The signs of Spring are bursting forth everywhere and I'm loving every bit of it... except the pollen

An ornamental plum tree and cherry tree grow intertwined at the end of our street. Their spring blossom show is always so spectacular (above and below).

The old cherry tree (below) in the back thicket of our garden bursts with blossoms that never become cherries because we don't have another pollinator tree to make that happen. If I knew the variety I probably would plant a companion for it. Because I LOVE fresh cherries.

February is camellia season (and oh how I love camellia season)

I've always wondered... why does February have to be all about a holiday that makes single people sad and men feel inadequate? In the midst of winter, February is a second chance to surround oneself with bright vibrant colors. The red of Christmas is replaced by the reds and pinks of hearts and flowers. Frilly fancy doilies take the place of paper snowflakes.

I used to mourn the passing of the Christmas and New Year season until I realized that as the Christmas tree was coming down (usually around the second week of January) the hearts and flowers of Valentine's Day could be going up. Such a revelation!

Hubby and I have just as much fun putting up the red and white Valentine decorations on our mantle as we do decorating the mantle for Christmas. We even have a special string of red glass heart lights that we put up so in the long winter evenings they glow with a brilliant red hue.

In our mild winter climate, February also brings the blooming of the camellia bushes. Growing on the sheltered north side of our house, the camellias have grown over the past 12 years with some having branches that touch the underside of the eaves. They set buds in November. Then we sit and wait with great anticipation until they begin blooming some time in late January or early February. February has become "camellia season" for me.

I sometimes like to bring two or three blooms inside and float them in low dishes filled with water. They look like Valentines from Nature herself.  The rest of the blooms I leave outside where we can see them through the windows on that side of the house. Even on a rainy day, they brighten and cheer the winter landscape. Cool and velvety-soft to the touch, the brilliant red and pink petals of the camellia blossoms stay on the bushes about as long as roses stay on the bush. Eventually the camellia petals fall to the ground carpeting the ground under the bushes as if a bride is expected to walk down the aisle there. It is dazzling.

I'm so happy camellia season is here once again.

 

Souvenirs

"Souvenirs" No. 2 in the Series "The Fair is in Town"

Pink and turquoise-aqua... one of my favorite color combinations... you can imagine what delight I had when I spotted this souvenir stand at the fair. I felt like a little kid again when I thought every bright light in the night meant the fair was in town.

Available in fine art prints, canvases and cards by clicking here

He knows me so well...

He knows I love pink.
He knows I love pretty boxes wrapped up with ribbons.
He knows I don't care what's inside.
He knows me so well.

A new discovery...

I received an email from my mother today. It was one of those that you forward on to everyone you think would care. It contained a link to The Breast Cancer Site where all I had to do was click the big pink button, and my simple click made sponsor money available to fund free mammograms for women. I can click once a day. So easy... so simple... so important.

Instead of forwarding an email, I thought it would be more fun to write about it here, because along with the clicking button I discovered that there is a wonderful online store with lots of fun goodies (mostly pink). Every purchase from the store helps fund mammograms for women in need. Pretty cool!

So help me go shopping...

For only $6.00 I could buy a set of Nellie's dryerballs to soften my loads of laundry naturally. And look... they're pink! And my favorite shade of pink too!

For $14.95, I could get this adorably pink indoor potting set. Isn't this just too cute? (Did you see that they're pink?)

But then there are this wonderful Deluxe Garden Pruners for $12.95 that would look so pink and chic out in the garden or in my floral design tool bag. (There's that pink again.)

Looks like I've some decisions to make... any suggestions?

Easter Arrangement

I just completed week six's arrangement for my floral design class. I had chosen a pink and white color palette of lilies, ranunculus, tulips, snapdragons, and baby roses when I picked out my flowers yesterday at Trader Joe's. Once in class, our instructor pulled out the surplus of flowers she had in the fridges and said we could use whatever we liked. I chose the pink carnations and million star (often mistaken for baby's breath) as well as the basic leather leaf fern for filler.

