Sunday, April 26, 2015

FLOWERING SPRING TREE Canvas: Bright Colors & New Life

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YES - it's spring and everything is green and colorful in every way.  But for me... here at the ranch... it's all about the trees.  Of course, we have evergreens so we always have green trees!  But in the spring... it's all about what trees come back - what trees lived.  

Do our favorite trees live? Will they be green again?  

We have had several summers of drought and it's so sad because you can literally hear the trees falling over from lack water.  It's a sound you just get used to but it's a sad sound.  So when the leaves start falling - you just start to think... will the tree across from the cowboy kitchen bloom in the spring?

Thus... I made a tree (my second this spring) to represent what spring means to me.  My tree is full of surprises though.  It is blooming with colors, shapes and sizes.

It also includes my favorite poem....

Trees (1913)

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree. 

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast, 

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray; 

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair. 

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.  

Poems are made by fools like me, 
But only God can make a tree. 
by Joyce Kilmer

Won't you come sit a spell with me under it's branches and celebrate spring?  Find me in one of the cedar chairs with a pitcher of sweet tea!  Hugs. joi

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I began by lightly drawing my blooming tree on a 2 ft by 2 ft canvas! Then added modelling paste for grass texture and glass bead gel for the sun. The sun was also embossed with yellow before being painted.

Sure wish my pictures were prettier. In person, this project is very light, bright and airy. The colors are vivid and fun!  




Then I began the flowers.  I sprayed some small paper doilies that I folded to look like a flower! 





Then a lot of fussy cutting of flowers.  Some I stamped and some were printed from the internet.  All were sprayed and/or embossed.









And the purple one below is soooo gorgeous. It was both embossed and sprayed. It just shimmers and glows so I just had to try to capture it in a picture!!  













The rabbit Mama and babies are metal.  I only had one set of rabbits and forgot to get a picture before painting.  But here is another set of elephants to give you and example.  I used Ranger Adirondak Inks.  It was so fun to see the rabbits come to life!  







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I used several varieties of products which are listed below.

Thank you for giving my the opportunity to present my Flowering Spring Tree to the following wonderful challenges:

Lindy's Stamp Gang - April Color Challenge





In all the Lindy's Color Challenges I have done so far...
these colors are my favorites.  Have to have more!!!

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OUR CREATIVE CORNER - April Challenge
 COLOR YOUR WORLD

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MIXED MEDIA WORLD, Challenge #2
Use Bright Colors

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Rhedd's Creative Spirit, An Altered Art Challenge Blog
Anything Goes

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Mixed Media Mojo - April Challenge
Recycle Upcycle - Flowers

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ALTERED ECLECTICS - April Challenge
Anything Goes

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Here are some of the other product used:
Just click on the links below to see product. 











Modelling Paste

Matte Gel

White Gesso

Glass Bead Texture Gel

Silks - Emperors Gold, Wisteria, Rustic Rose, Vintage Mint, Peridot

Ranger Adirondack Inks - Gold Mixative, Latte, Butterscotch, Wild Plum, Caramel

Ranger Distress Markers

Ranger Liquid Pearls and Stickles Glitter Glue - lots of colors!

Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt Pens

Wink of Stella Markers

Prima Flowers

Various jewel embellishments


I think that I will always be...
thankful for Spring buds... on my favorite tree!!!  j.

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28 comments:

Lys said...

What a wonderful Spring tree! Colours are so bright, different textures applied... and the rabbits! A very inventive creation! Thanks for joining us at Our Creative Corner.

Lisa Minckler said...

OH MY GOODNESS.....I'm in awe! This is gorgeous and it will take me hours to enjoy the variety of flowers...YEAH!! :) Beautiful work!
Lisa x

Pawsitively Creative said...

Spring has spring all over your canvas! What a wonderful work of art! It has so much depth and the colors are scrumptious! Loves it! Thanks for joning us at Mixed Media Mojo! ~Niki

Candy C said...

