Remembering

Sorrowing Mother

Grieving sculpture tears my eyes

I know how she feels

Faerie Forest

Magical Archway!

Entrance to the forest trail

where we start our hike.

Mossy camouflage!

A hidden faerie entrance

underneath a heart.

Perhaps the faeries 

were showing us their treasure.

Abundant morels!

Lacy faerie moss

all along our woodland trail

lead to trillium

 

There are many lovely treasures among the woodland trails this time of year, moss engulfed branches,  wild morel mushroom, hidden faeries teasing us along the way. Spending time with one you love wandering the woods is indeed magical!

Sharing today with Carol at A Creative Harbor on Magical Monday. 

Spring Trees

Last week my husband and I took a drive up the mountain (toward Mt Baker) on a hunt for morel mushrooms. (we found some) The early spring trees along the way were just budding out, and the light green against the fairly bare looking branches was stunning.

I've been playing with ideas to transfer my impression onto a canvas. This is what I've finished thus far. The colors are slightly off in my photos, but you get the idea.

I painted blue acrylic over gesso textured background, sanded a bit, then added the forest floor and trees. 

For this attempt, I sanded after adding all the paint. It's still not what I see in my mind, but I'll keep working on it. It's helping me to play on "paper" before I start a real live canvas. 

Today I'm joining Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristin. For wonderful inspiration, check out what the other Paint Party Friday artists have created this week! 

HuMp DaY Haiku - first bloom

 Gentle sign of hope

Springing forth from warming earth

Violets first bloom

From my herb garden. The "evergreen" violet showed it's love for the recent warm weather with it's first bloom. 


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 and art. 


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. And consider visiting other contributors blogs to see what they've created and say hello.

Make Art, Not Trash

My son and I attended the RE-Store Interactive Workshop today, part of the R.A.R.E Recycled Art and Resource Expo. The RE-Store has an Art Station they created as an addition at various community events. You can use bits and pieces from the RE-Store to build something amazing. It’s most interesting and fun!

Here are our projects mostly completed. A man in progress, along with a square of rounds.

With the help of a fabulous recycle artist volunteer (who was quite creative and French and adorable), my son created Kevin, the Recycled Man. Cool, huh? 

The writing on the wall says Art Station - Spark! 

The sticker we brought home says:  Make Art, Not Trash! 

Happy Earth Day, everyone! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! 

Linking to Cheryl's Writing on the Wall

and Straight Out of the Camera

grateful heart

All things work to good

for those of pure intention.

This I do believe

I finished a little mixed media painting this week that expresses my love of birds and the importance of having a grateful heart. 

This is not all all how I first envisioned this painting. My first thought was two hearts with a haiku, however I just couldn't get the colors or placement to "feel right". After setting it aside for a few days, I came across this image and it just fell into place. 

Although as I look at it now, there are two hearts... they just happen to be words. *smile* This piece measures 4 x 4 x 3/4 inches, and is now for sale in my Etsy. 

I'm including an Earth Day haiku today, just because I can!

Preserve mother earth!

Hoping others see our goal

as we tend to her.

More haiku can be found at Haiku my Heart

View WoNdErFuL creations by the artists at Paint Party Friday. 

Spring morning

Perched high in the Hawthorne trees, a chorus of birds joyfully serenaded me as I wandered the garden this morning. The garden changes daily this time of year, and the early morning ramble soothes my restless mind. 

The hybrid bleeding hearts have thrown their blossoms in the past few days. I've been impatiently waiting; a short cold snap delayed them a bit. Our native bleeding hearts must be shy. I can't seem to get a good photo of their pale pink blooms to share. 

Grape hyacinths are in full bloom this week, poking up everywhere. I transplanted some last year when we were moving a garden, and it's fun to see just where I put the bulbs. Some are coming up in places I'm sure I did not plant. Perhaps the mole who visited us last year helped a bit with their relocation. *wink*  This little clump seems happy under the lavender bushes with a little white stone bunny as a companion. Bunny may move as the season progresses, though for now, he's quite content. 

Sharing today with Guest Heart Thursday, and

Share the Joy Thursday

HuMp DaY Haiku - Flowering Current

Flowering Current

Though it's advertised as red

this is clearly pink

And it's just starting to bloom... finally. The wild flowering currents have been in full  bloom and are nearly red... closer than this pale pink. We bought this shrub at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens plant sale several years ago... and we most disappointed when they bloomed light pink. I love it regardless. We're working on finding a real red one for another spot in the garden. 

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 and art. 


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. And consider visiting other contributors blogs to see what they've created and say hello.

