It's a VERY cold morning here in my world. 7 degrees (-13 degrees C). Brrr. Winter doesn't want leave this year. But the sun is shining and the skies are blue so at least it's not dark and dreary.
And it will be a good day to stay inside and make some art. There's always a bright side to these cold winter days. (Did I really say winter days?)
So let's go tropical today where it is warm and lush. Here's a page out of my Nature Journal.
I began by tearing this tropical foliage paper into scraps which I then collaged on my page. The hummingbirds are stamped images which I painted and colored with watercolor markers. Then I fussy cut them.
I drew the flowers based on a photo of honeysuckle. I colored then, fussy cut them also, and added them to the page. Then I added a couple of strips of these gold stars.
I am linking up to Moo Mania and their latest challenge called Color Effect.
And here's a few tropical plants for your viewing. I took these photos at the arboretum at Smith College the other day.
In the tropical greenhouse. You can see some other folks who are in there also. (Most people were doing the bulb show, and yes, I promise to show you some photos of their gorgeous spring flowers.)
I find it amazing that pineapples grow off a stalk like this one-close up above and view view below.
Some plants have such fascinating shapes and textures too.
The outside of a cottage cheese tree looks like roots..
Looking up I discovered not only this cool view but these cool cones. This is a cyclad.
And how about a cocoa pod growing on a cocoa tree. I wonder if they use these pods to produce cocoa for hot chocolate or even chocolate for themselves.
And finally they had so many orchids in the arboretum. I will show you more another day but here is a little tease.
Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend!
Your page is gorgeous, love the lush foliage and the bright flowers and birds. Great photos, too, I love tropical plants. Very cold and snowy here, too. Hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteWow - I can see how the inspiration you got at the arboretum went into this amazing page Erika! So lovely and tropical - that is what the wintery soul needs just now - THANK you very much for showing it at Moo Mania & More! Super! We have nearly the same winter weather here! I stayed inside nearly the whole weekend - it even felt freezing cold for me just to feed the birds outside.They need so much food just now!
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos - I love this organic patterns and the different plants you showed - looking forward to more orchids as well! Wow I am such a cocoa addict - great to see this beautiful cocoa tree with that big cocoa bean! I need 4 packages (nearly 1 kilogramm each month ) of deoiled cocoa just for me alone for my diet curd cheese cocoa desserts and cocoa porridges. I love that the deoiled cocoa makes me as happy as chocolate meanwhile and I don't get any bad nutella attacks any more.
Happy start of the new week and I wish spring for all of us in the northern hemisphere now, hope the roads are not too bad for you - I have to drive to a far away dentist appointment tomorrow with a girlfriend here who has no car. Hope the streets will be clean tomorrow.
oxo Susi
Love the hummingbird page. Only 94 more days until the first day of Summer. I think the first day of Spring will still be the last days of Winter. I'm dreaming of the tropics looking at your tropical plants. The baby pineapple is adorable. And chocolate. It can make you feel good on a cold day.Now where did I hide those Hershey Kisses?
ReplyDeleteIts a gorgeous tropical page, we need a bit of heat you used some lovely warm colours.
ReplyDeleteThe photos were amazing, I loved seeing the cocoa pod and the orchids.
Yvonne xx
I can see the influence those plants had on your art! Love the humming birds! Chrisx
ReplyDeleteThose plants do have unusual shapes and textures and maybe we will see them in some future art creation as well.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry it is still so cold there. we have been in the 20s here at night which is pretty cold for us for March and we have been cool too during the days-but no snow here.
ReplyDeleteI love your art page-very nice. and I really enjoyed all of the photos.
Hope you had a good weekend
Still no moisture here (my broken record, I fear), but lots of springtime beauty in YOUR post. I love how you colored the hummingbirds. They are certainly colorful. The entire journal entry is gorgeous. So glad you shared it with us at Art Journal Journey.
ReplyDeleteWhat impressed me most was the pineapple plant growing out of a pineapple branch. I've never seen anything like it before, and it looks SO healthy, too. So glad you shared these photos with us today.
WOW! i loved your tropical page a lot,love the plants and the beautiful hummingbirds,love you colors you used for this birds,this page is one of my fav to yours this month.
ReplyDeletethe tropicalgreenhouse is so beautiful place,love the big tree of cocoa and orchid,we have here a butterflyhouse,they wonderful,many beautiful butterflys there is,and the house had warm climaterium.
we must still there and we speaks no words.
happy new week,dear erika,and thanks for this wonderful photos.
hugs jenny
Wow, what an incredible tropical page!! Love the clever background and those hummingbird stamps look amazing, specially with the way you coloured them! It makes me feel warm, just to look at all those gorgeous colours!
ReplyDeleteFabulous photos too, it's obvious to see how that trip inspired your journal page, - nature is just so full of magic and wonder...
Hope it warms up in your region soon, here the snow that fell over the weekend is just slowly starting to melt.
This wonderful tropical page is really what we need now to forget the coldness outside, yes, winter doesn't want leave this year!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers and hummingbirds, gorgeous red contrast to the green leaves!
Your photos of the arboretum are magical!!
Wish you a warmer new week!
Hugs-Rike
Beautiful background in the nature journal. I love how the pink bird and red flower just POP!
ReplyDeleteAnd the textures of the garden are terrific. I didn't know that about pineapples, either. Sounds like that was a terrific day and a welcome respite from winter. It's sunning up a little here and a tad warmer, and since things move east, MAYBE coming your way. Who knows. Weird winter!
Oh yes, lets do tropical! I long for spring too.
ReplyDeleteInteresting coacoa bean/pod. I wrote a blog about it in December as my friend brought a caocao bean into church for us to see. Her family (in Equador) have a caocao business. They grow the stuff. Have a look: http://scrappingcavewoman.blogspot.com.es/2017/12/a-postcard-day-tuesday-5-dec-2017-t-for.html
An amazing journal page and wonderful photos
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining us at MOO MAIA & MORE
Wow! A beautiful tropical page Erika! Xx
ReplyDeleteThis is beautifully colourful, love the humming birds, how marvellous it would be to be able to see them. Nice use of the background foliage paper too.
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling cold here, but not once I hear what your temps are lol I'm looking forward to hummingbirds and hope we get some this year. Some years are better than others, but I'll be ready!
ReplyDeleteI'd love spending time in your arboretum. Such striking plants!