HuMp DaY Haiku - Winter Silhouette

Tree bereft of leaves

Stark branches against the sky 

Winter silhouette

I started doing Hump Day Haiku with Carla Sonheim's Silly classes...  and decided as a challenge for myself, I'd continue.  In this process, I have found that creating a haiku (non rhyming poem with 5 - 7 - 5 syllables per line) feeds my soul. 
I especially like creating them to go with my photos

Would you like to share a haiku you have written?  


You may include a haiku in the comments, OR you may copy your blog post url (featuring a haiku) and add a link to your blog using Mr. Linky. 

Winter Berries

red winter berries

bordering a wooded trail

left by sated birds. 

Linking to Ruby Tuesday2

Traveling Show

I just had to share my news! 


The piece I submitted to this years Allied Arts of Whatcom County show, (going on through Jan 28) was just selected to be in their 2012 Traveling Art Show. It will be in 5 places throughout Whatcom County over 8 months and then will end the year at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle! This is my second year in the Traveling Show, which ends the 2011 Tour at the end of this month. 

I'm linking with Cheryl's "writing on the wall". Check it out. :D 

Patchwork

I attended a workshop last Saturday taught by Debi McManus-Plett, an amazing instructor! Our project was creating a patchwork of textured pieces, to fit in a 12 x 12 frame.  This is my "getting there" piece. I'm still working on some stitching and final touches.

 

I believe this class is based on a Tim Holtz credited idea, made larger and done with Debi's style. The substrate is grunge board, and the texture is made using "embossing folders" on a Cuttlebug. All new to me. 

Grunge board is interesting stuff to work on, and the texture plates are a bit cool... (Repeat after me: I don't need anymore art tools. teehee!)  I do have distress inks which created most of the color, and added some Perfect Pearls color spray on a couple of pieces to add a bit of sparkle. 

This is from the first few hours of class... laying out the pattern and figuring out color and texture. Thank goodness she gave us a pattern template to follow. :)  

More to come on this.


And now I want to pop over to Paint Party Friday to see what other folks have worked on this week. 

Linking with Eva and Kristin at Paint Party Friday. 

Winter Garden

In winters garden

our native Oregon Grape

gives us hope of spring.

Ah, the joy of walking about in a mid-January garden and seeing buds forming on the tall Oregon Grape. 

Linking to Share the Joy Thursday, and Haiku my Heart.

HuMp DaY Haiku - Sunshine in a pot

Sunshine in a pot!

Miniature daffodils 

brighten wintry days

A gift from my husband a few weeks ago, when it was gray and gray and gray, these miniature daffodils are sitting on the old red carriage seat we have out on the deck. I can look out the kitchen window at their cheery little blooms. 


The bulbs in the garden have yet to poke their little green heads up.. but soon. Soon.

I started doing Hump Day Haiku with Carla Sonheim's Silly classes...  and decided as a challenge for myself, I'd continue.  In this process, I have found that creating a haiku (non rhyming poem with 5 - 7 - 5 syllables per line) feeds my soul. 
I especially like creating them to go with my photos

Would you like to share a haiku you have written?  


You may include a haiku in the comments, OR you may copy your blog post url (featuring a haiku) and add a link to your blog using Mr. Linky. 

Doorways

Have you heard of Pinterest? It's a virtual pin board where you can organize and save things you find out on the web, like recipes, DIY projects, artists who inspire you...   "Invited" by a friend, I've started exploring an amazing variety of sites through the various "pins" of fellow Pinterest Folks. It has been described as a wonderful time eater... if you allow it to be. :) 

Today I stumbled across this photo from Wikimedia Commons. Isn't it fabulous? 

Wikimedia Commons shares photos that are in public domain. (I can SO see these doorways in my art journal.) I just had to share it with my fellow artists. Do check the Wikimedia guidelines before using the photos. :) 

What have you "stumbled across" today? 

Linking to Ruby Tuesday2

Paint Party Friday - Landscape

I'm excited to be participating in another Paint Party Friday! 

I've worked on a few different projects this week. My biggest accomplishment was finishing the mixed media landscape I shared last week, adding the final fibers and beads.

Pin It

For this photo I have laid the mat over the painting to give the idea of what it will look like when I get the framing completed. 


I also worked quite a bit on the Strathmore online class, Doodles Unleashed by Traci Bautista. While I'm enjoying the challenge, my so called "finished" pieces leave me less than thrilled. LOL! 



One intuitive watercolor became these Artist Trading Cards. I like this version MUCH more than the original finished piece. I'll add some more doodling on them, and see how it works out. :)  

Also linking to Artists in Blogland

Snow Day

Quiet day of joy.

Snowflakes falling softly down

blanket winters gray.

The special joy of a snow day. No reason to go out into the cold, so we stay inside sipping our tea and and watching the birds at the feeders. They have discovered with exuberance the new suet feeder and scattered seed, placed on the deck just for them. 


This photo is of my backyard, the snowball tree covered in snow. My fanciful eyes noticed a couple of hearts outlined by the snowy branches... do you see them? 


Sometimes it takes a quiet day like today for me to really pay attention to the joys in my life. My husband, my son, a warm house, books to read and art supplies. Blessings abound! 








Linking to Share the Joy Thursday, Guest Heart Thursday, Haiku my Heart, and Writing on the Wall. 

