My Latest Commissioned Piece

What fun this one was! I was commissioned to do this by a customer (and now a friend!) in Tyler TX. This is the biggest piece I have done to date. It measures 4' x 1 1/2' and is designed to go over her headboard. I always enjoy commissioned pieces...first because I have made many new friends this way and also because I learn so much from them and the experience. They usually ask for something I have never done before so I get to stretch in a direction that is new to me. And I am also about to learn a whole lot more about shipping!
So, thanks to my new friend in Texas, here is my latest piece.

Picture of my Pasque Flowers

Today I had time to run out and take a picture of my pasque flowers. They are so pretty and delicate. I found some interesting info on the 'State Symbols USA' website. Here is an excerpt:

Pasque Flower

The pasque flower (or pasqueflower) was designated the official state flower of South Dakota in 1903. Also called the May Day flower, prairie crocus, wind flower, Easter flower and meadow anemone, the pasque is one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring (often before the late winter snows have thawed).

Pasque is a tallgrass prairie flower and grows wild throughout South Dakota. The pasque flower is member of the buttercup family and is highly toxic (pasque flowers were used as a medicine by native Americans for centuries).

And...our 'other' state flower is starting to bloom now. We will see millions, maybe trillions of golden heads nodding soon and see their fluffy seed heads blowing in the wind. And we will have all the dandelion leaves we can consume! Dandelion wine, anyone?!

Hope your day is warm and sunny wherever you are!

Finally a Bloom Out There!

No wonder the pasque flower is the South Dakota state flower! It's the first sign of spring here after, usually, long and very cold winters. There are not too many left now in the wild as most of our ground is either inhabited or, more likely, planted in crops. They are a very pretty lavender with a thick, long center. I have not tried pressing these yet but plan to very soon. I shall leave some of the blooms to go to seed. There should be, I hear, a lovely seed pod that can be used in fall arrangements.
Enjoy!

My Indoor Garden

Well, it's supposed to be spring here, but all I have blooming in my garden is my pasque flowers. I would put a picture of those here but it is so windy, cold and cloudy that I don't think they even bothered to open up this morning! Can't blame them...not sure if I want to either!
But I do have my indoor garden in full bloom. The red amaryllis finished up and now my next one is open. Also you will see my orchid 'bouquet'...15 blooms on that beauty. Under the orchids is my cyclamen. The other one is my out-of-control trailing geranium. It is pink with a burgundy throat. Not sure of the name. But they are colorful and sure brighten my day! Hope they add a little something to your day!

Third Piece in My South Dakota Wildlife Series

Well, got the third one done and I am having soooooo much fun with these! This one is a group of buffalo silhouetted against one of South Dakota's majestic sunsets. The sky is made of fall maple and oak leaves and the ground and buffalo are made of very dark poinsettia leaves. Hope you like it!
Next I hope to do an artwork with mallard ducks in a slough complete with cattails. This one will be done as my interpretation of the May class on the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild. Irina Orlova will teach this one. Can't wait!
We are getting warmer weather finally...my tulips are poking up. Need to find time to get out there and clean some things up a bit. Are you in your gardens yet?

Happy Easter!

I hope you are all having a wonderful Easter! Still pretty dreary here, but our spirits are high...it is finally getting warmer. The snow is almost gone!
I started my blog with my amaryllis re potting and now I just have to share a picture of the first blooms with you...my Easter present to you! The second one should bloom in a few days. It is white with red veins. My husband says this is his favorite flower. He calls it the 'Martian Plant'! I love it for the beauty and serenity it gives me at Easter time and because I am sooooo desperate for anything blooming this time of year. As you can see in the picture all is still pretty brown and bare outside. But my geraniums, cyclamen and orchids are all blooming right now. I am truly blessed!

The second piece in my 'South Dakota Wildlife Series'

Hello to all!
The sun is shining, the birds are singing and the temps are going up instead of down! Yeahhhhh!
I have been busy in the workroom these past few weeks. I finally had some time to finish my interpretation of the class projects taught recently by Master Artist, Irina Orlova. What an excellent, patient teacher she is!
This one is titled ''Time for a Rest' and, like the one with the pair of pheasants below, depicts wildlife scenes from our Great Plains. I love the fall here on the plains when the geese fly through. I have seen thousands and thousands of them swarming around harvested corn fields and the sight is breathtaking. When we lived in Clark we had a small farm with an old 2-story house. There were corn fields all around us and I would go up to the 2nd story and open the windows to see and hear the geese flying and circling the fields. The sight and sound were almost overwhelming! I learned that part of the huge flocks would stay aloft, as lookouts, and circle while part of them would fly down to feed. Then those would fly up and relieve some of the others so they could feed. Pretty amazing, huh?! I made the sky of corn husk and used faded day lily leaves for the corn field. The geese are made from banana peel and white poplar leaves. The trees are done from fall leaves. The buildings are done with white poplar leaves and fall leaves.

Now I am working on a picture of buffalo silhouetted against one of our majestic sunsets. Stay tuned!