Elizabeth's Flowers, and a few other things...

Back soon...

2008-07-25T10:42:00.004-06:00

I have the privilege of setting out tomorrow morning with my family on a good old fashioned road trip out west. The kids couldn't be more excited, and I couldn't have more to do at the moment!

I may post a few pictures during the trip if I get a chance.

In the meantime, I'd like to mention that my sister Louise and her husband have just entered the world of blogdom. "To the Ends of the Earth" will take you on a journey with them as they prepare for and ultimately venture forth to Indonesia where they will be serving as missionaries. Currently they are on a "working vacation", which includes language school, and a few other stops as well. It just so happens that we are going to some of the same places they are - just a few days behind them.

You frame it (Wednesday)

2008-07-23T15:13:00.005-06:00

I love the black dots around the center of Gazanias - they remind me of exclamation points - this is a flower that really wants to draw attention to itself.
"Gazania and Grass" is my un-framed picture of the week, and it will be the last one for awhile. After Friday I'm closing shop for two weeks but will return on Monday, August 11. If you need anything from Elizabeth's Flowers, or leaf petals, please order it in the next day or two so that I can get it out to you before I leave. Thanks!

Art on the Lawn - my "set-up"

2008-07-21T13:44:00.004-06:00

I thought you might like to see how I typically set up my booth. It's a little on the "cheap and simple" side, I know, but my theory is that the focus stays on the flowers.

I always get a lot of positive comments on my ladder displays. The price was right (I found them on the side of the road one day) and I spray painted them an antique white. I added hooks to the back of the rungs, and use strong rubber bands (attached to the back) to keep the pictures from flying off in a gust of wind.

Our Art on the Lawn art show went well. We always hope for more people than we get, but my fellow AFAF artists and I enjoyed a pleasant day together, chatting, enjoying the sunshine, and even making a few sales. One of the highlights of my afternoon was a visit from a Eileen, a pressed flower artist I've corresponded with via email. It was a treat to meet her in person. She has been successfully selling her beautiful pressed flower art on her Etsy shop called Petal Annie.

One more thing. It's tacky to set up one's tent with the "EZ-Up" label at the front of one's display. Please feel free to learn from my mistake.

You frame it Friday

2008-07-18T21:47:00.006-06:00

After I finished this unframed picture this evening, I decided it looked like the flowers were casually waiting for something...

Earlier this year, in the Spring, I made a similar framed pressed flower picture, and titled it "Waiting Flowers". That picture has been sold, so I will recycle the title.

This "Waiting Flowers" picture is sealed with 2 different UV resistant and moisture proof polymers, so it's all ready for you to pop into a standard 8 x 10" frame, or even an 11 x 14" frame, with standard matting. If I were framing this, I would go with an 8 x 10" frame with a plain white mat.

Art on the Lawn this weekend!

2008-07-16T11:48:00.006-06:00

It's been a whirl wind of activity around here, and in turn the blog has been quiet lately. I've been busy doing the usual summertime activities with my kids, as well as pressing every beautiful flower I can get my hands on.

I've also been framing a number of my new pressed flower art creations which I'll have on display at the 4th Annual AFAF Art on the Lawn art show this weekend. Fifteen of my fellow artists and I will be displaying our work this Sunday, and there will be a wide variety of tempting art available. Join us if you can!

House cleaning

2008-07-08T20:26:00.004-06:00

Let's clean up some loose ends today.

First of all, I've received a number of emails from people interested in purchasing Perfect Paper Adhesive, one of the sealants I use primarily for my pressed flower cards, but they've been unable to find it on my website. Others are having trouble finding the web page showing my un-framed pressed flower art.
All for good reason - it has been hard to find these items...but I have finally revamped the navigation on the Elizabeth's Flowers website and now each of those has it's own link on the left side of every page.

Also, I've received inquiries regarding when the regular Microfleur will be back in stock. Actually, it's been back in stock for some time, but it may look like it is still out of stock unless you hit the refresh button, and then the "out of stock" message will disappear. I'm not sure why that is - I think it has something to do with "cookies".

