For the bees, August marks the start of their New Year! I wonder what bees wear to a party? I am sure the queen would have a proper crown. The drones will not even be asked to the festivities as they have served their purpose and worker bees are likely kicking the poor drones to the curb. Fewer eggs are being laid and some of the party goers won’t be attending this year, the number of bees in the hive is declining.
Bees become more feisty and rambunctious this time of year, as days are growing shorter and nectar supply is lessening. They are right to be defensive as this is the time of year that hunger hornets and yellow jackets could become party crashers. They want what’s on the menu inside. There are bigger concerns, as the local field mice will be looking for a cozy place to spend the winter. After all the bee boxes are honey bee heated and filled with yummy honey.
This is the time of the season when colonies start the cycle for next year's season by producing healthy and vigorous worker bees that will raise the final cycle of bees before Winter. These are the inspirations for this artwork.
Supplies: GSLC Reliquary-Arch Top, GSLC Honeycomb & Queen Bees ATC Sized, GSLC Hypercium Berries, Pencil, Magazine Image, Scissors, UHU GlueStick, Purple Acrylic Paints, Green Acrylic Paints, Metal Clamps,Various Acrylic Paints, Liquid Pearl in Colors of Your Choosing, Metallic Paints Gold and Copper, Yellow Paint, Golden Interference Blue, Ranger Glossy Accents,
- Gather Supplies.
- Plan Out Your Composition.
- Find a Magazine Image you Want to Use or Base of GSLC Reliquary Frame.
- Trace Pattern and Cut Out with Scissors.
- Use a UHU GlueStick to Attach Image to Frame.
- Paint Edges of Image with Purple Acrylic Paints.
- Paint Upper Portion of GSLC Reliquary Frame with Green Acrylic Paints.
- Use UHU GlueStick to Connect Parts of Frame.
- Hold Securely to Fully Dry with Metal Clamps.
- Use Various Acrylic Paints to Paint remainder of GSLC Items.
- I Used Metallic Pain in Gold and Cooper Hues to Paint The Honeycomb.
- I Used Golden Interference Blue Paint to Make Bee Wings Shimmer.
- I used Liquid Pearls to Add Interest to the GSLC Hypericum Berries.
- Spread a Layer of Ranger Glossy Accents on Prepared Frame.
- Lay Prepared Items In Making Sure All are covered with a fresh layer of Glossy Accents.
- Allow to Dry Fully, Likely Overnight or a Full 24 Hours.
Final Thoughts
Not Only is August the Honey Bee’s New Year but the this Saturday in August is World Honey Bee Day. It is a day to celebrate all things honey bee, Their delicious honey, their ability of being super pollinators, their beekeepers dedication to the honey bees longevity, providing them with a supportive environment-all things blooming.
Suggestions for Celebrating World Honey Bee Day
~Collect and spread local wildflower seeds to promote honey bee pollination.
~Replace your usual sweetener with honey for the day. Taste the difference!
~Give the gift of honey to a friend, neighbor, co-worker or family member.
~Give a bottle of Mead-we like Linganore Medieval Mead-it is the mead served at the Maryland Renaissance Festival.
~Enjoy a Hot Toddy
~ Search for Sweets laden with honey, a favorite of mine is baklava.
~ I like to think that I invented honey mustard, when I worked all those years ago at Friendly’s I would mix regular yellow mustard and honey and eat it on my salad, then it seemed like years later honey mustard was the flavor of the choice.
~Many Skincare and Cosmetics also contain honey as an ingredient-it serves asa moisturizer, clarifying, antibacterial and/or flavoring agent. Bert’s Bees is a popular brand.
~Honeycomb Beeswax Candles can brighten your late summer picnic table.
~Manuka honey has helped me heal many a wounds, soothed my itchy throat, and curbed a cold.
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