Happy New Year

We interupt our tour of Peru to bring you this important message.  Happy New Year!!  May 2015 bring you good health, sufficient wealth and many new adventures.

We'll head back to Peru soon.

Close Up

You may have noticed some sculpture above the door in yesterday's photo of the Monastery of San Francisco.  This is a closeup of that artwork.

Monsaterio de San Francisco

Our primary goal for our first morning in Lima was touring the Monastery of San Francisco which was completed in 1774 in the Spanish baroque style.  It is known for it's "bones and books."  Catacombs under the building still contain bones as well as at least one complete skeleton.  It is estimated that 70,000 burials took place in the catacombs.  We noted that the catacomb ceiling was made of brick and we wondered how that was possible.  Impressive in a different way was the ancient library, still in it's original form.  It contains a Bible that dates back to 1571.  Unfortunately photography was not allowed so I am unable to show any photos of the interior.  But I was impressed at huge carvings that were covered with goldleaf and we also saw several 8 x 12' photos by Reuben.  It was an amazing start to our touring.

Church & Covenant of Santo Domingo

This colorful church sits at one corner of Plaza Mayor in Lima, Peru.  Construction started in 1540.  The trim of black and white contrasts nicely with the pastel peach color.

Municipal Palace

Across the corner from the Government Palace is this Municipal Palace.  It certainly makes a statement with it's bright yellow color.  It occupies the same space as the first town hall of the colony  which didn't survive.  The current building dates back to 1939.

Let's Go To Peru

My husband and I had a 10-day tour of Peru in early December.  We visited Lima, Cusco, Urubamba and Puno where we saw and did a lot of different things.  We started in Lima, the capital, and a thriving city of contrast.  From multi-story businesses to humble, one-story homes, it was all visible as our bus passed through the city and the differences in income from district to district became quite obvious.  First stop was at Plaza Mayor which houses several large buildings.  This one is the Government Palace where the President resides.  There was a big police presence in the area to curb any protests but protesting is allowed in other parts of the city.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

I hope the day is all you hoped it would be.

Christmas Eve

It has been a most unusual holiday season for us.  A trip to Peru in early December was a memorable adventure - in a good way - but it interfered with our usual holiday activities.  I'm not complaining, it's just that things are different.  The centerpiece pictured above, for instance, is our Christmas tree.  It's about a simple as one can get but it adds a festive touch to the house.  And John hung lights, pine garland and red velvet bows outside so it is colorful on the outside, too.  There aren't many presents to open which is an indication that we have everything we need and that's a very good thing.  And tomorrow we board the train and head to OR.  It will be our first experience in a sleeper car so I'll report on that upon our return.  In the meantime I've prepared some photos from Peru for your entertainment/education.  There's more than 2500 that I could show but I'll try to limit myself.  Have a very merry Christmas.

Christmas Flags

This is another card for which I did a kit.  It was simply an embossed background with three flags layered on top.  The text was stamped and die cut and the edges inked.

I hope you completed your Christmas tasks and are ready to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Poinsettia

This card was made from one of the kits I put together.  The text and flower are all die cut.  The flower petals were folded for dimension and sequins added for some sparkle.  Making cards after Thanksgiving should be a tradition for all of us.  :-)

Ornament

We enjoyed Thanksgiving with family and I took kits so the ladies could assemble some Christmas cards.  This was one of the kits.  It's washi tape for a background and the ornament is a die cut.  "Christmas" was from the window card I showed previously and "merry" was stamped.  A tiny ribbon bow was added to the ornament for dimension.  Everyone successfully completed the cards.

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

These are Hero Arts images with the background stamped in gray and the foreground tree silver embossed.  That was matted on red and ribbon was added for color.  The front of the card was embossed and that completed the card.

I usually bake a lot of Christmas cookies but it looks like it will be just the two of us at home this year so there will be far fewer cookies made.  But we gotta have some.  Right?!

Poinsettia

The brilliant color of the poinsettia is a great addition to Christmas and it's special because they are available only this time of year.  I remember keeping one for several months after Christmas but it just grew spindly and never bloomed again.  That was in Alaska and a lot of things aren't happy there so I wasn't surprised.

But about the card -- In hindsight I wish I would have added texture or dimension to the flower so it showed a little better.  The inked edges wan't quite enough.  But overall I like the big, bold statement the card makes.  On the inside I added some splatters to break up the white.

What color poinsettia do you have this year?  Seems there is always a new one but I still like the traditional red the best.  And aren't they huge sometimes?!  Wow.

Ornament In Cranberry

The ornament window was cut using a die cut and a border punch was added behind the window for a pattern.  Then it was a matter of gold embossing the text and adding gold cord.

Will it be a white Christmas this year?  Too soon to know but it's always a nice addition.

