Queen of Hearts?

I have six bleeding heart plants outside my studio window and wanted to share their delicate structure with you all. I especially love the way there are tiny water drops heading down the white center stamen, a surprise in my photo. Their beautiful color, interesting heart shape and little flaps to the side create such intrigue in their construction. Yet they hang together in tiny rows gently swaying with each and every breeze that comes their way. Mother Nature did it again and somehow she is even making me think of the Queen of Hearts of Alice in Wonderland. I know, my mind wanders in all directions but it's never dull :)

Beautiful Day

After the continual drizzle of rain the past few days, we finally had a beautiful, bright, sunny day. What a better way to celebrate than take some photos of the magnolia tree with the vibrant blue sky as a backdrop. Not only are the colors stunning together but the flowers almost look pasted on and I love that quality. Would you have put this color combination together? Me, probably not because I usually don't go that bright but if I muted it down, it would be interesting to play with. Maybe I should start with a collage in the background and paint the flowers on later, hummmm, off to the drawing board...

Double the Beauty

Some Thesaurus words for "bloom" - blossom, bud, burst, develop, efflorescence, floret, flourishing, floret, fructify, germinate, grow, opening, prosper, sprout, succeed, thrive and wax.

Its has been raining off and on for the last couple of days and I just loved the way the magnolia tree looked. The branches so full of blooms were literally hanging to the ground letting me get some great shots of the large blossoms. The sun was peeping in and out of the clouds letting bursts of light come over these wet flowers giving me a great opportunity for some fantastic shots. Here's one of my favorites because it is just so intense with the sunlight and the vibrancy of the green grass behind them not to mention the deep magenta at the base of each flower.

Word - Bloom

The word for this week is bloom.

Its noun meaning: flower or amount of flowers; the period or state of flowering; a state or time of beauty and vigor; a powdery coating; rosy color; an appearance of freshness or health.

Our beautiful magnolia in full bloom this year. I loved the contrast of the intense green grass and the blue grey of the tall trees in the background. It looks small in comparison but in reality, I come up to the lowest branch on the right hand side. It is just awesome! Even the neighbors drive slowly by to see all its beautiful blooms.

Peep Show

Now get your minds out of the gutter, it's Easter after all :) I just wanted to share this little "peep" show with you all and wish you a Hoppy Easter!!

The Guardian

I love bloodroot. It is a very unusual yet abundant flower around our property and I can't take enough pictures of it. Not only are the flowers extremely white with bright yellow centers. But as you can see in this photo, the tall spike behind the flower is a bloom waiting to hapoen. My favorite part though is the way the leaf wraps around each flower stem as if protecting it from the weather, sun, me, you name it. It's like a little warrior shielding any harm that comes near and I like that. Over time, the leaf becomes huge and will actually cover the flower completely giving it a sanctuary of its own to dwell in - isn't that sweet? Now, imagine a whole little area covered with these strong guardians, brings a smile to my face just thinking about it :)

Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day I'm having a sale on this acrylic mixed medium pattern packet. The decoupaged article will be customized to your town with two surnames so you can have a lot of fun with people, especially if you don't garden. Hope you plant something colorful today! To find out more visit http://www.kellyhoernig.com/

Introducing Art E.

Wanted to introduce you all to Art E. the Eggstraordinary. It's my latest colored pencil project and available at http://www.kellyhoernig.com/. In observation of the Easter holiday, he will be $10 through April then up to $15. So take advantage of the eggstra special rate and get yours today :)

Peek-a-boo

Some Thesaurus words for "classic" - archetypal, champion, consummate, definitive, distinguished, esthetic, excellent, famous, fine, flawless, ideal, master, paradigmatic, perfect, prime, quintessential, standard, superior, top, vintage.

Wanted to add a little playfulness to this classic beauty. Surrounded by the flora of star magnolias, she looks like she is having a lot of fun hiding behind the tree giving us just a little peek of her. The scene just brings a smile to my face - hope you like it!

Word - Classic

The word for this week is classic.

Its noun meaning: a work of enduring excellence and esp. of ancient Greece or Rome; a traditional event.

I just love english gardens with all their structure and elegance but most of all for their statuary. I have dreamed about them in my yard since I was a child and I finally have them. Now I'm just waiting for their decay. Yep, the falling off of parts and pieces to add to their charm. I wanted to capture the beauty of Venus here with the star magnolias behind her. This particular one is graced by three of them surrounding her and believe me when I say it is a beautiful sight. So you ask, what does this have to do with the word classic? Well, it's my fairy tale after all and isn't that a traditional event for a young girl.

Center Sun

This tulip is small, not even the size of your palm, but it seems so much larger. I wanted to get you up close and personal with the exquisite center detail of this flower. The rainy morning gave me added sparkle on the petals and around the stamen, aren't they just glorious? Whenever I can get water on a plant, my heart just leaps with excitement because I know it adds so much to your visual perception. Okay now, back to this tulip. When I was taking photos I couldn't help notice the similarity to the sun. An intensely vibrant yolk colored center with softer beams radiating outward, add the six equally spaced reaching stamen, what more could you ask for? I'm always impressed with Mother Nature and her gifted imagination. Aren't we lucky to discover her hidden treasures each and every day? I can't wait until tomorrow...

