Pieces and Parts

Some wabi-sabi up ferns along the pond caught my eye on my after dinner walk last evening. I was quite smitten with insect holes and the patterns in the negative spaces.

It would have been so easy to just walk by...but that's not what I do.

I brought a few home and pressed them in a catalog to dry out a bit. But late last evening (never a good idea) I pulled one out and took it to the gelli plate. I had a pre-painted green index card and thought I would pull a print with dark blue paint.

I faced a number of problems: the fern wasn't dry enough and really too limp and fragile to work with...I didn't have my glasses on...and I used to much paint...so I assumed it was a flop. I would be more patient and wait for the others to dry out a bit and try it again another day.

But in the light of day...I took a second look.  It's not what I was hoping for...but it also had some interesting pieces and parts....so it became perfectly imperfect ICAD #17.

If this were a print on paper it would make fabulous collage fodder all cut up....some of the pieces and parts are pretty wonderful. 

Just look at that feathery veining on the right....it looks like tiny tree branches.  That's the magic of gelli plate.

Purple Pride

I was inspired by this adorable photo Patty sent me....

her Proud Purple Pig was her caption.

And here's a little purple a the pond.

So in honor of the Purple Pride Pig...I painted purple between my squiggle lines....

...and colored in my day 16 ICAD (I painted the acrylic swirl last evening) while enjoying a beautiful afternoon on the patio. 

A while back Christine had asked why I sometimes use gesso on my index cards. It's works as primer for the surface so certain media will stick better. Today I tried to watercolor on right on the manilla card ...and it just beaded up. That's why I use gesso. So I switched to markers and colored pencils.

ICAD # 16...celebrating purple pride! ✔

I've mentioned several times that another creative daily practice for me is trading photographs with my sister-in-law Alyson every evening. It's a great way for us to connect and celebrate the beauty of the seasons.

Just a few days ago she commented on my Instagram posts where I used the Unfold App....so I hooked her up. So now we're creating Unfold montages for each other that capture our moments of the day...often including a little video. 

It's such a simple app...and we're both having a good time with is.

Here's a montage for today celebrating purple pride!

Out Of Practice

Subtitle: Maybe It Counts

It took me a long time to think of myself as an artist. I always knew I was a crafter...and I sometimes called myself an assembler. But artist was a stretch. 

Although I did eventually give in...as of late I don't feel much like an artist.  This time of year I'm a garden putterer....a committed committee and community member and an avid and loyal observer of spring. And all of that brings me joy. So for right now...all of it is part of my daily creative practice.

But it does feel awkward to actually try and create as of late. I feel out of practice as I try and take on even a simple index card. I think it's just a phase...and think all creatives go through it. 

But maybe it counts as creative to just cut up a beautiful photograph of a begonia and mount it along with a scribble flower on ICAD #15.

And maybe it counts as creative that I got out of bed at around 11:30 last night because I couldn't stop thinking about using the same idea I used on one of my index cards....this time in my watercolor journal.  

I thought I might make the time to paint today and I wanted the acrylic paint to be very dry. 

I haven't painted yet....but sometime soon I will.

I do love these acrylic squiggle lines and I think it will be fun to watercolor in between them.

And maybe it counts that on a whim I randomly glued a row of catalog cut-out bottles into my art journal. I love these bottle....and they've been knocking around the studio for years. And now looking at this photo....I can see there is something creative that is possible with these two pages.

I do actually believe it all counts....and all important parts of my daily creative practice. Especially if  there's joy. 

The Rest...

...of the backyard tour.

Paul and I spend a lot of time in the backyard on the patio...so I thought I'd give you a few more views. The other corner of the patio by the tree is where I have most of my hummingbird plants.  They like the plants...but they also still visit the feeders so I keep a few small ones filled.  

I know condo life is not for everyone....but I do love my neighbors and there is a good amount of distance and privacy between us and our next door neighbor Anna. And I also love this view down the row of backyards...and they are all great people!  We're pretty lucky!

My favorite plant in this corner is called humminbird's lunch....and it's the one they snack on the most.

This is also the corner where the yellow daylilies and the Bowman's root live...and they are both amazing right now. 

And...this is also where my rain lilies pots live although they would really like more sun.

This is where Paul and I pause...talk...read...stitch...and watch the birds. 

It's a nice spot any time of day....so it's a good place to land for almost anything.

I started this card this morning...then never got back to it. 

I punched cloud squares from my big box of photos....and it was going to be the background for something. But maybe this is where ICAD #14 will land....it's growing on me just the way it is.

Handle With Care!

I got some treats in the mail today....and it made me chuckle that the package said fragile HANDLE WITH CARE!  I'm guessing it was a repurposed package...but it cracked me up based on the contents.

Melodee sent me some fun and festive napkins to use in my art making....and an interesting article from the New York Times. She had seen a post I did a while back about napkins....so searched her stash to add to my art fodder!

The article was about artist Marcin Rusak who makes vessels and furniture encapsulating dried wabi-sabi flowers into resin. The most interesting part of the story is that if the plant had any artificial color...it naturally expelled it during the process.

Thanks for the fun mail Melodee!

I finished yesterday's ICAD late last night....and stitched together a quick collage for today. On the quote card I had done the black squiggle lines ahead using acrylic paint in a fine line applicator.  Once it was dry I colored it in with colored pencil and added the quote. I do like the concept...and next time I'll use watercolor.

I keep thinking I'm going to have time in the studio...but spring keeps calling me....and I'm answering.  The weather has been spectacular and it feels wrong not to be out in it.

