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Monday, July 3, 2017

Driving Through the Wind Farms

I recently returned from our annual Santa Fe trip, and we chose a new route that we really ended up liking a lot.

Typically, we went out to Ft. Stockton, and then up into New Mexico on a long stretch of 285. However, in the last ten years, they've been fracking on either side of that road, and it's ruined the road in numerous ways - the heavy trucks have destroyed the road itself, and the number of trucks has ruined the traffic pattern - you're always stuck behind a truck, unable to pass for long periods of time, and so the trip has lengthened each year. When you're talking about lengthening an eleven hour drive, you develop some dark thoughts about the route.

So this year, we went up 183, through Sweetwater, through Brownwood and Lubbock. It was a much better, faster route, now that they've raised the speed limits through most of it - we used to go this way but it was 13 hours because they made you crawl through the numerous small towns, but now - not only did we have cell service most of the way, but it was faster and prettier and there were more places to get gas, and no fracking trucks.

But one part really unsettled me, and that was the section through Sweetwater and its bizarre wind farms. There were THOUSANDS of wind turbines, and because it's somewhat hilly there, as we were driving through - you'd see just blades turning while you were driving - sticking up over a hill and turning quickly at an odd angle to the road, everywhere you looked. The hills make it so they are at all different heights, and honestly - I don't get motion sick, but I felt queasy. It seemed like the road and the ground were spinning from just the inescapable spinning all around us. I couldn't wait to get it out of my field of vision and see just the earth again.

I was going to do a watercolor sketch of it when I got to Santa Fe, and just document how disturbing the experience was, but I couldn't capture it in a drawing. On the way home, going back through there, I thought about how sad it was that this supposedly "clean" energy has RUINED what used to be a beautiful part of Texas - a pretty, empty, hilly stretch where you could see forever - a huge expanse of blue sky and rolling land is now a mechanized, ugly nightmare. They create deserts and harm wildlife too. The law of unintended consequences is brutal. It made me sad, and not very many things make me sad.

I lived my life outside as a kid, and have always loved just being alone with the plants and the bugs and the animals, and it's still my favorite place to be, although I don't drink boiling hot water out of the garden hose anymore, thankfully :). Not sure how we survived that, Jell-O, Super Elastic Bubble Plastic and cars without seatbelts, but we did.

One of the things I love most about Santa Fe is that once we park the car, we don't get back in it, and I spend hours and hours every day walking. This year - we went at a different time - and the flowers were spectacular. Hollyhocks that were seven feet tall lined the streets, and sprung up out of little cracks in the pavement. There were pansies, and cherries and apples on the trees, cottonwood fluff floating down like snow - it was magical.

Inside, I painted. I sketched and I played with the new My Monthly Hero Kit and watercolor. I wanted to experiment with perspective and masking and materials like glass and metal, which are terrifying in watercolor. Or I thought they were. Turns out, they are just colors after all.

The kit is beautiful - here's what comes in it. Yes - that's a full sized Distress Oxide ink pad.
My Monthly Hero July 2017 by Understandblue
I wanted to challenge myself, so I didn't use the dies.

For my first project, I arranged the bucket and watering can behind the jar from the kit. To do this, I stamped and masked the bucket first, and then stamped the watering can and the jar - all stamping except the sentiment was done in Distress Weathered Wood - stamped off once so it was very light. The flowers are from the add-on set Little Florals (add-ons are not limited time, by the way), and those I just stamped without masking because they would appear "through" the glass. Then with my trusty Silver Brush, I very carefully painted the images with Daniel Smith watercolor. The outline of the jar was done with Fuchsite, and the water with Manganese Blue Hue. I wanted the watering can and the bucket to seem like they were made of different types of metal, so I painted one with Payne's Blue-Grey, and the Other with Neutral Tint. To make the flowers look like they were inside and behind the glass, I just watered down the colors I used there in those areas and used less water for the parts not behind glass. But my FAVORITE part of this card is the wood. I took a somewhat dry 1/4" flat Silver Brush and just dragged it across the card in various colors, after using this masking tape to give myself a straight horizontal. By the way - don't go on vacation without grid paper. Straight lines are impossible without it. Ask me how I know. After I got a woodgrain texture I liked, I painted a thin, dark line halfway up to make it look like a gap between two boards. Then I went back with neutral tint to create shadows. I really ended up loving this card. The sentiment is from an add-on set - Summer Garden.
My Monthly Hero July 2017 by Understandblue


Then, I wanted to keep going with the masking. By the way, the most inexpensive and easy to use masking paper is this one - it's all I use outside the tape.

