bee creative

#75 in the garden again

A hummingbird kept me company. 

There were also three bald eagles circling overhead for a bit.

The sun came out and there were lovely surprises.  A favorite spring flower, Hepatica, also known as liverwort.  It blooms with my pulmonaria, also known as lungwort.

Before coming inside, I sat on the front steps and made some cordage with iris leaves.

Lunch break:  grilled cheese and pickled carrots.  I cooked the carrots until they were just tender and then added them to the pickle brine I had saved in the fridge. Definitely doing this again.  I was inspired by a meal I had this weekend that had pickled carrots as a side dish.

And today's marks, probably inspired by spring fever.

I've discovered that more bronze and feathering on the edges happens if I start with a drop of water on the paper and then add the ink (the oak gall/iron) to the water. 

Rose hip ink for the fringe.

And an indigo/oak gall & iron moon.

 

#74 yellow looks good with gray plus other things

It was so beautiful I had to go outside in the rain to look closer.

There was this too...a spring treat (double primrose).

These are from last night.  Something very interesting happened overnight as they dried.

Today some splatters and lines because I feel random.

And a little insomnia knitting.  Not just for sleepless nights, it also creates space for thinking.

"So many of the examples I’m giving are of — there’s a story and I’m saying maybe that story’s not the right story. There’s a different story. And now I think maybe all there is is stories. And to think about which is the right story is maybe a waste of time. And to enjoy the story that speaks to you. And that’s really all we do anyway. I mean regardless. Do you know what I’m saying? We don’t have to convince anyone of anything. We can just enjoy what we enjoy. And I guess being human is enjoying what we enjoy and sharing what we see."  Rick Rubin on On Being

 

#73 more

So...I am on staycation for a whole week! Hoping to do a little bit more of a lot of things over the next few days.

More working with pigments, more work in journals, more sewing, more dyeing, more knitting, more gardening, more cooking, more reading, plus a trip to the local Museum.  And maybe dinner with a friend.

I finished the second sleeve for this sweater.  Tomorrow I will attach the sleeves to the body and then begin the yoke.

Tonight's dinner:  garlic toast, pasta, and Swiss chard.

Looking forward to more farmer's markets soon.

#72 over the garden, from a garden, in the garden

It was a beautiful day...while puttering in the garden this morning I heard a flock of swans go over.

At the farmer's market there were a few yummy things to get...eggs, beets, Swiss chard, honey, and bread.

Gibson would have liked to have gone but I told him he had to stay home.

This afternoon I pruned blackberries and roses.

Using the rose hip ink seemed appropriate for tonight's marks.  Also a coffee ring and oak gall/iron.

If I get brave (it would require a wood fire), I might make charcoal from the blackberry vines. I also saved a few canes that seem about right for basket making. 

#71 suggested by a drip of coffee

The ink making has given me an appreciation for coffee rings and random drips...

One a doodle of ink and pencil.

Another layered images.

And not coffee related but something to share, 

this celebration

Crocus that are spreading through the garden.

 

 

#70 one thing and then another

Last night's swirls inspired this morning's marks:

Which were layered with other marks made last night for this:

And after that I had a hard time stopping with the layering of images.

#69 change the angle

#68 showing up or just going...

Duck foot tulips and a spider sun? 

Maybe.

#67 natural colors

Today I added more feathers, rounded the head, added to the neck and painted a pink moon.

A mini goal for this week:  finish the second sleeve for this sweater and attach the sleeves to the body so that I can start on the yoke.

All of the colors for this sweater (which is taking forever!) are either the natural color of the wool or plant dyed. 

The blue is indigo that I grew. Might need to dye more yarn to finish this sweater.

Found in the garden this weekend, heuchera (coral bells) leaves.  I really hope this wintered over...that color!

I need to try something with it.

#66 layers

I started this one yesterday.  The tree has three layers of ink and a bit of pencil.

After looking at something else (playing with the idea of stars and clouds), I saw a bird beak. 

It needed more color so I added two other layers and a filter to blend the colors more.

Also...a layer of books:

Thinking about layers in the garden.

It's cold today and the snow is low on the hills but there are more signs of spring everyday...