Yard Star

We have about about 8 of these star magnolias around the property and I have to say, they are starting to really bloom. I love the touch of white they give to the yard that is just starting to green up after the long winter. It is a thing of beauty, trust me on this. Their delicate petals, tint of pastel pink and soft yellow centers are something I look forward to each and every spring. I just can't wait for them to become the small trees they are suppose to be. When you buy them small, you just have to be patient however, patience isn't one of my strong points :)

Ahhh, Spring.

These little flowers are just outside my studio window. From the backside they are mostly blue violet and not very shapely. But, when I went outside for a closer look, imagine my surprise of finding a white middle, bright yellow center and a six pointed star. Add a couple raindrops and the skinny green leaves, a great little bouquet to share with you all.

Around here the daffodils are in full bloom, magnolias have started, hyacinths are on their way and greenery is popping up everywhere. It is so exciting walking around the yard seeing all the wonderful plants coming to life, I think Spring is finally here, ahhhh...

Tiny Detail

Some Thesaurus words for "charm" - allure, attract, beguile, bewitch, cajole, captivate, delight, draw, enamor, enrapture, enthrall, fascinate, grab, hex, hynotize, magnetize, mesmerize, please, tickle, transport, vamp, wile, win.

I was totally delighted to see the little red ladybug on this glorious yellow daffodil, a perfect scene in my book. It would make a great piece of art because of that tiny addition. I also like the way the top petals seem to melt into one another not really giving a sharp definition. It does help draw attention to the wonderful trumpet shape which is just stunning in detail. Hope you are taking advantage of the new growth and taking as many photos as possible. I know I am!

Word - Charm

The word for this week is charm.

Its noun meaning: a practice or expression believed to have magic power; a trait that fascinates or allures; physical grace or attraction.

Its verb meaning: to affect by or as if by a magic spell; fascinate or enchant; allure, captivate, bewitch, attract.

This little garden fairy can be seen from my studio window and I loved the shadows created by yesterdays high sun. It gives the statue such a mysterious look, perfect for this weekly word, don't you agree? The intricate details in the wings, collar and facial features make me study it with artistic fascination. I really need to find a companion piece for the other side of the tree.

Ruffles

This little slipper was so interesting up close I just had to share. Not only are the outer petals playful and ruffled extremely, I loved the color variation on them as well. Did you happen to see the little hairs on the backside? I know, very intriguing. Add the dark, mysterious throat on top of the slipper cup all spotted and delicate and I think it is just perfection. Hope you have enjoyed the orchid show through my eyes. If you ever get a chance to go to one, empty your flash drives and snap away.

Dancing Giraffes

These little orchids reminded me of dancing giraffes. Why you ask? Well, the top part has the same coloring as the graceful giant and the yellow ruffle is the little tutu swaying with the wind. I know, she's lost it, right? I just can't help what my brain wants to think and this is what I called them to remember which orchid was what. I find them so charming that I can picture them trailing, or actually tumbling, down the side of a painting. Not sure what I would include as the main subject but believe me, my creative thoughts are already thinking about the perfect combination.

Sisters

This orchid grouping just screamed to me from across the room because of its color combination. Not only are the top petals this soft, intense red violet the throat is even richer in color yet has these great little splashes of yellow orange to show off. The sunlight on this overcast morning gave me great highlights without taking away their beautiful colorings. Thank you Mother Nature for this exotic group of sisters!

Just Peculiar

Some Thesaurus words for "funny" - bizarre, curious, dubious, fantastic, mysterious, perplexing, puzzling, queer, remarkable, strange, suspicious, unusual, weird.

This was one of my favorite orchids because of it weird look. The dark spotted green petals surrounding the vibrant violet throat petal, what a combination. Why is it the unusual or peculiar always gets my attention? Artistically it would be the unexpected look I always try to add to my artwork. Yet it is mesmerizing with all of its wonderfully odd details. Strange yet beautiful, a perfect fit for my creative intuition.

Word - Funny

The word for this week is funny.

Its adjective meaning: amusing; facetious: peculiar: underhanded.

When I first saw this little orchid it made me smile. When I first saw the photo, it made me laugh. Doesn't it look like a little person making silly faces? To me, the white wild hair, yellow eyes, green mouth, erect body and pink flower tutu is just what the creative person needed - a good old belly laugh. Oh yeah, good for the soul!

Pink Slippers

These were my favorites from the orchid house a pair of pink lady slippers. I loved the soft pink colors, the long delicately twisting front petals and the full slipper. It created such a wonderful line that I can see designing with them in many ways. I would love to see a wallpaper with them nice and big showing off their elegance and style. Of course I can see them in a bright green as well as a black - wow!

Orchid House Field Trip

Went on a wonderful field trip with my Colored Pencil Society Chapter today. This orchid nursery had so many different orchids that in about an hour I had taken almost 500 photos, no kidding. This is my favorite group shot because I love the gentle arch they both form, the small buds on the top left and the colors - just beautiful. I will be sharing orchids with you all week so stay tuned for some of my favorites. My head is spinning with all kinds of creative ideas on how to use them - backgrounds, repeat patterns, outlined shapes, and sizes of all proportions especially overblown and abstract. Can you imagine? Nope, probably not, my artistic brain is a scary place sometimes :)