Can I See Through Your Eyes? : Mixed Media Art Journal
Couch Talk
Not much has changed since last week. I am still sitting in the same spot as the last time I typed, just on a different day. We spent some time this weekend preparing my garden for plants. We have had a lot of rain so it was nice to be outside as a family working in the yard and playing basketball. Hubby build up my sweet potato planter so I can add more dirt and he tore some old lumber down to create a pathway in my garden. Hopefully, I will have less weeding to do (my least favorite part of gardening).
Our state is still on lock down but regions are supposed to be opening again, starting on May 8th, depending upon the percentage of the population which has been infected.
I wore a mask for the first time this week while grocery shopping. Hubby had some construction masks on hand so I wore one of those. I figured everyone would feel more comfortable if I wore one, especially the poor young sales guy guarding the store entrance. Everything in me wanted to rebel and walk in with a naked face, while clutching a printout of why I was exempt, but my hubby reminded me that I wouldn’t be protesting to anyone that makes the rules. Not only that, but sometimes showing love to others requires us to speak their love language. And right now, a face covering seems to be a lot of people’s love language. So, I caved and wore the mask. Not because I think the governor has the right to tell me to wear one, but because when I try to see it through the eyes of other people, I think they would say that I care. And if I can show a little bit of the love of Christ to others during this scary time, then I’ll wear the stupid mask. I even took a mask selfie. I am not from a generation of selfie takers but I figured one for documentation of current events would be a great conversation piece some day.
Baking Class
My kids didn’t do any baking this week because I did too much. I hope you are hungry because there are a lot to choose from. All of the bakes include sourdough but surprisingly, it was not too strong of a flavor. My family loved them all.
Blueberry Sourdough discard Muffins.
Creating the Layout
I made this layout some time ago, keeping with the journal theme that you can see in this layout. I used PaperArtsy paints/infusions and stamps for this layout. I used StencilGirl stencils in the background.
Fabric, tissue paper, thread and embossing was added for texture. Don’t you just love these stamps?
Tea Day
Today, I am joining the lovely ladies for Tea over at Elizabeth and Bleubeard’s. My tea today is one I haven’t tried but it is on my wish list. It looks yummy, doesn’t it? It is a Spiced White Pear – White Loose Leaf Tea.
I’d love to hear about your favorite baked good. Leave me a comment.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate
I’m actually glad you chose to wear a mask. It’s less to protect you and more to protect others. I don’t like them, but I wear one when I am out in my front yard. I also wear gloves. Freedom of choice is a very good thing. Better safe than dead is my motto, since I haven’t been anywhere since March 14, when I went grocery shopping.
I absolutely adore your spread, Kate. It’s wonderful. I love the Lynne Perrella stamp. It’s fabulous. You use it so well, too. I adore all the layers and layers you build up, too.
Loved your tea. Spicy pear, cinnamon, and hibiscus sounds incredible. Thanks for sharing your incredible art and your tea with us for T this Tuesday, Kate.
What a really kind way to look at having to wear the mask. But I do get what you say about wearing one in general. I only began to wear mine (before it was mandated) after i went to the grocery store and once inside realized most everyone was wearing one. I’m still not so comfortable about the wearing of the gloves though and don’t wear any.
Gosh, all your wonderful baked goods is making me hungry- and my fave would be the sourdough bread- along with some brie of course;)
Love your journal pages- they are always loaded with details and textures!!
Keep well, and happy T day!
Glad you wore a mask for whatever reason. Wonderful journal page, love all the details, and your baked goods look more than delightful. Happy T Day, Valerie
Yes, first time with a mask yesterday, too. Not fun when you wear glasses, BOOM, sight is gone.
But at least the eyes are covered!
I asked the cash-out girl how she´s coping, and she said “barely”. She has to wear it all shift long, ugh!
Sweet tooth hibernates again. But I love your journal!
Meat pie. 🙂 We have a pie maker. Does that count? A happy T-day to you!
Your sour dough bakes all look delicious and yes that tea blend does sound lovely as well.
As yet the UK government haven’t made masks a must wear item here , but as I’m not able to go out yet it could be a future rule.
Your art project looked fantastic,
Stay safe.
Yvonne xx
I love the way you justify wearing a mask. My feelings exactly, but I didn’t have the eloquence to articulate it like you did. Bravo. (I also use my hubby’s construction mask)
Where is your selfie? Since you mentioned it, I was expecting to see it!
Great journal page. I love those ‘puppets’ and the doodles along the edges of the page. Have you shown us this one before? I seem to remember the puppets. Perhaps you have used those images before in something else…
Yes, that tea blend sounds very interesting. I’m sure you will let us know when you eventually are able to buy it.
