Trees, Unicorns And Vino…

Continuing with my Alphabet watercolor and collage series for the month of July…

Letter, “T” is for trees:

Do you see a couple of birds in my tree?  😉

”U” never know when a unicorn will show up!

Especially when under a sun umbrella! 

And no, I wasn’t sampling the vino…

Just drawing with my eyes closed!  (Yes, my eyes were open for the painting, lettering and I did cheat a little and add a few extra lines to the wine bottles with my eyes open…)

I have decided to spend a few extra days enjoying the lake this week.  Temps will be in the high 80’s and low 90’s…

Summer is so short here that it is nice to enjoy when the weather is good!

There is something about the water that is so soothing…

Cheers to summer! 🙂

Hot And Cold

My sister-in-law made us these beautiful potholders that arrived in the mail yesterday… just because! ❤️  A wonderful surprise. 🙂

 

I just love the colors and patterns and stitching… I’m not sure I can use them for hot foods as they are too pretty!

And speaking of cold… we woke-up to 8 inches of new snow yesterday morning! 😮

I guess winter isn’t done with us in the Pacific Northwest.  Time to make a homemade pot of hot soup on a cold day!

Cheers! 🙂

A Button Tree?

Carla Sonheim’s assignment for her online 365-day video class was to plant something other than a seed… and describe what would grow!

So I wrote a sweet poem and created A Button Tree:

Maybe it could be a song for a child’s book like this one?

I found this joyful “Thanksgiving” song in it that you may enjoy:

I like that last line, “Happy hearts and thankful…” may this give you the reason why.

Cheers! 🙂

Nature’s Confetti

I took these photos, last Saturday when I took A Walk In The Park

I hope to paint some of these trees in watercolor but work has been extra busy this week …

So for now, I wrote a haiku to share with these photos:

Things are looking up!

Fall leaves scatter unaware…

Nature’s confetti

Isn’t it wonderful how nature helps us notice the simple pleasures in life and celebrate its beauty?!

Cheers! 🙂

Crabapple in Opera Rose

I just love Winsor and Newton’s Opera Rose!  Such a brilliant pink – a perfect color to paint my flowering crabapple in watercolor that I drew previously here.

I tried to paint it looser and added a few splatters at the end.

Now, our second crabapple tree in our yard is blooming… with all the rain we had this Spring, it is “buzzing” with new growth!  I have never seen this tree so full of blossoms.

I have a new subject to paint.  YAY!

Cheers!  🙂

A Snow Glow

We had several inches of snow this last weekend which made for this perfect photo opportunity:

When I went outside to take this photo at night is was so very quiet…It made me stop and just enjoy the “glow in the snow!”

Nature always has a way of making me stop and enjoy its beauty!!

Happy Monday!!  🙂

Terrific Trees

I was experimenting yesterday with different art mediums to create these trees:

I masked off the background with masking tape and then used salt over Dr. Ph Martin’s India ink.  I also used Pan Pastels on them.

Not all my experiments turned out.  Like the above one on the left where I used glass bead gel and India ink.  It didn’t want to dry.  But I still kind of like it.

The one next to it, I used matte medium, masked it off and used watercolor then salt.  And finished it with the pan pastels after I rubbed off the salt.  I like its softer feel.

Speaking of trees, I am amazed how much my Red Maple tree has changed color since I posted a photo of it here, last Sunday:

Red Maple a blaze,

Dazzling like a sunset

Fall’s color display.

Wishing you a Sunny Sunday, Friends!  🙂

Birch Tree Inspired

I remember the big white Paper Birch tree that my parents planted in their front yard.  As kids, we took its lovely shade and beautiful white bark for granted.  It was a shame when it became diseased and had to be chopped down.

I planted a River Birch in my yard a few years ago.  It is supposed to be more resistant to disease.  It has a light pink bark that peels.  I love how it dances in the wind like yesterday when I snapped this photo.  It’s leaves are starting to change from green to gold and look dazzling against this brilliant blue sky:

It was my inspiration to play with patterns in one of my sketchbooks.

I started with loose sketches of leaves in Neocolors (water soluble crayons) and then painted yellow india ink over the leaves.  I also added a blue background with the india ink – using Dr. Ph. Martin’s colored ink.  I have never “painted” ink on before – how fun!

I finished it by gluing some of my Gelli-printed deli paper on top with a glue stick:

It was very relaxing to just “play” and I encourage you to give it a try!  🙂

Did you have a favorite tree when you were a child?  I’d love to hear about it!

Happy Experimenting!  🙂

Bare Branches

Bare branches bitter-cold

Winter’s blue crystals it does hold,

Against a sky so brilliantly bold!

Sometimes it is difficult for me to find beauty in winter.  On this particular cold day with temperatures in the teens, the snow clung to the branches and reminded me of bird nests.

May you discover hidden beauty in your world!

Cheers!

Trees

As I was painting trees yesterday in watercolor and gouache:

I was reminded of the poem –

Trees by (Alfred) Joyce Kilmer:

I think I shall never see                                                                                                       A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest                                                                       Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,                                                                                    And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear                                                                                      A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;                                                                              Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,                                                                                 But only God can make a tree.

Happy Creating!