Tuesday, July 27, 2021

The Purple Garden and Sunshine

 Hi everyone. Happy middle of the week.  

I had a frustrating day as I spent a big chunk of the afternoon at my eye doctors office. I had some floaters in one of my eyes this morning, and then it got  worse. Luckily it was nothing serious, and my retina is still attached and looks good. I was also lucky that the eye doctor squeezed me in. The worse thing is that I have one dilated eye so reading and looking at things tonight it a bit tricky.

 I want to share another page for Alison's Summer Countryside challenge at Art Journal Journey You still have a few days left this month to join her challenge as July isn't quite over yet .  Although July is sure speeding right by, isn't it?




I recently started a new garden journal since my last one has no blank pages left. It is always so exciting to both start and to finish a journal. Now I just need to do something with the covers of my old journal. Making garden pages is one of my favorite themes to work on, so eventually I will fill up my new journal also, even if it take a few years, like my older one did.  

This is the first page in the new journal, and it is inspired by a single color summer garden. The page is a bit crooked in one of my photos because I have yet to really break the spine in this new journal. 

I started by adding a few torn bits of this flowered paper I have had for too long. Then I painted the page and the edges of the paper to make it all blend together.  To tone down the color a bit, but still keep it purple, I rubbed a copper ink pad gently over it.  I like how that gives a brown effect but in the right light, a little metallic sparkle. I'm not sure this photo is the right light for that.

I added a TH ephemera piece at the top. The maze reminded me of a formal garden that might have a shrubbery maze in it. I die cut the flowers, inked and outlined them. On one stem I replaced the die cut flower with a stamped one that had 2 bees on it (from a very old set in my collection by Chocolate Baroque). I also added some tiny yellow beads for depth as well as coloring those bees.

In the bottom corner I added a scrap off my work table from a vintage check ledger, as well as the 2 foxes. I also had some bits of mica on my work table that I added to the top right and bottom left corners. I finished off my page with some gold "gemstone" stickers, a piece of gold metallic paper trim and a stamped quote. 

Hope you like my latest page.

I also have a tag to share over at Tag Tuesday. Pinky is  hosting this round, and she picked flowers as her theme. 


I  make tags as warm up exercises when I first sit down at my work table. This one is pretty simple, but it certainly marks how I feel about the weather in my spot on the globe this July. Many days I  wait for the sunshine to arrive, and it just doesn't want to come out from the behind the clouds and in between the rain drops (smile). You've got to love it when it does come out though.

I added a bit of yellow background ink to my tag. The sunflower lady comes from an Art by Marlene punch out set, as does the quote. This tag looked pretty flat without anything else added to it, so I put these 2 yellow buttons on the bottom of the tag.

Hope you also like my tag.

 Since I have a sunflower on my tag, let me show you some of mine that are starting to bloom. They're self seeded from birdseed that fell onto the ground over the winter and spring.


More blooms to come.


Last week  the grocery store  had some pots of sunflowers so I bought one. My bees seem to like them too.



I'll be offline for the next couple of days; I'm heading out for an overnight trip to New York State first thing tomorrow with a friend to go on a couple of art garden visits.  The art gardens aren't far over the Massachusetts border, but they are still 3-4 hour trips for us each way, so we decided just to get a hotel room and make a little adventure of it.  I'll be back online Friday. 

Enjoy the middle of your week. And thanks again for visiting.



21 comments:

kathyinozarks said...

I am so glad your eye will be ok-that must have been scary
Loving your journal page and your tag. My one journal page that I used for the challenges as just one more page left-that is exciting for me too.
I Love your sunflower-so pretty I need to plant some of those next year. I just recently discovered that the Olympics have started already so am enjoying the games Have a good night Kathy

Valerie-Jael said...

Fabulous journal page, and I love your sweet tag, thanks so much for joining us at Tag Tuesday. Glad you went to the eye doctor, it's so important to get things cleared up. I have had 14 eye OPs in all, so I always urge people to have their eyes checked! Love the sunflowers! Have a fun trip with your friend, I'm looking forward to seeing lots of lovely photos when you get back! Hugs, Valerie

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

You put a great deal in your lovely first page of your new journal. I love the details and the bees, of course. That maze is amazing. It does look like a formal garden one would find in England. I like the added purple and copper. It shows on my computer screen. Thanks for sharing this with us at Art Journal Journey using Alison's theme.

