--Journal pages!!! Coffee and Tea cards!!

Some journal pages I did for a project-- The subject"Inside -Outside"
3 coffee cards and 3 tea cards- lace on tea card-coffee is coffee stained canvas and real coffee grounds. These are a ATC swap for Roses at my Table.

Bread pudding!! Yummy!

I love bread pudding and here is a quick and easy recipe:
I loaf of cinnamon , raisin bread, 3 eggs, enough milk or half and half to soak the bread, 1/2 cup sugar, chopped small one apple. Mix all together . spray your baking pan and bake for 40 min. at 350. I always put mine in another larger pan with a couple inches of water.

Halloween Accordion Books!!

I made these for my g. granddaughters, they are 5 and 7, will ship them off tomorrow, also a packet of images, ribbons and tags to make their own tags.Hope they will like them.

New journal page!

The subject prompt was your favorite musical instrument, mine is the piano, also the guitar but I chose piano. I love music of all kinds and have always wanted to play the piano.

Seems as though I have upset somebody!!

I really don't know why, If you post something on your blog and it is a famous poet, do you own it??? No you don't.If you post music is it yours , of course not. If you post recipes on your blog and beneath them is a line of icons telling you to send it to your blog, your e-mail, your facebook ,etc. why would someone get offended over sending these recipes to your blog. I don't get it.Somebody help me to understand the serious offense that I have committed.I am upset over this, I am not a thief or someone that needs to copy someone else's work to make my blog. I am proud of what I display here and proud also of the fact that I give freely. I have probably 30 poems on the blog and lots of quotes and sayings. I also do recipes and anyone that wants them can have them, that is what they are there for. I might add I am an excellent cook. You can count on my recipes ,they are tried and tested or I would not put them up for you. So........... I don't get it!!!!

Halloween has arrived at Morning Glory Ln.!!!

Here is my front porch with Chloe and Mathilda standing guard for the halloween and fall season. My daughter and I made these girls a couple of years ago, she has these and so do I.

Glue book pages!!

This was fun to do , I like the idea of having prompts. I have a special book for the glue pages and I think I am going to be happy with it when it is done. Lots of pages though, So long time off.

Reading!! Reading!!

It is so rewarding to read while you are exercising on the bike, you really feel you have accomplished 2 great things at the same time. Right now I am reading Robert Morgan books, he writes books about people in the 40's and also pioneer stories about the strength and resiliance of women(mostly) back in the day when everything you had came from extreme physical labor. I am transported to the days when you churned your own butter and hung beans to dry for winter usage. The salting of apples to preserve and scrubbing the wooden floors til they were white. I love the stories of raising your crops and scratching a livelihood out of the soil. My next author , when I finish Robert , will be Willa Cather. I love poetry and quotes. They are sprinkled throughout Altered expressions blog . Just found this one on a blog:

To Have Succeeded!!

To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.


Ralph Waldo Emerson
This is on my blog a year ago and thought I would repeat it, I just love it!!!

Gathered some recipes and back to the tags:

Paint both sides of layaway tag with black and let dry thoroughly. When it is dry ,coat with elmers glue a medium coat on one side(not clear to the edges) and paint over while wet with orange(don't paint clear to the edges ) leave some black showing.Allow to dry. Wait for the crackles. Punch three holes at bottom even, one in the corners and one in the middle, also punch your top tag hole while you are waiting for the paint to dry.Add tags that have been stamped with BOO. If you don't have these cut some circles out of orange,glue 2 together so it will be sturdy and stamp on that, tie with black embroidery floss. Have to go, be back in a few.

I added some cheesecloth( a piece) a double image of a cat that has pop dots to make it dimensional and also the jack o lantern , Added text that says Halloween. black string for the top . the tag is doubled for stability and I covered it with a decoupage solution of 1/2 elmers and 1/2 water, mixed. 2 light coats. I will do another tomorrow.
This is one of the tags, altered from the etsy collage sheet. Top picture. Added torn orange paper, torn text with ink on edges, picture of lady and witch's hat, pop dot cat with broom and orange ribbon.

here is another- using the layaway tag, layer with black floss and strips of orange and black paper, add some cheesecloth, and a halloween sign, some text and one or two vintage images, tie at top with black floss. The strips, cheescloth and floss add interest to the background.
Here is another cut out frame and put picture behind it with pop dots, gives it dimension and a 3 D like effect. Added images and beads to the painted black background that has been sanded. Orange ribbon.