I could not resist the snail image in the Summer Garden stamp set, and despite my attempts at realism for the flowers, I had to paint the snail from my childhood, in completely unrealistic colors. To set this up - I stamped the snail first - this time in India Ink - I didn't do no-line on this card - and then stamped him on masking paper and masked him. THEN, I stamped that vine of flowers from Summer Garden and masked those too. Then and only then did I stamp the watering can in black on top of those images. Then I masked the top of the can and stamped the other flowers and the foliage, removed all the masks and painted them. The sentiment is from the Daisy & Bugs bundle. I just hinted at ground underneath the image. By this time I was full-on in love with that Neutral Tint watercolor - wow.
My Monthly Hero July 2017 by Understandblue


Finally - I went back to glass. I love the delicate flowers in the stamp set from the kit, and I thought they were perfect for those little soda bottle images - sort of wispy and relaxed. So no masking this time, but I did repeat the woodgrain because it was ridiculously fun. All images here are from the kit.

My Monthly Hero July 2017 by Understandblue


This was so fun and relaxing - so perfect for a peaceful vacation. I can't wait to go back - re-entry is hard!

If you want to win one of these kits, there's a blog hop, but remember, if you REALLY want one - they are gone when they are gone (unless you're a subscriber) so you can get yours here. The products are worth $74, so it's a steal and a half. LITERALLY. And, if you buy the kit and you win the drawing, they will credit you back, so you're safe either way - how cool is that?

Anyway, I'm as excited as you are to see what everyone else has done with it - so let's check it out, shall we?

The Hero Arts Blog
Jennifer McGuire
Wanda Guess
May Park
Yana Smakula
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Kathy Racoosin
Lydia Fiedler
Amy Tsuruta
Michelle Short
Libby Hickson

Thanks for stopping by today - leave me a comment about your favorite place to vacation to be entered in the kit drawing, and have an A1 day! :)

Loveyameanitbye.

195 comments:

  1. Hey, Lydia, it was fun checking in on your blog today and seeing all these pretty cards you made with this Hero Arts kit. Beautiful work.

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  2. I love your wood! All of the cards are beautiful. What a great kit!

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  3. Your cards... stunning! The wood painting just blows my mind. So beautiful!

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  4. Love how you colored these scenes! so beautiful!

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  5. Wow, outstandingly beautiful! I have so much to learn from you! Happy 4th!

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  6. You are the "Watercolor Queen"!! Beautiful cards!!

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  7. Wow - those took my breath away. Such talent you have.

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  8. I love what you have done with the kit. I'm not good at masking but this kit will put that skill to the test and I hope after playing around with it for a bit that I will become proficient with masking!

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  9. Wow! Absolutely gorgeous cards!

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  10. You transition so easily between bright and light!!

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  11. Sad about the wind turbines and the fracked highways ... but happy with the beautiful cards you created. Love them both Lydia.

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  12. Gorgeous cards!!! I absolutely love how you did the 'woodgrain'. stunning!

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  13. Lovely examples using the new kit - I love to vacation anywhere near the ocean.

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  14. My gosh, your work is amazing. I love how you made the light shine off of each item, and the wood looks so great, too!

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  15. Your cards are absolutely gorgeous!! Thanks so much for sharing about your travels, very interesting to hear how the landscape has changed throughout the years. I guess it's sad but at the same time one can appreciate beauty in ugliness too!! That's what life is about:-))). I love to travel and hear travel stories:-). I love traveling through my native country of South Africa and each time I visit I appreciate it even more!!

