Morning inspiration 10.09.13

For the past few years my husband has taken to mushroom hunting. He grabs a knife, and takes our son for a stroll through wooded areas, looking for these particular mushrooms. They grow on trees, sometimes too high to reach, and are edible. I never noticed them before he pointed them out. Now that small flash of white upon dark bark catches my eye. I make a mental note of their position and tell him where I spied them for his next wild mushroom hunting expedition.

Morning inspiration 10.08.13

Behind our property the local golf course has a wild field. It's a lovely place to walk, and daydream. Right now much of the milkweed there has dried and cracked open, it's fluffy white seeds ready to fly.  I love milkweed. It's like a fairy tale plant. It is the sole source of food for Monarch Butterfly larvae and when it goes to seed, it sends wishes out into the world. You can't get much more magical than that.

For those unfamiliar with the plant, here are some extra photos.

Buying apples

Just a few pictures from our weekend trip to the apple orchard. It was a bit damp, but the rain held off while we picked a bushel of Liberty, McIntosh and Macoun apples at Pieter’s Appleyard.

Morning inspiration 10.07.13

It's been a rainy weekend here. It's still raining today. There's something awfully cozy and lazy about those grey days with a constant slow and steady spittle of rain. It makes me want to do laundry then roll about in the warm clothes from the drier. Perhaps I could settle in that fresh heap with a good book.

While some lament the end of hot and steamy days, I look forward to the damp cool mornings where the wet leaves stick to every surface. Others may find the spindly spent tendrils and lonely picked over patches in the decaying garden depressing but I love that slow death for revealing treasures new and once forgotten.

A New WIP

Another new piece in the works for my December show. At around 2' x 3' it's the biggest mixed media piece I've ever attempted. I usually work small and precious so it's a bit of a departure for me, but I do like a challenge.

Again, I'm mixing collage/mixed media with painting. I used acrylic in my other pieces but the birds here are water colour.

These are my favourite areas of the piece. There is still quite a bit of work left to be done and a few areas that need to be reworked... which is really just a nice way of saying fixed :P

Have a great weekend! xoxo

Morning inspiration 10.04.13

Every morning that I have been shooting these 'morning walk' photos is a surprise. I never know what I'm going to find, or what stories will be revealed.

This morning I took some photos of some striking red berries that I am certain will be harvested by the wee folk and stored for the winter. But the dog dragged me away from the berries and we paused beneath an old maple that was struck by lightening a few years ago. Upon close inspection I saw a family of slugs making their way to this little door. It wasn't until I came back to the house to edit the photo that I realized there were potato bugs hovering there too.

The fact that even these slow and simple (but quite lovely) creatures were clamouring to this magical spot make me wonder exactly what is going on down there!

Whatever it is, I hope the news is good.

Mother Goose Card for Graphic 45

It's a celebration of card-making over on the Graphic 45 blog today!

I created this little card for Graphic 45 with the Mother Goose collection. The papers really are so sweet and cheery... and fun to use!

 

Supply List:

Mother Goose Collection

Ring Around the Rosies

Nursery Rhymes

Playful Postage

Mother Goose

Storytime

Spot On