The Original Garden Girls!

Here we are in our gardening glory! Nancy, me, and Judy. I'm sure that Judy was the one who had the idea of taking turns visiting each others gardens once a month through the summer. I'm sure Judy remembers when we started but I know that it must be at least 15 to 18 years.

You wouldn't think that there would be anything new to see but there is.

Today we are visiting Nancy's July garden.

Yummy! We need much nutrition and beverages to fuel our tour! Thanks Nancy. 

Here is a terra-cotta bird bath that I made even longer ago. It cracked when it was fired because of the pre-fired pieces that I had put in there. Nancy liked it anyway and has had it in her garden these many years. 

 These are some coral-ish pink phlox - stunning!

 These are trumpet lilies, they are tall and very fragrant.

Judy's job that day was to photo bomb every opportunity that she could take. Can you see the word love?

  Nancy has so many Clematis'. This one is sprawling across shrubs. A good combination.

Tree sculptures. 

This Hosta is huge and so beautifully puckered. I think it is Sum-of-All or Sum and Substance.

Day lilies

I love her raised vegetable garden.

Goofy girls!

Garden benefits!

Tree pedant!

Nice way to create a little more privacy.

 Ok now I can't wait to have this one in my garden!

And I have been waiting for this one for many, many moons.

 Her new Clematis, Pink Mink.

Creative pottery.

Judy grew purple hair!

 More garden jewelry! I thought this looked like a copper pendant.

Water barrel for the conscientious gardener.

Some beautiful bird cages on a multi-level raised garden in the middle of her back yard.

Both Nancy and Judy are Master Gardeners, I absorb their masterly-ness through osmosis.

Nancy also has a beautiful collection of glass. I unfortunately wasn't able to get pictures of all of her collection but I guess I will save that for another post.

The two pieces on the left were made by me. The grape vine bowl shows the carving that I fell in love with so long ago.

Thank you Nancy for all the years that you have shared your spectacular talent and knowledge with me.

What's Blooming?!!!

What's blooming outside is an area in my garden that I feel is spectacular, the Sedum garden.

Sedum likes it dry and this is the perfect place for it. I also have creeping Thyme which you can see on the rock steps. I just let these plants go where they want and intermingle with each other.

So here's what was blooming in my head.

Reminds me of my Sedums all grown together. 

I was playing with polymer clay and it ended like this..

but started like this.

And then finished like this. 

There were more but these two were the best. 

Both are pendants.

Marsha! Marsha! Marsha!

One of Art Bead Scene's challenge sponsor for May was Marsha Neal of  Marsha Neal Studio!

Yay!

Here is the Inspiration painting. You can see more about the artist at Art Bead Scene

"On a Shaker Theme", 1956

by Charles Sheeler

Here is the necklace that I made using polymer clay for the pendant, red leather, Tagua Nut bead and Toggle came from Lima Beads  to the best of my knowledge, Clay River ceramic beads from Art Beads

So anyway I am so thrilled to find out that I won and low-and-behold everywhere I looked I saw Marsha! 

Marsha the sponsor (very generous), then of course several hours at her Etsy Shop - Marsha Neal Studio, Lots of YUMMY stuff there I'll tell ya! At least a two glasses of wine trip for me!

Then I see her on a wonderful post at Art Bead Scene as a Bead and Button Artisan

And here she is! 

  This is Marsha of Marsha Neal Studio

Do yourself a favor and click on the link to see all of the wonderful sites she has!

Here is a taste of her work and I see some of the beads I chose myself!

Here is my wonderful gift and even though it was just before the Bead and Button Show and there was special chosen colors for the ceramic beads my wonderful package came way faster that I expected!

 So Thank you so much Marsha I can't wait to create something selfishly for myself!

Sj Designs Jewelry

Sj Designs Jewelry

The Honey Do List: June 2016

Each Month Sarajo"s husband, Eric puts up a photo to inspire her to use up some of her beads. They call it The Honey Do List. 

They have invited others to play along which I enjoy doing very much!

Here is this month's inspiration and what Eric had to say about it:  I wanted to use a shot from our recent trip to Oregon for this month's challenge.  I took this picture at the Japanese Gardens in Portland, where I noticed the reflection of the ferns on the top of the rippling reflecting pool.  I waited several minutes, dodging small children, until a koi happened by--making the shot even more interesting.  Take inspiration from the color palette, the fish, the ferns, the water, the clouds--whatever strikes your fancy!  

So last night I happened to catch the sunset and I think it is spectacular. What I really think is exciting was the colors and where I ended up this month with this challenge.

I made bead after bead after bead. All month trying to figure out how to reflect the photo. Last minute I found a tin and made a  mostly orange necklace. I can't wear orange but I sure do like it..1 

 

I used Swarovski Crystal beads along with some small Czech beads and a polymer clay bead. I made the tin focal. I used this because the orange reflected the Koi fish and there is a fern pattern on it with a little water swirl 

 The back

June Art Bead Scene Challenge

 I love posters and this one is no exception. I have always enjoyed the play on two dimensional expressing the three dimensional while keeping the two dimensional quality.

"Literary Poster for the Century Magazine", 1896

by John Louis Rhead

20.5" x 11"

Original Lithographic Poster Printed in Colour with Letterpress

This is what I saw, pretty straight forward. I love the braided pony tail. I thought it would be a great earring bead. I saw a bracelet bar with the roses rectangular block but in there I took from it the vine winding back and forth which I used as inspiration for a bracelet bar.

Mostly I saw color, color, color!

I just wanted to show you some of the June colors in my garden too. Probably one of my most favorite colors are coral, or my version of orange.

Coral bells, hummingbirds love them too.

In these photos you see what I have on my South side, or zeriscape garden. These plants can generally handle heat and dry. I also have more of my favorite sunset and coral colors. 

Butterfly Weed.

Snap Dragons.

Fox Tail Lily.

Poppies and Asiatic Lilies.

And my Rugosa in honor of the roses in our challenge this month.

I made this Heart one day when I had a piece of copper wire left over from doing something else and went, "Hmmmm, I'll make a heart and smash it" So That's what I did and it floated around for a few months and, well then here it is as a clasp. I also made the flower bead from polymer clay and the link from a tin. 

Copper bracelet bar with a polymer clay middle.

Beads to reflect the fabric of the dress.

This necklace is a polymer clay pendant with a hand shaped bail. I used Czech glass, red waxed Irish Linen from Lima Beads. I can't remember the blue beads but they are stone strung with matte black seed beads.The side tassel is chain and a Coral dagger to represent thorns. I liked the swirling vines in the painting and I may or may not snip the loose strings.

                                                                         Spring Things!

Here are some of the wonderful things that have been happening in my garden this Spring.

I was greeted by a frog, I think a tree frog though I have not seen one this big in my yard before! He  (or she) was doing a good job at hiding but he was right at my front door so I was glad to discover him! Look at those sticky little toes!

I have several Nine Bark or Viburnum shrubs in my yard. I don't know if they are the same I'll have to look that one up. This one is Amber Jubilee and wow what a beautiful show it gives for a Spring display!

 Dwarf Irises. 

 Bergenia and Sweet Woodruff. 

Bergenia in front of a Coral Belle. 

I love this fern I don't know what it is I found it when I was raking up pine needles. It looks like fingers as it opens up.

I was gifted six hardy Orchids. 

Fan-tab-u-lus Chocolate Iris!

Poppies and variegated Iris. 

First time blooming purple and white Iris with Geum. Creeping Jenny ground cover.