Looking forward, looking back

Back when I was working full time as an Occupational Therapist in a rehab clinic, I absolutely hated doing my yearly reviews. I was all about living in the moment. As far as I was concerned the past was the past, and the future was safely in God's hands, so why waste time struggling to come up with impressive sounding goals? I intended to "do my best," and I was eager to move on to the next thing, not waste time muddling through priorities, facing past mistakes, etc.

Thankfully, I've come to see the value in reflection, and the wisdom of bravely facing past mistakes and areas of weakness. It's not comfortable, not fun, but necessary to move on to a higher level, in any area of our life.

So, off and on during the past few days (when I haven't been playing on our new Wii) I've been looking at various areas of my life with a critical eye, and writing down the areas I've fallen short. But, I'm also making sure I record and acknowledge my achievements with gratitude as well.

I have come across two great resources that have helped me in my yearly review that I'd like to share with you. For looking back at the art side of my life, I'm using Alyson Stanfield's Acknowledge yourself and celebrate! list.

More importantly, I have been taking a hard look at my spiritual life, and am working my way through these Questions to ask at the Beginning of a New Year. I am going through this list somewhat superficially right now so that I can see where I need to make concrete goals, but will review parts of it in depth later on.

I'm also narrowing down what my focus word of 2009 will be (ala Christine Kane's blog). Only a day and a half left to decide...what will yours be?

Hope for uncertain times

I know. It's Christmas, and we are filled with joy and anticipation, as we get ready to celebrate our Savior's birth with family and friends. Rightly so! But despite the specialness of this season, aren't we all are a bit unsettled, as we try in vain to block out all the dire economic news?

My family is blessed.
My husband still has his job, for the moment, but continued layoffs are expected. God has been good to my Elizabeth's Flower's and leaf petals endeavors, but my income won't come close to supporting our family should my husband lose his job. So, although we are fine, and I am thankful, in moments of quiet I can detect uneasiness deep inside.

Last week Revive our Hearts had an awesome series called "Hope for uncertain times" that I found to be completely reassuring. I needed to be reminded that these unsettling times are not catching God off guard - He loves us just has much as He always does, and is working things out according to His plan, as He always does. And, most importantly, even if things do get difficult, anything that makes us need God is a blessing.

You can listen to the first program of the series here. There is also a helpful "Hope for uncertain times" brochure you can download for free, a gold mine of wisdom and comfort.

Blooming Secrets

My Christmas cactus has begun to bloom - it must have almost 100 buds of various sizes. Considering that the winds are howling and the wind chills today are expected to hover around zero, these tropical colored blooms are a joy.

There are many different theories about how to get a Christmas cactus to bloom, and some of them can be tedious. My grandma gave me this plant probably over 30 years ago (how old that makes me sound! But I was really, really, young then). As she tucked the tiny pot into a cereal box to protect it on the long ride home, she instructed me to keep it shut in a dark closet for the entire month of October. I usually didn't remember to do this, or as it got bigger I had difficulty finding a closet big enough and empty enough to hold it.

Thankfully I have found a simple method that has been working perfectly. My cactus spends its summers outside under a shady burning bush, and I water it only as needed. I might give it a shot of organic fertilizer once or twice if I think of it.

The key, I have found is to keep it outside as long as possible, well into October if I can. If there is a threat of isolated frost I cover it for the night, but I try to leave it out until mid autumn. Once I bring it in, it goes up in our loft area, where it receives light from two sky lights. The cold nights outside and increasing natural darkness seem to do the trick, and I've been rewarded with loads of blossoms. One more tip, while I happen to be thinking about it, I also trim my cactus in the spring, to keep it more compact. It is almost 3 feet across, and I don't want it getting any bigger. I don't know if that impacts its blooming potential or not.

While taking a break from writing this post I noticed that Kathy from Cold Climate Gardening has just blogged about her Christmas Cactus as well, so check out what she and her readers are doing with theirs.

Special Snowball Cookies

No new ""You frame it Friday" picture today, I'll be posting my unframed pressed flower art again sometime after Christmas. For now I'm busy filling orders, which in this economy is such a blessing.

I think my customers seem to appreciate my offer of free gift wrapping, along with a free pressed fern Christmas gift tag. If you are still thinking of ordering, please do so soon. Next Friday (the 18th) will be the last day I fill orders until after Christmas.

If you received my latest newsletter you've already seen this, but I've decided to share my favorite Christmas cookie recipe this year for Snowball Cookies. These aren't the really buttery snowball cookies typically covered in powdered sugar. Instead, these cookies are soft and tender, with a delicious flavor. I'd love to make some this weekend, but I don't dare make them until right before Christmas...because they disappear almost instantly in my house.

