Simple Sentiments - Photo - Set 1

I made some cards with my 4x4 photos.

These are Aspen Leaves taken at Elk Island Park in the fall.

I chose a Stampin Up Summer Sun A2 card base, scored in half and folded.

I then cut a 1/4 sheet of Brocade Blue with the Tim Holtz Cameo Frame die.

I had to trim the photo to 3.5 W x 3.75 T to fit within the score line on the die cut.  I adhered the photo with double sided tape.

I added caplets in warm gold yellow at the top and bottom. This layer was then adhered to the card front.

I added a quarter sheet insert and a white envelope.

This card features a Dandelion Seedhead with tiny water droplets from a misty morning.

I chose Winter Wisteria as the card base and Lovely Lilac as the frame layer.

I added iridescent snowflakes embellishments held in place with purple mini brads on the right and left hand side.

A quarter sheet insert and white envelope.

This card is a photo of a Palm Leaf I took at the Muttart Conservatory.  The sunshine through the lace curtains when I photographed this card makes it extra cool.

The A2 card base is SU Garden Green.

The frame layer is Gable Green.

I added leaf green star brads on either side of the frame diecut and adhered it to the card base.

A quarter sheet insert and a white envelope.

This is the very textural center of an orange Dahlia taken at the St. Albert Botanic Park.  Love the water drop in the right hand corner.

The card base is SU Ruby Red and the frame layer is Dusty Durango.

I added red caplets on the top and bottom of the frame layer.  These are easily installed with my Crop-a-dile.  The layer was adhered to the card front.

I quarter sheet insert and an ivory envelope and it is ready to go.

Note: I had to replace the photo on the card because it end up with double side tape on it.  I replaced the photo with tulips which works just fine.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

 I headed to Beaumaris Lake again this week in hopes of finding Pelicans but no such luck.  I just don't know where they are.

There was not lack of other birds at the lake.

A Wigeon, Red Wing Blackbird, Mallard Duck and a female Red Wing Black bird.  Grackles, Canada Geese and sparrows too!

It was a very nice walk around the lake.  I headed out earlier that the last visit so a bit fewer people at least earlier.  I was there quite a while.

I have photographed pelicans on May 5th in year's past so I will have to keep looking.

The wildfire situation in our province continues to be dire with many people displaced and living in evacuation centers with only the wish to go home.

Rain is badly needed of which we have had very little.

Air quality is very poor.

I say thank you to all those fighting the fires.  The ones who have been injured. Those who have come to provide relief to those on the front lines.

To those who are providing support to evacuees and fire fighters a like with water, food, and a place to rest.

I think of those who have lost their homes and in some cases their livelihoods to these fires.

I had the final white filling on my root canal this week. 

Fortunately, it was not needing freezing and not a really long job.  The hard part is I have run out of dental benefits. Ouch!

The Friends We Keep by Jane Green was a book I finished this week.

Three people met in college.  They lived together for 4 years, hung out, got to know each other very well. After graduation, careers took them to different parts of the country and the world.  There were phone calls and emails, weddings, and funerals over the next 30 years.  Much life experience some good, some great and some not so great.

They had made a pact that if they were single when they turned 50 they would live together. They attend a school reunion and reconnect. Maggie, now a widow,  lives in a large house in Somerset England, Topher's mother is living in England and he in New York, Evvie's son has left home and so a move would be possible for her.  So they move in together, come clean about their secrets and start new adventures. 

It was a good read.

This American Coot couple was very busy making a nest from last year's dried bulrushes.

The male I assume was tugging and pulling to dislodge them one at a time and bringing them back to the nest.  Once the reed arrives she busied herself with the perfect placement of it.

Then the process repeated itself.  I watched for quite a while and it was still process when I moved on.

I guess are a least a few days away so young ones still later than that.

I have seen baby Coots in early June but with taking 21-25 days to hatch I expect it will be later than that this year.

The neighborhood gardens are starting to show off their blooms.

