Painting – Hibiscus/WetCanvas February Challenge

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hibiscus wet canvas february 2013

I had a great time taking part in the WetCanvas February Watercolor Challenge. I love watercolor flowers and enjoyed painting my rendition of the reference photograph. Thanks to Yorky for the photograph and the opportunity. Take a look here at the challenge: WetCanvas February Challenge. There is still plenty of time to break out the watercolors and take part. A link to the WetCanvas website is at the top right hand corner of this blog. Happy Painting!

WetCanvas February Challenge – Hibiscus

8 x 10

Winsor and Newton Watercolors

Arches 300 lb Cold Press Paper

Product – Rooibos Tea

On By TimelessladyIn Product1 Comment

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I absolutely have come to love Rooibos Tea. I must say that at the first, I was a bit taken aback by it’s very different flavor. However, the more rooibos I drank, the more I loved it, and now am of the opinion the tea tastes as if I am drinking sunshine and flowers.

Some of the benefits in drinking Rooibos Tea are listed below:

  • Acts as an antioxidant and increases SOD levels
  • Prevents DNA damage
  • Cardiovascular protection through ACE inhibition
  • Suppresses fasting glucose levels
  • Improves glucose uptake and insulin secretion after a meal
  • Aids in liver tissue regeneration
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Acts as a bronchodilator and antispasmodic
  • Inhibits lipid peroxidation and brain aging
  • Rooibos extract improves immune defects such as HIV

A good article about Rooibos Teas can be found here: Rooibos Tea

I am very glad that my local grocery store carries this tea. Not only is it delicious, but it has multiple health benefits.

Project – Kid’s Project/Homemade Kool-Aid Playdoh

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Homemade Playdoh

We had a very good time making homemade playdoh yesterday. The project is a perfect winter’s day craft. The total time was about 30 – 45 minutes. The children sifted the ingredients together into a medium sized plastic bowl. (flour, salt and packet of unsweetened Kool-Aid, recipe below) The next step was the addition of a tablespoon of oil and boiling water. (Must be done by an adult)

Oh my goodness does the playdoh smell good!

After all the ingredients were stirred together we set the dough outside in the cold garage for 5 – 10 minutes to rest and cool down. An adult transferred the dough into ziplock bags and the children pounded away for 5 – 10 minutes. Oh what FUN! The recipe makes about 2 cups of playdoh. The color is very vibrant.

We didn’t have good luck with yellow (lemonade) Kool-Aid. The addition of the packet did not produce much color in the dough so we added a packet of orange.

One drawback, the oil does transfer to the hands and working surface a bit. My grandson put the playdoh on top of his head to mimic a brain and the oil from the dough got into his hair. Make sure you protect all surfaces the children work and play on.

All in all, this project was a big success and quite a lot of FUN!

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Kool-Aid Playdoh Recipe

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

1 packet unsweetened Kool-Aid

1 tbs oil

1 cup boiling water (must be poured and stirred in by adult)

Sift first three ingredients together into a medium sized bowl. Add water and oil and stir. Let rest in a cool place for 10 minutes or so. Place inside a ziplock bag, knead and pound until it is smooth and soft. Have fun with your Kool-Aid Playdoh

Peculiarities – Strange Centerpiece

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I’ll be the first to admit this is quite a strange centerpiece on my dining room table. If you look closely you can see the bettas that live inside the vases. The bettas thrive in these conditions, no matter what you might read to the contrary. In their natural environment wild bettas live in clogged rice paddies, and do not have long, trailing fins. The bettas above have been bred for captivity. My bettas do well, and are long-lived. One is nearing two years old. Their vases are on the large side and set close together so that each fish can see the others. Occasionally they will puff up their fins and display a bit of aggression, but in my opinion this keeps them interested and more active, which means a healthier fish.

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Posies – Daffodil Stems

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I love the bunches of daffodils you can purchase at this time of year. They bring a burst of color indoors, banishing away the cold and grey of the wintry sky. I also appreciate the subtle whiff of scent they waft into the air.

Proverbs & Photographs –

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May God our Father and the Lord Jesus give you all of his blessings, and great peace of heart and mind. I Corinthians 1:3

 

I consider feeding ducks and geese one of my blessings. It is also one of my earliest happiest memories. When young, I fed the ducks in a park near the James River in Newport News, Virginia, the hometown of my paternal grandparents. I visited ducks in McDonald, Pennsylvania too. My grandmother would walk me to her neighbor’s yard to see his flock of ducks. The waddle and quack of ducks brings me great peace of heart and mind.

The raucous cries and whistles on this short video are the seagulls flying about my head. They also had their fair share of stale Cheerios and bread.

