A Fanciful Twist

Of Hollyhock & Pencil

It's been a gorgeous spring, as the sun gets stronger and stronger.

Slowly petals droop and fall.

Another season is on the horizon in the desert.

Which includes mad tea party season, so it's exciting too.

I've been working on some drawings to share.

Some for fun, some for a freebie coming up.

I take lots of walks & runs through the garden everyday.

The little cottage sits in the back garden to the west.

So I loop around garden paths, enjoying the sights and sounds.

I planted nothing this year.

The annuals self seeded and the roses are just doing their thing.

It has been a huge luxury.

First year in 14 years that I am not working on something feverishly in the garden.

The wonderful news is that hollyhock season is fully here.

Such a lovely time.

And I'll tell you, I had to work to save all these babies.

You've heard about the gophers digging tunnels and deep caverns under all the hollyhocks.

Eating roots until they would just fall over, all over the garden.

Finally I fought back in the nicest way possible.

Just pushing the dirt back down around my plants and reinforcing them.

Hoping the gophers would get the idea and leave.

And, so far, they have.

Knock on wood.

Alas, they are attacking my plants somewhere else.

We have a true gopher epidemic, so it's just par for the course.

The good thing is, these are saved for now.

It's worth every tissue paper thin petal glowing in the sun.

Today I sat in the garden and watched the light dance through the hollyhocks.

There is a video at my instagram if you'd like to peek.

They grow taller and taller every minute.

While I draw...

In pencil and ink.

Getting some treats ready for you all.

Cozy as can be in my little cottage that hides in the garden.

Sweet little escape.

I'll wrap my drawings up, paint them and be back with some goodies very soon.

How are you out there in your neck of the woods?

 

Love, Vanessa

 

 

 

ps:  On Friday a little storm came in with cold rain and cool winds.

And then the most crazy thing happened.

Not crazy for cold states.

But crrrrazy for the desert.

It snowed on the mountain, at the end of April!

Yep, snow.

Crazy bizarre Arizona.

Don't worry, it was 82' the next day with full sun at my house, hahaha!

Probably still cold on the mountain though, as I spied a little snow lingering up there today.

 

Rose Season in our Little Secret Garden ♥

It's officially that time of year, where some kind of nature magic happens.

The roses awaken from a deep slumber with enchantment pouring over.

It's these days we like to pretend we live in our own secret garden of sorts.

I have taken ever so many pictures and have 3 blog posts worth to share today.

Fair warning I hope.

My computer monitor blew up last week and I've finally gotten a new one installed.

Which is why I didn't peek in sooner.

In the meantime I took too many photos and had too hard of a time choosing what to share.

I've never been one to be able to stick to the less is more philosophy.

Which I'm sure you know by now, haha!

And so I snapped many photos in our own little sanctuary.

Where the sun dances exquisitely at the end of the day, sending me on all sorts of dreamscapes.

Pruning roses a plenty.

Petals flying into paths, creating their own kind of bliss.

Watching colors explode.

Trying to soak it all in.

Which in all honesty is almost impossible.

For some reason I can't quite absorb all the goodness.

It's like trying to catch a firefly.

Coreopsis dance in the sun.

Hollyhocks shoot up.

Mother Mary looks on.

Watching all her roses unfurl.

All sorts of roses open up.

Tea roses.

Lavender.

Red.

Pink.

Miles reminds me so much of sleeping beauty in this photo.

The white iceberg roses shoot up tall.

Trying to keep up with the reds.

The scent...

Such a scent in the garden.

I stroll around.

Watching birds, hearing fork and spoon wind chimes clank in song.

Waiting for golden hour.

Late in the afternoon.

When the eastern facing garden has sunbeams finding their way in from the west, through the oleanders.

Making everything glow.

Orbs of sunlight bounce around.

I look down from the porch.

I walk through the paths.

I lay in the wild grass.

Nature always takes my breath away.

The gophers try to kill all the hollyhocks by eating roots.

Somehow a few manage to stand while others topple over, roots gobbled.

Oh well.

Paper flowers.

This year I have collected less roses than ever.

I have let them just dance in the garden.

Enjoying their moment.

Pups on porch.

Spent ones tossed in the air as they are pruned.

A few in pitchers.

Sweet...

Little...

Things.

Something curious is that our coral rose bush that was here before us, and could be up to 40 years old, has started gifting us some ballet pink clusters.

It gives some wine red roses also, so it must have been grafted with light pink and wine to make coral.

