Four Letter Words - Give

Beware of the Ides of March

An engraving of a bust of Julius Caesar.

The murder of Caesar on March 15 44BC.

A pamphlet on Julius Caesar's life.

The play by Shakespeare about Julius Caesar was always one of my favorites. One of my favorite parts was when the muse, or witch, or sage, or soothsayer - depending on how you interpret it - come to him and tell him to "beware of March 15th". That part really sent chills up and down my spine and his wife's creepy dream of his death. I loved the way they spoke and dressed. For a small southern child it was like traveling to a new world. It was also my first visual murder. I remember hiding my face wondering how they could do that. After that, I began to devour Shakespeare. So take extra caution today, treat your loved ones with respect, eat some Italian food, do something unexpected for someone else...

Something to Thank those Romans for....

Here is a little something that is still making a fashion statement from the roman days. I am hoping our leather is a little bit softer and easier on the foot than theirs. It is still hard to believe that of all things, shoes would stay in style. I know there is deeper meaning in all of this somewhere.

Maps of Rome an Italy

These maps are from the 1500's to the 1700's. Well after poor Caesar was murdered. I still thought they would be fun to see and use in some art work. I think they are beautiful, especially the ones with the little towns drawn on them.

Home Made Pet Treats

In the spirit of cutting back and conserving I thought I would share a couple of pet treat recipes. Frankly I was appalled when a friend told me how much she spent on treats for her pups. Not that she gave her pups treats, but that someone was charging so much for them.
These are basic recipes, my advice is air tight containers and refrigerate.

Puppy Dog Bacon Biscuits

5 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs
10 tablespoons vegetable oil or bacon fat - you could do half and half
1 pinch garlic or onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water

Mix all ingredients well. Pinch of pieces of dough and roll them into two inch balls. Put them on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool, store in an air tight container. Makes 40 biscuits. These do not need to be refrigerated.


Kitty Tuna Treats

1 8 ounce can tuna
2 cups corn meal
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
2/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain the tuna. Mix together all dry ingredients. Add tuna, water, and oil. Mix well. Roll out ingredients to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with favorite cookie cutter. Or you can roll into balls and flatten and cook as cookies. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet for 15 to 25 minutes - depending on how thick they are. Cool and store in the refrigerator.

Digital Collage - # 9 - Legacy

In keeping with the barn series and my children I have had on my mind the past few months, I did this collage. I think these economic times really make you think about life, the future, what was and what is. In the long run it all boils down to family and the people you love and share your life with. These are the important things. Blessings to count.

Scrap Journals

These are just some of the scrap journal I have been making. I starting making these about four or five years ago. First it was because of a move and then I realized how much I accumulated in a year or so. Then I decided to make it a yearly tradition. I love all the uses for these things. Also, they are great fun to make with a bunch of arty girlfriends.

With the new year everyone is always cleaning and sorting through their things. This year I believe this particular project has become even more relevant. It is a great way to recycle and the end product is something you can actually use or even give as a gift.

First, I start with the box of scraps I have been collecting all year from previous projects. I also save the return envelopes that come with my bills - I pay everything on line so never use them - art work that I junked, old tags, postcards from art shows, etc. I have a box I throw all this stuff into, whatever I haven't used in a year goes into making these journals, or is given to other artists, or tossed.

Next, I find a large area in my house that won't be disturbed for a day or two. Usually the bonus room floor. Then I start sorting. This years I sorted by color. Pinks and red, blues, black and white, yellows and creams, greens, etc. Then I added envelops, tags, postcards to these piles. I even use text or music from old books that I might have torn out for a collage.

After you have an assortment of piles you have to determine how large of a journal you will make. I usually find the average size piece of paper in each pile and work from there. [Remember the charm of these journals is that you are not having each page the same size.] I then get my paper cutter and start cutting the scraps to make the pages.

A roll of Scotch removeable tape is in order now. I use this tape to hold the awkward small pieces in place when I punch the holes in the pages. Now you can do this with a rubi coil binder like the ones I am showing you or with your zutter binder. Both work great. I get the big coils from Kinko's for 25 cents a piece. They come in five different colors. Just alternate your page sizes and what you want in your book. It can be a whole smorgasboard of things. I like to put the envelopes in to put things into. The ones with windows are cool.

The covers are made of scrap chipboard covered with scrap papers. I try to make about 10 or 12 of these to last around a year. One I put quotes in. Another I put buisness cards and reciepts from artwork in. I have one that is for grocery lists and dinners. So go get a box, throw your scraps in it and start making a few scrap journals.

Here I have used scraps and some arty postcards.

I have used small envelopes, tags, wallpaper pieces, and scraps here.

Tags, old projects, some envelopes.

More scraps and arty postcards, etc.

A basketful of finished scrap journals waiting to be filled.

A couple of people have asked me about the zutter binder and the rubi coil. They both are good machines, I have both. I like the rubi coil for these for two reasons - the large coils are cheap, and here by the coast plastic doesn't rust. I have to be real careful about metal here. I often leave a journal in my car and metal doesn't do well here.

The other question that came up was cutting the holes in the pages. Each machine will only cut a certain amount at a time. Smaller signatures are better, then just combine them when you bind. Feel free to email me with any other questions.

