Summer Flowers

Happy weekend to you! I thought I would share a little photo editing I did. I took a photograph of this lovely yellow flower I saw. The first photo is with the flower unaltered.

The second image I softened the focal and focused on the center of the flower and added a texture overlay.

I used the textures on Picnik this time. I put the photo and text in my frame on my Photo Shop.

I thought I would post this here in case you didn't visit my other site. I love summer for the lazy mornings Sammie and I get to have together. I can't believe fall is right around the corner! Can you?

What things will you miss about summer?

Color From My Garden

Have you ever watched a flower blossom? It is so fascinating to me, this isn't time lapsed photography I actually watched it unfold in a matter of half an hour or so. I just checking back and shooting photos.

 

This is one of the color palettes and designs I came up with from the photography of these daisy s. There are spots of orange, pollen in the center. Nature is so  beautiful! The colors and patterns nature gives us captivates me and inspires me so.

Colour Lovers is going to be expanding their studio with software you can import and use your own shapes, images and more. I can't wait. I am so wanting to create some of my own patterns and then make fabric and paper from them. But for now, Sammie is calling me every 5 minutes. I need to get a plan so I can work in between entertaining, taking her to the pool and what ever else comes up.

H mm, I forgot how challenging summer can be without a plan. So off to hang out the laundry on the line, while making a mental plan of summer and  to watch her play. Maybe I will find a butterfly in my garden while looking at flowers like this lady in the pattern. Or something to inspire a new painting to work on.Wouldn't that be nice~

What summer plans of art or travel do you have? What colors are inspiring you today?

Color Inspiration & Pattern Design

Everything's coming up flowers~ 

Today I wanted to share with you my color inspiration, pattern design and where it came from.  Honestly I love doing floral arranging and for the wedding I used two styles. One set of table arrangements were a Rustic / Romantic style, with a natural flair in ball jars. The first photograph shows untrimmed, prior to flower heads opening with the pops of purple and when we were allotting how many flowers for each jar that we would need. The other style was more dramatic and with less flowers and curly wood branch added in a small modern glass rectangle jar. I promise to share some photos and details of those later. So without further adieu the photography, color inspiration, pattern design results.......

Image Credit Theresa Huse

This photograph shows what the flowers looked like when the heads were open and the pops of purple among the blush pastel colors were coming to life.

Image Credit Kelly Boitano

Now here is my color palette inspired from the wedding flowers. Many blushes surrounded  with the bolder colors from the mason jar and purple flowers.

Here is the pattern I came up using blush colors in the background with the pops of color. This might be great for fabric for a skirt, apron or even scarf.

Now if you love eye candy, you'll love this book Print and Pattern if you visit the link there is a flip video showing pages of the book. Swoon! This just may have me trying to make some hand made design patterns of my own.

What new projects would you like to try?

Purple & Green

This has been a week of unpacking, laundry and open house, but I saw that Inspiration Avenue was using a purple and green prompt this week. Knowing that I love both those colors I thought I would share a couple of purple and green photographs of flowers and one of my journal pages I did but originally wasn't going to share.You know a  journal page that is just so, so and just for you, but it fit the bill for this post so I decided to include it.

The one thing I love about the Mr. is he always comes to give me a kiss in the morning prior to leaving for work. 

 

White Sage is so beautiful when it blooms in the spring

 

I don't know who loves Rabbits Ear Lavender  more the bees or me? 

Lisianthus is what we used for a pop of color for the wedding flowers, the buds open to the beautiful flowers. 

Purple Kate Spade Shoes my daughter wore under her wedding dress I altered my photograph and gave it a green border

I had to sneak in a photograph from the wedding photographer Kelly Boitano just in case you want to see more purple and green & wedding photographs in a journalist style!