I loooove the light pinks so much.

Rose bonanza.

Glorious time isn't it?

The rush of blooms in spring?

Really something.

Matty guards his kingdom.

As I sit and sip tea.

Watching birds flutter.

Who am I?

This girl who loves the simple things.

I've really grown into her the last 8 years.

All my hard work in this garden for 14 years is showing its colors now.

I've been here for 14, ML for about 20+.

This year I have planted nearly nothing in the flower garden.

I'm just watching it all happen now.

What a treat.

I pull my wagon, pruning, taking a few...

Just feeling lucky to get to see this.

Light bobbing around.

The garden doing its thing.

Me, the girl who loves such cliche' things.

Like puppies and flowers and birds.

Haha!

Who would have thought?

No one could have told me I would be this girl in my 30's.

Who swings in a hammock just trying to enjoy every day life.

It's really something, when you get to a place in your soul that you can take a deep breath.

That you let go of the life flutter.

And you just enjoy the moment.

Deep breath...

 

Ahhh, it's good.

To not care about trivial things and just live.

Life is happening now.

Not later, not tomorrow, not when or if.

But now.

Now is the moment.

Spring is here.

 

We are all so lucky to get to experience it all.

Aren't we?

 

Love, V

 

What's spring sharing with you these days?

 

 

 

 

 ps:  The winner of our giveaway has been announced at the end of the Sweetapolita Bakebook blog post, here.

The Sweetapolita Bakebook ♥ {Winner Announced Below!}

Boy do I have a tale of cake to tell you.

You see, for the last couple years I have been working on some huge projects.

Finally, I can start to tell you about some of them.

One extra sweet tale has to do with cake cake cake!

One of my nearest and dearest friends, Rosie Alyea of Sweetapolita, wrote a bake book you can see right here, that was just released.

It's a beautiful treasure trove filled with inspiring pages.

Here's a snippet below ♥

We're all so excited about it around here.

The details that take place behind the scenes of writing a book are incredibly mind blowing.

One reason I know this is because I was a recipe tester for The Sweetapolita Bakebook.

What?!

Yep, it's true.

I baked and caked for months.

SO muuuuuch cake.

The thing is, Rosie's recipes aren't just beautiful, they are so delicious.

Delicious in ways I can't describe.

Her cakes are moist and fluffy, buttery and not too sweet.

They taste like cakes I had never tasted.

Fairy cake galore.

She made a cake lover outta me!

I can't begin to explain the amount of recipes I tested for her, or how many hours I baked for.

Baking is intense work, especially at that level.

But I'll tell you, it was a wonderful experience that I shall treasure.

I made cakes and sweets and cookies and candy popcorns and so much more.

 

Candy pizzas!

Disco gold cherries!

And the lightest fluffiest cake, over and over.

Scrumptious, just, wow.

Make any of Rosie's cake recipes, I guarantee you will be floored at the cake quality.

Oh oh, and what about the cheesecake?!

And homemade toffee, only one of the components of a 6 layer cake.

There was succulent red velvet cake...

Oh and buttermilk cake that would blow your mind.

Moist and smelled like a faraway dream.

I did not necessarily frost everything book quality, but it was testing recipes more than decorating.

Perfect and mouth watering.

I don't have photos of everything I made.

Or even great photos because some of the baking was done after hours.

And eaten in twilight hours.

Like this layered campfire cake.

Let's not forget the dreamy vanilla cake...

Marshmallow frosting made from scratch that is beyond words.

Candy coating for popcorn.

Sweets boiling over.

Cake everywhere.

Cake on every counter, even on the washing machine.

Cake chilling.

Frosting being piped.

Packing up cake in the middle of the night to send home with friends.

Making melt in your mouth meringues.

Dipping them in white chocolate and sprinkles.

Then eating way too many.

It was a wild ride, this baking adventure, I'll tell you.

But delicious doesn't even begin to describe how good it all was.

I fed every cashier at my local grocery store and had them begging me for more.

SO now, the good news is.....

The book is out!!

YAY!

And now you can make Rosie's astounding recipes yourself.

The inside pages of The Sweetapolita Bakebook will inspire you majorly.

It is a journey through whimsy and beautiful edibles.

Yummmm!

Congrats my beautiful Rosie friend!!!

It's a masterpiece!

 

The cherry on the cake is that I have a copy to give away, hoooray!!

Leave a comment saying what your favorite sweet is.

You'll be entered into the drawing, I'll draw a name in a couple of days.

