The Regulars

Ray's Photos - Two of my recent favorites.

Signs of Spring

Birthday

Starting . . .

I've become very successful starting my own garden plants from seed.
This is a tray of Heirloom Tomato seedlings in the studio window.
This is a south facing window- so plenty of sun. I also turn on the overhead lighting during the day and I have an extra 4 foot florescent fixture hanging above them.
I start with tomatoes and peppers around Valentines Day. Then each week I add more: verbena, rosemary, thyme, petunias and sages.

Wake Up

I'm back and ready to blog. I've missed posting here and what better time to re-start than Spring???

Summer Colors

So, time for a little touch up paint, eh?

Spring Views

At the top, a close up of my favorite- The Batik Iris.

The the German ones that line the path to the bird feeders.

It has been raining so much I haen't pulled one weed from these beds . . .

T

Sharing a Sun Beam

Photo Display

Here's a "before" and "after" shot of the front of the gallery. These are prints of photos Ive taken last summer. I put up a bar to display my larger silk scarves, the smallerones are displayed in a small trunk on the counter top.

Framed Prints

I primed and painted the frames, then added crackle layers and some glazes to get the

'vintage' look that I like.

Then I paired up prints of my favorite photos with the frames.

Picture Frames

I've never been able to part with picture frames. I have a couple of boxes of various frames that I decided to sand and paint.  I sorted through them and began cutting mats for a photo exhibit for March.

A New Line Of Printed Silks

Layers and layers of color and print.

Dyed scarves ready for the next step- distress printing.

Scarves spread out to dry as they are distressed.

Symbols in Turquoise and Chocolate.

Studio Work

Hand drawn screens drying before beginning to print.

Printed silks on the drying rack- before rinsing. The dark brown birds and feathers lighten after a final rinse.

Prints

These were two pieces of greige cloth I dyed green (ages ago.) I wasn't happy with the color so I used the peices as practice sheets as I played around one day with leaf prints.
The leaves are Tansy, Yarrow, Queen Anne's Lace, and a few other bits from around the garden- all printed with textile paints.

I wasn't really happy with that result, so I added a faint monoprint over each using MX dyes with diamond shape bubble wrap on a piece of plexiglass. Better, but they still kicked around in the studio. Recently I was printing blocks for a quilt with a set of silk screens I made up. I decided to add just two prints, each in chocolate brown (MX dye.)
These two pieces seem to be complete at last...

Roses in Bloom

When I need something to cheer me up, I usually need to look no farther than my own backyard.
When I visited the "David Austin Roses" booth at the Philadelphia Flower Show this spring I treated myself to two new roses.
This first soft pink beauty is an English Rose called "Eglantyne." It is named after Eglantyne Jebb, the woman who founded the 'Save The Children Fund.' The blooms are large and have a sweet Old Rose scent.
I almost didn't purchase the second rose here, "Carding Mill." In photos it looked quite orange but I was assured the blooms were apricot. 'Apricot' doesn't begin to describe the beautiful blend of pink, yellow and apricot that make up the color of this flower. And it has that wonderful Myhrr fragrance.

Back In The Studio

Here I am working at my big drafting table in my studio. I'm printing a series of bird blocks for Baby Quilts I'm making in chocolate brown and pink.
Next I'm going to print the same set in teal and chocolate.

Intentions

My brother passed away on August 5th.

There's a little post about him here:

 http://jumpinmillville.blogspot.com/2010/08/remembrances.html

I had planned a vacation at the beginning of August, intending to update my blog when I returned.

I've taken lots of photos and I've gotten back to work in the studio, so I'll be following through and keeping my 'on-line journal' here up dated more often.

Baltimore Herb Festival 2010

For us this is the official beginning of Summer. Leakin Park is filled with vendors offering plants for sale.

There are lots and lots of people and some great music.

Bluegrass Band Durham Station performed during the event.

And new to Leakin Park this year is the Hopi Labyrinth. This was added as part of three sacred sites that are now a permanent installation, along with the Sacred Magnolia Grove and the Navajo Ceremonial Circle.

I've been reading up on Walking The Labyrinth as a meditaion and this was my first opportunity to do just that. It was interesting to watch adults walking it, some carrying their newly purchased plants with them, then came the children- their only thought was to run through the maze as fast as they possibly could....

Philadelphia Flower Show

On Friday we took the drive to the Philadelphia Convention Center to visit the Flower Show.

A very nice event (although it was very, very crowded) and just the thing to welcome Spring.