Delightful Daffodils

Welcome!

All kaleidoscopes by inkspired, using an app ‘KaleidaCam’

Daffodils

They bring me happy thoughts

And warm memories of 

past Springs.

Let’s have some daffy fun today!

I did not know that -

Daffodils do NOT play well with other flowers!

When cutting stems for a flower arrangement

daffodils need to soak in water

By themselves

for 24 hours!

Daffodils have a toxic sap which is harmful to other plants.

After soaking daffodils,

you can add in other flowers,

as long as you don’t recut the Daffodil stems.

If you recut the stems,

you have to soak in water for 24 hours again!

Sendflowersandmore.com

Daffodil bulbs contain poisonous crystals;

only certain insects can eat them.

Old House Gardens, from Pinterest

Squirrels will stay away from a garden that

has daffodil bulbs planted.

If a dog digs some bulbs up and eats them,

it will get sick.

Reality in Balance posted this on Pinterest

1913 bulb and seed catalog

BioDivLibrary 

What-about.com

Here are some simple crafts to make

and enjoy the lovely daffodil

even if it’s snowing or raining outside.

Candy/Nut Cups

Martha Stewart Living

Here are the candy cups taken apart for you,

and a nice daffodil petal pattern.

(Cutting paper is a great fine motor activity!)

Martha Stewart Living magazine

A photograph of some cut daffodils from my garden last year.

Then I just had to play with some of my photo apps!

One of my favorite crafts -

Rock Painting!

 Posted on Pinterest from Etsy.com

Rock Painting is so fun, easy, and pretty cheap too!

You need a rock from your garden,

any brand acrylic paint,

and a good spray sealer.

(I prefer Krylon.)

In addition to regular sealer,

they also have an ultraviolet sealer spray.

Optional:

Sharpie brand permanent markers for details,

and Mod Podge,

any brand paint pen/marker, water-based

If you use Sharpies

You must seal with Mod Podge before spray sealer.

Otherwise, I have read, that your permanent markers will ‘melt’ after being sprayed with sealant.

I haven’t wanted to test this myself.

Theresa Lee posted on Pinterest

I have had no problems when I:

*wash rock with water & stiff brush

*paint with acrylics, paint pens and 

detail work with Sharpies permanent markers

*Mod Podge 2-3 coats

*use spray sealer 3-4 coats

*let thoroughly dry between all coats.

Sold on Etsy.com; posted on Pinterest

Murano Glass, by Maestro Gianni Toso

Last craft idea for today:

Beaded flowers

 Bead artist: Lauren Harpster

Biser.info posted on Pinterest

Let’s give some credit to a few wonderful sites 

I have pulled information from:

Southernliving.com (Zoe Gowen)

thedaffodilsociety.com

wideopeneats.com (Jessi Devenyns)

Countryliving.com (Rebecca Shinners)

I hope today’s daffodils have made you smile

and relax, even if just a bit.

We are a nation of strong people.

We will get past these tough times,

together.

‘Til next time,

inkspired

Spring is Yellow

Welcome!

All kaleidoscopes are by inkspired and the KaleidaCam app

Green leaves are peeping out and taking a look around in my garden. Some have already called the flower girls to come out and play.

So far my flower girls have remained too shy,

Or too cozy in their leafy beds to listen.

But soon, I hope!

Memories from last year...

1899 giclee print by C. Wilhelm

Daffodils are one of the first blooms we see in Spring.
There is a legend that says if you are the first
to see a daffodil, your next 12 months 
will be filled with wealth.

Flower Children By Elizabeth Gordon
1866 - 1922
Gallery.oldbookart.com

Daffodils were favorites of the Romans.
Somehow, through time and wars and plagues,
they got ‘lost’.
That is, until the early 17th century
When an Englishman saw one in amongst the weeds!

FamilyHoliday.net, seen on Pinterest

In Classical Greek mythology there was
a beautiful youth
so entranced with his own reflection
that he pined away for 
himself.
(Sound like someone you know?)
As punishment for his extreme vanity
the gods turned him into
a Daffodil!

Daffodil is the common name for any plant
that falls under the genus Narcissus.
This includes jonquils, paper whites and more.
There are at least 23 more different daffodil species.
This does not include the over 12,000
different hybrid species.
Wow.

Design*Sponge, posted on Pinterest

Narcissus Sunny Girlfriend
Offered by Caribbeangardenseed

According to the American Daffodil Society
(Formed in 1954)
Jonquils are daintier than daffodils.
Most daffodils reach 1 - 1 1/2 feet tall.
Daffodils are surprisingly tolerant of cold,
and in fact need a cold frost
for the flower bud to get started.

The Language of Flowers Coloring book
Copyright By John Green

I did not know this:
Daffodils can flower from
6 weeks to 6 months!!!
It depends on the growing conditions.

