Saturday, October 23, 2010

Open Studio On Sunday Oct 24

Thanks for visiting my garden blog…
Come by to see how my garden inspires my artwork...

Come by on Sunday, October 24 from 2-5pm EST to visit my other main blog: Marsha Neal Studio to see some of my porcelain pendants, and have a chance at winning a couple of my pieces (and other artist pieces through the Beads-of-Clay blog) and purchase some of my pieces at 30% off.

See my Marsha Neal Studio blog post for details…
Hope to see you there!

Friday, October 15, 2010

October Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Happy October 2010 Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!
Visit all the blogs in bloom through the blog host of this event:

Oh how I love that my garden seems to thrive upon my hands of neglect in the last month…
Because with how my life has been going, neglect is what is most plentiful in the garden (along with the rain and cooler weather)
The colors that are appearing are just amazing…
This plant above (hydrangea variety) is not in my garden, but something I happened by the other day. Lovely! I may get one of those!
The IronWeed that survived the deer grazing have gone to seed and I have been gathering seeds and spreading them in areas where I think they might do well… I love that their seed heads remind me of being little and playing with dandelion seed heads - all clustered in one spot like little twigs sticking straight up with poofs on top to carry them away…
The side hill project has been neglected. That was until we received a tremendous amount of rainfall in a short period of time and the water from our backyard swale delivered soil from the neighbors hill onto their driveway…
Here I have begun to move plants over to the area where the water tends to collect and needs to be dispersed and utilized and slowed down...
I have been pulling plants from this fern and hosta bed (which was the plan anyway)…
And Hostas removed from this bed just in time for some Hardy Mum to take their place...
Hoping that layering these in amongst and next to the river rocks will help with the water runoff. I know really, next spring is the time for planting along this area...
I am enjoying this front walkway this fall. Nothing spectacular really… Just growing in finally. Although looking at this picture makes me realize which part of the walkway is covered by tree shade… 
That is not so pretty. Oh well…
And this stonecrop (I believe) is starting to really bloom. You know - the parts that actually still have blooms because the deer didn't decide to eat them yet…

I made a quick trip to Florida last week to visit my dad and family - nothing like a slight health scare to get me and Riley on an airplane… Really dad - you just had to ask… Glad you are feeling better! I may have to come visit more often if it helps ;)
My grandma, Riley and I took some walks and saw some cool plants and flowers and stopped to snap some pictures. 
This is a bromeliad I believe...
A Plumeria...
And a huge seed pod from a tree next door.
I really wanted to bring this home with me because it was such a cool find.
It was at least 2 foot long and about 4 inches wide…
But I'm sure there will be more around the next time I visit and I'll make sure to bring stuff to pack it up and ship it to myself. Heck, it would even make an odd but cool christmas present if they wanted to grab a few for me (ahem - anyone in my family down there reading this blog? Just mentioning it…)

Thanks for stopping by!


Oh, and don't forget about the Beads-of-Clay Bloggers Open Studio Event happening on October 24th (next Sunday: 2-5pm EST). Lots of cool artist studios to visit, traditions to share, bead giveaways, and sales to be found through the artist shops.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Has It Really Been A Couple Of Weeks?...

Oh, how the time flies when you have little ones, a house and a business to run…
And I want to keep up with the Tuesday Garden Party Blog Event,
Which is hosted by Jami of An Oregon Cottage

I think I will have time to catch up on all the pictures I have been taking this fall…
Maybe by this winter…
Seed Themed Faerie House...
We went to the local garden center: Gateway Garden Center on Sept. 25 for their Faerie House Event…
Which was pretty cool! I have so many pics...
Tinker Chloe getting ready to see the Faerie Garden Houses
Chloe got dressed up in her Tinker Bell outfit, but that lasted about 10 minutes until it started to itch her around the neck and the bottom part of the dress ripped on one of the garden carts as she tried to climb up for a ride… 

So many pics, so little time right now…

Hope all is well with you and your garden!
Thanks for stopping by...

Friday, September 24, 2010

Four o'clocks…

While blog cruising yesterday afternoon (while taking a quick break from long days glazing in the studio),
 I happened upon a blog post over at Mr. Brownthumb on these very cool flowers…
These "four o'clocks" which I have been calling them "night bloomers":
 These are all pictures of variations grown in my garden this year…
Some pictures with my digital SLR, some with the point and shoot, and many with my iPhone photo apps (hipstamatic as well as regular photo)
 I just collected the seeds last year (from my all pink flowers - they were light pink - picture at the end of this post...)
 And all these variations just popped up from a few scattered seeds I spread in the garden...
 My mind just races back to college courses in genetics. Oh, how I would love to figure these out...
 Cross pollination in a controlled environment would be so cool (I do have an Entomology BS degree - there is a scientist still in there at the core!)...
 Ah, but then it is so delightful to just see what nature has in mind...
Variations, variations, variations…
Haven't noticed any yellow and white varieties…
Hmmm… what if any variations will the seeds from next year produce?