I apologize for such a boring post! This fall, I will be redoing elizabeths-flowers.com with a fresh new template, so it will be much more professional looking, and, thankfully, much easier to navigate. By the way, I am looking for a graphic artist to update my logo with a fresh new look as well. Please email me if you're interested.

And, one last thing. I thought I'd let you know that Midday Connection is airing the "Women of Moderation" series again. Basically it's a Bible study that can teach you how to be "moderate" not only in regards to food, but in other areas of your life as well.

When I went through it last Spring, I found the principals I learned valuable in helping me to learn to say "no" to myself, not only in regards to my tendency to indulge myself with too many Krunchers, cookies, large portions, etc, but I also learned to say no to myself when I was tempted to spend too much time surfing on the net, buying something I didn't need, or not making the time to exercise. Being "moderate" is definitely a process, and I have my share of slips, but if I look hard at my life I can certainly see progress. I really recommend it, and it's a great study to do with a friend.

You frame it Friday/Monday

2008-07-07T08:12:00.005-06:00

I didn't quite get this up before we left for South Haven, Michigan on Friday (where we had a great time celebrating the 4th) so here's my latest un-framed pressed flower picture - a few days late.

Transcantia, more commonly known as "Spider wort" is actually a common wildflower throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest, especially the version with light blue flowers. However, you have to be up early to spot the unique triangle shaped flowers, because they literally melt away as the morning sun becomes strong, and are no where to be found by noon. If it's a cloudy day, you may see them into the late afternoon.

It's hard to see in this scan, but another highlight of these unique flowers is their bright yellow stamens, which really "pop" against the rich brilliant purple color. I love these flowers!

This un-framed pressed flower art collage is mounted on an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of Gilbert Oxford card stock, to give you plenty of framing options. However, it fits perfectly in an 8 x 10" frame with a standard mat, or even an 11 x 14" frame, which would allow the deckled edges of the handmade paper to show.

The pressed flowers have been sealed with a UV and moisture resistant sealant, but as with all fine art, I would recommend using acid free matting and UV resistant glass or acrylic.

How to press poppies

2008-06-30T12:40:00.004-06:00

Here's what I've been doing today... pressing some of my really big (long?) scarlet poppies, along with their stems and leaves.

I'm pressing the flowers in my Microfleu r, and the the 9-12" stems in a larger wooden microwave flower press, and the longest stems are being pressed in my "mega press".

I'm leaving most of the leaves right on the stems, but I'm also pressing some separately as well. Poppies hold their red color brilliantly, but when using the Microfleur, use several short cycles of 30 seconds or so with a rest of 5 minutes in between. The poppy season is short, so try pressing some for yourself soon!

You frame it Friday

2008-06-27T15:32:00.005-06:00

Corn flowers are interesting - working with them is like trying to tame a cowlick - they are unruly and refuse to be tamed. These corn flowers are not the typical blue, but are a beautiful and somewhat rare lavender color. Even the buds are lavender tipped.

This un-framed pressed flower art collage is mounted on an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of Gilbert Oxford card stock, to give you plenty of framing options. However, it fits perfectly in an 8 x 10" frame with a standard mat, or even an 11 x 14" frame, which would allow the deckled edges of the handmade paper to show.

The pressed flowers have been sealed with a UV and moisture resistant sealant, but as with all fine art, I would recommend using acid free matting and UV resistant glass or acrylic.

This was my 150th post! I can't believe it.

Thursday already?

2008-06-26T07:14:00.005-06:00

It has been a busy week of swimming lessons, extra kids (there are a number of kids hanging around here that aren't mine, but they seem to think they are), and Vacation Bible School. Once again I claimed to be too busy to be in charge of the crafts again this year, but my pleas went unheeded.

Thankfully, it's been an unexpected blessing to participate in my church's VBS this year. Because my church is really small, we were sent a number of "missionaries," and this year we have a number of Hmong teenagers from a church in Milwaukee helping us out. They seem to enjoy the rural feel of our church, and the kids are loving their enthusiasm. I'm enjoying learning about their culture and hearing their unique perspective about their faith.

