Butterfly and Moth from our travels

The butterfly is called a Buckeye. I think they are boldly beautiful. They can be migrants in the fall, this one seen on asters at a nature preserve in Missouri 24 October 2013. The second creature is a day-flying moth that acts much like a hummingbird, its wings constantly whirring. It is such a treat to see and a challenge to photograph. This was at a botanic garden in Oklahoma.

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Designer Credits:
lift of 'Autumn Promenade' by 'casbury' 
by Anna Aspnes:
-background: ArtPlay Solids Viaggio
-photo mask: Original FotoBlendz No. 12
-frame: FineEdge Frames No. 1
-stitching: UrbanStitchez No. 3
-line: ArtPlay Palette EnRoute
-brads, transfer: ArtPlay Palette Socialize
-word art, glow: Roots Sampler
-bright color: ArtPlay Palette Bask
-brush: ArtPlay Viaggio BrushSet
fonts: Mystical, Sybil Green

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Designer Credits:
AnnaLift of ‘let us ENJOY’ by ‘Lilly-10’ 
by Anna Aspnes:
-background: ArtPlay Palette Christmas Nostalgia
-photo mask: WaterColor FotoBlendz No. 1
-frame: ArtPlay Palette Tapestry
-transfer: ArtPlay Palette Vintage Rose
-brush: ArtPlay Palette Socialize
-bead: ArtPlay Palette Barren Sunrise
font: Boopee

Bees in the Flowers

While at the GRIP class I took some photos of bees in the flowers. They were great for a lift and a challenge for soft colors. I'm pleased with the results.

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Designer Credits:
AnnaLift of ‘tranquility,’ by ‘taxed4ever’ (Trudy) 
ArtPlay Palette Tapestry by Anna Aspnes
-photo mask: ArtPlay Viaggio BrushSet by Anna Aspnes

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Designer Credits:
by Anna Aspnes
ArtPlay Palette Lush
-word art: Roots Sampler

New Year's Mockingbird

One of our traditions is birding on New Year's Day to start a new list of birds seen in the year. We saw several mockingbirds this year and one had an attractive fence background in the photos I took They seemed meant for the week's AnnaLift.

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
ArtPlay Palette Remember
-transfer: ArtPlay Palette Ablaze
-feathers: ArtsyFeathers No. 1
-alpha (2013): Glitter AlphaNumberSet No. 7
fonts: Lithograph Light, Girls are Weird

Essence of Autumn Sun

A happy photo of sunny flowers hosting a small skipper (butterfly) appealed for last week's AnnaLift. We were at the Philbrook Art Museum gardens last year where I took a lot of photos. The weather has changed in the last few hours, trying to give a dusting of snow, so this sunny page is the perfect antidote. Hope all who celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday had a wonderful time doing so. I have so much for which to be thankful. Sunny days are sure among them.

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
-background: ArtPlay Solids Viaggio
-brushes: ArtPlay Viaggio BrushSet
-brushes, transfers: ArtPlay Palette Viaggio
-edge overlay: APP Ablaze
-stars: APP Bask
fonts: Girls are Weird, Hurry Up

Inspired by Pelicans

I really have been creating scrapbook pages for various challenges, but never seem to get them posted here. Two recent ones I really like celebrate the migrant American White Pelicans we saw on our recent visit to Oklahoma.

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Designer Credits:
-background: Back Packers - Set 7 by Maya de Groot
-elements: Passion for Paper by Maya de Groot
fonts: Mystical, President

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Designer Credits:
lift of "feathers" by Timounette 
-paper, seedhead: Amethist Lane by Jen Maddocks Designs
-stitching: All Stitched v. 2 by Kitty Designs
fonts: Erie Light, Dawn Castle

Images of Autumn

Both new and older photos of autumn scenes have been the focus of several new pages. First below are wild flowers called New England Asters that I love. They are also popular with bees and butterflies. Second is a picture of a dead tree that was apparently split down the middle, the two parts falling opposite one another, with the middle now home to a vine, its leaves turning color. Last is a beautiful scene from two years ago.