Barn Series - Forgotten

Four Letter Words - Feel

Freebies # 22 - French Postcards

These are my favorite models for these type of postcards. The little on who has her hands up to her chin is my favorite. She usually is in gypsy clothes. I have about sixty images of her as a child and several as a teenager into woman hood. I wonder if her parent wasn't the photographer. Some of the early ones I have of her she is a baby with a woman. Then a couple with an older girl then a younger girl. I wonder who she was... The young girl in the butterfly dress is usually with her sister. You can see her is some of the early freebies I posted. I am always interested in what and how you use these images. Please share with us.

Barn Series - Tobacco Barn # 1

Release and Receive Journal Pages

It feels like ages since I have just sat down and worked in my journal - any of them. I realized tonight that it was very important for me to do that. It has been a very long, long week. All sorts of things seem to be flying around. Mostly good, but a lot of bad, too. I have had one of those contemplative weeks. Nothing earth shattering, just truths, faith tested, my empathy meter has been way up. I have seen people hurt because others have not been able to let go of the past - past conceptions, past judgments, past slights, past behavior, etc... You have to figure the universe is talking to you through all of this. You had better pay attention. Hence my journal pages.

Quote - The Past

Waikiki Chicken

I have been missing one of my kids terribly. He is in another time zone. Working, surfing, just being a young single guy. This is one of his favorite dishes that I am making tomorrow. It is really yummy. You can make it ahead of time and it is really good heated up as leftovers also. I serve this with a simple white or yellow rice. It is all in the sauce. The other nice thing is that this won't break your pocketbook.

4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup oil, I use regular canola oil
1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste

1 can[1 lb.4 oz.] sliced pineapple
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup cider vinegar - or apple juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ginger - optional
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 large bell pepper, cut in 1/4 inch circles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and dry chicken, coat with flour.
Heat oil in skillet. Add chicken and brown on all sides.
Place chicken in shallow baking pan skin side up and salt and pepper.

Make the sauce :
Drain pineapple, pour the liquid into measuring cup and add water to make 1 1/4 cups.
In saucepan add all the remaining ingredients[ except for pepper and pineapple] along with the pineapple liquid. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Boil for two minutes then pour over chicken.
Bake uncovered thirty minutes.
Add pineapple slices and pepper slices.
Bake thirty minutes longer or until chicken is tender.
Serve with rice. I like a crisp salad or marinated tomatoes with this. Enjoy.

What I did with freebie image from Freebie #20....

One of the Yahoo Groups I am a member of[Altered Design] honored me this week by using one of my freebie images as a challenge. We are to use it any way we want - ATC, inchie, 3 by 5 skinny, etc.
I decided I had better take the challenge. Plus, I figured I really should use the images I offer in a more public way. What is the point of giving them if I don't use them in my own art. Many I do, but some I have let fall by the wayside. Any hoo, I made two ATC's . One with silk flowers and copper brads, the other I used Tim Holtz acrylic piece.
I like his acrylic pieces. I use gel medium to adhere the design to them and then the acrylic piece to my project. A couple times I did not like the look of the design on the acrylic piece, or I forgot to do something, I just scraped off the paper with my finger nail, gently, then washed it to get the gel off. Then I reused it.
The third piece I made was one of the miniature composition
books. I used a krylon pen to do the edges of the paper.
Holding the book tightly together I run the krylon pen against the edge of the paper. Then I covered the book with paper and added the images. The girl is on a game chip that I got from one of the dollar stores. The Notes are chipboard letter placed on my copy machine and resized then copied onto the background paper. I then glued that to a piece of cardboard and cut it out. Added a piece of scrap ribbon and Ta Da, a nice little notepad to keep in your purse.

Digital Collage # 8 - If You Were the Only Girl

Isn't she just the most winsome young lady? I took one image and did it three ways. I just fell in love with her brown eyes. I can't wait to have some more time to play around with some of the images I have found. And yes I will share some with you...

Four Letter Words - Care

Three Brothers

This week I have been culling through my photographs, finding new photographs an images. I am planning several big projects with some of the images I have found. I love the period from 1860 to around 1920. That sixty year period is amazing. The people and landscapes just sort of sing to me. Here is a photo I altered I am calling "Three Brothers". There clothes are always so neat, but the shoes tell a story.

Freebies #21 - French postcards - part deux

Sorry I am a little late posting these today. I can not tell you where the time has gone all week. It is like that cold bit of weather last weekend zapped us. I look up and I can't believe time has flown by. I am working on a bunch of different things. I have been trying to finish this month's art commitments early. Plus, clean up a colossal mess in my studio. Sound familiar? Any hoo here are this week's freebies. The fruits of cleaning and straightening.

Digital Collage - #7 - Sisters

This is for my sister in law Anne who is going through some troubled times. I am there for you girl. This is my exercise in removing backgrounds. I am getting there. There is so much to learn. Small doses is the trick I think. The twin girls are from Cora at Paper Flower images and Clearly Vintage. I think they are so sweet. You just know those two little girls got in to some trouble together. The leave image is from I Brake for Stamps. I stamped it on a piece of paper then added it to the digital collage.

St. Patrick's Day Images

Thought I would start early on St. Patrick's Day. Great holiday, parades, dye the rivers green, corned beef, sauerkraut, green beer, gold coins, what is not to like about this holiday? Those irish can definitely throw a party. I should know, been there, lots of fun. So all of these are from my favorite artists in the postcard department - Ellen Clapsaddle. I will post some more from other artists later in the week. This should get you started.