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Friday, March 27, 2015

Good Things!


Snowdrops!  There's still a good deal of snow in the backyard and I wandered down there this afternoon to give Cassie a little fresh air and playtime and there they were, pushing themselves right up out of the snow!

Seems like a miracle, since the big picture still looks very bleak and wintry.  Sometimes you have to look very closely to find the bright spot!

Meanwhile, I received these bright beautiful blooms from one of my little fans at the library.  We just finished up the winter session of children's programs so she gave me these as a little thank you.  They just made my day!  Now they're brightening up the whole kitchen.


After working out this morning, I stopped into Homegoods and picked up this cheerful tablecloth.  I received a birthday giftcard a while back and finally found something I could use!  It will be perfect for Easter coming up, and for the spring in general.

And it goes perfectly with the mantle decorations I put up a few weeks ago - all those pinks, yellows and greens.

 I also saw this neat metal container and picked it up as well.  I hope to fill it with some flowering plants and put it on the front step just to perk up the entryway a bit.

Meanwhile, back in the studio, I finished the robins. . .

. . . and I started on the next piece.  I painted the background with various acrylic inks and paints.  First I did a thin wash, then I added some grass-like texture, first with a brush, then using the edge of a bent piece of cardstock as a stamp.

I added some more in a darker shade of green, with less water in the paint so the grass has more definition.  Now comes the real work... adding the applique focal point flowers.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Still Dreaming of Spring


Although the calendar says spring begins tomorrow, the forecast is for another 3-5 inches of wet snow!  We've had a little spring-like weather (sunny with temps close to 50) and a lot of the snow has melted, but it still feels very wintry for the most part.

So I continue to make progress on spring-y art, as you can see above.  I decided the leaves needed some additional depth so I sponged some paint over the sheer fabric and added some stipple stitching.   I also opted to layer and quilt this piece so the sky would recede a bit and the tree and birds would come forward. I did simple wavy lines to bring to mind soft breezes, migration, and flight.   I'm debating whether or not to add blossoms to the tree.  I like the way the pink flowers reflect the sky in the lower portion, and the added dimension they bring to the piece.  Maybe I'll keep them.  Any opinions?

I can't take up too much more time finishing this up - if I'm going to cover the entire box myself I'll need to finish up two or three more of these PDQ!

Follow up:  Thanks for the suggestion, Vivien!  Here's a shot of the piece without the blossoms:


I think it makes the tree recede into the background, so the birds and nest become the main focus.  I'll need to mull it over a little longer...

Thursday, March 12, 2015

More Spring Color Therapy

On my way to the grocery store this afternoon, I stopped into the Carmel Flower Shop to smell the roses - and tulips, and ferns, and all the other beautiful growing things!  This is what greeted me when I walked in the door:


Isn't that a sight for sore eyes?  Here are some other beautiful displays:
Planter baskets...

Easter bunnies...

and this adorable bird nest planter!

There are many of these lovely apothecary jar terrariums (terraria?) with cute little figurines in them.  Can you see the little hedgehog and ladybug?

The store sells jewelry, scarves, scented soaps, and other gifts as well as these lovely books.

It was like a mini vacation!  

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Color Therapy


This afternoon I went into Homegoods for some Color Therapy.  I didn't even end up buying anything, just walked around looking at all the pastels, florals, bunny, and egg-themed tableware.  Felt like a breath of fresh air!  Take a look...





Before I went out, I added a few things to my latest piece, below.  The nest is made up of fabric and paper.  I found an interesting quote about trees by Herman Hesse, printed it on pre-painted kraft paper, and cut up the lines to resemble twigs.  The robin is all fabric, fused and stitched to a felt backing (click on the photo to see more detail).  Every day, I make a little progress, and we get a little closer to warmer weather and longer days...