When it gets hot...that's when I get tucked inside my studio with my AC.

I had a delightful swim early this morning and did some pool chores. And I've made the rounds in my gardens over the past couple of days. Everything is edged....weeded and watered. 

I'm so happy with the gardens this year...and from here on out they will pretty much take care of themselves.  With just a little weeding and trimming once in a while.

I've written about my special potato rock in the photo above....

but I haven't mentioned my newest potato...this might be a yam. We found it while we were up in Perry visiting Patsy and Brian and we're pretty sure it's a tumbled brick. So I guess that makes it a sea brick.

For now it lives on the corner of the patio along with my mosquito from one of my sister gatherings and Connie's tiny stone bird bath.  Which...by the way...I do get birds drinking from it.

That story of the sister mosquito is here: https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2015/08/bonding.html  

Speaking of sister trips...we're having a sister gathering in Minneapolis at the end of the month and I'm pretty excited. Becky and Angie will be missed....but Nancy, LaVonn, Marilyn and I will have a wonderful time!

Here's a different perspective on that corner garden.

I might continue the patio tour tomorrow....it's out summer happy place and brings us a lot of joy!

That Brings Me Joy

Paul's retirement gift from Hancock Church was an ebike...best gift ever!  He gets most of our groceries on his bike and will do any errand that is needed. He rides all over the city and neighboring towns often finding interesting places he wants to take me back to. And that brings me joy. 

Just this morning....we walked a new route to a sidewalk garden he discovered on a bike ride. 

He used words like airy... wild... and colorful....and he knew I would love it. And that brings me joy.

It was one of those gardens that was hard to photograph....especially in the bright sun...and it felt more like a wildflower meadow than on an urban street garden. 

My mom used to plant bachelor buttons in the garden....so when I see them I think of her. And that brings me joy.

I think this street....along this garden will become a regular part of some of our morning walks. And that brings me joy!

Thanks Paul!

Evening Light

I love the way the evening light was shining on my puzzle last evening....

...it made the colors really glow.

I'm still having fun with this one!

I'm so delighted that I'm going to have new daylily blooms every day for a while...they're so cheery.

It was a good afternoon for painting on the patio. Well...in some ways not really. The paint dried way to fast so the results were not as good as the setting and experience. But it certainly was enjoyable.

I visited Margie this morning...and she's been busy.  Here are some of her recent coloring pages. She's really on a roll...and having a great time!

This is her work in progress.

And although I'm mostly I'm going to work directly on the cards....today was a good day to just stitch something on my day 11 ICAD.  

This watercolor mandal has been hanging around the studio for a while...and now it has a home.

Good Day For Coloring

There seems to be something new blooming almost every day in the June gardens.

My Bowman's root from my sister Nancy is blooming...it's such a handsome airy plant. The slender dark pink buds open to delicate light pink star-shaped flowers...and they just make me smile. 

This little sprig is going on my window sill. I love the little buds just the way they are...but maybe they'll open in my window. 

And look at this peony I saw on my walk.

And my yellow daylilies are just covered in buds and the first one opened up today. I counted at least 50 on my little cluster of plants. 

Today's card was a simple stip of fused fabric scraps.  

And I wanted to try Maryanne's doodle technique again...this time in my watercolor journal. It was a good day for coloring.

I used the same markers I used on the card. The color is a little intense...so I'm going to do the opposite page with regular watercolor. Maybe tomorrow will be a good day for painting. 

Confetti

Here's a couple montages I did using the unfold app that I put on our condo association Facebook Page. I so enjoy the fountain and blooms around the pond all season long. 

The yellow baptisia on the top was mine...but I didn't have enough sun. It's thriving down by the pond and that makes me happy!

  

I intended to start with the blues on my new puzzle...but when I saw the photo of the finished puzzle yesterday from 2015....I decided to start at the top with all the light colors.

At first glance all they all look alike...but the subtle color variations are so clear when you line them them up. This is such a different puzzle experience...and I already know I'm going to love it....again.

Lots of random posts come across my Instagram feed...and sometimes something catches my eye. As soon as I saw this...I knew I had to try it for my day nine ICAD. Teddy picked up punched dots with tape to add to her her gift wrapping. You can see her project here: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C58hqwRNXVt/

And this is my version. 

I used a piece of packing tape to pick up the dots. Because most of the tape was covered in dots I had to use matte medium to adhere it to the card.

I also put a layer of matte medium on top to knock down the sheen of the tape. And...I added a few tiny confetti dots with posca pens. 

I think it's fun....and the best part is....it flows nicely from the last card.

I'm really enjoying these simple little experiments.

Scraps On My Table

It was time to start a new puzzle. I've actually done this one before...it's an ombre rainbow spectrum all in solid color.

It was a gift from Anita and Janet way back in 2015 for my birthday. I thought it would be really hard...but I remember really enjoying it. So we'll see if that's still true after all these years. I have all the pieces sorted by color. 

I'm so glad I looked back at my post way back when.

The front of the box is just a small section in the middle....so this photo will help me with my planning.

And speaking of rainbows....I visited Patty's Pride Pigs today...and they're just as fabulous in person. 

And I took some scraps to the sewing machine for my day 8 ICAD.  Here's where I ended up....the flowers were an afterthought to try and save it.  

Using some scraps on my table...I stitched a little Kawandi quilt on an index card.

I liked it looked when started...but didn't like the way it ended. It needed something.

So I colored in some of my scribble flowers and covered up the not so great center.

   Much better now..