Botanicals Project

Botanicals are really popular - as always. From the early diagrams of plants and flowers, to the current herbal remedy interests, images of plants and flowers have been popular with the wealthy and the poor, the artistic, even the school child. Who doesn't love the flora of this earth? Which brings me around to "mother earth" and all her bounty. This time of the season is when everything is sprouted and blooming, or well on their way towards harvest. The earth is replenished with life-sustaining flora. Folks who are in to 'mother' and her flora often celebrate her and all she represents.

Over at Magickal Scraps, we are celebrating 'dear ol' mom' with a series on botanicals, as a challenge. The Botanical Project is in it's second month as a challenge in the forum there. We do 5 botanicals at a time. A,B,C,D, and E, made up the first month. This month we are doing F,G,H,I, and J. The results from the ladies there are fabulous! Visit Magickal Scraps Forum and see for yourself.

Then, sit back and enjoy all the pretties. Here is my part of this project. Each 'letter', F,G,H,I, and J, is in it's own file. Click on the images to go to Mediafire.

FRAGARIA

GINGER

HYSSOP
IMMORTELLE
JASMINE"Immortelle" turned out to be quite large. Hopefully, there is everything one needs within.

There are also "notes" pages that go with this 'kit'. There are 5 pages, blank, other than the decorations, for writing a note or even adding a photo. These are all in one file for downloading.

There you are! You can never have enough flowers, eh? LOL

Thank you for your interest. I just realized I forgot to put my TOU's in the files. Oh, darn! Ah, well, other than someone taking them and selling my files, I really do not concern myself with this. Share and share alike!

As always,

Su

(In Yoga: "The Light in Me Honors the Light in You")

Grandma's Apron

In an ultimate act of internet piracy, I am posting something I found in cyberland. The creative community online is just that, a community. It is strangers who, by wire, or wireless, connection, come together to share their interests and a little slice of their lives. When someone has something to share, we all benefit from it. In this way, I am not 'stealing' the article, but, sharing. However, if I knew the author, I would certainly applaud the person, then, post their info, with all due respect.

I found this on "A Romantic Porch". The author, Rachael, isn't sure of the origin, either. But, it is such a warm-hearted piece. Please, read this:

Grandma's Apron
The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a holder for removing hot pans from the oven.
It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.
From the chicken-coop the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
When company came those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids; and when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.
Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.
From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled it carried out the hulls. In the fall the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.
When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.
It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that "old-time apron" that served so many purposes.

See? Now, you are feeling all warm inside, eh? LOL

Bless all the Granny's!

Bird Dancing

I found an absolutely hilarious video on YouTube. Really! You have to check it out!




This bird's videos are the top players on YouTube. He has his own Facebook page, too! LOL

Come Together Kit

Have a look! This is "Come Together". The kit, itself, came about as a challenge over at Magickal Scraps. Snowy comes up with the BEST challenges. But, the theme of the challenges are what makes Magickal Scraps an entity unto itself. This one is on the theme of flower meanings/color meanings in weddings. Actually, we were at liberty to use whatever colors/flowers held the right meaning for us. Researching this information was pure pleasure. I LOVE FLOWERS! I was having a ball! I found it sweet of Snowy to present this kind of challenge, in part, to go along with my son's recent wedding.

Which leads me to this: The biggest significance to the creation of this kit and what fired the creativity and passion behind this kit is the recent marriage of my son and his sweetheart. That post is HERE. There was not a strict color scheme for the wedding party as it was very casual. It was the bride's second marriage, so, she was all for comfort and leisure. She loves bright colors, though. So, from the cake, the serving pieces and the decorations to this kit, unconventional colors for a wedding were the focus. I mean, we love flowers, and they come in such a wide variety of colors. It's hard not to get colorful.

So, anyway, without further hesitation, here is the kit. It is pretty big - I really got carried away. I could not begin to get all of the goodies into the previews, There is a lot more not shown. Where there are several colors of one pattern, I only show one color. The remaining colors are in the files.

Enjoy!

Elements feature "Grandma's Vintage Ephemera Brushes 2", from Barb Speck @ Natural Designs in Scrapbooking.
and
Barb Speck Designs Blog

(Click on image to go to download)
(Click on image to go to download)
(Click on image to go to download)

There are 3 files for the papers. Click these links for each:

Papers 1

Papers 2

Papers 3

I hope you like. Thank you for looking.

Su

(In Yoga: "The Light in Me Honors the Light in You")

Roses, Again!

Below is a photo of an embellishment on a small oval frame. The roses are made from a recipe that is not only easy, the ingredients are usually available.

