Yellow Asiatic Lily “Tiny Glow” – Mothers Day 2016
Tiny Glow
Your yellow is
bright and glowing
like sunshine and moonbeams.
Yet also
soft and buttery
like feathers and thick, creamy Chardonnay.
Your “Tiny Glow” is like the love
felt and expressed
in this beautiful gift
from a son to a mother.
Bright and glowing,
soft and buttery.
All in one,
and one to another.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
If only closing our eyes
and blowing fluffy white
dandelion seeds to the wind
could make our wishes come true.
The world would be filled
with buttery yellow “flowers”
instead of pesty “weeds”
and “pretty” lawns would look much different.
It’s all about
perspective.
Go ahead.
Make a wish.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Dogwood Tree Blossom, Day Dreaming in Monochrome, Mars, PA
Dreaming of
far away places
that are soft
and light
and free.
Maybe I’ll go there.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Once upon a time
a little girl was born
to the best Grandma
in the entire universe.
As time passed,
the little girl grew,
but her admiration
for the best Grandma
in the entire universe
never waned.
The grandma knew
she wouldn’t be able
to stay forever
and share her love
with the little girl
who became a woman, a wife, and a mother
who she still so greatly adored.
So she gave the woman
a plant to remember
her everywhere she would go
wherever she went
for as long as she lived.
And every May
the little girl
who is now
soon be a Grandma herself
remembers the love
from her special Grandma.
The gift of life
The gift of love
the gift from the heart
A bleeding heart.
A heart that knows
A heart that understands
A heart that consoles
a little girl, a grand-daughter,
a mother, a soon-to-be grandmother.
With admiration
beyond compare,
with love and a bleeding heart
from one little girl, mother, grand-daughter, grandmother
to another.
I love you, Grandma
now and forever.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
(My Grandma gave me this Bleeding Heart plant before she passed away many years ago. I have moved it twice. Every Spring, I shed a tear of joy, of sorrow, of love, of loss when it blooms and reminds me of one of the greatest ladies , role models, “mothers,” I have ever known. I believe it to be the most beautiful flower on the entire planet.)
Original Dogwood Blossom Watercolor Jodi McKinney
On Sunday I posted a photo I took of a blossom on one of the beautiful old dogwood trees in our front yard.
So, that same sunny, happy Sunday afternoon, I painted it, still glowing with the news we were allowed to share from the day.
The old dogwood tree, I honor you.
Thank you for blossoming each year,
hard as it may be.
You give hope of new life
as we celebrate the hope of a new life.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Do you ever get an old song stuck in your head triggered by something totally unrelated?
If you ask my family, they will tell you I can come up with a song for most any word, subject, discussion….
And to their dismay (as I truly have no musical talent!), I often break into random song most any time of day.
So ever since I painted this little poppy flower earlier this week, I’ve been walking around singing, Puppy Love (yep – 1972 Donny Osmond), but substituting “Poppy” for “Puppy.” (I know – I have issues!)
And while we are on the subject, the 9-year old girl in me remembers Donny Osmond being much more swoon-worthy than the silly kid I see now when I watch the video on YouTube.
Oh well – I guess that is why they call it Puppy Love.
I thought this Poppy would make a beautiful greeting card, so that is just what I did.
And I called it “Poppy Love.”
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Some of you may recall that Charlie mentioned yesterday how we saw Forsythia blooming right now in our little corner of the world….
in Mars, PA – where we are getting ready to transition from Fall to Winter in the next few weeks.
How could this be?
Forsythia blooms in the Spring!
It is one of the first signs of Spring.
Maybe we are skipping Winter this year…..
Wouldn’t that be a hoot!
Seems Mother Nature is very confused.
I do have to admit, it was quite exhilarating to see this unique and out-of-place pop of yellow Springyness amidst the stark brown Autumn branches.
So exhilarating that I felt compelled to do a little watercolor of them.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
My favorite shade of blue
is a flower picked
on a brisk Autumn day
by a sweet little girl
who found this gem
amidst the orange and brown and red and yellow.
She picked it
and handed it to me
with a heart of gold
that dreams of rainbows
and finds the beauty
in moments shared.
This is family.
This is love.
This is my favorite shade of blue.
I love you Ella!
You are my favorite shade of love.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Last week I posted a photo of a zinnia that seemed like it was just begging to be painted, and I couldn’t wait to give it a go!
One evening, I printed the photo and lightly drew it in pencil using my lightbox – a great tool for us beginners who so often struggle with the drawing part. (Well – let’s face it – I often struggle with ALL the parts!)
I gave it a light water wash and first glaze of pink before quitting for the evening, as I am trying to learn patience and allowing drying time to achieve more complex watercolor paintings.
When my friend, Janet was over one evening, she asked to see what art I’ve been up to. When she saw the beginning of the zinnia, she said it would be a great post to show progress photos of the steps I go through.
Yes – great idea, Jan…. but I haven’t really figured out what steps I go through really!
Anyway – Charlie and I arose early the next morning – around 5:30am – and I decided to give my zinnia another coat. Well – that led to another, and then a disaster, followed by another disaster and a third disaster.
I kept re-trying to reproduce with watercolor what I had envisioned in my head.
Now I am one to promote that it is all about the journey – all about the process – but sometimes I just want to do it perfect – do it right – do it beautiful —- and alas, it wasn’t happening with this beautiful pink zinnia.
This was my fifth effort of it, and I got to where I gave up. It is not even close to what I had envisioned, though somewhat pleasing… at least compared to the first four efforts! I tried wet on wet, wet on dry, sketch first, sketch after, no sketching…
But WHY can I not reproduce on paper what is in my head?!
This is where I call out for support and advice from my artist friends.
Please offer your wisdom.
I obviously tend to “overwork” it.
Watercolor is something I’ve just had this urging to pursue. I’ve watched a few YouTube videos, perused a few books, and follow some amazing bloggers, but I have no formal training and no artistic experience.
I would so appreciate anyone who would be willing to offer their top advice for a wannabee watercolorist!
I am writing this a few days ahead of when it will post, so who knows where my head will be when this posts. But I so look forward to your tips and advice, and hope to be feeling a little better about my watercolor journey by the time you read this.
Can the encourager seek some encouragement this time please? 😉
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
How do you know when you have one of the best of besties?
Answer #1,743: When she brings you flowers… just because… even though she abhors cut flowers.
I sure have a best bestie!
Wishing you a best kind of weekend.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
WordPress Daily Post Photo Challenge: Today was a Good Day
the creative life in between 