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  16. I agree about the wind turbines..... but they need the energy to charge to electric cars! LOL. We really just all need to live closer to our work! this is a cute set. Love the containers

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  17. Fantastic cards. I just love your watercoloring.

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  18. I was raised in Albuquerque, then moved to California. My favorite place to vacation was Corona, New Mexico. My mom and sister lived there, and every year we went back to visit. They have both passed away, so we no longer go.

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  19. Very pretty card. It's a great release.

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  20. Love the cards your created, the wood grain and your travel story. We like to spend our vacation time at home but if we do travel it is to a nearby lakeside resort area--very peaceful and relaxing.

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  21. Love how you color your glass...looks real!

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  22. Amazing watercoloring, masking, etc! I love every card you created. My favorite place to vacation would have to be Saint Maarten - love the blues of the Carribean!

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  23. Your cards are stunning, and way beyond my skill set. Love looking at them!

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  24. Lovely cards or should I say paintings. They are so artistic

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  25. I love your cards! This kit is adorable. :)

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  26. I love your cards! This kit is adorable. :)

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  27. Very pretty. You handled the wood and glass jars really well.

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  28. Oooh, the colors on each of them are fabulous but, the bitty snail/watercan scene is totally my favorite one :)

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  29. Your cards are so pretty. They are just lovely.

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  30. Great realistic cards! Well done

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  31. You knocked this one out of the ball park. All these cards are simply amazing! Wish I had your talent.. wow..

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  32. Loved your cards and the story about your trip to Santa Fe. It is such an inspiring town I can empathize about your experience with the wind turbines. I always go through an area on the way to a nearby lake.

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  33. I love your cards. The have a out doors simple style that is very refreshing. I also love your wood. I do a lot of tole painting and I also love to create the "wood look". I also want to thank you for using StampinUp products. It is a company I represent and am glad to see that artists like you recognize the quality of our products.

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  34. The new flower stamps are so gorgeous! Well done!

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  35. Wow - your cards could hang on a wall in a gallery - amazing coloring. I'm certainly in awe!!

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  36. Beautiful cards. Interesting about the wind farms... I see them on my way down south into Iowa. There they are pretty much lined up on flat land, not much for hills. But it is rather alien looking.

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  37. Your cards look like they should be framed and put up on the wall.

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  38. I am so in love with the way you aged the wood and water bucket truely talented thanks for sharing these.

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  39. What beautiful cards ... all of them. Thank you for such lovely inspiration. This is an amazing real ease. Again thanks.

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  40. I love how the wood and water bucket have an old withered look truely talented.

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  41. I just love these cards - very artsy! I loved how you used several containers in the first card. Your watercoloring is fantastic!

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  42. your cards are amazing... especially the first one! wow... just wow!!

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  43. wonderful cards, Lydia - love how you did the wood plank table in the first card!!

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  44. And now I'm practicing to paint woodgrain stripes! Love these!

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  45. You are soo talented! I love each card more than the last. Thank you so much for sharing them.

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  46. This is one of my favorite kits. Love your cards!

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  47. Your watercoloring is so beautiful! I love all your cards!

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  48. Wow, fantastic cards! Love how you colored the different elements, and especially love how you made the wood.

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  49. Absolutely gorgeous cards, your water coloring is amazing!

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  50. Wow. Your water colouring is absolutely stunning.

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  51. All of your cards are so, so beautiful, with such exquisite watercoloring! Loved your trip description, and I can really identify with your experience with the wind farms. Sections of the Columbia Gorge between Oregon and Washington are covered with thousands of the wind mills, really ruining what used to be a very lovely drive. But, until we find a different way to harness energy, there remains the need for the electricity they generate. Unfortunately. So glad the rest of your trip was wonderful.

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  52. O.M.G. Your cards are like paintings! They are divine in every way. Love that woodgrain, too. This is a magnificent kit.

