Happy Tuesday Friends!
I found out last week that I won the December challenge on Country View Challenges which came with a £20 voucher from the shop. I will have to do some thinking about what to spend it on but it was a nice surprise. Our weather has turned from wet and windy to cold and frosty again and -2C. The stormy weather caused some damage in the garden, it’s not my favourite weather for that reason and more, but now it’s gone and we are back to being COLD again, or colder really because I’m always cold in this house. I bought myself a book for Christmas that will encourage me to do some daily arting but arting is not happening as much as I would like because my hands are too cold…
Today’s Art . . .
Today’s art is actually three junk journal pages for #JunkJournalJanuary. I’m not up to date with the daily prompts so I’ve just been doing whichever ones I feel like at the time.
Day 7 Shimmer
For the Shimmer prompt I used a pink foil chocolate wrapper for the background, and used up some leftover diecut silver glitter snowflakes,and then I found this TH sticker that seemed appropriate.
Day 2 Starry
For the starry page I have some glossy photo paper covered in alcohol inks, and then a second piece using darker inks on top. I used some glitter alphabet stickers that I coloured with markers to write out the lyrics from a Coldplay song – You’re A Sky Full Of Stars.
Day 15 Barcode
For this page I used some expired lottery tickets for the background since they have QR codes and barcodes on them.
Lottery tickets are pink here, so I added some gesso, and drew the face on the right side.
I added some acrylic ink and this quote sticker from Tim Holtz.
T Stands for Currently Reading . . .
“Ann Patchett, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Commonwealth, delivers her most powerful novel to date: a richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go. The Dutch House is the story of a paradise lost, a tour de force that digs deeply into questions of inheritance, love and forgiveness, of how we want to see ourselves and of who we really are.”
6 books
T Stands for Christmas Card and Mail Issues
I received a lovely Christmas card from Carola on Saturday, it took five weeks to arrive! A lot of pre-Christmas mail was delivered last week so that’s a relief, however we now have another problem affecting all international mail as of yesterday! On the Royal Mail website “Service update: 16th of January 2023 Royal Mail is continuing to experience severe service disruption to our international export services following a cyber incident.” When people say “cyber” I automatically assume “hacking” so I did some digging and sure enough, they were hacked. “It is understood that Royal Mail’s investigation found the gang, infected machines that print customs labels for parcels being sent overseas. The attack has left more than half a million parcels and letters stuck in limbo.”
T Stands for Homemade Elderberry Tonic
I was feeling a bit under the weather last week so I decided to brew up some of my homemade elderberry cold/flu tonic and I’ve been drinking it all week. I find if I drink this then it hits any symptoms on the head and I don’t get any sicker. I put it in a wine glass for the photo so you can see it clearer, but it’s not a glass of wine. Also I drink it hot so it needs to be in a cup. It contains elderberries, rosehips, ginger, chilies, eucalyptus and a few more things. It’s hot, spicy and fruity and works wonders. Elder trees grow here like weeds, mostly due to birds eating the berries and spreading the seeds. In the summer I often gather the elderflowers and make cordial, and then in the autumn, take some of the berries for this tonic, making sure to leave plenty for the birds. I used to brew this up and bottle it just in case, but I haven’t had to take some for years so I was out of premade and so I brewed up a fresh batch. My symptoms didn’t develop and I’m feeling so much better now.
Let me know what you think in the comments. As always, thanks for reading and Happy T Day!
Ingredients
recycled stuff, junk, collage etc. food packaging, acrylic inks, pitt artist pens,
Challenges
Altered Book Lover – T Stands for
#JunkJournalJanuary – Day 2. day 7, day 15
Loved reading about what you put in your elderberry tonic. I make elderberry syrup once or twice a year with a lot of those herbs. I just put in a elderberry bush this year because the dried berries were SO expensive. I can’t wait until I can pick my own.
Love your art pages, especially the one with the barcodes.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate
Doing the days you choose rather than the days in order may be a smart move. I skip around when I’m working in an altered book, but not when I am in a daily challenge. I really like how you recycled just about everything, including some intended for a previous month. Your recycling ideas are brilliant and I am super impressed.
Sorry to read your mail service was hacked. I know you said it took over 5 weeks for your card to arrive at my doorstep. I sure like the card Carola made for you. Unlike you and me, who make multiples of gifts, hers was an original.
Wow to your elderberry tonic. Hot and spicy, I can tell from the ingredients. I am glad it works for you and it DOES look pretty in that wine glass. Thanks for sharing your incredible art and your elderberry tonic with us for T this week, dear Elle. Sorry I am late visiting.
The drink looks great. I have been drinking lots of juices and tonics trying to shake off the rest of this COVID. I Yours sounds like it would have been much better than my concoctions. Lovely art, Elle, I especially like that you used old lottery tickets. The codes make a great border. Such great ideas and so well done. Stay warm. STay healthy. Happy T-day and hugz
I am glad you are feeling better. I did not know that about Elderberry; that it grows like a weed. I am glad the homemade tonic worked for you. What a deal about the Royal Mail. I am glad some of your Christmas mail is showing up. Congratulations on your win of the £20 voucher. Your artwork is amazing. Happy T Day.
Elle I am so sorry you are feeling a bit ill. Yes, your drink sould be very good for you. A great find on the Nature art book and you have so many beautiful pieces. I would love to see that face on FFO. Have a lovely day.
Another great book recommendation – I looked for the 365 Days of Art in Nature on Amazon and I was able to look “inside” the book. Now it’s on my wishlist. I loved “The Dutch Hoise” narrated by Tom Hanks; yes, I agree he does a very good job with it, and at the same time it is “very Tom Hanks”. Lovely junk journal pages. I’m glad that the card finally arrived, but it seems Royal Mail is in more trouble now. Happy T day, Elle!
Your art is wonderful, the girl’s face reminds me of my neighbour. Sorry you have been under the weather and hope you feel better soon! Hugs, Valerie
Well Elle i hope your tonic keeps you well.. Sounds like its full of all good things.. Enjoyed your art too.. and congratulations on winning the Challenge!!! Woot! woot! lol Happy T day! Hugs! deb
Loving your pages! The bright pink showcases those snowflakes beautifully and I love the starry sky that you created – amazing ?. Your natural cold remedy sounds wonderful, I’d love to try that it sounds like the perfect pick me up. Take care and I hope you’re feeling much better soon. Say hello to the kitties for me and sending you Happy T Day wishes! Hugs Jo x
I loved “The Dutch House” — reviewed it here:
https://maefood.blogspot.com/2019/10/ann-patchett-dutch-house.html
best… mae