There are Clematis growing the wall in a beautiful light lavender color.

There is a yard full of colorful tulips. 

I found a yellow poppy in another front yard.

The purple Alium is just starting to open.

I have been spending time a thrift shops looking for the perfect tealight candle holder. I would like to have a Fairly Light candle holder but they are quite costly.  Not going to happen soon.

Watercolor - Blue and Yellow

A belated birthday card for my friend.

I was away last week taking care of Mom when the date went by.

I created a soft blue and yellow background wash which I allowed to dry completely. 

I chose tulips and daisy like flowers for this watercolor.  I placed my blue flowers a little too far to the edges for a perfect composition but I am still happy with it.  Mixed a warm green for the foliage. Added a bit of blue spatter.

I trimmed the watercolor once it was dry.  I chose a Brilliant Blue card base. I added the blue ribbon along the bottom half of the watercolor over the stems and leaves.  I added a blue greeting punched with the SU Modern Label punch, adhered with 3D foam tape.

I will get it to her shortly.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

I spent several hours on Sunday taking pictures at the local lakes.  

These geese in flight was taken at Lois Hole Centennial Park.  My first time there this spring.  The water levels are decent but not a lot of ducks.

The black birds were in good numbers and the geese were making their presence known with much honking.

There were a few skirmishes among them and furious protection of nests.  Goslings should be around very soon.

It was a great morning with beautiful weather.

On Monday, I took a trip north to visit Mom and take her to medical appointments.  

I stayed overnight at my sister's place and we went Tuesday morning to final the details for Dad's funeral next week.   He passed away May 12th in his sleep as he had wished.

I stopped at the honey farmers and picked up a pail of honey.  I have purchased my honey from these folks for years.  We had a bit of a visit and caught up on life.  I guess the winter has been hard on the beehives and some have been lost to temperatures.  Very distressing for the farmers.

I use mostly only honey for sweetening.  In my tea always.

Another book finished this week.  The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley.  This is my third book by this author and I just loved it.

It is set in Scotland.  In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown.

Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in a small cottage in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors Sophie and starts to write.

She seems to be very connected to Sophia. She writes then when researching discovered that what she has written is true.  How can that be?  Ancestral memory from Sophia maybe. 

The owner of the cottage she is renting has 2 sons who take an interest in the woman writer who moved into the cottage in winter.  One is a history professor in Aberdeen who visited his Dad most weekends.  These two connect over their common interest in the past.  This was a very good book and I would recommend it.

On Thursday, I dropped off another 10 blankets for Project Linus.  

These blankets were all made by my sister as I have not sewn a blanket since my health issues in 2020.  

Now with trying to sell my place I cannot have the place uprooted with a big project as it must be tidy most of the time.

I send these off with blessings to those who receive them in their time of need and distress.  May they be comforted by a warm blanket.

With a bit of rain the flowers have just opened up.

This was taken in my neighborhood.  They have a beautiful front lawn filled with red and yellow tulips.

It is a blessing to have such neighbors.

It is so uplifting to see flowers blooming, blue Alberta skies, and the temperatures rise.

We had a full day of rain yesterday which I am sure bring more green and spring flowers.

Have a great week.

Photo Card - Birthday Tulip

I want to be using photo cards more often.

I sent some 12x12 designer paper to my sister with the stipulation that it does not come back to my house.  I have cleared 3 iris cases for photography stuff.

This is a gorgeous tulip in warm tones of pink, purple and oranges.  It was mounted to an A2 heavy card base in white.  It was signed and a Stampin Up Modern Label punchie greeting was added in the bottom left hand corner adhered with 3D foam tape.

This is for my sister who is celebrating a birthday this week.

 

Sylvia's Simple Shots

I have been back to the front yard in the neighbourhood which is FULL of beautiful tulips.

I took another shot to show how many there are.  They are mostly red, orange and yellow.  I watched a video the other day where a well known photographer was explaining about seeing different compositions in a garden rather than the one everyone takes.  So I took an unusual shot for me.