Christmas Is Coming

Die cuts are my salvation.  They are available in a lot of shapes and sizes, are quick and easy to use and rarely fail.  And there are some clever designs like this window.  I simple added the die cut flower and had my card practically done.

I'm way behind in being ready for Christmas this year but one step at a time and I'll get there.  One of the priorities is getting my cards into the mail.  Hope your preparations are going well.

The Classic

Sometimes the classic, simple effects are the best.  There are several ways to make a colored photo black and white and I don't recall exactly how I did this particular one.  I can imagine how wonderful it seemed when it became possible to do color photography.  But what goes around, comes around and it's still interesting to explore some black and white.

A Rainbow of Color

The Topaz filter on this flower added some vibrant color which I really liked.  The effect is called swirly strokes.  I don't see many swirls but I like it anyway.

Orange Indeed

This little beauty was transformed with a Topaz filter in the Impression collection called "Edward Hopper."  I'm not familiar with Mr. Hopper but I like his style and it worked nicely for this flower.

Succulent

This was a pretty big succulent.  I find succulents interesting and unique and they are good fodder for experimentation.  I applied a Chiaroscurol effect to this one which mellowed it out and added a nice texture.  Makes me think of the southwest for sure.

Chalked

This water lily was also at the Denver Botanical Garden.  Most of the color was natural but that didn't mean it couldn't be improved.  I applied a chalk pastel filter to it and got this soft effect.

Cezanne Technique

This group of yellow flowers certainly looked quite beautiful in their natural state but it was also interesting to try some of the painting techniques available in Topaz filters.  I settled on this effect by Cezanne.  He knew what he was doing.

Impasto In Pink

I'm not even sure what the impasto painting technique is but I didn't have to know for this piece because I just applied a Topaz filter from the Impressions collection to a photo of a zinnia (I believe) that was hanging upside down.  These painters are making me look good!

Misty In The Tropics

I took this photo in the Conservatory at the Denver Botanical Gardens just as a mist was being spread over the beautiful flowers.  I changed the coloring in Topaz Restyle and then put an Edward Hopper effect to it in Topaz Impressions.  I rather liked the end result.

Renoir

While at the Denver Botanical Garden in September I took not only photos of the Chihuly exhibit but I also shot some of the beautiful flowers.  I had a new Topaz filter called "Impressions" and I put that to work.  Shown to the right is the original photo and above is the photo with the filter Renoir filter applied.  What a nice way to make a painting.  I hope Renoir would be proud.

Silver and Black Kumihimo

I actually purchased a kit for this necklace as it was the only way I could find to get the pattern.  It wasn't very difficult since someone else had to figure out how to load the beads and now I can use different colors and made the same design quite easily.  This design used a larger 6/0 bead and includes a section in solid, spot (2 variations) and spiral.  At each end is a section with plain braid.  It's quite striking.

Kumihimo Spiral Bracelet

This bracelet was braided with cotton cords.  It takes twice as much of the white which lies on top of the other cords.  It's a different effect that I like quite well.  I just added big beads and a bail with an owl charm.

Kumihimo With Dichroic

At a bead store in Portland OR I was able to match some 8/0 beads with the dichroic glass pendant that I made at our local ceramic shop.  I had previously wire wrapped my pendant and I'm still thinking about dangling a charm or bead from either the bottom wire loop or maybe the one in the middle of the pendant.  For the chain I just loaded beads onto all of the cords randomly and braided away.  I like it!

Fall Color

For this card I used the die cut curved edges in the horizontal orientation which also worked great.  I embellished with die cut flowers and leaves and curved a single line of text to match the curve at the top.  It's a pretty easy way to work a lot of color into a card.  Need to try some patterned paper in the mix.

Bands of Color

I had to try out my set of curvy edge die cuts as soon as I received them and tried them on different colors of cardstock.  Then, of course, I had to put them into card designs.  This was one result.  I just added die cut leaves, a burlap flower and some dots of dimensional paint.  I see quite a lot of use of these die cuts in my future.  Christmas snow next?  Maybe.

Circle Fun Three

The last circle design is very flat--nothing popped up and all spaces filled.  The frame itself was cut from a gelli plate background.  I added burlap embellishment and dots of dimensional paint.

And now I'm through with going in circles.

Things to Be Happy About

gingerbread

fresh, clean air

pretty colors of yarn

spices

pumpkin pie

roasted turkey

stuffing

fresh bread from the oven

colorful mums

full moons

Circle Fun Two

For this circle design I used the negative portion of the die cut shown in yellow.  With the frame in place, the tan portion, I glued the circles in place and then I removed the frame itself.  I embellished with a die cut flower and leaf and added more circles on top of circles.  The smallest bits are dimensional paint.

I guess you could say I was being negative here.

Circle Fun One

This fun circle die can add a lot of color.  I used it three different ways.  In this case I popped up the circle frame, the white portion, and put the die cut circles flat on the card.  Then I embellished simply with a burlap flower and die cut leaf.