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  53. Lovin' that wood grain ... I don't see a link to the masking paper you use (just wanted to check it out) ... gorgeous cards.

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  54. Your cards are so peaceful and serene, love them all!

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  55. My favorite vacation was to Hawaii, LOVE your use of color, great cards

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  56. Beautiful color,loved your cards. My favorite vacation was in Hawaii.

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  57. Beautiful inspirations!! Thanks so much for sharing.

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  58. Lovely cards. This kit is so artsy. Loving it.

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  59. Your art is so pretty. I love all of them. I understand what you mean about the windmills. I live in the panhandle and they seem to be everywhere now. It's taking a lot of getting used to. My favorite place to vacation is pretty much anywhere that's green with lots of water since we sure don't have much around here, LOL. :)

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  60. This is my first stop at your blog and it won't be my last! Such inspiration, thank you!

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  61. Your cards are STUNNING! They look just like paintings. I can only dream of being able to color like you! My favorite place to vacation is London. Thank you for the chance to win!

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  62. Beautiful cards! The addition of the woodgrain add so much to your lovely designs!

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  63. Wow....i have no words....how realistic these all look. Amazing!!!

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  64. I have always wanted to try the masking technique but never have! I think it is time to give it a try! Your cards are lovely! Thanks for the inspiration and for the opportunity to win! My favorite place to vacation is The Florida Keys! Pure paradise! I also loved NYC! What fun! Saw the Rockettes! AMAZING!!!!

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  65. WOW, your first card struck a cord! I knew you used stamps but it looks like a watercolor painting.

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  66. Wow! Looks like you could just pluck them off the cards! Good job!

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  67. SO pretty. You're very talented

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  68. Your cards are stunning, Lydia! Such gorgeous coloring of the images and the woodgrainig looks terrific!

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  69. Love your fabulous water coloring.

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  70. I love all of your cards! I honestly haven't been on a vacation in ages!

    The link for your masking paper didn't work. Can you tell me what paper you use?

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  71. Wow, your coloring and artwork are so beautiful, so inspiring. Thank you for sharing.

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  72. I do not think I can come close to what you have done. Beautiful cards!!!!

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  73. WOW!! SO SIMPLE YET SO BEAUTIFUL!!

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  74. I love your watercolored cards! And I enjoyed reading about your trip too! TFS

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  75. Wow the watercoloring is stunning! I wish I could paint my cards like that :(

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  76. I love the card, your painting is spectacular. And I agree: the wood grain is the best of the best. WELL DONE!!! Thanks.

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  77. Your cards are beautiful. Your water coloring is stunning. So creative. The layout of the images making your scene ..i love these cards. What fun stamps.

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  78. Wow! Beautiful cards!!! Your colouring is simply amazing!!!
    My favorite place to vacation is anywhere on the beach! I'm Italian and here we have a lot of beautiful sea locations! Next week I'm going to Sicily, I can't wait to spend all day at the beach!!!

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  79. Love the wood! These are very pretty cards.

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  80. When I first read the title of your blog, I thought it said "Only the FIRSTborn understand blue." So, I looked again, and I noticed it said "fireborn". Well, I'm both {being a Leo}, so I'm covered!

    Fracking. It does more than chew of the roads and make regular people's trips longer. It pollutes the land, leaving it uninhabitable for people and other living things for who-knows-how-long. The frackers don't even need to disclose the ingredients of the fluid used in the fracking process citing trade secrets. Stepping down from the soapbox...

    Now, for the reason I came: your cards! Your watercolor technique is admirable {and a little enviable!}. Your cards are fantastic!

    I'm going to follow your blog and see how it goes.

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  81. So so beautiful! Your coloring is amazing and really brings these images to life ❤ Thanks so much!

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  82. I am blown away by your wood and metal looks. So authentic by watercolor. Beautiful cards. I love going to Orange Beach, AL for vacation. Golf, beach, shopping and food. What's not to like!

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  83. I love them all, but 2nd is my favorite!

