Throw Open the Doors.......

The birds are singing, the sun is shining after last nights thunder and rain and the lilacs are in bloom!! I have thrown open the slider in my basement studio and intend to enjoy it all as I work. It is also way beyond time for a good clean up!!!

I am counting on the fabulous fragrance and the wonderful bird song to inspire massive clean up in record time!!! We shall see......... I wish that you could enjoy the fragrance with me!!

Tomorrow I am taking daughter Becca and friend Meagan to the National Zoo in DC. We will be carrying our sketch books and cameras. Daughter has mapped our trail complete with must see exhibits and Metro line changes. The Owls and Big Cats are at the top of the list.

(We got this shot of the owl that visited Grandma's house at Easter!!! He was way up in a very tall pine tree about 50 yards away. Magnificent creature!!! Becca was so very excited! She is a bit nuts for owls right now!!- She thinks that he may be a Spotted Owl.)

I will try to sketch and snap all that inspires!!!

For now, here are some luciouus lilacs and wild Dogwoods and Red Buds to share.

Happy Spring!!

This Spring time in Virginia has been spectacular, I think because of all of the rain. the Red Buds are bursting with brilliant purple and the Wild Dogwoods have been incredible.

Raggedy Roses!

I know that I have shared my Raggedy Roses Brooches with you before but this time I have created Raggedy Roses Hair Clips and added in bits of vintage lace, crystals and pearls. I have been growning out my bangs (Fringe to some of you) and have had a great need for some hair clips for myself. I purchased the spring clip mechnaisms in two different sizes and started stitching.

I used my hand dyed damask linen tablecloth strips for the colored flowers, as you see above.

For the white clips I have used strips from a vintage silk hankie (the ecru rose buds), undyed white linen damask, vintage lace for the lace flower and then mounted the bouquet on a bit of a damaged vintage doily. Then I added vintage glass pearls, some sparling crystals and lots of seed beads. This has a three inch clip mechanism on the back.

Yesterday I took my bouquets with me for Show and Tell at my art group meeting and sold the clip that you see above!! I think this one was my favorite!! It does look fabulous in Linda's hair- she has nice long curly hair and this sits on the back of her head beautifully!!!

Detail shot of the larger white bouquet- sorry about the side ways posting!!
I did all of the work by hand and finshed off the back covering all of the messy bits with a piece of green felt!! these remaing clips will go down to the Gallery at Liberty Town and will hopefully entice some flower lovers as it is Garden Week here in Virginia!!!

Happy Spring Everyone!!

Spring is Here at #3 !!!

The time of awakening gardens has arrived, and none too soon for me!! With all of the heartache, violence and anger in the world right now I have found myself yearning for the peace and realistic perspective that always comes to me when I am outside working in the garden. We have had a lovely amount of rain this spring and it is finally starting to warm up. Every day I see new signs of the return of old friends as they lift their heads above the soil and push the leaf cover aside to greet the sunshine. Many of my perrenials that have been limping along , have finally decided that they are happy in their homes and have spread and emerged newly invigorated. Above you can see my unfurling Bleeding Hearts. I love the intensity fo the ruby red of the still to open blossoms.

The Pink Impression Hybrid Tulips are back again and stronger in number and look so at home beneath the weeping Cherry tree.

Here are my absolute favorite garden treasure, a true pass-along plant. This is an English Primrose called Hose-On -Hose and each year each plant creates a sister plant. The clumps grow very quickly and love part shade. When it is cool and rainy, the blossoms last for a very long time. You would have had a good chuckle if you had seen the contortions that I went to in order to get these shots. Lets just say a change of clothes was in order!!

We have Gold Finches swarming our thisle feeders and filling the yard with birdsong.

As our winter was relatively mild, the Pansies that I planted in the fall have rebounded beautifully and are filling the yards with their wonderful scent. I love this combo of the orange Pansie with the bright pink Phlox.

Last fall, I planted a large number of Grecian Wind Flowers, or anemones, in clusters all over the garden. These bulbs will naturalize and spread and fill the beds with these glorious corn flower blue flowers. i just adore this color!!!

To end our little garden stroll I will leave you with more shots of these glorious Pink impression Tulips. It really does work to plant the bulbs extra deep, if you want them to return year after year!!!

I hope that the glories of spring are arriving in your part of the counrty. Goodness knows we all need a healthy dose of perspective and grace that one can only gain when one spends time amoung the glories of the garden!!