Last week we were told that we would be doing an Easter arrangement in a basket of some sort that we were to provide. I had noticed others asking the instructor about less traditional baskets and thought my square basket would do nicely even though most people were going to use traditional low and oblong Easter basket (I didn't have one). With the oblong baskets half would be flowers and half would be filled a stuffed animal and other Easter decor. We have a packet of sample photographs for each week, and I saw that not all of them for this week had a stuffed animal in it, so I thought I'd be okay without one.

Once in class, when our instructor told us we were free to arrange things however we wanted for this one, I figured I'd be okay. One rule we needed to follow was that our arrangement was to be 1 1/2 times the height of our basket or the width of our basket, whichever was larger.


I got going purposefully making a one-sided arrangement so it would fit on our fireplace mantle once I got it home. Since we were being allowed to do whatever we wanted, I started playing with the idea of creating an "S" curve from top to bottom through the center of the arrangement with the lilies and snapdragons. Then I thought it would be interesting to use the pink carnations as filler instead of green leather leaf so the lilies would stand out on a background of pink instead of green.

I was feeling really good about the arrangement as it grew. The more flowers I got in it, the more I liked it. My classmates were giving me compliments too, so I figured I was doing good. My instructor stayed pretty quiet. I figured it was because she was helping others and also doing her own arrangement.

When I got done, she came over to look at mine. She commented that it was definitely an "en masse" arrangement. Right then, I knew that she didn't like it. She made a few more comments about how she was going to teach me to do arrangements other than "en masse" ones. Then I really knew she didn't like it.


I felt like a heel. Everyone else was being a good follower, using the right shaped basket with the stuffed animal, and I was sitting there with an arrangement that was clearly not what she had wanted us to do. I felt like it had been a secret test, and I had failed miserably. And being a classic "people pleaser" that needs assurance from authority figures makes the whole thing smart even more.

The sad part is, it's a beautiful arrangement. I'm certain that if it was for sale in a shop, there would be someone that would fall in love with it and buy it. I could probably sell more than one like this.

The other sad part is, I love en masse arrangements that have little or no greenery. I love bouquets without greenery. I love photographs of flowers en masse without greenery. I love the repetition of colors and forms. It pleases my aesthetic. But it seems that my aesthetic is in direct contrast to my instructor's aesthetic.

This is a repeated theme in my life. In many creative classroom settings in the past, I've ended up being the "black sheep" whether I intended to or not. I really wanted this time to be different. I really wanted to conform and be the "good student" for once. I'm really going to try, but somehow I think I've already been labeled as the "problem child".

Pink Carnations & Chocolate

Click on image to view larger

In this week's floral design class (Week 2), we learned a lot of basics--cutting and placing the foam oasis, wiring stems, symmetrical placement of fronds and flowers. Each student ended up creating pretty round-ish arrangements with baby carnations and leather-leaf.

Last week, we were told to bring a vase or mug for the arrangement that had a mouth about 3" to 3 1/2" wide and was a medium height. After hunting at the thrift store and finding two vases for future arrangements, I went to T.J. Maxx and found a lovely hot cocoa mug that was pink and brown! Well, of course I had to get that. I was just hoping that my instructor was able to get the right color flowers for my mug. Imagine my delight when she brought out the flowers at the beginning of class (she procured them at the San Francisco Flower Mart yesterday), and one bunch was my favorite shade of pink. And it was the perfect pink for my mug!

Another fun find at T.J. Maxx was the cute pink and brown box with the retro graphic that is featured in my portfolio shot of the floral arrangement. I'm teaching myself how to make fabric and paper covered boxes. This will be a fun one to recreate. The mug also came in its own little matching box so I have another "template" to play with.

And in case you're wondering... the "Carnation Parfait" is still beautiful and looking fresh after a whole week! Amazing!

In the pink

I'm a huge fan of the color pink. That's why my other blog Dusting in Pearls is pink. That's why the logo for Rosehaven Cottage Inc. is pink. That's why my studio is slowly but surely getting decorated in pink. That's also why Hubby brought home a bouquet of pink roses for me on Valentine's Day (above).

