Hearts A Burstin'

2012-01-10T21:39:00.004-05:00

I GOT A NEW BLOG!!!! IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE WHAT I'M DOING PLEASE VISIT: www.sarahslavenderblog.blogspot.com.

Thanks for stopping by!

-Sarah

Tough Decisions

2011-12-30T09:30:00.002-05:00

Don’t we all face tough decisions? I don’t think I’ve ever had to choose between chasing a cat and begging for a cookie but I still understand what the dog is going through.

This picture is made of: bark, oak, cockscomb, poppy seed, banana peel, orange peel, gray poplar, parsley and maple.

On Duty

2011-11-28T12:03:00.003-05:00

This cat is alert and on duty. He has examined every leaf and is on the lookout for birds in the sky and other creatures and humans below. Even if he doesn’t take a swat at any of them, he just has to know all that is going on.

This picture is made of: gray poplar, mulberry, maple, hornet nest, cotton and banana peel.

A Thing To Be Thankful For

2011-11-24T21:06:00.002-05:00

Yes, it may be overused, but it is true that if I listed everything that I have to be thankful for I’d be here all day, and so would you. Instead I would simply like to zero in on one thing I’m thankful for.

I’m thankful that my parents chose to homeschool me. Most people my age have to be at school seven hours every day, five days a week, equaling 35 hours every week. That doesn't count their endless hours of homework. With a 180 day school year you’re talking 900 hours a year. I couldn't spend 900 of my brightest and most awake hours and maintain my business at the same time.

Of course my parents give high value to education, but my business is an important part of my education. If my parents had put me in school, my business would surely be much smaller. Truly, I don’t think it would exist at all. I’m so thankful for the time, money, thought and love my parents have invested in my hand-crafted education. I could still be an artist if I went to a public school, but I wouldn’t have time to really put my heart into what I do or share it with others.

Cornhusk Cowboy

2011-11-14T17:09:00.003-05:00

Where I'll Be Sunday...

2011-11-04T17:32:00.002-04:00

I will be demonstrating and selling cornhusk creations while my dad and brother provide the "live mountain music on the porch".

Come Celebrate during the Northeast Georgia Arts Tour!

2011-11-02T07:48:00.009-04:00

Tour is November 11-13, 2011

The Saturday Shop

and

Sarah’s Lavender Cottage

Our part of the show is Saturday only, November 12, 2011
10-5 p.m.

The Saturday Shop ~ John Kollock’s gallery will be filled with an assortment of new paintings. In addition there will be all of his latest prints and books. John is always delighted to discuss his work and the background and history of each piece.

Sarah’s Lavender Cottage ~ A place to see 16-year-old Sarah Samsel’s scenes made from pressed flowers, leaves and other plant material. She will also be showing cornhusk dolls and other items. Sarah will be demonstrating pressed-flower art.

Nathaniel Samsel ~ 2011 Southern Regional Mountain Dulcimer Champion Nathaniel Samsel will be playing carols and other music on his dulcimer and banjo throughout the event. Nathaniel is 13 years old.
450 Bybrook Trail, Clarkesville, Georgia; for details call: 706-754-9200
For more locations on the arts tour visit: http://www.artstour.org/

2011-10-31T09:31:00.002-04:00

Lately I've been on a mission to add some guy dolls to my collection. This one kind of reminds me of Freddy Eynsford-Hill from My Fair Lady. I also made a cowboy on his horse but I still need to take pictures of him. We'll see who comes after that.

Mother and Son

2011-10-17T10:12:00.001-04:00

I've been attempting to come up with some new cornhusk doll designs. This is one a recently came up with.

A Great Anniversary

2011-10-05T21:17:00.007-04:00

Today is one of the greatest days of the year. Today is the anniversary of something good happening to the world. An event that has improved the lives of many: it's Dad's birthday! I simply could not have a better dad and neither could my siblings. Dad is very patient and level headed. He's a man of faith and honesty. He's helped me through difficult situations, he never complains and he's joyful and creative.

One thing I really admire about Dad is his work ethic. My dad is a freelance outdoor writer. That's totally what my family lives off of. Dad works so hard, yet he never lets his work take any priority over his family. He takes the time to look at a catalog with my little sister, he'll read a book to Asher or take me to California for a pressed-flower conference.

Sarah

2011-09-27T15:54:00.002-04:00

This is me.

This picture is made of: thyme, cornhusk, bark, banana peel, corn silk, statice, alyssum, cantaloupe peel and smoke tree.

Bye With a Bang

2011-09-22T13:08:00.005-04:00

In the spring we are delighted to see new leaves forming on the ends of branches. After that we enjoy large green leaves for months. Before the leaves fall they seem to put on a grand finale. They turn more striking than they have during the rest of their existence and then fall. Did you know salmon are like that too? The pictures of jewel colored salmon are actually near the end of life of the salmon.

This picture is made of: maple, cornhusk, banana peel, mulberry, dill* orange peel and cinnamon.

Thank You Family!

2011-09-15T12:23:00.017-04:00

The grand opening for Sarah's Lavender Cottage was a success! To read about it click here. I would like to thank my family for the many ways they helped this show happen.

Dad~ spent many hours helping me heat press images onto t-shirts and other things, moved furniture out of my studio, helped put up my sign, spent all day at the art show and blew up 90 helium balloons.

Mom~ made price tags, cut out price tags, inspired me, cleaned my studio, helped give it finishing touches, packaged note cards, made five dozen cookies and 200 mini muffins, relieved me of home chores during the week leading up to the show and helped me figure out what to wear.

Nathaniel (13-year-old brother)~ blew and weeded around my studio, put together most of my sign, was cheerful company while I made doll after doll and ate many of my Tootsie rolls.

Asher (6-year-old brother)~ a friend who kept me company. He worked on his sheep while I worked on other cornhusk things. He tried to help package note cards.

Autumn (4-year-old sister)~ understood that I couldn't really play with her while I was getting ready for the show but was kind to me through it all.

Eli (2-year-old brother)~ encouraged me to pick up my stuff when I was done with it and was always happy and energetic.

I thank God for the family he placed me in. All of us would help any of us with our dreams. Thank you, family for everything!

Meet the Dollmaker at Harvest Festival

2011-09-04T13:43:00.002-04:00

If you’ve ever wanted to step into the painting of a well-known artist, John Kollock’s upcoming Harvest Festival of Arts & Crafts might be your best chance. John Kollock of Clarkesville, Georgia will be releasing his latest print, The Dollmaker, and Sarah Samsel, the cornhusk doll artist who is depicted in the picture, will be making cornhusk dolls as part of the festival. In fact the festival will include the Grand Opening of Sarah’s Lavender Cottage, Samsel’s studio/gallery.

The Harvest Festival will take place Sept. 10 at Kollock’s gallery, the Saturday Shop, and at Sarah’s Lavender Cottage, both of which are on the home property of John and Nancy Kollock. The Saturday Shop will feature original watercolor paintings, prints, books and cards by John Kollock, who has been painting and writing about the country side and rural activities of his Northeast Georgia home since the 1950s, along with watercolor paintings by his daughter, Kathleen Kollock.

