Love My Fridays

It's late afternoon on Friday and I am just getting around to Blogging...oops:) What can I say? I've been living my life and that's a good thing.

I have a few favorites to share with you today as well as our Friday prompt to take you into your weekend. Enjoy.

1. Please stop by and visit my friend Nicole. Not only does she have a great blog  {Destination Unknown} but I know she could use some kind words this weekend...go ahead and make a fellow Blogger SMILE:)

2. Found this blog last week and fell in love with her work!! Her Painted Word...stop by and say Hi.

3. Can't believe Summer is winding down. It's gone too fast! Yet, I do look forward to my favorite season of all...FALL. Warm, cozy blankets, soccer, Friday night football games, hot chocolates, Halloween, Thanksgiving, shorter days...love it!

4. Really loving my Blog friend Joyce's art lately...her girls are so sweet. Click here then scroll down just a bit...isn't she darling? Joyce continues to inspire me with her Brave Girl ways. Way to GO, Joyce!

Our Friday Prompt this weekend is to spend time with the family!!!

Have a great weekend, girls:)

A Beautiful Life

"Let us savour 

the swift delights

of the most 

beautiful of our days!" 

-Alphonse de Lamartine

What's on My Work Desk

Welcome to What's on My Work Desk!! So many fun projects:)

These are 6 inch wood blocks. I am creating something so FUN with these. I will be sure and share later.

A page I'm working on in my Life Journal. See those delicious bird stencils to the left. They are so me. Found them at Christy Tomlinson's Shop. Stop by hear to buy your very own.

Oh dear...my stuff is making it's way on the floor again....

Here's my other desk...this is my girl for the Purple Challenge over at Twinkle Twinkle. Just putting the finishing touches on her now.

Thought I'd share my 14 year old daughter's space, too. She is working on a block. We sanded them all yesterday then she got right to work.

Today we are packing up a bunch of creative goodness and headed to my Mom's house for an afternoon of crafting!!

Be sure and stop by Julia's to visit more FAB work spaces.

What's on YOUR work desk?

Masking Tape and Purple

I woke up today ready to head out the door and WALK. It just feels so good to move my body and feel the sunshine. Clears my head and allows me to just think about random stuff. I spent most of my walk dreaming up new Art...which by the way...I get to work on today. Very grateful for that time:)

It's Technique Tuesday and we're talking about TAPE.

 

Masking tape is my favorite but there are lots of tapes to choose from.

Here are a few ways I have used masking tape in my Art Journals...

This is a page I created several months ago and have never filled. I plan on using the tape to write words on.

This is a cool way to use tape....

Don't see the tape? That's because it's not there...

See where the white part of the page is? Where it says "style Me"? I put random strips of masking tape on the page after I had painted the page then ripped off.

You can stamp on it, write on it, use rub-ons, paints...whatever your heart desires. 

I really love the look!

For truly cool tape ideas visit Natalie's blog here. I told you about Natalie last week...she is so talented and shares so much all for FREE!

Since June I have been participating in my friend Kristin's Color Challenge. She has grown quite a following with her idea!! So happy for her:) 

This week's color is Purple. I have one project to show you now and one for Thursday. I am still putting the finishing touches on that one! Here is my first Purple one...

There are a few other colors in there...but the background is mostly light and dark purples with a bit of black and pink thrown in.

She does have shoes now and bit more words. I will show you the finished product on Thursday:)

I hope you've been inspired today, girls.

One more thing...my PASSWORD has been compromised and I am trying to set a new one...Yahoo contacted me to let me know but now they won't accept my old one so I can get a new one. So waiting on a response I emailed them. If for 

some reason I am unable to use this blog or contact you...you know why. 

I hope nothing happens to my blog...I am a bit nervous and am hoping to resolve this issue today.

Has this ever happened to you?

Dedicated

Thank you ladies for all your kind, kind words regarding Friday's post. They meant so much to me. Each one really touched my heart:)

I have so many projects I'm working on this week including...

*My Summer of Color Purple projects (will post these Tuesday)
*My favorite way to Shabby up a page {Tuesday}
*Sanding and painting a dozen wooden blocks for art projects
*My Art Journal page of "Small and Simple Things"
*Soul Restoration 2 Life Journal

This is gonna be one artsy filled week. Love it!!

"The person who makes a success 

of living is the one 

who sees his goal steadily 

and aims for it unswervingly.

That is dedication." 

-Cecil B. DeMille

It's the Small and Simple Things...Friday Prompt

Frugality is one of the most 

beautiful and joyful words

in the English language, 

and yet one that we are culturally 

cut off from understanding and enjoying. 