The house is on the Historic Resources list - The Mountifield Residence which was originally built in the early 1900s.

On my walk to other morning I took a path I had not been down before.  It was in a ravine and just after a good rain I was expecting it to be muddy but it was pretty good.  It was great to be under the canopy of very large and old trees.  Green everywhere.  

I came across this patch of Forget-Me-Nots. A bunch of beautiful small blue flowers.  It was hard to decide which ones to photograph.

Forget-me-nots are perennials that regrow themselves year after year, which can be a blessing and a curse. On one hand, you don't have to plant them every year to keep your garden looking great. On the other, they can easily get out of control.
Later I found some in the front yards.

I found the Gray Catbird in its regular bush in the river valley recently.  I had seen one in a tree near the path last week.   

I expect that baby birds are in the making and it was sticking close to bush.  I have seen them near that bush in other years.  It is far enough from the path to allow that a nest would not be disturbed.

It was singing it's heart out that morning enjoying the sunshine and beautiful weather.

You can check out it's song.

The lilacs are in bloom.  After the rain on Saturday they were in full bloom this morning.

Their scent is so wonderful.   The color is beautiful.

I was thinking of the Fill the Frame challenge when I took this one.  With a bit of the background showing I was afraid that it would be disqualified so I entered something else.

Look at what I found at Beaumaris Lake on Sunday morning.   This is the best shot I got which I was not too happy with.  He just would not budge.  I did not see him in the water.

I love the big orange eye.  I saw one last year at a different lake.   I got closer to this one.  

No iconic photograph unfortunately!

Here his neck is quite compressed.  When he stands tall it so impressive but it seemed quite a small bird other than the long neck.

Love that white head feather!  




These are painted rocks created by kids in the neighborhoods surrounding the Heritage Hills Wetlands in Sherwood Park.  

I took my first walk around last Thursday.  There were at least a hundred rocks tuck in the trees, grass and logs in the area. 

It put a huge smile on my face I have to tell you! 

I am sharing with Angie who hosts Mosaic Monday #82.

and Mersad who hosts Through My Lens #242.

The challenge at Flickr Macro Mondays this week was Fill in the Frame.  There can be no background showing.  I have had a photo disqualified in the past.  I found some African Daisies in a flower bed which worked really well to get close enough.

You can check my Flickr Photo Stream SMDPics to see the photo I submitted this week.  It got pretty good comments.

Be safe and have a good week!

Sylvia's Simple Shots

I found a riot of red tulips on my trip to ponds in the north.  They were gorgeous! 

They were a wonderful color and in perfect shape.  Beautiful to photograph as they were all in immaculate shape.  Hard to decide which shot to take.

Really enjoyed these tulips on a great morning.

I guess the rain for a couple of days and now sunshine is perfect conditions for the flowers to erupt!

I found this female Bufflehead duck on the Ted Hole Park which hosts 3 small ponds which are interconnected. 

I did not see the male that morning.  She is just a such a cute duck.  Small and beautiful.  Just calmly swimming around and keeping an eye on me. 

A bit of ripple in the water blurred her reflection.  

It was a perfect shot!

Of course the rain has greened up things as well.   Glorious!

The ground was soaked and there was quite a bit of overland flooding so I got my feet wet.

Someone set up a quick bird feeder in the river valley! 

 A clear bottle, cut holes to access the seeds. A wooden chopstick for perches. A string knotted through a hole in the lid to hang it. Fill it with seeds and it's done.

Come to think of it I did not see it on my walk this morning.  I hope no one's taken it down.  I will have to pay attention tomorrow morning.

I have spent a lot of time on my knees in the last few days!

One of the challenges I was taking photos for was Perspective so I was getting low to see what the world looks like from down there!

Here's one I took this morning in a field of dandelions which have popped up with the rain and sun.

A bit of heavy dew on the grass and I came home with wet feet again today.