Samsel, 16, is perhaps best known for her “pressed flower pictures,” one of which took third place in the pressed flower competition at the 2011 Philadelphia Flower Show. She will have plenty of original pressed flower pictures to show inside Sarah’s Lavender Cottage. However, she will be demonstrating the art of cornhusk doll making throughout the day. Samsel’s dolls and various printed items of her pressed flower pictures will also be available. As part of the Grand Opening, Samsel will give away a framable oversized postcard image of one of her pressed flower pictures to the first 50 attendees.

Nathaniel Samsel, Sarah’s 13-year-old brother, will provide live banjo and dulcimer music throughout the day inside the Saturday Shop. The 2011 Southern Regional Mountain Dulcimer Champion, Nathaniel Samsel will leave Clarkesville a few days after the show to travel with his dad to the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas to compete in the national mountain dulcimer championship.

Refreshments will be served, and there will be a give-away. Festival hours are 10:00 to 5:00. The Saturday Shop is located at 450 Bybrook Trail in Clarkesville. For directions or additional information, call (706) 754-9200.

Too Fancy

2011-08-22T14:03:00.004-04:00

My new website is coming together nicely. I have had a lot of correspondence with the designer, Amanda Kaylon. We're working on putting up the art galleries. She said I should try to get true colors since I'm selling online and suggested that I take pictures of my dolls in natural lighting. That is the opposite of what I had been doing. I was finding a dark place and taking pictures of my dolls with a flash. I guess I was being too fancy. I have since discovered my friend was right, natural lighting is beautiful! Working on a website has been an educational experience and a business experiment. It has also been a nice opportunity for me to get to know Amanda Kaylon better since we write back and forth so much.

Natural light is also good for photographing framed artwork

Horse

2011-08-12T10:42:00.002-04:00

The technique I used for this horse is one that I use a lot for making trees. I cut lots of tiny strips out of different shades of leaves and organize them on my tree, using where sunlight would hit the tree as a guide. This is the first time I’ve used this technique with an animal. As I was working on it my dad mentioned that it might be neat to make the whole picture with the little strips and not just the horse. I learned this way of making trees from a World Wide Pressed Flower Guild class.

This picture is made of: Raspberry, gray poplar, lamb’s ear, seaweed, maple, nandina, poinsettia, mulberry, money plant and aucuba.

Four Things

2011-07-27T14:28:00.006-04:00

It has been a long time since I last blogged! I offer no good excuse for that but I hope to be better in the future. I have four things I would like to mention:

1. I named my studio! It is called Sarah's Lavender Cottage.

2. I have a show coming up this Saturday at Unicoi State Park. For more details click on my "Schedule of Events" (located at the top of the blog).

3. My friend Amanda Kaylon is setting up a website for me! She is the designer of http://www.purityandprecision.com/ and http://www.rachelnoeljewelry.blogspot.com/. The goal is for me to sell online. It has been nice getting to correspond with her about fonts, colors and other pretty things.

4. I have been expirementing with using the same technique I use to make trees for making a horse picture. This is how it is coming along.

Lost

2011-06-29T19:58:00.004-04:00

Maybe they'll be found after a new pair is bought.

This picture is made of: hydrangea, bark, tendrils, maple, aucuba, parsley, dill ground orange peel and cinnamon.

My Fair Lady

2011-06-21T11:21:00.009-04:00

“I despise those gowns with sort of weeds here and weeds there,” said Professor Henry Higgins, the main guy in My Fair Lady. I found it ironic that I made that gown entirely out of weeds. Julie Andrews played Eliza Doolittle on Broadway before Audrey Hepburn was filmed in the part. It was decided when casting Eliza that Julie Andrews was not a famous enough actress so they offered the part to Audrey Hepburn. Audrey Hepburn wanted them to accept Julie Andrews, but when she was told it was to be either herself or Elizabeth Taylor in the part she accepted it. I enjoyed blending the many shades of birch bark to make her face. Eliza was a flower girl in the movie. I’m a pressed-flower girl.

This picture is made of: aucuba, birch bark, corn silk, statice, pampas grass, maple, Queen Anne’s lace, seaweed, skeletonized magnolia leaves, money plant, various other leaves and some grass heads.

Gleeful

2011-06-06T13:15:00.004-04:00

Why is she gleeful? Did something cause her sensation of running through the flowers, or is she simply a gleeful person -- happy to be who God created her to be? A lady, free from cultural norms. This picture included a first for me. Never before has one of my ladies had toes.

This picture is made of: corn husk, baby's breath, statice?, cock's comb, bark, seaweed, aucuba, maple and tendrils.

Happy Birthday Nathaniel!

2011-05-27T15:48:00.004-04:00

Today is my brother Nathaniel's 13th birthday. Nathaniel is one of my best friends. We do chores together and watch movies together. We share the same memories and know a lot of the same people. Our art forms also work well together. Nathaniel often plays his dulcimer at events while I sell my artwork. I'm so thankful to God for each of my siblings. I love the way God created families to work, play and generally be together. I have my best friends over every day.

It's That Time Of Year!

2011-05-17T10:45:00.007-04:00

This Saturday, May 21, is the 49th annual Mountain Laurel Festival in my hometown of Clarkesville. I'm probably not the only one who has experienced firsts at this festival. Five years ago I was an excited 11-year-old, ready to do her first art show set up with the mindset of demonstrating and showing her cards, with not many to sell. The second year was even more exciting. It was the first time I had ever attempted selling my framed pictures. People actually bought them. I went home feeling so rich.

This year I will mostly bring corn husk dolls to sell, with maybe a picture or two. Many of my friends will also be there, my brother and his friend Calvin will be playing stringed instruments with a group of other bluegrass musicians. The Clarkesville Garden Club will be selling plants. John Kollock will be sketching children for free from 10:00-2:00 (ages 2 to 10). My friend Elizabeth will be selling jewelry and who knows what kind of art Miss Cecile and Miss Becky will doing. Those are just people who I know who will be there. There are a lot of other people who will be around too. The ones I mentioned and I will be in the Mauldin House Gardens. A lot of other vendors will be on the square. I think food and more music will be in Pitt's Park. The parade, which goes through the town square starts at 10:00 a.m.

Purple Paint

2011-05-10T14:52:00.005-04:00

I have a mom who will wake up at 4:30 AM and paint until 8:00AM. She'll come back later that day for another coat and then again in the evening to paint some more. Yes, Mom and I worked odd hours to make my purple dream come true. Here's what it looks like inside of my art studio/ gallery now.THANK YOU MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bluebird in Bloom

2011-04-25T09:47:00.002-04:00

Henry David Thoreau said “The bluebird carries the sky on his back.” I thought that was a pretty way to look at it. (Forget that my sky is corn husk colored.) This particular bluebird carries flowers on his back, including some flowers from the UK. I think he also has delphinium, cornflower, and dyed spider mum on his back.

This picture is made of: corn husk, maple, cotton, banana peel, cornflower, some sort of flower from the UK, spider mum and mica.

Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt

2011-04-21T09:41:00.005-04:00

My Great Grandmother made two big Grandmother's Flower Garden quilts. Her quilts feature the color yellow as does my pressed-flower picture. I wish I could say I did that on purpose but alas, I did not. I had an abundance of yellow maple leaves and thought they would work for a quilt.

This picture is made of: maple, butterfly weed, mountain laurel, aucuba, statice, corn husk, Queen Anne's lace, a tendril, birch bark, onion, banana peel, fern, poinsettia, bloody dock, mushroom, Japanese maple and raspberry.

The Hawk

2011-04-11T10:23:00.004-04:00

This picture is one I made from a World Wide Pressed Flower Guild class. The way each individual feather is made was tedious. Sometimes I'd make a feather and it would fall apart or stick to my finger. Despite the challenges, or because of the challenges it was a good class. This picture is made of: hydrangea, maple, mulberry, banana peel, cotton, money plant, bark and dead daylily type foliage.

Vanity

2011-04-02T12:27:00.002-04:00

Every week I work with my friend Miss Charle' in the garden. When fall arrives we are constantly raking. Raking makes a huge temporary difference but it sort of seems like a vain effort when we're in the process of getting an area nicely raked as we're watching fresh leaves fluttering down.

This picture is made of: corn husks, dill, hydrangea, mulberry, bark, maple and banana peel.

Surrounded By Music

2011-03-28T15:32:00.004-04:00

Musicians get into their music. My 12-year-old brother plays the mountain dulcimer, and I know he really gets into what he is playing. While I was making this picture he found some good music for me to listen to and advised me to make her face looking down at her instrument because that is what he does when he is really getting into the song he is playing.

This picture is made of: delphinium, seed, bark, corn silk, aucuba and dill.

Stick

2011-03-24T06:49:00.004-04:00

What I wanted to get across in this picture was, well, a dog. I wanted to capture the energy of a dog racing toward you with a stick in its mouth, eager for you to thow it again- the life and the excitement of a dog in its element. We had a black and white springer spaniel- Solomon. He loved to play "stick".

This picture is made of: pampas grass, cotton, aucuba, banana peel, cornflower, mulberry, corn silk, ferns, lichen, various leaves and some mica to add sparkel to the eyes.

It Won Third!

2011-03-10T12:40:00.013-05:00

This winter I spent hours thinking through, researching and making this picture to be entered into the Philadelphia Flower Show. To my surprise and delight it won third place. The overall theme of the flower show was "Springtime in Paris". I entered the pressed-flower category of a Paris Cafe'. Audry Hepburn movies were helpful for research. Dent de Lion Cafe' was named after the yellow flowers we, in America, call dandelions. For those of you who don't know, I am reading the French novel by Victor Hugo, Les Misereables. Reading it has given me a great intrest in France. Although Victor Hugo's novel is set in 1830's France, I brought many of its characters to a more modern day scene, except for the family at the bottom, which is my family. Below shows who's who. Jean Valjean is the main character in Les Miserables. He adopts Cosette, who loves Marius. The black tabletops in this picture are made from black hollyhocks with corn husks underneath them to give them a more interesting texture.

Inspector Javert's world revolves around the law. He chases Jean Valean (who is a parole violator) throughout the book. Javert took two tries. The first Javert was too big.

Marius is not a waiter in the book but it seemed like a good thing for him to be in this picture. His clothes (in the picture, not in the book) are made out of banana peel and his apron is black hollyhock.

Theses revolutionaries are plotting a better world. They all end up dying on a barricade.

Black hollyhock is the material I used for all the little curleys on the chairs. OK, these two characters are actually extremely poor and would not have clothes like this. But I wanted to have lots bright colors in this picture hence, the fancy clothes. The Thenardiers are criminals. Their daughter Eponine is in love with Marius which is just too bad because he loves "someone else".

And this is my family. Everthing in this picture is natural. Philadelphia rules state no color enhancment.

Here is a list of the plant material in this picture: creeping raspberry, birch bark, aucuba, bloody dock, dandelion, thyme, butterfly bush, ferns, statice, cornflower, rose, lettace, black hollyhock, corn husk, gray poplar, money plant, variouse fall leaves, black-eyed-Susan, banana peel, onion membranes, cockscomb, Japaneses maple, corn silk and some sort of a dead iris type foliage.

TO SEE THE OTHER PRESSED FLOWER PICTURES THAT WERE ENTERED, CLICK HERE. THERE WERE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PRESSED FLOWER CATEGORIES IN THIS SHOW SO MAKE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THEM ALL.

Winning third was a great 16th birthday present. I also got to go to the Les Miserables musical with my grandma, my dad and my brother.

Yee Haw!

2011-02-28T08:43:00.003-05:00

I’ve been making pressed-flower cowboys ever since I sold my pictures on cards for $2. My very first cowboy was inspired by a piece of plant material that reminded me of a cowboy’s vest.

This picture is made of: maple, mulberry, banana peel, bark, tendril, orange peel, cockscomb and aucuba

Shapes

2011-02-24T18:52:00.002-05:00

The trees in this picture are made by cutting different shades of brown leaves into thin strips and then gluing them in such a way that one side of the tree is darker than the other, with a natural transition from one to the other. It seems like pretty tedious work but I really enjoy it, sliver by sliver forming each branch. I haven’t figured out what the cardinal on the branch is looking at or thinking about. I just felt inclined to put a cardinal there.

This picture is made of: corn husk, various brown leaves, raspberry, maple, tulip, money plant, banana peel and orange peel.

Wings

2011-02-22T18:09:00.004-05:00

What is our fascination with butterflies? It seems like anytime anyone sees a butterfly it brightens their day. Most of us don't get that way about horseflies. “Butterfly” was one of the first long words my two-year-old brother, Eli, learned how to say. Anytime one would fly through the yard he'd exclaim, "bo-fly.”

This picture is made of: cosmos, statice, bark, corn silk, delphinium, banana peel, aucuba and maple.

Mom's Bird

2011-02-10T09:42:00.003-05:00

The robin is Michigan's state bird. Mom grew up in Michigan. She was proud to "own" this bird. When she got a lot older she learned, to her dismay, that the robin is also claimed by two other states as their state bird.

This picture is made of: hydrangea, maple, money plant, cotton, banana peel, mica and various fall leaves.

Fuzzy Feline

2011-02-06T20:14:00.005-05:00

One advantages of the medium of pressed-flowers is being able to match textures as well as colors. If I was a painter I'd have to figure out how to illustrate fur with the way I manipulated the paint. But since I'm a pressed-flower artist I can just grab a fuzzy pampas grass head that already looks like cat fur to illustrate cat fur. I like making pictures of cats.

This picture is made of: pampas grass, cotton, poppy seed, banana peel, fall leaves, chrysanthemum and mica to add sparkle to the cat's eyes

NEW STUDIO AND ART GALLERY!

2011-01-24T09:05:00.006-05:00

This has been a prayer and a dream of my family's. I now have my own art gallery and studio. It's on the same property where I've done my art shows in the past. We're not exactly sure how we'll plan my time yet - maybe I'll go over there to work twice a week or something like that. We'll see. But it is all exciting.

