Round Things

A couple round things from Paul....they're almost twins.  The ball he found is hard as a rock...and doesn't bounce at all. Any ideas what it's used for?  Bocce ball maybe? And he took the photo of this fabulous maple tree on the Lexington Green on his way home from work. Isn't it spectacular!

Continuing with round things....

This week we keep our 4 x 6 card...the third of my negative space paintings. It's not a masterpiece by any stretch....but it's fun and colorful. I needed to keep it simple. I've learned a lot experimenting with these three painted cards...and there are all kinds of applications that are rolling around in my head.  

Once again I created a collage from painted paper scraps. I chose a simple pattern for the negative space painting that didn't even require a sketch.

The gold accents in the collage give it a nice shimmer.  Round three ✔

This photo was taken in the spring at Angie's when the corn was just sprouting. I enjoyed the contrast of  the sprouting corn in this May trip compared to the dried corn ready to be harvested when I was there in the fall.  

Blues and Greens

"She left pieces of her life behind her everywhere she went. It's easier to feel the sunlight without them, she said."  Brian Andreas

Becky finally got last week's card from me today....it took a full week.  But I'm still amazed that a piece of mail that I drop in a slot gets anywhere at all.  So way to go Post Office! 

Becky's card is my second negative space painting for round three of our 4 x 6 exchange.  

I started with a painted paper collage with a tight color scheme....just blues and greens and many of them leaf prints that didn't turn out so well.  I've learned that even the not so great gel prints can be useful.  I didn't take a photo....but I sponged on some gold highlights before I started painting.  The collage was big enough for me to try a few things.

This time I used this "mask" to define the negative space I wanted to paint.  A stencil prints an image itself...and a mask prints the negative space around an image. I forgot to take any pictures along the way but I'll try to describe what I did in case you're interested. 

I rolled a very thin layer of creamy white paint on my gel plate....laid down this mask and placed my collage on top with the colored side down.  I pressed with my fingers and palms to get good contact in the negative spaces.  What that gave me is a visible guide to hand paint a second coat of paint.  Cheating?  I think not....I thought it was clever.

For a little interest I machine stitched around the design.

My Angie memory for today is an afternoon bonfire from several years ago. This is how how you get rid of your yard trash when you live in the country....there's nothing like a good roaring bonfire!

I put a video of it in my Instagram page at the time...you can view it here:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxPat5aHMj9/

I fell in love with this rusty old metal chair....I sat there for a long time watching it burn down.

Negative Space

I can finally write about this week's card for our 4 x 6 exchange.  I put it in the mail this past Monday and  Brenda got it yesterday....we keep cheering on the United States Post Office! 

My theme for round three is negative space painting.

I created a rainbow under collage using scraps of my painted papers. I wanted the colors to bleed into each other...including down into the bottom where the stems and leaves would be. I didn't want the placement of the colors to be too literal or planned.

I sketched out the garden with white watercolor pencils that could easily be covered by the paint or wiped away with a damp rag.

Using Titan Buff Golden acrylic paint mixed with a little clear gesso I laid down my first coat.  It's weird painting the negative space....I have to really concentrate or I get it wrong. I had a hard time seeing the white pencil on the yellow...so I used a darker pencil forgetting that it would be impossible to wipe off once it was covered with paint.  oops!

I applied a second coat.

I should have auditioned the size and design sooner.  I don't mind the image going off the edge...but there was a lot of empty negative space. It could have used more leaves....in number and variety.

So I added some gold polka dots...because it never hurts to add a bit of bling.  Lots of lessons learned....one of them being don't get too attached to your under collage...most of it gets covered up. 

When I was helping Angie several years ago I collected things from her yard that I watched dry on her porch.  I had just learned about wabi-sabi from Philippa's Consciously Creative class so watching things shrivel up was novel and interesting. Since there's nearly a rainbow here on the table.....I thought it paired well with Brenda's card.  And...there's that beautyberry sprig I mentioned a few days ago....such a fabulous purple.  Wabi-sabi fabulous...from Angie's yard.

