Journaling The Garden Week 22

Over the next several weeks, I would like to share with you a list of my very favorite books divided into two categories.   This first collection are titles I love to browse for visual inspiration and stimulation...

* The Private World of Tasha Tudor by Tasha Tudor
* Tasha Tudor's Garden by Tovah Martin
* Tasha's Sketchbook by Tasha Tudor
* Tasha's Artistic Garden by Tasha Tudor
* The Painted Garden by Mary Woodlin
* A Walk in the Woods by Marjolein Bastin
* From My Window by Marjolein Bastin
* The Wonder of Birds by Marjolein Bastin
* Nature's Sketchbook by Marjolein Bastin
* Butterflies by Marjolein Bastin
* Views from a Sketchbook by Marjolein Bastin
* Art Making by Lynne Perrella
* Creative Illustration Workshop by Katherine Dunn
* South of France, A Sketchbook by Sara Midda
* In & Out of the Garden by Sara Midda
* Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden
* The Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden
* Lambert's Birds of Garden and Woodland
* Lilias Trotter's Between the Desert and the Sea
* Lilias Trotter's A Blossom in the Desert
* A Picture History of the Greenville Family of Rosedale House 
* Objects of My Affection by Sarah Lugg
* The Nature of Friendship by Sarah Lugg
* Wolf Kahn's Pastels
* Wolf Kahn's America
* Yellow Umbrella by Dong Il Sheen
* Mrs. Delany & Her Circle
* Shells - Muschelm- Coquillages
* The Patchwork Garden by Janet Bolton
* Patchwork Folk Art by Janet Bolton
* Textile Pictures by Janet Bolton
* Stitchscapes by Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn
* Quilts of Gees Bend
* Gees Bend, The Women and Their Quilts
* Boro, Rags and Tatters from the Far North of Japan
* The Art of Annamieke Mien
* Carolyn Quartmaine Revealed
* Symphonic Poem by Aminah Robinson
* M. Joan LinTault, Connecting Quilts, Arts & Textiles
* Sarah Lechner Gesichter Face
* The Art Quilt
* Roses - Taschen
* Nature Illuminated 
* Fallen Leaves by Louise Kollenbaum
* Souvenirs de Fleurs by Louise Kollenbaum
* Sailors' Valentines
* Diary of a Rose Lover
* Abiding Landscapes of the Soul
* Fern House by Deborah Schenck
* Beach Book of Treasures by Josie Iselin
* Poems and Polaroids by Katharine McBride
* James Christensen - A Journey of Imagination 
* James Christensen - Voyage of the Basset 
* Beatrix Potter Children's books

Hopefully you will also be inspired by a few of these titles, and please feel free to share your own list of inspirational books in the comment section.

Gentle Whispers

Over the holiday, I visited the local Botanical Gardens for the seasonal opening of the Butterfly House.  Delicate wisps of beauty filled the air, such a sight to behold! Gentle whispers danced about and around individuals as they were stopped dead in their tracks, mesmerized by the glories of nature.  

Butterfly visitors were treated to a rare glimpse of various butterfly cocoons.  I was especially fascinated by the Monarchs, as they are trimmed in gold near the top of their cocoons.

Journaling The Garden Week 21

It has been one of those weeks, the kind where "the best laid plans soon go awry."  I feel as if I, somehow, deserve the above Reward of Merit for accomplishing anything these past five days, lots of distractions. The certificate is a lovely bit of vintage ephemera I found at a recent flea market. This little Reward will, indeed, find its way into my finished journal spread of garden stakes.

In the meantime, only a few painted flowers to share...

Have a Wonderful Holiday Weekend!

BLOOM

The long day of the Spring season fades and on the horizon is a new dawn of Summer. The garden is nearly in full bloom, a happy sight to behold...


"these moments become memories
tossed about in the blowing breeze,
fading in the sun drenched day
like garments left on the line


moments that are left to ripen,
until they have collected
all the sweet smells of summer,
so we may carefully tuck them away."

-T Huskamp

DON'T WAIT!

There are only a few more days left to sign-up for this spectacular getaway with a bonus.

Summer is a time to relax and indulge in fun and frolic. With the official start of this new season fast approaching, many of you are perhaps thinking of a getaway.  I would like to personally invite you to join me and my mother-in-law, Marylin Huskamp, for two inspiring 2-day workshops in late June at the Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, California!