Daffodils come back every year.
😁
Leave them alone until the leaves start to turn yellow.
This is important!
Daffodils use the after-bloom time
to feed the bulb, in preparation for next year.

Handmade paper flowers, for sale on Etsy.com
Artistically rendered by inkspired & photo apps.

I am trying to make my blog more 
‘Bite size’ than
‘3 course meal size’.

That means I will post more fun daffodil facts
and some fun daffodil crafty ideas
Next time!

Magic_Moments, from Flicker 

‘Til next time,
inkspired

Boredom Busters, Part III

Welcome!

All kaleidoscopes by inkspired and KaleidoCam 

‘The cure for boredom

is curiosity.

There is no cure 

for curiosity.’

- Ellen Parr

We are now under severe restrictions 

on our ability to go where we want,

do what we want, see who we want.

Many people have already been under ‘house restrictions’ 

for a week or more.

Patience can get frazzled.

Artist Sandra Boynton

Tempers may be elevated.

Minion humor

And then there are the kids!

They are stressed out too!

I hope you will come away from today’s blog

with a few ideas to relax everyone,

use that creative side of the brain,

and just have some good ‘ol fun!

Let’s start out today with a couple more

Painting Projects:

Painted Swirly Flowers

From an article in Make and Take

You will need:

Some kind of palette-
 plastic lid, watercolor tray, plastic plate

Paintbrush

Paper 
Acrylic paints, various colors

Suggested- 

drop cloths, paint ‘smock’ or old shirt

From Make and Takes, 2016 article

How to:

Pour a few colors of paint onto your palette.

Take a paintbrush and dip into one color.

Without rinsing, dip into a second complimentary 

paint color. 

Do not blend!

Make a large circle ‘swirl’ on your paper,
 Making it into a swirl shoe.
Reload your brush with paint.

Make another next to it.

If you would like your flowers to have 
slightly different ‘tones’, try another swirl 
without reloading your brush with fresh paint.

Swirl in a third  circle.

(Refer to photos)

Made-by-mejulie-ryder.blogspot.ru


Using a largish brush, or a sponge cut into a thin leaf shape
Load with 2 or 3 colors of green paint.
Using a swiping motion add in some leaves.
(Refer to photo)

Load your brush with the flower colors (2)
and use a short quick ‘swipe’ to make flower buds.
Take a small paint brush and load 
with a light color value of your flower colors. 
Add in a bit of detail/highlights.

Here is a finished example,
with some slightly different ‘tweaks’.

Copyright Julie Ryder

Almost done!
Using a small paintbrush 
dab black or very dark flower color 
to center of each flower.
Using the end of your paintbrush
dip into white or yellow and make 3 dots
in the very center of your flower.

Here is another example to inspire you!

Sorry, the credit for this was in Russian!

For young artists,

have them dip a finger into a thin layer of paint. 

Then press their finger around the colored swirl.

Voila!

You now have a bouquet of flowers with leaves!

As you can see, your flowers can be very simple

or look more elegant

Depending on what you ‘add’.

Oh do send me photos of your results!

Next painting project:

DOTS!

ChristysCornerStudio.com

Dots are simple and any age can make one.
The more skilled the artist,
the more complex designs you can use.

Let’s start with a simple project:

YouandKids

You will need:

Paper - plain, watercolor or mixed media
Colored markers, any size, any brand
Post-It Notes

Pick out a simple shape - 
look at preschool age coloring books 
for some shape ideas.
To start, make your shape solid with no inner cut out areas.

Using your Post-It notes, cut the shape out.
You can patchwork the notes together so you have a large enough area for your shape.
Be sure to have as much of the ‘sticky’ area 
on your pattern shape as possible.

Smooth your shape onto your paper.
The sticky areas should hold it in place.

Now take the main color marker and start randomly making dots on your paper. Concentrate more dots around your shape, with fewer dots out to the edges.

Posted on Pinterest by Srirup 

Take a complimentary colored marker and make more dots.
When you are pleased with the color balance,
and the edges of your shape are mostly covered
you are done!
Carefully peel up your sticky note shape.
😁

The above photo shows using paint with pencil erasers.
This works really well!
You can also use Q-tips (cotton swabs),
pen caps, dowels - just look around for round shapes!

I think using acrylic paints is much easier than dotting with watercolors, but experiment with what will work best for you, and/or the ages of the kids creating also.

Here’s another design variation,
same technique:

Posted on Pinterest by Rachel Hinderliter

Starting to have some dotty fun?
Try using acrylic paint dots on rocks!

 For sale on Etsy

Try some dots on thick card stock and make bookmarks!

ShopWorldLove


I hope you try some Dot Art,
and really have fun with it.

That’s it for today’s Boredom Busters.
‘Til next time,
inkspired

Truth, usually experienced before 10am or coffee-
Nothing is kept in the plate cupboard
except plates.
Not coffee, silverware, napkins or mugs
can be found in the plate cupboard.
Just. Plates.