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Designer Credits:
-template: October CopyCat Challenge template by Elisa (EHStudios) based on "Accrobranche" by Dumpty 
-papers: Oscraps Collab nOvel
-swirl: Blessed Blooms by Danielle Young
-dragonfly: Serendipity by Jennifer Labre
fonts: Ultima Campagnoli, USA Light

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Designer Credits:

Anna Lift of ‘.F.A.L.L.‘ by Guinevere 

by Anna Aspnes:

-paper, transfer (one as photo mask), frame, tree: ArtPlay Palette Family

-word art: WordTransfers Life No. 1

-stitching: StraightLine Stitched White No. 3

-dried flower (blended): APP Bask

& red leaf: Zen & the Art of: All Hallows Eve by Maya de Groot

fonts: Dry Goods Antique JL, Pristina, Southern

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
-paper, transfer: ArtPlay Palette Bask
-brush as photo mask: APP Salty Living
-frame: APP No. 10
-twig sketch, bead: APP Barren Sunrise
-doodle: APP Sophistica
-leaves: GoldLeaves No. 1
-stitching: KrissKross Stitched Overlays No. 1
fonts: Vengeance, Vogue

Faces of Family

This week's AnnaLift was inspired by a beautiful page of photos of the ages of a man. I chose to interpret it with photos of my great-great-grandfather, his sister and three of their cousins. Their faces show a strong resemblance. I used the same pictures along with those from other generations in an earlier page here, but much prefer the design of this new one.

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
-paper, transfers: ArtPlay Palette Tapestry
-brush, wood button: APP Salty Living
-button, brad: APP Family
fonts: Banff, Bradley Hand ITC, First Order

Last Days of Summer

September 12th and 13th were the last really warm days here. We made sure to get out for a little birding to soak it up. We encountered quite a few fall migrants in the process including a Hooded Warbler one day and Philadelphia Vireo the next. We saw numbers of Chipping Sparrows and Swainson's Thurshes. Lots of Gray Catbirds were enjoying the berries on pokeweed in Lake View. We didn't see much in a brief tour of the lakefront, but did see a Green Heron, Northern Shovelers and Blue-winged Teal. Lovely memories of warm days and passing birds.

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Designer Credits:
-background: 52 Inspirations {2012} Week 9 by Sue Cummings
-photo mask: 52 Inspirations {2012} Week 22 by Vicki Stegall
-stamp labels: 52 Inspirations {2012} Week 33 by Sue Cummings
-word art: 52 Inspirations {2012} Week 31 by Sue Cummings
-word art: 52 Inspirations {2012} Week 19 by Sue Cummings
-brushes: ArtPlay Viaggio BrushSet by Anna Aspnes
-brown button: Oscraps Collab nOvel
-gray button: Oscraps Collab Homespun
-bow: Sweater Weather by One Little Bird
font: EnviroD

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Designer Credits:
-template: September CopyCat Challenge No. 1 template by Elisa (EHStudios) based on "Sweet Moment" by Kym
-background: 52 Inspirations {2012} Week 31 by Sue Cummings
-frame: 52 Inspirations {2012} Week 23 by Sue Cummings
-gray flower, stitching: Reminisce by Leora Sanford
-yellow flower, patterned papers, paint: Oscraps Collab DandeliOn Days
fonts: Amapola, Lemon Chicken, Corbel

Old Bird Pictures in a New Look

I've recently scrapped new pages for old bird photos and an old drawing. The first is of an Ivory Gull in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1975. My BIL found this arctic species on Lake Erie on the 17th. My photos are from the 18th of December 1975. This is still one of my most special experiences. I've used the photos before, but really like this treatment a lot more.

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Design Credits:
Anna Aspnes
ArtPlay Palette Salty Living
-frames: APP Family
fonts: Koala, Earwig Factory, Engravers MT, Bradley Hand ITC, Cardinal

The next one is of a White-tailed Tropicbird where they nest in Puerto Rico, a photo Dick took in 1996. We've also seen them in Florida. We both think tropicbirds are so fabulous! I called it "poetry in flight."

