Black and Red

More washi tape!  This time I adhered it to a small piece of white cardstock and then adhered it to the card front.  The label is punched and then the center punched out.  The text is samped and I hand cut the banner.  A little heart brad was the final touch.

Give Me Washi Any Day

 I used washi tape directly on the card front.  Then is was easy to punch the flowers and crease them for a little dimension.  The leaves were die cut and the text was stamped.  Bright and colorful, just like a birthday should be.

Stormy

Recently we were in the Colorado National Monument during the evening hours.  Clouds were moving in and I watched Mt. Garfield go from clear to dark then back to clear.  The dark mountains in the background added the perfect contrast.   Mt. Garfield was a long way away so I was pleased that the photo turned out as well as it did.  I did some serious cropping to make it happen.   If there was any rain for the evening, it happened in this area north and east of town.  I was just as glad I didn't get wet.

Little Old Shoes

Here's more photos that I blended with texture.  The original photo is on the left, taken on a white background.  The upper right photo shows the shoes blended with light-colored textures and the bottom photo is blended with dark textures.  I actually like both.  And I really like those little shoes.  The sole is about 5" long.  There's no indication that they have ever been worn and I really don't know their history.

Before and After

I've been experimenting with blending techniques this summer.  On the left is the original photo of a pot of flowers I took in the Portland OR area.  I  cropped it close, added a "hue" filter and then overlayed with a cement and wood texture while keeping the focus on the bright leaves.  I play a lot and yhe results just emerge.

Nautical 1

The theme for our stamp club card exchange was "nautical" in red, white and blue.  The letters are die cut and the wheel is cut on my electronic cutter.  I hand cut the banner.  Sail away!

Orange

This card came about because I wanted to try a particular technique.  Stamp the image on kraft cardstock with white ink then overstamp it slightly off the first image after reinking with dye ink. I matted the image on green then wrapped it with bakers twine.  The white border is punched.  I added a bit of yellow colored pencil to the flower center.

Nautical 2

The banners were attached to twine and glued in place.  The jar is stamped and I added twine .  The boat was stamped on three different papers and cut out, then reassembled inside the jar.  The waves are cut with deco scissors.  Don't think this sail boat is going to cover much distance.

Pink Stars

These look like bright pink stars to me.  I think it is some type of succulent.  Insects should be attracted here!

Really Close

If you were a bee coming into this yucca blossom, this is the view you might have.  Ånd I imagine you'd go right to the center for the sweetest juice.

Pretty, in a weird sort of way.

Warning - MULTIPLE BEES!!!

The bees were so busy (see yesterday's post) that there were sometimes more than one in a blossom.  In this case I was able to photograph three.  They got their little heads waaaayyyy down in the flower and sometimes just the pointy little tail was in view.  If my observation and conclusion are correct, they will have a lot of honey to get through the winter.

Warning - BEE!

We had a problem with our pear tree to discuss with the Master Gardeners so we visited their fabulous garden a couple of weeks after our late May visit.  The bees were abundant and going quickly about their business.  Fortunately there were a lot of blossoms for them to choose from and we know they are a really important part of nature's process.  It made for another good, unique photo opportunity.

Many Petals

 Sometimes its amazing how nicely a shot turns out especially since I'm not really one to fuss with all the dials on my camera.  I keep saying that the camera is a lot better than I am and it's constantly proving to be true.  I can make changes when I really think about it but I don't mind just taking my chances.  A lot of things can be fixed in Photoshop Elements--unless it's out of focus.  There's no good fix for that.  However, the delete key takes care of it pretty nicely.

Pots and Pots

This lineup of simple pots was an effective design.  It provided color where it otherwise wouldn't have been possible and it looked so neat and tidy.  I should think it's an idea we could all incorporate into a section of our own gardens.  Looks like it's chives or some other member of the onion family--but you already know I'm no expert on identifying plants so it's okay if you don't take my word on it.

White

This photo is a good indication that the flowers don't have to be in color to be beautiful.  Of course the bright yellow center certainly draws our attention and contrasts nicely with the flower petals.  The combination is appealing and perfect.

Wondering

I'm wondering if the Master Gardeners really intended to have mushrooms growing?  They tend to sneak up on their own uninvited.  And I think that's binder weed with them.  I'm sure that wasn't part of the plan.  But it makes us all feel better about our own gardens when we know even the gardens of the experts have some flaws.  And it did add some different color, texture and interest.

Yucca

More yucca.  That's all I have to say.  But I have a question.  How does one plant support so many stalks of blossoms?!  Those things have to be quite heavy.

Bachelor Button?

I don't know, but this looks like a Bachelor's Button to me.  They always make me think of my childhood as they were plentiful in my grandmother's garden way back then.  I remember hers as blue but it makes sense that the bachelor would need different colored buttons to match his outfits.

Simple Beginnings

It started with an empty tissue box.  I thought all those narrow, colorful stripes were quite striking and they begged to be put into a card design.  I can't explain how I came upon the idea of using the circles.  I was after color that matched that in the stripes and circles seemed to add a fun touch.  The flower is punched and the leaves are die cuts.  I added a few simple black pen lines here and there.

