"Deja Hue" Dirty Dozen Design Team Challenge

Over a year ago I wrote in THIS POST that I was given the great honor in the paper-crafting world to join the "Dirty Dozen" on Splitcoaststampers.   Splitcoaststampers is an on-line paper crafting community where crafters can learn new techniques, chit chat with each other, share their art work, and so much more.  One part of this community is "The Dirty Dozen".  This is an invitation only group of crafters whose work is seen as exemplary so they are asked to be part of the Dirty Dozen.  The requirements of the Dirty Dozen is to create six cards for six months centered around a different theme each month.  The cards then are uploaded into the "Dirty Dozen Gallery" and only fan club members are allowed to see them.  After six months, Dirty Dozen members are allowed to post them elsewhere on social media or their blogs.  I've been showing  five different sets of cards each month, and today I am finally going to show you my very last set of cards.

The theme for my last Dirty Dozen Challenge was "Deja Hue".  It was a "Play on Words" challenge.  Deja Vu is the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time.  For this challenge, participants were told that instead of scenes and events, to remember colors (hues).  Some ideas for inspiration were:

• Be inspired by color combinations
• Make a new card inspired by the colors of an older card of yours
• Make a project using a color combination that has had meaning in your life
• Try any coloring tutorial

There are no hard rules in the Dirty Dozen Challenge so I just focused some of my six cards around color itself.

Stitched Paint Palette

For my first card, I used one of Spellbinder's stitching dies called "Stitched Paint Palette".  I love the sentiment from MFT.  I always feel we should be ourselves in life and not to pretend to be someone we're not. 

To make this card, I cut out all the pieces in the die set and stitched them up.  The color pieces and solid white panel behind the brush were popped up on dimensionals.  I stamped the sentiment in white craft ink and used white embossing powder to really make it pop.

Smooshed Ink

For my next card, I actually did try a coloring technique I found on Pinterest called "Smooshed Ink".  It's the easiest technique in the world; anyone can do it.  Simply take a clear acrylic stamping block, apply several different shades of ink to it, and smoosh it onto your paper.

To make my card, after I did the "Smooshed Ink" technique I stamped some funky flowers in black ink and then embossed them a sparkly black embossing powder.  The sentiment is a die cut.  I added crystals for embellishment.  It is a very simple but interesting card.

Wedding Colors 

Anyone who got married in the 80's probably had peach as their wedding color.  I had peach as my main color with teal as my accent.

To make this card I used the stamp set "Spring Time Wishes" from MFT.  I stamped the girl out twice, once on the main panel and another time on a piece of scrap paper so I could pop her skirt, flowers and hair bow up on dimensionals.  I embossed the background with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and then swiped a white ink over the raised portions to pop them out more.  

Paint Palette

This was another easy card to make.  I did the background by just swiping water colors in streaks onto watercolor paper.  Then I cut a paint palette using a die from MFT and adhered all the pieces together.  The background on the paint palette was done with markers.  The sentiment was created with white ink and white embossing powder.

French Painter

For this card I used a new-to-me product called "Lunar Paste" and a stencil.  I put the shiny, textured  inside the stencil holes which created this fun paint splatter background.  The little girl is a stamp from MFT.  I stamped her separately, fussy-cut her out, then popped her up on dimensionals.  The sentiment was adhered with two purple brads. 

Have A Sweet Day

For my last card I chose colors from a Splitcoaststampers color challenge.  

To make this card, I used a Spellbinder's stitching die called "Stitched Ice Cream".  I cut all my pieces out, did some ink blending, and then stitched and assembled.  I sprayed sheer shimmer over the ice cream and added some glitter too.  The cherry has glossy accents on it.  The background was done with a Cuttlebug embossing folder.

I hope you enjoyed my last set of Dirty Dozen cards.  Now I have so many cards, I have no need to make new ones for a long, long time. 

Have A Great Day!  Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!
 

Tropical Prints with Ageless Style

Ageless Style is a monthly style challenge and link up for women of all ages.   Each month we pick a different theme and style an outfit based on that theme.  This month's theme is "Tropical Prints" and it was picked by Mirelle.

