It is quite interesting where we gather our inspiration. I find myself looking at ads, printed material, signs, almost everything for inspiration. Usually, it is the color combination that grab my immediate attention.

My daughter sent me this thank you note, which has been positioned over my kitchen sink for about a month. These were her wedding colors, and the florentine images of the card caught my attention.

As a stamper, I have been mulling around in my head how I could translate this into something I could use. Then, how do I get it onto paper and what stamps would I use?





I needed a sympathy card, so this spurred me into action. I love the clean quiet simplicity of this card. It invokes feelings of tranquility for me.

I would really like to own a stamp similar to this, obviously I don't. When the card was finished, I was pleased.

Day 2 at Creativity Boot Camp and the inspirational word of the day was Picnic. For some odd reason, I saw a checkerboard table cloth. The words say 'Come Dine'. I know for many of us, when we start a piece we have no idea where it's going. Often, I'm not very satisfied with where I ended up. The fun is in knowing, that it just doesn't really make any difference. It is play. I hope you get some time to play this week.

Hey Dad, it's me Julie, your oldest daughter. I just wanted to take a moment to wish you a Happy Father's Day and tell you how much you are missed. You were really a wonderful father, in so many small, quiet, ways. I love to recall how you brought me treats home from the shop almost every day in your lunch pail. Sometimes a roll of life savers, or maybe just a stick of gum. I knew they were meant just for me, because I don't think I ever saw you chew a stick of gum. Just a few years before you left us, you took my old fishing pole and re-wrapped it for me. I remember seeing that old pole and looking at your gnarled hands, you'll never know how that touches me still Dad. You were always such a quiet man, so few words...too few to suit me. But, you always taught me the things you felt were important. 'Remember to scrub yours heels and elbows Julie'...'never wear scuffed shoes', and 'blue jeans were meant for farmers'. That one still makes me smile. In the 47 years you worked in the shop, you missed 5 or 6 days of work. I didn't hear this from you, but mom. The only time I remember you telling me you were proud of me was after I graduated high school. I actually over heard you telling someone else. I had worked 2 years at the nursing home while going to school and never missed a day of work. These things I learned from you. You've never seen this place I call home now Dad. I think you would like it. When I walk the property in the spring and see all the white daisies in bloom...your song reverberates in my head...I'll bring you a daisy a day dear... I hope your day is special dad and that you are walking in fields of daisies next to your favorite fishing stream.

This garden is beginning to have a life of its own...a little overwhelming. Remember, I'm a first time vegetable gardener. We've been eating salads and radishes from the garden. Everything that is suppose to flower, has. The green cabbages have 4" heads on them. I guess we're on track. I've read that pollination is problem for some gardeners, with the lack of bees, they are having to hand pollinate. I think I have plenty of bees in my flower garden, so hopefully this won't present a problem here. I found an organic fertilizer recipe on motherearthnews.com. It is 4 PTS seed meal (I'm using cottonseed meal), 1 PT lime, 1 PT Bone Meal and 1/2 PT Kelp Meal. They seem to be enjoying this diet. Who knew veggies needed calcium? What I do know, is that I enjoy picking a salad out of my back yard.

Just finished another Art Journal page for my round robin group. The author of this journal had music on the cover, so I kept with the theme...only in a much more playful way. The background is a glue crackle technique. I was inspired by this advertisement, so colorful and fun. What type of things inspire you in your artwork? I hope you enjoy a very 'colorful' weekend.

Light brayering with rainbow ink can make a quick background for more detailed stamps. After the image is stamped, you just slice it up into even sections and put the puzzle back together on another sheet of cardstock. This is one of those 10 minute cards, with great results.

A reader had asked that I further explain this technique. I'm unable to provide step-by-step visuals, but will explain as well as possible. I recommend that you start with 2 or 3 different pieces of brown colored card stock. Bleach reacts different on each type of paper. Be sure to protect your surfaces and clothing. Grab a cotton ball and plain old bleach. Dip the cotton ball in the bleach and pounce it around on the paper. If you have a heat gun. apply heat which will make the color change quicker. Again, dip in bleach and pounce in areas that you have not bleached yet and in some of the areas that you have already bleached. Continue to do this until you have a freckling on the paper. If enough bleach is used, the brown will probably turn to orange in some areas. At this point stop. Dry the paper. Then take a pigment ink pad...camouflage colors and color some of the areas. You can use a clean cotton ball, sponge, or use the corner of an ink pad. Blend some of this ink in a circular motion. I used a little forest green, brown and a ocher ink color. Dry the ink. Now take a fine line black ink pen and separate out some of the colors. If you take a close look at my previous post and the example, you will see what I mean. You can also do this on gray, navy, black or any dark colored card stock.

This technique uses bleach on different colored card stock to achieve these results. I used a gray, black and brown card stock to create three backgrounds. I have to admit that there is a lot of trial and error, because all card stock bleaches differently. I thought they ended up quite interesting, and this technique does create a background that looks quite similar to camouflage.