Unfinished Work

2011-01-07T19:00:00.004-05:00

These are unfinished pictures waiting to be worked on. I may continue on the paths they seem to be headed, or I might cut the tree out of one and put in in another picture or take the cat's eyes to put in a totally different picture. I have two other pictures sitting in this sort of state, and I am working on another picture.

Luke 2:1-20

2010-12-25T16:43:00.005-05:00

(I made this picture for a WWPFG Christmas card contest. I won second place.)

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Ceasar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made when Cerenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them; and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, let us go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the sayings which was told them concerning this child.
And all that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, and it was told unto them.
Luke 2: 1-20

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

2010-12-20T15:49:00.005-05:00

This picture is made of: fern, cornflower, Queen Anne's lace, onion peel and a fall leaf.

Dulcimer Doll

2010-12-14T16:22:00.004-05:00

Nathaniel, my 12-year-old brother, who plays the mountain dulcimer, was in need of a Christmas ornament for his dulcimer group's gift exchange. So I made him this one. The doll is just one of those normal ones that I make dozens of. The dulcimer is brown mat board colored with a marker and hot glued together. The fret board is cardboard with pen marks for the frets. The strings are made from sewing thread with wire tuning pegs. It really doesn't take long to give something an extra touch.

O Holy Night

2010-11-29T10:06:00.011-05:00

Recent Art Work

2010-11-23T19:24:00.003-05:00

My 4-year old sister Autumn's birthday cake - October 17th.

My 6-year old brother Asher's birthday cake - October 22nd.

My 2-year old brother Eli's birthday cake - November 18th.

The Harvest Festival

2010-11-15T19:21:00.004-05:00

Here is a slideshow of my biggest art show of the year. It happened last Saturday. It went well.

Autumn

2010-11-11T10:44:00.005-05:00

Autumn is my dad’s and my mom’s favorite season. Hence, my 4-year-old sister, who was born in October, is named Autumn. Autumn enjoys helping me find “bootiful” leaves for my pictures.

This picture is made of: Japanese maple, Queen Anne’s lace and cotton.

Here's my "bootiful" sister -- the real Autumn.

Weekend Events

2010-11-04T10:34:00.009-04:00

This weekend I will be demonstrating and selling my corn husk dolls at these two separate events:

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Friday and Saturday, November 5-6, 2010

(I'll only be there on Friday)

Nacoochee Valley Farm Ole Fashion Farm Field Days

9:00 AM - 7:00 PM

This event will feature horse, mule, oxen farm work demonstrations as well as bluegrass music, art, pottery, barbecue and horse drawn vehicle transportation from parking lot to barn, field and vendor areas.
Nacoochee Valley Farm utilizes horse drawn farm equipment for field work and has free range hens, sheep, cattle, and hogs. This event is located at Nacoochee Valley Farm. For more information click HERE.

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YOU ARE VERY WELCOME TO COME TO EITHER OR BOTH EVENTS!

11 Corn Husk Dolls

2010-10-28T18:03:00.006-04:00

I had a very good trip to Michigan. My grandpa made a nice working set up for me in the garage, where I made corn husk dolls. Above is a slideshow of the 11 dolls. Of course I wasn't just making corn husk dolls the whole time. The trip was peppered with activities and nice times visiting with family.

Talk To You Later

2010-10-21T14:04:00.006-04:00

Yes, this is the first time I've made a corn husk doll holding a cell phone... or any electronic device for that matter. I was asked to make a pink corn husk doll holding a cell phone, so I made a pink corn husk doll holding a cell phone. She is going with us for our family trip to Michigan. We're leaving tomorrow and returning Wednesday. This doll is going to live with a friend of my grandparents up there. If you need to get a hold of the doll or me while we're gone, just call one of our cell phones.

Animal Hair

2010-10-19T13:27:00.003-04:00

In the past, when I've wanted to illustrate sheep I'd use cotton balls for the wool. But lately I've been using real sheep wool to illustrate my sheep wool. It's really nice to work with. I ordered it off of the Little Barn website. While I was there I also got some camel hair to experiment with.

Here is one way I used the camel hair.

I bought it with my corn husk camels in mind but it also works for human hair.

I still did use some for my camel hair. I also mixed in some maiden grass.

I have more nativity pieces to post later.

Passionflower Pressing Procedure

2010-10-10T12:01:00.000-04:00

Isn't this an exquisite passionflower?

One might want to preserve such a flower, but the flower is a bit too thick and a bit too moist. And so the dissecting begins.

First, cut off that little triangle thing on the top and set it aside.

Then cut off the yellow star looking thing.

You may put those two parts in a flower press.

Now this is what you're working with.

Flip it over and cut down into the back, removing the thick circle. This takes out extra thickness and moisture.

Like this.

You can throw away the circle you've pulled out.

Now there is a hole that you can see through in the middle. It will be covered after it's pressed and your re-assemble the flower.

Now you're ready to put all the pieces in a press the way you would any other flower, with the exception being that you should also put some desiccant board in the press with them. I think it pulls extra moisture from the flowers.

After they're all pressed and dried you can glue the three pieces back together again, and you'll have a pressed passionflower.

Brook Trout

2010-10-05T15:53:00.010-04:00

I wanted to make my brook trout consistent with my brown trout, so naturally I wanted them both mounted on the same kind of cloth. But to my surprise, I couldn't find any more of the cloth that I had used for the brown trout. I know it just looks like plain black in the picture but it has a velvet-like texture and a sparkle to it. I looked through containers and through my closet where I thought I might have leftovers, but found none. So Dad took me to the thrift store, where I hoped to find some. But, really, how likely is it to find black, velvet sparkly material that matches the background of another fish? Well, the likelihood of it didn't matter. God provided me with the perfect material. The two fish backgrounds look like they were cut out of the same material. And as a bonus, I picked up some of the same material in brown, which looked useful. All of the material came in the form of second-hand skirts. God provides.

This picture is made of: money plant, onion peel, delphinium, corn husk, pansy, tendrils, black hollyhock, sea moss, lettuce, skeletonized leaves, cotton, aucuba and mica.

Corn Husk Nativities

2010-09-26T16:39:00.003-04:00

Brown Trout

2010-09-13T12:49:00.008-04:00

My dad has been an avid fishermen since he was a young boy. Now writing fishing articles for magazines is how he makes the family living. Trout are probably one of my favorite types of pictures to make. I enjoy the challenge of trying to mach and blend the colors. The fish itself is made completely out of plant material. However the total picture strays from the plant material a little because the background is mica mounted on cloth. Although mica is not plant material it is a mineral found outside so it is natural. It is helpful having Dad around to tell me if the fins look out of proportion to the rest of the fish or if the eye is a little too far over to the right. Dad enjoys reeling in trout from the west fork of the Chattooga River. I reel mine in from the garden.

This picture is made of: money plant, cronflower, cosmo, hydrangea, cantaloupe peel, dusty miller, skeletonized leaves, onion peel, tomato peel, corn husk, black maple, sea moss, mica (also called isinglass) and various other leaves.