Just living is not enough...

It's Friday, which means I'm partying with the Paint Party Friday folks. This fun weekly party is hosted by Eva and Kristin. Please take a look at what the various artists have created this week. 

Also on Friday, Rebecca hosts Haiku my Heart. I urge you to visit to experience the wonderful haiku submitted by folks around the world. 

For Haiku my Heart : 

Painful memories.

Knowing we must work through them

 as healing begins. 

This haiku relates to a family member dealing with issues from the past. It hurts to see how such memories affect our loved one. We so wish the process of working through them was a faster one.

With such heavy thoughts on my mind this week, my art turned to spring colors. I tend to work with bright joyful things when I'm feeling a bit worried. I played with a few ideas, and ended up with this mixed media collage painting. It measures 4 x 4 x 3/4 inches, and includes my favorite natural beeswax.  Just the smell of warm beeswax perks me up! And I love this quote!

This piece is available in my Etsy shop.  

Remember to check out what the other  Paint Party Friday artists, and Haiku my Heart writers have created this week! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

HuMp DaY Haiku - Signs of Spring

 

Daughters favorite

Cheery little signs of spring

Bits of green and blue

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 and art. 


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. And consider visiting other contributors blogs to see what they've created and say hello.

Farmers Market Magic

 Saturday was the season opening of the Bellingham Farmers Market. I LOVE my farmers market.  It is magical to wander through the crowd looking at what the vendors are offering this week. 

This time of year the market abounds in vegetable starts. Don't these lettuce plants look wonderful? 

And of course, it's always a delight to discover that there really ARE fresh local organic vegetables available this early in the year.  Brussel sprouts and carrots...  

And radishes! They have radishes! 

Doesn't it seem magical that they have these wonderful organic veggies for us this early in spring? Happy sigh! 

Sharing with Carol at A Creative Harbor on Magical Monday 

and Ruby Tuesday 2

Old traps

Two rusty old traps hanging on an aged grape stake fence. 
for sale at Fine Art America

Linking to Cheryl's Writing on the Wall and 

Straight out of the Camera 

Paint Party Friday

It's always fun to participate in Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristin! 

This week has been busy and stressful, however I was able to finish a small piece for my second "Art Only" Etsy shop. I'll be added some pieces to it throughout the weekend.  My first Etsy shop  will morph into mostly vintage ephemera and other vintage items.  

This piece is an ACEO sized mixed media canvas (3 1/2 x 2 1/2), created with layers of  vintage book pages, acrylic paints, stenciling, (all left over from another project) and inks. 

The heart is leftover painted paper pieces adhered to heavy back chipboard, cut out and varnished. 

All these bits and pieces left over from other projects worked together to create this little canvas. 

Have a wonderful Friday, everyone! And do stop in to see what the other fabulous PPF artists are working on this week. 

Underneath my feet

weary with concern

hoping for resolution

gentle reminder  

 I was feeling a bit melancholy earlier this week. We had an appointment later in the day with our son's doctor, hoping to get something to help with his recent anxiety. 

Walking down the hall, the light reflected and this little message jumped out at me. 

Be of good courage. I hold you in my heart. 

All will be well. 

Sharing with Guest Heart Thursday at Random Hearts

and Haiku my Heart at recuerda mi corazon


P.S. Have I mentioned that hearts jump out at me from EVERYWHERE? Later on in the doctors office, there were heart shapes in the pattern of the linoleum flooring. The counselor saw them too! All will be well. :)

HuMp DaY Haiku - Hidden Treasure

Woodland walk in Spring

Cottonwoods along the path

Seeking early growth.

Cautious of nettles

amid native bleeding hearts.

Spring treasure hunters
 

Peeking underneath

the soggy brown leaf layer

will they find the prize? 

If you know what this is... you can imagine our delight when we discovered an undisturbed patch and recovered nearly half a gallon. Ah, spring! 

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 and art. 


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. And consider visiting other contributors blogs to see what they've created and say hello.  

(Footnote: You're looking for Morel mushrooms, one of this area of the Northwest's spring treasures)

Fake Journal Month!

Life's so short, why live only one?

So says Roz Stendahl, who "hosts" Fake Journal Month. I think I'll live an alter life this year... 

I just picked up a little book yesterday from the Free Book shelves at the Public Library. And spent last night gluing the pages together while I watched the movie Amelia Earhart (also from the library) with my hubby. (Free books! Free entertainment! I LOVE my library!)

I stumbled across the Fake Journal Month again this morning and have a book ready to use... how can I resist? Serendipity! 

Here's the blank book, all ready to go... now who shall I be?