![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirty1w0nAZGEMYpw2Arp54AkmQ5icYxUBv6ift1TG1Y7oafRDUA3mHqz4U5hOEz62tm_fPo-zdZHzoBR-OY2L49GOQ_2Ej3LfhNsRSadv19Y-CeEuhiXzJPUL35zE3C8iyELWQ8Ms-aFc/s400/snowman4.jpg)
Wait a minute...snowman in summertime!??? Is something wrong with this picture? Nope...it's Holly Jolly July over at
PFATT Marketplace right now, and the snowman guy above is a new collage piece I created just for this event! I was also lucky enough to be chosen as the featured artist for the month of July, so you can read all about how I got started on my artistic journey, and what inspires me. You can check it out
here.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxuL4xdVmjUyGbd5iwLMwT_LjfmXpN2H_iuoX5M1fqdgwMH_PKxgYJXMOzwQfFkNdezmvPQAx_h9N9ehTMlpz5ni1f_iMUaEWgV8yqQgwcMZy6-OutGIKmPnzC-DTPdhLzofDpDX-c0dM/s400/butterfly.jpg)
This looks a little more like summer! I only had one chance to snap this pic of a pretty butterfly feeding in my front yard before it flew away....
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKYIO-JvMlP7-pmAY2iclh974Lko8wiWHUGLd1kWnr6DU2nDqKmsrLfqabY8VZxM9YkjRnvY7fUEnQ4k-oa4jRGUqxraD9U_GBRlK9C17Wfzgp7ic1Z8vzR0tQZP4lZtztG_g8MoEPwE/s400/fleafinds.jpg)
Here are some of my recent summertime flea market finds....love the vintage ballet slippers!!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3noms-77xFhZWT3xxWZe0dytbyp-NffTbwYnxJgtBJlMPq68r840RL9nRY9uAtS00FOwa-Yu7BKWZfeOSFG6gsTsIr1faPvWf2BN2SfL3Ob5KPgSyrrg3zi3eRTcgOFa_iuEG1N7SPQY/s400/simonbeach2.jpg)
Part of our fourth of July celebration included a stop in Santa Cruz for some fun in the sun at the beach.....
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciDYuxn24M0QE8EE2vEcADIS-QHk40UzxD7dkV2oBMsKHc_kLTZDAp-DwB4xvXtWnDBRvtQ8_8rgFW2pf4J7xrjuiKzEYbWbKVCxLO1TSZbN1AQpwIN_3eKlJsjRBEBIONCv4MYti_WA/s400/simonbeach1.jpg)
And at the boardwalk! It felt great to dip our toes in the ocean, and we had a blast on all of the rides!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JsfqV1nf0yhyeBkP3K1mNprOJTQZlaB2Hqv_AyeFi2csbQa79zsNYZNb5oEzsPRA2EpMB2cJAZQVvnNGCDfY6kJjRxjeaxF5EMyN3QhlGDLhgNnBji-sw1TqHvK4C7wNqkCICwAqOsE/s400/boardwalk1.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIOT4DrfwGrhPnWfacddlRAbFi4C7AHW8_hl2TlFHqvpvOmESilV9bSxxOS04ejy3jhCU_dtSKXRPa3x-lDV_IrjEXAFmM8NJiEKw5eTxP4dyIPpKJAEjueco_J2M4_G__aU7XWvBWiw/s400/boardwalk2.jpg)
Here's a recent
steampunk necklace I created using antique glass beads, watch parts, and a tintype photograph. I just love how this one turned out!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYW-pD2_dQyUW_spKVUNnN_FSrKOkpKNIcZu8A5ptr-1CYTA9UM3pH2vguQvrSKHz0RtdfO8hQ8BhW3sl1Nhz3567UginlaG-KAszaFcgv9MBdE5mTarYSIQ8_YFbl5V-MQtuIMGdE3kM/s400/tintype1new.jpg)
Try to stay cool this summer, and I hope you are able to have a lot of summertime fun of your own!