Idyllwild Academy is located in the Strawberry Valley nestled amidst the picturesque California Mountains, approximately a 2 1/2 hour drive from both Los Angeles and San Diego, or a 1 hour drive from Palm Springs. The campus is a tranquil site, only 2 miles from the village of Idyllwild, yet removed from any urban distractions. There is both on-site and off-site housing. And lunch is included with your registration.

*Sign-up by Friday, May 25th and receive $50 Off your registration when you bring a friend!

Thursday-Friday, June 28-29: Fiber Collage at Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild California - 

(Course #AAMCOO - to register contact Diane Dennis at 951-6590-2171, ext 2365 or send her an email at Summer@Idyllwildarts.org) 

Create a stunning! fiber collage, by discovering the magic in adopting orphan quilt blocks and using these cast-offs as the foundation for painted fabric appliqué designs. This workshop, suitable for all levels, explores painting appliques by sketching subjects on muslin fabric using a fast and easy technique that requires no previous drawing skills, and working with acrylic paints to give the sketch color and depth.  The instructors will share tips and product information for making paints washer friendly.  You will learn techniques for extracting these painted elements from their fabric surround, adhering each extracted subject onto a separate fiber surface and how to create 3D effects with particular appliques. We'll also investigate and discuss design principles of composition. 

Saturday-Sunday, June 30-July 1: Pastel Art Journaling at Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild California -

(Course #AAMJOO - to register contact Diane Dennis at 951-6590-2171, ext 2365 or send her an email at Summer@Idyllwildarts.org) 

This workshop, suitable for all levels,  explores that art pastel medium along with methods for sketching from a photograph using a fast and easy technique that requires no previous drawing skills, interpreting color, selecting dramatic color combinations, using drawing strokes to make purposeful yet random looking marks, working with glue alternatives for attaching miscellaneous ephemera.  We'll explore idea discovery for recording the everyday, along with exploring the benefits of art journaling, overcoming the fear of a blank page, adding greater perspective by including your words/ writings, and tip/tricks for taking photographs to use as page inspiration.

So don't delay, sign-up for one or both workshops today!

Journaling The Garden Week 19 & 20

As I mentioned on Monday, I had blog posts scheduled for last week and ready to publish, but alas technology had other plans. SO, I am playing a little catch-up sharing both Week 19 & 20 together for Journaling The Garden.

I have, very recently, spent a fair amount of time in the garden, digging in the dirt, pulling weeds, planting new blooms, trying to tame the wild with a bit of order. Such moments always come at the expense of an aching body in the end, which, honestly, feels good because a sore body usually equals results.

My garden activities also make me yearn to wander the local nurseries in search of new.  I am a trial and error gardener willing to take a chance on what inspires me, hoping it will thrive, but not always being so practical about the particulars especially proper spacing. I tend to stuff as many flowers as I can into one tiny space, if I think there was an inch of dirt available.  Hubby profusely chastises me for this, but it hasn't kept me from repeating the act over and over. And after I read that  Tasha Tudor, one of my very favorite artist/gardeners, also liked to over plant a plot with bulbs, which is how she managed to get them to bloom is such large lush arrangements, I have been even more defiant of warning words.

One of my garden obsessions is collecting and keeping the small plastic stakes that come with each plant containing care instructions.  So when something does work, I have a record of the particulars to reference.

For Week 19,  I recreated a background that mimics soil using Tsukineko Walnut Ink Crystals, a fine mist spray bottle filled with distilled water, and Kosher Salt.  Spritzing the pages with water helps disperse the walnut crystals randomly, and the salt soaks-up bits of color.

I then took some of my favorite stakes and added them to the journal, carefully stitching them in place.

To hide my uneven stitches and add a decorative touch, I placed grommets on either side of the plant stakes then tied a ribbon around them.

Now I am ready to add painted flower subjects to the opposite page... Stay Tuned!

GETAWAY WITH A BONUS!

Summer is a time to relax and indulge in fun and frolic. With the official start of this new season fast approaching, many of you are perhaps thinking of a getaway.  I would like to personally invite you to join me and my mother-in-law, Marylin Huskamp, for two inspiring 2-day workshops in late June at the Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, California!

Idyllwild Academy is located in the Strawberry Valley nestled amidst the picturesque California Mountains, approximately a 2 1/2 hour drive from both Los Angeles and San Diego, or a 1 hour drive from Palm Springs. The campus is a tranquil site, only 2 miles from the village of Idyllwild, yet removed from any urban distractions. There is both on-site and off-site housing. And lunch is included with your registration.

*Sign-up by Friday, May 25th and receive $50 Off your registration when you bring a friend!