This was at the Ted Hole Park as well.  I have seen a Northern Flickr a few times but not got good photos.

I was surprised to see it on the ground but it was having breakfast.  The ground was soft and the bugs and worms were a plenty I expect. It would pop up it's head regularly to keep an eye on me. 

I took tons of photos to get a few  good ones. 

I was there on the ground for a good 20 minutes. Great experience!

This is a shot I took for Flickr Macro Monday.  The challenge was "handle".  Some great submissions - take a look if you are interested.

This is the handle to my glass microwave corn popper!  You can check out my SMDPics photostream to see the photo I submitted.


I am sharing with Angie who hosts Mosaic Monday #81 and Mersad at Through my Lens #242

 I have been getting ready for an art show this week and it rain which worked out.  I will have my photos up tomorrow which I submitted.

Have a great week.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

I visited one of the man made lakes in my city this week.  It is large enough to have a good selection of birds and sure enough I found a few.

Here's a male Mallard Duck going by behind the bullrushes.  I managed to capture him in focus!

I saw Red Wing Blackbirds, A Hooded Merganser,  & Red Necked Grebes as well.

It was a great day and the weather was perfect at 7:00 am.

This is a blossom on the Sakura Flowering Plum bush.  The branches generally have very close together clusters but I found this one a bit by itself.

Beautiful bush with a riot of pink blooms on it.  Welcomed sight in this grey time.

The neighbourhood has plenty of these so there were many bushes to choose from.

 Love the soft feeling to this photo.









I finished this book this week.  It was a great story about a black maid serving in a large house set in South Africa.  The lady of the house is Cathleen Harrington. In 1919, she has moved from Ireland to marry a man she has not seen in 5 years.  She now has grown children, a son and daughter. The maid Miriam has a daughter, Ada without a husband.  The apartheid is a background to the story.  The story is told from Ada's point of view - how she learns to read, to play the piano beautifully, to serve in the house as her mother does.  Cathleen has nurtured Ada, then upon returning from a long absence from the house Cathleen is broken-hearted to find Ada has disappeared.  They are eventually reunited and the truth about the circumstances of Ada's leaving are revealed.  Highly recommend this book.

More bizarre behavior by the Canada Geese.  This one landed on the railing of a balcony on a high rise building.  It looked like it was going to jump down to a nest.

I know that they ran a story on the news about 4 weeks back indicating that if Canada Geese are eyeing your property for a nest best to discourage them early.  They are a protected species so if a nest is built you will have to leave till the goslings leave it.

Last week I saw a set  of adults walking their goslings down the back alley.   Headed in the right direction for the river.  I guess with less traffic the road offer a clear path.

The perennials are blooming.  I have not seen Siberian Squills before but I found 2 this spring. Very small flowers which could easily be missed.  Beautiful color.  The tulips in the front yards are showing their color.  The apple and plum trees are in full bloom.

The challenge this week on Flickr Macro Monday is Wabi-sabi - The Art of the Imperfect. Wabi-sabi is a Japanese word roughly translating as 'imperfect aged beauty'. It is used to describe a particular philosophy that beauty can be found in the old, the everyday, the imperfect. And that everything is in a state of transition from or to nothingness.

The photo on the right is pieces of broken tempered safety glass.  I found them on the boulevard where a panel along stairs had been broken.  I gathered several pieces because I thought they were beautiful.   You can check my SMDPics photostream to see the photo I submitted this week.

I am sharing with Angie who hosts Mosaic Monday #80
and with Mersad hosting Through My Lens #241 

Recent Photos!

I bought tulips for my Mom and sister at Easter.

I decided that I deserved a bouquet of them myself so on the weekend I added these to my table.

I chose the same color that my Mom loved.

They were pretty closed so they will last a few days!


I finished this book this week. 

