Last Butterflies of Summer-A Peek-a-Boo Project

It seems like as summer turns to Autumn the likelihood of seeing butterflies diminish. Where they seemed bountiful in Spring arriving with all the blooming flowers, now that September is here they are harder to spot in the Autumn garden. These are the inspirations for this artwork.

 

Supplies:  GSLC Fern Fronds, GSLC Honeycomb & Queen Bees ATC Sized, Wooden Tags, Infusion Rusty Cars Stain, Spray Bottle, Turquoise Acrylic Paint, Paintbrush, Wooden Butterflies, Metallic Rub-Ons Flowers, WeldBond Glue, Decorative Silk Ribbon

1. Gather Supplies.
   
2. Use Leftover GSLC Fern Fronds and GSLC Honeycomb & Queen Bees ATC Sized Pieces. 
3. Spray Wooden Tags with Water Bottle.
4. Sprinkle with Infusion Rusty Cars Stain. Dab Until You are Satisfied with the Coverage.
   
5. Use a Paintbrush to Spread a Layer of Turquoise Acrylic Paint on Dry Waxed Paper.
   
6. Gently Press Stained Wooden Tags Into Paint.
7. Dry Thoroughly.
8. Collect Wooden Butterflies you Like to Use. 
   
9. Decide on Design of Tags so you can Add Metallic Rub-Ons Flowers.
   
10.  Use WeldBond to Glue on GSLC Fern Fronds and GSLC Honeycomb.
    
    
    
    
11. Add Decorative Silk Ribbon to Hang the Completed Wooden Tags.
    

    

    
    

    

    
    

    

Final Thoughts

There is a butterfly who has been looking forward to this change of seasons from Summer to Autumn. The Monarch butterfly is such an iconic insect and its beautiful story repeats every year through their migratory pattern. Each September this butterfly begins its long treacherous journey back to Mexico.

As daylight shortens, along with the aging milkweed, their exclusive food of their larvae form. Adult Butterflies enjoy a variety of nectar bearing flowers-sunflower, coneflower, ironweed, zinnia, and salvia to name a few.

As nourishment is depleted each fall, North American monarchs travel from their summer breeding grounds to overwintering locations. East of the Rocky Mountains, monarchs travel up to an astonishing 3,000 miles to central Mexico.

Using environmental cues, the monarchs know when it is time to travel south for the winter. Monarchs use a combination of air currents and thermals to travel long distances. Some fly as far as 3,000 miles to reach their winter home.

One of my favorite podcasts, Atlas Obscura, did  show about this journey, How This Tiny Mexico Town SavedTheir Monarch Butterflies-For Now.

Although the monarchs have left our home in Maryland, the queen is dead, deceptively we believe. They have but just flown to regions unknown. South by Southwest, a journey never taken alone, they fly in form of a magical fluttering cone. Wearily they to mountains in Mexico they come, Seeking the oyamel fir, there they will rest once again wings gently fluttering in the sun.

Bees In August-A Peek-a-Boo Project

 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,

1. Gather Supplies.
   
2. Plan Out Your Composition.
   
3. Find a Magazine Image you Want to Use or Base of GSLC Reliquary Frame.
   
4. Trace Pattern and Cut Out with Scissors.
5. Use a UHU GlueStick to Attach Image to Frame.
   
6. Paint Edges of Image with Purple Acrylic Paints.
   
7. Paint Upper Portion of GSLC Reliquary Frame with Green Acrylic Paints.
   
8. Use UHU GlueStick to Connect Parts of Frame.
9. Hold Securely to Fully Dry with Metal Clamps.
   
10. Use Various Acrylic Paints to Paint remainder of GSLC Items.
    
11.  I Used Metallic Pain in Gold and Cooper Hues to Paint The Honeycomb.
    
12. I Used Golden Interference Blue Paint to Make Bee Wings Shimmer.
    
13.  I used Liquid Pearls to Add Interest to the GSLC Hypericum Berries.
    
14. Spread a Layer of Ranger Glossy Accents on Prepared Frame.
15. Lay Prepared Items In Making Sure All are covered with a fresh layer of Glossy Accents.
    
16. 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.

Don't Judge a Book By It's Cover-A Peek-a-Boo Project

I am hoping that all of us has a few life time friends that I've known us through the accomplishments and annoyances, the beginnings of something the chapter ending, the fears and the glories, the highs and the lows, the meandering negotiations, the ordinary preciousness of quiet reflections, the sublime times, the unique voyages, wandering, yearnings with zeal     of our crazy journey called life. I've mentioned some of them in my blogs before. Along with these longer known friends are those that come into our lives at just the right time to encourage us to be more than we are. This artwork was inspired by them.

"Never judge someone by the way he looks or a book by the way it is covered; for inside those tattered pages, there's a lot to be discovered." -Steve Cosgroves

This art work is a second "collab" with PM Artist Studio and the dynamic duo of Patricia and Mariah. I am using gel print with nested circles and a broken squares stencil, lovingly sent to me to use as I felt best. It will also highlight the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts pieces I have adore.