 

And the winner of the bakebook isssss!!!

#12

Deb Dunn!!!

Hooray, you won, please e-mail me your snail mail address!

 

Sorry I took so long to come back with a winner.

Alas, my monitor blew up and I had to get a new one etc. etc.

 

xoxo

 

Love, Vanessa

 

 

 

ps:  I don't think I've ever been quoted in a book.

But this is a hilarious way to be quoted, isn't it?

Haha!

 

Let's Make Zinnia Flowers from Pine Cones!

Oh, look at all those beautiful zinnias!

But wait, what do you mean they are actually pine cones??

Yes yes, it's true.

These are pine cones pretending to be zinnias.

Pine cone bottoms that is!

You see, these came about in the most curious and unexpected manner.

One day very recently, I was sitting at my work bench, feeling rather lack luster.

I had my hand on my chin, wondering what I wanted to make or do.

I was actually rather bored that day, as I sat and stared at some less than perfect pine cones sitting on my studio work bench.

I had collected them off the ground under my pine tree for holiday decorating.

And here they sat, 3 months later.

In my way really.

I picked one up, tossing it about in my hand.

When the most curious thing happened!

I took my pine cone as you see below and flipped it over.

Only to reveal a zinnia on the bottom side of the cone, as seen below.

I gasped really, I was so surprised.

So, I grabbed some standard acrylic craft paint, and painted a few pine cone bottoms.

Pretty much just to prove to myself that what I thought I was seeing was true.

With each stroke of the brush, a real zinnia emerged.

I was utterly amazed.

Zinnias hiding under pine cones?!?

Who knew?

After I painted some up I realized you could either leave the tops pointy, in their regular state, as below, or...

You could use craft cutters to remove some of the pine cone petals and reveal a stem, like below.

Either way works just fine.

I think they are easier to arrange in a bowl if you just leave them as they are in their natural state.

You can also paint your pine cone bottom white first and let it dry before applying brighter colors.

Then add the colors of your choice.

Don't be afraid to layer different colors and layer shades for depth.

This is not time consuming, simply use a medium to large paintbrush and glob the paint on.

It's that easy.

A little paint and there you have zinnias that never ever fade.

Are you as gobsmacked as I was?

Who on earth knew that zinnias would be hiding in such a place?

Right on the bottom side of a perfectly regular pine cone?

I sure didn't.

Such an easy and pretty craft.

All you need is standard acrylic craft paint of your choice, a medium to large brush and you'll be well on your way to a perfect bouquet of zinnias.

 

Great for gifts for any occasion.

And the things you could make are ever so many.

From centerpieces to wreaths and beyond.

You can sparkle them up if you want too, the options are endless.

They sit perfectly in a bowl, those wonderfully tricky pine cone bottoms.

 

So, if you find yourself kicking around pine cones on your walks, pick up a few.

Turn them over and look for a zinnia hiding on the bottom.

Take them home and give them a whirl.

I'd love to see yours.

If you make some feel free to send me some photos.

 

Pine cone fun!!!

Let's get crafting.

This one's too easy to pass up, don't you think?

 

Love, Vanessa

 

 

 

 

PS: Regarding pine cones...

I don't know what kind of pine tree it is or specifically what kind of pine cones these are.

(although someone mentioned that they are loblolly pinecones)

I did this project on a whim never thinking so many people would be interested in it, the response has been incredible! Wow, I'm so amazed!

The cones are from a pine tree in my garden in Southern Arizona nonetheless.

If you are unsure if your pine cones will work, simply turn them over and look at the bottom side to see if you spot the classic shape of a zinnia.  If you do, then paint away <3

 

PPS:

I get so many emails and questions about this project, which I just did for fun with the paints I had on hand.

Many folks ask if they can use spray paint and the answer is, I don't see why not?

It would probably be super easy and the spray paint colors out there are amazing.

I can't see why you can't try any paint you want, the sky is the limit.

I used regular acrylic craft paint and just mixed up basic colors that I layered as I painted, nothing outrageous.

Another question I get everyday is about baking the pinecones first to remove bugs.

Now, being the wild woman I am, I didn't even worry about this.

Mainly because I never saw a bug emerging ever.

However, I live in the desert where the temps reach 100+ all summer.

So I'm quite certain my cones are baked/dried naturally.

But, my mom told me you can wash them in white vinegar and water.

Big bowl water and about 2 cups of vinegar, just soak and slosh around for an hour.

They might swell up and look funny when soaked but will go back to normal once they dry.

