serendipity

A Garden + Children + Paint = Magic

"Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist
once we grow up."  --  Pablo Picasso

Can you imagine a more magical place than a garden filled with sunflowers that reach the sky? Every where you look there is a new to explore.  

This fall I've been teaching a children's drawing and painting workshop at the Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse.  We are ready to begin our culminating mural that will educate visitors to the wonders of this place.  We've studied how leaves come in different shapes and sizes, wondered at the patterns of a butterfly wing and have been awed by a seed sprouting.  

      
  

The joy in teaching comes from watching their excitement as they discover how to use watercolor pencils or see tiny hairs on the surface of a stem.  They are becoming keen observers of their environement and want to share what they are learning.  The mural will be unveiled in February, a perfect time to look forward to spring.  

"This project is supported by a Neighborhood Arts Program grant
 from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events."

Designer Blog Connection - Handmade Holidays - A Terrarium!

 "The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses."
--  Hanna Rion

Every year there are always a few people on my holiday gift list that prove to be a challenge. You know who I mean, that person who is on a diet, doesn't cook, is allergic to most essential oils and perfumes and has enough holiday ornaments to decorate trees up and down the block.  I love to knit and crochet, but I don't have the time this year.  So what to do????  Terrariums!  They are quick to make and can be personalized with plants and miniatures specific to the recipient.   Add a little Santa or gnome for that holiday touch.

You will need:
horticultural charcoal
gravel, pepples or marbles 
potting soil
fishbowl or glass jar of any size and style
plants of your choice (African violets, ferns, ivy, coleuses, small palms, baby tears, moss or lichens)
decorative pebbles
miniature figurines
small hand trowel
kitchen gloves
scissors
newsprint or brown paper 

Let's create!

1.     Protect your work surface.  Cover your table or counter with paper.  This will not only protect the surface, but make for easier clean up.  While you are at it, protect your hands and put on your gloves.

2.    Clean your jar or bowl in hot, sudsy water and air dry.  I supported my local charity shop by making container purchases there, but you could just as easily raid your recylcle bin.  Mason jars are also a cute touch.

3.   Add a one inch layer of gravel for drainage.  I used glass pebbles, but you could also use small rocks you've collected or even chips of broken crockery.

4.   Add a 1/2 inch layer of horticultural charcoal.  The charcoal pulls the impurities out of the soil and improves drainage.

5.   Add a 3-4 inch layer of potting soil.  Start fresh with a new bag of potting soil.  Have fun with it.  Make small hills for different viewpoints within your terrarium.  

6.  Planting time!  Arrange your plants in the terrarium until you have a composition you like.  Dig holes in the soil with the trowel (or fingers if your trowel is too large).  Snip off any dead leaves on the plants and then carefully remove them from their pots.  I bought a selection of miniature violets I couldn't resist!  

7.   Create a scene.  Add ferns and a few plastic dinosaurs for a Jurassic look. I wanted something a bit more whimsical and went for a gnome garden.    Add a few decorative stones or moss.  If using craft moss, water the plants first or the moss may turn yellow.

8.   A few growing tips.  Terrariums are easy to keep, even the blackest of black thumbs can manage one.  Add a card with a few tips.  Don't over water.  Touch the soil with your finger and if damp, hold off another week with the water.  Use filterd water at room temperature. Most water systems contain chlorine.  Chlorine dissipates in the air if you leave a full watering out overnight.  Trim plants if they grow too big.  

9.   Deliver in person. Call ahead as this is not a gift that can linger on the front doorstep in cold weather.  

A small bag of potting soil, gravel and charcoal is enough supply for 3-4 terrariums, so don't forget to make one for yourself!

For more handmade gift ideas, checkout the work in the Designer Crafts Connection webring wherever you see this logo.

Each blog in the hop is written by a designer associated with the Craft and Hobby Assocition.  We each have unique styles, so be sure to hop through to see what each is doing with this month's theme!

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Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop: Thank You Sachets

Winter Holiday Hop :: Paper Christmas Tree

urban wildflower walk

 

Humankind has not woven the web of life.  We are but one thread within it.  Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.  All things are bound together.  All things connect.  
~Chief Seattle, 1855

While not as common as hostas and geraniums, wildflowers manage to hold their own throughout the Chicago region and are a primary source of inspiration for my Glass Prairie series.

These lovely Virginia Bluebells grow in profusion in a small woodland strand of wildflowers next to the Evanston Art Center.  

While walking last summer through the Ravenswood neighborhood, I came across this gorgeous collection with purple coneflowers ,black eyed susans and prairie blazing star.

Here's my own rendition of the purple coneflower made from beads and wire.

The blackberry lily isn't a native wildflower though often seen in wildflower plantings.  It was introduced to the United States from East Asia and while it produces lovely flowers, it is invasive spreading by seed and rhizomes.   

