New Respect!

Subtitle: Little Did She Know

My last yellow daylily of the season just bloomed and that reminded me that it was time for an update on the Traveling Flowers. If you are new to the blog...it's a little hard to explain the WHOLE story...but this is a good place to start: https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/search?q=Chuck

I have new respect for Cherrie and Dale as they carted The Traveling Flowers to all the sites as they made their way from California to Pennsylvania. They're a bit heavy because they sit on a solid rock...and they're a bit awkward to carry. So kudos to them as the played along and had fun with that wonderful adventure. 

Here is a little bit of the journey they made around Parsons Pond. After spending several weeks in the TV room...they did a little more traveling. 

(Hang in there...this ended up being a long post.)

They were in the dining room for a while on Connies fabulous hutch. I enjoyed them for a few weeks...but it wasn't quite right. Too much going on.

Early this spring I put them out on the patio....thinking this is where they would be for the summer. But there was too much going on in that corner...and that's where Paul has to pull the grill...so I need to keep it really simple.

Just for fun.....a couple weeks ago I took them to the pool with me. While I was swimming they sat in the corner getting a little sun.

And don't they look pretty against the catmint.

They sat in the shade on a lounge chair next to me while I drip dried a bit.

A week or so ago Patty suggested we take the flowers down to the pond. She has enjoyed the journey of The Traveling Flowers as much as I did and liked the idea of them touring around Parsons Pond.

My photo isn't that great...but it was a beautiful day and the flowers were pretty sitting up on the railing.

I continued around the pond  to talk to another neighbor and Patty offered to drop them by my front door. They would have been a bit cumbersome to carry around the pond.

Little did I know that Patty had a little photo shoot of her own before she dropped them off.  She posed them in the little rock garden at the end of the street.

Here they are by the vintage metal laundry basket she gave me that I've filled with begonias. They are sitting on my precious granite heart rock that I've had for years.

And she took one more shot by the pots on the other side of the door.

I had a great idea earlier today that I thought Patty would enjoy.  Little did she know...that while I knew she was gone...I took them down the street and photographed them with her rainbow parade of pigs. Perfect for winding down Pride Month! 

In the end....they have landed back in the TV room where I spend almost every early evening writing these blog posts. I love them here....and it's where I appreciate them the most. Cherie and I have stayed in touch...and these fabulous Traveling Flowers have given us a very special connection...and I am grateful. And a shout out again to her dad Chuck...who made it all possible. I have a huge amount of respect for his handiwork...and his generosity. 

Joyful Abundance During Breakfast

I started removing the edge pieces from my puzzle (yes, I store them separated) this morning during my breakfast...and happened to open my phone. It was already on camera mode and I saw this scene on the screen and my heart was full. It was all right there in front of me...but seeing it un-staged on my phone really made an impression. So much to celebrate here in the early morning light:

My yummy bowl of steel-cut oats, apples, chia seeds and cinnamon...my colorful paper pieced mini placemat....that fabulous puzzle....my rainbow puzzle gang keeping an eye on me...Clarke's hand knitted frog...JP (joyful puttering)...my felted heart from Roseanne...the LED starburst way back in the corner of my living room....a colorful tapestry from Honduras my sister Nancy brought back from her Peace Corps days hanging over the back of the couch.....Joyful abundance during breakfast.

Per usual....Paul and I went to the 11:00 rally downtown....there are so many things to be concerned about. 

My rainbow parasol made the hot sun tolerable....and makes a statement at the same time. 

Honestly, I long for the day again when I can wake in the morning and not have to brace myself from some new horror committed by a man and his regime who are feeding themselves on the ruins of public liberty. Steven Beschloss

My fellow protester to my left....notice the rainbow hearts. 

Love.....makes a nation great!

Unusual Request

You can paint a world where humans treat each other and the planet with love, respect, and the creative passion and brilliance we were all born with. Lori Austill

Today's rainbow is brought to you by Philippa Stanton. I just finished her Rainbow Pencils puzzle and I loved every minute. I'm missing two edge pieces....but I'm OK with that because there is beauty in imperfection. And if I'm lucky...they might even turn up. 

I belong to a local Buy Nothing group where people give away things they no longer need and ask for things they do need. Things changing hands without exchanging money is a wonderful thing. I love when a post starts: "Before I buy it new...I'm wondering...."

I've found new homes for several things of my things...and I've responded to several posts with things I had and wasn't using: a space heater, artwork, fabric and craft supplies. Today there was unusual request: pine needles.

Hmmmm we have pine needles in the neighborhood...and I was certain that the condo owners would be thrilled to have some of them raked up. 

I actually recognized the name....Lori Austill, an encaustic artist I met several years ago when I visited her open studio right around the corner. Long story short...I responded to her post...we talked on the phone...I talked to my neighbors and this afternoon I worked with Lori filling a garbage can full of pine needles for her to use as mulch.

