Second Freebie Collage Sheet - Swans

The second Swan Collage sheet as promised. Please do something nice for someone else today. Who knows it might mean more than you ever know.

RAK's and more.....

It all started with a picture of a swan. Two people found they shared a love of just not art but of swans. An internet friendship begins. That is how this story begins. Today I went to my mail box and there was this box waiting for me. I took it home and opened it. Much to my surprise was a wonderful Swan picture all stamped and colored. It is beautiful. Not only that, also wrapped in lovely material and an antique hanky was a swan inchie ornament, and artfully woven a delicious smelling bundle. It was so random and sweet it brought tears to my eyes. So, thank you so much Patty - Magpie's Nest -I am sending out this collage sheet of swans I made. I know you will find a use for it. And... tomorrow I will post the second one. Thank you so much. See what one kind gesture can start.

Freebie Collage Sheet - Swans

Some Yard Sale Finds

Don't you love this apron pattern? I love how they show it in several patterns and the pretty ruffles and pockets. Pockets are essential to life.

I like the orange swirly dress. Dresses like this always make me feel pretty. I remember wearing dresses like this as a pre-teen. I always felt so grown up.

Can you say Jackie O? Right down to the pill box hat. I bought that stole thing last year to go with this killer suit I have. Now I guess that just goes to show that Classics are always in style.

So, the girl in pink with the big sunglasses could have been me on the cruise I took with my parents and a whole fraternity when I was thirteen. I swear I had that outfit. Wish I could go on the cruise with the fraternity again......

Love the black and white here. The faux pockets are so cute.

I remember these inset dresses, but mine was definitely a mini. Oh those were the days. So fun to see so much of it back in style.

Thought I would share - slowly some of my yard sale find's from yesterday. Everywhere you looked there was a sale. Rummage sales, church sales, small flea markets, yard sales, it was heaven. I bought these patterns from a lady who could not get rid of her mother's things fast enough. Very sad in a way. The patterns were 10 cents each - buy five get one free.

She also was selling her mother's jewelry - everything 25 cents a piece. Buy 20 get one free. I bought 20 and the jewelry box. I will share those on another post. Don't worry Mom I won't be out in the front yard hocking your stuff!!

The Back Steps

the back steps

Yesterday I went exploring and just happen to meet this woman and her 120 year old house. She was kind enough to let me walk around and take pictures inside and out! What a treasure. I have been working all morning on some of the photos. I thought I would share this one with you.

Chicken Burgers ....

Chicken burgers are a healthy way to eat burgers. I have the butcher ground my meat fresh the day I am going to cook these. I use breast and thigh meat. Breast meat has little fat so I have him add a few thighs - which do have some fat - I mean really is there any way to keep fat off anyone's thighs? Fat adds some extra taste.

You can add all sorts of seasoning to these burgers. You can have curried burgers with mango salsa, add some thin sliced almonds a little soy sauce and ginger and go in another direction. Today we are just making chicken burgers with salsa.

Chicken Burgers

2 pounds of ground chicken
4 tablespoons of McCormick Montreal Chicken seasoning - this is good stuff
4 ounces of prosciutto - pick this up from deli when you get your chicken
buns
provolone cheese - sliced
mozzarella cheese - sliced
fresh garden salsa see recipe in next post!

In a large bowl mix the chicken and seasoning. Form into six balls then smush into patties. Cook on grill till chicken is done. Place a slice of prosciutto then a slice of each type of cheese over the prosciutto. Close grill till cheese melts. Serve on buns with fresh salsa. Mayonnaise with fresh lime juice can be added to buns.

Fresh Garden Salsa

This is really easy and is a great recipe to have others join in to help. Sort of makes everyone feel a part of a meal. I am a firm believer in having the kids decorate and set the table, plan menus, help you shop, and learn their way around the kitchen. When I broke my foot I dined with style. My boys took over the kitchen. I realized how well they had taken to those years of instruction and fun. Cooking should be fun!

