Collage Mania and a taste of Spring

The collage preview is now online for Fiber Art For a Cause Collage Mania. There are 39 pages filled with 383 pieces of gorgeous art that will be for sale May 5-7. This is an awesome opportunity to acquire a piece of original art for a reasonable price, and even better, the money is paid as a donation to the American Cancer Society! Virginia Spiegel has raised over $170K for the ACS through FFAC. My collage is on page 31.

These photos are from a couple weeks ago. I have been really busy lately and needed to take a break from blogging. Hopefully I will be back in the swing soon. For now, enjoy these photos of April in North Carolina, all of which were taken at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens.

Wisteria. This stuff is gorgeous when in bloom and smells divine, but the vines are so strong they will pull down all but the sturdiest structures!

This tulip was begging to be photographed. Isn't it beautiful?

Lilacs! OK, I grew up with lilacs in Western NY, but they need the cold winters to set there blooms. Lately I have heard rumors of a new variety that can bloom in our warmer climate...could it be true? Oh I hope so. This bush was gorgeous and it has been YEARS since I've had the opportunity to enjoy lilacs.

There was this little patch of purple Anemones hiding under a tree. They were so sweet and impossibly purple. No matter what I tried, they photographed blue, but the looked like they'd been doused in grape KoolAde. Something else for my garden!

And fianlly, bamboo, better in that garden than mine! Some of the stalks had been cut down and were sending out squiggly new green shoots. Very cool.

I hope you are enjoying the season, wherever you live, and whatever it may be!

Life's A Beach!

I told you it was madness! I have been feverishly working on bottlecap jewelry for the Cary SpringDaze festival coming up on April 25th. If you are local, please come and stop by and say hi!

I also have some GREAT news! I entered the "Life's a Beach" challenge offered by Cloth Paper Scissors magazine, and my piece was selected! It is in their hands and I am hoping it will make its way into the July/August issue of the magazine. I will let you know!

In the meantime, I made another page for the book page swap that I am doing with a private group. The theme is "dream home" and this page is for Lori, whose dream home is at the beach. My room for her is the Lanai, or back porch ... with a view, of course!

The sea shell wind chimes sway in the breeze, the coconuts are buttons made from coconut shell, the flowers are punched from a tin can, and the sea foam is made from a cellophane gift bag.

On the back, I included some items necessary for life at the beach... most importantly, margaritas with salted rims!

This month I am making a page for Heather in Scotland. I have my idea and hope to begin work on it by week's end. I'll be sure to share the results! Just think, I might actually post twice this month. Gasp!