Oh, goodness. It’s been a bit, hasnt it? May is a notoriously busy month, with the end of school happening, the garden going into full-force bloom and me trying to squeeze all the time I can out of the day before the kids are out for the summer, but I end up just wandering around the yard carressing flowers.

   I have gotten some painting done though (hurray!) and updated my etsy shop with freshly done prints AND new notecards, which I havent had in card form before! The painting I just finished is “Contented Spinner”, above. The original is happily sold, and I do have some notecards with her. In my excitement, I forgot to order proper prints of her, but I’ll get those on the next print run.

   I am so happy with how the notecards came out though, and they are a great size at 5×7″, so they can be mailed OR framed. The color is fantastic, and I am always so pleased with how my printer gets things made up for me. I noticed a while back that they have my calendar hanging up in their work area and was so bashfully happy to see it in use there. Which reminds me, I need to get on the 2020 calendar, because I mean to have it ready to preorder by August again.

   However, I am being absurdly distracted by the amazing roses that popped and blossomed this month….right now they have faded mostly, but Ooooooh midmonth it was all I could do to just not sit in the grass and gaze lovingly at them all…..

    These are the climbing roses outside my studio door, and they were SO, so pretty…..they’re a big pink rose and a big yellow rose entertwined together. I had put that white bench there in front of them just to move it from somewhere else, but then decided it was kind of sweet to have it there, at once helping hold up the roses, and give a pretty place to sit, under a bower of blossoms.

    I also went on a wild tear with doing some natural dye projects, and set up a table for myself out in the yard and a close line between the studio and the house. It was so handy, and lots of fun! Shown here are some pieces I dyed with brazilwood and others I did with madder root. My plan with the linen is to do a natural dye quilt. I also did some dyeing with coreopsis and indigo. SO many pretty colors! I cant wait to get started, but Im making myself finish a quilt I’ve had going for months before I start that….

Ah, but before I go, more roses….just to tide us over….
This one was my “Peace Rose” which bloomed with abandon this month…..such big, pretty flowers. I think the plant must finally be established and happy with its corner of the garden. Bloom where you’re planted and all that 😉

   Well, summer vacation is finally here for the kids, and Im working on getting a summer routine. The winds have been wild, and so has the weather….we had to be down in the basement a few minutes last night as the tornado sirens went off, but for the most part it was just a regular stormy night for us with no danger…

Hope you are well, and I’ll write more! I didnt mean for so much time to pass since my last post! I still have more to share! Come back again and say hello!~
Take Joy
H