Thursday-Friday, June 28-29: Fiber Collage at Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild California - 

(Course #AAMCOO - to register contact Diane Dennis at 951-6590-2171, ext 2365 or send her an email at Summer@Idyllwildarts.org) 

Create a stunning! fiber collage, by discovering the magic in adopting orphan quilt blocks and using these cast-offs as the foundation for painted fabric appliqué designs. This workshop, suitable for all levels, explores painting appliques by sketching subjects on muslin fabric using a fast and easy technique that requires no previous drawing skills, and working with acrylic paints to give the sketch color and depth.  The instructors will share tips and product information for making paints washer friendly.  You will learn techniques for extracting these painted elements from their fabric surround, adhering each extracted subject onto a separate fiber surface and how to create 3D effects with particular appliques. We'll also investigate and discuss design principles of composition. 

Saturday-Sunday, June 30-July 1: Pastel Art Journaling at Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild California -

(Course #AAMJOO - to register contact Diane Dennis at 951-6590-2171, ext 2365 or send her an email at Summer@Idyllwildarts.org) 

This workshop, suitable for all levels,  explores that art pastel medium along with methods for sketching from a photograph using a fast and easy technique that requires no previous drawing skills, interpreting color, selecting dramatic color combinations, using drawing strokes to make purposeful yet random looking marks, working with glue alternatives for attaching miscellaneous ephemera.  We'll explore idea discovery for recording the everyday, along with exploring the benefits of art journaling, overcoming the fear of a blank page, adding greater perspective by including your words/ writings, and tip/tricks for taking photographs to use as page inspiration.

So don't delay, sign-up for one or both workshops today!

Life Happening and Other Technical Difficulties

This past week Life was happening at rapid speed, all in preparation for celebrating some really wonderful events; two graduations on the same day in two different states (yes there was LOTS of driving involved), hosting a party to commemorate my husband's graduation with his Master's Degree... HIPHIP HOORAY!,  and, of course, Mother's Day.


I had blog posts scheduled and ready to publish, but alas technology had other plans. SO, I am playing a little catch-up this week, and still working on a few technical issues, like a disappearing blog header and side-bar pictures...sigh!  (NOTE:  Looks like the technical difficulties have been resolved... YEAH!)

This Sunday was a day dedicated to Mom!  Around here, the garden is also celebrating Mom. The bird feeders are busy busy with lots of mamas and babies.  I adore watching the little ones come to eat.  They flutter their wings about, twirling and dancing, vying for attention, begging for food and mama is always ready to oblige.

Gifts for Mother's Day

With Mother's Day right around the corner, my on-line shops have some wonderful treasures perfect for any mother...

* 10 Piece Fabric Fat Quarter Bundles on Sale-$10.00, through Sunday, May 13th 

 * Wonderful Lavender Sachets made from Hand-dyed Fabric inspired by Vintage French Letters 

* Fabric and Buttons from my Nature Inspired and Garden Tales Collection (create a custom assortment!)

* Original Artworks, Small Hand-painted Pieces (MANY THANKS!  Currently All Pieces are SOLD OUT)

I am happy to specially gift wrap all Mother's Day orders and ship direct to the recipient,  simply leave a note in the comments section.  Order by 12 noon, Wednesday, May 9th to insure a Mother's Day delivery.

The Kindness Chronicles: Bestowed Upon

This month I am very honored to share a kindness that was bestowed upon me by a true kindred spirit, Toni Kelly.

I have admired Toni's breathtaking watercolor, collage, and calligraphy art for a long time. And although we have yet to meet in person, Toni and I have had the pleasure of conversing back and forth via the web... talking nature, art, and sharing professional advice.

I was not only lucky enough to purchase a recent work, because her art sells so quickly, but Toni also gifted me an incredible! painting of a Blue Jay, one of most favorite birds. Once framed, this beautiful Jay will have a permanent home on my bedside table.

I feel very blessed to have Toni in my life and to call her friend!  Be sure to visit Toni's website to find out more about her art and life.

If you have a blog and want to participate in the Kindness Chronicles, email Jane LaFazio with your name and blog address and she will send you a logo to post on your site. Let's Encourage More Kindness!

Journaling The Garden Week 18

Many many layers in the life of a Butterfly and Moth, to imagine what they see from lofty height and ground level, to go where they will travel, so delicate and fragile yet traversing perhaps thousands of miles.

Finishing these journal pages after a day communing with the Butterflies and Moths and pondering the  ideas above, hence the multiple layers of shipping, luggage, miscellaneous tags.

Discovered another wonderful reference I wanted to share.  The pages remind me of my own journal full of color and wonder.