My Reflections On The A To Z Challenge

I would have done it earlier, but my blogging has fallen off during the last few days. So what did I think of the A to Z Challenge? It was great meeting so many bloggers with various interests and opinions. It was amazing getting so much traffic to my blog during the month of the A to Z Challenge, and I truly miss that. I loved visiting blogs in other countries during the last month, and learning more about the music and hot restaurants people go to. Also, it was interesting to see what types of art and photography people like, especially since I am highly interested in that subject. So what have I been working on since the end of the challenge? Last week I started painting a scene of the Pinnacles, which is based on a photograph I took on my walks in this part of the San Bernardino Mountains.

Z Is For Reaching The Zenith of The A to Z Challenge With A Jewelry Making Project

So how did I celebrate reaching the end of the A to Z challenge? Well I did it by making a necklace with a sparkly butterfly pendant. The A to Z Challenge has been quite fun, and I enjoyed discovering so many new people and blogs along the way. I will miss having to think of a new letter to write about every day, but it will be nice to have a break so I can focus on some other writing projects. The A to Z Challenge is a great experience for any blogger, and I highly recommend it for anything thinking about doing it next year. Just because the A to Z Challenge is over does not mean we cannot still comment on each other’s blogs, so I hope to see everyone again soon. Come back and I will comment on your blog as well.

Y Is For Yarn

Yarn is used for many crafting projects, and it is something every crafter probably has in their supplies.

Cross Stitched Heart

I made this cross stitched heart with red yarn and plastic canvas mesh.

X Is For Xanthic Yellow

What to write about for the letter x? Well I decided to learn some new x words, and I noticed that xanthic is another word for a shade of yellow. Yellow Oak Leaves

Xanthic yellow can be spotted in the changing colors of an oak tree.

W Is For Wonderful Art Inspiration

Today I am writing the letter W a little late in the evening, but I have been busy up until now. Today I am sharing how w is for wonderful art inspiration, and I find most of mine with Southern California scenery. So where do you get your inspiration from? I get mine from the mountains, deserts, and palm trees to be found here in Southern California.

V Is For Handmade Valentine’s Day Cards

Creating handmade Valentine’s Day cards is the perfect craft idea. Homemade Valentines can be as simple or as ornate as the maker wishes, and these are budget friendly. Actually, budget crafting is my favorite kind of crafting.

U Is For Traveling In The Western United States

The United states is a large country, but I have mostly traveled in the western half of it. I have been as far west as Hawaii, and far east as Missouri. Growing up a lot of our vacations were spent on road trips in California, which is my native state. Back in April of 1993 we went on a road trip to Death Valley, and camped out at Schwab Ghost Town for a couple of days. At the time I was not excited about going, but twenty years later I am so happy I took these photos of all the sites in and around Death Valley.

T Is For Travel Photography

Travel photography is an ideal way to document trips, but a photographer does not have to travel far from home to indulge in this pass-time. If you know a lot about your local area then you might even want to start a travel photography site about it.  The photographs posted on this site would appeal to tourists or people moving to the area, and a local would know what is interesting to visit and photograph. Here are a few video slide shows I have created of the photography of the San Bernardino Mountains.



S Is For Cross Stitching

Cross stitching is a super easy and time consumptive craft that can be tailored to people of all ages, especially if you use yarn and plastic canvas mesh. Here are some of the simple and fun plastic canvas cross stitch projects I made over the last few years.

candycanebookmark.jpg.w300h416

Above is a cross stitched candy cane I made into a bookmark.

Here is a cross stitched heart I turned into a magnet.

Cross Stitched Heart