Blooms

The meadow rue is just delightful but a challenge to photograph....especially since the bloom is almost 7 feet in the air. My camera automatically wants to focus on the trees in the background unless I can get the focus box right on one of the tiny blooms.  For every photo I get sort of in focus...there are 10 that aren't.  It's become somewhat of a personal challenge.

Also....I'm quite pleased that during this stretch in Maine the rain lilies have performed so well.

This morning I covered the edges of the board for the paper tube project. Only the edge will show....but it's a little detail that makes for a nice finish so worth the effort.                                                                                                                                 


The gold edges on the paper beads gave me an idea for today's card.  Same concept...just flat.

I edged the folded paper with gold and glued them on with no particular scheme in mind.  I used the scraps that were right at hand making it another quick and easy project. 

I think these make a nice trio.

Scraps

I'm making progress on my paper tube project.  This evening I continued to assess the colors making sure there was a flow and that I had enough to cover the board.  I ended up with a pile of scraps at the bottom right that got me thinking.   

I wasn't sure I was going to get a card done today....it was a busy but delightful day.  But I liked this green and reddish scheme....so in just a few minutes I had card number 43. It's a nice follow-up to yesterday's and a nod to the tube project.  I might add some stitching tomorrow.  

Much of my day was spent getting ready for and enjoying a lunch I had for Margie and my neighbor Sandy across the street here at the condo.  We had a delightful time with lively conversation covering just about ever topic.  I've wanted to get the two of them together ever since Margie moved here over a year ago.  Joy!

Playful Patterns

I loved working with the playful patterns from the Gudrun catalogs for today's card.  I shopped my box of cut and folded pieces for this quick and fun little project.  I'm loving my creative daily practice!

Using a glue stick I layered the folded papers and trimmed it up at the end.  Easy peasy.

I made yesterday's card out of some hideously bad gel-plate mono print experiments I did sometime last year...they aren't quite so bad cut up.  Since I made them I've watched several videos so I know I can do better.  There aren't enough hours in the day for all the things I want to do.

After rolling more paper tubes for my commission project...I trimmed them up today and touched the edges with a gold paint pen. I still may need more....but I'll figure that out as I go along.

Step three is glueing them onto a wooden base wrapping a little gold thread as I go.  I've always been quite fond of these little snippets I trim off the ends.                                                                                        

Pinks and Purples...

....and a splash of red and yellow. 

My new little gardens in Maine seem to be thriving.  In the back yard I've got pinks and purples with a splash of red and yellow. 

The red splash is actually my neighbors begonia.  There are a couple of the purple coral bells...one you can't see and the butter yellow moonbeam coreopsis is just starting to bloom.  This side is more about textures and greens....with lots of my mini hosta.

Here's the first bloom on the moonbeam. It may not be getting enough sun....so we'll see. It thrived last summer as a new plant. I gave it a little food today.  

Right at the corner of the fence by Anna's red begonia is a new Meadow Rue that David picked up for me last fall....you can barely see it. It's very tall and kind of spindly....Paul thought it was pretty funny looking as it was growing.  I saw it blooming in Linda and David's garden....and pictures of it in Tracie's garden and I was in love. I may actually move it so it's in front of the fence this fall...I think I'll be able to see it better. Or...get another one.  

The buds are tiny pinkish purple balls....and when they pop open the flower is a delicate delight. It's just starting to bloom....and very hard to photograph.

This is the photo Tracie put on Facebook last summer that I fell in love with. I don't think mine is going to perform like this...Tracie said it got 9 feet tall.

And this is a photo I took of it in David and Linda's garden last summer.  I couldn't believe how tall it got and was spectacular in person.

On the other corner of the patio I have a combination of fan flower (scaevola) and verbena in various shades of purple and pinky purple. 

Around the corner behind the rain lilies I have another type of purple verbena and Persian Shield.  I love all the purples, the pink is by default because of my precious rain lilies from my sister LaVonn. It's a happy vibrant little corner.

My purple skirt purple toenails fit right in.

Becky gave me a little clump of her white rain lilies.  I gave half to my sister LaVonn and here's my little clump.  I'm not expecting blooms this year....but we'll see.   Below is a close-up of the Persian Shield.                                                              

The colors on this corner are pretty intense...especially in photos. But are they just beautiful as the light changes throughout the day....they almost glow.

