Digital Photograph... The Local Broom Shop

Driving down Main Street in the little town one of my son's lives in I spotted this shop.  I was stuck in traffic and decided to park and take a few photographs.  This one was from my car and it is one of my favorites. I love the sign - "Brooms made and sold here." Then there are the brooms hanging in the window. Then.... who can resist the little bird house and the picket fence. This is what main street is all about.

Digital Collage - Embrace Imperfection

Today I decided that I needed to realize that there is good, that there is glory in imperfection. I am imperfect.  There will be something imperfect in the house I select.  My day will be full of imperfections.  The imperfections are what make life interesting.  Those little flaws give life a beautiful patina. They make things unique. I need to embrace them and make them mine.[The collage background is from DJ pettitt and the girl is from Jamie over at art-e-ology. I had so much fun playing with the girl. making the background and the girl become one.]

Digital Collage - I am on a Journey

This is pretty much self explanatory. I am on a journey...loving every moment. Are you on a journey?

Digital Photograph for You....

Here is a wall - door for you that I took in a small mill town in North Carolina. It is from one of several mills in this town. Most of the mills are boarded up and starting to fall apart. All the work has been shipped out of the country to China, India, and Mexico, etc. In the larger cities here in North Carolina there was a movement to turn them into Condos and Loft apartments.  That was till 2008 and the Recession began. I used this photograph in the digital collage in the post after this. I love the way you can not decide if this is a door or a wall. I hope you have fun with this one.

Digital Collage - Create Something Remarkable

I am having so much fun making these inspirations cards for myself this week.  A lot of positive energy is following me. Hope you are all having a great week!

Pumpkin Pancakes

There is something about fall that just makes me change what I eat completely.  I want soups, chilis and casseroles, squash and cinnamon. I woke up yesterday and decided I needed to make Pumpkin Pancakes for dinner. Here is my recipe. Yummy!

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin puree/I use the canned pumpkin

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl mix the first five ingredients.

In a separate large bowl mix the last eight ingredients[the flour, sugar etc.]

Then gently combine the second bowl to the first.

Heat lightly an oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Use 1/4 cup per pancake. Brown on both sides.  Serve hot with Maple syrup.
I make big batches of these and freeze them. They are great to serve when you have company. They think you have gone all out for them. I serve them with ham and orange slices. Enjoy!

Digital Collage - Postcard - the little things

I am starting the day off in a whirlwind today.  So much to do, so little time.  I am taking time to remember the things that are really important knowing that everything will get done in it's own time.

Digital Collage - Postcard for You

Here is a Postcard for you to alter and send to someone you care about. It is the base of the digital collage in the post after this.  Enjoy!

Some Iphone Textures for You....

Here are a couple of iphone textures for you.  They were taken with the LOMOstyle camera. I did no altering in any camera editing program.  these are straight from my camera to you. I used the top one in the digital collage of the postcard.

Digital Collage - Grafitti Wall # 2

This week I felt I needed to start off the week with something very positive.  This is a week of change for me.  A week of uncertainty. So every day I am going to start and end the day with something positive.  I am drawing all the positive energy I can to me and those I love. Won't you join me?

Digital Collage - Wall for You

Here is the wall I used to create the digital collage in the next post. I thought you might like a copy so the you could create something.

Digital Photograph - Call

Woke up to a  huge roll of thunder.  Decided to take the morning to edit some photographs.  This is my favorite barn from last week.  I love the sign - Call. A reminder for us all to stay in touch with those we care about.

Owl Freebies...

