Spring is in the Air!

"Create a project that calls to mind how one or all the senses respond to this new beginning time of year."

This is the Challenge (made by me!) set forth before the Blogging Business Artisans for the month of April.

I love this lush, gorgeous time of year when the Earth comes alive again and is filled with the scent and soft velvety beauty of blooming flowers, bird song, and insects buzzing.  Greens like parsley, lettuce, and mint, growing in my garden are being harvested for delicious salads and tea. All my senses are heightened by this heady delight.

This time of year inspires so much creativity.  I've been making  a lot of cards lately, and Spring has definitely influenced my creations. 

I've been working in my garden (mostly weeding) and am about ready to pot up some perennials to give away.  My friend Kelly made a lovely card and shared the template for the flower pot.  This will be given to my Mother-in-Law for Mother's Day.  I chose her favorite colors.

The blue background of the card is cuttlebugged.  Images are stamped, and colored in with marker.  I stamped the white ribbon with golden yellow flowers to subdue it some and attached it to the top of the flower pot.  

This was a very simple card to make.  I love that!  The lavender background was cuttlebugged.  I rubbed violet ink around the edges.  Three punched butterflies were attached with rhinestones glued on their heads.  The purple flowered ribbon was tied in a "Naomi Knot."  (how to video on my friend Peggy's blog Bubbe's Biz)

a birds' nest in my hawthorn tree.  We think it may be a hummingbird nest. 

I folded this card and cuttlebugged a design on the inside bottom.  I then stamped a leaf pattern all over with Versamark.  It's very subtle.  I stamped the bird and nest with chocolate ink on a leaf patterned paper.  I colored the design in with chalk and inked the edges.  I hand wrote the sentiment.  The flower was made as follows:

3 (very) rough circles were cut out of ribbon.  I then carefully singed the edges with a flame.  This seals the edges and curls them inward. 

 


The ribbon circles were glued down one on top of the other and a pearl bead was glued to the center.





This card is a favorite and was inspired by a card on Pinterest.  (See it HERE--Lynda Benden's Stamp Act)

Here's how I made it:

First patterned paper was glued to a white card.

Vintage lace I happened to have around was attached to light green cardstock with double sided tape.


 
I burnished the tape down with the scissors handle in order to be able to remove the plastic tape covering easily.

This light green cardstock was then attached to slightly larger dark green cardstock.

Two types of yarn were tied onto the lace.

I found a turquoise button in my stash.  I placed it on the card where I wished it to go and lightly marked the beak, legs and tail with a pencil.  Yarn was then tied through the button holes to make the wing.  I cut a beak out of paper and glued it in place.  The legs and tail were drawn with marker.  The button was attached with double sided tape.  I then hand wrote the sentiment. 

○ ○ ○

Besides cards, I've been working on dyeing and painting silk.   Both of these items call to my mind the joyous revival of green growing things.

It's fun to play with dyes and techniques.  This is a detail of a scrunchie which can be found in my shop HERE.

I dyed and hand painted this scarf, Spring bamboo.

 

creamy white Spring flowers 

The whites of Spring seem so fresh and delicate.  The lovely white pearls in this bracelet are reminiscent of that delicateness.

Spring also makes one think of birth--not only the rebirth of the Earth, but of all the baby animals being born.  Of course, I know baby humans are born all year long, but I recently made this baby bracelet for a friend's granddaughter.

Intrigued by our team challenge?  Come on over to our BBA BLOG, and see what others have made!   

QUESTION:  Have you made anything lately which challenged you artistically?     

photos by me © 2012  all rights reserved       

Treasury Round Up: Part Two

I've been featured in lovely treasuries lately!  Many thanks to the treasury makers!
(All treasuries and items within the treasuries are clickable.) 

Linda of Pruitt Creations featured my hand dyed silk scrunchie in her treasury Color Visions in my Head filled with items in colors of magenta, aquamarine, and apple green.

Linda has 3 shops on etsy.  One of her shops, Pruitt Supply features trims, fabrics, fat quarters, buttons, ephemera, notions, beads, findings, and handmade yo yos (will make custom sets for you--FAST!), like these.

 

 


Teresa of Lilee's Gram Knits and Spins and Dyes... featured my tie dyed heart T shirt in her fun treasury Things I Found This Week.

