• Around home - Blog - Crafts - Creativity - Outdoors

    Refreshed flags

    Several years ago I made a banner for the deck rail.  It added a bit of whimsy to the deck box garden.

    Refreshed flags | Halle's Hobbies

     When we added a second garden I made flags for that as well. Over the years the elements have done a number on the flags. Up until last winter I always took them down at the end of each fall. Knowing that they really needed replacement I left them up to continue the whimsy throughout the cold months.

    Refreshed flags | Halle's Hobbies

    Today’s version of the flags are single sided. They still blow sweetly in the breeze adding a fun element to an otherwise boring fence and deck rail.

    Refreshed flags | Halle's Hobbies

    Refreshed flags | Halle's Hobbies

    Next is the planting….

  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    Take the scenic route

    I’m finally picking up my art supplies again. I’ve been occupied with so many other things lately that I almost forgot that I had art supplies.

    Almost.

    Each month I put a sticky note on my computer monitor with the current Art Journal Journey theme and more often than not lately that note hits the trash without ever getting more than a passing glance each day. Today I made a point of making art.

    Not wanting to wait for paint to dry prompted me to use gelatos to create a background. Since there happened to be a ewe and her lamb on the page I decided that a road through a pasture was appropriate.

    Take the scenic route art journal page using gelatos

    I did a quick scribble drawing of the road and used several shade of green for the pasture. I blended with a baby wipe. I used a portion of a rubber stamp for the trees…without them the page was super boring. Pitt pens and craft paint was layered over the trees to add a touch of realism. Once I added the shadows at the base of the trees and the sheep I was satisfied with my quick journal page and actually checked a challenge off my list for a change.

    I’m not saying this is my first and last for this Art Journal Journey challenge theme of journeys but it could be.

    Art Journal Journey

  • Blog

    Reader preferences please

    After a weird issue was pointed out to me on my blog, which incidentally I did fix, the discussion came up about how the way web pages display on different systems and browsers. This is something I often forget.

    Way back the options were very limited, the majority of people browsed on the industry standard so if it looked good to the creator using the industry standard, it was probably good for most, right? Today the options are vast both in hardware and software. As well as connectivity.

    I’m still dealing with another issue that doesn’t seem like a big deal to me but may to others. When I post a photo such as this:

    reader preferences |Halle's Hobbies

    (don’t be distracted by the cuteness)

    If you move your mouse starting at the left edge of the blog content space, about 5mm the image become clickable even though you are no where near the image. This continues until about 5mm from the opposite edge. I’m really not sure how to change this or if it’s even an issue other than accidentally clicking the image.

    My first thought to the solution of this problem was to post the image like this:

    reader preferences |Halle's Hobbies

    But then I wonder if that is just way too big causing unnecessary scrolling and perhaps an image that no longer fits with the blog content area depending on the system.  Or even just it being annoyingly large.

    I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

    1. Is my photo issue a non-issue in the original size?
    2. Does the large image fit in the content box for you? OR is it being cut off or running over the box?