Special Snowball Cookies

1 C soft margarine
2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
5 C sifted flour
1 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 C sour cream
1 C flaked coconut
colored sugar

Cream margarine and sugar until light. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients, sour cream, and coconut, mix well. Chill several hours.

Shape into 1 inch balls and sprinkle top with colored sugar (or those little colored balls). Bake at 375 degrees, 8-10 minutes. Makes about 6 dozen only if you don't sample large amounts of dough.

Enjoy!

Recycling your own paper

What kind of paper can I use to make my own handmade paper if i order your own paper making kit?

I've been hearing (reading?) that question a lot lately, from prospective customers who are interested in purchasing my Going Green Paper Making Kit, but want more information. I include a list of good sources of used paper that can be turned into handmade paper in the instruction book included with my paper making kits, but for those of you who are just wondering...here's a list of good sources of used paper for handmade paper making for you.

You frame it Friday

Wow! I just realized that my previous blog entry was my 200th post! I am amazed. I wish I would have realized that and celebrated in some way! I will have to keep closer track, and be sure to recognize the next big milestone.

This week's unframed pressed flower art creation is called "Golden Flowers." An online friend pointed out that I seem to be stuck on yellow flowers lately. I think I am drawn to the warmth and joyfulness of yellow - yellow seems hopeful, optimistic, and always joyful - like a celebration.

I've been using a Franklin Covy Planner for years, a small compact binder with my calender, daily and monthly "to-do" lists, yearly goals, etc. I can also fill out a small card called a "Weekly Compass," with the key goals I want to focus on. I use it as a "monthly compass" instead, and usually come up with a key word that I want to focus on for the month. In the past, I've focused on kindness, timeliness, humor, reverence, etc.

This month I'm focusing hard on joy...which seems especially appropriate given that this is the month we remember the incredible gift of God Himself coming to be with us. Psalm 8, which I am attempting to memorize says:

"...what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?."

Yes, who are we, really, that we've been given such a gift?
The more I think about this, the more joyfully amazed I am.

Everything in its place

Two things are on my list for today - to begin listing my new botanical journals in my etsy shop, and to do some massive "decluttering" in my work area.
My work area - I can't call it a studio (but hopefully someday...) has silently become a disaster area. A stray object or two here, a few things I'll put way later there, some un-filed papers here...and suddenly I have a mess. Elisabeth Elliot always used talk about the importance of "a place for everything, and everything in its place." How true!

I love to read tips on organizing, I could read them all day - but diligently putting them into practice is another matter. Thankfully I am becoming increasingly aware of how my lack of diligence in putting things away -as soon as I am done with them- is costly in both time, energy, and even personal joy. The frustration I feel when I struggle with the chaos covering my work area robs me of my enthusiasm in creating.

Off I go, with a quick prayer for perseverance, wisdom, and a sense of humor wouldn't hurt either.

The Sunshine Family

Earlier this morning I checked my email for the first time since Friday, and I have 137 messages. My husband would laugh at me and say "that's nothing!" For me, a creator and purveyor of pressed flower things, that's a lot of emails! I think I'd rather write a blog post instead of dealing with those just now.

I spent the weekend at the Prairie Waldorf School's Yuletide Faire in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. I'm thankful that despite the shaky economy I did fairly well, but what an experience.

Do you remember the "granola" like Sunshine Family? My sister had those dolls from the 70's, and while at that Faire it seemed as if I had found myself immersed in their world. From what I understand, Waldorf schools apparently are based on experiential learning, with a focus on nature, crafts, and the natural rhythms and energies of the universe. For a conservative Christian like me, this atmosphere was a bit foreign, but I found it very interesting. Most amazing to me, though, was the children themselves. It seemed as if the entire school body was present through out the Faire; performing, helping, serving, selling, etc. The kids were amazing - calm, polite, inquisitive, respectful, and unusually well behaved. I was definitely impressed with them.

Now, time to get back to those emails...

You frame it Friday

Plum mums. Plum colored mums, spiked foliage, highly textured handmade paper, acid-free white 8 x 10 mat.
Ready to frame.

I think the succinctness of twittering is having an effect on me.

I've been preoccupied with catching up with orders, getting ready for the show I'm in this weekend, and gearing up for Christmas, so I apologize for my spotty blogging lately.

Despite my busyness, I happened to come across a blog recently (isn't it amazing that no matter how busy one is, there is always the urge to surf) that has really stopped me in my tracks. It's called ali's african adventures. Take a peek at it and see what you think.

Graceful Leaves

Due to life in general, this is the picture I had intended for last Friday's "You frame it Friday" picture.

Now, if you think a picture comprised of two skinny leaves is far from intriguing, that's ok. Those feelings are perfectly normal. Feel free to click elsewhere, but please come back on Friday when I post one of my more traditional pressed flower pictures.