Quite simply, one trimmed slice of white bread and one teaspoon of regular white glue. How easy is that? The bread, mixed with a little glue, creates a clay-like material, vaguely similar to the polymers on the market. Once it is left to dry for a day or so, you have an embellishment for a frame, a wreath, box-lid, an ornament, whatever, that is quite durable and lasts a long time.

To get the color I have in mine, I added some acrylic craft paint, in the colors of my liking, to the 'dough'. Once the roses hardened, they had the extra resiliency of acrylic. They could also be painted after dried. I haven't tried it, but, I'm sure food dye would gather similar results.

As for making the roses, if I can do it, anyone can! LOL But, take a look at these easy "7-petal rose" directions. It is made from a series of small, flat cirles, overlapped as they are wrapped. Fiddle around with it until you get a flower that you like.

One of the reasons for me posting something of this nature, is that school is going to be out for the summer, here, on Friday. Now, my three are grown. But, my grandchildren, particularly my grandson, Nicky, will be around a lot for the vacation. He's 6, going on 15, and it's the daycare school, or me. LOL He gets bored easily. I try to have some treat for him when he is here. We bake brownies or cookies with sprinkles we made out of sugar and food coloring. It does me good - I mean, him - it does him good to spend the time doing something like this together. Making memories!

The other reason that I posted this is that I wanted to show it to a new friend. Jordiann Cates, of Weblog Jordiann, who creates the fanciest and cutest designs, has a freebie on her blog that reminded me of these clay flowers. Her orchids are absolutely gorgeous! You should give her blog a read. She has a fiendishly wonderful sense of humor and offers quite a variety of subjects, all of extreme interest to this reader, as well as the freebies. Plus, you have got to read about White. (stifling a snicker) She really knows how to weave a yarn in to a fascinating tale. You should read her description of a kit! Pure poetry! LOL She has a way with words that just keeps me reading.

I have some really great news! It is going to have to wait, though. I have already taken up too much time. Also, I want to present it in it's own post - tomorrow. I do hope you'll stop by. So, until next time...

Thank you for your visit today.

Su

(In Yoga: "The Light in Me Honors the Light in You")

From Coldplay to a Rose

It is cold and raining outside! Yet, it's the middle of May. Last week it was hot! I heard about this. It was in the Original Farmer's Almanac.

Spring may be in full swing, but May 11, 12, and 13 often revert to the colder days of winter, according to weather lore.

The Three Chilly Saints—Mamertus, Pancras, and Gervais (also called Mammertius, Pancratius, and Gervatius or Servatius)—often celebrated their feast days during a cold snap. Some called them the Ice Saints or Frost Saints, and many farmers held off planting until after the Three Chilly Saints’ days had passed.

Germans knew these days as the Iceman Days, and both the English and French watched for a late frost around this time. St. Boniface (May 14) and the chilly “blackthorn winds” were associated with them, too.

St. Pancras Day (May 12) never passes without frost.

The Almanac isn't just for farmers. There is a wealth of information. I love all the "old wives tales" and folk remedies. They have been printing the Almanac since 1792. (Click date for it's history) Ya! It has grown up with this country.

Moving right along...

Next, I found a freebie for Coldplay fans. You can download their new release, "Left Right Left Right Left". It's on their website, Coldplay.com. This is a live album, so there are older songs on it, as well. They are giving this album away as a thanks to their fans. So, go grab your copy. LOL

Last, but, not least, I have something to share. I have taken part in a challenge at Michelle's Angels, the Color Challenge. The colors swatch is

Since I love the flowers of spring so much and one of my favorite is the rose, I did a mini-kit on this theme. I used images from around the internet for the roses. I tried to determine copyright, but, these images are so familiar, I wouldn't even know where to begin. If you have knowledge of any of the images' copyrights, please, let me know and I will rectify the situation. Thank you.

A Rose By Any Other Name
(isn't a rose)

Image is Clickable
Thank you for your interest.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Dear Mother

Dear Mother,

I am doing fine. Everyone is well and all of us are in good spirits. Oh, there is always room for improvement, but, I am doing alright. I guess you know that, though, don't you. I can't hide my heart from you, can I? I miss you, Momma! It has been so long since we put our arms around each other and comforted each other. It has been so long since I could call you on the phone and talk to you about my own children. I miss that. I miss you.

I'm so glad that we had the time together that we had before you left. It was amazing. Growing up and for most of my adult life, I never understood you. You probably didn't understand me, either. LOL (That means Laughing Out Loud, Mom.) But, when we finally came to an understanding, things sure were great! I could barely recall a time before this that you took me in your arms and told me you love me. But, after we came together, every time we saw each other was such a treat. You were generous, then, with your hugs and affection.