Log Cabin Quilt Square

2010-09-05T17:01:00.012-04:00

Who doesn't like a quilt or know some special quilt maker? It puts me in awe to look at the time, exactness and artistry that goes into some quilts. My grandma, on Dad's side, who is a quilter, recently showed me her big quilt book, which featured some such quilts. I've started quilts but the only ones I've finished so far are the ones that are made of leaves and flowers. That's OK. after all, the first coverings were made out of fig leaves.

This picture is made of: oak leaves, dusty miller, money plant, Queen Anne's lace, corn husks, birch bark, yarrow, bougainvillea, black hollyhock, zinnia, Japanese maple, larkspur, rose, skeletonized leaves, eucalyptus, cantaloupe peel, daisy, primrose, bloody dock, lamb's ears, onion peel, nasturtium and thyme.

Draped in Loofah

2010-08-26T20:34:00.009-04:00

An interesting question I ran into in the process of making this picture was that of what to make the Spanish moss out of. It seemed natural, being a plant presser, to use Spanish moss to illustrate Spanish moss. But I found that real Spanish moss looked out of proportion on this tree. Its lines were thicker than what I wanted. So I ended up going with loofah sponge. Some people think loofahs come from the sea, but they actually grow on vines, making them fit very happily into my medium. So here I have a live oak draped with loofah sponge. Also of note: the tree is comprised of lots of small strips of different colored leaves, some of which are live oak leaves off of trees from St. Simons Island.

This picture is made of: delphinium, parsley, dill, orange peel, black maple, live oak, fall leaves and loofah.

Dog Picture (trying to think of a more creative title)

2010-08-14T19:18:00.005-04:00

Our first dog, a springer spaniel named Solomon, used to chase squirrels. I'm not sure he would have known what to do if he had caught one, but he did seem to enjoy chasing them. We've gotten two dogs since Solomon died, Esther and Melody. Neither seems particularly fascinated with squirrels.

This picture is made of: corn husks, fall leaves, skeletonized leaves, hydrangea, gray poplar, cockscomb, black maple, bark, cattail, moss and poppy seed.

Tea Time, Again

2010-08-06T11:01:00.011-04:00

My 3- year old sister recently received her first tea set. If things were her way we would probably have tea parties several times a day, but Mom says one per day is enough. I used to have lots of tea parties with my friends. I particularly remember having them with Kristen. She and I would have what we refer to as "non-breathing tea parties." Those were the tea parties where we couldn't stop laughing because one thing after another kept happening to start us off again. Tea time suffered a decline for years in our house, but now the tea parties are back!

This picture is made of: hydrangea (flowers and bark), dill, hollyhock, bougainvillea, baby's breath, gray poplar, cockscomb, golden rod, nandina, forget-me-not, alyssum, Queen Anne's lace.

2010 World Wide Pressed Flower Guild Gathering

2010-08-02T17:59:00.003-04:00

In June I attended the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild gathering in Shipshewana, Indiana. Classes included dyeing techniques, tips for competing, several make and take projects etc. One of the best parts about these events is simply asking questions and talking to the artists. It was also neat being in Amish country. We saw horses and buggies along the road and people working in their gardens. The hotel was nice. The food was good. People were friendly. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to put this event together!! I look forward to next year!

My New Discovery

2010-07-19T10:20:00.003-04:00

Have you figured out what this is? I'll tell you: It's my new way of drying corn silk, corn husks, wool and anything else I can put on it. It is made out of layers of bread trays. I think they will be perfect for the job, they stack nicely with spaces in between, have excellent ventilation and since they do stack I don't have to spread corn husks all over the floor to dry. If you want to see where I got theses bread racks you can read about it here on our family blog. I didn't like tearing down the old fort where they came from but I will admit that they do make capital drying racks. Please, if you have any spare corn silk, please may I have it? It may look like I have enough all ready but I want as much as I can get. I use it in my pressed-flower pictures, corn husk dolls and as the hay for my Nativities. So I go trough a lot of corn silk.

La Santa Maria

2010-07-04T20:51:00.010-04:00

I'm finished navigating through this picture! I sailed through many confusing waves. This picture involved many tough decisions for me. I had to figure out how to make a sea, work with my perspective, shading and just general logic of what causes what and how that should look. It was a healthy challenge. I sought counsel from lots of people on different elements of this picture. Unframed the picture measures roughly 12X14. I'm glad I don't have to navigate a real ship.

This picture is made of: gray poplar, eucalyptus, dead daylily foliage, dead sunflower foliage, Spanish moss, cotton, candy tuft, baby's breath, moss, corn silk, birch bark and poinsettia.

I'm Spinning!

2010-06-27T15:00:00.000-04:00

Mom has always told us not to spin because as a little girl she ended up with a concussion when she spinned and fell down, hitting a table. Another time when she spinned and fell, she broke her collar bone from the way she landed.

But I'm not practicing that kind of spinning. The kind I'm doing earns her approval. A few months ago a friend taught me how to spin. At the time I was borrowing another friend's spinning wheel, and went to another place to use it. By doing that I was able to practice, but now I am pleased to announce that God has blessed me with a spinning wheel of my very own! A friend fixed it up and sold it to me. I think the color of the wood and its extra details are so nice. It will be good for spinning in a cabin during a re-enactment. I've been buying my wool already carded and clean but I want to work on cleaning and carding my own wool. Please let me know if you know of a place where I could find wool, raw or clean, for a good deal.

He Makes Dreams Come True

2010-06-20T18:37:00.007-04:00

Dad is a freelance outdoor writer.

Dad and I on our way to California. He went fishing. I attended a World Wide Pressed Flower Guild conference.

First we saw the sequoia trees.

Dad makes dreams come true. He brought me to California for the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild conference in 2008. He used to draw pictures with me when I was a toddler. Now he counsels me in my art business. Dad has helped me write receipts for pictures sold and has stayed with me through long show days when nobody came by. Dad gives me opinions on pictures when I'm having a hard time deciding on something or something doesn't look quit right. He helps me discern what shows I should do and how I should price my work. Thirty-two hours after we got home from our family trip to Michigan, Dad went back north to Ohio. He went so he could bring my younger brother, Nathaniel, to a dulcimer competition (By the way, Nathaniel won first place!!!). Yes, Dad makes dreams come true. I don't know why God gave me such a good Dad but I'm sure glad he did.

Sketching

2010-06-07T09:10:00.003-04:00

Sketching is one of my new projects. My drawing teacher thinks I really need to look at things- not just assume that I know what they look like. So I've been assigned sketching. Hopefully it will help me be more observant. I, along with my family, are leaving for a trip up north this Thursday. We'll be gone for about a week so I won't be blogging- I'll be sketching. Along with visiting relatives I'm going to a World Wide Pressed Flower Guild gathering where I'll be taking classes and will be able to talk to pressers who have been pressing much longer than I.

