October 2016 Creative Artworks Contest

“Task” Grocery Tote Bag by Linda Lewis

From the “Love our Green World” Series. 18″ wide x 12″ tall x 5″ deep, with open gusset in the bottom. This 100% natural canvas bag tells us, “The oldest tasks in human history: To live on a piece of land without spoiling it.” Aldo Leopold Quote. The design is on both sides of the tote.

Nice, big tote with woven handles and double stitched into top. Hand wash in cold water. Lay flat to dry. Iron, if needed, on the wrong side. This bag would also be great used for knitting supplies and current project, crocheting, books, beach, shopping. Even a green grocery bag! Possibilities are unlimited!

To enter the contest –

email linda@creativeartworks.cc with

• your full name,
• full shipping address and

phone number (optional) This will be kept confidential and won’t be shared – EVER. It’ll be used only if you’re the winner and I can’t reach you via email.

The winner will be chosen October 31st. Good luck!

If you would like to see my work on Creative Artworks, click here

• Hand painted tote bags and purses
• Hand-painted glassware
• Memory Boxes
• Hand painted stationery and note card packages
• One of a kind greeting cards
• Hand painted baskets
• Mosaics
• Stained Glass
• Decoupaged Gourds
• Hand painted serving trays
• Hand painted place mats
• Hand painted aprons
• Christmas ornaments and decorations

Sept. 2016 Creative Artworks Contest Winner

This is the wonderful hand-painted Halloween Pumpkins and BOO Set by Jane Loedding offered for the September 2016 contest on Creative Artworks.

The lucky winner is Brenda from Plymouth, Massachusetts! Congratulations, Brenda!!!

Brenda’s Halloween decorations are well under control now, but YOU can find some CUTE things from Creative Artworks artists here

Jane Loedding makes baby keepsakes to die for. She also creates custom hand-painted signs for your children’s rooms, special ones for teenagers, pets, and even businesses! You can see ideas for your sign here.

Jane’s creativity knows no bounds. Browse through her work to see

• Mommy clocks
• Teacher Plaques
• ACEOs to collect or trade with others
• Wall Art
• Fridge Magnet Sets
• Original Paintings
• Notecard packages
• Pencil Home Portraits

See all of Jane Loedding’s unique, creative work on Creative Artworks here

“Small Beauties of Nature”

“Small Beauties of Nature” – Paul Militaru Photography

Good Morning!

I set our alarm for 9:30 this morning, thinking that it was a silly thing to do. Of COURSE we would be up and around by then…

It seemed like the middle of the night when the alarm went off. My  husband and I had met downstairs last night/this morning when one thing or another made it so we were having a hard time sleeping. I read for about an hour and went back up. My husband stayed downstairs longer.

On Fridays we enjoy Lunch Bunch with our good, long-time friends of about 30 years now. It’s a time to catch up with what happened during the past week and share plans for the future. Everyone was doing well today, so we had a very happy lunch time. (breakfast for us).

Our to-do list is long, so I’m going to get at it soon. But I MIGHT try to sneak in a nap this afternoon…..

Storybook Places – Take 11

Manarola, Cinqueterretown, Italy via campingbellavista via email from Marsha Koenig

Creative Vandalism – Take 5

facebook.com via Emily Davis, trendingly.com

Allan Dixon Selfies – Take 4

“Allan Dixon is a 29-year-old from Ireland who has a knack for making animals feel comfortable in his presence. So much so, that he’s been able to ‘talk’ all manner of animals into posing for a selfie with him! He says a selfie can take “anywhere between five minutes to three hours of being in the animal’s presence. It depends on the animal and how safe it feels.” “What the photos don’t show is the amount of dirt that ends up on my clothes because of being on the ground. But the results are worth it.”” – Olivia Adams, trendingly.com

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Olivia Adams, Trendingly.com

20 Quotes from Children’s Books Every Adult Should Know – Take 8

Antonine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince, 20 Quotes from Children’s Books Every Adult Should Know via Encurious.com via Melissa A. Eastman

How Do You View Things?

