Shadow Shot Sunday

Check out some terrific shadow shots on Tracy's blog at HeyHarriet!

I've really enjoyed seeing things and people in different ways since participating in Tracy's SSS meme.

Shadows have been very muted here lately--you'll have to look hard for them in some of my photos.

We had an energizing walking morning at our beautiful city park, site of the 1904 World's Fair, and captured a few shadows at the pavilion and at the zoo too. So many of the animals were having a lonnnnnnng siesta ... something we humans should really do more often!

The 1904 World's Fair Pavilion--concrete ball sculptures at the entrance ...

Shadows inside the pavilion--it's a massive structure, now used for receptions and dances--what fun!

A view from the pavilion looking over the fountain and lake near the Boat House ... after photographing this, a group began their "boot camp" on the grassy lawn. Groan. These steps made a great place for lunges. DH can verify I lunged up all three flights of them. I'll feel it tomorrow.

Leafy shadows on Rajah's back in the dusty but peaceful elephant habitat ...

A sea turtle napping underwater along the River's Edge ... can you find him?

The zoo train tracks that never end ...

Enjoy your Sunday and happy new week ahead, wherever your tracks lead YOU. Blessings!

Friends & Life Delights

Since last Sunday's card workshop, I've been scrapping layouts of our summer road trips and visits with special people.

Judy, an early childhood educator and minister to families who have very young children, and I have been friends since we bonded in the early '80s at a Christian writing workshop. I treasure the short snatches of time we have to spend together. On this day, we visited at her work place, and we talked 100 mph as we watched ee play with the outdoor and indoor toys.

I thank God for our friendship and for the times He gives us to be together, and for phones, snail mail, and email when we are apart.

I thank God for giving me the blessing of Judy in my life, a true sister in Christ.

(CTMH Life Delights paper, rub-ons, hidden journaling pull-out tab, foundry tab)

Twilight & Crystal Blue Layout with Flip Flaps

What would I do without those great Flip Flaps from CTMH?!

It's so nice to get to see more than 3 photos on a page, especially when I just can't narrow the photos down to so few.

Here, on the left hand page, I layered vertical photos inside the Flip Flaps (which are attached to the top of the Memory Protector page) to show more of our fun time at the sandy beach.

If you want to know more about Flip Flaps and where to find them, please contact me, or see page 104 in the Summer Idea Book. It's simple to order online by clicking here.

Two Quick Layouts Today

Eating watermelon works best with very few clothes on, especially when the sweet & sticky juice drips down the chest and tummy, then the hands clap in excitement, and the juice splatters ee's face. Wish you could hear her laugh!

In that third photo, ee was really inhaling the watermelon!

In a previous post, I wrote about our 39th anniversary celebration ... it was fun to put the next two-page layout together with photos from that enjoyable evening.

When I used the chocolate rub-ons to document "39 years" on the journaling diamond, the extra 9 came off to read "399 years." I laughed! I considered leaving it that way. But re-considered, and didn't!

On this layout I included a favorite Scripture verse from Psalm 89:1--
"I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations."

The Lord has been faithful to us throughout our lives. We always want to witness to that, so that our children and their children know of His love and goodness.



All CTMH products--Juniper & Tulip Cardstock; dimensional elements; ribbons; Elegant Bouquet Level 2 papers & Stickease; vellum; chocolate rub-ons.

Our Anniversary

This is the day the Lord has made ... let us be glad and rejoice in it!

God is good, all the time. He has been faithful to us through our entire lives.

Recently on a beautiful evening, we celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary at a quaint restaurant in Old Saint Charles. The kids all treated us to a delicious meal on the outdoor patio, and the extra-special treat was music by Christopher. He played his sax and steel pan for the evening, and sang some great Caribbean and jazz selections.

DH and me on the cobblestone walk ...

Our S-I-L Christopher playing his steel pan ...

Our DDs & GD, Bethany, Ella, and Emily ...

Christopher, Ella, and O'Pa!

Ella & Gramma

Emily, Jane, & Bethany with our to-go boxes



It was a very good evening, one of many for which we're so thankful.