The little arrangement at the top of this post was made with the spent petals I picked off from the freesia in my kitchen window.  I actually thought they were too pretty to just throw away so I added a begonia flower and made this little flower....I'll watch it for a few days....just because. 



When I cut off the top of the begonia flower for the center of the arrangement I found these little under petals that were absolutely adorable.  I never know what's going to make me smile....so I always pay attention.  This little splash of red made me smile.  I hope something made you smile today. And...congratulations is you made it to the end of this post!  I kind of got carried away. 

A Nod to Dave

Jane invited me for a low tide beach walk this afternoon....it's always a treat to be at the beach. It turned out to be one of those big fluffy cloud kind of afternoons...just the way I like it!

Yesterday's card was continued inspiration from Ansley's Orton Park tree map and a nod to Dave. 

When I was looking though my stash for something to use or reinvent I came across these rub on architect's symbols that belonged to Dave, my father-in-law, the civil engineer.  When I saw the tree symbols....I immediately thought of Ansley's needlework trees. 



I found a linear doodle in a bin I thought looked a bit "mappish"....cut off a 3 x 5 chunk...added a few more marks and rubbed on the trees and shrubs.

I remember rub-ons as a kid....so this took me right back.

It's kind of a funny little card...but I felt like I spent a few minutes with Dave...and that's a good thing. And since I had a nice visit with Margie yesterday too...I got to spend time with both the in-laws.

Today was a quickie. I trimmed down a watercolor doodle I found in a pile and in just a few minutes had card #40.  I'm not sure anyone fully understands how many started projects and experiments I have in piles and bins.

I think the last three make a nice trio....we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Back to My Roots

I feel like I'm getting back to my roots.....I"m making paper tubes again.  After the initial introduction post on this blog...paper tubes were the first thing I wrote about back in 2015....and I've written about them many time since. I'm not sure I'll ever change the header on the blog and I continue to be grateful to Ellen for inspiring me to make them. 



My friend Linda has commissioned me to make a piece as a gift for a friend....just like the one her husband David commissioned me to make for her.  Luckily I had my supplies here in Maine and last night I settled in with Netflix and got "on a roll."

I still have quite a supply of art magazines people have given me or that I've picked up for free. The pages are filled with colorful paintings and collages so make beautiful and interesting rolled tubes.

At the end of the night I laid them out on this tray to see what colors I need more of....and what's not working....I've already pulled out a few.  I need at least three times this many....so I'll keep rolling along.  It's the right project at the right time. 

Orton Park

I was quite taken with a fabric/needlework piece Tracie had hanging in her living room.  I was drawn in by the circles....and totally inspired by the story that goes along with it. 

Tracie and her husband Loon are quite passionate about taking care of the trees in their neighborhood. Loon "rescues" trees, brings them back to life, and gives them away to "anyone who has the time and space to plant them." I consulted with Becky because she has two of his trees....and she told me that Loon has a Facebook Page called the "Little Free Tree Library." How cool is that!

Tracie and Loon live right across the street from Orton Park...a peaceful and picturesque spot filled with beautiful trees.   Their daughter Ansley made this whimsical art piece mapping the trees in their beloved park....I was smitten!

The details are so much fun.....such a clever idea and the perfect gift for Tracie and Loon.

When I got to Maine today and saw blue and green circles sitting on my table and I knew immediately what I was going to do for today's card.  Inspired by Ansley's map of Orton Park....here's card #38. Playing with the map theme I used a nautical map that I had watercolored over years ago for the background and added circles that were also in my stash.  Because of the whole story that goes along with this card....it may be my favorite so far!

Jumping for Joy!

This has to be the best photo I've seen in a long time of a friend's grandson jumping for joy! How can it not make you smile!

Becky sent me home with some of her coloring pages to play so I did a little assemblage. Using punched circles from one of her sheets and part of a brochure I picked up years ago I did a quick and colorful card. It coordinates well with the photo.

I'm heading to Maine tomorrow for a stretch so I'll get the new cards I've made numbered and get back into my creative daily practice. I'm looking forward to being in the studio again....where this woman creates.

Joy!