William Ward and Anita via Zen to Zany and Cathy Ruggiero

Kids and Pets – Take 1

 

 

 

 

Emily Davis, trendingly.com

Lost In Translation – Take 2

 

 

 

 

Evie Zimmerman, Trendingly.com

I Love Red Flowers

“Red Beauty” – Paul Militaru Photography

 

 

“Red Flowers” – Paul Militaru Photography

 

 

“Red Passion” – Paul Militaru Photography

 

 

“Simply a Beauty” – Paul Militaru Photography

 

 

“Wow – Wild Red Roses” – Paul Militaru Photography

A Trip Around the Yard

The temperatures have FINALLY gone down a bit and we can breathe when we’re outside. Another 10 degrees down or so and I’ll be in heaven. It says my “perfect” temperature about three days a year here in Arkansas. :0)

I worked in the yard a bit to celebrate the gorgeous day.

 

gardeningkiwi.wordpress.com

I took some pictures of the things still in bloom, enjoying each one. I thought that you might enjoy them, too.

 

My husband’s clematis is enjoying a second bloom.

 

 

We have one group of phlox still blooming.

 

Impatiens in two pots on either side of the front porch.

 

Pink hydrangea.

 

Portalaca.

 

Mostly white hydrangea with a blush of pink.

 

Happy zinnias.

I hope that a trip around your yard makes you smile, too!

Fall Garden Update – 9/28/2016

This picture shows you the north side of our square foot garden. We finally got the last vertical pole out, so we can now start installing the three raised bed garden boxes and the irrigation system that will go with it. We’re not going to plant in these until next spring, so we’re not in a hurry. I’m emptying out each 4 foot x 4 foot square into trash cans, saving as much of the Mel’s Mix as possible. Then we fill the planter box and then move to the next one.

 

This is the first of the three raised bed planters we’re using for our fall garden. The plants have at least doubled in size now. We have a broccoli plant, some celery, and two different kinds of lettuce planted in this one: salad blend and head lettuce.

 

This is the second raised bed planter. We have head lettuce (the light green plants close to you) and the rest is broccoli and cauliflower plants. I have no clue whether I’m just going to get a lot of green, or actually get broccoli and cauliflower. Fingers are crossed.

 

This is the third raised bed planter, filled with broccoli and cauliflower. I really love the way I can walk around each raised bed, can reach all the squares easily for planting, weeding, and harvesting.

Chuckles – Take 20

Email from Bill Lites

I Opened a Book

The Reading Room via Cathy Ruggiero

Arkansas Sunrises & Sunsets

Angie Katzer Plumb – AR Sunrises & Sunsets via Cindy Bassnett Thurman

20 Quotes from Children’s Books Every Adult Should Know – Take 7

Shel Silverstein, A Light in the Attic, via Encurious.com via Melissa A. Eastman

“Warm Colors – Orange”

“Warm Colors – Orange” – Paul Militaru Photography

Allan Dixon Selfies – Take 3

“Allan Dixon is a 29-year-old from Ireland who has a knack for making animals feel comfortable in his presence. So much so, that he’s been able to ‘talk’ all manner of animals into posing for a selfie with him! He says a selfie can take “anywhere between five minutes to three hours of being in the animals presence. It depends on the animal and how safe it feels.” “What the photos don’t show is the amount of dirt that ends up on my clothes because of being on the ground. But the results are worth it.”” – Olivia Adams, trendingly.com

 

 

 

Fall Garden Harvest # 2

The fall garden is doing really well right now. I harvested lettuce for the 2nd time yesterday. I could have harvested a bunch more, but I want it to last as long as possible. We’re eating a lot of salad now, and enjoying about half of it being from our garden. The plants are really producing, happy with the suddenly cooler weather (high of about 80 degrees F). I think both plants and people are feeling a burst of energy right now. :0)

 

The celery I tried to grow by cutting off the bottoms of the celery I bought at the store and putting them in water to grow roots, then putting them in the garden didn’t work yet. I have another plant started in the house and will transfer it to the garden as soon as it looks like it might live out there. I love this idea and will keep trying it.