Coming -Halloween tag tutorial!!

Here is some layaway tags that are free for you to use if you choose. The other side is white so you can follow along when I get started . I bought some tags on etsy from a site called Zandergraphics, the name of the tags are Haunted Halloween tags. Going to take a picture of a couple so you can see if you want to purchase them,These are not free. they will come as a download so almost immediate. The haunted tags are 10 on a sheet(all different), great base for tags, you can print them off as many times as you want and I made them bigger 135% that is a really nice size. The blog for the halloween free images is Magic Moonlight Studio and it would be nice if you left her a comment or became a follower. that is all for today.Gather your supplies, fibers, glue , images, inks, what ever you have that is spooky. tommorrow is another day.

Busy week for me!!--Autumn poems!!!

Spent much of the week working on the Christmas accordion book, had a couple of dr. appointments also this week and managed to make tomato jam from all my cherry tomatoes , about 6 pounds, it turned out very good with pieces of lemon rind cooked into it's sweetness. Made lemon bars and pork chops and rice. This is the time of year for cooking for sure. Going to make tortilla soup today. It is so good , if you haven't made it you just must, the recipe is on the internet under "amazing chicken tortilla soup" Soooo good.
Time to go and buy the stalks and pumpkins for the decorations for fall in front of the house. I have some wooden girls"halloween girls" that have to be put out, will post pictures on the weekend next. love this time of year, the leaves falling and the smell of the air, so clean and fresh. Apple picking time, made a small batch of applesauce yesterday, macintosh and granny smith, really good and sweet , love to leave the skins in too with a little cinnamon, Yummy!!
I am doing the exercise bike twice a day, This week is 2 miles twice a day, takes 16 minutes for each 2 mile ride. Next week I will do 2 1/2 twice. I am reading while I'm riding and it goes so fast it is really unbelievable.
Watching reruns of West Wing, Oh my Gosh what a great series it was. i watch 2 episoes with my morning coffee. Love project runway, survivor, a lot of the cooking shows like chopped.
Been reading books on pioneer life by Robert Morgan, Have been to the library this week, first time in many years , new library opened about 6 months ago, Very modern and so clean and new, but lacks the beauty of the old beautiful building in downtown Beloit, that historic building was donated to the Beloit Collage and they are using it as a library, I think. Glad it is not being torn down.
Well that's all I have to tell you but now that I have written it down, I'm really happy with my accomplishments this week. Hope you have a great and productive week and make some art along with your other fun challenges. Hugs Betty

A FEW AUTUMN POEMS:

"A few days ago I walked along the edge of the lake and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made. The acoustics of this season are different and all sounds, no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air."
- Eric Sloane

The hazy, cloudless skies of Indian Summer. Leaves scurrying down the street
before the wind. The cold shiver from an arctic blast. Indian Summer. The last
warmth of the sun. Chilly mornings and glorious warm afternoons. The Harvest
Moon. The Hunter's Moon. The Rainy Season. Dry corn stalks clattering in the
wind. The touch of frost on grass and window pane. The smell of burning leaves."
- Keith C. Heidorn

I love fall! Fall is exciting.
It's apples and cider.
It's an airborne spider.
It's pumpkins in bins.
It's burrs on dog's chins.
It's wind blowing leaves.
It's chilly red knees.
It's nuts on the ground.
It's a crisp dry sound.
It's green leaves turning
And the smell of them burning.
It's clouds in the sky.
It's fall. That's why...
I love fall."
- Author Unknown

Halloween!!!

A cigar box that I turned into a Halloween scene, crackled with tombstones, haunted house, witch, crows and everything that is spooky.

Christmas accordion book!!!

The buildings on one side spell "Believe" and on the other "Rejoice", there are seven buildings(14 sides) 6 houses and a church. There are lots of elements and lots of sparkle.

"Favorite color" Journal page.

I call this "September, almost gone" Background is done with stabilo crayons, water soluble.

My accordian book!!!

This is my accordian book, made with instruction from R.A.I.L. group at Roses on my table. This was a lot of fun and very labor intensive. i loved it and will make another soon. Hope you like it.