Let's Make it a Thing!

It was a bit summery yesterday....but I was happy to have fall back today.

The morning air was crisp and beautiful....and I was tickled to catch up to Patty on my morning walk. That's the joy of having a friend right here in the neighborhood.

Did you notice the reflection in that ever-present heart puddle on the sidewalk?

Julie S. sent me a photo of this stubby pumpkin stem. I smiled because she didn't take a photo of the whole pumpkin....she knew it's all about the stem! (sorry....I just love saying that!) 

If you have fabulous pumpkin stem to share....send me a photo and I'll post it here. Let's make it a thing! 

This is one from my archives...just look at that crazy stem! 

Right Down the Street

Subtitle: A Generous Heart... A Playful Sense of Adventure....and the Final Stop for The Wandering Flowers

Settle in....I have a story to tell.

Patty was a big cheerleader for The Traveling Flowers. If you are new to the blog...that journey started here...with a guy named Chuck. With the help of Cherie and Dale Chuck's hand crafted metal flowers made a cross country trip from California to Maine....and Patty celebrated with me every step of the way. After they arrived...she secretly photographed them around my condo. 

She invited them down to her garden for a photo shoot with her evening primrose....and she brought Sluggo (her stuffed banana pepper) to my garden for another photo shoot. 

Patty was a fan....and that caught Cherie's attention. Patty made an impression.

Cherie contacted me in early August saying she thought Patty needed her own Traveling Flowers....and wondered if I would help with the surprise. Of course I would! 

She and Dale were heading out on a two month driving adventure to and from California to visit her dad.....and she wanted to bring Patty some of Chuck's flowers. She called them the Wandering Flowers  this time....and on their return trip...showed them the the roadside attractions along the way....and I shared all of that here on the blog. Cherie and Dale....along with the flowers arrived home in Pennsylvania last week. 

Cherie boxed them up....and courtesy of the USPS they made their way to Maine. I love her MUSE box...which is a actually a bag from the Corning MUSEum of Glass to cover  a wine box. Cherie knew...and you probably know too....but I learned the hard way that you can't send liquor boxes through the mail.

The flowers arrived at my condo on Monday....and today they wandered down the street to Patty's home....after making a stop by my front door.

Thanks to Chuck's generous heart, and Cherie and Dale's playful sense of adventure....The Wandering Flowers have made their final stop....right down the street.

They checked out the back garden....but landed by Patty's front door while she was out.

Surprise! Patty loves them....and Sluggo does too!

Thank you Cherie and Dale....and thank you Chuck!

What a fun connection journey this has been!

Kansas....

....and Alaska! I love the connections I've made through Joyful Puttering. 

It's the last day of summer....and I could have used light gloves and earmuffs on my early morning walk. I actually adore these crisp mornings.....and I absolutely adore fall....so bring it on! 

This photo is from Lily...who lives on the southern coast of Alaska! 

Isn't it just stunning! Perfect end of summer photo!

I love both mushrooms and rocks....so when Cherie shared her photos from Mushroom Rock State Park in the middle of Kansas farmland....I was a little jealous! I've driven through Kansas several times....so I kind of chuckled with the first line on the sign that said "Mushroom Rock State Park is one of the truly amazing wonders of Kansas." 

I know every state is beautiful in its own way....but "amazing wonders" does not leap to mind when I think of Kansas. 

I will be the first to admit that these incredible 66+ million year old mushroom rock formations are a wonder to behold. Thanks Cherie and Dale!

A Few More Scraps....

.....and a statue of "Liberty."

As I was attempting to clean off one of the work surfaces in my studio...I came across a couple of scraps: the last of the fused napkin scraps and the Audubon title from the magazine I've been cutting up. 

I paused to make another very simple little tag.

I used more of the text fabric from the last tag...and some striped fabric that leaned into the teal color I used as a background on the first napkin tag. 

I'm not sure I love the stripe...but it's what I did....so it's there to stay. I filled in the letters with a little pink and added the napkin leaf for flow. 

I'm heading towards pink...teal...and aqua. I think.

One learns most when one wanders the world. Tamuna Tsertsvadze 

Cherie and Dale are making their way across Colorado....it's a big state. I've already mentioned that they make it a point to seek out roadside attractions......and this time it was "Liberty" in Aurora Colorado. Liberty is a contemporary take on New York's iconic Statue of Liberty standing as a towering symbol of unity, courage and hope. Michael Benisty, artist

The 58 foot sculpture sits in the middle of nowhere near the Denver Airport....and is visible for miles. 

"Through its reflective surface, the sculpture invites viewers to engage with their own sense of freedom and transformation, encouraging a connection to something greater than themselves." Michael Benisty, artist

The Wandering flowers....also encouraging a sense of connection and hope.

Another Journey

Subtitle: Ever Since

Ever since Cherie received her joy journal we've had a connection and stayed in touch. 

