Well Rounded

All the Christmas decorations are down and packed away waiting for next year.
All except the Snowmen.
After all, it is still winter!

Snowmen are well-rounded

just like my favorite handmade, hand thrown teapot.

I know it looks funny, especially with its stubby spout,

but it pours beautifully and has a strainer that can be removed.

I can do multiple brewings just by lifting out the strainer.

The design on the exterior has an Asian feel.

The last of the yummy Snowmen sugar cookies.

I'll be sorry to see them go as I'm sure they've helped in keeping me

well-rounded!

The teacup is from Bentley.

Bentley put out a collection of teas several years ago and included the teacup.

It's become a favorite.

The little watercolor is one of mine 

and part of a series of snowmen I'm doing.

I seem to have to do a series ... one isn't enough!

My little snowman would like to remind you:

Be a jolly, happy soul.

Spend time outdoors.

Stay cool.

It’s okay to be a little bottom heavy.

Avoid meltdowns.

Be well-rounded.

Live well, life is short. 

Enjoy sugar cookies! 

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

I'm joining several parties today:

Tea Time Tuesday

where Sandi is having a party to celebrate Tea Time Tuesday's 5th Anniversary.

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Life By The Cup

Did you labor over the Labor Day weekend?
I did not.

The kitties and I had a quiet weekend doing quiet things.

I finished my first watercolor pear.
This was done on left over paper from another project.
There is a horse lightly sketched on the other side.
Probably a leftover from Chinese New Year.
Recycle!

Since I'm becoming quite proficient in drawing pears, there will be more in my future --
this time on "real" watercolor paper!


**

It is September ... the first of the "BER" months.
That means fall is just around the corner and temps below 95 for me!
This is one of my favorite teacups.
It is a Bentley teacup and came with a selection of Bentley teas.

***

Over the weekend I finished LIFE BY THE CUP.
I'll let you read my review.
After reading the book, I couldn't decide which tea I wanted to try
(other than Coconut Chai).
They all sounded so delicious so I bought two sampler packs.
(As if I needed more tea.)

Life by the Cup: Ingredients for a Purpose-filled Life of Bottomless Happiness and Limitless Success by Zhena Muzyka
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Put a book about tea in front of me and I have to read it! LIFE BY THE CUP is Zhena Muzyka's story about heartache, hard work, a vision, success and tea. It is also a "how to" book filled with suggestions on ways to find happiness and success. I was less interested in the how to sections of each short chapter and simply captivated by the stories Zhena told about her life and her marvelous teas. Her stories would make a lovely movie. Using fair trade organic teas and her own essential oils, aromatherapy and herbal teachings from her Gypsy grandmother, Zhena builds a successful business: Zhena's Gypsy Teas .. a thriving, purpose-driven, fair-trade, multimillion-dollar brand. I'm a big tea drinker and had never heard of Zhena's teas until I saw them at World Market. Now I'm a big fan and after reading the book have a whole list of teas I want to try with Coconut Chai on top!

View all my reviews

Afternoon Tea by Edward Cucuel (1875-1954)

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

I'm joining the following tea parties.

Thank you to the hosts of:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Done!

Sixty-one Index Cards are finished.

A little piece of arty goodness for 61 days.

YeeHaw!

Here are the last ICADs.

ICAD #57 for July 27, 2014: Fly
Watercolor, micron pen, brush marker.
Doodles

ICAD # 58 for July 28, 2014: Carousel (prompt). 
Watercolor, micron pen, Sharpie metallic pens.
Rocking all the way to the sunset of ICAD!

ICAD # 59 for July 29, 2014: Tulip. 
Love the watercolors! 
Micron pen.

ICAD #60 for July 30, 2014: Stork. 
This is all from the bits and bobs box. 
I had planned on something else and started with torn paper scraps and a light wash of gesso. 
Then I took the b&b box out and everything changed. 
This is in honor of the newborn triplets (!!!girls!!!) in the neighborhood.

ICAD #61 for July 31, 2014: Simplify. 
This is not an original idea. 
I first saw it on a photograph and then when I was walking around Barnes and Noble yesterday I saw it again on a small book titled something like 365 ideas to simplify your life. I decided then that someone was trying to tell me something. 
Watercolor and micron pen. 
If you look carefully, above the first dotted "i" is a tiny heart. 
It's the way the watercolor ran. 
Not planned at all. 
My second clue that this was a good way to end the ICAD Challenge.