That's a cute tag. It is an adorable sunflower girl and great take on the type of days you have been having.

Your sunflowers are great. I hope you are OK to drive to those gardens. Eyesight is very important. Believe me, I know. Enjoy your time away, but don't overdo that eye, please.

Iris Flavia said...

Uh-oh. I can sing some songs on sitting in such places - glad all went well! Always scary.

Yes, can´t believe July is nearly over. Winter always takes forever...

Very beautiful page. Reminds me a bit of the lavendar-fields in France with that color.
Love the vintage one - looks like my first library-ID! And the fox(es) of "The Little Prince" - one of my fav books and the only French one I still have.

Today the sun is shining here, too - funny you made her a girl.
I thought in English and French the sun is male and the moonn is female?
Beautiful self seeded sun-flower!

Have great fun on your adventure!!

R's Rue said...

Beautiful 😍

Divers and Sundry said...

I'm glad the eye doctor appointment went well, but it sounds scary.

That's a sunflower that self-seeded from birdseed?! Wow! My sunflowers are a fall-blooming type. I need to find a way to grow these summer-flowering variety. Gorgeous!

CJ Kennedy said...

Your garden journal page is lovely and the tag is sweet. Yes, it does feel like that when the sun comes out. Your sunflower is gorgeous. Have a wonderful and safe trip.

Jeanie said...

Your jounal page is really pretty -- and OH! Those sunflowers! I wonder if mine at home are up? I'm hoping to score some at Saturday's market or maybe Fridays.

craftytrog said...

A beautiful page and tag Erika!
Hope your eye is better soon.
Alison

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Your sunflowers are great, Erika, and reminded me of the ones we planted years ago in our VA garden. Dnjiy your getaway and glad the eye checkup went well, especially on short notice.

Michele said...

love your art and photos, thanks for linking to tag tuesday. please take good care of your wonderful eyes and be well. xo

nwilliams6 said...

Wonderful garden page for your AJ - love all the details and layers. Wonderful flowers and true words! The tag is cute too.

The sunflower pictures steal the show though - I love them! I wish I had some in my garden (maybe next year).

Have fun on your trip!!!! Can't wait to see the pictures.

HUgz

sirkkis said...

You have created beautiful art, and I love them all. The tag makes me smile, it's wonderful.
I hope your eye is OK, and sure it is.
I wish you and yours a wonderful, happy weekend ahead.

Neet said...

First of all enjoy your trip - sounds absolutely fabulous'!
Glad the floaters did not turn out serious - know what it feels like to have an eye dilated - strange!
Love your new page and what a lovely page it is to open a new book on. The maze is a great addition and I note that you have added your favourite bees but love the little critters in the bottom left hand corner - so sweet.
Enjoy your trip
Hugs, Neet xx

Words and Pictures said...

Oh, that is lovely - there's something just wonderful about the soft lilac colours and that magical daisy makes me as happy as it's clearly making the bees! Wonderful page for the Summer Countryside theme - and a delightful flower girl tag too.
Alison x

Meggymay said...

A beautiful starter page for your new journal. Have a good trip away and I was pleased to read that tour eye problem was not serious.
Stay safe.
Yvonne xx

pearshapedcrafting said...

Glad that your floaters are nothing serious, always best to check though!!
Your AJJ page is fabulous (I tried to comment last night but our internet is still playing tricks) I adore these colours and all of the elements you used! Your tag is such a happy sight and your accidental sunflowers are just as lovely and smile provoking! Have a great time! Chrisxcx

DVArtist said...

Very nice art today. Love your sunflowers. Mine are blooming too.

Sandra Wright. said...

A super tag, love those buttons.
Thank you so much for playing along in our challenge at Tag Tuesday x

Birgit said...

Love the purple and adding the copper seems to give it a Victorian feel. I love foxes. The tag is cute and I smiled seeing the girlie sunflower face. We dont have any sunflowers this year but have had in the past and the same way..from birds. It is great to gave a garden that the birds, bees and butterflies love.

pinky said...

Your work is so inspiring Erika! Your tag is so so gorgeous and I was just admiring how green our area looks after a nice fall of rain. I absolutely love your sunflowers, wow!! Thanks so much for joining our challenge this time at Tag Tuesday!