I want to say a special "thanks" to Tim Challies who listed me as a "Proverbs 31 Woman" on his blog last week. If you've ever read Proverbs 31, starting at verse 10, you'll realize that the woman in that chapter is beyond amazing. She does it all. And then some. When I read that chapter I get tired. Then, I feel hopeless.. until I get to the subtle clue at the second to last verse: "a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Fear, (as in reverence), faith in the Lord, following the Lord... I've been learning that this is what is needed to be the kind of woman I should be. It's a tall order, but not too tall for Him.

You frame it Friday

2008-06-20T12:59:00.004-06:00

I love poppies, and suddenly my garden is on the verge of exploding with them.

Not only do I love their dazzling red color, I love that their fuzzy green stems have a mind of their own. They will curve where they want to curve, and bend the way they want to bend, and there is nothing I can do about it. Most flower stems are pliable and I can bend them precisely the way I want them to go before placing them in the Microfleur, but definitely not so with poppies.

This pressed flower art collage is mounted on an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of Gilbert Oxford card stock, to give you plenty of framing options. You may choose to frame it in a small 5 x 7" frame with or with out a mat, but better yet it can be framed in an 8 x 10" frame with a standard mat, or even an 11 x 14" frame, which would allow the deckled edges of the handmade paper to show.

The poppies have been sealed with a UV and moisture resistant sealant, but as with all fine art, I would recommend using acid free matting and UV resistant glass or acrylic.

This is my Father's world...

2008-06-17T13:53:00.006-06:00

Summer is underway here in Wisconsin. The kids are out of school, and we are busy with swimming lessons, getting together with friends, and gearing up for Vacation Bible School. In between I keep pressing flowers, etc.

But one thing that really strikes me about this summer so far, is that it is so stunning. We've had lots of storms - way too many, unfortunately for so many in the mid west, but the towering majestic thunderheads we've seen have stopped me in my tracks. And everything is just so GREEN, a sparkling, emerald green, which makes the colors of the flowers seem more vivid than ever.

I've been wanting to try this, and now seems like a really good time. Below is a You tube video of my favorite hymn, sung by one of my recent favorite artists, Fernando Ortega. I don't know the person who put the video together, and unfortunately it's pretty grainy, but the words are awesome.

Pretty in Pink

2008-06-13T06:37:00.003-06:00

Pink flowers are the order of the day in this week's "You frame it Friday" pressed flower art picture. I don't have a lot of pink flowers at the moment, so when my little daisy plants started blooming yesterday I pressed some of the flowers right away.

This pressed flower art collage is mounted on an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of Gilbert Oxford card stock, to give you plenty of framing options. You may choose to frame it in a small 5 x 7" frame with or with out a mat, but better yet it can be framed in an 8 x 10" frame with a standard mat, or even an 11 x 14" frame, which would allow the deckled edges of the handmade paper to show.

The daisies have been sealed with a UV and moisture resistant sealant, but as with all fine art, I would recommend using acid free matting and UV resistant glass or acrylic.

Getting ready

2008-06-11T14:32:00.006-06:00

Here I am doing a little last minute rearranging just before my gallery opening last Sunday. Despite the threat of stormy weather, artist Lisa Clark and I actually had visitors. Later that evening after our gallery festivities were over, we had yet another tornado warning back in Twin Lakes. I believe it was the second or third one during the last 3 days.

Did you know that Wisconsin lost one of its most popular lakes on Monday? Due to excessive rain and flooding, the shore of Lake Delton gave way and the huge, very popular lake drained away in less than two hours. Unbelievable.

Things like that remind me of how little power we humans actually have in the grand scheme of things. I'm so thankful I'm on His side...not that I, and my family are immune to sudden disasters, we aren't. But, God promises that "all things work together for good" for all of us who love and follow Him. He has a purpose for everything that happens, for our good - that is awesome.

You frame it Friday

2008-06-06T21:49:00.003-06:00

When a new fern "unfolds" it's bright green for just a day or so before the chlorophyll gets to work and gives a fern its signature rich green color.

This fern was pressed in that small window of time, capturing its fleeting bright greenness.

The collage is mounted on an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of Gilbert Oxford card stock, to give you plenty of framing options. You may choose to frame it in a small 5 x 7" frame with or with out a mat, but better yet it can be framed in an 8 x 10" frame with a standard mat, or even an 11 x 14" frame, which would allow the deckled edges of the handmade paper to show.