Fresh Garden Salsa

3 green Roma tomatoes
2 red Roma tomatoes
4 medium Big Boy tomatoes
5 cayenne peppers,
2 Anaheim chile peppers
1 large green pepper
1 dozen cherry tomatoes
4 large banana peppers
1/2 Vidalia onion
1/4 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 tablespoon fresh pepper - ground
2 freshly squeezed limes

Finely chop tomatoes and peppers. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix. Should make around two pints. Please feel free to change amounts, add ingredients - garlic - etc. This is a starting point to a family recipe. I personally like black olives in mine. Just make it with a friend or your family. Put on some music. have fun!

After I posted this I talked with my Oldest. I asked him what he was doing - making salsa! I asked what he was putting into it - fresh mangos. How funny!

Collage Sheet - Summer Fun

I made this this morning thinking everyone might want something to play with this weekend. Enjoy!

SOARTFUL CHALLENGE - Believe in Magic

I slipped this one in just in time. The challenge was offered last Saturday. This was June's challenge on her Art Freebie blog. The Soartful Saturday Challenge. I was not sure if I would get it finished in time. I have been playing catch up since the air conditioning was fixed. So little time so much to do. This background reminds me of that stuff you make molds out of. I had to sort of step back and think about it so that image did not get in my way. The wings are from my freebies, the girl is one of my French postcards, the sequin waste stamp is an old one from Raindrops on Roses.

Original background image

Art Creations Friday - She Dreamed of Home

This week for Art Creations Friday they gave us this wonderful background. It was so rich and full of texture I wanted to create a collage that would definitely compliment it. I took an old photo of a castle in Spain I took several years ago, an image from Leonardo Da Vinci, the robin and crown are from The Graphics fairy and the heart is the one I bought from Linda Eastman. I am thinking this young woman is more comfortable with nature than with people.

Original background

Theme Thursday - Pink Pirates

Theme Thursday is having a "pink and brown" challenge. I found these lovely young sailors and decided their pink and brown striped suits fit the bill. I have spent a lot of time at the beach lately so I guess I have beach on the brain.

Beach Talk

After the long weekend I just have to say a couple of things.... If you are visiting a beach there are a couple of things you should know. Most of them are common sense, but some may not occur to all.

You visit - we live here. It is home to people, birds, fish, mammals, etc. You are guests. My mother always told me to leave a place better than I found it. Treat it like it is your home. Please pick up your trash, your cigarette butts, your plastic bottles and bags. In a few months we will ban these/plastic bags from the beach and from stores using or selling them. We love having you come and make memories here. We just want them to be good memories.

Don't poke, prod, or step on dead creatures. Many of them can sting and emit poisons even though they appear to be dead. If you are stung by a jellyfish don't pee on the sting. Apply vinegar to the sting. It will neutralize the poison. Most life guards keep a gallon or two on the stand just for this purpose. If you are going to a beach with out a life guard. Please take a small bottle of vinegar with you.

Speaking of things to bring to the beach:
A gallon or two of water - leave in car. Great to wash sand off your feet and hands, flush eyes that get sand in them.
A small bottle of vinegar. Helps neutralize bee stings and jellyfish stings.
A bag for your trash.
Towels, leave at least one clean towel in your car.
Small first aid kit - again this can be left in car.

The number one thing is SHOES. Shoes that can get wet. Do not walk through the shoreline in your bare feet. All winter long we have been fishing and discarding our broken lines and hooks. They have washed ashore and are buried in the sand. Just waiting to get caught in your feet. I have a bowl full of nothing but various hooks and sinkers that I have found on my morning walks.

Watch the weather. Storms blow up quickly and go just as quick.

Rip Tides - these are extremely dangerous. If you find yourself being pulled in the current - go with it. Do not waste your energy fighting it. Lay on your back or pull your feet up so you are not being dragged. Then swim parallel to the shore line till you are able to swim in. Most drowning deaths are caused by these rip currents. If you come to the beach once a year you need to be very aware of them. Remember do not panic. You are not going to be swept out to sea - maybe 50 yards but that is swimmable. Some one will rescue you or use a surf board to help you.

