April Tea Swap - Part 2

 

I have often been asked, why I do not incorporate my photos more when creating cards. Well most of the times I worry, that the photos would steal too much of the focus on the card.

 

A big part of spring to me are blooming cherry trees - both the traditional ones, and the ones from Asia. As there are a lot of botanical exhibits with flowers, paintings etc. on several local museums it made me think of our Flora Danica, so I created this card for Byron.

The digi stamp is from A Day For Daisies and made me think of the drawings that would be in Flora Danica - in our day of age, the flowers would be depicted by photos showing the various sorts of cherry trees, their flowers etc. The stamped branch is what it would look like here, and the flower rich branches on the photos on of the kinds from Asia (the photo is from Nanjing, China).

 

Hope Byron liked this creation and the tea/goodies sent his way.

 

April Tea Swap - Part 1

Second post today - which I actually had intended to do a few weeks back, but work and a new personal challenge is stealing time - the challenge will be relevealed when I have more info regarding (hopefully) my part of it.

 

April month's tea swap partner was Byron from Hawaii. Being the only male participant in the swap he expressed somewhat worries about being part of it - and without reason as I think he did a good job.

This cards reminds me of a peak into somebody's garden - sometimes one passes by gardens regualy on one's way and thereby letting you follow the garden flower season - at other occations you get to walk new paths, where one encounters new gardens and thereby getting new inspiration.

 

The optional theme was: spring - The optional color theme was: pastel colors.

 

The little hedgehog invited me to tea: Hawaiian mango and passion fruit black teas. 

The swap arrived on Mother Ocean Day - May 11th - perfect timing of the arrival as the swap included this paper weight. I was a bit stunned when I saw the paperweight - I have actually been on the outlook for one for years - have looked at a lot of them but had not encountered one I liked - and now I was holding the perfect one in my hand.

 

Why is it perfect? Well my job is in the maritme world, and I have the habit of bringing home shells if I have been on vacation near a beach. The paper weight is see-through (would not get all the details if photographed on a bright background) but it brings out daydreaming of walks at a beach.

 

Thanks for being my swap partner Byron.

 

Let the Devil Sleep

What is the most trust worthy:

• The documentary filmed when it happens?
• The documentary done after it happens?

And can we really rely on a documentary, or is the documentary bias? Is the documentary going the reality show style?

 

In my world there are two types of documentaries: 1) The one that depicts the facts based on certain facts and sources, and 2) the one that wants to move all the way into out living room going the rality show style.

 

I enjoy no. 1 and actually have several recorded on the HD box that I want to see - plus a couple of years back, the company I work with had to go through a sitiation which management decided to have documented in order for the outside world to see how a sitation liked that is handled. The facts were treated with a lot of respect.

 

No. 2 I utterly dislike.

 

So what has this got to do with John Verdon's 3rd book about Dave Gurney?

 

Dave decides to meet with the daughter, Kim, of a friend that is about to do a documentary about some unsolved murders done by the serial killer The Good Shepard 10 years ago. He acts like a consultant but gets curious as there are too many things that does not quite add up: Why did the killings suddenly stop?

 

Somebody do show an interest for the murdrs to stay unsolved, so suddenly strange things happen in Kim's appartment and Dave finds a razor sharp arrow in his yard. Seems like some law-enforcement officers regard Dave as an old biddy with her wellmeant insigts on some facts (Miss Marple came to mind when reading and created a smile on my face) which should not be overlooked.

 

Dave is recovering from the events in "Shut Your Eyes Tight" and tries in the beginning not to become too involved - but he is strugling with a killer that simply has to be exposed and caught.

 

Another good read about Dave Gurney. Got one of those association experiences while reading the book. The simple words "Good morning Dave" just triggered something from the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey " - just heard the voice of HAL in my head - made me laugh that my mind had made that particular comparison.

 

Last Wool and Testament

T.G.I.F. - Thank God It's Friday... Well this time it's Thank God It's Fiber

When the rain is coming down creating that special sound on the windows, one knows that it is the perfect opportunity to read a book. This time the first in a haunted yarn shop mystery series, Last Wool and Testament by Molly MacRae (second one one comes out in July and is already pre-ordered).

 

Kath returns to Blue Plum, Tennessee when her aunt Ivy have died. When Kath arrives, it like her pressence scratches the surface of bad things and everthing is not quite as it seems. She has inherited the aunt's fiber and fabric shop, the Weaver's cat, and.... well something quite unexpected.

 

She discovers, that her aunt was the prime suspect in a murder, and she now sets out to solve the mystery with a new helper, a stubborn ghost called, Geneva.

 

I like the plot and the paranormal touch, but feel like I am missing something. Think the something is, that I do not get the same "closeness" with fibers/yarn as with othe other knitting mysteries, that I have read - where you could almost feel the yarn in your hands, be amazed by wonderful colors and hear the noise of clicking needles working the yarn. It is not until 3/4 into the book that you feel this close encounter, which should have happened a little sooner. Looking forward to read her second book in this series and see if this was just a slow introduction to the shop's universe.

WE WON!!!!!

Of 39 participating countries, little old Denmark just won the European song contest held in Malmö, Sweden.

 

Emelie de Forest captured the first place with her Only Teardrops - I did not watch when Denmark chose our contribution, but when somebody told me a month later, that the song being played at a bar was actually our song for the contest I was truly amazed since it has been years since I last liked one of our songs :o)

 

Well some of you have not watched the show, but here is the winning song:

TILLYKKE EMELIE!!!!!

Elefashion - Bonus Elephants

Besides the 10 elephants on display in Elefashion, blue elephants were promoting the event outside the two entrances of the shopping mall and at the nearby city hall. Additional 8 art elephants were on display arranged by one of the event's organizers Rikki Tikki.

Showing 3 of them here and a 4th one was displayed when I invited you to take a walk with me to see the Elefashion.

Was not the only one finding a mobile phone in a bag and then capture the elephants - exchange of smiles and not getting in the way of other elephant lover's cameraes. Smiling at small kids super exhited to see an elephant and then another one and then another one..... :o)