I hope you like it where you live, now. Dad should be near by. Tell him 'hello' for me. We both have been through so much as women, wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters. There is so much happiness in our lives, yet, there has been so much heartbreak. You left the heartbreak behind when you crossed over. I'm glad. I am still here, dealing with the ways of the world and the people in it. It hurts, sometimes. But, I go on. I have to. Like you, I have children to look after. You were right, just because the kids are grown and out of the house, doesn't mean a mother will stop worrying. A lot of what you told me, I can see it now. LOL

The children came over today and we had a lovely dinner of steak, rice pilaf and 7-layer salad. My family loves that stuff! Kristi didn't come, though. She hasn't called me, yet, either, Momma. That hurts so much, yet, there is not one thing I can do. All I can do is continue to love her and hope she comes around. I would sure hate to see her and I alienated for long. You and I did that and look what we missed. Life is too short. It would be far better for her to swallow her pride and let us move on. Until she does, though, it will just be the other two children and myself.

I should go. I've cried myself silly, Mom. LOL I will talk to you soon. Perhaps, tonight, in my blessings. I miss you and I love you.

Sudy

Cinco de Mayo

In honor of all of our friends 'south of the border',

Viva la Mexico!

Namaste,

Su

Moroccan Flavour

Such a wonderful weekend! It is absolutely gorgeous outside. It is currently 81 degrees and sunny, with a few wispy clouds. Spring is giving way to the summer months soon and we are off to a good start.

Now that the month is wrapped up for challenges on the forum, I have something to share. Magickal Scraps forum offers some of the greatest challenges! Not only is there the challenge, but, Snowy, or the other ladies, add an extra twist. This is in the form of a lesson or a tutorial of some sort. One month we made lace from "ding-bat" fonts.

For April, the Colour Challenge was based on a Moroccan theme. The color palette was:

As you can see, these colours lend themselves well to the north African region. This challenge was a lot of fun! Now, I would like to share it with everyone. Click on each preview to download.

The Elements:
The Frames, Mattes, Borders, etc.:
The Papers:
I do hope you enjoy! Thank you for looking.

A trip over to Magickal Scraps will certainly be a treat. Go check out what they're doing over there.

Su

Merry Beltane

Merry Beltane!

Blessed May Day, everyone! What a perfect day for heralding the earth and her bounties and to welcome all new living things. After the long, dark winter, earth awakens to go forth and procreate. In both, the animal and the plant kingdoms, new life springs up everywhere. This is a time of hope and promise of good things to come.

Today was a day of promise. It was beautiful, here, in Florida. There's been a nice breeze and it is sunny and warm. I spent some time out of door, today. I took a walk about my property. I relished the abundance of growth. It begs to be clipped back, but, I like the way it thrives along side the next. It is like poetry in motion. Clip it? No way!

While walking around the garden, my faithful dog, Chelsea, following along nearby, I gathered a few sprigs and flowers in a basket. Nothing in particular. We haven't had much rain, so, the once abundant early spring flowers are dried and shriveled beyond recognition. But, I managed to find a few offerings to take in with me.

I settled down on a blanket and, one by one, pulled each of the sprigs out and 'studied' it. I took notice of the stems and leaves, how they grew and the variations in color and texture. Mother earth is just amazing! This planet is covered with multitudes of species, both flora and fauna. There are so many different kinds of both. Some, we have never laid eyes upon. Yet, each one is unique. Even within a species, the range of differences, even within one particular family, is just staggering.

In all the vastness of difference, one thing remains a constant - life-energy. This is the one thing all living beings and organisms possess. It is within our realm of understanding to acknowledge that we have an edge on most other living beings. We have the ability to knowingly, and purposefully, use this energy for good. Where most organisms have built-in mechanisms to protect the species, so to speak, we have the ability to manipulate, not only our own lives, but, those of the rest of the living things, as well.

It is an awesome responsibility, we have. It is our duty to live peacefully alongside all other organisms. We understand when something is wrong and have the chance to correct it, or try, at least. We have to take care of this earth while it is in our charge. Instead of taking so that we might flourish alone, we should be doing all that we can possibly do to assure to longevity of life of all the other living organisms with which we share the earth.

As I touched each sprig of green I took from the basket, I found joy in the knowledge that these plants are here. Overbearing vines, fine by me. A bent and sagging bottle brush tree, I'll prop it up. A one-sided dogwood tree, I see the good side from my kitchen window. Whatever it takes, I am pleased and grateful for every living thing I see around me. I feel truly blessed to share the air with some of the raggediest, most mismatched assortment of flora one could lay eyes upon. But, then, they probably feel the same way about me. LOL

So, here's to all the living things on earth! May we share this space in harmony and flourish, side by side.

Happy May Day!