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Designer Credits:
AnnaLift of 'untitled' by veer 
all Anna Aspnes
-background: ArtPlay Solids Viaggio
-photomask 1: ArtPlay Palette No. 1
-photomask 2: Original FotoBlendz No. 12
-brad: APP Viaggio
-spiral brush, dark brush, texture brush: APP Autumn Haze
-linear brush: APP Salty Living
font: Corbel

Most recently I was inspired by the eyes of a child in an inspiration page to use an old drawing. I settled on this favorite of a Red-headed Woodpecker from a page of them in an old sketchbook from 1984. I got to use this one as the basis of the cover illustration of a local bird publication.

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Designer Credits:
AnnaLift of ‘eyes’ by margeda
all Anna Aspnes:
-background: Layered Tissue Autumn Paperie No. 1
-frame: Torn FotoFrames No. 2
-elements: ArtPlay Palette Ablaze
fonts: KG Skinny Latte, Minya Nouvelle

Another Beautiful Iris

Yesterday's dedication of the Willott Iris Garden was extremely nice. It was a bit overcast but bright and never got as hot as expected. A large number of people, not just relatives, attended. My sister looked lovely and everyone was gratified. The iris society exhibit was then opened in the green house building. Though many iris were through blooming, there were still lots of gorgeous iris present as specimens and in the flower arrangements. One flower intrigued me in particular. I've used its photo in this week's AnnaLift.

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Designer Credits:
all by Anna Aspnes
-background, border, loopdaloop: ArtPlay Palette Family
-overlay: SkinnyLined Overlays No. 2
-glow: Warm Glows No. 1
-small brush: ArtPlay Palette Ablaze
fonts: baby dont worry bout it, Boopee

Different Styles: a Make-over

Would you like to see a traditional scrapbook page done in an "artsy" style? Anna's team has challenged folks to take a previous page in a traditional style and redo it using Anna's methods. I chose a page that I really love from the ending days at D-P when we were all scrapping cows for Nelleke. I used Retro Designs, mostly the kit Scraps of Memories. It is elegant and very fitting for this heritage topic.

Still, I was sure these bovines would enjoy a romp in a different setting as well. I kept the photos about the same but went to town with the artsy goodies. I also left out the humorous comment and covered up the little images of then avatar "Sandy" (only old-timers from D-P will know what that's about). I think the result is just about as much fun and certainly a different look.

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Designer Credits: all Anna Aspnes
-background, brushes: ArtPlay Palette Sophistica
-leaves: GoldLeaves No. 1
-brad, frame: ArtPlay Santa Nicholas Add-On 1
-brushes (one as photo mask): ArtPlay Palette Ablaze
-word art: WordTransfers Life No. 1
fonts: Earwig Factory, Pea Anderson, Goudy Handtooled BT

Spring Thoughts of Nesting Birds

I've been wrapped up in genealogy work and a three-day conference here last week, but I did do some pages and a special bookplate too. Today, though, I did a new page for the AnnaLift of a photo of Dick's that I don't think I've ever done before. It is of a Semipalmated Plover on its nest in the tundra outside Churchill, Manitoba. That is in the far northern part of the province on Hudson Bay. You may know it as a place people go to see polar bears. We were there in June of 1980.

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
-background: PotPourri Easter Bunny Solid Paperie
-overlay, brush: ArtPlay Palette Sophistica
-map: Travel USA No. 1 BrushSet
-photo mask: ArtPlay Vitality FotoBlendz
-word art: WordTransfers Life No. 1
fonts: Stuyvesant BT, Baveuse, Big Top

Spring and a guitar photo

Can you believe this weather? It would be really nice a month from now. Somehow I haven't been out shooting the daffodils, but I did get to take a couple of shots of Dick on Friday. The guitar and ukulele group's teacher was scheduled for a sing-along at the senior center. She asked members of the group to join her during it for a medley (and to promote the group.) Dick with his guitar and two others with ukuleles joined her for it. We had a really fun time and kept having to bring in more chairs for late arrivals. This week's AnnaLift inspiration looked perfect to me for one of the photos and I love the result.