A walk through an alley last summer brought this surprise, a great mullein at over 6' feet in height growing through a crack in the cement. It's another non-native wildflower, this time from Eurasia.  The plant spreads itself by reseeding.  If you have one in your garden and want to keep if from taking over, head it before it seeds.  The seeds are hardy and can last in the soil for several decades before germinating! 

Of course, wildflowers are as beautiful when fading as when in full flower.  These last two photos are from an mid-autumn walk through the Skokie River Nature Preserve in Lake Forest, IL.

spring! - just a month to go

"Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer."  -- Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

Spring is in the air.  It's just one month until the official calendar start of my favorite season, but I'm already daydreaming of what I will plant.  

I am going to put it out there. I hate grass. I know this is a radical concept to those who fuss over obtaining the perfect green, but I don't see its point in a tiny yard except as a running place for my pooches.  I've left their play strip, but have completely removed the rest in the front and back. Daughters with strong backs and willing to help are definite asset. (Thanks, Sweet Pea!)  So, with this removal of grass comes a rich, dark brown, sweet smelling blank slate.  

It's too late for a splashy tulip spread like this one I enjoyed at Cheekwood several years back, but that spread of violets is totally doable.  It would make such a cheery greeting to the neighborhood children as they walk to school.  

My little boxwood hedge is filling out nicely, making a lovely ring around my center herb garden. As lavender fourishes in my backyard with its southern sun exposure, I'm believe a lavender hedge would beautifully complement my bed of roses and asiatic lillies.  All I will need to do is a add a few  more plants as I already have several in the right spot. Something along the lines of this design project.

You would think that such a border would keep out the pooches, but clearly not.  Miss Josie feels free to go anywhere.  She actually rolls on the herbs, releasing their aromatic oils onto her fur. Insect repellant or is she simply being a very girly girl dog?

This photo was taken several years ago when I made the mistake of planting a cucumber plant.  It took over the backyard. Josie didn't mind though as it provided her some shade.

The southern end of the garden needs help.  I love my cherry tree, but that wall is a yawn.

A trellis would support a clematis or trumpet vine, providing a bit more wow.  Trellises also offer garden interest year round. I love this one from Better Homes and Gardens.  Gorgeous!

Gardens never are completed.  Some plants love my garden and some clearly do not.  Lavender -yes. Irises - no.  My garden is where I simultaneously relax while getting excercise.  And at this time of year, it is my place to daydream.

Happy Valentine's Day

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."  

-- Charles M. Schulz

For Valentine's Day I present to you a purple poppy mallow from my Glass Prairie series.  Why this flower in particular?  It is a member of the Malvacae family as is the cacao tree more commonly known as the chocolate tree!  And what is the best part about Valentine's Day?  Chocolate and flowers, of course!  Never mind that other well known members of the Malvacae family are okra and jute.  Pretty flowers and chocolate are what rule the day.  

Here are a few more flowers to add to your wildflower bouquet:

 Michigan Lily

Queen of the Prairie

May your day be filled with family, friends, flowers and lots of chocolate!

Thank you to Larry Sanders for the photos!

Pompom Topiary

"The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses."

 -- Hanna Rion

Topiarys are living sculptures.  They bring delight with their whimsy.  As a child I imagined they were the homes for elves and fairies.  Here is a  delightful popom topiary I designed for that childlike spirit who still believes in magic.

Materials

1    1 3/8" Clover pompom maker

1    1 5/8" Clover pompom maker

1    2 1/2" Clover pompom maker

1    bamboo skewer

1     2" x 1 5/8" miniature wood flower pot

1     6" piece of 1/4" ribbon

1     small bottle of dark green acrylic paint

1    small bottle of brown acrylic paint

1    skein of light green yarn  

1     skein of emerald green yarn

1    paper punch in the shape of a butterfly

1     sheet of gold paper

1     bottle of Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue

1     1"x 1" x 1" piece of styrofoam

1    piece of dark green craft felt

1     scissors

1     piece of white tailors chalk 

 Directions

Paint flower pot with green paint.  Allow to dry.  Paint another coat. Allow to dry.

Paint skewer with brown paint.  Allow to dry.  Paint another coat.  Allow to dry.

Make 1 small, medium and large pompom.  Use both green yarns held together.  Trim any access or long bits.

Turn the flower pot upside down onto the felt.  Trace the circle with a piece of tailor's chalk onto the felt.

Cut out the circle.

Insert the foam into the flowerpot pushing it down firmly so it is secure.

Glue the felt circle onto the top of the styrofoam.

Glue the ribbon along the brim of the flower pot. Trim off access.

Make a gold paper butterfly using your butterfly punch.

Glue the butterfly onto the ribbon at the point where the ends meet, so that the ends of the ribbon are no longer visible.

