maureenthomasdesigns.com blog

I like to take my Monday morning garden pictures when it’s light, but before the sun starts to shine-bright without shadows. Got a late start this morning so I raced out with my macro lens and no tripod. I lucked out and got a few good closeup shots just after the sprinklers ran. I’m encouraged to try some more water droplet shots with the macro lens. If you do a Flickr search with the word “drop” or “droplet” you’ll pull up some amazing pictures.

I’ve got a tip to share (unless I’m the only one who didn’t know how to do this). A fellow Flickr member noticed that I have been watermarking my photos with (c) before my name. He filled me in on how to create a © instead! I’m running Microsoft Windows XP and I don’t know if the steps would be different if you have a different system:
~Hold down the Alt key
~Using the number keypad type 0-1-6-9
~Release the Alt key
~Voila!

I learned another cool trick today, but I’ll save that for tomorrow…

Maureen

Well, this morning I closed my eyes and picked a drawer. Vintage chain, colored plastic rings from an electric toothbrush, a pretty little silver wire purse/basket, and some miscellaneous doodads.
I’ve been playing with these simple polymer wafer beads for a few weeks. I’d strung and unstrung the beads numerous times and I finally just set them aside, waiting for inspiration. I decided that adding bits of one of the chains might create a more interesting necklace. I wanted to use all of the wafers so I made a long rope that can be wrapped two or three times around the neck. I think the chain makes a definite improvement in the design.
So far, so good!

Maureen

Kim Swearingen’s Gypsy Tour blog has inspired me to clear out some clutter. Some of it gets in my husband’s way. A lot of it has been getting in my way. I feel much more creative when I have lots of materials at my fingertips. I found that to be true during the many years that sewing was my passion (lots of fabric, threads, buttons, patterns, and tools). Also true with my beadwork (can never have too many beads and findings). Throw in the many other art endeavors in which I have dabbled and soon there’s tons of fun stuff to store. Many items cross over so it’s difficult to clear things out of the studio because “you never know….” The hanging on is reinforced each time you discover that a gadget stashed waaaaaay in the back has a new or unexpected use (sure glad I didn’t get rid of THAT!). But there’s a fine line between lots of good stuff and a goat explosion.

My “treasure chests” are little hardware cabinets that are jammed full of lovely vintage findings, old clasps, single fabulous earrings waiting for new lives, cabochons, bits of chain, game pieces, etc, etc, etc. Many treasures have been forgotten because they’re drowning in stuff I’m likely never to use.

220 little drawers. My husband has been challenging me to dive in, pull something out, and be inspired to create some new work. So, every few days I plan to randomly open a drawer and find something to either be rid of or to incorporate into a piece of jewelry or other art. Tomorrow will be Day One!

Maureen

Short post today, but I did get out for my weekly garden photo shoot. The weather is heating back up in Northern California and the only thing I like about that is that my tomatoes are finally going crazy! This week’s garden pix focus on bugs…

Maureen

While on my weekly garden photo shoot this morning I was just about to snag a closeup shot of one of the pots on my back deck. As I was about to snap the picture a hummingbird zipped right in front of my camera. The first shot turned out OK, but the bird blends into the plants. In the second shot the little critter is just a blur as it’s making its getaway. I’ve peen picking pears, plums, and (finally) tomatoes. I often put underripe tomatoes on the kitchen windowsill, which catches the attention of the hummers. They’ll hover just outside the window checking it out. I’ve been noting their favorite plants: grevillea (their absolute hands-down favorite), lantana, butterfly bush, lavender, salvia, bottlebrush, and agapanthus.

Here’s what’s interesting in my garden today…

Maureen

The tomato wars continue. First, weird spring and early summer weather (as in, not our usual sunny and hot “Sacratomato” weather). Then continued deer attacks. A bout of blossom end rot. Finally got the 8 foot deer fencing up and now the tomato hornworms are in full force. Veggie gardening is certainly not for the faint of heart! Here’s what’s happening in my garden today…
Maureen

…..well, not exactly MY garden today, but in the general vicinity. Took a nice long walk with a friend at a local park where we meet occasionally to get some exercise. Beautiful place with walking and hiking trails, horses, and lots of benches to take in the views. One trail leads to a large cantileevered viewing platform from which you can look at Hidden Falls. I decided that it shows the local natural terrain better than my landscaped garden so took my weekly pictures at the park today.

Enjoy, Maureen

Hot, hot, hot! The garden is looking hot and tired as is typical for this time of year in the part of the world. It takes a little harder look to find things that aren’t a bit droopy, but they are there. We finally broke down and put 8-foot deer fencing around the tomatoes – something which we’ve been meaning to do for a while. So, hopefully no more nightly shearing of the plants!

I’m enjoying my weekly forays into the garden. It sharpens my photography skills. It also simply gets me out there, something I am pretty loathe to do at the peak of summer!

Maureen
Maureen Thomas Designs

I’ve been out there shooting lots of pictures and I’m trying to make it a habit to carry my little point-and-shoot with me. I’ve also joined a number of Flickr photography and art groups. One that I’ve been enjoying is Art Inspiration Revealed, which was started by Tamara Shea of Block Party Press. Artists create and post photo collages of their work to include a photo of their inspiration. Great fun to see that sometimes a little thing can spark a great artistic idea.

I posted a collage of my new ONION SLICE pendants which includes the onion slice that inspired me to create them. I tried to come up with all sorts of clever names for the series, but they all seemed to be copyrighted business names so I left them alone….ONION SLICE pendants it is until I have a better brainstorm.
I just posted a few on Etsy. Love that I can put some of my vast vintage button collection to work so I think I’ll be making more.

I am learning more and more to keep my eyes open for interesting shapes, patterns, and colors to use in my work. Mother Nature usually provides me with inspiration, but you never know what you’ll find….

Maureen

I’ve been faithful about getting out into the garden every Monday and posting a few pictures on Facebook. I’ve also gotten hooked on a few Flickr photography groups. Color groups, artistic inspiration groups, etc. Meanwhile, I’ve been neglecting this blog.

The Sacramento summer heat has arrived, making the garden look a bit tired. So, some closeup and macro views to focus on the things that still have some life left in them.

Maureen