My Room Smells Like A Thrift Store

2010-06-01T18:37:00.004-04:00

I had two jean skirts and a pair of pants that I didn't like and so I cut them into pieces. After mixing up my pieces I sewed several of them back together into a skirt, using a sewing machine. I sewed the little flowers on by hand. I used the top of one of the skirts for a waist. That way I didn’t need to mess with zippers or buttons or anything. I want to make more of theses skirts to be able to wear around the house. They're practical. Because of the textures and colors I don’t think stains will show up to badly on them. Mom, Autumn and I went to the thrift store where we bought all sorts of frumpy jean jumpers and pants to turn into skirts- hence my room ended up smelling like a thrift store.

Warm Amidst Cold

2010-05-24T17:26:00.002-04:00

This lady I imagine is walking through the snow in order to carry a hot meal to a family who may be sick or who may have a new baby. I admit, I did get help from Jo March of Little Women. I got on youtube and found the 1998 Little Women clip were Jo and her sisters carried food to a needy family so I could get a better idea of what it should look like.

This picture is made of: garlic peel, poinsettia, Japanese maple, poppy seed, bark, corn silk, bean strings, cotton and I'm not sure what her dress and bonnet are made of.

I Have A Great Mom

2010-05-09T21:14:00.005-04:00

My Mom Allows Me To...

Use her baking soda to boil magnolia leaves to skeletonize them

Fill the house with explosions of cattail fuzzies when a picture needs a little snow

Use her cutting board when I need to slice open daffodil flowers

Fill her refrigerator with flowers that I haven't gotten around to pressing yet

Take two rooms to use as pressing studios

Use her toaster oven to activate my desiccant board

My mom has listened to me practice the same talks over and over again for various programs and been a constant encouragement and motivation with my art work. The list goes on and on. Lately Mom has pressed dozens of butter cups for me. Thank you Mom!

Framed!

2010-05-04T08:43:00.004-04:00

My rose picture finished getting framed! I remember in the beginning of my picture-making career how much it struck me that a frame can make a picture look so much more like a piece of artwork. There are some artistic mediums where I think some of the pictures look better without a frame, but I think mine are best framed. It is also very interesting in the frame shop to see how different various colored mats make a picture look. There are some mat colors that will make the whole picture look sad, mats that will draw too much attention to themselves and then of course there is that mat that looks just right. Something that we try to keep in mind when framing is to let the framing compliment the picture not the other way around. The art is the focus; framing frames it. Anyway those are my two cents. Enjoy the picture.

She's On Her Way

2010-04-25T08:06:00.003-04:00

Miss Cecile

2010-04-20T08:10:00.007-04:00

No, this is not Miss Cecile. This is the scarecrow my friend Miss Cecile made. This scarecrow's name is Daisy. I think this is the fourth or fifth year of Daisies. Daisy stands in the vegetable garden of the Mauldin House Gardens, the public garden where I volunteer. This year Daisy's a little older, she is now wearing her hair up. Miss Cecile has her dressed to be a governess or a teacher sort of person. I think she made her face by covering a gourd with paper clay, which is like paper mache'. Miss Cecile is a seamstress who worked in the fashion industry. She can make anything she wants to make. Her main art form is jewelry since that's how she makes her living. You can see her work here- always so well done.

Spring Tresures

2010-04-10T19:00:00.000-04:00

Pitcured above are very young oak leaves. Now that they've started growing they will very quickly grow big and green. So now's the time to catch and press these little tresures. But it's not just oak leaves. Many trees have young leaves this size but in different shapes this time of year. The maples are pretty neat right now but they don't have the little red coating on them. They look bright green. These oak leaves feel like they have a soft coating over them. One side is redish and the other side is grayish. You can gently scrape off this coating and find green leaves under it. Bellow you can see how I used some tiny oak leaves for one of my pictures.

Things In The Works

2010-04-05T09:54:00.006-04:00

Making a tree out of leaves.

Creating a camel.

Beginning the Santa Maria.

Taking Show Inventory

2010-03-27T14:26:00.005-04:00

Today I took inventory of my corn husk dolls for the Mountain Laurel Festival. The show will be on May 15 in Clarkesville. I already have 26 little tiny dolls and 15 regular-sized doll. I hope to make more of both, along with some sheep and maybe a Nativity set. I have a lot of dolls with fall colored accents. I probably should focus on adding some pinks, blues, greens etc. People also seem to like sweeping dolls, and I only have one of those.

The Rope Broke

2010-03-24T20:22:00.006-04:00

I've always admired tire swings. I've swung on them some but don't really have a personal attachment to one. However, I do have a personal detachment to stick swings. I tied one end of the rope to a stick and the other to a branch, but then it broke. My memory is a little blurry but I think the rope broke while I was swinging.

How Do You Press Your Flowers?

2010-03-19T15:39:00.011-04:00

"How do you press your flowers?"

This is a question I'm often asked. The answer is that I generally press with one of three different methods.

1. The method I most frequently use involves a homemade press made of peg board, air conditioning filters and paper. The peg board pieces make up the top and the bottom of the press. In between them you layer the remaining items as follows: air conditioning filter, blotting paper, flowers, blotting paper, air conditioning filter and so on. An advantage of this method over some others is that the air conditioning filters allow the flowers to sink in so the entire flower becomes exposed to pressure and not just the thick center. A lot of presses include wingnuts and bolts on all corners to give the flowers pressure. Instead of tightening nuts, I stack heavy boxes on my presses for the pressure.

2. Another favorite method of mine is the Microfleur. With this press, you sandwich your flowers, pop them into the microwave for several short spurts, and you have pressed flowers within minutes. You probably wouldn't use this method if you had hundreds of leaves to press because it would get pretty tedious and time consuming to be constantly taking leaves in and out of the microwave. Also, you have to let the microwave cool every now and then or else you'll catch it on fire...Sorry Mom and Dad! The advantage is you have what you need when you need it. If I'm working on a picture that just needs one special flower it's nicer to press it and have it immediately than to have to keep my picture on hold for five days while the plant material is pressing the other way. Another good thing about the Microfleur is that it allows you to press wet fleshy things such as mushrooms. Since it presses things so fast, the mushrooms or whatever don't have time to get moldy or yucky in their press.

The other way I occasionally press and which I would recommend to a beginner is to use a phone book. The phone book was my first press. You can use it to find out if you like pressing flowers before you invest money in presses. You simply open the book, put in a piece of blotting paper, the flowers and another piece of blotting paper, then turn a chunk of pages and keep layering throughout the book. Weight on top of this is a good idea.

Basic Pressing Guidelines:

1. Most pressing methods that I'm aware of have you put your plant material between a couple of pieces of blotting paper. I'm not sure if my definition is correct but I think of good blotting paper as any paper that doesn't have newsprint on it. If you use paper towel, make sure it doesn't have texture, unless you want little clouds embossed on your rose petals. Computer paper works well.

2. Contrary to those who say you should press flowers for a couple of months, what I've heard as a general rule is to let your flowers press for about five days. The flowers will feel different when they're done. They will not be as flimsy, they should feel paper-like and not wet.

3. Over the course of the pressing time it may be good to change your blotting paper a couple of times if it feels wet.

There are many, many other methods of pressing, but so far theses have worked well for me.

Which One?