Turns out Lori is having another open house in July...and I'm looking forward to stopping by. I absolutely love that this unusual request led to connecting with an artist I admire.

Lori's encaustic work includes a lot of  yummy colors....I was especially drawn to this piece on on her Instagram Page. It's like a dreamy rainbow landscape.

https://www.instagram.com/loriaustill_wax_painting_art/

And because yesterday was the only day in June I forgot to post a rainbow...this second one is brought to you by Ann B. from Lexington. She is in Rome...and these little rainbow prisms are reflecting off the crystals that are hanging in the lobby of her hotel.

Little Gem

Anything I let go of creates space for something new.

I've had this cover of a Quilting Arts Magazine in my stash for years. I adore the colors and design and I decided it would make a lovely mini joy journal cover for the Free Little Art Library. I actually like the back with the words as much...if not more than the front! 

Per usual.....I lined the cover with fused fabric for strength.

And this overlapping tissue paper experiment made for a fun first page. 

It's colorful...but also a blank slate for more.

So I'm including a little packet of snippets to get someone started. 

When I was going through my snippet bins (I have several) I found this little paper-cut from a calendar page and I loved the little gold accents...which were the letters of the name of the month. It was a good color...and it mirrored the shapes in the tissue page. 

I didn't want to add too much to the journal....but this little gem had to go in. 

I made a little info card to include and tucked in the snippets and it's ready to go. I'll make a couple more of these and I'll drop them off at the Little Art Library for someone to discover. 

It's a Start!

It's not about being good at creativity, it's about creativity being good for you! 

Marita and I took a walk this morning and came across this amazing wildflower garden filled with Sweet William. It stopped us in our tracks.

Every shade of pink was represented!

Speaking of pink....I got a start on my concertina....and it probably won't surprise you that I am going to work through the full color spectrum. I started with PINK (for Kimberly).....and am transitioning to red. I'm thinking I might add a little white and/or black to that overpowering pink background. So far I have used fabric, watercolor, colored pencil, a couple black pens, alcohol markers and pages from a book and catalog. 

I just finished the red in my rainbow puzzle....and am transitioning to orange.

I think this counts as my rainbow for today!

Look what I got in the mail... a lovely handmade tag from Roseanne. It will certainly find a good home in one of my journals! Thanks Roseanne!

Blue

Subtitle: That's Exactly What I'll Do! 

It rained most of the day today...but I'm celebrating blue. 

This blue sky was from a few days ago...but what an amazing cloud formation it was! 

And while Sue and John were visiting....Sue and I played around with a few cyanotypes....this one of a fern with some vinegar spots

Here's the fern at the bottom which is growing like crazy...and there's a lot of new growth on my foxtail fern. 

I spent most of the afternoon in the studio. I came across this sunflower stencil cyanotype and decided it would make a nice cut out journal cover. Here's the front and back.

I used a mix of papers and pockets...mostly in shades of blue. I hope to make a handful of these for the free little art library in Falmouth and I will include snippets and collage fodder.

Today rainbow is a Dotty collage inspired by my rainbow collage I posted yesterday. I couldn't love it more and seeing it again inspires me to try something a little more organic like this. Maybe I'll make a small one for a joy journal cover! Yes...that's exactly what I'll do.

Summer Project

Butterfly Weed is one of my very favorite early summer plants to watch. I don't have one...but there's one in our neighborhood that I walk by almost every day. 

Every single stage is so special. The tight green buds turn to bright orange balls which open to fabulous flowers with tiny yellow centers. It makes my heart sing. 

I acquired a large watercolor pad from a friend and cut and folded a couple of concertina/accordion books a while back. I have several things in mind....but it was time to do something with one of them. Completely inspired by an Instagram post by Connie Fong I used my stencils to trace overlapping designs on one side.

I wondered whether I wanted to color....paint or doodle....so I decided to all three.  I'm also going to add collage and fabric elements. It's going to be a quiet...ongoing summer project.

This was a collage I did back 2024 for Color week of the Conscious Creativity Class with Philippa Stanton. I love it enough to revisit the wonky technique. 

Sacred Pause

Rachel Hodgens describes the Solstice as the sacred pause before the shift in direction and seasonal energy. 

Rainbow image from the Maine Needs Instagram page.

After a wonderful whirlwind of a visit with John and Sue I feel like today has been a sacred pause before a shift in my energy. Spring is a when I focus on my gardens....and as of late I have have been tending my home. 

I'm just going to embrace this sacred pause...and see where the shift and the new season takes me.

We were gifted an especially fabulous ceramic tile from John and Sue. I absolutely love it!

I'm Thankful for dear friends ✓

I'm Grateful for precious time with them ✓ 

I'm Blessed to have a home that is comfortable ✓

Happy Solstice!