bee creative

discoveries

Morning walk.

  I stopped to wash fish jumping, maybe herring?

When I turned around to continue my walk I noticed someone had lined up little pieces of brick along the base of the tree and shells were tucked in the exposed roots.

I left a contribution.

There was a lot to discover this morning...like the camas blooming.

I gathered a bit more brick for pigment making and a few shells that I found inspiring.

I am loving the purple and yellowish cream on the inside of the clam shells. 

Something else, an inspiring TED talk found through The Studio of Playful Inquiry:

 

Time to get back to sharing more regularly...

so many colors

The daffodils are done but I have pigment to play with!

I used these tulips to make ink.

The background layer of this image is a layer of that ink.  I am not sure if I would call this image done.  The edges aren't really as soft as I'd like but I like the colors. 

Four versions of the ink.  The bottom is unmodified, the left is with soda, the middle iron, and the right alum. 

This ink is fugitive and will fade. 

Another version of the tulip.  The edges are softer here and it is mysterious in shades of black and white but I miss the colors.  Still not calling this done. 

Other garden things...

Found blooming yesterday.  Cecile Brunner, the Sweetheart rose.

Azalea and lichen at my parents.

lost in the garden again

The azalea and the lilac are making the garden smell incredible.

There are bees and birds and neighborhood cats for company.  I haven't seen signs of or chased the doe out of the garden for about a week now.

A small project...daffodil lake pigment.

Also a bit that I loved from the last On Being podcast with David Bornstein:

“We are totally attuned to information that’s threatening. The rattlesnake, we’re wired to pay attention to that. We’re also wired to love puzzles…. I do think that curiosity is the only thing that’s biologically as strong as threat. Goodness is not a thing, and that’s why I think some of these public journalism, civic journalism things didn’t do that well because they were like broccoli kind of things.”

The "broccoli kind of things" made me laugh but the part about curiosity was really helpful... 

It's how I want to approach the world (and the news).

seaweed inspiration

I am on stay-cation this week and promised myself several trips to the beach.

This morning's visit was early and just before a rainstorm.

I was looking to gather a few rocks for pigment but mostly ended up fascinated by the seaweed...

Something that I've learned recently is that seaweed can be used to make a block printing ink and gesso.  I am taking a class next month to learn how to make gesso. 

Always something new to learn!

 

tranquil

 

Yesterday's morning walk along the water. 

It settles everything in me. 

How humankind has touched and is a part of the natural world is evident but so is the realization that it is a world we share.

Pieces of brick that I picked up to make pigment with, 3 different shades of orange. 

Three parrot tulips that I planted a few years ago survived a visit from a doe in the garden.  I found her napping in the back garden. 

I am sure she felt it was a quiet and safe place.

I've made a little shelter for the tulips to grow in, just in case she comes back. 

 

 

 

 

it's spring...joy

I am out collecting things in my hair.

Yesterday it was a branch that I pulled out at the farmer's market.

Today it was a plum blossom...

Who knows what it will be tomorrow?

This arrived in my inbox this morning as part of the weekly Marginalian newsletter:

 

Joy.

April fool's day

In the tarot the fool is a beginner, off on a new journey. 

There is something appealing and beautiful about that.

The potential, the ability to keep learning.

This is from May 2019

A foolish choice?

Yesterday while pulling out dead branches, I discovered that the Lady Banksia rose that I thought was dead had a live shoot.  It's not a particularly hardy rose for this area and has died down to the ground a couple times during cold winters.  Luckily it is on it's own root stock so I know that there is always the potential it will come back. 

Yesterday's life boat on hand painted paper. 

Every fool needs a paper boat.

Fooling around as another way to consider play?

Digital layers and filters. 

 

 

in the sunshine

Things are happening in the garden...

For this boat I applied the washi tape first and then folded.  The tape is thin enough that it was fine on the straight folds. 

The coveted window spot.

assemble

Number one.

The boats are piling up.

Today's was made from a map page. 

Number two.

A pair of Steller's Jays kept me company in the garden today. 

They were collecting moss in their beaks. 

Nest building in the pine tree next door I think. 

Number three.

I also assembled the pages for a book I've been making.

A few weeks ago I took Jody Alexander's Origami Travel Notebook class.  This is my second book. 

I have plans to make a lot more... I love that it is a book of pockets.

still here

Oops... a little more time has passed than I intended. 

I think mostly because time is just flowing past for me right now...

Last night I had dinner with Hazel and we talked about how 15 minutes is a manageable time for making.

This is my latest stitch book page (blue fabric from Jude, yellow is marigold dyed). 

Something like this is easy to work on a little bit at a time.

Strangely enough, so is this (still in progress).

I have been taking a class from Christina Romeo (Carla Sonheim Presents). It is a process that lends itself easily to 15 minutes or so and is lots of fun. 

Both of these projects are also great for larger periods of time when everything settles into place and it's easy to be in the moment making.

This all has me thinking about making/art as a process of healing and mending our own frayed edges. 

There are signs of spring in the garden, this also brings joy.

As of this month I have been blogging for 19 years.  I am pretty sure that I have it in me to keep going. 

Writing and sharing with others is different than writing for yourself in a journal.

Keep noticing the joy in the world.