Then set them on paper towels to air dry for up to a week.

If you want to really make sure you have no bugs, then after you wash them just put them in the oven on a foil lined cookie sheet at 200' - 250'F for an hour, checking carefully to make sure they don't burn.

Then just let them sit around on paper towels for 2-4 days.

Like I said, I've never done any of that, because I live in a dry dry dry desert climate.

So, don't hold me to any of it pretty please :-)

And please don't burn anything.

If you are still unsure just google, prepping pinecones for crafts, and you'll find all sorts of info.

I'm sorry if I haven't answered everyone's questions via email, but I try ♥

Thank you so much for the huge response to this fun craft I discovered on a whim, simply to amuse myself on boring day. I am so glad you liked it! ♥

Nature's Magic Stops for a Visit...

 Nature's magic picked a perfect time to unfurl.

Right before Easter weekend.

Tender breeze scented by jasmine and the last of the orange blossoms.

With a faint note of fresh roses, slowly about to explode.

As you know, I am a hunter of that golden hour.

When 5 p.m. rolls around and sun dances in and out of trees and bushes for an hour.

Casting a changing glow and intensity in the garden.

It moves from bright to dusty, to fairy tale right before the evening hour.

The giant oleander bushes that split my front garden in half, block the last of the fading sun that curiously beams into my east facing flower garden.

It's that eastern location that is part of what makes my garden possible in the desert.

That and my elevation plus canopying shade trees, all working to shelter flowers from heat and afternoon sun.

But it's that special late afternoon sun, trickling in through oleander bushes, that gives glowing turns to different flowers in the garden.

Truth be told, it's the only place I want to be when spring and sun meet up for happiest hour.

And it seems, little winged creatures agree.

He sort of twisted his head a little and looked right at me taking his photo.

I did a count of my rose bushes.

4 were here and are 35+ years old.

And there are 32 now.

Which means somewhere in my madness, I put in 28 rose bushes?!?

What the heck?!

Haha!

I didn't even notice.

I had never counted.

It just sort of happened over the last 13 years.

Oh and look...

From one day to the next, the mesquite trees got their leaves.

Solidifying the look of spring for certain.

Tea in the garden anyone?

Roses roses everywhere.

32 bushes about to pop open in some sort of unison.

I can't remember when I put in the metal rose arbor below, 4 or 5 years ago?

Maybe longer, I don't know.

There are two white climbing roses on either side of the front, and one pink on the back.

Which is finally making its way over.

The pinks are these perfect tiny rose buds the size of your pinky nail.

So pretty and dainty.

Oh, whose that looking at us I wonder?

Why, it's the keeper of the garden, sitting atop the highest porch stair.

His throne really.

Keeping look out over his kingdom.

Any sound, car, voice and he is on it like the Tasmanian devil.

I don't think he rests much.

Poor dear, it's just his nature.

Even while asleep his fur sits straight up, ears perked.

One sound and he's up in less that a second.

If you try to approach his post, he leaves quickly and in annoyance.

Or if you are a stranger, well, just don't approach.

Haha!

My gate says beware of dog, the mail gal says in this case, it's no joke.

My little meanie.

Love him so.

He's with us by a miracle, guarding his dominion.

Protector of his gardens.

Which funny enough, he always sits in his spot at golden hour also.

When the light shoots rainbows around.

Which really might be fairies flying so fast you only see their sparkle?

I'm sort of beyond smitten with rose season.

Are you?

This below, is on the west side of the garden, where the gyspy wagon lives.

It's on the other side of the big oleanders that split the flower garden from the gypsy wagon, gallery and my office courtyard.

The climbing roses are gobbling up the building.

Tea roses turned up for the party.

There is even a canopy of roses you can hide in and have lunch or write.

Where the wisteria and the roses intertwine.

But now...

Now it's time for picking.

And I struggle with picking or just leaving to enjoy.

Well, I'll pick some for my Easter vase, and go from there.

:-)

As golden hour leaves us, evening blue sets in.

Casting a blue light.

As little creatures settle in.

The tops of the aloes get their last glow, like firecrackers.

And the brilliance of color stands out in layers.

Ranunculus.

Roses.

Dusty.

Then blue.

Then dark.

Then fairy lights.

 

It's Easter weekend my friends.

I have guests and fun times in store.

Going to some museums, etc.

How are you?

Got any eggciting weekend plans?

 

Lots of love, happiest Easter wishes!!

xoxo,

Vanessa