Ever since Chuck (her dad) gifted me one of his beautiful metal flower sculptures I have been smitten by his spirit and generosity. 

Ever since Cherie and Dale helped me track The Traveling Flowers across the country from Chuck's home in southern California to my home in Maine...I have admired their sense of adventure and commitment to spreading a little joy. 

So it's time for another journey....and cross country tour. 

Introducing The Wandering Flowers: more of Chucks sculptures making their way across the country with Cherie and Dale....with an interesting destination twist at the end.

Not all those who wander are lost. J.R.R. Tolkien

Cherie and Dale...along with their precious cargo made their way from Southern California to Seven Magic Mountains just outside of Las Vegas. These locally-sourced wildly painted boulder sculptures are 30 to 35 feet tall. Who knew there was such a thing! Cherie and Dale do love finding unusal roadside attractions....and we get to follow along.

From their they continued onto Vegas...visiting the iconic Las Vegas sign. The red flowers are the official Wandering Flowers and the other are traveling companions. Chuck helped friends of theirs make their own flowers in his shop. Since Ryan and Chase were flying....Dale and Cherie are delivering them.

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.

Connections Continued

Subtitle: We Get to Choose!

Happy Earth day! 

I thought Earth Day was a good day to share this torn paper rainbow garden I made this for Paul's sister Alyson's birthday back in 2020. It's one of my favorites! 

I offered to pay for the shipping on The Traveling Flowers from Pennsylvania....but Cherie made a counter offer I couldn't refuse: buy something for Maine Needs. So that's what I did. 

I had a little money from other donations so was able to buy two sets of new sheets. And I'm tickled that I found floral sheets as a nod to The Traveling Flowers. Speaking of the flowers....they've been siting on the coffee table for a few days....I think I'll audition them in a new space tomorrow. 

The Connections Continued! 

A few days ago I got an email from Linda who was the recipient of the first blue and white journal giveaway. She sent me several photos of how she is making her journal her own...adding quotes and snippets and I loved seeing what she had done. I especially loved this quote she added: Every moment of every day we get to choose who we will be. 

A few days ago the grounds crew was in our condo association doing some mulching and other spring chores.  As soon as I knew the crew was coming I made a quick trip to the store and scrambled to make chocolate chip cookies....Jane's special recipe with ground oatmeal. There were seven different workers around the condo...and they were so appreciative! 

I told Paul that I really liked being that person who baked cookies for workers taking care of our property. Every moment we get to choose who we want to be.

Julie shared a delightful post about her colorful joy journal and all the ways she is adding to it. It's so much fun to see these journals in action! 

I was tickled to see this image along the side of her blog....I was drawn to the same image when I saw it. I think there are lots of us get sad if we don't make stuff. We get to choose to be makers!

Connecting

Subtitle: My Heart is Full!

Joyful Puttering: Collecting, Creating, Connecting...that's what the banner at the top of my blog says. And all of that brings me joy. 

To the casual observer...my studio is in a constant state of chaos. I'm constantly trying to assess what I have collected over the years and figuring out what I should let go of...and what I should keep. The problem is...I see potential in everything.  When I'm trying to tidy up...I always find some  some bright shiny object so it's more likely that I'm creating something rather than organizing. And when I find myself connecting with someone...THAT is what it's all about.

Dotty was one of the recipients of one of my blue and white journal. She wrote a poem about her journal...and you can read it on her blog here.  

If you check it out.... you'll see her little creation that she tucked inside the yellow envelope that I included in one of the pockets in her journal.

My heart is full.

Julie received her Joy Journal a few days ago...and sent me several photos of things she has already tucked or glued into her journal. It's going to be a wonderful place for her to tuck her favorite things from her grandson. How can you not save his adorable writing! souen is sewing in Connor's four year old world. His grandmother is a quilter.

And now one of Connor's hearts is tucked in the little pocket

My heart is full. 

I made did several journals for Lynn long before the Joy Journal Project including an altered purchased journal with her papers stitched in as inspiration. 

Lynn sent me some photos of a few of her pages in her altered journal and that makes me so happy. You can see just a hint of the inspiration paper on the far left for this spread.

My heart is full. 

And just a few days ago Cherie wrote about The Traveling Flowers and Chuck, her dad, on her blog. 

You can read that post here. 

My heart is full.

And just today....after a 3,000 + mile journey from Chuck's workshop in southern California..The Traveling Flowers arrived at their new home on the east coast in Portland, Maine. 

Ben....our mail carrier humored me....he was part of the journey too!

From Chuck's shop....to Cherie's front door...to my front door....these handmade flowers have connected us! And don't you love how my sweatshirt matches Cherie's door. 

My heart is full! 

The journey isn't over. I will be auditioning them in various places around the condo...inside and out when the weather is better. For a few days....they'll live on the coffee table in the heart of our home. 

Did I mention that my heart is full?