Joi...this canvas is fabulous! It makes me so happy just to look at it! I adore your bright whimsical flowers that you've placed on your tree branches. Such a cute design. Love your bright sun giving it's warmth to the tree. Your little bunny family are darling as well. You have done such a fabulous job on this and your blog post is awesome as well!! <3 Candy

JaMajka said...

So beautiful colors ♥ Thank You for playing with us at Lindy's Stamp Gang this month :)

Elaine aka Ellapu said...

WOW WOW WOW - I absolutely love your tree and those wabbits are just yummy - love it so much - Thank you for sharing with us over at Anything but a Card this month and hope to see you again in future challenges.

Handcrafted by Ellapu
Mother Hen for Altered Eclectics
Mother Hen for Eclectic Ellapu
DT Rhedd's Creative Spirit
DT The Mirror Crack'd
DT Anything but a Card

TangledBlueRose said...

This is just stunning! I love the bright colors and happiness! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Mixed Media Mojo!~kim

Rocky said...

Wow, what a great collection of pretty, bright flowers, spring has sprung! Thank you for joining us at Altered Eclectics.

hazel said...

This is so beautiful, I love it. Thank you for sharing it with us at Mixed Media Mojo.
xxx Hazel.

Paper Therapy Ponderings said...

beautiful project - thanks for joining us at mixed media mojo

Barb Housner (DT)

Athanasia said...

Amazing work, I love it! Thank you for joining our challenge at Lindy's Stamp Gang!

Laurie Moore said...

What an amazing tree of Spring with it's colorful flowers and warm background. I love the poem you chose to go with this sweet tribute to the Tree. Thank you for sharing your beautiful project for the April challenge "Color Your World" at Our Creative Corner. Happy Spring, xxx from DT Laurie Moore

Sue said...

I'm almost speechless! What a stunning canvas. Quite the most beautiful project I've seen in a long time. Thanks for joining us at Altered Eclectics.

yyam said...

What a beautiful tree welcoming spring! It is such a happy piece of work! :)

http://blog.timetocreate.com.au/ said...

Joi you tress is so colourful and really epitomises the joy of Spring. We are also fortunate to have big beautiful trees around our property. It is storms the cause the most damage here.
I hope that every single one of your returns - our world needs more trees and people who care about them.
Thank you for joining in with Rhedd's Creative Spirit this month.

Maria said...

Beautiful project! Love all the colors and textures! Thanks for playing along with Mixed Media Mojo this month!

Unknown said...

Joi this is really beautiful :)

steffi said...

Brilliant project - I love all the texture you've created on it :o) It would be great to see it in person - I reread the size a couple of times - it's larger than I'd realised but I think being a tree that must work so well. Thanks for sharing with us at Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Steffi xx

Sandra Wright. said...

Absolutely stunning...love the attention to detail,a truly gorgeous canvas,I adore it.
Thank you for joining us over at Altered Eclectics...x

Pamellia said...
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Unknown said...
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Vintagehandmade said...

Absolutely amazing canvas, Joi! Love the texture, fabulous colors, fantastic details! Awesome creation!
Branka xxx

Stéphanie Papin said...

what a beautiful project ! thank you for playing with the Lindy's Stamp Gang challenge this month !

Maremi's Small Art said...

Oh yes yes ! Arty tree, wow love the idea ! Thank you so much for taking part in our Lindy's Stamp Gang challenge. Best of luck. Sending you creative hugs, Marta xx

Inky and Quirky Designs said...

Wow,this is a serious piece of eye candy! It's beautiful and sooooo many little details to keep looking at,what a work of art!
While I'm here,thank you so much for leaving such lovely comments on my blog :)
Thank you for linking over at MMW and good luck ;)
Big hugs
Donna xxx

Jackie PN said...

Joi, this is just beautiful!! So gorgeous are your flowers!

experiments in paper said...

Congratulations on winning a spot in the top 3 at Our Creative Corner!! Whoo Hoooo! xx Lynn

Unknown said...

Wow!! Gorgeous mixed media tree Joi!! I love all those amazing textures you've created and the colours are just beautiful!! You did an amazing job with that colour palette from Lindy's.
Thanks for joining us at Mixed Media World
Hugs
Georgie xx DT