Then don't forget to pop by Inspiration Avenue there is still time for you to join in the fun prior to Sunday's deadline for this week or visit their blog to catch the list of participants to see what everyone else created for the prompt. Hope you drop by Sunday for some more journal art. I promise to share some painting as I get back in my little art space and creating again now that things are settling down from all the festivities of the wedding.  

 "But, luckily, he kept his wits and his Purple crayon." --from Harold and the Purple Crayon (1955)

 

"Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises." --Pedro Calderon de la Barca, Spanish Poet and Playwright, 1600-1681

What is your favorite shade of purple or green? What color shoes did you or would you wear under your wedding dress? 

Photography

As promised on May 9th post I am sharing some more photographs and photo collages of our drive on May 7th. You can click on these images, open in another window and see them in a larger scale. The landscape photo's were taken while driving, just trying to get shots from the window.

We actually stopped and I took the photos of Sammie with the flowers on the beautiful blooming bush we found.

I had the Mr. stop the car so I could take photographs of this abandoned car. To me it was like a sculpture in golden fields.

As you can see from Sammie's expression, that this day was filled with happiness and we had lots to be thankful for on this day. Don't you just love days that fall into place without any set plans.

This last photograph is of some orange blossom honey, fresh strawberries and basil our local farmers market had. It had been the first trek to farmer's market this season. I know I am going to have to make it a point to go at least twice a month if not more. Glorious, fresh and organic produce! Yummy goodness.


Do you enjoy going to local farmers markets? Do you ever just head out to do one thing and just keep on going making new adventures?

Meandering leads to perfection. Lou Tzu

Flowers Wedding Flowers & Flower Photography

Dearest blogging friends, I hope this finds you well. I have been so busy and not meaning to take such a long break but, I have had things that have needed my attention. A dry run for the wedding flowers was done, I spent some time with Sammie on spring break and then I set to organizing around here. As I mentioned before I have my eldest daughter's wedding coming up this month. Check lists are getting done, new items and projects being added. So my artwork has been set to the side for the moment, yet I am managing to stay creative in helping with the wedding. I managed to take some flower photographs of some of our wedding choices.

Today I did take the time to alter some of photographs that I took of the wedding flowers we are choosing for the table top arrangements and played with them giving them some textures and such, but ever so lightly so you could see the beauty of these flowers. Top of the list are the beautiful blooms that May has to offer. Lilacs on their stems, Ranuculus, Gerbena and Vintage Roses. The wedding flower pallet that Laura chose is a soft pastels, with lavenders, peaches and pinks.

Although you can get Ranunculus in May you have to get them three days ahead to let them open and their heads are smaller, but they are such a beautiful flower, it will be well worth the extra care. The Gerbena Daisy is so beautiful with its big head I would love to grow some to take photographs of as they are simple beauties. I didn't know they are a member of the sunflower family until I was reading about them. Did you know that fact? Then the true wedding flower hits that we chose were the vintage roses in a blush and the Lilacs on their stems. The smell of these beauties is soft, fragrant and colors are a beautiful. They all lasted well over a week with changing the water and feeding them.

As the sun colors flowers, so does art color life. John Lubbuck

More wedding flower prettiness to come and I am going to try post a little art work later this week, but wanted to let you know what I am up to.
What are your favorite May or wedding flowers? What projects are you working on? I'd love to know~ 

In My Garden, Blossoming & Color Inspiration

Yesterday I went to the front garden area which is rather small on either section of the walkways but there were several things that captured my heart. I took out my camera to take some photographs of my roses blooming. When I was out there I heard the hummingbirds in the trees, we had disturbed them and they were waiting for us to leave. I patiently waited over thirty minutes, they couldn't take not getting their afternoon nectar treat. So down they came from the trees to the bushes full of nectar. Another thing that caught my eye was how Sammie all ready for her talent show looked so beautiful and as if she had blossomed. I had to ask her to stop for a photograph.

 

  Color Inspiration

 Late but not forgotten, color inspiration from the hummingbird photograph. I promise to share more hummingbird and flower photographs in a week or so, after I have time to edit and upload.

