Another Rabbit Hole

A spread in my altered book. I blame Sewcrazi.

In the parking lot at work yesterday

Just because 

I so want to sketch and paint this

Colors intensified by the rain

Sewcrazi has been posting videos and pics of her new obsession of an altered book. She is new to collage, so once she figured out how and what to do, the obsession grew. In the video Pam (Sewcrazi) stated that she felt in a rut of late, and this was helping her to move and create.

Preaching to the choir, Pam. 

She recommended watching videos from the "junk journal queen" on YouTube. That woman is Gayle Agostinelli, and she has hundreds of tutorials on YouTube. My take away from all of this is to follow what Sewcrazi is doing: vintage type torn papers, with copies of her own art. I do have about 6 pages complete, but waiting for decent light (in the land of the continuous spring shower) to take some pics.

In the spread above, I took old dictionary pages and stamped with Rangers Archival Ink in Watering Can with alphabet stamps, using the entire sheet of cling stamps at once. I wanted it wonky. There is a torn IBM card from my stash, as well as an old gel plate print done on newsprint. The "Thats Enough" is a vintage sheet music cover that I copied, in color, at home. I then cut it out and tore it, inking the edges with Tim Holtz Distress ink in Vintage Photo. By copying the fragile vintage papers and using normal light weight copy paper, it is easier to adhere to the altered book pages. I have a stash of old letters that, at this moment in time, I am unable to find in that room. That room that has been reorganized so things are easier to find. Yeah, THAT room. I will find the letters today, because now it's bugging me. The plan is to copy them as well. Any old paper that is unique or fragile will be handled in this manner. 

I am having fun again. The dogs think I'm nuts. That's okay. Because, hey, I am. Have a good one.

Linda

Where there's a will, there is a way

Melissa and Dega, visiting

Beautiful tulip on one of our walks

I figured out a way to access my photos in a round-about manner. Works for me, until Apple and Adobe have a meeting of the minds, and fix THEIR glitch.

The above photos were taken with my phone. Melissa and I have a play date a week with the dogs. Dega makes himself completely at home at my house, which is just fine. He looked so damn cute, resting his head on the chair arm I just had to snap a pic. Sorry for the glare coming in the living room window. It is what it is. The tulips were blooming at Avon Town Hall Park, at the end of one of the trails. As we emerged from the wooded areas, the pop of color just caught my eye last week. Just shouts SPRING, doesn't it?

Have yourselves a wonderful Monday.
Linda

OH, Boy

south side of house

planted 2 weeks ago, already dead. DANG!

Siberian Iris after a light rain

Siberian Iris buds

We are already experiencing stressed trees and lawns. It's May 17th. Just a little early, wouldn't you say? Rain goes north and south, mainly south, and bypasses the central area of Indiana. Here we go again.

In March, when it seemed like it rained every day of the week, and we had several days in the high 70's and low 80's, I had a lake in front of my garden shed and to the left of it. The builder did not grade the yards correctly, and if you get down and look at the lay of the land, there is a depression in that area. Most of it is on my neighbor's land. He basically does nothing with his yard, so evidently it doesn't bother him when we have ducks swimming in the pond that shouldn't be there.

I took this photo of the south side of my house for a reason: by the end of May, there will be dirt delivered to fill in the depression on my side of the property line. We will plant grass seed on that. Leading to the garden shed will be a stone path. The woman I hired is going to use large paving type stones and wind the path around to the front of the house and flower beds. I will then finish planting perennials up against the house, to the right of the path. I think it's going to look unique, and can hardly wait. It is also going to help save my back. Because of the continuing flooding, that entire stretch has become full of little hills and valleys, due to the grass not growing properly. It is hard to mow, and even harder to walk on. The stone path solves both problems.

Last night I planted 2 large tomato plants alongside the garden shed. It would not be wise to plant anything like that in the backyard. In one word, dogs. Dogs that dig. Dogs that chew. Dogs. Sigh. So the tomatoes will grow against the shed and do well, I'm sure. Just for the record, it took me 35 minutes to dig 2 holes. THAT is how hard the ground is already.