Here are some lovely owls for you. I hope you enjoy them.  One of my sons had a birthday today. So, as a present I am sharing these with you. I personally think they are wonderful birds.  The first one I ever saw was in my neighbor's basement when I was just a child.  It was a screech owl.  For such a tiny owl it made a huge racket.  In our barn on the old farm we use to have an owl.  I would find it's pellets disgarded in strange places. I loved finding it's feathers.  I have a vase full of different feathers I have found.
My favorite owl is the horned owl.  I love the coloring and the ears. It looks so wise to me.  We had a barred owl at the house at the beach. He lived in the pine tree at the end of my driveway overlooking our pool. We became friends after the second year I lived there.  He would come out in the early evening.  I would come out and watch him survey the yards, then after a few pictures he would fly across the yard and in to another pine tree on the edge of the golf course.  Ready for the night hunt. All the years I lived there he only left me one feather. [The month I was moving out. It was like a goodbye present.] Sometimes if we timed it right I would be finishing up my night swim and he had delivered a savory meal to his mate and owlets, then he would fly right over me floating in the pool.  Just a whisper of air currents would let me know he was there.  His wing span was 4 feet or so. The quietest bird I have ever been in contact with.  On hot lazy summer nights I wonder if he flies over the pool and says hello to the new owners.[p.s. remember to double click on images to enlarge]

The Chair - Digital Photograph

This chair reached out and spoke to me yesterday.  I decided to get in an hour or so of antiquing before I met up with the realtor to look at houses. As I drove down the road I spotted this place.  Outside an elderly lady sitting in this chair watching the cars drive by.  I decided to pull in and see what she had for sale. She had quilts, and furniture and this and that from the past hundred years or so.  I do not think she ever threw anything out. 
Looking through her things she followed me around tell me bits and pieces of where she got it or what it was used for.  At first I thought it was lack of trust, then I realized it was loneliness. After I completed my purchase she invited me to a cup of chicory and a chair to sit a spell. When it came time to leave I asked to take a picture of her chair with a promise to return next time I am in town...

A Mountain Barn - Digital Photograph

Mountain Barn

Rainy Days... in the mountains

Rain creates these lovely waterfalls. The noise is incredible.

Another smaller waterfall I found in the forest.

The forest is so beautiful during the rain.  All the colors shine, and the mist is incredible.

I spent most of yesterday in the forest high up in the mountains. I visited the Eastern Continental Divide saw the oldest mountain in the United States - Grandfather Mountain and did a little antiquing. Today I look at more houses. Keep your fingers crossed that I find something.

A Girl's Best Friend Freebies...

They are so cute! I love their expressions.

Obviously a pup who is adored. I love her hat.

This is my favorite of this group.

I love this shaggy dog. I had a pup like this growing up but he was black.

Sisters with their sister dogs.

This week I thought I would share these photos of women with their dogs. I stopped at a Thrift Store yesterday and there was the cutest little pup in the car next to me just sending up a ruckus. I decided then to use these as todays freebies.  When I am traveling one of the treats is when I get to stay with people who have animals.  I have several girlfriends who have the sweetest dogs  - yes Lexi and Alex, Winnie and Pooh, Darla and Shugi I mean you.  Several of my kids have pups and I love playing with them while I am there.  They make a house feel like a home.  So, to all of you who care for an animal and make it a part of your family I salute you. How lucky you are.

Four Letter Words - Fall

Digital Photographs - Fall Leaves...

I have been up in the mountains of North Carolina the past couple of days visiting my boys.  It has been cool and filled with beautiful scenery.  The trees are beginning to turn colors here in town.  On the mountain sides it is still various shades of green. The rain started yesterday which means the color of the leaves will be good.
I thought I would share these photographs I took yesterday of a couple of Maple trees.  They were so red.  Even the stems to the leaves were infused with color. It made my heart skip a beat. I love the colors of fall, the smell of burning leaves, and apple cider. Yum.

Digital Photograph - Windblown



Windblown

On the Road Again...

This week I will be on the road.  I will be up in the mountains visiting a few kids and enjoying the beginning of fall.  I can not believe what a change in the weather we have experienced this weekend.  All of a sudden it is cool - in the 60's and I am wondering where my sweaters are.  Leaves are begining to fall and turn colors. I am hoping to find some delicious mountain apples. Hope you all have a great week.