For the rest of you, aren't these leaves beautiful? They are from the understory from the north woods of Wisconsin, picked the very afternoon before the season ending hard frost. Each leaf was growing directly out of the ground underneath the tall pines, and the leaves reminded me of single Solomon's Seal leaves. Up close I can see the pretty delicate veining in the leaves. The graceful stems are a reddish brown. I wish I know exactly what they were.

These graceful leaves have been mounted on my handmade paper, and sealed with UV resistant polymers. They are matted in a white acid-free mat, and are ready to be framed on an 8 x 10" frame.

Come and see me!

I'll be at the Prairie Waldorf School's Yuletide Faire in Pewaukee, Wisconsin next week!

I'll be bringing my framed and un-framed art, pressed flower cards, autumn leaf cards, my botanical journals, and, hopefully, my paper making kits. Lot's of "green" gifts for the shoppers who attend.

I am kind of a "wimp" when it comes to shows, and have never done a two day show before. Friendly visits will be much appreciated!

Friday, November 21, 2008

2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Prairie Hill Waldorf School
N14 W29143 Silvernail Rd.
Pewaukee, WI

For more information, please visit www.prairiehillwaldorf.org

You frame it Friday

This week's unframed pressed flower art features kind of an abstract picture of wildflowers and grass.

Despite a few moderate frosts here in southern Wisconsin, these wildflowers I pressed earlier this week continue to brighten up their corner of the world.

It's somewhat hard to see in this picture, but the flowers are mounted on a 5 x 7" piece of my textured handmade paper, which in turn is mounted on a piece of highest quality Gilbert Oxford card stock.

This pressed flower picture could be framed in either an 8 x 10, or 11 x 14" frame. In an 8 x 10 frame, the mat would neatly cover the edges of the handmade paper, and the 11 x 14" frame would allow the interesting deckled edge of the handmade paper to show, for a more organic look.

I will happily include an acid free white mat for either size frame (8x10", or 11x14") upon request. Just state your mat size preference in the "comments" section when ordering, or email me.

From far away...

Here's a shout out to blogging friend Tim Challies, who is blogging with his son this week from the Dominican Republic, by invitation from Compassion International.

They will be experiencing how the children of that area live, and what Compassion International is doing in an effort to make an impact in their difficult lives. Tim's son Nick, is also blogging about the trip, from an 8 year old's perspective.

This should prove to be an interesting read, and I imagine their insights will help us get into a thanks giving frame of mind, when we consider how blessed we are in our country.

You frame it Friday - Black-eyed Susans

Black-eyed Susans tend to be big, cheerful, bold flowers that I hardly ever press because their "black eye" is so thick.

I was surprised when I came upon a patch of them in my father-in-law's garden a few weeks ago. He lives deep in the north woods of Wisconsin, and my guess is because these flowers grew in an area of dappled sunlight they didn't become as robust as usual, and happily they pressed beautifully.

This piece unframed pressed flower art is already matted with an 8 x 10 white acid free mat, and the flowers been sealed with two types of invisible UV resistant polymers to seal in color and keep harmful rays and moisture out. It's all ready for someone to drop into their favorite 8 x 10 frame!

2nd annual elephant ear leaf cast

Here's this years paper cast of an elephant ear. This leaf measures a whopping 38 inches long, two inches longer than last year's paper cast leaf.
This time I also made a paper cast of the large stem, which measures 25 inches, so if all goes well (no rain, snow, footballs), I may end up with a really large paper leaf!

Note to self: Next year, do your paper leaf casting in September, not the end of October. It's cold at the end of October!

How to store pressed flowers, part 2

Last winter I blogged about my method for storing pressed flowers, but I thought I'd let you know that things have changed around here.

We had number of really damp spells lately here in Wisconsin, and even though I stored my flowers in plastic containers with tight fitting lids, they weren't air tight. I was constantly having to reactivate my silica gel. I keep my pressed flowers at my work area in our basement, and I was worried that the exposure to dampness would affect their ability to retain their bright colors.

Thankfully, I've come up with an improved method that really seems to be working. If you are a pressed flower artist, maybe this new way of storing pressed flowers will work for you too.

You frame it Friday

I don't usually feature scripture pictures two weeks in a row, but I guess it's been on my mind lately.

I love oak leaves. One of the first framed pictures I ever made was just a single dark oak leaf mounted on a large piece of my handmade paper, and framed with out a mat. It was simple, but dramatic. I haven't sat down to think about why I like them so much, but I seem to detect a sense of strength, and dependability - maybe because oak trees are so enduring.

After I made this be still and know picture, I made another one to give to my Dad. He has accumulated many worries, and I'm hoping he'll take this message to heart because, after all, it really is a great message.

treasure box

Here's what I did this morning.