It is a very intriguing book and the tag line is what inspired me to bring it home.  "Creative Living beyond Fear"  by the same author as Eat Pray Love.  I have been struggling with the end of my card making classes and was looking to find some ways to move forward with my photography.  Basically, I took away the following: Stay Curious, Always Do Something!, When Stuck - Look in a different direction, Inspiration is always looking for a place to land so be open and accepting, Everyone is Creative, and “It`s just that inspiration comes from another world, so sometimes we have trouble understanding each other.”

I bought this watch on the weekend thinking I could adapt the bracelet for my watch. 

Well, that was not possible so I bought a battery for it but that was a bust too!

I finished my taxes today. I had to pay this year which was unusual for me so I had to learn a lot to figure out what happened! 

The research I had to do sort of fell into the lessons in the book above. 

I found these shadows this morning. I will have to learn how to photograph these better. 

This was the best composition I captured this morning. 

Love the softness of the edges.

This was an idea was generated by a book I read quite a while ago, Window Sill Art.

Again, following inspiration from the book in this post I had nothing to lose by trying something new.

I created a mosaic with my bouquet of tulips. 

I used several backgrounds and captured some nice colorful bokeh!

I remember when creating bokeh was a challenge and after a couple years of practice I can do whenever I want.

Sharing with
Angie host of Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf.

Mersad host of Through my Lens


The challenge for Flickr Macro Monday was "Eye of the Beholder"
I took a picture of this spinning wood top.  I love this object.

You can check out my Flickr photo stream.

This Week in photos!

I had an Easter Bunny at my place at the breakfast table Sunday morning.

Milk chocolate my favorite and in such a cute shape.

The bell around his neck actually jingles. Way too cool.

I shared it around the table and had  the left overs with my supper last night.

I always bring flowers to Mom for Easter so those are the pink tulips.  They will open later this week. There was a basket of mums on the table and see the blue bunny hiding amongst the blooms.

There was a little boy celebrating his 2nd birthday on Saturday.

His Mom had made this beautiful cake.  The train actually ran around the cake on the track.  Very cool!

The fondant decorations was very well done.  Hills, mountains, gulls, flowers, a big sun were all around the cake.  Chocolate cake was great.

I stopped to take a photo of these stands of trees along the highway.  They soon will lose their silhouettes and but leaf covered.  It was early evening and the sky was starting to be multicolored.


The theme for Macro Monday this week was "bottle cap". We could photograph anything which would seal a bottle.

This is a glass stopper for a glass perfume bottle.

I added some bokeh in the background.  You can check Flickr here.  My photos here.

Sharing with Angie who hosts Mosaic Monday and Mersad who hosts Through my Lens.

Recent Photos

It was our first Welcome to my Kitchen since our summer break.

We had a good number in attendance with a few regulars busy elsewhere today.  We had one new retiree who has decided to join our group. 

Maybe I was hungry today but I had wolfed down my toast, fruit and coffee cake before I remembered to take photos!

I was not able to find details about this cup so if you know it leave me a comment.

We had a great time of catching up on our summers, our devotion "Dedicated to Love" was based on Romans 9:1-5.  We had many prayer concerns.

We even had a couple of choruses which was a real blessing.

Our hostess was celebrating a milestone birthday so I made a birthday card for her.  We had several others celebrating September birthdays turning 73-88 years young.

This card is a DSP Split with double sided paper by Authentique - Renew - Blossom featuring aqua and yellow.

I cut at 3.5 inches, flipped the top piece and taped the pieces together with the join covered with ivory grosgrain ribbon.

I punched a large circle from ivory card stock, stamped the sentiment in the center in Baja Breeze. I then added silver and white sequins and small handmade paper flowers around the center.  Added a bright yellow on in the center.  These are held in place with Bling Zots.

I should have made cards for those on our prayer list. Next month.

There was significant frost on my world yesterday morning.  As you can see the Rudibeckias had been frosted and were sparkling.

It was wonderful for photography but I had to keep moving to keep warm.

The camera was cold and so were my fingers despite gloves.

It was good to be out for a walk and be in the fresh air.