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  84. These are all beautiful Lydia. Your "cans & bottles" are painted beautifully! (An awesome kit!)
    We recently got back from a week long road trip to Ontario (across 4 Provinces!) Two days of driving was a bit much for this old girl but we DID have a wonderful time. However, we have a cabin five minutes from home by a small river and THAT is my fav. place to go for a few days. I sit and colour as long as I want or read, have a glass of wine and eat! THAT is my idea of a vacation! LOL

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  85. Lydia, I love all your cards - they are just simply beautiful! My newest passion is watercoloring and I would love love love for you to do a video showing how you did the woodgrain. I can't believe how realistic it looks! Thank you for the great ideas!

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  86. I'm thinking those flowers in Santa Fe truly inspired you! These cards are gorgeous!

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  87. Your artistic growth is inspiring! Gorgeous work. My fav place to vacation is Cape May New Jersey - ever been? Its gorgeous.

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  88. I'mm definitely follow your challenge as i do find watercoloring metals and water very challenging too. thanks for sharing your wonderful cards

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  89. Beautiful cards, love your amazing watercoloring And the pretty floral scenes. I love the cute snail too.

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  90. Beautiful cards. I love , love your work. What a fun and interesting kit.

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  91. wow your cards are lovely in their simplicity. thanks for sharing

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  92. Gorgeous cards. Your cards need to be framed.

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  93. These are amazing. They look like they should be framed in a little grouping and hung on the wall.

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  94. Favorite vacation spot is the beach. In Maui. But the ride from the airport goes right by the wind turbines. Unnatural.

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  95. Awesome cards!Very inspiring!I really love your coloring.It adds alot to the images.Thank you for sharing.

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  96. Lydia, three beautiful cards and all I can think of is how stunning. I love your technique with the wood grain and would love to see a tutorial on how you achieved this. Oh I understand irony of the wind tunnels in the western United state and the beauty that once was. When I have gone overeas they achieve the same if not more energy usage and still leave the landscape in tack. Thank you for sharing your journey on how you came to create these cards!

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  97. Wow! Three beautiful cards! Thanks for sharing your technique info.

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  98. Your cards are so artistic and beautifully intimidating. :)

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  99. I can totally empathize with your view of the wind turbines. I often take 183 when traveling from the Dallas area to visit family in Lubbock, and it can be unsettling. I love your cards -- beautiful coloring.

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  100. These cards are just gorgeous! I love the colors and the "wood" look is great. Thank you for sharing with us.

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  101. Well Lydia....I was just reading away about your trip & then I finally got down to your first card & I was in awe...seriously!! I know I"m not supposed to sit around looking at people's blogs being jealous of how awesome they color or I'd never make any cards of my own, but you are so freaking talented!! All your cards are awesome, but your first is my favorite...just stunning!!

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  102. Your cards are are so beautiful.

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  103. Such gorgeous cards! WOW! Love the watercoloring you've done in all of them!

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  104. Love your water-coloring! Thanks for the tip on masking paper!

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  105. such lovely cards. you really capture the essence of the scenes.

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  106. GORGEOUS! The look you achieved on the jars and wood grain is awesome!

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  107. Your work never disappoints, Lydia! I love how crisp and clean your watercoloring is! Beautiful cards.

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  108. 100% agree about (almost all) wind farms. Love your blog posts, and I also love your beautiful cards! You can create with these supplies year round, and for all occasions. Thanks for the inspiration :)

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  109. Love your cards and this month's kit, the florals are so lovely. Favorite place to vacation? probably Bermuda. :)

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  110. Hi Lydia ~ Everything I've seen from the latest HA's kit and the add-ons is amazing. BUT your wood-grain images for the cards you've created? WOWZERS!! They are incredibly life-like and simply stunning!! Well done....creative vacations totally agree with you!! :-D Thanks for sharing. ~HUGS~
    #kindnessmatters

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  111. So admire your watercoloring technique. My favorite vacation spot is Hudson Valley in New York. So many historical sites to visit.