More Fuchsia Color

There's just no end to the beauty at the garden of the Master Gardeners in Grand Junction.  These lovlies were all in a cluster, trying to outdo each other in beauty and brilliance.

California Zephyr

My husband and I are National Park Service volunteer docents on the California Zephyr between Grand Junction and Denver (and they are always looking for volunteers if you are interested).  We board, provide a narrative as the train moves east, disembark in Denver, spend the night and do the same thing on the west bound train the following day.  The schedule works out nicely as long as the train is on schedule--and it usually is.  We are provided with an official uniform, a boarding pass, a meal and motel lodging.  The script is also provided so it's pretty easy and we learn something new on every trip as we talk to the train crew and passengers.     The top photo shows one of the current "observation lounge" cars.  That's where we set up shop.  But last weekend when we traveled, we pulled along an original dome car (shown in the second photo).  I thought that was pretty cool.  It is privately owned and they pay big bucks for the tow but what a unique experience.  Unfortunately no one invited me inside which is probably just as well as it's a short stop in Grand Junction and I might have ended up in California.  But come to think of it, that wouldn't be all bad.

In Need of Sympathy?

 

I'm running late today.  Wish you could taste the blueberry scones I made first thing this morning.  They are mighty good.

I try to keep sympathy cards on hand because I never know when I might need one.  And I wanted to play with this technique again - putting ink on one side of an embossing folder before running it through my Big Shot.  I actually inked this one several times to get full coverage (running it through the Big Shot after each inking).  I rounded the corners and put a strip of ribbon around it.  The punched flower is matted on a circle of cardstock and the banner is die cut and then stamped.

Yes, I'd much rather be ready with a card than the have to sit down and make one when needed.  And speaking of needed--I think I need another scone.

Red Wild Roses

The wild rose bushes were doing great and were filled with blossoms.  The color was so brilliant it was hard to miss.

I played with this image in PhotoShop Elements using mostly blending and came up with this composite.  Most people probably wonder why I bother with such an activity and I can only tell you that it's interesting to see how various images can come togeter and  I never know what the end result will be until it's there.  I know, I know.  It's still weird.

Wild Yellow Roses

Maybe there's another name for these than wild roses but that's what I always call them.  This bush was full of them and the bright color was marvelous to see.  The evening light also showed them to great advantage.  

Violet Iris

It's not a violet; it's a violet iris.  Goes to show that there can be some dark colors in the iris, too.  It's quite amazing how many color combinations there can be in the two types of petals.  And they contrast so nicely with their spiked green leaves.

On The Pale Side

Note everything at the garden was brilliant color.  This iris was actually as pale as it could be without being called white.  It's as beautiful as the most brilliant fuchsia or red or purple flower.  Diversity is a great thing.

Grand Junction Rockies

Lucky us, we had the opportunity July 3 to view a GJ Rockies game from prime seats.  They played the Ogden Raptors who feed into the Dodgers team.  Score was tied at the end of the 9th inning and then we lost by 2 after two overtime innings.  It was pretty exciting.

Corky Coyote is the team mascot (shown left) and he did a good job of keeping the crowd animated.  For further crowd entertainment there were a number of special events between innings.

I noticed a number of differences between these minor league players and the 12-year-olds that I'm more used to seeing.  1) The big boys are bigger in size and have a lot farther to throw and hit.  And the pitches are much faster!  There's even a clock that indicates the speed of each pitch.  Too bad I didn't notice that until nearly the end of the game!  2) The big boys hit more home runs.  I think we saw five in this game.  3) It's harder for the big boys to steal a base (and they hardly ever try).  Both sizes tend to get mad when they strike out or make an error.  Both sizes still need coaching.  Both sizes seem to genuinely enjoy the game.  And while there is a lot of crowd entertainment at the games of the big boys, there's also a lot of beer and since I have never liked the taste of the brew, I really didn't enjoy     smelling it all evening.

It was great entertainment and if you haven't been to one of these games, give it a try.  The tickets aren't really expensive and it's a good way to spend an evening and see some future professionals.  Wonder which one/s that will be.  I'm keeping a copy of the register to check later.  Go GJ Rockies!!

Independence Day

Happy Birthday, America!  I hope my viewers enjoy the day and see some fireworks.

Here's another zipper card made just for this special occaison.  I matted it on red and blue after adding a strip of washi tape.  The stars are foil adhered to cardstock and then embossed with a folder. The little stars are punched.  It's a flat card that doesn't open - except for the zipper part where more text is revealed.

Geranium

There was a lineup of big blue ceramic pots filled with a variety of flowers.  This bright red geranium caught my eye and contrasted nicely with the white river rock that created a border nearby.  Geraniums always take me back to my elementary school days when every room had a geranium on the windowsill.  I can still smell them even if they are nowhere around.

Pretty in Dark Pink

This bright pink daisy-like flower was happy in the sunshine.  The color was very attractive.

Lots of Yellow

These bright yellow flowers were in a large area and were doing very well.  Daisies are among my favorite flowers and although I don't know if this is an actual "daisy," it looks like it is in the same family.  Very bright and cheerful.