What's in bloom in your garden? These are a few flowers that are in bloom in mine right now. My roses are blooming like crazy. I'm particularly fond of these Happy Chappy Shrub roses in shades of orange, apricot, pink. Their scent is sweet, very aromatic and they will bloom all summer. A couple of varieties of poppies are in bloom, these pink poppies are amazing and grow 3-4 feet tall and will bloom all summer. I grow as many flowers from seed as possible. There is something about nurturing and watching things grow that appeals to me very much. Many of my flowers were started from seeds that friends gave me. This is also another favorite past time, collecting and sharing seeds. My mother had amazing gardens, I'm sure that is where my love of flowers originated. Do you enjoy gardening? What are your favorite flowers?

Another Technique Junkie technique called 'Two Tone Crunch'. Using pigment inks you smoosh them around on the paper, wet the paper and use something to move the ink around. I sprayed the ink with a pearl mist, to give it a little glow. The stamp is from Inkadinkadoo. When I finished the card, I decided it was just too pretty for me, so I tattered the ribbon.

There's a free 2 week online class at Creativity Boot Camp. Although I'm starting it a little late...better late than never. I felt I could use the inspiration. The word prompt for the day is 'Ivory'. It took 12 seconds to come up with a theme, which is amazing for me. I apologize for the lousy pic, it is actually part of my bound art journal, which does not lay flat. The journal page is called My Ivory Tower. This is significant to me on many levels. It is about a young girls hopes and dreams, and about my faith. The verse says 'Windows & wings, so I can fly.' If your creativity could use a boost, visit the link above, you might surprise yourself. Thanks for taking a moment to stop by. If you are participating in 'Boot Camp' please leave me a link.

Just some simple brayer work, a little masking and stamping on this card. I really like these colors. The stamps are from Club Scrap. Hope you're enjoying your weekend.

Another Technique Junkie technique, Frog in a Blender. Silly name, but marvelous results. You float inks on top of floor wax, swirl, and dip your paper. I made several of these background sheets a couple of years ago. It's such a messy technique, that I made several at that time. The stamps are from Club Scrap...I really like this verse.

I just received a new Technique Junkie newsletter and this is one of their new techniques, called Up and Over. Basically, you stamp with black ink and then metallic pigment ink and emboss with metallic powder. I'd say this looks quite summery. The stamps are from Club Scrap and Paula Best. Thanks for looking.

My faithful companion and I walk every day, all year round. Nature provides an ever changing view on the property. The spring and summer months are my favorite with all of the wildflowers. Each week the view is transformed and it's always a delightful surprise. Ben is my 14 year old golden retriever and soul mate. If you've ever had a close relationship with an animal, you know what I mean. I shaved him this spring for the first time and he is much more comfortable. The vet says it isn't often she sees a retriever this old. I think we can contribute his good health to our daily walk, a lot of pampering and just good luck. I prefer to walk early in the morning because the bird song in the meadow remind me of the ebb and tide of the ocean. Do you have a special place that you like to spend time? Your sanctuary or private place? I'd love to see a pic...

Inspired by my morning walk, garden and a little day dreaming, this art journal page is just a collage of walking though a garden. This work was done for my art journal round robin group. On the book plate in the center I wrote 'May all your days resemble a walk in the garden'. The materials used were gesso, distress ink, a lovely napkin and several different pictures that were in my ephemera box. I really love using napkins on pages as they become so transparent when you use medium on them.

Normally, our family celebrates a traditional Christmas in Michigan each year. My children live all over the country, so it always requires travel. This year we all spent the holidays at my daughter and son-in-laws home in Florida, and had quite a non-traditional Christmas. This layout for my grand daughters scrapbook is of our Christmas Eve on the beach. (You can double-click on any image to get a larger view if you like.) The photo of mother and daughter squatting is a classic. Mom just squatted down to enjoy the view and daughter mimicked momma, and followed suit. We definitely made a memory. All materials are from Club Scrap and the layout is a sketch from Sketches by Suzy.

This was the view from my front porch this morning. I was hoping there would be a fawn with them, but not today. I love living in the country, it has always been my dream to own a little property. Maybe I'm a throw-back from the '70's. I hope your day offers a beautiful view of God's lovely handiwork.

Thought I would give a little update on the garden. This is my first year for a square foot garden. As you can see the boxes are spaced every foot with twine to maximize planting space and better utilize fertilization and watering needs. I've read that (1) 4x4 box could feed 1 person for a year. Last night we put up trellises for the vining plants, cucumbers, melon, squash. The idea is that the vines will run up and over the trellis and do their vining in the grass. Stakes were added for the tomatoes, and we have little tepees for the sugar peas. We've started putting up a temporary fence around the garden area. Hopefully the deer won't find the delicacies. I picked a little basil last night and it looks like we'll have some radishes to pull any day now. It's a beautiful thing this garden.

Another layout of my grand daughter visiting the pumpkin patch. She was so excited that day to get her pumpkin. This is my first layout intentionally working with 'white space'. I have to really fight the urge to fill in all the empty space. The supplies I used have been in my stash for probably 5 years, but they seemed to work on this page.