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  112. The first card looks so vintage.
    The others are wonderful too.
    Just love old stuff, I guess.
    thanks for sharing

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  113. Stunner cards and beautifully painted. Wow!

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  114. I just love the vintage look of all your cards!

    Noreen
    Crafty Journal

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  115. Lovely cards, you're so talented with watercolor!

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  116. Lydia, loved your story and really felt as if I were in the car with you. ;)
    Your cards are spectacular and will use your technique for the watercolored wood planks! Thank you for sharing both your talent and story with us!

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  117. WOW! beautiful cards! I lov ehow you colored them.

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  118. Beautiful cards. You are truly a talented artist.

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  119. Gorgeous cards! Wish I could water color as nicely as you do!

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  120. Wow! Gorgeous watercolouring! Love them all!!

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  121. Wow, I'm speechless. Beautiful cards.

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  122. Absolutely LOVE these cards!!! You have shown just how wonderful this Hero Arts release is by making these great cards!!! <3

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  123. these cards are works of art! beautiful

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  124. All three of your cards are stunning but my favorite is the first one! The only word I can use for how it makes me feel is OH! Absolutely breathtaking!
    I agree about the wind farms turning beautiful land into mechanical ugliness! Solar panel "farms" are also popping up all over Vt and they make me sick! A farm doesn't consist of metal and glass in my opinion! TFS!

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  125. Forgot to add that No, I don't film with my phone because I still have a tracphone since I rarely use it. LOL

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  126. You must have found your zen place after that whirlwind trip, because these cards are just beautiful! Love your watercolor skills with the glass, metal, and wood-grain. I love to visit Bar Harbor, ME and Acadia National Park. I was very much like you as a little girl, always outdoors in nature-the woods, brook, anywhere I felt like an explorer.

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  127. Your coloring is amazing. Love your cards. Such a talent.

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  128. Stunning! Love these stamps Hero Arts - all gorgeous and I love what you did! Love love the wood planks in the one card! So creative!

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  129. I would frame all three of these beautiful cards, Lydia! Your creativity is so inspiring

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  130. Your wood is amazing, I love how the first card turned out but they are all very well done. Don't know how you did that even though you told us. lol

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  131. Amazing coloring on these beautiful cards! This kit looks awesome!

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  132. Love the water coloring and such a great set for it

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  133. Your cards are truly breathtaking, Lydia! Hope there will be more and more watercolor videos coming. I really enjoy watching you create! I love visiting charming, small towns wherever I find them. There is always something new to discover around every corner! ♡

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  134. I used to live in the Panhandle in Texas & always wondered where truckloads of wind turbine blades were going to (bad traffic whenever there were more than 2 wide loads). Now, I know! I've never been to Sweetwater but it sounds like Mojave wind farms in Cali. Your trip is reflected in the rustic effect of your watercolors. I also love the see-through detail on the glass. Thank you for taking time on your vacation to share & inspire us with your Hero Arts July 2017 Kit creations! :-)

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  135. Beautiful work. That " wood" is amazing! I love it all.

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  136. Wow! Stunning, beautiful... wow! Thank you for sharing.

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  137. Your cards are so beautiful, I like to vacation in Hawaii, I have only been there once and I really want to go again!! Thank You!!

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  138. Awesome coloring!! Such beautiful cards!

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  139. these cards are amazing!! i am saving so i can come back and read your tutorial on how to paint wood...yours came out fantastic!!

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  140. I love making cards like this...looks like you spent hours making them! Thanks for sharing. Have a blessed day!

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  141. I lived in Texas and your designs reminded me do much of the open spaces and simple things in life like rough planks and simple wildflowers in cans and bottles. I hope HA comes out with bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes to add to my memories if Texas.

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  142. First and foremost, your cards are amazing! They inspire me to work a little harder at watercolours! My favourite vacation is Arizona, a place I can call 'home' as this is where in time, will be my winter home! Such beautiful views and calming landscapes.

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  143. Gorgeous cards! Just what I like!