2010-03-11T09:04:00.004-05:00

Late last year I was commissioned to make a reproduction of one of my earlier pictures, Mushroom Creek. So to fulfill the commission I started making the picture shown directly above, but I didn't like the way it was coming out, so I started over and made the picture shown above it. While making this picture I wasn't sure about if I should do a particular detail or not. So I called the lady who commissioned it to see what she thought. She asked if I had more than one of this picture so she could choose. As a matter of fact I did. So I finished both of the pictures so she could choose. I ended up happy with both pictures. The lady ended up happy with the pictures. She chose the bottom one, the one I started in the beginning. And now I am happy to have an extra picture I could sell at a show.

Old Art Work On Yellowed Paper

2010-03-04T09:45:00.011-05:00

About five days ago I had the privilege of sitting at my grandma's table to sort through my dad's old, old school papers, stories and drawings. It was neat to see the many pictures he drew of fish, the different mediums he used and how some of the work showed signs of who he is now. I put the pictures and things into page sleeves. I enjoyed seeing what Dad used to draw. Isn't it cool to see work on yellowed paper. Grandma says she doesn't know where Dad got his obsession with the Jolly Green Giant, but he was one of Dad's favorite things to draw.

Shepherdless Sheep No More

2010-02-22T08:57:00.008-05:00

Of course, sheep need shepherds, which is exactly the void we filled last Saturday. A few weeks ago, you may remember, I taught a class in which we made 60 corn husk sheep as table decorations for a church reunion. Well we can't have 60 unshepherded sheep running around the church, can we? So Last Saturday I taught 4 adults how to make corn husk shepherds. Our original goal was 30 shepherds but after a little refiguring we realized that our first calculation was a bit off, we really only needed about 15 shepherds. So we made our new goal, and I was proud of my students, who did a really good job.

Rose In A Glass Class

2010-02-14T18:10:00.004-05:00

This picture is my version of an online class I took with the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild. It's one of my few pictures that features a whole flower. Ironically though, it really isn't a flower at all. It's really a bunch of birch bark from my uncle's and aunt's house in Michigan, which I cut into little pieces. This was a good, challenging class taught by a lady who lives in Russia. By the way, did you know that loofah sponges don't come from the sea? They're a kind of gourd that grows on a vine. Do you see where I used it?

This picture is made of: some sort of dead daylily or iris foliage, loofah, Queen Anne's lace, onion membranes, maple and birch bark.

Inexpensive, Modest, Non-Frumpy, Practical, Feminine Clothes

2010-02-09T09:18:00.008-05:00

Have you every tried to find inexpensive, modest, non-frumpy, practical, feminine clothes? That's a tall order. It can be discouraging, walking through stores.

One solution I've found for work clothes that don't look like boy clothes is to paint t-shirts. Sometimes you have to go to the boys section to get good t-shirts, but then you transform them with a little fabric paint. I paint flowers on my shirts, but any little detail on the sleeves or pretty design would make it look more feminine. I'm not a good painter. I usually make a big cartoony, muddy, mess. But fabric paint is usually fairly easy to work with. You can paint with the bottle but I prefer to pour the paint out on a plate and use a paintbrush on the shirt. That gives me better control. After a day or two of drying, the shirts can go in the wash just like any other t-shirt, except you should inside-out them when they're in the wash. Some of the paint may chip off over time, especially when you've painted it too thick.

Second-hand stores are cool too!

Plant Agent Returns

2010-02-02T20:16:00.018-05:00

Miss Charle' is over the gardens and grounds of the City of Clarkesville. About five years ago she wrote an article for the newspaper. My Mom contacted her through the article to see if she'd be willing to take on a little 10-year-old apprentice. She was willing - we've worked together ever since.

Miss Charle' has been a huge supporter of my business from the beginning. I consider her my plant agent. If I'm working on a picture with some weird color or texture that I'm having a hard time matching, I'll tell Miss Charle'. Sooner or later she'll come up with something. Miss Charle's good at seeing things when others don't. She'll point out the grand texture in the seemingly ugly brown leaf.

Miss Charle's also introduced me to the garden club, which has opened up into many good things. Miss Charle' practically forced me to start doing the two-minute plant lessons once a month at the garden club meetings. Through that simple exercise I've been learning how to prepare for speaking and overcome the fears of speaking in front of people. Wow, I didn't want to do it, but she made me, and I'm so thankful.

Miss Charle's a good friend of our family. She's always bringing us something, whether it be a snack, a building pallet, a leaf or a book. She knows what we like. Miss Charle' is finally back from her two-week trip. She's been working among the needy in Central America. She's been struck by the fact that the people don't have poor self-pity sorts of attitudes. They live in poorer conditions than we can truly grasp, but they plant gardens outside of their houses.

I'm glad Miss Charle' had a good time on her trip, but it's so nice to have her back home!
If you want to see some artwork, just come to the Mauldin House Gardens in Clarkesville, where you'll see these gardens Miss Charle' planted. Above is a slideshow to give you a sample.

Scarlet Returns

2010-01-26T09:54:00.003-05:00

Mom and I had a good laugh when this Scarlet O' Hara was rediscovered. She had been in my closet and forgotten about. I probably crotcheted her when I was 9 or 10.

60 Sheep Down, 30 Shepherds To Go

2010-01-25T08:22:00.007-05:00

Last Saturday I instructed around 15 people, mostly children, on making corn husk sheep. The goal was 60 sheep to decorate the church. We figured that people would have to take home materials and make several sheep at home, but to my happy surprise all 60 were completed within a few hours! What a good, diligent class!

Prior to the class I trained my dad and my brother in sheep making. That way they were able to be good helpers during class. They did such an excellent job. It's so wonderful to operate as a family and always have someone there to advise, encourage or help you. It was very practical for Dad to take us there and for us to work together rather than meeting up with a group of friends to teach them how to help make sheep and then meet up with them again on the actual day of teaching. God designed the family for a reason.

Now, the next step is teaching the adults how to make shepherds to go with the sheep. The goal for them is 30.

Untitled Picture

2010-01-17T14:00:00.007-05:00

Sheep are mentioned 189 times in the Bible. Sometimes they're talked about in the context of sacrifices, but the Bible often compares people with sheep. Like sheep, we've all gone astray and are in need of Jesus, The Good Shepherd. Isn't it comforting to know that whatever we get tangled up in, Jesus, who laid down his life for his sheep, is always there to save us?

This picture is made of: aucuba, money plant, cotton, maiden grass, cattail, poinsettia, smoke tree, corn husk, cornflower, dill and basil.

Inspiration Comes From Strange Places

2010-01-10T10:17:00.006-05:00

Inspiration comes from many strange places, but the inspiration for this picture may be my strangest yet. There are a couple of girls from church whom I admire for their butterfly like attitude. They fly about the church smiling and encouraging and cheerfully greeting people. And believe it or not, they were the inspiration for this picture.

This picture is made of: butterfly weed, aucuba, corn husk, cornflower and cosmos.