Friends from the gallery, who just happen to have a spectacular garden, invited me to come over and raid it. Since we are expecting a hard frost any day now, Dennis and Karen allowed me free reign. I gathered hosta, elephant ears, and calla lily leaves for leaf casting. I also found many interesting leaves including japenese maples and tulip tree leaves, and even a few flowers to press.

I was especially happy to get the solomon's seal, because I think it's such a beautiful, graceful plant. I'm hoping it will press really well.

the Lord Reigns

I'm back - I missed "you frame it Friday" last week because my computer had a bit of a nervous breakdown. Apparently I added one too many high resolution scans, and my computer rebelled. One new flash drive later, things are thankfully back to normal.

Here's the scan of the "you frame it" picture that upset my computer. "The Lord Reigns" features a simple yet graceful sprig of leaves that are just on the cusp of turning from bright green to autumn yellow. Underneath is a verse from 1 Chronicles 16:31, which says:

Let the heavens rejoice,
let the earth be glad,
let them say among the nations,
"The Lord reigns!"

Times uncertain as they are, I have been finding much wisdom in this verse. Despite the financial uneasiness we are all facing, there still is so much to rejoice in, to be glad about...
and besides, when all is said and done, the Lord reigns!

tillandsia multiplication

Last spring, I showed you my unusual Tillandsia bulbosa air plant, and then I showed it to you again a few weeks later after it had turned bright red and flowered.

Well, this unusual plant continues to act strangely. After spending the summer outside under my lemon tree, it has sprouted 2 new shoots perpendicular to the main plant.

The two offshoots seem to be getting ready to fall off soon, and I'm willing to share. Would anyone like one?

You frame it Friday (a day early)

I'll be in Chicago later today attending a conference for the next few days, so here is this week's "You frame it Friday" creation a day early.

This matted pressed maple leaf collage is so much better in person - my scanner didn't quite do it justice. These are pressed maple leaves from my trip to northern Wisconsin last weekend, mounted on highly textured handmade paper, and matted with an archival acid free 8x10 mat.

The leaves have been sealed with two UV resistant polymers, so this picture is ready to drop into your favorite 8x10 frame.

Northern Wisconsin

I'm interrupting my normal flower/plant post to bring you this stunning picture I just found on our camera. It was taken on Sunday just before we headed home, by my husband. I'm not sure what I like looking at better...the beautiful fall foliage, the reflection on the lake, or the silhouette of the wispy beach grass in the forefront. Part of me wishes we were still there, in that peaceful place.

Below is another picture, of one of my enthusiastic leaf hunter helpers and I, deep in the north woods looking for "perfect" leaves. We found quite a few - several gallon ziplock bags full.

I will be pressing most of the leaves in regular flower presses , but some of them I will be pressing in the Microfleur, so that I can use them right away.
I was thrilled to find an abundance of really, really red maple leaves this year - some years they tend to be more orange than deep red. They'll come in handy for maple leaf collages.

You frame it Friday

Here's another un-framed pressed flower art creation featuring orange cosmos. The orange cosmos picture I posted three weeks sold almost immediately, so I thought I'd make another one in its place.

In a few hours we will be heading off to northern Wisconsin, where the glorious north woods are at their peak of color.

Stay tuned for some colorful autumn pressed leaf collages next week.

Growing micro greens with style

I've mentioned before that my Mom has Alzheimer's, as did her mother before her. Things being as they are, my sister and I are doing what we can to avoid going down the same path. We eat our blueberries just about everyday, my sister exercises vigorously, and tries really hard to talk me into doing it too.

RealAge has a lot of good information about keeping your mind healthy as you age, and awhile back I read about how eating micro greens may be very beneficial. Micro greens are "filament-thin, delicate plants, the smallest possible incarnation of salad greens, herbs, edible flowers, and leafy vegetables". Apparently they have been found to contain higher levels of concentrated active compounds than found in mature plants or seeds.

I bought some micro green seeds to grow on my sunny kitchen window sill. The directions recommend growing them in shallow plastic trays, and taking cuttings after the second or third sets of leaves.

I wasn't too excited about having to look at plastic trays day after day, so I asked Maureen and George from AFAF to make me two small ceramic planters that would fit right on my window sill. Above are the before and after pictures of one of the two beautiful trays they've made. George designed a template from my specifications, and Maureen ended up glazing the trays in an earthy brown with a loose abstract design, sort of organic in nature.

I haven't actually received them yet, but now that the outdoor gardening season is coming to an end, I can't wait to get them and try my new trays out.

Wisconsin Lemon Tree

For 23 years in a row, I've lugged this lemon tree inside for the winter. (I cringe at how old that makes me sound). Many times the tree has been with out a lemon, but this year we've been blessed with a whopping 19 lemons!