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  144. Would love to go back to Hawaii and Alaska - each has beauty all their own ! Your watercoloring is fantastic on these new pretty floral stamps and elements in this release. Thanks for sharing.

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  145. Wow! Great kit! Your cards look like paintings. Thanks for sharing!

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  146. Your cards are amazing. Love Love Love them all! Thanks for sharing

    KimMJ
    bast830@comcast.net

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  147. Wow! Just beautiful designs! Amazing watercolor!

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  148. Such fabulously done watercolor still-life scenes!

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  149. Love this kit - thanks for the inspiration:)

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  150. These cards are gorgeous! Your watercoloring is delightful! And time spent at that fabulous Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island sounds great to me!

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  151. Your wood watercolor is fabulous! Great cards! This July kit seems great for watercolor.

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  152. Oh my gosh, your water coloring is amazing! I had 4 years of art in high school and I loved to water color but I hated that people didn't clean their brushes off so there would be black in the yellow and stuff like that. I may not be a neat freak in my bedroom which is where a lot of my craft supplies are but I am picky about my water colors. We had water color paper in high school but I don't own any now. I have to buy some to use with my water colors. Right now I just use card stock.
    Oh my gosh, I love how you made that floor look like real wood! That is so cool! I don't have any brown water colors yet so I can't make a floor like that but I am going to get some and try it. I love how you made the bucket and watering can look like metal and 2 different kinds of metal at that. Wow! I love how you made the glass jar and the pretty flowers. They almost look like they are floating in the glass jar and it looks like real glass too. Wow again! LOL
    The watering can with the delicate flowers in it (and my faves are the yellow ones because it's my favorite color) is so pretty. I would love to do a card like that. Heck, I would like to receive a card like that!
    I also love the last one with the glass bottles and the one flower in each bottle. I love how you made it look like water is in the bottles. Water color is so much fun!
    It bums me out when you talked about the scenery and all those wind turbines. They so totally ruin the landscape. I don't like them and I hear they aren't as great as everyone says they are. I get how that spoiled your vacation and it would have been that way for me too. Down with all wind turbines! LOL
    Thanks for being a part of the hop and letting us see your pretty water color cards and for giving us the chance to win something. I want to win this so bad!

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    1. Oh Gail - NOTHING is worse than contaminated watercolors - it gives me nightmares to see pictures of people's messy palettes! We must have been separated at birth!!

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  153. My favorite place to vacation would be anywhere there is water and shopping. I love to go to the beach and even if I don't swim, I love to walk on the beach and collect sea shells and sea glass, although my youngest sister seems to get all the sea glass, not me.

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  154. Wow what great detail, this is one of the best watercolours I've seen in ages, they look so real

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  155. gorgeous cards and watercoloring! loving the new kit ♥

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  156. love your watercoloring. So pretty

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  157. I like the way you "ground" your vignettes. So pretty.

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  158. Great kit release! AWESOME cards! I especially love the one on the wood plank table!

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  159. I absolutely LOVE the wood table on your first card...and I loved the can on the second one! Gonna have to try it! Wish me luck! ;)

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  160. Your cards are so beautiful! Love your watercolouring, great wood effect too ! Simply beautiful x

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  161. Wow! You have mad painting skills! Your cards are so beautiful!

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  162. Painting glass is a fear of mine, can't wait to just buckle down and try it. Love your cards!! Inspiration plenty!

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  163. Beautiful cards, I'm not sure which is my favorite as they are all stunning.

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  164. Such pretty cards - love your soft watercoloring. This is a wonderful kit release from HA!

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  165. 3 beautiful cards ! Your painted wood is just amazing !!
    One of my favourite vacations I did : Combination of calligraphy course and excursions in Ireland !
    Warm summergreetings from Belgium.

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  166. WOWSERS!! Each of those cards are masterpieces!

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  167. Wow each one of your flower scenes is so great looking! I love the feel of them too. Such a fun bunch of flower stamps to work with.

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  168. I love the colors and how realistic they look. Thank you!

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  169. Talent comes through every time.

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