Happy Monday- Drive by photographer

Happy Monday. Drive by photographer, Marie Segal here.

Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday weekend (4th of July here in the good ole USA).
We will resume life tomorrow. The governmental offices are closed and the post office is closed, Ups will not deliver or pick up, but spending money is allowed. All stores will be open at least sometime during the day today and most likely they will be holding huge holiday sales to get you to come in and spend the money you do not have! I live in California, a couple of the people might have money though. They all live in Hollywood. ;-D

Tonight my one cat will be buried as far as she can get somewhere, freaking out about the noise. Thunderstorms and fireworks do this to her.

It is the birth of our nation.
Happy Birthday Nation!!
Eat hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, chips, coleslaw, fruit salad, corn, watermelon, and do not forget the dessert, till you are in a coma! Then go shopping. ;-D

I thought since this is the day that commemorates the birth of our nation, what better place to show you than pictures of West Virginia and Virginia?
I took these from a moving vehicle so this qualifies me as a drive by photographer.

Those red, white, and blue banners hanging from the porch are the thing to do in this area.
What a gorgeous home and yard. I am, though, curious to know the significance of the horse. Ah, the perils of drive by photography.

Cemeteries and rock buildings are also a part of this area. I approve, it looks so nice, doesn't it?
This one was especially nice.

Cemeteries are everywhere actually. Hey, I see some rock on that building on the right too!

Churches are also prevalent. Everywhere.
Some of the issues of drive by photography are the angles your wrist and camera has to be in to take photos. ;-D I photoshoped for you though.

This looks like it might have been a church at one time! Just a beautiful place. Missed the front of it though, moving too fast.

The beauty of the land must have made our ancestors cry after being in a boat for months and months.

I wonder what they would think of the massive houses now?

This land is our land and it is a gorgeous place, sometimes you just have to search it out. We need to cherish it and take care of it. Look for the beauty where you live, it is there.
Happy 4th of July!!

Fave Crafts 4th of July ebook

Every once in a while I write something for Fave Crafts http://www.favecrafts.com/. It is a wonderful website and community of crafters, bloggers, talented people, and a helpful and busy editorial staff. I enjoy working and playing in this community and they are very nice to me!!

Always love that.

So this is a shout out to them and their new 4th of July ebook, click on the image of the book to take you to the pdf.

Explore a new collection of 4th of July crafts created by some of our favorite craft bloggers. You will find 21 different July 4th craft ideas from 21 different bloggers, including easy craft projects using recycled materials from around the house. Find crochet, knitting and simple sewing crafts, fourth of July centerpieces and much more in this patriotic eBook. Here is the link to the blog. http://www.favecraftsblog.com/4th-of-july-crafts-blogger-edition-2010-ebook/

 Bloggers in the eBook:

1.4th of July Wooden Stick Flags by Terri O. of Super Simple Crafts

2.Felt Star Napkin Rings by Kathy Beymer of Merriment Design

3.Firecracker Centerpiece by Heather of Small Fry & Co.

4.Fourth of July Chalkboard Labels by Lindsay of Living with Lindsay

5.Grand Old Flag by Becca Rowberry of Naptime Journal

6.Independence Day Crochet Kitty by Armina Parnagian of Armina’s Animals

7.July 4th Candleholders by Heidi Borchers of Eco-Heidi

8.July 4th Clay Pot Bell by Vicki O’Dell of Creative Goddess

9.July 4th Party Poppers by Little Birdie Secrets

10.July 4th Utensil Bundles by Molly Kozera of Bit O’Shine

11.Paper Star Fourth of July Centerpieces by Rachel Theall of Happay Scraps

12.Patriotic Crochet Bow Tie by Emi Harrington of Hectanooga

13.Proud to be American Wall Art by Terri Sproul of Terri Sproul Blog

14.Star Spangled Banner by Chasity Gordon of Belle and Burger

15.4th of July Road Strip Quilt Design by Benita Skinner of Victoriana Quilt Designs

16.American Clay Hearts by Marie Segal of Art from my Heart

17.American Flag Loom Knit Hat: Version 2 by Michael Sellick of Mikeyssmail

18.Patriotic Cloth Napkins by June Scroggin of Junie Moon

19.Patriotic Star Pinwheel by Sheila of Cheeky Magpie

20.Picnic Helpers Tutorial by Rachel Griffith of P.S. I Quilt

21.Independence Day Scrapbook Layout by Einat Kessler of Scrappin’ It

There are live links to all the bloggers at the Fave crafts blog post above.
Thank you Favecrafts.

American Hearts

I thought this would be good to have up before July 4th so you could work on it!
Here is another project from the Hearts of Dimension series. Here is the first one and the first one is the basic instructions, so you will need this link ttp://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/02/happy-valentines-day.html

All of the products in the bold print you can get from my husband's on line store, Clay Factory.

http://www.clayfactory.net/ and thank you for shopping at the Clay Factory!
Cernit
Opaque White- 029
Christmas Red- 036
Blue- 017
Gold- 122
Makin’s Clay Heart set- 35011
Needle tool- RNT or ABUG
5/16” star cutter
Clay Blade- AKTBLA
Clay Machine- 35054
Eye hooks
10 mm posts and backs
Cyanoacrylate glue


1. Condition and roll out on the thickest setting in the clay machine a 1” ball of opaque white clay.
Condition and roll out on the thickest setting in the clay machine a 1” ball of red clay.
Cut the white clay so you have a strip that is 1” x 2” long.
Cut a strip of red the same size as the white.
Lay the red clay on top of the white clay so the edges line up.

2. Cut 4- 1/8” slices of the stacked colors; stack one on top of the other. Or... you can cut 1/8”slice and drag the blade towards yourself to attach the slice to the blade and place the slice and the blade a top the stack to measure and cut the next slice.

Keep cutting and bringing towards yourself to stick the slices to the blade until you have 4 sets.

3. Make two of those 4 slice stacks, turn one around horizontally 180 degrees and stack one on top of the other.

4. Cut the stack in half.

5. Rotate one of the slabs horizontally 180 degrees and stack on top of the other.
Line up the lines so everything matches and then compact the cane to attach all of the slices. One at a time press on the lined side and then rotate stack ¼ turn and press that lined side, keep rotating and pressing all 4 lined sides to compact all of the squares together. Do not press to change the size, just to compact.



6. Slice off a 1/8” slice of the checkerboard cane and roll through the clay machine on the thickest setting. Rotate the slice ¼ turn and turn down the setting on the clay machine to the 2nd thickest setting and roll the slice through again. Roll the slice through the clay machine on the 3rd thickest setting the same direction as the step above with out rotating the slice.

7. Condition and roll out blue clay in the clay machine on the thickest setting.
8. Cut out 2 hearts using the medium cutter from the heart set.

9. Cut out 2 of the small hearts out of the checkerboard pattern and place on top of the blue cut out hearts. Press these gently in to place with out smashing.

10. Follow steps 4 and 5 in the valentine sweethearts instructions to add the marks and make the dots around the outside of the Blue heart.

11. Condition and roll out some gold clay on the 5th thickest setting in the clay machine and cut out a gold star with the 5/16” cutter and place it in the middle of the small heart at the top. Press gently in to place and do the same steps to the other blue heart. Refer to finished hearts on at the top of the page for placement.
12. Bake according to steps 9 and 10 in valentine sweethearts.
13. Glue on earring backs and let dry completely.

I bet you can come up with other things to do with that left over checkerboard too!