More plants, artists & other pics from PlantFest

 I love these vibrant bromeliads!

Last weekend was the Tampa Garden Club's annual Plant Fest.  The day was sunny and with temps in the high 70s and a breeze off the bay. You could not have asked for better weather! 

Front lawn of Tampa Garden Club

The family had a grand day out and enjoyed visiting with the friendly vendors. There were even fresh eggs for sale from King Farm. I took a bunch of photos & intended to share earlier, but this has been a busy week. I posted egg pictures on Monday - today we've got a mix of shots.  Plus, I'll try to add a few here and there over the next few days.

The sellers were mostly local growers and artists with great items & affordable prices. And everyone was just so darn nice. Little Dude was obsessed with these adorable wind chimes and the kind person in charge gave him this one (his favorite) at  no charge. Thanks again, Tina!

bead & flatware wind chime from Green Creations

Tina Brogdon of Green Creations (in Redington Beach, FL) was selling fun up-cycled garden decorations. She recycles tea kettles, watering cans, silverware and other metal pieces into cute windchimes and fan pulls. Discarded china and glassware is transformed into whimsical birdbaths, feeders, and solar powered lanterns. Cute & clever! For more photos of these cool garden items, click here to visit their fan page.

upcycled garden decor from Green Creations

The next table over showcased a lively display of blooming amarylis from Sweet Dream Enterprises (of Valrico, FL). Michael Sweet, one of the owners, kindly told me what was wrong with my long neglected patch of flowers. Chances are they are dead. This is becoming a trend in my garden posts, I fear. (Remember the orchids I wrote about killing last week?) But Michael gave me some tips to try to revive the amarylis, so there is at least some hope.

stuffed fabric owls by Cassandra

There was an impressive assortment of creative folks sharing their wares. Cassandra and her owls were hanging out with artist & instructor Tim Gibbons from FunkyAsAMonkey.com. Her owls will soon be available through his website.

Tim Gibbons, Greg & Cassandra enjoy a break

And of course there were lots & lots of plants. Several exhibitions were in the main building.

The overall theme was "it is all in the cards" with a variety of competitions from flower arranging to roses, bromeliads to dried displays..... and everything in between.

more lovelies from the show

There was even a photography contest which I was honored to judge. It was great fun and I have more to share, but I have promised the boys I would make double chocolate brownies before their friends stop by today. Please pop by later this week for more art and garden highlights.

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By the way if you haven't entered the 4/7 giveaway yet, you have until 1 am (EST) to leave a comment on this blog and put your name in the hat. Winner gets a free piece of art from Curioddities.etsy.com (valued at $20 or less). For details and an interview with the shop's owner, artist Clara Boo, click here.

Pop by tomorrow to see if you are the winner. I'll also have some kind of new destash giveaway posted - still trying to dig my way out of this mess and you guys are a big help! I hate to throw out useful things and can't be bothered to list them for sale lately (just not enough hours in a day).

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One last note: If you need some custom printed magnets & want to try your luck in the 4/14 random drawing, Uprinting.com is sponsoring another great giveaway! Click here for details (this one is open to USA residents only)

Musical Monday - UNKLE, Nick Cave, Renato Coresone & Eggs?

Fresh hen & quail eggs

Hey there. Once again it is Musical Monday & I never did post my photos of Saturday's Tampa Garden Club Plant Fest... sigh. Thank you for your infinite patience. I think I need to accept that I am getting old. Or drinking too much wine.... either way, I used to have (a) more hours in the day & (b) more energy to use them. 

What is the point of this self-indulgent ramble? I took photos of the plants & artists (there were more art booths than I expected). Sadly, this week is just crazy-busy, so I may have to share a few each day instead of the one big post I'd planned on. 

Vintage Egg Scale

The fest was smallish with about 35 vendors, but the quality & prices were fantastic! There was even a local egg farmer, King Farm. We bought a dozen & the generous owner threw in several quail eggs (the cute little speckled ones). DH fried himself some of the hen's eggs & declared them "really tasty" - I think I'll have to give them a go tomorrow & make asparagi alla bismark. <----- Definitely my Last Meal go-to dish (although I always cry a bit when I make it as it reminds me of the wonderful time I spent in Italy with my mother in law years ago). I know, I know, TMI - just let me grab a tissue  & sniffle for a sec.

Okay. I have wandered way off topic here tonight. Originally I was going to post the new UNKLE & Nick Cave which is just as good as you might expect... 

But now I am in an Italian tourist state of mind. I have shared this video before but in case you missed it way back when, hop into your time machine & enjoy:

If you are looking for more tunes (or want to add your own) be sure to visit RunDMT, Xmas Dolly and Bloggin' with Amanda.