Some blog post are like those comfortable gatherings with forever friends, others are like an introvert going to a multi media extravaganza, awkward and exhausting. The process for this project is the later. Put on your seat belts, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

Supplies:  Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Layered Frames, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Catweed Shape Set, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Hypercium Berries, Gifted Gel Print Art Paper, Chipboard, Cutter, Turquoise Stencil Butter, Acrylic Hazelnut Paint, Black Embossing Paste, Gold Design Creme, Weldbond, Magazine Collage Pages, UHU Gluestick, Paintbrush, Tyvek, Sanding Block, THz Distress Stain Mermaid Lagoon and Rusty Hinge, ArtDeco Matte Varnish Gel, Awl, Fun Foam Sheets, Spine Template, Fluorescent Neon Acrylic Paints,  Glossy Accents, Scissors, Micro Screws, Screwdriver, Miniature Hinges, Wire Cutters, File, Rust Paste, Golden Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold and Gold Green Acrylic Paint, Turquoise Marker, Liquid Pearls, Pictorial Papers, Plain Papers, Book Cradle,  Vintage Button, Deerskin Lace, Nylon Thread, Needle,

1.  Gather Supplies.

2.  Cut Pieces of Bookboard That are Slightly Larger than the GSLC Layered Frames.

3.  Use These Pieces to Cut Pieces of Gifted Gel Print Paper.

4.  Use Turquoise Stencil Butter and Acrylic Hazelnut Paint to Paint Bottom Portion of Layered Frame.

5.  Use Black Embossing Paste and Gold Design Creme to Paint the Top Portion of GSLC Layered Frames.

6.  Use Weldbond to Glue GSLC Frames Together, Dry Fully Flatted and Weighted Down.

7.  Use Weldbond to Glue Down Gifted Gel Print Paper Pieces on Outside Covers of Book.

8.  Glue Magazine Collage Pages  and Strips of Gifted Gel Print Paper to Inside Covers Using a UHU Gluestick.

9.  Use a UHU Gluestick to Glue Tyvek to Book Spine.

10.                Paint Spine with Turquoise Stencil Butter and Acrylic Hazelnut Paint.

11.                Use Sanding Block to Distress Edges of Book Covers.

12.                Use THz Mermaid Lagoon and Rusty Hinge Distress Stains to Add Some Colored to the Sanded Edges.

13.                Seal Everything With ArtDeco Matte Varnish Gel.

14.                Use and Awl and Spine Template to Put Holes Into Spine Protecting Table with Art Foam Sheets.

15.                Use Weldbond To Glue GSLC Layered Frames to Front Covers.

16.                Choose Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Hypercium Berries you Want Highlighted.

17.                Paint Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Hypercium Berries With Neon Paints.                           

18.                Use Gloss Accents to Add Dimension to Berries, Dry Flat and Fully.

19.                Paint Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Catweed Shape Set With Neon Paints.

20.                Cut Out Portion of Used Broken Square Stencil.

21.                Glue Catweed and Stencil on Inside of Book Covers with Weldbond.

22.                Glue Dried Hypercium Berries to Front Covers with Weldbond Flattened and Pressed Down.

23.                Use Micro Screws and Screwdriver to Add Miniature Hinges to Connect Book Parts Together.

24.                Use Wire Cutter to Cut off Screw Tips and Sand Down with a File.

25.                Distress Covers with Rust Paste, Turquoise Stencil Butter, Black Embossing Paste and Acrylic Hazelnut Paint.

26.                Seal With a Stain of Golden Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold and Gold Green Acrylic Paint and Matte Varnish Gel.

27.                Add Detailing with a Turquoise Marker.

28.                Add Even More Details with Liquid Pearl Dots.

29.                Cut Pictorial and Plane Papers to Fit into Book.

30.                Make a Pages Template with a Scrap Piece of Paper.

31.                Use an Awl and a Book Cradle to Punch Holes Into Book Signatures.

32.                Add a Vintage Button and Deerskin Lace to Front and Back Covers.

33.                Sew Signatures Into Book With Nylon Thread and a Needle.

 

Some Final Thoughts.

I told you it was going to be a bumpy ride, I'm grateful that you've read this far. I am calling this a gratitude journal, although I won't be using as one. I will probably add it to my inventory and sell it at upcoming show.

There are many friends I am grateful for through the years, I will try to remember them all and honor them in my life, here I will mention but a few and none by name.

Fun Loving Coworkers from Friendly's at Lycoming Mall. My Youth Group Buddies form Moreland Baptist Church. My many College Companions. A borrowed friend from a college roommate. A misunderstood first impression becoming a brother from another mother. Church friends from various congregations. Bible Study Cohorts. Neighborhood Families. Lifters of the Light, Mindfulness Musketeers. Summer Sojourners. Room Enhancers and Encouragers of my Craft. Hiking Husbands. Cellar Dweller to Czech-Slovakia Spring Break Memories. Kayaking Coworkers. Royalty Ragers. Artist Allies.  Soul Mate Partners. Gladyses. Patron Saints, Collectors of my Art. Keeper of Secrets, Confidants of My Heart.

-A friend is one who overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden. -unknown

-Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.

-Maya Angelou

-Good Friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you know they're always there -unknown

- There's not a word yet for old friends who've just met-Jim Henson

-A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.

-Donna Roberts

-The real test of friendship is: can you literally do nothing with the other person. Can you enjoy those moments of life that are utterly simple. -Eugene Kennedy

-I have learned to be with those I like is enough. -Walt Whitman

-As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. -King Solomon