Our cauliflower and broccoli plants have doubled in size in the past few days. I can’t believe how large they are. So far, they’re just leaves, and I’m HOPING we actually get some veggies, instead of just showy plants….

My radishes are looking good, too.

_________________

My husband got antsy to try to get the last large vertical pipe out of the garden yesterday. We haven’t received the replacement pipe puller yet, but he decided yesterday was the day. He MADE a puller out of iron, putting stiffeners on the edges and cutting the hole in it freehand with the torch. It gave a good pull, but no bananas. We put a bunch of water around the concrete, thinking that would make the pulling more effective. We did this twice, to no avail. We took the grinder and a long extension cord out there and he cut the pipe off at ground level.

Now he’s antsy to start installing the last three raised planters we made for the garden, but we have other priorities right now. We have plenty of time. We’re not going to use them until the spring.

Meanwhile, I hope I’m not driving you nuts, telling you how MUCH I loved the raised planters. I walk out, stand there calmly pulling out weeds and adding them to the bucket I brought out, or snipping lettuce leaves in comfort, putting them in the special harvesting basket. I’m STANDING there, doing my gardening, not down on my hands and knees, getting up and down, up and down, over and over until I’m exhausted; or bending over double in order to reach the weeds or plants. I’m thoroughly spoiled already!!!!

 

Allan Dixon Selfies – Take 2

“Allan Dixon is a 29-year-old from Ireland who has a knack for making animals feel comfortable in his presence. So much so, that he’s been able to ‘talk’ all manner of animals into posing for a selfie with him!  He says a selfie can take “anywhere between five minutes to three hours of being in the animals presence. It depends on the animal and how safe it feels.”  “What the photos don’t show is the amount of dirt that ends up on my clothes because of being on the ground. But the results are worth it.”” – Olivia Adams, trendingly.com

 

 

 

“Gazania”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos Credit – Paul Militaru Photography

Pressed Fern Art – Take 3

 

 

Pressed Fern Art
Animal Portraits from Ferns She finds in her garden
Helen Ahpornsiri, East Sussex, UK
Kate Woodberry, Trendingly.com

 

 

 

I think these are so creative. I can’t imagine having a pile of ferns brought in from the yard sitting in front of you, then having the vision to patiently create these, gluing each one in place until the picture comes alive. How amazing this lady is!  My thanks to Kate Woodberry, of trendingly.com for sharing Helen’s work with us.

“Flower Thorns”

“Flower Thorns” – Paul Militaru Photography

Life is Sweeter

The Crazy Cat Man via Cathy Ruggiero

20 Quotes from Children’s Books Every Adult Should Know – Take 6

Dr. Seuss – Oh, the Places You’ll Go via Encurious.com via Melissa A. Eastman

Tapeworm?

unknown photography credit via emily davis, trendingly.com

I’m trying to cook with no sugar for my husband. Since he’s having a tough time making the conversion, I’ve been trying to cook some of his favorite non-sugar meals. That means rice and pasta. I have little self-control, so I’ve been indulging in eating starches with him. This has resulted in non-stop hunger for me. My husband is losing weight, but I’m gaining. :0(

Every morning this week I’ve tried to get back on my low carb eating plan. Every evening I’m angry with myself because I’ve stuffed my face – again. I feel I have a tapeworm. I haven’t experienced this non-stop hunger for over a year – since I started eating low carb.  My energy level is down. I don’t like this!

TODAY I’m trying to make it be different. I’ve started out with a good low carb breakfast. I have a water bottle beside me. I’ve just finished making some hard-boiled eggs for meals and snacks. We’ll be eating leftovers for dinner, so there is no reason for me not to do my usual thing, getting back on track. Today I’ll get on the elliptical trainer and also use the exercise ball.

I’ll get out a low carb book and start reading. Maybe I can find my motivation again. I’m about half way to my goal and I want to start making progress again!

 

Creative Vandalism – Take 4

imgur via Emily Davis, trendingly.com

Chuckles -Take 19

Email from Bill Lites

20 Quotes from Children’s Books Every Adult Should Know – Take 5

20 Quotes from Children’s Books Every Adult Should Know via Encurious.com via Melissa A. Eastman