Teresa's shop is filled with yarn goodness--hand dyed yarn, recycled yarn, knitting and spinning supplies.  Look at the gorgeous colors of this wool  roving, "Aegan Sea!"

Christine Raven's Stained Glass of curated this bright and cheery treasury Over the Rainbow.  She featured my hand dyed rainbow silk scarf.

Christine creates beautiful stained glass pieces such as this lovely suncatcher of rainbow colored stars!

I'm linking up with Random Creative's Treasury Round Up.   For more awesome treasuries, go HERE!





photos by each individual artist © 2011-2012  all rights reserved!

Treasury Round Up: Part One

I've been featured in lovely treasuries lately!  Many thanks to the treasury makers!
(All treasuries and items within the treasuries are clickable.)


Sarah of Magnolia Surprise featured my hand dyed silk scrunchie in her lush purple treasury What Rhymes with Purple?

Sarah crochets the most wonderful things!  Her play food is so much fun!  Her toast potholders have received rave reviews.  She also crochets dish cloths and scrubbies for your home, as well as scarves, and afghans.  This set of lovely green dishcloths is my current favorite.




Sher of Sher Hastings Designs featured my hand dyed and hand painted washcloth set in her lovely treasury Pretty in Pink. 

Sher has a great shop full of sewing patterns and graphic designs for scrapbooking, card making, and other fun uses.  Look at this PDF pattern for a pretty teapot!











Teresa of Lilee's Gram Knits and Spins and Dyes and.... curated this fun treasury, All things wild and wonderful.  She included my hand dyed washcloth set.

Teresa's shop is filled with beautiful hand dyed yarn for knitting and crocheting.  She also sells accessories such as these cute stitch markers.  Need drop spindles or place markers?  She's got them!  








Judy of JN Originals jn featured my hand dyed silk scarf Wood Between the Worlds in her sweet treasury Around the Color Wheel in Pastels.

Judy's shop features one-of-a-kind crocheted and felted wool accessories such as needle books, flower brooches, spa cloths, java jackets, scarflettes, handbags and more.  This is a lovely scarflette which can be worn around the head or neck!

Nancy's treasury Pale Green and Gold blah has such soft, lovely colors!  Nancy of N Fallon Design Studio featured my hand dyed and hand painted silk scarf Spring bamboo.

Nancy produces an array of lovely items including knit handbags, purses, and wallets.  She also offers art paper goods such as jewelry and card sets.  Wouldn't one of these heart brooches be perfect for Mom?!

I'm linking up with Random Creative's Treasury Round Up.   For more awesome treasuries, go HERE!



photos by each individual artist © 2011-2012  all rights reserved!

wine

What, you may wonder, do some of these photos have to do with wine?  Follow along and I will tell you.

looking away--the view from the back of the building

We were "treated" (Is that the right word?) to an experiment of flavoring wine, a mixture of cabernet franc and merlot to be exact.  We sampled wine which had been processed with pine chips (yuck!), spruce chips (super yuck!), beech chips (OK), and apple chips (not bad).

along the back fence

The back of the building.  This is Richwood Plantation Historic Bed and Breakfast in Milton, Kentucky.  A gorgeous property, it consists of a main house, a carriage house, 2 cottages, and extensive grounds.  

Again you wonder, what does all this have to do with wine?

Last January, my husband and I were invited to participate in a Winter Wine Weekend, a weekend filled with....yep, lots of wine drinking.  There were 26 of us.  There were informal times and formal presentations like the one mentioned above.

The very talented Rose made labels for wine bottles in which roses were placed.  We each got to take one home.

Oh yes!  There was a murder mystery (written by the aforementioned very talented Rose).  This played throughout the weekend--from Friday evening when the characters were introduced to Saturday night when we cast our votes for who we thought the murderer was.  I played Leegal Eagal, a very bright lawyer.  I was suspicious, but not too much, and in fact I didn't do it!!  It was very hilarious and much fun!

This has nothing to do with the weekend, but I had to throw it in.  My daughter and her boyfriend made this cork board.  (Actually, I helped, too.)  My daughter is a wine rep for a distributor and gets a plethora of corks.  I like the way they are displayed here as you can see a variety of textures, colors, and text.