Crow Freebies

This weeks freebies are Crows.  I have been fascinated with these birds since I was a child.  They live in big communities - rooks.  They can be quite mean, particularly to a non conforming member.  They like bright and shiny things. They are loud, eat very disgusting things, and generally can be quite wicked.
I thought with Halloween an October coming up I would give you a few to use in your art work.  I am sending a special shout out to Marion who also appreciates these as I do. Enjoy! p.s. don't forget to double click on these.

A Train Car Wall - Digital Photograph

I have found quite alot of these grafitti'd up train cars around here lately.  I have been taking lots of photographs of them.  I love the pictures, and stylized writng. Hope you enjoy this one. I am using it as a wall in my journal this week.

Digital Collage - Locked

Locked

I have been traveling the last week and weekend. I thought I would look at places in the mountains and just sort of get out of town and away from all the September 11 footage.  It stirs up a lot of feelings, distrust, anger, sadness, hurt, things I do not want to feel. I lived them, I am healing, no need to revisit.

The mountains were beautiful.  Those first days of the leaves beginning their color change.  You could feel it in the air.  I took lots of pictures, made some new discoveries, and met some nice people. Experienced some new food.

This collage is made with one of my pictures I took of a closed up factory door. I shared it with you last week - Locked. I found this cabinet card in an antique shop and scanned it. The lovely script is from Viola. It was one of her freebies. The key is one of Tim Holtz's stamps. I made a brush out of it for my collage. Enjoy!

Twinkle Toes - the madness has started

Yesterday I spent a good hour hunting down these exact pink Twinkle Toe Sketcher shoes for Miss Mischief.  Not the rainbow ones, or the purple ones, nor the denim with hearts would do. These pink ones.  Finally I found a store near us who carried them AND had her size.

Off we raced to get them.  Of course as soon as we got there , Miss Mischief needed a restroom.  Finally after 20 minutes it was back to the store. It is amazing that for only being four years old she sure can shop. Definitely knows her way around the shoe store. She bee lined to the shelf, discarded this and that till Yes in a loud ear splitting scream, followed by giggles the pink Twinkle Toes were found. They flew on her feet. A quick dash around the store to make sure they fit and all of the lights worked on the shoes. Ahh peace.  Of course we had to get the six matching pairs of socks. And... it was a buy one get 50% off another shoe so I got some boots.  [You can never have to many boots.] As we got into the car Miss Mischief looked at me and said "You know they have good sales almost every month here?"  Naptime.

Digital Collage - Encourage...

I have reading a lot of buzz on my yahoo groups and the internet about the book "Walls Notebook" by Sherwood Forlee.  Brilliant. Wished I had thought of it first. Goodness knows I have more than enough photos to do several of these books. In fact,  I think I will put my own together with my photos.
The premise of The Wall, if you don't know, is that there are a bunch of photographs of various walls in various cities. You are to add your own artwork and grafitti to the pages. Therefore making it your own. So here is my photograph of a wall - textile mill in North Carolina - with my digitally added grafitti. Enjoy!

Some freebies for you...Boys will be boys

Every boy thinks he is a cowboy at sometime.

Love this little waif standing by Daddy's new car.

This is my favorite. The hat, the sweet boy, and the goat!

What a beautiful child. The bike is very well made.

Obviously someone loved this little one.  He reminds me of one of the newsie boys.



It has been a long weekend of fun, friends, food, and retail therapy.  Went to visit friends at the beach over the weekend.  I had a wonderful visit.  It is so nice to stay at a real home. I know that sounds strange, but after being on the road for so long you can tell the difference.  The energy is so nourishing.

I am back looking for houses in earnest. I want to have a home for the holidays. Meanwhile life is still happening.  Yesterday was my father's 91st birthday.  Incredible isn't it?  He is in wonderful shape for starting his ninties. He is my rock, always there with a little wisdom and humor.

In honor of my father who has helped me understand my own five boys, I thought I would do boy freebies for you.  Each one is cuter than the next. So, Happy Birthday Daddy! I hope there are many more to come.