Sixty-one days of arty goodness on an index card.
My thanks to Tammy at Daisy Yellow.
She is the heart, soul and brains behind this challenge
I'm looking forward to 2015.

And, a big "I'll miss you" to all the great folks on the ICAD 2014 FB page.
What fun we had! Sharing ideas. Cheering each other on.

So, what will I do now?!!
I'm going to gently ease back into my usual blogging routine.
I have a crochet afghan to finish (leftover from Valentine's Day).
All the squares are made. I just need to put them together.
The afghan is first.
I have lots of photographs to edit and play with.
I'll not be bored! 

Until the next post:

May you be filled with loving-kindness.
May you be well.
May you be peaceful and at ease.
May you be happy.

Nearing The End

We are nearing the end.

This is the last full week of the Index Card A Day challenge.
Here are the cards for the last seven days.

ICAD #50 for July 20, 2014: Summertime. 

It's summertime - hot and humid. 
I thought Mr. Sun should get his credit! 
Acrylics, brush markers.

ICAD # 51 for July 21, 2014: Giraffe.

 This is the other card involved in the "smooshing" of paint. 

The elephant was first and now a baby giraffe. 

The giraffe also has a feathered friend. 

Smooshed acrylics, brush markers, rubber stamp, micron pen. 

His legs are kind of wonky and I don't think I've seen a giraffe with that long a tail, but that's okay -- he makes me smile!

ICAD #52 for July 22, 2014: Tranquility. 
4x6 index card with lots of torn papers. 
The pink and neon green you see peaking through are pieces of tissue paper. 
Acrylic paint. 
I knew the butterfly was going on this card but didn't know what else when I looked over and saw the fortune.
 I love it when a plan comes together and I didn't know I had one!

ICAD #53 for July 23, 2014: Fat Cat. 
I have no idea where he came from. 
I had something completely different planned and all of a sudden there he was. 
I did a lot of cats last year and not so many this year. 
Perhaps that's why he wanted his say! 
4x6 index card with lots of torn papers, acrylics, rubber stamps, distress inks, brush markers. Meow!!!

ICAD #54 for July 24, 2014: Some Choices Are Hard: Collage. 
Tissue paper, napkin, wrapping paper, paint "catchers", magazine image and clip art.
 I found the lady in bits and bobs first and then the shoes. 
I thought they were the perfect match for a little fun.

ICAD #55 for July 25, 2014: Doodle. 
Every now and then Joggles.com sends out an email with a tutorial. 
The last one was on watercolor backgrounds and doodling. 
She used twinkling H2Os. Not me. 
I used my plain old cake watercolors and was very pleased with the effect.
I forget how much fun I have doodling.
Calming. I could doodle all day.
 Silver sharpie and micron pen.

ICAD # 56 for July 26, 2014: The Stars are Flowers in the Sky. 
Watercolor,silver Sharpie, micron pen, doodles.

That's it for this week.
Just a few days left for the ICAD Challenge.
You can read more about Index Card A Day by visiting with Tammy.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Rounding The Bend!

The ICAD (Index Card A Day) challenge is rounding the bend!
Hard to believe the month of July is half over.
Here are the cards from the last week.

ICAD #43 for July 13, 2014: Melody.
 In honor of the birth of Melody to Simi (one of the ICAD participants).

ICAD #44 for July 14, 2014: Kokeshi Doll from one of Tammy's prompts. 
This was fun. 
Another of the very thin cards so I built it up with lots of pieces of various papers. 
Acrylic paint, stamping. 
Her kimono is a scrap of napkin. 
Prismacolor markers.

ICAD #45 for July 15, 2014: Bloom.
I was in the mood to "smush" paint around!
4x6 index card with lots of bits of torn paper.
Then acrylic paint.
The flowers were cut from several 3x5 index cards (very flimsy ones) that color had been applied to.
Added the stamped word.
Prismacolor markers.
I'm sure I forgot something!
Oh, and the kitchen sink!