So, sometime in dreary February, when the lemons will finally be ripe, we will be enjoying authentic Wisconsin lemon bars ... with real Wisconsin butter of course. Definitely something to look forward to!

You frame it Friday

Do these flowers look familiar? If you are a regular reader, they should. These are osteospermum, a type of African Daisy. I like them so much, I designed my logos after them.

They are a bit temperamental to press, but to me they are the perfect flower - with their perfectly shaped long slender petals, perfectly round center, and understated foliage. I think God made a masterpiece when He designed these.

The handmade paper in this particular unframed pressed piece is a 6 x 6" square, which lends itself to a more contemporary picture. The flowers have been sealed with 2 different UV resistant and moisture proof polymers, so the picture is all ready for you to pop into your favorite square frame.

new life for rejects...

Sunday was interesting. At our church potluck I sat near a visiting missionary. She is stationed in Lebanon and works with Palestinians in refugee camps (I won't use her name for safety's sake.) It was amazing to hear her story, and her love for the people she works with was very evident.

She likes to do crafts when working with the Lebanese women, because it's something they never had the luxury of spending time and money on. While she was explaining how hard it is for her to obtain certain craft materials there, it occurred to me that I might have something she could use. When I was first putting my Going Green paper making kits together, it took my craftsmen and I awhile to get our acts together, so I ended up with a number of "reject" mold and deckles that are perfectly usable, but not quite nice enough to sell.

While the potluck was winding down, I zipped home to get my box of "rejects," along with one of my instruction booklets an assortment of paper making inclusions. She was thrilled. Recycling scrap paper to make new creations would be a perfect fit.

I don't know how many times I was tempted to toss the box away, just to get it out of the way. But now it's amazing to me that parts of my paper making kits are going all the way to Lebanon.

It's neat to see how God works.

doing art

As I mentioned last time, I've made Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays serious art days. I've only taken a few minutes to dabble on the computer today, while I was waiting for the UV resistant sealer on these pressed flower pictures to dry.

Now, back to work!

You frame it Friday

Queen Anne's lace. What more can one say - it's so pretty. I'm thankful God made a flower like this - actually it's scores of tiny flowers making up each big flower.

This Queen Anne's Lace Trio pressed flower picture is sealed with 2 different UV resistant and moisture proof polymers, so it's all ready for you to pop into a standard 8 x 10" frame, or even an 11 x 14" frame, with standard matting. If I were framing this, I would go with an 8 x 10" frame with a plain white mat.

you have to mean not to

One of the hardest things for me is juggling my time, wisely. I have my priorities - God, family, art, my business/websites. The first two priorities are set in stone as first and second, the last two seem to get juggled around.

Ideally I would like "art" to remain my third priority, but when the house is a mess, the kids need something, I'm blessed with lots of orders, or am working on a marketing project or gearing up for some kind of sale, my art priority gets pushed out of the way, sometimes for a week at a time.

That's bad! Especially if I'm going to call myself an artist.

I think I may have found a solution. When I was gliding around the internet during half time yesterday (go Packers!), I happened upon a blog article written by another busy "mom" artist who found that dedicating Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to her art was the solution that finally worked for her. Weekends were devoted to family, church, etc. and Monday and Fridays were devoted to cleaning the house, laundry, errands, making appointments, and so on.

I think this will work for me. Today I'm busy cleaning up all traces of our active weekend, making phone calls, answering emails, tackling ALL of the laundry, and doing some tedious book work I've neglected. I'm also going to try to reschedule a Wed. meeting to Friday, and hopefully I'll also squeeze in some quick paper making, so I have a few more large sheets of handmade paper ready to use. Then, if all goes according to plan, I will have three glorious uninterrupted days (8:00-3:30 when the kids are in school) of art making.

I don't really mean to have neglected my art, but as a friend of mine says, I have to mean not to.

You frame it Friday: Orange Cosmos Flowers

Orange Cosmos are among the cheeriest flowers I know. The brilliance of their color never fades, and I love how the flowers tend to dance and bob above their sharp, finely cut foliage.

However, I don't always like pressing orange cosmos. Sometimes for no reason (that I can tell) cosmos flowers turn dark when I press them in the Microfleur. The very next time they all turn out perfect - no rhyme or reason. Their leaves always press perfectly, but are very brittle when dried. I skip my morning diet mountain dew when working with those very delicate leaves.

However tedious they can be, they are definitely worth the effort. I make a lot pressed flower pictures for myself with sayings or verses I want to remember, and I've noticed that I tend to choose cosmos.
This "Orange Cosmos" flower art picture is sealed with 2 different UV resistant and moisture proof polymers, so it's all ready for you to pop into a standard 8 x 10" frame, or even an 11 x 14" frame, with standard matting. If I were framing this, I would go with an 8 x 10" frame with a plain white mat.