The consumption society has made us

feel that happiness lies in having things, 

and has failed to teach us 

the happiness of not having things. 

~Elise Boulding

This summer has been hard. 

 The economy in our smaller town

is getting tighter and tighter. 

And when you are self-employed...

it can be a very scary thing. 

And while I've tried keeping my chin up

most of the times I have failed miserably.

While it seems like all my friends 

and family are going on vacations to Disney World

and island cruises and shopping at the

local mall...we are watching

every single penny that leaves

this house. 

No vacation for us this year.

No back to school shopping sprees.

I just haven't been my cheerful self.

I hate that.

But then...when I was just feeling my lowest...

I read a comment from my friend Kay

on Facebook. It said...

"I woke up early today and am now canning

pickles. I love my life."

Girls, I thought about these 2

sentences all day. 

During my hour long walk, during my 

house cleaning and while I cooked dinner. 

It's the small and simple things in our life that bring us 

true joy. That gives our life meaning.

I already knew that. But maybe, somewhere I had forgot it. 

I didn't think I had forgot it....

but I had. I have been so consumed 

with all the CAN NOTS that I forgot

about the truly good things in my life.

So this weekend our Friday Prompt is to make a list...a very long list...of all 

the small and simple things that 

make us happy. 

That make our hearts sing.

And while you're at...why not put this list in your Art Journals

or scrapbook pages? Create a pretty reminder of 

all that is so very good in your life.

What are the the Simple things that make your life oh so good?

What I LOVE right this very minute

Think of Thursdays like the "O" column where Oprah goes through a few of her favorite things...here are a few of mine from the week:)

1. Twitter. Yep, I like Twitter. I've had an account since March of 2010 but never did anything with it. Then, one day last week while waiting for one of Em's practices to get over I started messing around with it on my phone and Ta-Da! I'm now on Twitter and I have Followers and I'm Following and it is so fun. Seriously....what I love the best about it are all the links to some really awesome places on the Web I may not have found otherwise. Twitter is fast and perfect when you don't have lots of time to spend at the computer. You can Follow me by clicking on the Twitter Bird to the right:)

2. Your Daily Truths from Brave Girl's Club. If you don't subscribe pop over there today and just do it! It's free!! Every single day you'll get a message that you'll swear was written exactly for you. These messages have lifted me up and inspired me when I'm feeling so very down. 

3. Stampington and Company has the very best arts and crafts magazines out there. I have been waiting all summer for the latest "Where Women Create" to come out August 1st!!

Some of my favorite girls will be in there including Melody Ross!! Can't wait!! I'm also looking forward to their latest "Art Journaling" publication. Two treats I hope to purchase in the next few weeks.

4. Last on my list today is a fellow Blogger. It's so important that we lift each other up, support and inspire one another. Each week I will be sure to include a Blog that catches my eye. This young blogger has been inspiring me for several months now...at just 22 years old she is one talented young women!!
Natalie Malik and her Blog "Awkward and Beautiful" is amazing!! {and I know she doesn't even know me or that I read her blog or that I think she is fabulous}.
Natalie style is quirky and artsy and fun. Kind of like Elsie Flannigan.

She has all kinds of Art Journaling prompts, cute photos and other cool stuff on her blog. It's becoming one of my fave, go-to blogs daily!! Stop by and say HI!!:)

What are you just loving right now?? Leave a comment and let me know!

Work Desk Wednesday-Space

Happy Wednesday!! The past 7 days I have spent re-doing my Artsy Space, creating just the perfect place for inspiration and magic to happen. I think I am finally satisfied with it!!

This is looking into the room to the left. My idea books are here along with a carousel full of stickers and rub-ons. {yes, that's a turkey...my son's first turkey he shot when he was about 9 years old}

Here's my auction find...love this cute basket shelving unit!! It's filled with extra paint, cleaning supplies, fabric trims, tissue paper, stamps and more.  The blue inspiration board I found at a yard sale for a dollar and see that darling canvas on the right? My sweet friend at "Twinkle Twinkle" painted that!! She inspires me daily:)

On the left are my paper punches and on the right is a cabinet filled with hundreds of sheets of pattern paper.

Another auction find. I decided to put my acrylic paints in...it's perfect!!

This is what you see when you look on the right side of the room. My desk is tucked away...you can just see it peeking out. Love how cozy it feels...

Looking at this just makes me so happy now. This room used to be our son's then it was a guest/catch-all room. I think I have made such good use of my space!!