Happy Birthday Becky!

"Everyone has a friend during each stage of life....but only lucky ones have the same friend in all stages of life."

I'm celebrating my dear friend Becky's birthday today....we've known each other for 56 years. We've leaned on and lifted each other up in every stage...and I don't think there is anyone else except maybe Paul....who knows me as well as she does.

Becky has a little collection going of 4 inch photos of some of my rainbow projects. So this daisy wreath made from my painted papers seemed like the perfect 3D birthday card...and a nice addition to her collection.

I used a piece of wrapping paper I had on hand as the background rather than a collage...not much was going to show and I like this simple and subtle old school text pattern. I have a whole roll of this paper. I used matte medium as the glue and as a topcoat to knock down the glossy finish. I glued it on the cardstock to give it stability.

I often outline my design space with pencil....but forgot that once I covered it with medium I wouldn't be able to erase the pencil line....giving me no leeway.  And I wished I would have drawn a guide circle...but instead I just started randomly and had to keep adding to try and get it nice and round. You can see in the photo below the top is kind of flat....so I added one more red flower...and kept tweaking.

I filled in with this grassy paper I love....and it will be a sad day when it's gone. I've only seen it at one store which has gone out of business.  I keep my eyes open for it anytime I'm someplace artsy (which isn't very often these days) hoping it will turn up somewhere.

Becky has a long narrow wall in her project room where she displays these little rainbows. This photo is from last summer when I was visiting...and I actually think I've given her two more between then and now.  So I'm thinking there are 7 now? Is that right Becky? Are you running out of room? 

Here are all the others....I do love things in rainbow order!  

Happy Birthday Becky!  🌈

Fused Fall Papers

It's time for a few fall cards....and I'm pretty happy with this little experiment.  I haven't worked in my studio for days and days....and it felt good to spend some time creating again. 

I always welcome the rich and earthy fall colors this time of year.

I was curious how some of my printed gel plate papers would work on paper backed fusible webbing. I tore random shapes of fall colors and arranged them on a large piece of fusible with the paper side down and fusible side UP. Then I ironed them....a few at a time...which also glued them down.

I wasn't so sure about it at this point...but I had a little faith and just kept going. 

It was VERY important to use a piece of the used transfer paper from previous projects as a pressing cloth to protect my iron. Remember...the fusible side was facing UP so any edges and pieces of the exposed fusible would immediately stick to the iron.

I didn't like the stark white edges on some of the torn pieces so I blotted them out with golden yellow paint on a VERY USED sponge.

Next I went over the whole thing with matte medium making sure to brush it under the overlapping parts to glue them down.  I could have just collaged the whole thing with medium to begin with....but I wanted to see if the fusible would help keep the papers from wrinkling....and it did.

OK....it still didn't look so good....but this was just a base.  At first I thought I would layer other elements on the whole piece....but I wanted to try a variety of different things so I cut off a chunk for one card and added another layer.

I cut out some of the fern shapes from this lovely metallic paper....and glued them down with medium.

Now this is where the idea of making the collage on the fusible came in handy.  All I had to do was peel off the paper on the back to expose the other side of the fusible and iron it onto my card.

I usually add stitching around the edge to hold my image down....but it didn't need it and I thought it looked better without it.  Next time I would iron it for less time and a cooler iron....as the hot iron did cause the card to warp a bit.  Paper fuses in a matter of seconds.....fabric needs a little more time.  I'll press it under a weight tonight and maybe it will straighten out.  That's what experimenting is for!!!

And the best part is I have the rest of the collage sheet to do something totally different with. Stay tuned for more cards with fused fall papers.

Sounds Like Fall

Paul and I were sitting on the patio this evening listening to the breeze rustle through the trees and we decided it sounded like fall.  It seemed funny to think a breeze could sound like a season...but we knew what we were hearing was different from what we heard in the summer.  