HuMp DaY Haiku - Snowy Morn

Silent guardian

Covering of snow drifts down

In the early morn

We have snow... about eight inches this morning, and I attempted photos before it was fully light. The trees are so lovely with snowy branches, and everything looks so fresh and clean. 

My little Dedo statue sits at the corner of the front step, guarding us from evil spirits. The snow apparently caught him by surprise. 

I started doing Hump Day Haiku with Carla Sonheim's Silly classes...  and decided as a challenge for myself, I'd continue.  In this process, I have found that creating a haiku to go with my photos feeds my soul. 

Would you like to share a haiku you have written?  

Hope

“If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. 

And so today I still have a dream.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Note: the card was received from a friend, and I don't know the artist to credit.




Linking to Ruby Tuesday 2

Primrose

Beauty in deep pink

blooming disregard to cold

cheers this winter day

My husband knows just what to bring me when it's cold and dreary. It's such an advantage working at a nursery, don't you think?   We've discovered keeping the dirt from freezing makes the primrose a bit happier. Luckily they are hardy, and bounce back when they thaw. :)

Linking to Ruby Tuesday 2

Not on the wall

Not "on the wall", but the small mountain landscape canvas on the table is my piece for the Allied Arts of Whatcom County Members Show, on display through January 28th.


While it may not be on the wall, it IS on display. :)  Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll being in the Traveling Art Show this year again.


Oh, the top piece (yellow background) above mine was created by my friend Cheryl. She's at mysticmissive where I'm joining Writing on the Wall.


Linking to Straight Out of the Camera.

Paint Party Friday - My first

This is the first time I'm participating in Paint Party Friday, hosted by Kristin and Eva at http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/. 

My desk is partially taken with a mixed media landscape, based on this photo I took last fall on a trip to Mt Baker with my husband.  

The final layout and adding of fibers has me a bit stumped. I intended to add a tree of fibers, but my plan threw it off balance. So regrouping, here are a couple of options: 

Leaving the "larger" tree out totally. I'll probably add bits of the colored lace to the horizon line to accent if I go this route.

A very rough layout with bits of lace branches.  I haven't yet trimmed the pieces of lace. 

Once I decide, I'll add the rest of the fibers and beads. I've found that using the photo as another eye sometimes helps me figure things out, when I've painted myself into a corner.  :) 

Happy Friday the 13th, and Happy Birthday to my friend Pam at Oh, Did You Forget! 

Bunny heart

Chilly gray day walk.

Interesting discovery

cheers my wintry mood.

One cold gray day, on my walk near Scudder Pond, I noticed this interesting large old tree.  A branch had been trimmed, leaving a one eyed "bunny" face. It wasn't until I got home that I noticed there is also a heart in the bark above the bunny face. Can you see it? 

Linking with Clytie at Guest Heart Thursday 

 And with Rebecca at Haiku my Heart

HuMp DaY Haiku - Blurry Moon

Blurry full moon shot.

Wishing for a camera that

gives a clearer view.

It's official. I want a new camera. I really do. A fancier point and shoot that will give me a clear picture of the moon, or of the hawk perching in the hawthorn tree, or the blue heron at the pond. And a crisp close up of the garden's treasures. And I want the camera to do most of the work for me. Not too much to ask, is it? :) 
Time to start saving my pennies.  

I started doing Hump Day Haiku with Carla Sonheim's Silly classes...  and decided as a challenge for myself, I'd continue.  In this process, I have found that creating a haiku to go with my photos feeds my soul. 

Would you like to share a haiku you have written?  

On the Wall

A form of Writing On the Wall... 

at Village Green in Fairhaven, where I spent the day at Resolutions: a Mini-workshop event hosted by Village Books, my favorite local independent bookstore. Met a variety of fun folks who also ventured out on this chilly, wet day. What a great start to the new year! 


Interestingly, a "writing on the wall"  experience I had during the workshops had to do with people who move in and out of my life. At the first class I bumped into and chatted with a lady I was thinking about just yesterday. I hadn't seen her for several months.  Coincidence? Hmmm...  :)




Other than the water mark, this is Straight Out of the Camera . If you see a raindrop, pretend it's not there. :)


Linking to Ruby Tuesday

Lovely hellebore

Lovely hellebore

blooms this rainy winters day 

cheering weary hearts.

Also called Christmas Rose, the hellebore blooms in the dead of winter bringing hope when it's dreary and wet. It's so nice having something blooming in the pot outside the door when the garden is awaiting spring.  Plus it's an added bonus for the little Anna's hummingbirds who winter over. You can imagine my delight when I saw one feeding on it this morning. 

Linking to Haiku my Heart with Rebecca @ recuerda mi corazon

HuMp DaY Haiku - Puddle

Dreary rainy day

Puddle in the parking lot

shows a little heart. 

I met a friend for a play date today, at Stampadoodle. Came out to a chilly downpour. Ah, winter in Bellingham!     The parking lot had a little surprise, right beside my car... a heart shaped puddle. Can you see it?    Things are never as dreary as they appear.  :)

I started doing Hump Day Haiku with Carla Sonheim's Silly classes...  and decided as a challenge for myself, I'd continue.  In this process, I have found that creating a haiku to go with my photos feeds my soul. 


Perhaps you'd like to share a haiku you have written?