Hi everyone. Happy Sunday. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.
Today I am posting some more FISH pages from my little fish journal. I will be linking up to Mia's FISH challenge at Art Journal Journey. I apologize for the photos. The book does not want to lay flat no matter what I try.
The left side page is small, so you can see a bit of the page below it. I used some old fish art fodder postage stamps that came on a collage image sheet. I actually like this collage sheet a lot so I hadn't used it in all the years I've owned it. The reality is these images are better on a page than just sitting in a box, so here are some of the fishy postage images.
I added the quote and the stenciled arrows.
On the right hand page I added some paper scraps to match those peeking through on the top of the left hand page. I also added this big green fish that came out of an old book on aquariums, another bit of classroom "junk" I brought home instead of trashing 2 years ago. I almost tossed it out just a couple of weeks ago as I try to weed down the books I have for collaging, but then I looked and saw all these lovely fish. Many are really colorful. I guess I will save it for at least a while.
And also while cleaning out my box of stencils, I found this small fish stencil buried at the bottom. I used a black Sharpie to add the fishes, and I really like how they look and contrast to the lighter page.
I've spent a lot of time the last several days working outside in my gardens. My perennial gardens have some beautiful blooms right now though.
Siberian irises, and below some wild blackberries growing along the driveway.
I was told the other day that peony blossoms need ants to eat the wax coating off of them so they can bloom. That's why you always see ants on the plants. I didn't verify that fact to see if it was true, but it seem to make a lot of sense.
My alliums are attracting a huge number of bees, and not just honey bees.
I still have a few bearded irises blooming, as well as one azalea that's in a shadier spot.
And my grape vine will have flowers soon also. You can see the clusters of buds on it.
Hope you enjoyed the views today. And happy rest of your weekend too.
To the fishes and the bees - wonderful, have a happy Sunday, hugs!
ReplyDeleteGood morning Sunday, Beautiful blooms and I really love your little fish journal. How are your new honey bees doing? hugs Kathy
ReplyDeleteGood morning Erika. That's sort of amazing that you keep old text books to cannibalize for pictures that might be suitable for art challenges. I shudder when I contemplate that at some point we may have to declutter and downsize, but I can only imagine that the task must be that much more daunting for a crafter! In any event you made good use of the images. As for postage stamps, I like unused ones showing nature in any way at all, so if anyone has odd stamps they don't need.......hint, hint! Shamelessly - David
ReplyDeletewow Bees are happy in your garden! You are an excellent gardener, Erika.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous flowers, I do like iris and saw some unusual shades when in the gardens at Sizergh last weekend. yours are beautiful and the peonies!
ReplyDeleteI love your journal pages. The small one - yes, good idea, they do look better on a page than in a box. We are all guilty of saving things but good to see you using them.
the big green fish certainly makes a statement and I do like the stencilled fish. The idea of the paper scraps is a great one it brings the two pages together. Brilliant idea!
Hugs, Neet xx
I am really loving these fish and how you put them together. Your blooms are amazing. We are still in the bowls of non stop rain. The ground, and everything else is so soaked that nothing is blooming or growing. Hey no sun so life. LOL I have filled everyone of my water container with rain water and will have to get more to save for a time of no rain. It's a crazy world we are living in now. Have a great day and enjoy those flowers.
ReplyDeletelovely page and GORGEOUS flowers!
ReplyDeleteBoa tarde Erika. Difícil escolher a melhor foto. Aproveito para desejar um bom final de semana.
ReplyDeleteFun fish pages. I love the green fish.
ReplyDeleteA treat for the eyes--beautiful flowers all a buzz with bees.
Fun fish pages. Your flowers are beautiful. Are those your bees? I hope you got outside today.
ReplyDeleteA lovely page and your flowers are fabulous.
ReplyDeleteWhat great photographs, and so nice to see the bees too.
All the best Jan
Beautiful fish journal pages ~ great collage work and your garden photos are awesome ~ Xo
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Your garden is beautiful, Erika! I love the rich color of the peony - is that a Karl Rosenfeld? I've always loved peonies back in Germany, they were my mom's favorites and that's why I'm growing them here, but I have to say that the Northern California climate is not the best for peonies. I'm delighted about each flower I get - some years I have to go without and so far I couldn't figure out why.
ReplyDeleteAnother fabulous spread using up your collage fodder, brava! And you have a glorious perennial garden, so pretty. You got some great bee shots, too. I know many who love peonies but have never noticed any growing down here ever, then I learned we can't grow them or lilacs. Ants are Enemy #1 here anyway, so there's that. We're just sweating our a's off this weekend and into next week. We are praying for rain, everything's so dry. XOX
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful garden you have, and great to see so many bees. Your little journal is looking gorgrous, love the images. I have a ish stencil, too, but cant find i. Im sure I will find it once the challenge theme is over! Have a great, ew week, hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeletelovely fish page and wonderful flowers in the gard!!!
ReplyDeleteHave a good week, hugs Elke
Gorgeous! I have fond memories of purple irises. My mother dug some up from my Nana's garden when we moved far away and every time we moved, she'd bring some and plant them. I always loved it when they bloomed!
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Erika, I enjoyed your garden views especially the Siberian and bearded Irises. I never had peonies in our garden so was unaware of why they always had ants on the blooms.
ReplyDeleteThese are extraordinary photos. Your iris and alium are looking great -- ours are gone already. But what I really love is seeing that your bees have found them and using them for all they are worth. Big smiles!
ReplyDeleteI really, really love your fishes today. They are phenomenal. I love the stamps and the way you carried the smaller fishes to both sides. It is a marvelous spread. Really stunning.
ReplyDeleteWow, those bees are amazing. That one bee in the peony looks like it is laying in it and enjoying itself. I read somewhere that bees that do not belong in your hive are actually encourage to interact with yours. I know for a fact that you need ants for your peonies, but I never knew why before. They are everywhere on peonies. Yours are lovely. So are your irises.
Another Wow journal spread in your fish journal Erika. I was drawn to your flower photos what a display of colour they must look in your garden and i think your bees are going to be very happy visiting them.
ReplyDeleteYvonne xx
Wonderful pages and beautiful blooms!
ReplyDelete