Mosaic Monday: Waiting For the Storm

By now you will have heard that here on the east coast of the United States, we are waiting for the storm of the century, or "Frankenstorm," or whatever clever moniker the TV weathermen think up.  At any rate, I'm not sure how many of us will have power over the next few days, and I'm feeling the need to nest...  Thus, my offering today -- books and roses, which are my go-to comfort items.  :)

For those of you who use Photoshop or any other photo-editing program that works with layers, these images were edited with textures from Jessica Drossin, found here, Faded Glory Vintage Actions by Jude, found here. and Victorian Papers by Sarah Gardner, similar found here.

For those of you in the path of the storm, stay safe.  For those of you watching from afar, please send us a few prayers or some good vibes.  We will probably need them.  :)

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Mosaic Monday: Architect's Garden Part I

I'm very proud to live in New Jersey, where our state's nickname is "The Garden State."  Every year I love to visit the gardens that are open as part of The Garden Conservancy's Open Days program.  This garden is called The Architect's Garden.  I have visited it in year's past, and have always been in love with the bones of the garden -- it's beautiful stone walls and gravel paths.  Paired with some wonderful antique garden ornaments and boxwood hedges, these architectural elements help to create strong outdoor rooms.

I have at least two more posts full of photos from this garden, so stay tuned for more.  :)

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Mosaic Monday: Orchid Range

I've got such a backlog of photos to show you.  These are from a visit to the Duke Farms Orchid Range in a nearby town.  I took them way back in September.  And although our temps are definitely autumn-like now, I can still remember how hot and humid the air was in this beautiful glass house.

Duke Farms is a park of nearly 1000 acres that once belonged to tobacco heiress Doris Duke.  She was quite the scandalous woman of her time.  For a little more information on her life, read here.

The park itself is now administered as a model of environmental stewardship, utilizing and teaching the best and newest methods of best land management practices.  There are a number of trails for walking and biking, a series of man-made lakes, and a community-shared garden.  The beautiful conservatory shown here was designed by the Boston architectural firm of Kendall, Taylor & Stevens, and constructed by Lloyd & Burnham in 1900.  Built as a lavish, ornamental structure in the English country house aesthetic,  the building was used for commercial production of orchids and other flowers for the New York market in the first half of the twentieth century.  Today it has been renovated to LEED gold standards.  LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and is an internationally-recognized green building certification system.

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Mosaic Monday: The Breakers

We interrupt this autumn in New Jersey to take a short break at The Breakers, Palm Beach, FL.  :)

Here is the reason I could not post a Mosaic Monday last week -- I was too busy making a quick trip to paradise.  Well, not really paradise, but a really beautiful place to visit.  My husband's firm held a retreat here, and spouses were invited along.  Lucky me, right?  Actually, as beautiful as it was, I missed my foggy autumn mornings in New Jersey.  So it's official -- I'm out of my mind, right?

But that is a whole other post.  Let's talk about The Breakers.  Set at the water's edge, it was originally built by Standard Oil magnate, Henry Morrison Flagler in 1896.  Flagler was responsible for the development of Florida's east coast through the building and acquisition of railroads to serve the area.  Flagler's original hotel building burned down in 1903.  The next iteration also succumbed to fire in 1925.  The current hotel building was begun in 1926, and modeled after the Villa Medici in Rome.  The magnificent ceilings you see here were created by artisans from Italy.  If you wish to read more about the history of this beautiful place, follow this link.

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.