ICAD #46 for July 16, 2014: Vase
Pencil
Watercolor pencils
The Vase is a piece of scrap tissue paper.

ICAD #47 for July 17, 2014: Dala
As I get close to the end of the ICAD challenge,
I find myself using Tammy's prompts more and more.
This was one of them.
A fun opportunity to not only draw a Dala horse,
but to learn more about them, too.
Mostly prismacolor markers.
Micron pen.

ICAD#48 for July 18, 2014: Tea for One. 
This is one of my favorite tea for one sets. 
It never fails to make me smile. 
The little bird is a teapot and nests on the pink cup. 
Watercolors (on one of the flimsy cards -- yuk.) 
Micron pen. With a real tea tag (Stash white peach oolong).

ICAD #49 for July 19, 2014: Friends. 
Early in the ICAD Challenge I smushed some paint between two cards. 
On one card I sketched a chicken and the other I stamped a bird. 
Quick and easy. 
I thought I'd try it again. 
Smushed acrylic paint, some rubber stamping, quick sketch of an elephant (probably an Asian elephant since he has small ears). 
He has a very small feathered friend.

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

Be sure to check out the ICAD Challenge at Daisy Yellow.
You can join anytime!

So Close and Yet So Far!

Okay gang, I'm starting to slow down! 

I keep telling myself  I CAN manage one index card a day. 

Here are the next seven cards. 

ICAD # 36 for July 6, 2014: Butterflies.
 I had to do something with all those images from napkins! 
Background is watercolor and rubberstamp.

ICAD # 37 for July 7, 2014: Birds and Butterflies. 
The last of the napkins! YeeHaw! 
Background is fluid acrylic, rubber stamp, then the napkins.

ICAD # 38 for July 8, 2014: Fleurs. 

Watercolor, some rubber stamping.

ICAD #39 for July 9, 2014: This kitty wishes that you Live Long and Prosper!
 I've been taking Juliette Crane's Serendipity class and used a lot of those techniques here. 4x6 index card with torn paper (various papers, some written on, some with lines, a little ledger -- very miscellaneous and torn into small pieces). 
Then acrylic paint "mushed" on. 
The kitty background is Golden Fluid Acrylic Nickel Azo Gold. 
Then I used Pastello colored paper chalk to do the shading. 
The star is from another index card I cut into star shapes. 
The bird is from the bits and bobs box. 
I sprayed a fixative over the top and will finish with a layer (or more) of mod podge.

ICAD # 40 for July 10, 2014: Bouquet. 
Watercolor and pencil.

ICAD # 41 for July 11, 2014: Mother Nature. 
Celebrate Mom with a little green! 
I used a dried leaf I found on a walk (months ago) and tried to use it as a stamp. 
You can see that didn't work, but left cool markings. 
Sprayed with dylusions. 
Postage stamp. 
Stamped words on tissue paper (that way ... if I mess up i don't mess up the whole card!).

ICAD #42 for July 12, 2014: Bits and Bobs. 
I cleaned off my table top and this is what I got. 
I didn't use up all the scraps so they went into the b&b box!


Be sure to check out Tammy at Daisy Yellow for more ICAD information.
You can join anytime!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

One Month Down

and one more month to go in the

Index Card a Day Challenge (ICAD).

Here are the cards from the last week.

ICAD # 29 for June 29, 2014. 

Something different this morning. 

I've been making a lot of pesto this year and thought I'd share the recipe with you. 

Pix from a seed pack and a rubber stamp. 

(You can use any nut that you like if you don't have the pine nuts ... like walnuts ... just be 

sure you aren't serving your pesto to someone who has "that" nut allergy.)

I like garlic with my basil!

ICAD #30 for June 30, 2014: Nap. 

A quick watercolor sketch of Mina napping. 

(I did this on a 4x6 index card I bought for last year ... horrible -- so light weight you can almost see through! No wonder I used so much book paper last year!) 

ICAD # 31 for July 1, 2014

Another flimsy card so I torn a book page and placed it on first.

Gesso, then stenciled the stars.

Sharpie markers and an image from the Graphics Fairy.

ICAD # 32 for July 2, 2014: Each End Up. 

