I picked saskatoons at our regular UPick - Farrant Junction on Wednesday last week.  The berries were really nice and big and the picking was easy.  I picked 2 ice cream pails which made 4 bags of berries for the freezer.

I was driving down to my sisters to pick berries and it rained the whole way.  I was concerned berry picking would not happen.  I was prepared to pick in the rain if necessary. We decided to make our other preserves on Tuesday and hope of better weather on Wednesday. I made chutney and she made berry syrup which she serves with club soda on a hot day.

I stuck to last year's recipe with a few tweeks.
I halved the sugar in the recipe this year but did add a few extra dried cranberries.
I added garlic which was not in the original recipe but I like it.
I switched from dark raisins to golden raisins to keep the color in the gold colors.

I made 6 one cup jars this year.  That will be plenty.  I have some leftover jars from my experiments last year.  It is great to spend time with family and put some good food away for winter.

Sharing with Through My Lens #203 hosted by Mersad.

Cards to Gallery

I started with this silver glitter dragonfly die cut that arrived in a card from one of my card exchange buddies.

I chose brush paper in a deep blue for the background.  It has been spattered with pearl white acrylic ink.

I chose a Pacific Point card and adhered the decorative paper leaving a small border.  I attached the dragonfly with a tiny silver brad.

I then added 5 silver flower sequins at the bottom of the card again held in place with tiny silver brads.

A great card for any occasion.

This features a bird hole in the aqua teal decorative paper.  The base was painted then I spattered it with teal acrylic ink.

I cut a hole in the paper with the Stampin Up Bird Mover & Shaper die.  I placed a piece of white card stock behind which was embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. 

I have offered birthday greetings in French and English.  The greeting printed in grey and were cut with the Stampin Up Modern Label punch.  They have 3D foam tape on the back to adhered to the card front should the user want a greeting.

This card features paste paper in a warm blue color.  I cut to it leave a small border.

I added a pearl white large star die cut made with the Sizzix Star die and placed it in the top two thirds of the card. 

I added some fiber which repeated that color tone and wrapped it around the decorative paper layer.  I then adhered the star layer to the front of a medium blue card base.

I have provided Thanks greetings in both French and English.   These have adhesive on the back which allows the user to place the greeting of their choice below the fiber.

They were again cut with the Stampin Up Modern Label punch.

Countdown Calendar - Christmas & Birthday

I made more Countdown Calendars as I sold out at my last sale.

I chose a Bethlehem image from a designer paper for thei Christmas side. I placed a strip of yellow card stock for the days remaining.

Again, these have birthday/celebrate on the other side.  I chose Bohemia DSP featuring a large dragonfly.  I added a light blue day remaining strip.  Blue marker.

Gift designer paper with green, red and silver.  I chose a red patchwork designer paper for the birthday side.  Ivory strips with Brilliant Blue balloons with hand drawn strings.
A red marker with this one.










I put my Nativity on the Christmas side and printed on photo paper.

The birthday side features my balloons in blues.

With a black dry erase marker.










This one has glitter paper from My Minds Eye with MS snowflake punchies.


The birthday side features a designer with circles and swirls.

Blue dry erase marker.

Designer paper with ornaments, gifts and silver accents.

I chose red and white polka dots paper with MS silver sticker paper with hand drawn strings.

With black dry erase marker.

June Photo a Day Challenge - Week 2

Here are this week's photos for this challenge hosted by Kati at Kati's Little Corner.  We could post every day or once a week.

Day 8 - Childhood

I chose a coloring book and Laurentien Pencil Crayons.  I filled many coloring books in my childhood.  I loved staying inside the lines and making it look really nice according to me.  I had my name on each of my crayons so I would not lose them to siblings. When there is lots of kids things can get territorial at times.  I loved coloring because it was an individual activity and quiet time.

Day 9 - Macro

This is a yellow dragonfly and you can see her looking at me and my camera wondering what is going on!  I loved the focus I was able to get on the nearly invisible wings.  I took tons of shots to get this one.

Day 10 - Upside Down

I staged this photo because I wanted similar shapes in different colors and one was upside down.  I wanted a shape that it was obvious that it was different. Not sure I was all together successful in that aspect. These vases are complementary in their shape so it accommodated the closeness better. I chose to put the metallic on in the center because the others were more solid.  The fact that it has a reflection adds interest.  The black was has some reflection as well.

Day 11 - Jewellery

I chose the jewellery I wear most every day because I don't often change it.  On a special occasion I may wear something different but on average this is it.  I like pieces in silver.  A Timex watch, a brooch that I hang my reading glasses on when I don't need them, a magnetic bracelet, a white gold cross, and a set of Stella Dot Hammered Ball stud earrings.

Day 12 - Flower

I chose this Alberta Rose photo. They are blooming right now. I try each year to get a few good photo of this great pink flower. They can range from very deep pink to almost white.  I will keep an eye out for them on the back country roads.

Day 13 - Shadow

This is a picture I took of my sister and I.  We had been out on photo shoot for a few hours capturing all the cool things in nature around where she lives. There had been birds, flowers, ponds, cattails, dragonflies, and much more. At one point, I saw this shot and I'm glad I did not miss it.

Day 14 - Red White and Blue

I'm working on a stash of decorative paper using a variety of techniques.  Today, I chose these colors so I could include it in this challenge.  I rubbed the with wax candle to create a bit of a resist.  Then, I painted the paper with Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Faded Jeans and Aged Mahogny which I had dabbed onto a palette and then spritz with water. I applied it to the paper with a foam brush.  It was feeling a little blah so I decided to take a piece of acetate and brush some blue onto it with the dauber end.  It create these light brush strokes.  I then placed the acetate paint side down onto the paper and they squished and became much more visible.  I really like the way it turned out.

Card - CST Challenge #6 - Bling

I selected a brown card with a top fold. I cut a white scallop border with a Die-namics die and added sticky turquoise rhinestones (the "Bling") in the centre of each bump. I cut my turquoise piece, ripped the edge and glued it over the straight back edge of the scallop border. The blue in each piece match. I placed a dragonfly, a flutter trail and greeting in Corel Draw and printed it onto white card stock. I trimmed the piece then ripped the edge similar to the turquoise layer and glued it onto the card front.