Catch you tomorrow with a few more photos. I hope you are off to a creative week!


*NOTE: More art & plant photos added on 4/6 - Just click here. *

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By the way, a comment gets your name in the hat for my new random drawings. Click links for details:

On 4/7 one lucky winner gets a free piece of art from the fabulous Curioddities.etsy.com

On 4/14 some fortunate Joe (or Jane) gets 20 custom printed business card magnets from Uprinting.com

Enter to win 25 business card magnets of your design - ends 4/14

Uprinting.com business card magnet printing

Do you feel lucky? I sure do, especially since Uprinting.com just sent this new giveaway to share with you. (Actually my family had a crazy-lucky day today, but I'll post more about that tomorrow.)

I have been really pleased with the business cards, postcards & large prints I've received from them.... But magnets? I hadn't thought of that... All kinds of uses come to mind. Of course you can advertise your business. Or maybe print your stats for play-date info exchange. Or send copies of that cool drawing you (or your kid) made to your favorite folks. Or make little "save the date" invites..... the list really is limitless.

Want to find out more about magnet printing? Click here for details. 

So how does this giveaway work?

Prize Details:

25 Card Magnets for One (1) Winner
Cards measure 2” x 3.5”
13pt Magnet Gloss
Front Only Printing
6 Business Days Turn Around Time

To Enter:

Leave a comment on my blog before 1 a.m. (EST) on April 14. Your message enters you in the random drawing for this fun prize. Please make sure your email address is either in your blog profile or your comment, so I can contact you if you are the lucky one.

Restriction: 

Limited to US residents 18 years old and above only. (Sorry international folks - see below for another worldwide giveaway I am hosting right now)

The fine print:

This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, no monetary compensation was given and I will also receive 25 business card magnets  for hosting the random drawing. 

Hmm... I think I'm going to offer mine to some friends who are starting up a gourmet jam business. I keep my jam in the fridge, magnets on the fridge... seems like a natural combination.....

What do you think you will do with your magnets if you win?  Looking for something besides magnets? Uprinting offers all kinds of printing services. You can even find giveaways for their other custom printed items around the web at the following spots:

http://www.facebook.com/UPrinting

http://twitter.com/uprinting

http://www.giveawayblogs.com 

Thanks for popping by today & good luck! 

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By the way, any comment left before 4/7 also enters you into that day's random drawing for art from Curioddities.etsy.com. Click here for prize info & an interview with the artist behind the Curioddities creations. That prize ships free worldwide to 1 lucky winner

IF - Duet

Red's True Love

Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.  - C.S. Lewis

I am finally taking on a belated New Year resolution and tackling the wobbling mounds of unfinished pieces. Though I'm not too thrilled with the end result, I'm calling it a day on this one.

Can you believe this 1st doodle posted here in '08? Sheesh

Last weekend I ignored all of the bad reviews & went to see the latest version of Red Riding Hood. Yep, it was pretty bad... but I do love all things wolfy, so I was happy. I  also remembered that this drawing was faithfully waiting for me. So I had another go. Unfortunately I haven't yet figured out how to photograph the shiny gold bits. The dull rectangles, text & squiggle around Red's eye are a shimmery gold foil that was already on the paper. This adds a nice bit of flash & contrast to the original.

The IllustrationFriday prompt Duet has so much potential. Are you playing along this week? If so, do tell & I'll be by to check it out. If not, it is still worth clicking through to IF & seeing what others have have been inspired to create.

Regarding Little Red & her Love: the question remains will they serenade the moon together ? Or is it true that " One beast and only one howls in the woods by night. The wolf is carnivore incarnate and he's as cunning as he is ferocious; once he's had a taste of flesh then nothing else will do" ?

 

These sentences open Angela Carter's short story The Company of Wolves. I've been reading her collected shorts in Burning Your Boats, which include some juicy takes on well known fairy tales.  I've always loved the old stories but the last few years the characters have been creeping up on me again.  I've been picking up everything from The Brother's Grimm to Chesterton at the local library -  makes me want to paint again....

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On a final note, any comment left before 4/7  enters you in the random drawing for a piece of art (value $20 or less) from Curioddities.etsy.com. Click here for prize details and an interview with the artist,  Clara Boo, who's is a fan of the dark side with a wonderful sense of humor.

"My Editor" from Curioddities & other artist on FaceBook

My Editor from Curioddities

Clara Boo's Curioddities just posted this to her FaceBook Fan page (http://www.facebook.com/curioddities)& I had to share. Love everything about this photo from the color & compostion to the doodles & kitty curator.

