Here is a common pattern that occurs when problems arise in relationships:  get hurt, argue, resolve, apologize, move on.  If you are in a relationship where you seem to argue quite frequently, you are probably more familiar with this pattern than others.  If you are in a serious relationship you don’t want to break up everytime you have an argument, so you just let it all out, apologize, then make-up and move on.  But maybe there is something more that you can be doing to cut down on the frequency of these occurrences in your relationship…maybe an apology is not …read more

Flowers have inspired artists and craftspeople for centuries.  Quilt designs often have floral names.  Think about looking at the floral quilt patterns for ideas.  They can inspire other crafters, too. 
Quilters might follow the traditional patterns exactly or develop variations from them as my daughter does. 
 You could use floral designs in: 

Rug hooking (My husband’s grandmother made lovely hooked rugs with floral patterns.)
Crocheting & knitting  (My mother-in-law used flowers in some of her crocheted afghans.)
Painting & sketching (I’ve always enjoyed painting flowers, in fields and meadows, as well as in vases.  I’ve often used them in notecard designs, too.)
Latch hooking (My cousin has …read more

May this be a Happy Mother’s Day, midst the generations in your family.  This is a time of love and flowers, cards and gifts for the moms in one’s life.  May you create many happy memories and reminisce about those of years past.

The latest plant to follow me home from the nursery this spring is a delphinium. This stalwart of the English Country garden likes damp, cool climates with lots of rain. We’ll see how she likes the hot Ohio summers. If you’re not familiar with this beauty, below are a few facts about Delphiniums:

* The common name from Delphinium is Larkspur
* Delphiniums are native to the Northern Hemisphere and to the high hills of tropical Africa
* There are approximately 300 different species of Delphiniums
* Most species are toxic to animals and humans
* Delphiniums can grow …read more

You can put flowers hit or miss in a vase, or you can develop an eye for creating pleasing, often unusual arrangements.  If you’d like to develop the knack of floral arranging, check out those that capture your attention.  Some may be truly artistic, others whimsical, even others humorous.

Some ideas to consider:

Do you want to use artificial, silk or natural flowers?
Do wild flowers catch your attention?
Look for flowers on sale that you might use for arrangements.
Check with a florist and see if they have leftover flowers
Perhaps a local florist teaches floral arranging classes or someone does in a continuing education …read more

As I pull out my sketch book and various pencils and colored markers, my thoughts turn to spring and my enjoyment of flowers.  I’ve often drawn and painted flowers, used them dried in crafts, and gathered them for bouquets.
Recently I viewed a demonstration by a fabric artist where she used her floral sketches for small mixed media “quilts.”  She scanned her sketches onto firm
fabric, treated them with gesso, and then filled in with scraps of fabric, paper (including torn pieces from a phone book), yarn, floss, and other embellishments.
Before there were too many embellishments, she did decorative stitching by machine.  …read more

I’m dreaming of spring flowers, new fabric to be used, new patterns to try out and a new studio to get in working order…
At least the flowers in my studio are cooperating
My hoya plant is in full bloom and smells glorious at night!  In fact, you can smell the flowers when you walk past my studio – they’re that strong.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to stop daydreaming and finishing priming the walls of my house – just a few more days until moving day!

Journey North is a year-long, free nature adventure event for youth. The major activity season for Journey North actually kicks off in February but kids can join up at any time. Through May (and beyond) there’s plenty of learning and fun to be had.

WHAT IS JOURNEY NORTH?
A North American adventure for kids that allows them to log-in online (for free) and participate in a “Global study of wildlife migration and seasonal change.” Students K-12, chat and post about their personal nature field observations with other students across the country. Homeschoolers or unschoolers will like this project as well.
The site …read more

Creating collages about spring provides enjoyment for youngsters and adults.  These can be very simple or they might be detailed, made with a great deal of thought.

Cut out pictures of birds and flowers from magazines and catalogs.  Arrange them haphazardly or planned to tell a story, on poster board.  This is fun to do with youngsters in school or at home.  Perhaps they can write a poem about spring to accompany.
Find around you in the yard, the woods (our yard is part of the surrounding woodland), or along a back road natural objects that remind you of spring and …read more

Recently I came across a little list of “fun surprises” in one of the women’s magazines, I can’t remember which. On top of the fact that it was certainly a fun surprise to come across this list while getting a pedicure, the items on the list — which included a spotless oven — got me thinking about what my own list would look like:

Spotless refrigerator
Unexpected thank you or apology
A perfectly timed, hassle-free commute
That glint in your dog’s eye when he comes running toward you
Midnight snacks
Hubby helping around the house without asking “Can I help?”
A glorious fall morning
Photo of yourself …read more