It is summer time and what screams summer more than Tropical Prints?  I was shopping at TJMaxx the other day and I couldn't believe all the items with tropical prints they had! They sure must be trending this year, and I certainly don't mind for I always loved fun tropical prints.

Although I already own several items in my closet with tropical prints, they are all in neutral colors and I really wanted to wear something with more color for this post.  I had some reward points from JCPenney that needed to be used before they expired, so when I found this fun tropical print dress into my cart it went.  After my points, I only spent $8.67 on THIS DRESS. 

I ordered it on-line so I was a little shocked how short it was.  I'm 5'7 with a long torso so most above-the-knee dresses are too short on me.  I might only wear this at home or as a beach cover up.  But I sure do love it.  The fit and flare style is always one of my favorites, and the tropical print is so fun!

I styled my new dress with a chambray shirt, a large beach tote bag, and yellow flower flip flops.

Even my jewelry was tropical like this hand made beaded bracelet with sea shells and fish beads. 

I chose a necklace and earrings that had beach colors in them.

Isn't the tropical print on this dress just so fun and whimsical?

Don't like to wear too much color?  Here I'm wearing tropical print pants in neutral tones:

And what if you don't like prints at all?  Well you can still join the tropical trend by wearing tropical colors like the bright coral I have on below:

Whether it's bright, fun tropical prints, neutral colored tropical prints, or just tropical solid colors there are many ways you can join in on the tropical style this summer!

Now be sure to check out what the other ladies in the group are wearing and link up with us as well!

Amy ~ Amy’s Creative Pursuits

Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook 

Bo ~ Bo's Bodacious Blog

Blog / Instagram /Pinterest / Bloglovin'

Jennifer ~ Overflowing with Thankfulness

Blog/ Instagram / Pinterest

Joanne ~ My Slice of Life

Blog

Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style

Blog | Instagram | Facebook 

Leslie ~ Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After

Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook 

Marsha~ Marsha in the Middle

Blog /Instagram

Mireille ~ Chez Mireille Fashion Travel Mom

Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook |

Have A Great Day!  Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

The George Wythe House, the Capitol, and more in Colonial Williamsburg

This is the fourth post of a new travel series.  In this series, we are headed east starting in Wisconsin and going all the way to Virginia to see the home of George Washington and Colonial Williamsburg.  To start at the beginning, go HERE where  we stop in Indiana to celebrate Easter with my daughter, son-in-law, and our grandchildren.

After touring the Governor's Palace we walked down the Palace Green street heading towards Williamsburg next must-see attraction:  The Capitol.  However, we made a few stops along the way. 😀. We were told that any building that had an American Flag displayed outside was open to go inside.  If the building did not have a flag, it wasn't open that day.  The first building we saw that had a flag was a bakery/coffee shop, and they had the most delicious looking scones I ever saw in my life for only $4.00.  I would have purchased one but it was so early in the morning I wasn't hungry and I didn't want to have to carry a scone all day.  Boy, was that a mistake, because we didn't see anything worthwhile to eat for a long time after I saw that scone and I wished I would have purchased it and just carried it till I got hungry.  I believe that building was called the "McKenzie Apothecary" so my advice, if you see that building, BUY THE SCONE! 😄

Continuing on down the Palace Green, the next open building we saw was the George Wythe House.  The picture above shows the beautiful backyard.

Only a small amount of people are let in at a time.  A tour guide takes you to the backyard to tell you all about George Wythe, and then you're allowed to tour the house and gardens at your leisure.   

Here is the hallway where a character dressed tour guide is available to answer any questions.

George Wythe was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and the first law professor in the United States. He lived in the home with his wife Elizabeth.  He taught law students in his home, including Thomas Jefferson who he later became life long friends.  George Washington used his home as his headquarters and likely planned the battle of Yorktown at the house.  So this house has quite the history indeed!

This is the original home and it was built in 1755.  Below is the dining room.

In the front parlor we were entertained by a singing trio that also played musical instruments.  I've included a short video of them singing below the photograph.

Pictured below is George Wythe's office where he likely taught his law students.