This is the ledge by my desk. All my paintbrushes are here along with my prize yard sale find...a magnetic marker board with cute magnets for 50 cents!! It lists all my projects I'm currently working on.

Here's a close-up of my fave part of the desk...a built in cork board!!

I had so much fun pinning up bits and pieces of words, poems and products that inspire me!

I hope you have enjoyed my new found space. Be sure and stop by Julia's Blog for hundreds of spaces and work desks today. Thank you so much for stopping by!!!

Have you taken over a space to make it your very own?

Technique Tuesday-Cookies

Every year we plant a HUGE garden...I mean HUGE. We have been blessed again this year with an abundance of sweet corn, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and ZUCCHINI!! Yes, the plant that seems to multiply right before your eyes-LOL.

This year instead of the usual savory side dish or bread I decided to try something a bit different...zucchini cookies. I found a wonderful recipe in one of my fave cookbooks...

Girls, these cookies were amazing....seriously! First I gathered all my ingredients in one place.

I haven't always been the type to do this...I'm more of a messy kind of cook. Searching for ingredients as I go, making a mess and hoping I have everything. My cooking skills are improving...

and I'm finally using this. Love it!

It looks so Julia-like sitting on my kitchen counter.

Okay. So first take 1 and a half cups sugar, 1 and a half cups butter and 2 eggs and beat for 5-10 minutes.

I just let my mixer go till the mixture got light and fluffy like buttercream frosting-yum;)

 While that mixes add 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon rind and 2 cups shredded zucchini.

I shredded mine using a hand grater. The zucchini is so soft...very easy to do.

To that mixture add 2 tsp. baking powder, 4 cups flour and mix until just blended.

Fold in 1 and a half cups chopped pecans.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet. I like my cookies pretty good size. For smaller cookies you should be able to get 4 to 5 across a regular size baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees fro about 15 to 20 minutes. I use an convection oven so it took a bit less time. Really keep an eye on them. they will get a nice golden brown around the edges.

Aren't they gorgeous?

Girls, these cookies are moist and chewy and not too sweet. A perfect cookie!!

And the zucchini? You don't taste it a bit.

Look at these babies...

They were still moist the next day, too.


After the cookies cooled {and I had eaten THREE} I put a few in 2 cellophane bags and tied with a pretty ribbon to take to my Visiting Teachers sisters.

Each bag came with a handmade card, too.

Cards are becoming my new thing. Love making them!

But most of all I love giving them.

So girls, if you have too many zucchini and are tired of the usual breads and sides why not give these tasty cookies a try? I give them 4 out of 5 stars! YUM!

How do you use up your zucchini?

Becoming....

"How does one become a butterfly?"

she asked pensively.

"You must want to fly 

so much that you are willing

to give up being a caterpillar." 

-Trina Paulus, Writer

Today I begin working on my wings.

How about you?

So many good things to come....

 You have heard me say it time and time again....but it's so true.

I am grateful for each one of you. 

Your comments and love and support of me and my passions...

You guys all ROCK!

And as my interest in various art mediums

and writing continue to  change and grow

I have decided my Blog needs to change and grow a bit, too.

Oh, nothing drastic. 

I'm still me.

I will always be me.

That will never change.

But I want to add a bit of spice 

to Words of Me.

Tell more stories.

Encourage and inspire you 

to create and grow and 

change a bit, too.

So here's what we're gonna do...

Starting Monday you can expect a bit more "structure"

to my Blog. Not to say it will always 

be this way...I do like to change my mind...

but most weeks you can expect the following....

Mondays: Anything Goes. We'll catch up from the weekend, share family photos, maybe a favorite quote or poem as well as stories...lots of stories to share...you name it, it can happen on Monday!

 

Tuesday: Technique Tuesday. I'll share a fave technique in Art Journaling, scrapbooking, painting, photography, cooking, cleaning. This will really make me stretch and learn and grow and I hope it does the same for you:)

Wednesday: What's on My Work Desk. I LOVE sharing this with all of you as well as seeing what other crafters from all over the world do.

Thursday: My Favorites. This day was inspired by my blog friend Nicole over at "Destination Unkown". This day I'll share ideas, my fave books, movies, contests, blogs, etc. with all of you. And hopefully you'll share with me, too;)

And on Friday....Weekend Prompt. I will give you some fun project to do or book to read or something inspirational to do to keep you happy all weekend long!

Along with all the weekday fun get ready for an Art Journal Challenge coming very soon!! So excited to share:)

Have a wonderfully fun Friday!!