The "new fern" has been sealed with a UV and moisture resistant sealant, but as with all fine art, I would recommend using acid free matting and UV resistant glass.

Gazania - Pressed Flower Art Collage

2008-06-04T20:08:00.005-06:00

Here's the completed picture I started Tuesday. This is the first time I have ever grown and pressed gazania flowers, and what a joy they are. I love how the center of each flower is surrounded by bold black dots.

This picture, along with 10 or so others, will be featured at the Antioch Fine Arts Gallery, in Antioch, Illinois, during the month of June. Fellow artist Lisa Clark and I will be having our opening reception from 2:00 - 4:00 this Sunday afternoon, so please feel free to stop by if your in the area!

Gazania - pressed flower collage under construction

2008-06-03T10:44:00.006-06:00

I've been getting a few grumblings about my lack of blogging, and yes, I apologize that things have been a bit sparse lately.

I've been feverishly expanding my main garden this year, and have planted many more vegetables, hoping that they will help make a dent in our grocery bills. Also, I'm determined to make my garden more attractive this year - in the past I've made my main garden utilitarian, separating the flowers from the vegetables, and this year I've chosen mainly "ornamental" and colorful vegetable plants, and have attempted to sprinkle them "artistically" among my flowers. We'll see...

However, today is stormy, so I am in the middle of putting together the above pressed flower collage, and hope to finish/frame it by my gallery opening at the Antioch Fine Arts Gallery this Sunday. I'll write more about that soon.

You frame it Friday

2008-05-30T06:43:00.006-06:00

Let the heavens rejoice,
let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!"
1 Chronicles 16:31

I had a good friend who reminded me of this verse a year ago or so when I was worrying about a string of heartbreaking disasters in the news - kind of like it has been lately.

This picture features two delicate Queen Anne's Lace flowers mounted on a small (3 x 4") piece of handmade paper, with 1 Chronicles 16:31 written in the artsy "cilantro" font beneath it.
This piece is perfect for a standard 8 x 10" frame and an 8 x 10 mat with the usual 5 x 7" opening. The flowers have been sealed with a UV resistant polymer for protection.

I am so glad that despite everything that is going on, the Lord reigns.

You frame it Friday

2008-05-23T15:03:00.005-06:00

I love today's "You frame it" picture. It's from a relatively rare wildflower plant I purchased recently called Jeffersonia Twin Leaf, which apparently was one of Thomas Jefferson's favorite wild flowers. It supposedly has beautiful white flowers in early spring, but I bought the plant just for it's incredible leaves.

The collage is mounted on an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of Gilbert Oxford card stock, to give you plenty of framing options. You may choose to frame it in a small 5 x 7" frame with or with out a mat, but better yet it can be framed in an 8 x 10" frame with a standard mat, or even an 11 x 14" frame, which would allow the deckled edges of the handmade paper to show.

The "twin leaves" have been sealed with a UV and moisture resistant sealant, but as with all fine art, I would recommend using acid free matting and UV resistant glass.

farmer's market on Saturday

2008-05-21T13:10:00.005-06:00

I just finished applying protective coating Perfect Paper Adhesive to seventy or so cards in preparation for the Brookfield Farmer's Market on Saturday. Only seventy or so more to go!

The market starts at 7:30 am, and you can find directions here. I'll be selling my cards, pressed flower journals, and possibly some of my botanical luminaries.

I'll also be buying heirloom tomato plants, honey, rhubarb, maple syrup, and resisting the temptation to buy untold numbers of flowering plants. I can only hope I break even.

happy monday

2008-05-19T09:21:00.003-06:00

I'm busy cleaning up the aftermath from a rummage/plant sale we had over the weekend, and then I need to fill a number of recent orders. I don't have a picture to share with you today, but, I'd like to share a verse from a hymn I just came across:

"There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.

~Isaac Watts, 1715

There's not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known...I love that! And I believe that. So much of this beautiful world makes His glories known.

The rest of this hymn can be found here.

