Maple Hill Journey

Over the last two years I have made many changes to my home. Once I decided to stay I new I had work to do. Everything from making it more energy efficient, redoing the garage, much needed repairs, colorful, vintage, artsy - all those things that make it mine. I had created a Vision Board back in early 2013 and have stuck with it. There are still a few things to be done (next year, a rustic Potting Shed!) but pretty much cosmetic now. 

Today I was going through some things and found this old picture when the house was purchased in 2000 - it was built in 1979 and we purchased from the original owner. 

What a transformation - it hardly looks like the same place. In a few corners you still find traces of the original red paint - but nothing else remains. Needless to say, I am very very very happy! Enjoy. Jewels

Summer of Colour 2014 Wrap Up

The party's over for another year - but it was one heck of a party! Here are all my Boys of Summer postcards together...have to put my thinking cap on for next year - sadly I have 12 months to think about it LOL...

Thanks a gazillion to Kristin over at Twinkle Twinkle!
(in case you are wondering, I used PicMonkey to create my collage - it is FREE)... Enjoy. Jewels

Summer of Colour - Raspberry, Tangerine, Lemon

Last week of Summer of Colour – time flies when you are having fun! So here is my last Boys of Summer installment.

Hank and Gordon have had a bromance since grade school. They’ve known each other since they’re moms met in the local SuperSave oh so many years ago…

Over the years they’ve become renown in the neighborhood for their BBQ’s . “We make the best pork ribs in town” Hank boasts. Their wives Angie and Dolly can’t agree more (and are grateful for the summer reprieve from having to do all the cooking).

But it has not always been this way – we don’t talk about the kerosene incident a few years back when Gordon committed a serious lack of judgment (“It was all I could find in the garage” he says with a sheepish grin). 

Yes the colors are raspberry, tangerine and lemon (pic does not quite show it) – another gesso textured background. The graphics/text actually are a raspberry colour – found in a Betty Crocker Outdoor Cook Book. Snuck some washi tape in as well… Wow six weeks went incredibly fast! I enjoyed all the color matches Kristin gave us and cannot wait till next year! Enjoy. Jewels

Summer of Colour - Red, Royal Blue, Light Blue

Mason seems to have recovered from last year’s summer fling with Felicity. So much so he has convinced his current girlfriend, Bunny, to accompany him on a cross country trip. “Just think of the adventures we’ll have babe”, he assures her…

Problem is Mason is a bit (well more than a bit) of a tight-wad. All winter he followed plans from Popular Mechanic to construct what he thinks are ideal sleeping accommodations for the trip (made lovingly from left over plywood his pal Pete gave him).

“What about all those Holiday Inn promises you made me”, whines Bunny. “And where the heck are we anyway, sniff” (like most men, Mason does not like to ask for directions)….Needless to say she is not impressed.

But Mason doesn't mind at all – he just keeps singing King of the Road….Hmmm not sure if this summer’s fling is going to be successful either. LOL

Mostly collage this week with a little paint. Another fun set of colours to work with – thanks Kristin (but really, only one week left and we are DONE!!!!!). Enjoy. Jewels.

Summer of Colour - Pink, Apple Green and Dark Green

Here we are with week four Boys of Summer! Oh my gosh the time is flying for Summer of Colour!!!

So Frederick (not Fred or Freddy thank you very much) had big dreams growing up. Joining a ballet company was at the top of his list….ah to become a professional danseur like Nureyev or Baryshnikov!

 When he was young he became enthralled with the spectacle of it all – his ambition -  to dance the lead in Romeo and Juliet.. 

Alas it was not meant to be – his father, a construction worker from Idaho, was not too supportive (oh dear)

Then one summer Frederick was introduced to water skiing! While not the grandeur of the Royal Ballet at least he could fulfill part of his dream.

And yes, every now and then wear a tutu on the water LOL….(but only for special occasions)…

Fun colours in acrylic to try and use for my theme this week  – but it worked – especially the stamps to give a feel for water. Enjoy. Jewels

Summer of Colour - Lavender, Grey and Plum

Lovin my Boys of Summer theme for this years Summer of Colour with the lovely "hostess with mostest" Kristin!

Introducing Ken (to the left) and Arnold. They are “professional” (according to Ken) door to door salesmen. “Little ladies of the house love us, heh heh”, chuckles Arnold.

Company policy dictates they wear suits regardless of the temperature. Here they are taking a break - looking quite cool and collected I must say given they are lugging vacuum cleaners around the ‘hood LOL.

Neither of them knows the other has applied for the same desk job that just got posted in the home office – after all there is only so much “fresh air” (and bad Arnold jokes) a guy can take. 

My camera did not take the colours "exactly" - oh well. Another acrylic paint endeavor...ran a plastic comb through the gesso background for the texture. 

Decided to use some new stamps too - check them out! Enjoy. 
P.S. you may remember this from last year...
grAy is how it's spelled in America 
grEy is how it's spelled in England

Summer of Colour - Coral, Teal and Bright White

Well I am behind a week as I was away on vacation - but I was certainly thinking about Summer of Colour! Week Two's colours are a little more "manly" to work with so here we go with my next Boys of Summer...

Ah there is nothing like Summer Camp - the stylish socks and shorts...

No parents, hanging out with your new best friends, avoiding any kind of personal hygiene...

Except for Eugene who seems a little out of place - did his parents not get the "what to pack" list? 

He has been writing letters (some of you of a certain age should get this song LOL) letting them know what he really thinks about camp...

Hopefully the other boys are including him in their shenanigans - brown as can be from the sun and getting ready to play ball…

I used gesso to texture the background and then used acrylic paints. The bottom of a flip flop provided the white texture. A white Signo pen for the arrows...and got VERY lucky with the matching Canadian stamps from my stash...on to Week Three. Enjoy. Jewels