I was really going in circles for a while.

Ice Floe

Talkeetna is the confluence of the Talkeetna, Susitna and Chulitna Rivers and a short walk from the end of the main street takes you to the water.   The mountain range shown in the photo above should include Denali but it's almost always covered by clouds.  This was the first time I had seen ice floe and there was quite a bit of ice.  At the edge of the water the ice was clear and about 3" thick.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!  We truly have so much to be thankful for and it's nice to have a holiday to share with family and friends.  And who doesn't love a turkey dinner with all the sides and desserts?!

The background for my card was made on my gelli plate with acrylic paint.  The happy is the negative portion of a die cut.   It's easy to use the positive portion of a die cut but I also try to use the negative when I can so I get full use of my supplies.  Plus, it's just a different look.   The leaves are punched.

Talkeetna, Alaska

While in Alaska we drove north to Talkeetna, established in 1916 when the area was chosen as the district headquarters for the Alaska Railroad..  It was very quiet the day we visited but during the summer months it teems with excitement and activity as teams prepare to climb Denali.

Nagley's Store, shown here, is on the National Historic Register and home of the town mayor, Stubbs (a cat without a tail).  Stubbs was elected as a write-in candidate on the ballot in 1997 but since Talkeetna is unincorporated, the title is only honorary.  We didn't see Stubbs.  He has a history of getting into trouble and was reportedly recovering from injuries incurred in a cat fight. Unique little place -- and the Twister Creek Restaurant serves a delicious Philly Cheesesteak sandwich with sweet potato wedges.

Iceberg

Although it was quite a distance away, we definitely saw this iceberg which had fallen from Portage Glacier.  The lake used to be full of them.

Glacier?

From the Conservancy Center we drove a bit further down the highway and into Portage Cove.  The Portage Glacier used to be visible down by the water but with global warming it has receded high into the mountain.  We did, however, see an iceberg that had come from the glacier and made it to the lake.

Reindeer

The caribou and reindeer are the same animal but Santa only uses the reindeer.  I think this might be one of his.  They can run 37-50 mph but we know they move much faster than that when pulling the sleigh.

Caribou

Caribou are still quite plentiful in the Alaska wild and large herds of them migrate between areas.  This guy had obviously shed one of his antlers and the other one will fall soon.  They grow a new set every year, each slightly bigger than the previous.  They eat lichen and live about 17 years.

What Does The Fox Say?

This pretty little red fox wasn't saying much but he certainly had a way of letting his keeper know his wishes.  He got quite impatient when the owl in the neighboring cage got fed first (dead mice).  The fox was well trained and would go into and come out of a kennel as requested by the keeper.  And when it was his turn to be fed, he even licked the container while the keeper held it.  Such a pretty little animal.

Lynx Number Two

We thought maybe one of the lynx was male but we were wrong.  This one was happy in a box built high in the cage and was busy taking in his surroundings and the silly people who came to visit.

Sleepy Time

There were two lynx who occupied a really big cage at the Center.  They were trapped in a fire when young and were carried to safety in the backpack of a firefighter.  Because they were too young to learn hunting skills from their mother, they are permanent residents at the center.  Gotta love those little tufts on the ends of the ears and at the bottom of their cheeks.

Moose

There were only two moose in the Center but I don't know their story.  I'm going to go out on a limb here and state that moose are the most often seen wildlife in Alaska.  That said, it was surprising that we didn't see any in the wild this trip despite the miles we traveled.  I've often thought that spare parts left over from other animals went into the making of the moose.  They aren't exactly pretty but they manage well (when they stay away from the highways and railroad tracks).  They are responsible for more human deaths and injuries than bear and I'd give them a very wide berth if I ever encountered one in the wild.  They seem gentle but those hooves are deadly.

Musk Ox

There were just a few musk ox in the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.  It was funny to see them run across their yard when they heard the staff vehicle approach that area.  But it was a ploy to get them moved so another staff member could go into the first area to provide something.  When they realized it was a fake call they all went running back to where they were originally.  You probably know that their wool, qiviut, is quite valuable and sells for $40-80 per ounce.  It is very soft, warm and durable.  There were some pretty knitted scarves for sale in the gift shop.  They were out of my price range but at least I got to feel that super wool.

This is one of the wood bison that will be released next year and hopefully help build the herd to it's former numbers.  They weren't too concerned about anything because it was meal time.  Handsome devil though.

Digging & Sitting

There was one Grizzly in the Center and while the black bears were very still, this guy was walking around and then stopped to dig in the snow.  He uncovered some morsel of food and then sat upright on his haunches and looked around.  I don't think I've ever seen a bear do that before.

More Edward Hopper

This was a simple, single flower.  I enjoyed it's bright color and it was good fodder for play.  This time I used the Edward Hopper filter again and think the texture added to the overall effect.