You frame it Friday

2008-05-16T16:08:00.003-06:00

Today's "you frame it" pressed flower art selection is a pressed flower collage of a stunning "lemon sorbet" viola plant, mounted on a 5 x 7" piece of my handmade paper.

The collage is mounted on an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of Gilbert Oxford card stock, to give you plenty of framing options. You may choose to frame it in a small 5 x 7" frame with or with out a mat, but better yet it can be framed in an 8 x 10" frame with a standard mat, or even an 11 x 14" frame, which would allow the deckled edges of the handmade paper to show.

The violas have been sealed with a UV and moisture resistant sealant, but as with all fine art, I would recommend using acid free matting and UV resistant glass.

milkweed warning

2008-05-14T15:16:00.003-06:00

My gardens are my domain, and the lawn is my husband's, and we have found that the key to a happy marriage is to avoid interfering with each other's domain.

However, my husband did have one request concerning one of my gardens last fall - he asked that I not grow anymore milkweed. I can't blame him. You see, they sprawled, twisted, toppled over, and basically looked atrocious by mid September. They did look really bad.

But...milkweed plants are so cute when they're small, aren't they? As they grow, the leaves are perfect for the kids to use for making nature prints, but best of all, is the non-stop parade of interesting visitors they attract. Monarch caterpillars lay their eggs under the leaves, and later the grown butterflies feed on the nectar of the flowers, along with many other species of butterflies. Hummingbirds love them too, and last year the kids and I watched "hummingbird wars" as they fought for dominance over our milkweed kingdom. And, who doesn't enjoy making "wishes" with the magical seeds as they drift out of the seedpods in fall.

Maybe I'll just "accidentally" forget about that little conversation my husband and I had last fall...

calendula

2008-05-12T07:02:00.002-06:00

I got tagged for a "meme". What does "meme" stand for, anyway? Here are my answers...
1. Your cell phone? ...... usually off, unless I'm out and about
2. Your significant other?..... Tom
3. Your hair? ....... brown - really
4. Flower? ..... <--- look that way
5. Herb?....... basil
6. Your favorite thing?....... my ipod touch
7. Your dream last night?...... didn't have one
8. Your favorite drink? ...... green tea
9. Your dream/goal?........ faithfulness
10. The room you’re in....... living room
11. Your talent ?........creating
12. Your fear?..........declining memory
13. Where were you last night?..... Luisa's Italian Restaurant
14. Where do you want to be in 6 years?..... here
15. What you’re not?........ Ok
16. Muffins?............whole wheat banana walnut
17. One of your wish list items?...… weedless garden
18. Where you grew up?........ Brookfield, Wisconsin
19. The last thing you did?..... read new Container Gardening magazine
20. What are you wearing?...... jeans, sweater
21. Your TV?............ too loud
22. Your pet(s)?........... lazy but sweet
23. Your computer? ...... Dell laptop
24. Your life?........ mostly great
25. Your mood?....... contented
26. Missing home?......I'm here
27. Your car?........Honda Odessy
28. Something you’re not wearing?.…. snow pants
29. Favorite Store?........ Northwind Perennial Farm
30. Your summer?......... fleeting
31. Hate someone?.........yes... the neighbor cat who killed my Baltimore oriole friend
32. Your favorite color?.......leaf green
33. Last time you laughed....... today
34. Last time you cried?....... yesterday
35. What are you most thankful for? My faith. Then my family. Then flowers.

You frame it Friday

2008-05-09T07:16:00.004-06:00

Today's "you frame it" pressed flower art selection is a collage of two petite brilliant purple tulips. Purple tulips are some what rare, and these two are from the back yard of the Antioch Fine Arts Gallery.

I love that these tulips are a bit smaller than the typical tulip, but my favorite thing about them is their beautifully graceful stems.

These tulips have been mounted on my 5 x 7" handmade paper, which in turn is mounted on a standard sized sheet (81/2 x 11') of Gilbert Oxford card stock. The pressed flowers and foliage have been sealed with a UV resistant and moisture proof polymer, so they're well protected. This collage would work in a standard 5 x 7", 8 x 12", or an 11 x 14" frame. I think I'd go with the 11 x 14" frame with this one.