Stick the skewer into the center of the flowerpot through the felt and styrofoam.  Remove.  Squeeze some glue into the hole, carefully not spilling any onto the felt.  Push the skewer back into the hole.

Thread the pompoms onto the skewer, beginning with the large, then the medium and finally the small pompom.  Spread them evenly across the pompom with the smallest at that top.  

Once you like the positioning of the pompoms, add a little glue to secure them to the skewer.  

Allow to dry before moving.

* This project is perfect for using with yarn leftover from other projects.  Make them white for a winter scene or for use at a wedding table.  

evening primrose

You know the bloom, unearthly white,
That none has seen by morning light-
The tender moon, alone, may bare
Its beauty to the secret air.
Who'd venture past its dark retreat
Must kneel, for holy things and sweet,
That blossom, mystically blown,
No man may gather for his own
Nor touch it, lest it droop and fall....
Oh, I am not like that at all! 
-- Dorothy Parker

My first evening primrose was the yellow Cleland Evening Primrose (see flower on the right).  I planted it along my fence and year after year it returned to light up my garden as dusk fell.  The flower's common name is derived from the simple fact that it blooms as light falls rather than like many flowers which follow the sun.  My father's favorite evening primrose is the Whitest Evening Primrose which he calls the Colorado Evening Primrose as it can be found throughout the state as one hikes the lower elevations of the Rockie Mountains. 

The evening primrose is native to North and South America.  It belongs to the genus Oenothera, which is Greek for "donkey catcher."  Perhaps donkeys have a fondness for the plant, I don't know, but I do know that the plant is edible and high in a variety of healthy essential fatty acids.  I use evening primrose oil to relieve skin inflammation and itchiness.  

Evening primroses make great models for beaded flowers.  Their broad petals are easy to fashion and the variety and subtlety of colors are fun to simulate.  Here's my version of a Missouri Evening Primrose.

The Showy Evening Primrose has pink edges and transitions gradually to yellow towards the center. I used a 26 gauge red-colored copper wire at the time I made it, but I think I will give it another go with some pink Artistic Wire from Beadalon to better blend the wire with the beads.

Photo credit goes to Larry Sanders.

fireweed, fire pink, tickseed and blanket flower

"I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright."   -- Henry David Thoreau

Here's Fireweed, also known as Epilobium angustifolium.  It's common name derives from the plant's responsive growth after fires.  Imagine a field filled with them!

Of course, Fireweed is not to be confused by Fire Pink, which isn't pink at all but a firery red.  This deceptively simple looking flower took me several goes to get right.  The petals' tips are serrated and rather tricky to do with beads and wire.  My first few attempts were clumsy and clunky.

Blanket flower is so named because of its resemblance to the bright the color work of Native American blankets.  I don't know from which Native American nation this reference derives, but the flower is definitely beautiful.  The plant is especially drought tolerant, so if you have a spot in your garden that is difficult to water, this is your plant.  Extra bonus - it is easy to grow from seed.

And finally I show you my version of Tickseed,  Tall Tickseed to be exact.  It is an excellent flower for the back of your flower border.  I have some growing in a the corner of my garden where I want to block out the view of my neigbor's garage.  When I say tall, this particular variety of tickseed will reach heights of 5 feet or so.  It is also a favorite of butterflies.

Photo credit of beaded flowers goes to Larry Sanders. 

thinking ahead to spring

"You can't be suspicious of a tree, or accuse a bird or a squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet."   --  Hal Borland

A few more flowers from my Glass Prairie series. Violets are among my favorite flowers.  I love their vibrant color and delicate fragrance.

Their arrival each spring is a sure sign that winter's frosty spell has finally lifted.  While the Prairie Violet and Arrow-Leaved Violet favor the prairie, the common blue violet can be found throughout one's garden and lawn.  I love to add them to salads for a dash of color and some extra Vitamin C, but this coming spring I think I will make some violet jelly.

These recipes show a gorgeous jelly, light purple in color and sure to be delicious.  Just imagine it with some lemon scones!

The Taste of Spring

A Sustainable Life

Prairieland Herbs

Glass Prairie : beaded botanicals

By the harebell's hazure sky,

(Like the hue of thy bright eye;)

That grows in woods, and groves so fair,

Where love I'd meet thee there.

-- John Clare  

from the poem, By a Cottage Near a Wood

My garden is limited.  While I fill it with black-eyed and brown-eyed susans, phlox and tickweed, there is only so much space in a typical Chicago backyard.   Glass Prairie has become my gardening substitute.  With the slide of a bead and a twist of the wire I can fashion my own prairie, filling my studio with flowers.  

Foamflower (Tiarella) also known as Sugar Scoop.

The California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) also known as Flame Flower and Cup of Gold is the state flower of California.

Photo credits: Larry Sanders