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
-background: KardStock Winter No. 1
-transfer (recolored), butterflies, overlay lines: ArtPlay Palette Vitality
-design: Multimedia Leaves No. 2
-speckles brush: Different Strokes 7
-frame: Torn FotoFrames No. 2
-photo mask: ArtPlay Vitality FotoBlendz
font: DejaVu Sans Condensed

Family Photos, Now and Then

I've recently done pages for two photos I consider "family". The first is of Dick on Christmas Eve when all was ready for Santa to come. I love the peaceful photo. It was for a challenge requiring the use of seven of ten items, a heart required. I just used the minimum seven and really like the result which I titled "Love Is the Key." Next was this week's AnnaLift featuring a totally fantastic layout using a photo of the artist's grandmother as a girl in 1930. I used another photo of my mother as a child in a four generation picture. I don't think I've done this one before, but even so, this would be better, I think. There are layers and blending to achieve the look. The photos are probably a little over one hundred years apart.

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Designer Credits:
-background, frame: Fresh Start by Ashalee Wall
-paint, button: Terra Toni by Maya de Groot
-love word art, stitching: Corinthia by Kitty Designs
-bird, spray design: Let Love Be Your Energy by ZuzannaH Designs
-key: Take me to the Old World by Lotta Designs
font: BlacklightD

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
ArtPlay Palette Autumn Haze
-edging (used as frame): ArtPlay Palette Ablaze
-gold leaf: Gold Leaves No. 1
fonts: Lithograph, Loosie Days

More February Designs in Nature

I've been creating scrapbook pages for the February challenges, but haven't gotten any but the deer posted. I'm also working on more drawings, but haven't gotten far. Here are a few of the new pages starting with one of my favorites so far done for last week's AnnaLift. I think it makes a nice Valentine for Dick.

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
-ArtPlay Palette Autumn Haze plus
-right angle brush: ArtPlay Palette No. 10
-heart-shaped brush: ArtPlay Palette Ablaze
fonts: baby dont worry bout it, BakerSignet BT
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Then two with flowers in my sister's garden last summer (tree peony) and last fall (colchicum)

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Designer Credits (left):

template: February Copycat Challenge by Elisa (EHStudios) based on "full of promise" by gavinsmum 

-green paper: Let Love Be Your Energy by ZuzannaH Designs

-purple and gold papers: Royal Blending Paper, Creations by TinaMarie

-bracket (recolored): Free to Fly by Vera Lim

-butterfly, butterfly spray (blended): Shimmer by Kitty Designs

fonts: Baveuse, James Fajardo

Credits (right)

Fun but strange flowers.

-background, tag, newspaper brush: Oscraps Collab Homespun

-green flower: Oscraps Collab TrOpical

-green and orange papers: Free to Fly by Vera Lim

-red paint: Prego by Maya de Groot

-photo mask: Fallen Sun by TaylorMade Designs

font: Boopee

Winter Birding Along the Lake

The AnnaLift this week encouraged me to use a number of photos I took while we birded on a gray, slightly rainy afternoon on Friday in and around the harbor in Lorain. There were lots of gulls though we didn't see many of the unusual ones. Another attraction was the numbers of Common Mergansers. They are such handsome birds, but I didn't get any pictures of them, alas.

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
-background (right), brush: ArtPlay Palette Sophistica 
-background (left): ArtPlay Palette Barren Sunrise
-blue patterned paper: ArtsyBlendz Snow Paperie
-flower: ArtPlay Palette Encapsulate
fonts: EwieD, Lithograph, Journal

Remembering Glacier Bay and our Alaska Trip

Another week and another AnnaLift had me thinking of Glacier Bay and our birding tour to Alaska. We cannot believe this was 30 years ago! It was amazing. The park brochure (in the layout) has marked on the map how much one of the glaciers had retreated since the 1890s. I don't want to find out how far they have retreated since we saw them. I also love looking at what I was wearing. The parka is one I made from a Frostline kit. I added a contrasting yoke in purple with chartreuse machine stitching. The hat I crocheted in my own design. I thought I was fat and out-of-shape then, but wish I could be like that now.

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
-background: ArtsyBlendz Snow Paperie No. 2
-transfer strip (blended): ArtPlay Palette Ablaze
-brush, overlay lines: ArtPlay Palette Sophistica
font: Frankfurt Gothic

Memories of Spring

This week's AnnaLift featuring bright colors and flowers and I was moved to do my page with photos of violets in the grass of our lawn last April. It is full of the feel of spring and warmer weather. This week's Digi Dare #259 is a gem calling for a sky photo. I have some of those scattered over the months. The one that appealed most was from my birthday last May. It too has a decided feel of warmer days. They make quite a pair to lift spirits when it is snowing or blowing or just plain gray outside.