Have a great weekend.
Linda

Vivid

Vinca vine growing in a wood retaining wall

The strong colors of spring. I love the contrast, and it always makes me get the camera out. It would be wonderful if the Siberian Iris lasted all season, but they are on the last of the blooms now. The deep purple is stunning. No other word for it.

We have hit a dry patch already, and that worries me. I have been watering the flower beds and new trees, hoping this is a temporary glitch. If it is a forecast for the entire season, I fear I will lose a lot of plants this year.

Enjoy yourselves.
Linda

Spring Flowers

Heirloom Iris

Columbine

Bees Balm

the last bud on the flowering crab tree

the dogs ignoring their mom

It is a beautiful, slightly chilly spring day. The light is perfect for taking photos, so I just came in from snapping the above. Rain is in the forecast, and I'm afraid I won't get too many more shots of the Heirloom Iris that just opened up yesterday.

For the first time since I bought the house, there are nesting birds in the flowering crab apple tree. I am thrilled. I love to hear the sounds of birds right outside the kitchen window. No little heads are popping up, so I'm not sure if I missed the babies, or they have yet to hatch. I hope there will be more nests. I have planted 6 trees around the house in the past 3 years, along with a variety of shrubs and perennials.  To me, it just isn't a home unless there is a garden.

Enjoy yourselves.
Linda

Spring Flowers

"Pinks" that grow along the sidewalk leading to the front door

This is a small clump of Columbine in the front

Love these tiny flowers

Another view of the patch alongside the sidewalk

I love gardens in the spring. They still look fresh, with such a variety of greens in the foliage. As I was downloading these photographs into the computer, the local weatherman stated that we will be down into the 20's, at night, by this weekend.

Well, crap! I tried to protect the Hibiscus out front with grass clippings last week. It worked on one plant, not on both. So I will be putting out old sheets and towels over plants when this cold front hits. It was such a mild winter, I guess Mother Nature is making us pay for it now.

Stop and admire some flowers today. It will lift your spirits.
Linda

It is coming...

Although it is 27 degrees as I type this, spring really is just around the corner. You can feel it. The wind still has a bite to it, as it should in February. But this has been an exceptionally mild winter for central Indiana. In the first two photographs above, there are ducks in what appears to be the beginnings of a pond or lake. That is the view out my living room windows, which face south. My property line is about 12 feet from the house. My neighbor, a nice person, does nothing with his yard except mow it. Because this winter was very wet as well as mild, the "lake" is now 3 times larger than it was last spring when I took these photographs.

So. I could try and speak to this gentleman, but he is not particularly social or accessible. My plan, this spring, is to get a load of dirt and build up my own property up to the property line. I hope to create a berm of sorts, then cover it in mulch and plant something. I want a dividing line between my land and this low area. On my side of the berm I will put down more mulch and have a stone path leading to my garden shed. The grass doesn't grow well on that side of the house, so it is not worth the continuous effort to maintain it. Without saying anything to my neighbor (I hate confrontations), my hope is to guilt him into doing something, anything, with this problem.

Sneaky, yeah I know. But if this depression in the land gets any deeper, my house is going to be swimming. His is far from this area and sits higher.

The second set of photographs are my flowering crab apple tree out front. I love the blossoms in spring. They don't last long, but this is right outside my kitchen windows in the front, and the sight of the blooms always raises my spirits. It is the flag that says the seasons have changed.

Enjoy your day.
Linda

Thinking warm weather

One of the Hostas that border the sidewalk

View from the front door

I am trying to think positive. We have had an exceptionally mild winter with a ton of rain. It could very well have been snow and ice, as it was last winter. I always consider the month of February to be the final countdown. March can go either way: be mild or a wintery mix. But by the time we make it to March, you know that good weather is just around the corner.

I took the above shots last April 12th. This is in the front of my house. The lavender plant in the bed at the end of the sidewalk didn't make it through last summer. I saw some signs of life in October, so I'm hoping it will come back. I love the look and aroma of lavender growing. Perhaps with a bit more shade on that particular flower bed, it will survive. Our summers have been brutal on the plants.

We have snow in the forecast for tonight, and bitter cold for this weekend. But the end is in sight. I can live with that. For now, I will have to be content looking at the pictures of last year's plants.

Have a great day. Enjoy yourselves, no matter what it is you do.
Linda