Getting connected

Last Thursday I was having a "low energy day" and couldn't seem to make myself do any of the things on my "next action" list.

I determined that it would be a good day to become more socially connected. I had been meaning to do it anyway, and I could do it sitting down.

First of all, I joined Linked In. I'm off to a modest start - only 2 connections, but we'll see what happens.

Then I clicked over to Facebook. Actually I joined back in February, but never did much with it, so I spiffed up my profile a tiny bit. Once again, only 2 friends, and one of them is my mother in law (bless her).

Finally, I joined Twitter - an interesting phenomenon consisting of "micro" blogging. Really micro - one has only 140 characters to tell the world what you happen to be doing or thinking at the moment. Its very interesting, and I can see how addicting it could be.

I'm not sure about the intrinsic value of Twitter, or any of these "tools" of becoming more socially connected. I use the internet to promote my art and the products I sell, so that I can hopefully make a profit and continue to do what I love. However, I also struggle with spending too much time on the internet. It is one of my weaknesses, and it is so easy to get sidetracked, slip off onto a tangent, and before I know it an hour has slipped by, often wasted.

God, family, art, marketing my art on the internet. I need to work hard at keeping these priorities in their proper order.

Look up - You frame it Friday

Looking up at the skies, we can get a hint of the quantity of God's regard for us. It's really a lot! Psalm 36:5 says, "...your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies..."

This unframed pressed flower picture has a brilliant blue (like the sky!) pressed cornflower, with a tiny bud with its graceful but slightly unruly leaves I love.

For indefinite durability, this pressed flower picture is sealed with 2 different UV resistant and moisture proof polymers, so it's all ready for you to pop into a standard 8 x 10" frame, or even an 11 x 14" frame, with standard matting. If I were framing this, I would go with an 8 x 10" frame with a plain white mat.

roasted tomato sauce, part 2

Mj has made my roasted tomato sauce and and has posted great step by step pictures and mention of her variations.
Glad you enjoyed it mj!

Making paper bowls

I signed up to teach a series of paper bowl making classes at the gallery in October, only to realize that I have sold or given away nearly all of the paper bowls I've made in the past. I'll need examples!

So here's what I was doing this morning. In the silver bowl at the top is what used to be watercolor paper scraps from a friend that I've recycled in the blender. I also added some CMC for added strength.

Then I applied a light coating of Vaseline to the inside of the other two bowls. In one I laid several hosta leaves, vein side up, and then applied the recycled paper pulp into the bowl, on top of the leaves. In this picture I was only part way done - I actually applied the pulp up to the rim of the bowl. In the other one, I placed a number of colorful yarns and fibers into the bowl first, and then added the pulp.

As I applied the pulp, I pressed it down with a sponge to soak up excess water, and to strengthen the bonding of the recycled paper fibers. There are other ways to make paper bowls, and I'll post some of them soon.

These bowls will take several days to dry - I'll show them to you then.

Brimming with a colorful harvest...

I have been blessed with copious amounts of colorful heirloom tomatoes. It is (deeply) ingrained in me not to waste food, so I am feverishly giving away and finding uses for as many tomatoes as I can. The delicious recipe below has been a lifesaver - it uses up a large amount tomatoes, and freezes well.

(By the way, in case you're wondering, "You frame it Friday" will return next week)

roasted tomato sauce

15 cloves of peeled garlic
8 # of ripe tomatoes (any kind), cut in half
5 medium onions, quartered
1 cup of fresh herbs, chopped (I use a mixture of oregano, Italian flat leaf parsley, basil, thyme, and rosemary)
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
freshly ground black pepper (I like a lot)
2-4 tablespoons of honey, optional

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Chop 5 of the cloves of garlic. Leave the remaining cloves whole. In a large roasting pan, carefully toss together the tomatoes, garlic, onions, herbs, oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Roast for 25 minutes. Gently stir. Roast for another 25 minutes, stir again. Roast another 45 minutes, or until tomatoes are softened and broken down into a sauce with a golden brown crust on top.
3. Remove from oven and taste for seasoning. Mash tomatoes slightly, (some chunks are nice) or blend until smooth if you wish. This sauce freezes well, or is great for canning. Use it with pasta, fish, or as a wonderful dipping sauce for really good french bread.

Enjoy!


"The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest."
Psalm 85:12

You frame it Friday "One of a Kind"

During my teen years, when I had a rebellious, angry heart, I once encountered some one who tried to tell me that I was "one of a kind," and specially made by a God who loved me. At the time, I couldn't have been more unimpressed ... or so I thought. Not long after that, by the grace of God I did come to believe.

Psalm 139 is an amazing psalm that reminds us that we are uniquely created, and that we have a God who is totally aware of exactly who we are, what we are doing, and what we are thinking - even before we do. I love the part where is says, "you hem me in-behind and before..." That leaves little room for doubt that He is a God who is near, and who cares.