This is one of those cards that I just kept adding layers to not liking any of it until the end. There's book paper, acrylic wash, fluid acrylic (blue), rubber stamps (red), stencils (arrows), more acrylic paint, and the stars are cut from another Index Card that I had yellow and orange acrylic smushed on. Each End Up -- no right or wrong end up!

ICAD # 33 for July 3, 2014: 4th of July. 

One more holiday card. 

This is the last one as I've used up all the images I found at the Graphics Fairy! 

Acrylic paint, Stars are cut from another index card, fluid acrylics.

ICAD # 34 for July 4, 2014.

 I wasn't going to do another 4th of July postcard, but I had already finished the image transfer. 

Liberty Bell stamp, rubber stamp, cut stars from another index card, fluid acrylic.

ICAD # 35 for July 5, 2014: Nature Study.
I love nature studies and I spent the day yesterday with a stack of napkins cutting out birds, butterflies, "nature stuff". 

Rubber stamp, fluid acrylics, torn ledger paper scrap, napkin images.

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

Be sure to visit Tammy to check out the Index Card a Day Challenge.

You can start anytime.

It's fun!

Creative Every Day

The Watercolors Came to Play!

We just completed week four in the Index Card a Day challenge.

Be sure to check out Tammy at Daisy Yellow for more ICAD information.

You can start any time!

ICAD # 22: School

This is the school in the Enchanted Forest.

The teacher is a cat like looking woman.

ABCs are important, but she also teaches about frogs, lady bugs and monkeys.

Every break comes with cake and ice cream.

Neocolor background, the school is from an excess sheet,

 collage, stamping, markers.

ICAD # 23 for June 23, 2014: Hearts. 

This card could be for the repeating patterns or magenta or both.

 Background of torn book pages. 

The hearts are a stencil where I used modeling paste. 

Let everything dry and then rubbed with Golden Fluid Acrylic Quinacridone Magenta. 

Let that dry and rub with Golden Fluid Acrylic Iridescent Gold.

ICAD # 24 for June 24, 2014: Umbrella.

 A quick little watercolor for the prompt "umbrella".

ICAD # 25 for June 25, 2014.

Torn book pages, stamping, collage, various paper scraps,

fluid acrylics.

ICAD # 26 for June 26, 2014

For the Love of Purple!

I enjoyed the little watercolor I did for Tammy's umbrella prompt so much

that I got out the water colors to see if I remembered how to do color drop flowers.

YeeHaw! What fun!

Watercolor, rubber stamping and a "real" stamp.

ICAD # 27 for June 27, 2014

A Study in Red

Ledger paper on a 4x6 index card.

Watercolor, rubber stamping

The hearts were cut from another index card that had been painted with

various shades of red.

ICAD # 28 for June 28, 2014

A Study In Orange

4x6 index card, watercolor, rubber stamp, butterfly.

Four Weeks down in the Index Card a Day Challenge

and the watercolors came to play.

Perhaps they will stay!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Potpourri

It's Friday.

A little this and that with a dash of randomness is called for.

*

I've been sort of blah this week.

Our wedding anniversary was Tuesday.

We would have been married 30 years.

I call it our legal anniversary as we lived together several years before we married.

Gosh, darn it all.

I seem to miss Mr. Dragon more each day.

Life has gotten easier -- more used to him not being here.

But my heart still cries out to him.

**
Now for some fun.
Halloween is just around the corner.
It's been awhile since I've shared a postcard.

This is a reproduction postcard from a book of Halloween postcards

published by Darling and Company, Seattle.

Thank you to the lovely Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

***

Here's my version of a happy witch.

I really do enjoy playing with water color.

The witch and the cat both look like they've been hitting the hard cider a little too much.

Those eyes!!!

****

The weather has been lovely.

Teddy and I have been sitting on the balcony watching the world go by.

Cassie and Mina haven't been interested in sitting with us.

That's fine.

I'm afraid that Mina would see a squirrel and she'd be over the edge in a flash!

She's an action first and think about it after kind of girl. 

*****

Another lovely day today and I'm going to take advantage.

Off to the Japanese Garden and the Zoo!

YeeHaw!

Thank you Nancy!

Wishing all of YOU well and much joy.

Have a wonderful weekend.