And this time of year the sun is lower in the sky....so it sparkles and dances through the trees during the afternoon and into the evening. 

The sun...and the fabulous fall breeze gave us all the entertainment we needed.

I lopped off the old bloom of the meadow rue quite some time ago....but new growth has sprouted and I've been enjoying these sweet little blooms all over again. I'll let these dry and maybe the birds will spread some seeds.

And there are still buds coming!

This one was all by itself down low.....so teeny tiny....and look at those details!!!

It was time for another rainbow daisy card.....a tried and true favorite. 

So simple....and so satisfying.

It needs to dry overnight before I trim it up.

Comfort Zone

"Life is pretty good about telling you true things quietly the first couple of times & then after that, as loud as it takes for you to hear." Brian Andreas

I wanted to make a birthday card for my Aunt Beverly....and I wasn't quite ready to forge out into a new design. So I stayed in my most recent comfort zone where I've been quite happy for a while.  These little rainbow daisies make me smile.....and I hope they make Aunt Beverly smile too.

There's something nice about a simple stitching line frame.

I hope to have some new ideas and techniques for my cards 

in the next few weeks......

....I've signed up for another on-line class.

It was one of those things that that life just shouted at me until I heard it....just in time.  I signed up today and it starts tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

I'm heading to Lexington for a few days.....and I'm leaving these rain lily blooms and buds behind for Paul to enjoy. Still no sign of a bud on the small white one....which I think look like chives.

And I'm hoping my moonbeam coreopsis will be blooming when I get back. There's just one at the moment but the tiny buds are getting ready to pop.

Embracing the Clover

This is where yesterday's snippets took me....and I've already passed it along to a friend.

I remember looking for 4-leaf clover in our yard growing up....do you?

I used to be one of those people who wanted a perfectly manicured lawn and I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't give the products that needed to be used to achieve that much thought.  But, like in many areas of my life, I'm learning that the old ways are not always the best ways.

To better protect the waterways, pets, and natural habitats, Portland, Maine has a city ordinance prohibiting the use of all synthetic weed killers and lawn treatments.....and I think that's a really good thing.  What that means is that our condo association lawns, which were weedy before the ordinance, are now even weedier...and I've made peace with that.

After some gardening I was sitting on the patio enjoying the beautiful day and making peace with the clover that was blooming all over the lawn. I decided to do a little research and was absolutely delighted with what I learned. For those of you who read this blog on a regular basis know when something delights me....I usually share it with you. 

I read the Portland City Ordinance and several articles about clover from all different angles....including the benefits and how to get rid of it. But the one that helped me make my attitude shift was "Five Benefits of Keeping Clover in Your Lawn."

https://www.wrightmfg.com/articles/five-benefits-of-keeping-clover-in-lawns/

Before the second World War, white clover was a standard ingredient in grass seed because it was beneficial.  But once weed killers and pesticides became a thing....clover got lumped into the weed category and killed off by the chemicals.   We never treated our lawn on the farm growing up....so that's why I remember the clover.

I highly recommend the short little the article...but just in case you don't here's a summary of the 5 reasons you should not only keep clover in your lawn....but embrace it.

1.  Clover acts as a natural fertilizer.  It takes nitrogen from the air and transfers it to the soil.  It tends to "move in" where there's poor soil and works to fix it.

2.  Clover stays green....even in dry conditions.

3.  Clover brings diversity to your lawn....this one made me laugh out loud....it seemed so on topic in our current social climate.  The nectar from the flowers attracts bees and other helpful insects....and "the more diverse a lawn, the better off it is."  JOY!

4.  Clover smells good....what's not to love about that! 

5.  Clover kills other weeds.  I have some other pretty ugly weeds in the lawn...and the clover may actually smother them....works for me! 

So keep moving in clover....I'm embracing you....and you're a welcome addition to my lawn.  

I thought it would have been fun to find a 4-leaf clover for the end of this post...but no luck.  ha ha