Please excuse the shakiness of the video, it’s not easy to keep the camera steady while tossing bread with one hand and getting your fingers nipped by a hungry duck’s bill.

Paintings – Treasured Antique Watercolors

On By TimelessladyIn Painting8 Comments


daisy mccormack

A few years ago while browsing a local yard sale I found this sweet little watercolor of a campanula/harebell. On the back was this inscription:

daisy mccormack back

The little picture is doubly precious to me because of the signature and inscription.It is one of my treasures and hangs on my bedroom wall. I have often wondered who Daisy was, and if she lived in this area. My one regret is that she did not date the back of the back of the painting. I am reminded by this to always date the back of my own work, and as a lesson from Daisy, always title and give an explanation of the work if possible.

postal stamp picture

Another small treasure I have had in my possession for even longer is this small watercolor and stamp art painting that is signed “Souvenir Quebec.” On the back is a stamped address:

stamp picture back

I searched the Internet and came up with the history of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary.

Franciscan Missionaries of Mary

Prose – My Lady of Cleves

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I enjoyed “My Lady of Cleves” by Margaret Campbell Barnes. The historical  novel tells the story of the fourth wife of Henry VIII, Anne of Cleves. She kept her head in every way. When faced with Henry’s dislike and wandering eye, she devoted herself to being agreeable and endeared herself to his family and inner circle of friends. A very wise lady in a very trying situation. She learned to thrive by involving herself in the lives of others rather than concentrating on her own problems. A good lesson for us all.

Planting – Terrarium/Glass Block

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A few weeks ago I received a surprise package in the mail from across the country. I saw by the return address that the package was sent from one of my nieces. I opened up the package and felt a surge of joy rush through me. Not only were the contents of the box amazing, but my joy was multiplied many times because the gift was so suited to me. Over the years my niece had noticed who I was, and the gift said to me that she understands the person that I am. Isn’t that what we all need most…recognition of who we really are inside? Need I say my niece is a beautiful soul! Thanks Natalie!

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Whimsical and bright, these mushrooms are the perfect component for terrarium decor. This week while walking around my local AC Moore I found the perfect receptacle for my treasures…a sturdy, heavy-bottomed glass block. As an added bonus the block has a lid that that fits perfectly, and is easily opened to add a breath of fresh air to the plantings.

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The terrarium turned out really cute, and I still have half of the mushrooms and stepping stones to use outdoors in our fairy garden in the Spring.

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Photographs – Just for Laughs…A Very Bad Hair Day

On By TimelessladyIn Photographs2 Comments

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School Picture 1965/66

Go ahead…you’re allowed to laugh. We all have an old school picture that is ghastly. Yes. It was a very bad hair day. Tee-hee!

Plantings – The Crash and Burn of my Avocado Pit Project

On By TimelessladyIn Planting5 Comments

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I promised to write when a project crashes and burns…for me that project/plant has been the avocado tree I grew from a pit. The photograph below shows the state of my avocado tree today. It seemed to flourish for a few months. I pruned and pinched it at the required stages, gave it a summer vacation on my porch, and brought it inside again in the Fall of the year. Through the late Autumn months and early winter the tree seemed to lag. I cut it back very hard, hoping to prompt better branching and leafing out. I think that idea was a mistake. The tree has become an eyesore and is taking up valuable sunny space I’d rather give to a plant that provides lush greenery all year.

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I am beginning to wonder if anyone who grows an avocado gets beyond the sprouting and early growth stage. The Internet is flooded with pictures, blog posts and advice about starting the pit, but I can’t recall finding many pictures or posts on the tree when it matures. Hmmm….perhaps today I’ll go on a hunt to find the answers. For now, I’ve decided this particular tree belongs in the compost heap.

A few weeks ago I threw an avocado pit into the worm bin. Hmmm….I had cantaloupe seeds sprout in the bin. Perhaps the heat from the worms’ super-composting abilities will perform wonders, and I’ll finally grow a gorgeous avocado tree this Spring. I like the old saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” There is often good wisdom in well-known cliché’s.

Painting – Amish Man and Son

On By TimelessladyIn Painting2 Comments

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In January I took part in the WetCanvas Watercolor Challenge January 2013. I live only an hour and a half away from Lancaster, and have often visited this lovely area. I was really pleased with the way this small painting turned out.

5 x7

Winsor & Newton Paints (Winsor Blue, Quinacridone Magenta, Permanent Rose, Hooker’s Green, Cobalt Blue, Burnt Sienna and Naples Yellow)

Arches 300 lb Cold Press Paper

You can see the work of the other participants here: Wet Canvas January 2013 Watercolor Challenge.