PS; I posted a note about looking for guest bloggers to feature on my blog in my last post.  I need several guest bloggers in May as my oldest daughter is getting married. Just email me if you are interested!!

What has captured your heart lately?

Photography & Color Inspiration

Hello everyone, I am sharing  a photograph I had taken and altered it into a snapshot frame then added a quote. I have been trying to play around with Photo Shop again. I am also sharing other photographs, color palettes and color inspiration. I have been doing a bit of dreaming and wishing lately. You can see why below.

Image will go to full size if you click on it.

click on image

Theresa Huse

 

Feel free to use either of my snapshots with quote on your blogs if you like but, just credit back to me and keep to the creative common terms. I also put a link to my Flickr where there is code for using too. 

Beverly & Pack

I thought I would share the image above with my color inspiration. I have flowers on my mind, my palette is called  blushing rose. I have to take a trip soon to Northern Ca. as I am doing the flowers for my oldest daughter's wedding which is coming up quicker than ever! First they announce the engagement, then it is the planning, although it seems far off..... Its kind of a hurry up and wait things, then wow it is only 1 1/2 months away!!!!

So much to do all of a sudden. We are going to a flower wholesaler to get supplies and doing some test arrangements, finding out what will be in season from a list of likes from the bride, pre-ordering things that won't be available from the grower. Then several days prior we get all the goods to prepare for the event. Thank goodness my son's lovely lady and my second youngest daughter are going to help! I hope this gives me some good blogging images! If I have time to take photographs. lol

Hand in Hand

This image I just loved due to the fact of the flying wishes! I just love wishes. When you were a kid did you gather them up, make your wish and then blow them into the air? I remember as kids saying they really had to get flying away or your wish wouldn't come true. Well, the colors, wishes and dreamy look of this image just spoke to me. Plus the title Hand In Hand. Then I created  my color palette Wishful dream which  I made over at ColourLovers.

Lastly, Sammie's science experiment was due today. So we helped her finishing up details then hauled the display and tank of  hatched brine shrimp over for set up this morning. Whew! I'll try and take a picture tonight of my little scientist with her display to share. That's what caused my Sunday post to be so late.

I hope you have time to take a look at the post where I shared two journal pages believe and a creative journey along with the prompt. The post was featured on Creating The Hive. If you are a member send over a friend invite, its just another great place to connect in a lovely online artist community.

Colors, like features, follow the changes of the  emotions. Pablo Piccaso

What is your favorite creative community? What is a color you love? 

Pretty Blooms on a Spring Walk

Hello friends. It was so beautiful in between the rains I had to take a short walk. So Sammie on her scooter and me with camera in hand squeezed in a 30 minute walk. These are some of the beautiful blooms we saw on our way. Spring walks make me happy inside and out. What is making you happy today?

"Happiness held is the seed; happiness shared is the flower." Author Unknown

Flower Photography

Today is cold and gray as the clouds have blown in. I will paint while remembering the colors from nature that inspire my canvas today~ These photographs are from just before the frost, the blooms and greenery that graced my yard have since died.
What will you be doing on your cold, winters day? What inspires you when its cold and gloomy outside?
The pine stay green in winter....wisdom in hardship~ Norman Douglas
Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories~ Author Unkown

Food for thought: Podcast via Jamie Ridler Studio with artist Laura Hollick

Flower Photography

I have really been enjoying taking photographs with my macro lens setting on my camera and experimenting with shots. A few of these photo's are from the botanical gardens and a few from my yard. Can you guess which ones are which? I am keeping this short today as my hubby has shared his cold with me, the achy kind; not sick all winter and now a spring cold? If you want to see some more photography of mine and others plus Tea Tuesdays and craft articles visit here to tied you over to my next post~ I hope to be running back to normal soon!

The greatest wealth is health. ~Virgil