Fresh oysters are to be eaten in the months that have an "R" in them. Otherwise you will get sick from them. If you want to know why - email me and I will thoroughly gross you out.

Enjoy the beach - make some precious memories.


note : Katie asked me why the hooks were discarded in a public place...They are broken off or caught on things, they are not deliberately discarded in the water. Some of these hooks are rather large - I will take pictures, so they get caught up on the ocean floor. I personally don't fish I am just a shore walker. Shore fishing is a big thing here. Flounder is the big catch.

Freebies - Shells

This week I thought shells would be an appropriate freebie. I am posting these early this week as I am finally getting some quality computer time. I am hoping most of you have visited or are planning a visit to the beach. Most of these shells I have in my collection. One of my favorite ways to start off the day is to take a quick walk on the beach. I love to see what treasures have washed up from the night.

Digital Collage - The Girl with the Brown Car

We finally got the upstairs air conditioning unit fixed late yesterday. The Holiday weekend had everything on hold. It really gave us a new perspective on heat. I was transported back to summer's in Florida with NO air conditioning. The youngest chick got a taste of reality for most of the world. Today I had the pleasure of catching up on my mail and playing with some digital things. The original image is one of Gaby Braun's freebies. She is so generous with her collage sheets and freebies.

Chunky Blue Cheese Dip or Dressing

I hope everyone had a safe and relaxing fourth! I thought I would share this dip or dressing with you. You can use it on wings, hamburgers, shrimp, vegetables, salad, etc... you get the idea. I am using it today on left over shrimp with toast and tomatoes for lunch. Yum.

Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing or Dip

1 cup of crumbled blue cheese - about 4 1/2 ounces
1 cup light sour cream - I use no fat
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover; chill until ready to use. It will last about one week in refrigerator. If you want something smoother put in food processor or blender for a few seconds. Makes 1 3/4 cups.

Artarazzi Digital Challenge - 30 - Always

Artarazzi's Digital challenge this week was just that - a challenge. The image of the young woman was quite sweet with a very dark background. It almost looked like a negative. I decided to emphasize the dark. I had a fun time in photoshop playing with colors and learning how to turn negative images into positive images. Something I have not done a lot of. "Always" is my entry for this week.

I did this sort of Warhol thing with the original image. I first had thought I might change her color and then play with her. Instead, I did this small repetitive collage. It was sort of interesting. The photo has the tag "mum" on it so I am thinking it is really someone's mum who does the challenge. I thought they might like something interesting of their mum.

original image

Four Letter Words - Free

Have a Happy & Safe Fourth of July

Have a wonderful, happy and safe day. Please remember how many people gave and are still giving so we can enjoy the life we have. How lucky we are to have our Independence.

Art Creations Friday - Smell the Roses

Smell the Roses

This week for Art Creations Friday they gave us this beautiful image of this woman in black. I just fell in love with her eyes. I am trying to use some of the softer palettes and the whites in some of my art work. Hence the roses and the lacy background. I must say for me it is a challenge. I will probably play a little more with this image when my work space is cooler till then....this is it.

original image

Theme Thursday - Red and Black

This is my entry for Theme Thursday. The theme this week was red and black. I opted for doing a digital in the early morning while it is still cool out. My studio is about 90 degrees right now - unbearable. The background is one of my photographs with a letter overlay. The Mona Lisa stamp is from Da Vinci as are the numbers. The crow is my photograph and the lovely girls are from my CDV collection.

Patriotic Freebies

I am very, very late getting these freebies out. I have been out of town for a few days visiting loved ones and family. I returned to find that my air conditioning is on the blink and a extremely warm house. It has been in the high 80's to 90's here. So go figure how warm it is here. My computer is sort of in "hot Central" so I am unable to spend any time on it at all. I am assured by the middle of next week all my air conditioning problems will be resolved. So, till then I will be trying to stay cool....