Happy Birthday Doctor

Here's a card I just finished for Ed and Jean, an older couple at my church. Years ago they gave their doctor one of my cards, and they say that he still raves about it every time he sees them. I think some one must be exaggerating, but that's beside the point.

Anyways, the doctor is having his 80 something birthday this month and they wanted me to make a "large card with lots of flowers" for him. An 80 something doctor? That's what I thought too. But, he's pulled Ed and Jean out of a number of health crises lately, so he must still be pretty much at the top of his game. I hope he has a great birthday.

pressing work

I'm back to work, or, as friends and family tend to say, "She's playing with her flowers again."

I’m feeling the need to re-organize my life and get back to a routine. I suppose summer does that to everyone. But, before I get started with that, I'm going to focus on fully reaping the benefits of my herb and vegetable gardens. So many times the summer slips by and I feel guilty for not making the most of my herbs and vegetables, but with prices as they are, I'm going to stay on top of things this year. Today, in between pressing flowers and filling orders, I will make my first of hopefully many batches of pesto and herb butter.

As soon as my Roma tomatoes are ripe, I'll share an awesome Baked Tomato Spaghetti Sauce with you. My aunt in Albuquerque made it for us, and because the tomatoes are baked their flavor intensifies, and the result in incredible. And, the recipe freezes well, so I plan on making many batches. You'll love it.

My view

I arrived back home yesterday with mixed feelings.

On one hand, I loved every minute of the time we spent exploring New Mexico and South Dakota. The sun seemed brighter out west (and definitely hotter), the sky seemed bluer...bigger. The stark, peaceful beauty of those arid areas was moving.

On the other hand, when I stepped out onto my driveway just after midnight on Friday, I found myself thrilled to be greeted with hum of crickets and the soft, humid late-summer air of Wisconsin, heavy with the smell of the corn in field behind our house. Wisconsin isn't as visually exciting as the West, but it's where my heart is home.

Above is the view we woke up to at the Circle View Ranch in South Dakota. Tom and I first stayed there two years ago, and we loved it so much we decided to return there - this time with our three kids. This working ranch bed and breakfast sits high upon a bluff, and borders the Badlands National Park on one side, and the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation on the other. The views are stunning, and owners Phil and Amy welcome fossil hunting on their property which was a huge hit with my kids.

As an added bonus, they even have three friendly burros who are more than happy to help you pack up your minivan when it's time to get ready to head for home.

Tenacity

The tenacity of plants will never cease to amaze me.

Here is a brave little Indian paint brush flower castilla minitia holding its own next to a prickly cactus on a hot, crunchy ancient lava bed. I scratched my finger down into the soil (if you could call it that!) and there was less than 1/3". Plants can do so much with so little.

We've been staying with my 78 year old aunt and cousins in Albuquerque, and this picture was taken from a day trip we took the other day to the western part of New Mexico. My Aunt Shirley is incredible. Despite her age we've hardly been able to keep up with her as we've hiked in the Sandia Mountains, through canyons, pueblos, over and around petroglyph rocks, etc. The beauty here is stunning - I see why New Mexico is known as the "land of enchantment".

Back soon...

I have the privilege of setting out tomorrow morning with my family on a good old fashioned road trip out west. The kids couldn't be more excited, and I couldn't have more to do at the moment!

I may post a few pictures during the trip if I get a chance.

In the meantime, I'd like to mention that my sister Louise and her husband have just entered the world of blogdom. "To the Ends of the Earth" will take you on a journey with them as they prepare for and ultimately venture forth to Indonesia where they will be serving as missionaries. Currently they are on a "working vacation", which includes language school, and a few other stops as well. It just so happens that we are going to some of the same places they are - just a few days behind them.

You frame it (Wednesday)

I love the black dots around the center of Gazanias - they remind me of exclamation points - this is a flower that really wants to draw attention to itself.
"Gazania and Grass" is my un-framed picture of the week, and it will be the last one for awhile. After Friday I'm closing shop for two weeks but will return on Monday, August 11. If you need anything from Elizabeth's Flowers, or leaf petals, please order it in the next day or two so that I can get it out to you before I leave. Thanks!

Art on the Lawn - my "set-up"

I thought you might like to see how I typically set up my booth. It's a little on the "cheap and simple" side, I know, but my theory is that the focus stays on the flowers.

I always get a lot of positive comments on my ladder displays. The price was right (I found them on the side of the road one day) and I spray painted them an antique white. I added hooks to the back of the rungs, and use strong rubber bands (attached to the back) to keep the pictures from flying off in a gust of wind.