My work was posted on page nine of the thread.

Why not try the February challenge? The WetCanvas Forums are free. Find the link to WetCanvas in the top right hand corner of this page. You can also go directly to the Challenge through this link: Wet Canvas February 2013 Watercolor Challenge. It’s as easy as signing up and beginning to paint.

You can find my step-by-step progress below.

amish man

Original reference photograph posted by Yorky

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Watercolor Tip: Black out of the tube is usually flat and lifeless. Mix up your own blacks and deep tones by combining contrasting colors.

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I mixed Hooker’s Green, Quinacridone Magenta, and Winsor Blue, and even a bit of yellow. You can pick out the different hues of colors blending together in the thinner areas of paint, notice the deep tone they create when mixed together.

Postcards – Valentine’s Day Part 2/Displaying your postcards

On By TimelessladyIn Projects1 Comment

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I love to display holiday themed antique postcards when I have a chance. Below is a step by step tutorial on how I accomplished this and provided a bit of protection for the cards at the same time.

The only equipment needed is fancy-edged scissors, small straight-edged scissors, construction paper and postcards.

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Lay your postcards out on different colored construction paper to help you decide how to best arrange them. Three postcards fit on a piece of standard construction paper.

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If you have fancy scissors cut a pattern very close to the edge so that you don’t lose too much of the paper.

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Cut the construction paper to about a 6 1/2 to 7 inch height. Tri-fold this rectangle and then cut small snips on the diagonal to hold your cards. You might need to make a few trial runs of this to get the placement correct.

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Carefully slip the corners of your postcards into the diagonal slits. Displaying the postcards like this lessens the wear and tear the edges and corners might receive. Remember to keep them out of direct light.

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Display your creations all over your house.

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Happy February and Happy Crafting!

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Postcards – Valentines Part 1

On By TimelessladyIn Postcards3 Comments

Valentine 2

Collecting antique postcards and reading the messages is a favorite pastime of mine. I think these beautiful postal Valentine’s are lovely. The postcard above has no message or address. I wonder if it was purchased early, slipped into a drawer, and forgotten. Or perhaps the loving sentiment for the intended departed before the day arrived. We’ll never know.

Here are a few more with the messages translated as well as I was able to read the old-fashioned script.

The one below is my favorite. I delight in long and rambling messages.  I also love this style of postcard, a painting with a landscape scene included.

valentine 1

postcard 1

Dear Morgan,
You ought to come (?) – while the sledding lasts it is fine. Come (?) all are well Mrs Hines is with us now sick. With love, Henry

This card above was mailed from Ardmore, Pennsylvania to Philadelphia in February of 1910.

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postcard 2

This card reads, “From Catherine Knight”

The card above was mailed on February 14, 1910 from Robbinston, ME.

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I love the gorgeous writing on this postcard. There is no message, only a name and address written in a beautiful hand. The  postal pictured above was mailed on February 13, 1907.

Plantings – Longwood Garden’s Square Foot Gardens

On By TimelessladyIn Planting3 Comments

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While walking through the Longwood Garden’s conservatory I came upon this amazing raised bed planting box. It brought to mind Mel Bartholomew and Square Foot Gardens. I didn’t see any labeling of the box, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Square Foot Gardening technique was what the gardeners had planned. The box held a magnificent display of swiss chard, brussel sprouts and parsley. If I ever have a big greenhouse you can be sure I will grow vegetables throughout the winter in just this way.

To read more about Square Foot Gardening check out their website and visit all the links. Square Foot Gardening

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Place – Conquering Winter Blue/Longwood Gardens Slideshow

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 I wanted an instrumental song to highlight my Longwood Gardens slide show, but didn’t want to infringe on any copyrights. Youtube and Daniel Otsuka solved the dilemma for me. Through a program on Youtube called audio swap I was able to use one of Mr Otsuka’s beautiful songs to accompany my slide show. I couldn’t have found a better song in my own collection. Enjoy.

Proverbs & Place – Conquering Winter Blues

On By TimelessladyIn Place, Proverbs1 Comment

A1 - Longwood Tulips-January 2013

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:7

Banishing wintertime blues and anxieties can be as easy as visiting a local garden, a nearby park or arboretum. Even a quick walk or bike ride around the neighborhood does me good in the winter. Saturday was a perfect day to visit one of my favorite gardens, Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The sight of God’s beautiful flowers in the conservatory was the perfect prescription for my hunger for green.

Check back tomorrow for a slideshow of my favorite flowers in the Longwood Conservatory.