Funny thing. I was a FaceBook holdout for a long long time. I still find it a bit of a silly time sucker but one thing I love is being able to keep up with what my favorite artists are up to, especially the ones that have been kind enough to pop by the blog for a chat or studio tour.

Clara Boo is the latest featured artist & sponsoring next week's random drawing. If you missed last Thursday's visit & prize details, click here.

In my state of perpetual procrastination, I was messing about on FB & here is what a few past featured artist are up to:

Clara with Leaf Bag by Harry Boardman

Harry Boardman (of the 365 Monster project & this interview and studio tour) posted a fantastic portrait earlier tonight. Love his linework  & the model's personality feels like it is really coming through. Harry's FB is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harry-Boardman/9012343994

from lesson 2 of Pam Carriker's online  journal workshop

Remember Pam Carriker? She kindly shared her studio with us in 2009. Not only does she have a new book published, Art At The Speed Of Life, she is still now traveling the globe teaching mixed media & journaling workshops. By the way, tonight (3/31) is the deadline to sign up for her Journal 365 online workshop. Visit her website for details or her facebook http://www.facebook.com/pamcarriker.

The Albatross (+ detail) by Myke Amend

The always fantastic Myke Amend (who shared his steamy-genius & a cool prize here last fall) never stops painting (real & digital) and shares his newest creations on his site as well as his facebook wall: http://www.facebook.com/mykeamend.

And the list goes on & on.... Actually this is kinda fun. Perhaps on the Thursdays I don't have a new interview or giveaway I should do a Where are they now? post. What do you think?

Well I've got to go. I've got to get the little guy off to bed & the grown-ups dinner on the table. Tomorrow I'm doing my first judging gig for a local photo competition so I'm pretty excited (& a wee bit nervous) about that. I'll let you know how it goes.... Till then, happy creating!

Rising fuel costs?

My 8 year old nephew's take on things.  His mom posted this homework on Facebook & I just had to share.

GreenFest photos & Musical Monday

Phelps Farm Orchids 

 Hey there. How was your weekend? Hope you had a grand time. We had fun at the annual Plant Park GreenFest. Brought home lots of goodies & photos to share. But 1st - since it is Musical Monday here's a little something to get you in the mood:

Mitch Armstrong Nursery

 (or there's always the Feed Me song from Little Shop of Horrors)

D&D Growers (links to email)

By the way, if anything catches your eye, click the purple captions to visit the vendors' websites.

Interior Gardens by Kent

The kind fellow from Gross Orchids may have lifted my Black Thumb curse - he walked me through what I did wrong 10+ years ago that killed off all of my orchids. I may finally be ready to try growing them again.

Gross Orchids

In addition to the wonderful greenery, there were many plant inspired decor items. These cute glass vases hold stem or two & hang in your window. How cool is that?

Tropical Glass Creations by Steve & Kim Schramek

It is hard to see the water in the next picture, but these mosaic fountains feature porcelain teapots & cups. The teapot pours the water into the cup and then it flows to the trough (where it is pumped back up to the pot).

by Glenn David Cryer of TheGardenWall (links to email)

We also founds delicious treats, like local honey. Love this tasting display!

herb infused "Honey with a buzz" from Briar Wood Farm Herbs

I brought home some pear champagne vinegar and a few tins of savory herb blends from V Spicery. Yummy! Little Dude & I spent ages in that booth, as he had to sniff each sample. The folks running it were very patient with us.

Fleurs de Provence

In fact the whole show was very kid friendly. Jeannine Mace from Fleurs de Provence walked LD through her photo album explaining the process of growing, picking & drying lavender.

There was also a children's tent for crafts and transplanting. LD repotted some tomato & pepper seedlings to take home.

I forgot to get a card for this garden-decor vendor. I just loved how relaxed this little mermaid looked. Maybe she is listening to some cool Musical Monday tunes...

(If you are looking for more blogs with music today pop on over to Xmas Dolly, Run DMT and Bloggin with Amanda. Sharing your tunes? Leave me a note - I'd love to enjoy whatever you are listening to today.)

sorry, I missed the name of this one - lovely roses though

Well, thanks for coming along. Today it is raining buckets here (great for the plants), so these pictures seem even sunnier to me. Actually we are very lucky - the weather this weekend (& all spring) has been fantastic.

Are you feeling lucky? Have you entered the new random drawing yet?

On 4/7 one winner will be selected from all who comment to receive an item from the fun online shop Curioddities.etsy.com. For details and an interview with the artist click here. (By the way, if you picked the "Feed Me" song, you definitely want to click through & check out the unique artwork.)