Monday 13 July 2009

Decluttering The Garden

My Dragonsdream blog friend Frankie invited me to look at her slide show of her beautiful garden last week. I had a lovely time browsing and was very envious of the order and space she has created, which shows her stunning bamboos, maples and wisteria, all my favourites. It looks a serene and calming garden, unlike my own jungle stuffed with as many plants as possible.

Why am I telling you this, you might ask, well I went into the garden on Saturday afternoon, very dischuffed with what I saw and decided to go a bit mad and actually take out some rather large overgrown plants so that I can actually see what is flowering and looking beautiful. By Sunday teatime, a very large honeysuckle smothering a lovely red climbing rose had gone (I still have one up another archway) and replaced with a pale pink climbing rose and a lovely but totally unpratical golden hop up an obelisk had also bitten the dust. Other plants have been dug up and divided and everything cut back and tidied up. My brown bin is full to overflowing but the difference is amazing.

After digging, climbing ladders and heaving out giant roots I had not an ounce of strength left after tea to lift any craft tools until tonight so my tag for Frankie's Tag It On challenge has been very last minute this week.


Her theme is Passion so I have done my take on it and my tag represents my passion for life. Lovely fresh, bright colours and dragonflies which somehow seem magical when you see them hovering in thin air in their brilliant suit of clothes.

I've used some Elusive design stamps and distress inks which have been applied to the stamp randomly. I stamped onto some spare paper first, spritzed the stamp with water and then stamped on the tag and I love the watercolour effect you end up with. Some Kay Carley swirls were stamped round the edge with whispers blue ink and then the dragonflies were stamped onto vellum, cut out and painted with glimmer mists, which makes them curl beautifully (thank you Brenda for this tip, I love the effect). I applied a bit of diamond stickles to their wings for a bit of bling. The wording was done on the computer.


I really will try to be a better crafter this week. I have several teachers Thank you cards to do, so no excuses!!!!

15 comments:

Sally H said...

Beautiful! I love the colours you used - very fresh and pretty xxx

Lynne K said...

Last minute or not, Lisa, it's gorgeous! Very ethereal. Love the misty colours. xx

Jill said...

Your tags are always so beautiful Lisa.

Dragon said...

Oh Lisa... what can I say to this post??? You do me much honour to speak so. I LOVE your tag and am very proud I inspire you so much!! I am in the process of adding a moongate to the garden, so new photos as and when!! Thanks for playing
Frankie
xx

PinksyDoodles said...

Stunning. I absolutely love this tag.
Clare x

Enfys said...

This is gorgeous, it reminds me of a wisteria, fab colours
hugs
En xx

Anonymous said...

fabtastic, love the glimmer mist effect !

Unknown said...

So ethereal! What a gorgeous tag! I love it! Oooo! Somebody else already used "ethereal"; it must be true!
Happy day and thanks for sharing!

Rhonda said...

This is absolutely beautiful Lisa! I love the watercolour effect, very lovely. Well done - Cheers!

brenda said...

Wow Lisa, you got anbitious in the garden by the sounds of things, no wonder you havent been crafting.

But to your tag - absolutely stunning, the colours and how the swirls all seem to mere at the botton is stunning. And you are welcome :) might do some scraplifting myself.

B x

Mel said...

This tag is delightful. Very artistic. Melx

craftimamma said...

This is really pretty Lisa, from the colours you have used to the content.

Lovely!

Lesley Xx

Michelle said...

Such a beautiful Tag Lisa. Up until last year my garden has been my paradise too, growing all my own veg as well as landscaping the whole thing, not big but not small either. SOmehow I havn't found the energy to get out there at all this year and it's now overrun with weeds. Reading about your efforts and looking at your photo's really makes me want to get out there again. Love that it inspires you to make such wonderful art!
x Michelle

Anne said...

Ooh this is fab, love those dragonflies, so I need to stamp them first then Glimmer Mist, not t'other way round?

Well done for the garden clearance, it's hard to "let go" of plants but sometimes you just have to be cruel to be kind :)

Kay Carley said...

Hi Lisa,

I haven't been over to your blog for quite a while (due to being SO busy) and was happily browsing down the page when I came across this tag!!

It is absolutely beautiful - I just LOVE the background that you have done on this - it is SO effective. Plus of course I LOVED the dragonflies!

The whole effect is just beautiful. LOVE IT! LOVE IT!! LOVE IT!!!

Kay xx