Lo and Behold

 My beautiful fern is doing very well in its new location.

I strolled around to the backside the other day and.....

 Lo and behold!

I have garden inhabitants!

I think it is small people.

 Oh WOW! Look at the metal garden sculpture.

Not surprising...

no one at home.

I wonder where they are?

♥

Quiet pleased with myself

...because I finished the birdbath base

and

I really really like it. 

Next, I have to make a water saucer to go on top.

Have you ever created a mosaic with broken tiles?

♥

Guess where my new studio is

 It's in the garden of course. 

In the Klimt garden.

 I'm laughing at myself.

It didn't take me long to move outside and set up a new studio.

This is what I do while on gardening breaks.

After all, this is one of those "when I retire" projects.

I'm headed out now....to the Klimt Garden and Studio.

♥

We're expecting four

Top View

View through hole with lid up for light

She flew

Janine ask in comments about my birds. And I answered her there. 

I confess I had not taken any pictures this year.

I knew we had this third clutch in the "expect" box because DH had told me so. 

So....I went right out and took these photos. 

Thanks Janine for the prompt.

For more:

Here is this box in 2008 before renovation.

and

Here is this box in 2009 after renovation.

My word for 2009 was Expect and it was such a great word!

♥

Dear You

Morning Glory seeds germinate fast ;0)

 Hello Good Morning Hi How are you!

I woke up to rain this morning and as I always do, I think God is telling me it is OK to stay inside and write letters, paint a picture, sit in the chair zone and read, stitch or watch lifetime movies. Or maybe all of that.  The one must-do on my list is ironing DH's shirts. And I can't put it off until I've run out of energy. So soon as I get done with the letter writing, I will iron.

I started out the day with my usual online reading because of course it is still night time. Today I slept late. Got up at 5:15. I usually try to get out to the gardening by 7 but since it was raining, I read longer.  OMGoodness, I just went outside! The rain has stopped and it is cool and not yet humid feeling and I want to be out there. Plans for the day might have changed. When I go out, I can't stay all that long but when I come in I'm usually a sweaty mess and all my energy is spent.  I take a shower and sit down and sometimes never get back up. Although, that frustrates me somewhat, I am blessed that I can now do that. So I'm just trying to be happy about it.

My current project out there starting yesterday is to redo the floor in the greenhouse. I didn't realize I would have such a problem of weeds coming up in there. I have some black weed blocking fabric that I want to put down and see if I can block them. I guess it was pretty stupid to think the weeds wouldn't come up in a greenhouse. Duh! It is the place that grows stuff. Well anyway, it is not an easy job and it is hotter than h☺☺! in there. I have to remove the pea gravel and square block pavers in order to put down the weed block.

Had to force myself out the door yesterday morning. But that's all it takes. My pores gulp the air in the shade and rejuvenate me until I have spent my energy and return in that sweaty mess. 

That sweaty mess is making me wish for a wash and wear haircut and in some kind of weakness will probably go for it even though I teased that when I retire, I will let my hair grow and wear it back in a granny bun. That's what granny did. It is almost that long but I hate the daily washing (due to gardening and the sweaty mess) and fiddling with it.

I watched a really good movie last night. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel I missed the first part and now I wished I had seen all of it. I recorded the part that I got to see because I was making supper. It was really good. It was about British retirees who move to India and end up in a dilapidated hotel. It was about relationships and stuff like that. I'm going to check and see if it is coming on again and record the whole thing. I think it was on HBO which we get free every once in a while.

Well, I must stop and go iron the shirts.

♥

A New Journal Tutorial

One thing always leads to another. I've said that many times. 

Here's another.

Each day when I go out to garden, I hook up to a fanny pack with my iphone, glasses, seed packets and other necessaries. I take before and after pictures because when I get to where I'm going, I like to look back and see where I came from. Which is exactly why I take work-in-progress shots of my paintings. 

Another reason I take pictures is just to remember where, when and what I planted. I lay the seed packet down, whip out my phone and take a shot.

In my younger days, I would not need to do this for recollection.

The very first day I took my camera out, I couldn't help but think about a garden journal. Each day I took photos thinking someday I'll get around to that.

Then

While editing my Blog Book I realized how many altered books I made during my first 6 months of blogging. 

I also remembered what fun it was and how much I enjoyed it. 

That's It!

I'll make a new garden journal with an old book. 

Yesterday when it dawned on me during one of my many breaks, that in addition to photos, I could add "notes" on my iphone about what I did for the day, I really began to get excited about a new journal.

I could feel in my bones that it was going to happen and that I was going to be so prepared with these photos and notes.

 I came inside and began to look through my stack of books and chose one even though I wasn't that happy with it.

After prepping the first three pages with a little paint, I thought to myself, "this is not fun".

Actually, I knew I would never carry through with enough passion to keep going.

I wanted to do something quicker.

Sleek.

Minimal.

No paint.

Little preparation.

The perfect size.

Open flat and fold back on itself.

Good paper.

This led me to think I needed to jump in my car and run to Waco and buy a dreaded blank with virgin white pages spiral bound journal. 

I slept on it. 

At 3:30 this AM, I couldn't stay in bed any longer because while I was sleeping, the inspiration angels (or maybe I heard Norah'S whisper) came to me and said, "you didn't look at the stack of old desk calendars that you have saved for altering (when you retire)."

They were in one of those

"stacks of stuff that become a part of a room because they have been stacked in that one spot for so long" 

I chose my 2010 Georgia O'Keeffe Engagement Calendar saved from that dang-desk-in-town.

How perfect!

 I flipped through and saw that in the front there were month pages and in the back there were notes ~ expenses pages with the months on them.

I wanted to rearrange the pages to group all pages with February together, all March pages together, etc.

I pried the coil open and removed all the pages.