Ah-ha… A picture from my 2009 Garden Pictures File: My all light pink "night bloomer". Which I am happy to feel more confident and educated to be calling it with it's proper name: four o'clock...

Monday, September 20, 2010

Mosaic Monday: Hipstamatic iPhone App Detail Pictures

Welcome to my contribution to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Little Red House
My post is a bit of a tutorial this week.
I wanted to share with you my "test results" from using my iPhone "Hipstamatic" camera app.
I am slightly obsessed with this app and the photos it takes…

I wanted to discover the film and lens combination to get the images I am attracted to, so I sat down and took a picture with each film, and lens…
Alfred Infared Film
BlackKeys Film
Blanko Film
Float Film
Inas 1969 Film
Kodot Verichrome Film
Pistil Film
Helga Viking Lens
Jimmy Lens
John S Lens
Kaimal Mark II Lens
Robo Glitter Lens
And they just updated the app with another lens… So I'm going to add that to the mix.

I know there are programs that allow you to edit your photos and create these effects.
But I guess I'm the type that likes instant gratification…
Too much going on to sit and try to figure out another computer program (and waste time getting pissed off trying to edit it all). Forget that!

Into the garden with my camera phone I go!
Weee….

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

September 2010 Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Welcome to September in my garden!
It's the 15th, so that means it's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day
If you have pictures of your garden as it is right now and want to share, hop on over to May Dreams Gardens Blog to participate...
Above is a mix of Russian Blue Sage, Cone Flower and Nasturtiums that for some reason within the total chaos of their garden presence (way too close and cluttered together for growing potential in the coming years)… 
Really makes me feel happy…
Maybe it is the way that the plants are seeming to want to take over the lawn…
We know which side I'm on for that… 
C'mon plants (except the crab grass: you can take your seeds and nastiness somewhere else!)
Although a little lawn is nice under bare foot…
And for kid running around areas...
The "other side hill" garden is a blank canvas at this point.
I have started to divide up some grasses and planted them for some background washes of color and texture.
If time and weather participate in the next two months I will be dividing hostas and ferns as well, and transplanting some other perennials that should do well over there. 
Riley was enjoying the ride on my chest in the baby Bjorn as we toured the garden in our leisure time together Sunday & Monday…
He loves to reach out and grab the plants…
And you can tell when he gets really excited because the feet start flailing...
The crab apples are starting to turn red...
The Russian Blue Sage is really growing now…
The whispy blooms are some of my favorite at this time of year...
This little yellow flower is seen randomly from spring to fall depending on if the deer eat the bloom…
I think this may be the 2nd bloom I've seen this year.
The cooler weather setting in means we will be outside a lot more after school.
Sidewalk chalk drawings is a favorite past time of Chloe's…
Riley doesn't mind just looking on (for a bit anyway)...
Which means I have some extra time to snap pictures with my camera phone like these...
I love this Hipstamatic app for my iPhone.
You have to buy a bunch of "film" and "lenses" for the camera app…
But I tell you what - it's SO worth it.
I mean, c'mon - having this at your fingertips then in your back pocket for a few bucks - awesome!
I love the vintage feel...
The possibilities seem endless...
The above set was taken with the Helga Viking Lens, Pistil Film.
And these above were taken with the John S Lens, Float Film.

Helga Viking Lens in 7 different film types.
And  you know that the slightly OCD person in me (that would be the scientist background part) has to be able to document and recapture and master the look of the photographs…
So I went out during Riley's nap and took a repeat image with all 5 lenses and all 7 film types.
Which meant a lot of back and forth clicking…
Much easier than having all those cameras, lenses and films by all means…

And those results will be a topic for another post…
Probably for next week's mosaic monday post.

Thanks for stopping by!

Oh, one last thing…
Don't forget about the chance to win some gift certificates for Marsha Neal Studio (my porcelain bead business) by making a purchase through:
With holiday season around the corner, you might be able to use some extra monies and handmade gifts for people on your list…
I know I love getting handmade things (and making them)!