LINK:
Richwood Plantation

I'm linking up with my favorite teacher, Ms Jenny Matlock!  See others' completed homework assignments HERE. Come join in!  This week our letter is the wonderful, yet sometimes wacky "W."

 
photos by me © 2009-2012    all rights reserved

Treasury Round Up

I've been featured in lovely treasuries lately!  Many thanks to the treasury makers!
(All treasuries and items within the treasuries are clickable.)

Deborah of Deborah Snow Designs featured my hand dyed pastel rainbow scrunchie in her sweet treasury Soft! 

Deborah has such a fun shop with art inspired by both the Mubuti tribe in Zaire and Aboriginal tribes.  The shapes and textures of her art reflect a primitive and tribal feel.  This hand stitched journal is an example. 












What a bright and cheerful this treasury is!  Rainbow madness, curated by Sam Donovan, an etsy buyer, featured my hand dyed bright rainbow cotton scrunchie.  Thanks, Sam! 

Janet of Honey from the Bee featured my hand dyed silk scarf "windy dreams" in her very fun treasury All American Mom

Janet creates lovely jewelry,  nature and travel being her inspirations.  This pretty bracelet is made with vintage mother of pearl beads, millefiore beads, and sterling silver.  It's even adjustable for different lengths!









This pretty treasury, April treasury #019 , is filled with lovely rainbow colors!   Rainbow Gerbera of Gerbera Handmade featured my hand dyed pastel rainbow silk scrunchie.  

Rainbow Gerbera's shop is filled with the most lovely  crocheted baby gifts, baby blankets, teething necklaces, and coasters.  Look at this beautiful set of 8 coasters in shades of blue and white!











Here's a bight and sunny treasury, A Touch of Sun, curated by Kaili of KAW! Studios.  She featured my hand dyed silk scarf Rainbow Extravaganza.

In Kaili's shop you can find original ACEO cards, illustrations, bookmarks, fine art and nature photography prints, personalized sketch books, and collectible one of a kind art gifts.  Right now Kaili is offering 20% off with the code SPRINGSALE!  I love the colors in this wonderful painting of a blue jay! 









Jenny of A Bird in the Hand Art featured my hand dyed silk scarf The Wood Between the Worlds in her treasury I Love My Mom with great gift ideas.

Jenny's shop is filled with her creative artwork such as painted wooden birds, clutches, boxes, necklaces, and more!  How cute is this bird?!

Kathy of tapestry316 curated this treasury Here kitty, kitty, kitty! for and about animal lovers.  This is an all Blogging Business Artisans treasury.  She featured my heart tie dye T shirt. 

Kathy's shop is filled with her beautiful artwork--watercolor, pen and ink, mixed media.  I love her animal paintings!   Meet Oranges Bajoranges.  He's available HERE.   

I'm linking up with Random Creative's Treasury Round Up.   For more awesome treasuries, go HERE!

photos by each individual artist © 2011-2012  all rights reserved!

Snoozers

Oliver

Earnest

I'm linking up with Cats on Tuesday by Gattina.  Come on over HERE to see some great kitty stories!

photos by me © 2012  all rights reserved.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

YELLOW

a calla lily

SOMETHING that makes me SMILE 

Oliver is the cutest and has the sweetest kitty heart.  On Saturday, he was following me all around the house.  Of course, he wins me over again and again with his antics.

ANTIQUE 

My Dad loved antique clocks.  When I grew up, we had many around the house including this one.  I have a couple more of his including a "grandmother" clock.  Once, in that particular clock we found a bat skeleton.  I took it to school, then my brother did, then my cousins.  How it got there no one knows!

SPLASH

filling the kitties' bowl with water

in the SUN 

sun?  seriously?  I could take an "absence of sun" picture.  sigh.  off to the archives....  This is a vitex.

This is a very fun meme hostessed by Ashley Sisk in which 5 prompts are given and one must then take a photo to illustrate each one.  Come see how others have interpreted these words HERE!  You have till Tuesday, May 1st to join in for this time.

photos by me © 2011 & 2012    all rights reserved

PS:  My friend Kaili is having a super giveaway.  Check it out HERE.