Then, I arranged the month pages and notes pages with each month.

I'm not interested in the days or year text on each page.

I just want to take advantage of the Month text.

 I left the International Holidays pages in the back.

Who knows, I might need that information.

  I replaced the arranged pages back on the coil.

 Note that the last two pages added to the coil are the front cover and then the back cover.

Before closing the coil, check to see if the pages are all arranged the way you want them and right side up.

 Also note that the coil should close inside the back cover.

Gently start pinching the coil back together.

 When your done it should look like this inside the back cover.

 And like this inside the front cover.

 Now for my first page!

Since I took Vinca pictures in February, I could start there.

Instead of painting over the unwanted text, I used a fine grit piece of sand paper and lightly sanded the unwanted text.

I printed my photos on plain paper with my Laser Jet printer. They turned out just perfect. I didn't want the bulk of anything heavier. Before leaving the computer with the photo, I used a white fine point Sharpie poster paint pen and dated each photo.

 Here is a TIP.

On the above photo, I thought the date might conflict with my layout. 

So, I used a brush damp with rubbing alcohol and removed the white date.

And here is my finished first page. 

That is all I can write for February 2013 because all I did was go out and take a photo. 

But next year in February 2014, I can start my journal entry right under this entry. And in February 2015, there may still be room in the February section to continue journaling. 

You get the picture?

It is really cool to see each year together because you can compare what you did at the same time or if maybe you did nothing. I like the bloom documentation.

I'm really excited about this new journal.

But now it is time for me to go out and do a little gardening so I can come back in and journal about it. 

♥

PS  my first time to use Washi tape.

I like.

Do you? 

Waiting for me in retirement

"I thought I was going to become the me that I had been waiting for." 

I'm quoting Grace Forrest of Windthread who loves goats and stitching and shares her daily thoughts about life and living in New Mexico.

I simply can't stop thinking about it. When I read it I knew exactly what it meant to me.  

I thought I was going to become the me that I had been waiting for.

I thought I would become a better housekeeper.

I thought every book, sock, shoe, glass and plate would be in it's place.

I thought I would purge and organize all the drawers and closets.

I thought I could conquer the every present dust. 

I thought I could find a place for all those stacks of stuff that become a part of a room because they have been stacked in that one spot for so long. 

I thought I was going to become the me that I had been waiting for.

I thought I would become a better gardener.

I thought ever blade of grass would always be trimmed.

I thought every weed would be pulled.

I thought flower seeds would be planted.

I thought the hedges would be clipped.

I thought I would have a rose garden.

I thought I was going to become the me that I had been waiting for.

I thought I would be a better Mother, Grandmother and Sister.

I thought I could visit my children more.

I thought I could take them on family vacations. 

I thought I could go to movies with grandchildren and take them shopping and go on lunch dates.

I thought I could visit and talk to my brothers and their families more.

I thought I could have regular big family dinners with aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

I thought I could make new family traditions for always-and-forever memories.

I thought I was going to become the me that I had been waiting for.

I thought I would be a better friend. 

I thought I would meet up regularly for backyard visits or pizza dates.

I thought I would celebrate their birthdays (on time).

I thought I would have phone visits.

I thought I was going to become the me that I had been waiting for.

I thought I would be a better Artist.

I thought I would paint every day.

I thought I would always be inspired.

I thought I would develop more classes to teach.

I thought I would blog more regularly.

I thought I would enjoy my sewing studio more.

I thought I would finish Tim's Cloth and make three more.

I thought I was going to become the me that I had been waiting for.

If I could only retire.

♥

Blog Book

Finally!

I did it!

I just ordered my first Blog Book. I can't give you a review on the end product yet because I don't expect it in the mail for a couple of weeks. 

I did want to share today because this is the last day for Blog2Print's promotional. 
..... to get 20% off your blog book! Through June 11th, use coupon code Save20B2P to save 20% on the best book made by you: your blog book.

It is easy to try, just click on the link above. 

I used these two pictures from my second post, May 4, 2006.

I used one for the front cover and one for the back cover. Oh and my first book is only for the year 2006 and is over 300 pages so I enjoyed the 20% off. 

One more thing, I wish these benches still looked this great/fresh. As I have been working out in my gardens these past few days, I have been thinking about how to bring them back to this gorgeous state. I love them. 
♥
PS  I really really really would love for you to add your link of what you studio creative space looks like.  See the below post for details. It's fun!

I had to do it with a twist

You know when I have nothing to show art wise, I show my desk. 

I had to do it. 

A panoramic view of my studio.
Love the distortion of the room.

In two shots, I took a full circle view standing in the middle and panning around.

Then I panned more going full circle. 

Doesn't it look like I have created something? 

I truly have. 

A huge mess!

The problem is, this mess is from days ago.

I couldn't resist a panoramic view of my desk. 

I tell you folks, nothing is staged. 

This is the mess that weighs me down and into the chair zone or outside in the garden. 

Somehow, I have got to find the energy to get this mess in some kind of order that inspires. 

Maybe you can help.

Here's the twist.

I have added a little link-up thing so you can share your studio this week.

Want that be fun.

I'm thinking if I can see where you create messy or not, I would be inspired to

1. Clean up my mess

or

2. Ignore the mess and paint anyway.

Garden progress with a little audience

progress in the garden

Can you see the bunny watching me?

I tried to sneak up to get a photo.

I want to plant a climbing vine so I moved to the end to prepare the bed at the base of the trellis.

 All done for today.

♥

Self portrait in the Garden

I was trying 
to capture 
the breeze 
in the garden 
the other day. 

I only captured 
the wrinkles 
and bags 
and drooping.

Enjoying a nice weekend 
in the garden 
and just bought a book on my Nook. 
Think I will sit out there and read. ♥