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Designer Credits:
colored edge filter (in purple) applied to top photo
designs by Anna Aspnes:
-papers: MonoBlendz Lima Paperie
-top photo mask: ArtPlay Palette No. 10
-lower photo mask: ArtPlay Palette Barren Sunrise
-leaf/word art brush: EtchedLeaves No. 1
-brad: ArtPlay Palette Santa Nicholas Add-On 1
-floral brush, word art brush, swirly brush, red mini brad, strip (blended): ArtPlay Palette Ablaze
-circle lines: ArtPlay Palette Sophistica
fonts: Ellianarelle's Path, Boopee, Dry Goods Antique SmC JL, iNked God

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Designer Credits:
-background: Family Tree by Joanne Brisebois
-patterned paper (blended): Whispering Trees - Creations by TinaMarie
-buff paper: Composition by One Little Bird
-gray frame: Old Stuff: Frames by Jodie McNally
-paints, celebrate word art, small paper, swirl, white frame: Little Bits & Pieces No. 2 by Sue Cummings
-transfer used as photo mask: ArtPlay Palette Autumn Haze by Anna Aspnes
font: Flemish Script BT

Light of a Late Afternoon Sun

Last week we went out one sunny afternoon and found fantastic ice formations along the lake. In the warm light of the late afternoon sun they looked enchanted. We birded west to the lakefront airport as the sinking sun created a colorful sky. At the airport we saw three Short-eared Owls up and hunting. I took lots of photos of the ice and sky and have created two pages from them so far. The ice photo was done for the January color challenge which featured just such warm colors. The sky photos were my attempt at this week's AnnaLift.

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Designer Credits:
-background paper, brown strip: Italian Coffee Blends by Creations by TinaMarie
-other papers, paint splotches, stitching, flower: Terra Toni by Maya de Groot
-floral stamp: Fallen Sun by TaylorMade Designs
fonts: Snell Bd BT, Shotgun BT

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
-paper, brad: ArtPlay Palette Santa Nicholas Add-On 1
-edging, brush: ArtPlay Palette Ablaze
-outline brush, frame, transfer: ArtPlay Palette Sophistica
-leaf brush: Etched Leaves 1
-text brush: ArtPlay Palette Encapsulate
fonts: Pea Anderson, More Enchanted Prairie Dog, KrooKed

A Portrait Series

Three different challenges this month have drawn me to scrap what amounts to a series of portraits. One was for a self-portrait, so you know who is in that one. The web inspiration challenge is based on a fantastic Life Magazine photo of Clark Gable seated in a car reading Gone With the Wind. I think that influenced a photo I took of Dick which then had to be used in my response. Third, I took a photo of my sister last month on her birthday and used it in the last week's AnnaLift. It was surprising to see them all together as it is not my usual style. So here we are.

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Designer Credits:
-papers, stamp, circular element: Oscraps Collab Winter Wonderland
-frame, flower, fern, tag: Santangles by Maya de Groot
fonts: Sybil Green, Freeport

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Designer Credits:
Recollection by Joanne Brisebois
fonts: Angel Tears, Hurry Up, 1942 report, CrayonE

Journaling reads:
We have furniture and jewelry, tools and kitchen items from the houses of grandparents, parents, even aunts and uncles. Many of them are things we really use. Sometimes it feels like living in a museum. Sometimes it is hard not to feel like another of the antiques! The lion's head rocking chair came from my maternal grandmother. My father had it and refinished it beautifully. Now it is mine.

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Designer Credits:
lift of "Last Days of Summer" by marnie333
designs by Anna Aspnes:
-paper: ArtPlay Palette Encapsulate
-photo mask and transfer used as photo mask: ArtPlay Palette Barren Sunrise
-transfers, frame (altered): ArtPlay Palette Ablaze
-stitching, clock: ArtPlay Palette No. 10
font: Hurry Up