Hello hello!

April is quite over and i didn't take time to wave at you. I was taken in a whirlwind of  activities and decisions to take because of my aging parents, the coming months are going to bring so many changes in our family, and most of them are hard to accept.Plus there is so much to do in the garden, and i had not  much energy to face all this, so time passed and here i am, a bit under the weather i acknowledge.

Spring is here, full of bird songs and flowers but  after a warm beginning the temperatures are now really cold even if  most days are sunny. Perfect weather to work in the garden in fact.

And every day i have some lovely visitors:

This funny woodpecker:

I am particularly happy with this picture, it is the first time i can photography a jay, they are so shy!

Hiding in the branches.

  

If you look carefully, you will see its mate, hidden behind the leaves.I was so happy to photography them together! 

I can't resist to share some pictures of flowers with you, they bring me so much joy!

The wisteria, one of the first splendor of spring.

This white rhododendron bush in my mother's garden, white flowers always move me, don't know why.

There is so much beauty and mystery in the heart of a flower.

I  hope spring brings you warmth and a renewed energy and i wish you all peaceful and happy moments wherever you are.

Sunny monday

Bright sun and warmth on the hills, a day like this is a gift. I worked in the garden this morning, a lot of cleaning to do at this time. Flowers blooming everywhere one looks.
White violets.

My favorite photos are close-ups, especially close-ups of the hearts of flowers and the complicated heart of hellebores fascinate me i acknowledge.

This camellia, perfect mandala.

I can't resist to share this quote from Eckhart Tolle :"Seeing beauty in a flower could awaken humans, however briefly, to the beauty that is an essential part of their own innermost being, their true nature. The first recognition of beauty was one of the most significant events in the evolution of human consciousness." E.Tolle  A New Earth

I realized recently that i never showed you the stamps i make with foam, they are very easy to do  and i use them in many works.
I first draw my pattern on paper then transfer it on the foam with tracing paper. I cut the pattern out  and lastly glue it down on foamboard.

I don't create only animals or vegetal stamps. I like to make abstract patterns too.

I use them a lot in an altered book where i express my love of animals and nature.

If you want to give a try at handmade stamps, mixed media artist Tracy Bunkers published an excellent book  some years ago: "Print and Stamp" 52 ideas for handmade, upcycled print tools"
where she shows how to print and stamp with ordinary stuff we have at hand: rubber bands, garden knilling cushion,paper clips... My next step in creating handmade stamp is to teach myself how to carve them. More to come!

I send  you peaceful thoughts friends, may you be well and at ease. Namasté