Card Prints

2010-01-07T19:15:00.007-05:00

For a while I've wanted to get together enough cat pictures that would coordinate nicely to form a card set. I thought I had four suitable cat pictures that could be printed and that we could have ready in time for Christmas. But at the last minute I found that I didn't have one of the pictures I thought I had. It was hard for me to settle for only three cats, so I made that picture in the lower right hand corner of the cat with a ball of yarn. We got the cards printed in time for Christmas presents, and now I have another original. We ordered the cards from http://www.vistaprint.com/ and were happy with the results.

Jesus and Me

2010-01-05T10:33:00.001-05:00

Often I turn 3-dimensional things into 2-dimensional things but this is the first time I've turned a 2-dimensional thing into a 3-dimensional thing. A good friend of mine commissioned this. It's a corn husk doll imitating folk artist Linda Anderson's painting of The Good Shepherd. I enjoyed making it and learned many things in the process.
I told my little sister that it is supposed to represent Jesus and one of us. So now she calls this sculpture "Jesus and Me."

She Let Me Pick Her Passion Flowers

2010-01-02T18:38:00.002-05:00

Mrs. Darlene Mae Millard Spratlin had a beautiful style of pressed-flower artwork, much different from mine. She used more whole flowers, brighter colors and was very precise, as you can see in her picture above.

Mrs. Spratlin helped set me on the right road when I first started pressing flowers. She introduced me to the microwave flower press. She taught me what kind of glue to use and how much. She taught me the proper way to pick violas and answered many of my questions. She tried to teach me how to be organized, but I didn’t do so well there. She would also let me come over to pick her passion flowers. Mrs. Spratlin was our neighbor and a good one too. She let me come down and borrow things I needed, but often she just gave them to me. She even gave my brother her lawnmower and hired him to cut her grass while she was selling her house.

One of the best things she did for me was to introduce me to the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild. She hosted the first WWPFG conference I attended, which was held walking distance from my house. I also rode with her and another friend to the last WWPFG conference, which was held in Tennessee.

Mrs. Spratlin died the day after Christmas 2009. I was glad to have had the time with her that I did have. I’m glad to know I’ll see her in Heaven, but I, like many others, will miss seeing her here on Earth.

Merry Christmas Grandpa!

2009-12-29T11:14:00.003-05:00

A little over a year ago my Grandpa (on Dad's side of the family) saw a picture I made of a brown trout and he wanted it, but it already sold. So back in August Grandma Mary and I started plotting for a Christmas Eve surprise. Grandma Mary commissioned and I cut leaves. Grandpa was happily surprised.
This picture is made of: lily, tomato peel, aucuba, money plant, skeletonized magnolia leaf, onion peel, periwinkle, fall leaves, azalea and heuchera.

Glory To God In The Highest!

2009-12-25T17:01:00.005-05:00

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:9-14

Merry Christmas!

On Mom's Back

2009-12-18T16:32:00.003-05:00

This mama bear is very patient and nice, kind of like my mom. My mom has five cubs and we all get on her back from time to time, but she’s very patient and not quick to growl. She knows that we get older every day and that someday she may miss having us on her back- maybe.

This picture is made of: banana peel, pampas grass, mushrooms, cornflower, maple, bark, mulberry, eggplant leaves, oak, garlic peel and mica.

The Culprit

2009-12-14T16:20:00.004-05:00

This picture is made of: corn husk, cotton, cattail, smoke tree, maiden grass, pampas grass, aucuba, poppy seed, lettuce, mica, dogwood, mica and fall leaves.

Double "In Daddy's Arms"

2009-12-09T12:26:00.002-05:00

At my last show I was commissioned to make two of the same picture for two different people. It shows that even though both pictures are made out of almost the exact same plant material, individual leaves naturally look different.

Christmas Time is Here

2009-12-02T22:10:00.004-05:00

It's the Christmas season! My family has been decorating for the last two days. Above is a slide show of a Nativity I made out of corn husks.

A Great Art Show!

2009-11-25T07:15:00.003-05:00

Saturday's art show was great! It was a good day of talking to people and showing and selling my artwork. I know Mr. Kollock had a nice day too. Many of our friends came including my grandparents who came up from Canton. It was great weather for the show. Now I have several commissions to fulfill but today my family is leaving for a Thanksgiving family visit and we won't be back until Monday.

Art Show Tomorrow!!!

2009-11-20T16:46:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow is the art show I've been preparing for. It's a harvest festival to be held at the home of John and Nancy Kollock's from 10:00-5:00. Mr. Kollock will have his watercolor originals, prints and his latest book. My brother, Nathaniel, will be playing his mountain dulcimer but he'll have to leave around 3:00. I'll have my pressed-flower pictures, corn husk dolls and will bring out my T-shirts and totes for the first time. Come if you can!

Successful Transfers

2009-11-08T07:45:00.007-05:00

Some months ago I posted that we got a heat press in order to get some of my pictures on totes and T-shirts. Well, after a long time of trial and error, we are finally getting it right! We've had valuable suggestions from friends and have made a lot of mistakes. But we now have the formula for good transfers. One thing that really helped was putting a piece of matt board inside whatever we were pressing in order to get a very flat surface. (We learned matt board works better than cardboard unless you want a corrugated image). Another thing is that often the images come out darker than the original picture so before I print the transfers I usually brighten them up with a photo editing program on the computer.

Pileated Woodpecker

2009-11-03T07:19:00.002-05:00

This picture is made of: hydrangea flowers, hydrangea bark, aucuba, cotton, mica and a fall leaf.

A Nice Open House

2009-11-02T08:34:00.007-05:00

Yesterday was the Christmas Open House at Homestead House and I think it went very well. I sold some corn husk dolls, talked to a lot of people, drank some apple cider and just had a good day. My dad and brother played dulcimers on the cabin porch. The weather was very nice- always something to be thankful for with an outdoor show. There was a steady flow of people- also something to be thankful for. I hope the other vendors did well too.

Christmas Open House At Homestead House

2009-10-27T07:50:00.003-04:00

Here's an add for where I'll be this Sunday. I'll just have my corn husk dolls out there. My dad and brother are going to be playing their mountain dulcimers and we'll all be dressed in 1860's styled clothing. We may get there up to half an hour late (Dad and Nathaniel are playing at church beforehand) but anyone is welcome to come. Click here for directions.

Little Lady

2009-10-26T10:21:00.004-04:00

This picture is made of: daisy, dogwood, corn husk, a skeletonized leaf, aucuba, Queen Anne's lace, corn silk, bark, cantaloupe peel, maple and something I don't know the name of for the border.

Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair

2009-10-24T08:12:00.007-04:00

A couple of friends of mine where going to the 16th annual Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair. They had an extra seat in their car and invited me to come along. There was yarn everywhere I looked, as well as spinning stuff, felting demonstrations, pattern books and much more. I saw light-up knitting needles (I guess so you can knit in the dark), and larger-that-life knitting needles like in the picture. It was nice walking around the show with Miss Cecile and Miss Carol because they could tell me what I was looking at. I bought some wooden knitting needles, gray yarn and some roving in hopes of learning how to spin. Oh, and we saw rabbits and alpacas. Below is a movie of the alpacas and the funny sounds they make.