Your baked goods all look very yummy. I don’t think I have a favorite. I forgot to mention it in my blog but I have started a Herman Friendship cake. It has a starter which needs feeding like sourdough starter does, but it starts with dried yeast, so it doesn’t depend on free floating yeasts in the air. I am on day four and it is bubbly and smells yeasty. I am doing it together with my cousin in the Netherlands, so we can compare notes. If and when this is successful, I will have another go at sourdough starter. I have tried (and failed) before. I have now found some rye flour. They say that is better to make a starter. Unfortunately I don’t know anyone who does sourdough bread, so I can’t beg a bit of starter off somebody else. It is not made in the bakery either, so I will have to make it myself.
Happy T-Day,
Hugs,
Lisca
Kate I hate wearing a mask and only put it on when I reach the store as walking in them is very hard. Makes you very hot too.
Your baking looks so delicious, I am on my way to sample them all, there is no way I could choose just one , they all look amazing, alas we still have no flour and I made my last pumpkin bread from the box, trader Joe’s, it is delicious.
Your journal is gorgeous, so much texture and embellishments and colour.
Take care and Happy T Day
Jan x
It’s so lovely of you to be wear a mask for others, it really shows you care 😀. It’s not mandatory to wear them here in the UK but I’ve seen some people wearing them while we were food shopping. Your pages are spectacular, I love the intricacies of the design and all those wonderful layers – so beautiful! Wow, all those baked good look so good, I’d happily try a piece of each but maybe not all at once …lol 😉. It sounds like you are having a great time with your kids, keeping them busy in the yard and cooking too! Your Spiced White Pear sounds delicious! Happy T Day wishes and keep well! Hugs, Jo x
We have a tentative start re-opening date of May 5, depending on how the stats look. We’ll see. Our church denomination here in TN is keeping churches closed through May. I agree about the masks. I have a seasonal cough, and me wearing a mask makes folks a bit less uncomfortable. Plus it does help slow spread if people who have it but are asymptomatic wear them. And that could be any of us 🙁 We’ve ordered some masks, and when they come I’ll be grateful to be out of jerry-rigged bandana territory lol
Your baking looks delicious! Your tea does, too. Happy T Tuesday!
Your baked goods look delicious. And your artwork is fantastic. I do love the stamps you used.
I have mixed feelings about wearing the masks as well, partly because of the mixed messages the US Government has given us about them (and a lot of other things related to covid-19). First our Government said cloth masks wouldn’t protect anyone, then they became mandatory (at least here in Connecticut). No mask? No entry into the Grocery Store.
Connecticut was very slow to do testing, despite the outbreak in New York City which spread to Fairfield County in Connecticut. Now they’re offering rapid testing via CVS. Go to the website, and answer the questions, to find out if you can get a test. What symptoms are they asking about: fever, cough, shortness of breath. Guess what? Some don’t have any of those symptoms, but DO have the symptom of losing their sense of taste and/or sense of smell, without having the other symptoms, and ARE positive with covid-19. But the CVS site doesn’t ask about those symptoms.
I’m always impressed with the texture in your work. The layers…amazing too. I’m baking some no-knead bread today myself. IT’s a cold and rainy day…perfect for soup and bread.
I’d love to know how you do the sourdough starter. Mr G loves sourdough. I could take it or leave it. But I’d certainly be willing to give it a shot.
Take care and Happy T day!
Thank you for wearing a mask, I’m one of the elder artists whose immune system is destroyed. I’ve had to go our only twice so far. At this time in my state the pharmacy and grocery clerks, post office didn’t wear masks.
I’m glad you had some outdoor time with family, Kate.
Masks just became mandatory in our state and we’re still on lockdown too. Sometimes I wonder if we’ll ever get back the civil rights we’ve lost to COVID-19.
Your baked goods look wonderful. So far you’ve avoided trying creme brulee – lol.
Fabulous funky pages.
Belated Happy T-Day! Eileen xx
It is true that by using a mask you show others that you care, that you protect yourself and that you protect them, although they say that the Fpp2 and Fpp3 masks without an extraction valve are the safest. I have not used masks yet, because my son is the one who is going to buy and we do online shopping too, and I have always use maks.
Then, I have to say that your Art journal pages are really Amazing !! How I love the layers and the so beautiful texture of the background! Great design and details.
How delicious everything you have seen looks, I would not know what to choose 🙂 Happy T-day!
I wish you a very nice afternoon, stay safe and healthy, and big hugss
Caty
Oh, my! Your bakes make me want to lick the screen. They look so delicious. I just didn’t have luck with the sourdough,. Fun journal page. Makes me think of a set of cards I had as a kid. You could mix and match heads, bodies, and feet to create all sorts of characters. Take care and Happy T Day
I’ve been wearing a mask too ~ I also took a selfie to remember this strange and unsettling time. WOW you have been baking! wonderful for you and your family. I’m glad your finding time to do art too ~ we need to have that creative freedom, now more then ever. ~ Blessings to you
I wouldn’t call masks stupid. People are nervous and worried and if you care about others you wear one out, whether the mask you wear helps or not. I wish the worker at my mom’s assisted living had worn one. It might have made her not catch the covid 19 she has caught. And you certainly have some great looking sourdough creations. You have been busy. Hope it was a happy T day.