Our Art on the Lawn art show went well. We always hope for more people than we get, but my fellow AFAF artists and I enjoyed a pleasant day together, chatting, enjoying the sunshine, and even making a few sales. One of the highlights of my afternoon was a visit from a Eileen, a pressed flower artist I've corresponded with via email. It was a treat to meet her in person. She has been successfully selling her beautiful pressed flower art on her Etsy shop called Petal Annie.

One more thing. It's tacky to set up one's tent with the "EZ-Up" label at the front of one's display. Please feel free to learn from my mistake.

You frame it Friday

After I finished this unframed picture this evening, I decided it looked like the flowers were casually waiting for something...

Earlier this year, in the Spring, I made a similar framed pressed flower picture, and titled it "Waiting Flowers". That picture has been sold, so I will recycle the title.

This "Waiting Flowers" picture is sealed with 2 different UV resistant and moisture proof polymers, so it's all ready for you to pop into a standard 8 x 10" frame, or even an 11 x 14" frame, with standard matting. If I were framing this, I would go with an 8 x 10" frame with a plain white mat.

Art on the Lawn this weekend!

It's been a whirl wind of activity around here, and in turn the blog has been quiet lately. I've been busy doing the usual summertime activities with my kids, as well as pressing every beautiful flower I can get my hands on.

I've also been framing a number of my new pressed flower art creations which I'll have on display at the 4th Annual AFAF Art on the Lawn art show this weekend. Fifteen of my fellow artists and I will be displaying our work this Sunday, and there will be a wide variety of tempting art available. Join us if you can!

House cleaning

Let's clean up some loose ends today.

First of all, I've received a number of emails from people interested in purchasing Perfect Paper Adhesive, one of the sealants I use primarily for my pressed flower cards, but they've been unable to find it on my website. Others are having trouble finding the web page showing my un-framed pressed flower art.
All for good reason - it has been hard to find these items...but I have finally revamped the navigation on the Elizabeth's Flowers website and now each of those has it's own link on the left side of every page.

Also, I've received inquiries regarding when the regular Microfleur will be back in stock. Actually, it's been back in stock for some time, but it may look like it is still out of stock unless you hit the refresh button, and then the "out of stock" message will disappear. I'm not sure why that is - I think it has something to do with "cookies".

I apologize for such a boring post! This fall, I will be redoing elizabeths-flowers.com with a fresh new template, so it will be much more professional looking, and, thankfully, much easier to navigate. By the way, I am looking for a graphic artist to update my logo with a fresh new look as well. Please email me if you're interested.

And, one last thing. I thought I'd let you know that Midday Connection is airing the "Women of Moderation" series again. Basically it's a Bible study that can teach you how to be "moderate" not only in regards to food, but in other areas of your life as well.

When I went through it last Spring, I found the principals I learned valuable in helping me to learn to say "no" to myself, not only in regards to my tendency to indulge myself with too many Krunchers, cookies, large portions, etc, but I also learned to say no to myself when I was tempted to spend too much time surfing on the net, buying something I didn't need, or not making the time to exercise. Being "moderate" is definitely a process, and I have my share of slips, but if I look hard at my life I can certainly see progress. I really recommend it, and it's a great study to do with a friend.

You frame it Friday/Monday

I didn't quite get this up before we left for South Haven, Michigan on Friday (where we had a great time celebrating the 4th) so here's my latest un-framed pressed flower picture - a few days late.

Transcantia, more commonly known as "Spider wort" is actually a common wildflower throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest, especially the version with light blue flowers. However, you have to be up early to spot the unique triangle shaped flowers, because they literally melt away as the morning sun becomes strong, and are no where to be found by noon. If it's a cloudy day, you may see them into the late afternoon.

It's hard to see in this scan, but another highlight of these unique flowers is their bright yellow stamens, which really "pop" against the rich brilliant purple color. I love these flowers!

This un-framed pressed flower art collage is mounted on an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of Gilbert Oxford card stock, to give you plenty of framing options. However, it fits perfectly in an 8 x 10" frame with a standard mat, or even an 11 x 14" frame, which would allow the deckled edges of the handmade paper to show.

The pressed flowers have been sealed with a UV and moisture resistant sealant, but as with all fine art, I would recommend using acid free matting and UV resistant glass or acrylic.

How to press poppies

Here's what I've been doing today... pressing some of my really big (long?) scarlet poppies, along with their stems and leaves.

I'm pressing the flowers in my Microfleur, and the the 9-12" stems in a larger wooden microwave flower press, and the longest stems are being pressed in my "mega press".

I'm leaving most of the leaves right on the stems, but I'm also pressing some separately as well. Poppies hold their red color brilliantly, but when using the Microfleur, use several short cycles of 30 seconds or so with a rest of 5 minutes in between. The poppy season is short, so try pressing some for yourself soon!