Shadow Shot Sunday

My DH and I spent some time walking and shooting photos at a nearby sculpture park this weekend. It was a wonderful break from painting our kitchen! Here are some of our favorites.

Be sure to hop over to Tracy's blog and view the shadow shots she arranges into unique collages each week. It's a fascinating collection of perspectives of people from all over the world. It's fun looking for shadows, and it's even more fun seeing them in your photos when you least expect them! Give it a try!

Glad you visited my blog! Please take time to leave a comment. Enjoy your weekend!

Wiper Card Remake & Fresh Paint

Edit on Friday afternoon while taking a painting break:

Here's my second remake of the wiper card. (Scroll down for the early morning remake & I still didn't like it!)

I need to go into a 12 Step Program for Recovering Perfectionists. Here's the card & I promise no more remakes of it!

Back to finishing the kitchen now. I LOVE to paint. Will post more kitchen photos later! ~J.




Friday morning:
I just didn't like the bad punching job I did on that first wiper card, so I decided to use the same punch but only on the side edges. I know the next attempt will be better looking still!

We have wonderful painting weather with low humidity and temperatures in the 70s--is this really August in the Midwest?!

DH and I painted the walls in our country kitchen yesterday and hope to finish today. It's 26 x 20 feet and can hold a crowd! It's guaranteed that by the time we finish the second coat of paint, we'll need deep massages.

Here's the "before" with the all-white walls by the pantry (borrrrring!) and a test patch of green ...

... and now the antique verde (kinda Tuscan) green we chose. The new cabinets and counter tops will have to wait. I'm just so happy with the freshly-painted, updated look!

My next honey-do on the list is to paint the oak baseboards a clean, bright white. Maybe next week ...

Happy weekend!

"Wiper" Card -- Unforgettable Papers

It's a bird! It's a plane! Wait...it's a wiper card!

It's my first try at this design, and I'm sure the next will have fewer mistakes, but I'm glad I got up at 6 a.m. after a huge thunderstorm went through and stayed awake enough to create this.

Close To My Heart: Unforgettable paper packet; juniper and sorbet ink colors

The weekend workshop participants might find this one fascinating!

What I will do: make another wiper card.

What I won't do: use the lacy doily punch. Couldn't get my corners clean as a whistle as I would have liked. I'll try a corner rounder to create neater scallops the next time.

It was a fun start to my day, in addition to applying to another health insurance company with the help of our insurance man, Bill -- now I'm crossing my fingers and toes and praying for acceptance for this application.

If you need a great insurance person who goes above and beyond to help someone, Bill's the man. Check out his web site here.

God bless your day real good--

Unforgettable Card Holder & Cards

This weekend I'm hosting a CTMH workshop for participants to make a note card holder and four cards of their choice using the Unforgettable papers and many different embellishments.

I really like the Asian flair with the Juniper, Sorbet, and Blush ink colors, and the Aspirations stamp set.

I didn't do any paper layering on the note card holder--just simple random stamping.

Here's the note card holder closed ...

and open, showing a couple of the stamped envelopes.

Here are a few of the sample cards ... I have eight different ones designed!

And here's a circle card too with lots of Liquid Glass ...

I've been home a week, and am still not feeling totally recovered from our road trip and family reunions. The high heat and humidity have been brutal, and now we're getting the strong winds and rain, with a few tornado warnings now and then. The gardens and yards are very happy!

Hearing the raindrops just makes me want to sleep. I put some '80s Motown music on yesterday and today while I scrapped, and that helped me stay in the groove to get some things accomplished!

Enjoy!

Shadow Shot Sunday

Hello! I'm back after a two-week "holiday" through five states -- I've missed you all and have so much to catch up now!

Be sure to check out Tracy's collages at heyharriet and see the beautiful shadow shots posted there by photographers around the world.

Here are my shadow shots that I took while we traveled:

Three generations walking in the sand along Lake Huron in Michigan's Thumb

The Allis Chalmers tractor and wood piles in Uncle Bill's barn

Friend Connie's personality-filled alpacas on her Ohio farm--this is "Alfredo" with his Italian-moustached-face

Enjoy! And happy weekend!