Me standing at the staircase landing.

George and Elizabeth only had one child, who died in infancy, but they often took in college students, like Jefferson, who was orphaned at 16.

I couldn't believe how wide the upstairs hallway was;  so different from today's narrow hallways.  This hallway could have been a room in and of itself. 

Back outside after our tour, we visited the Wythe's gorgeous gardens.  They also had outdoor cabins which we explored.  The Wythes did have 14-17 slaves which either lived at their home or on their plantation. George did free most of his slaves after his wife’s death.

This was probably their outdoor kitchen which most homes had back in the day for cooling and safety reasons.

So many of the homes had beautiful gardens and the George Wythe house was one of them.  I loved this unique tree and the vine covered pathway.

Once we finished touring the gardens and outer buildings of the Wythe home, we continued on our walk of the enchanting streets of Colonial Williamsburg and caught another view of a horse and carriage riding by.

Even if you can’t go inside every single building, they sure are pretty to look at from the outside too!

Next we came upon a building where they were demonstrating how they made the iron rings to go around wooden barrels and butter churns.

The wheelwright was a fun stop. We couldn’t believe how large the wheels were!

More cute colonial homes!

I loved this blue carriage!

The Colonial Williamsburg “characters” frequently walk about town engaging with guests and they are always willing to stop for a photo if you ask them.  I loved this costume! Doesn’t it just scream Colonial times? So fun.

Our next stop was carpentry shop. The building that housed the carpenters was as interesting as the carpenters themselves for the house was built right over a creek!

We were told by our shuttle driver to be sure and stop by the Raleigh Tavern Bakery to buy a cookie, but by the time we got there at NOON they were all sold out.  We thought that was kinda crazy to be sold out so early in the day. I was sure wishing I bought that scone I saw earlier in the morning for I was getting pretty hungry by now.  The bakery also sells lots of other things like sandwiches and other baked goods but the pickings were pretty slim by the time we arrived.

I did enjoy peeking at the backyard colonial garden next door.

Our next stop was the Public Gaol or jail. This was a fun stop seeing how they kept prisoners back in the day.

A cell.

Old cell door.

Finally it was time to see the next big attraction in Colonial Williamsburg:  The Capitol!

The Williamsburg Capitol was the center of British authority.   Here, they debated who was entitled to justice, representation, and liberty.

This is a reconstruction built on the old foundation of the original capital building that stood from 1705 to 1747.

It never ceased to amaze me all the care and detail that went into these reconstructed buildings.

A costumed tour guide takes you through the buildings and explains the significance of each room.  The photo below is the General Court.

The Governor's Council were appointed by the king or queen and served as the upper house of Virginia legislature. They considered legislation, managed several aspects of colonial affairs, and advised the governor.  This body was made up of the leading members of the colon's wealthiest and most powerful families. 

Along with the governor, the Council also acted as the highest civil and criminal court.  They had jurisdiction over all kinds of criminal, civil, and even religious cases.  Their most famous case  occurred in 1718 when the a group of Blackbeard pirates were sentenced to death!

Oh, just look at that magnificent door!

The Council Chamber 

This room served as a meeting place for the Governor's Council.

I loved this view of the streets of Colonial Williamsburg seen from a second story window.

The Conference Room

This room was used as a joint meeting place for joint committees of the House of Burgess and the Governor's Council.  It was considered "neutral ground" where members of both parties could come together and discuss issues.

The Committee Room

Another room for both parties to discuss and debate issue in a neutral spot in the Capitol.

House of Burgess

The House of Burgesses was the lower branch of colonial Virginia's General Assembly, elected by property-owners.

Looking back in the House of Burgess from the view of the Speaker's Chair.

The Capitol was a very educational and esthetically beautiful building where we learned all about the colony's judicial system and government.  It is a must-see attraction if you are ever in Colonial Williamsburg.

Next week I will cover Colonial Williamsburg's next big highlight:  The Courthouse, along with other fun attractions along the way.

Have A Great Day!  Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!

 See these posts for more information on Colonial Williamsburg:

The Governors Palace