Interestingly, I don't necessarily go ga-ga over every shade of pink. The shade of pink that will stop me dead in my tracks is the soft pink of ballet slippers (you know, the ones that little girls wear to ballet class). I call it "ballet slipper pink". And when I see it, I am drawn to it. Just ask Hubby what happens when we're in a store and I see something in that shade of pink. It could be a pile of garbage, but if it's "ballet slipper pink" garbage, I'll want it.


I really love the blossoms of spring because of their array of soft pinks. The ornamental plum tree at the end of the street is in bloom right now. I was hoping we'd get a break in the rain before the blossoms fell off so I could take some shots. I got my wish today. A beautiful sunny day with blue skies and white puffy clouds was just the ticket for taking shots of the ornamental plum in all its glory.


Of course I have pink hyacinths in my front garden. Of course! When I went out to take shots of them this afternoon, they were laying down because the blossoms had caught so much rainwater that it was weighing them down. I shook the majority of the rainwater out to perk them up and then took some shots.

Yes, indeed, I am swimming in pink right now. I'm even working on pink projects. I'm surprised that I haven't grown weary of it. In fact, just the opposite has happened. I look for pink everywhere now.

Just in case any of you would like to get "in the pink" too, I've created a wallpaper/desktop that is available for anyone to download for free. Just click on the image below and it will take you to the download site where there are download instructions. Have fun and enjoy being "in the pink"!

Cupid blowing kisses

I was at my sister-in-law's home yesterday, and shot some photos of a precious wind chime/bird feeder hanging on her front porch. Because Valentine's Day is a favorite holiday of mine--mostly because of all the red, pink, and white (the colors of my kitchen, by the way), I'm in a very Valentine-y mood today (and probably will be for the rest of the week). So when I was post-processing the image I'd shot of the little angel, I thought it would make a perfect Valentine's image. I manipulated the blue sky and made it pink, while adding some other fun elements like a texture, some text, and some faint swirlies.

Used my texture Flourish in stone
Used the Photoshop action Retro Love by pseudonymfreak
Click the image to view it larger

Before I left her house, Hubby's sis mentioned that the little angel was made for them by a friend. What a lovely gift to receive! I'm glad I got shots of it from another angle as well. The feeling is completely different even though the subject matter is the same.

Used the Vintage Film Photoshop Action by By_Fallout75
Click the image to view it larger

Isn't it fascinating how a different perspective makes so much of a difference? A lot like life in so many ways.

I've loved you back to life...

When we came to live at Rosehaven Cottage (before it became Rosehaven Cottage) things were pretty barren around the non-existent gardens. There were a few rosebushes around the property that had been hacked off (some to the ground) along with a pomegranate that had also received the same treatment.

One rose that grows along our fence line was chopped to the ground. I didn't even know it was there until it started sending its canes forth as if to say it still wanted to live. Now, gardening wisdom always tells us gardeners that roses which grow from root stock won't be very spectacular in looks or aroma. Something inside told me to ignore that old gardeners' wisdom. I let this one grow from the canes it was sending up.

I'm glad I did.

This lovely pink rose (of unknown variety) rewards me every year with unseasonal blooms. So when the rest of the garden is bleak looking, there will be these amazing, large, pink, blooms beckoning to me from the back of the garden. The bloom pictured above was offered to me on Christmas Day 2007. Talk about a wonderful Christmas gift from the garden!

This rose is an old rose. At its base, I unearthed a dedicatory plaque that the former owners had put in to celebrate the construction of a covered lanai that we've since had to take down. The plaque reads 1961. I imagine that the rose was planted with the plaque and is over 40 years old now. It's seen a lot, I'm sure.

Our neighbor (that has been here since 1961) told us that the back of our garden used to have a Hawaiian theme with a small rock waterfall and the lanai. That must have been what the pink rose was planted into. But all the Hawaiian beauty was in ruins when we arrived and completely unrecognizable. However, now that part of the garden has become MY "Hawaii garden". The pink rose must find this very interesting that things have come round full circle.

As I was creating the above image I thought it deserved a vintage look.
A big thank you for the old paper texture from playingwithbrushes.
A second texture is from PhotoshopRoadmap.

Invitation to Something New...

A new blog has been born that I would like to invite you all to visit--Dusting in Pearls. It is brand-new and has yet to be filled with a plethora of content. I am hoping that with suggestions and "hot tips" from all of you, it can become a fun place that will make you smile when you visit... because that's exactly what it's intended to be.

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The Good, the Bad, and the Bits of a Busy Week

Have you ever had a week where you look back on it and all you can say is, "WOW!" That's the kind of week I've had. It's been a "WOW" week in mostly good ways, so that's nice.

The Good

One of the nice things that happened this week was that I was able to transplant an ill-placed canna lily from the front garden where it was being usurped by mint into a pot so it could be placed in one of my water gardens. I was so pleased that after my hard work it "thanked" me by blooming right away. I had forgotten what the name of it was, what variety it was, and what color it was (I'm trying not to feel guilt for that) so this bloom of pale yellow with peachy accents was such a pleasant surprise.

The other thing I like about this bloom is that it has that shimmery pearlescent quality to it that some cannas have (some glads and iris have it too). It always reminds me of a garden jewel when I see a bloom like that.

The Bad

Above left is a photo of my "Breath of Heaven" bush just a few months ago. It blooms once a year but always has such wonderful feathery foliage--until this year. Above right is a photo what it looks like now. After watching it dry up and deteriorate for about a month, I finally had to cut it back earlier this week. I don't know if the neighbor's gardener accidentally sprayed it with weed-killer through the picket fence or if it got zapped during our July heatwave. All I know is that it isn't happy and that makes me not so happy. It is one of the plants I put in the first spring we lived here in 2001, so I'd really hate for it to leave now. I'm hoping it will bounce back.

The Bits

The real reason why this has been a "WOW" week has been what's been going on in my design studio. As I posted over on the Creative Studio blog, I was absolutely tickled pink (pun intended) that my new design "French Poodle" won an award on Zazzle for Today's Best!

The story behind this design is really special. The design was inspired by my niece Cammi. I called her a couple of days ago to tell her about my new line of designer Keds. I asked her if there was some design in particular that she would like to see on a kid's shoe. She said that she'd like to see a shoe in pink and black with maybe a little poodle on it.

Cammi told me that she'd send me some sketches in the mail. She wanted me to have the originals so instead of scanning them in and sending them email, she sent them snail mail. I didn't get the sketches until after I had designed "French Poodle". However, based on just the phone conversation, I think that Cammi and I were on the same wavelength. Do you think so too?

Below left is Cammi's Sketch and below right are two of my final shoe designs...

I am thoroughly enjoying this creative process with Cammi. She is such a talented 9 year old with such artistic vision. It is a real joy to interact on this level. She and I have emailed and talked on the phone more this week than ever before. So fun!

I added "French Poodle" to a number of products besides the shoes...

And like icing on the cake, "French Poodle" has gained popularity in a very short amount of time. Cammi and I loved her, but then to have others love her just as much is SO rewarding.

I think Cammi has become my creative muse, because since the collaboration that brought about "French Poodle" my mind has been flooded with so many other designs that I've had a hard time keeping up. I've had to resort to doing really rough sketches in my sketchbook of ideas as they come while still finalizing other designs. It's like Cammi's idea opened up the flood gates for my own creativity. Here's what has come flowing out just this week (and these are only the finished designs):

"Dinner in Paris"


"Peacock Feathers"


"Chocolate Candy"


"Aqua Duck"

Yeah, it's definitely been a "WOW" week around here. Now it's time for me to go back to working on more designing as well as learning Dreamweaver and web design so I can improve my own website. Whew!

To see all my designs, click the image below:

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