The Bonsai

The Bonsai Tree

On a recent trip to Chicago, I was able to visit and immensely enjoy the Chicago Botanic Gardens!
On special exhibit there was a large variety of Bonsai Trees.

The appearance of age, the organic beauty and tender care were on display in each tree.
Here are some photos from this exhibit-

The pamphlet on the collection.

Most often when displayed, the Bonsai is paired with a smaller plant or rock.

The photo below describes this particular tree-

It states:

In Bonsai, literal age is less important than the appearance of age.  This pine has both:  It's the oldest tree in our collection.  (Hundreds of Years), and its style speaks of the harsh, cold, windy conditions endured by an ancient tree.

This is an overview of the entire collection of Bonsai Trees.

The curves...

The shallow roots..

Another note from the exhibit:

Old tree/young tree, dead wood/lush growth, the passing of time.

The illusion of dead wood arises from branches stripped of bark, then painted with lime sulfur that both bleaches and preserves the wood.

This gnarly root is so gorgeous!

Well after returning home and thinking about all that I saw and experienced in Chicago, the Bonsai has captivated my imagination!  It was time to bring the ideas to paper-

A page from my sketchbook

Materials included - pencil, watercolor, colored pencils and black pens.

A few closeups of my sketchy markings.

Next, I wanted to make a collage-

I decided to only use one magazine, West Elm because of the beautiful patterns and wood designs included.

Hence, this is aptly named - West Elm Bonsai Tree.

The black paper was left over from another project.

I decided to cut tans and browns from the mag to represent the wood of the bonsai.

The mag also had subtle greens that I used to represent the greenery of the leaves.

Materials used - student quality drawing paper, black acrylic paint, magazine clippings, glue stick

My final ode to the Bonsai was making a few thank you cards.

I made quick sketches with a black pen.

Next, I glued the sketch to a piece of colored card stock.

Then I sewed a simple line (using my sewing machine) around the card stock to adhere it to the card.

Added some other black lines and the word "bonsai" to finish it off!

I find hand written notes to be something very special to me.  

I try to do it as often as possible.

And to complete the card - of course the Bonsai Tree stamp collection!

Thank you to the US Postal Service for such beautiful stamps.

When I think I Bonsai Trees now, I do not just think "tree".  The words that come to my mind are:

Age, beauty, organic, journey, ancient, convex, concave, pruning, size, time, Japanese, simplicity, lines, roots and care.

Caring for a Bonsai is symbolic to caring for our own lives.

looking at the Bonsai in a whole new way on this artist holiday,

hannah

October Kindness Chronicles

This month's Kindness Chronicles comes in a unique form this month-

A Book Review
and a plan to celebrate Christmas a little differently this year...


Recently I read...

Three Cups of Tea

by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Image courtesy Central Asia Institute

Young Adult Reader Version

This book begins...

With the author Greg Mortenson climbing a mountain in Pakistan named K2 back in 1993 when he became lost from his group and found himself wandering into a small, poor village named Korphe.  The kindness of the village people of Korphe toward him during that difficult time touched him and he wanted to help them in any way that he could.  He saw they needed a school. That was it!  Greg Mortenson promised to return one day soon ready to build a school for the children of Korphe.  This book details his journey of building their school and the beginning of his life work instilling a priority of education across Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The title "Three Cups of Tea" is what originally caught my eye and after seeing the cover I knew this was the book I should read.  

I found this statement when I turned the book over to the back cover: 

"With the first cup of tea you are a stranger.  

With the second...a friend.  

With the third cup of tea, you are family."

This title summarizes his journey and message of the book and I believe it is the perfect title.

I believe the style writing was certainly accessible to a young reader.  It would be a great addition to a middle school library.

The key idea of this book is about random and not so random acts of kindness.  The Korphe villagers were doing a random act of kindness to help the author in his time of need so far from home.  The author's kindness was in response to their kindness.  And the kindness he has extended and continues to extend to other villages has become his very own "Kindness Chronicles".   

Greg Mortenson wrote in the introduction:

"But there are about 110 million children ages five to fifteen around the world who don't have a chance to learn how to read and write or to go to school."

As I read the introduction and the rest of the book, I was humbled.  I have always been a person to never take my blessings for granted but after reading this book I really thought about every thing I have and possess.

I decided about half way through this book I want to do something to make a difference in my community.  But what can I do?

Finally, after some thought, an idea came to me-

For Christmas this year, I am asking everyone who planned to get me a Christmas gift instead to give me canned food I can deliver to my local food pantry.  I have estimated that if everyone who was going to buy me a gift instead spent that money on canned food, I could possibly collect 50-100 cans.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone who wants to find some inspiration in small and big acts of kindness.

Publisher:  Penguin Group

Published:  2009

Amazon Price:  Paperback $8.99

Check your local library too!

ISBN:  978-0-14-241412-5

Adapted by Sarah Thomson       Foreword by Jane Goodall

Includes an Interview with Greg's Mortenson's 12 year old daughter, Amira Mortenson

Also includes:

Regional Map

Glossary 

Timeline

Please visit Greg Mortenson's non-profit website:

Central Asia Institute

Also check out the service-learning program of Central Asia Institute:

Pennies for Peace

inspired to make a change on this artist holiday,

hannah

Pixie Dress Winner

by Jill Eudaly

artist and friend

My friend Jill over at Recycled Daze had a give away on her blog a few weeks ago.  The prize was her mixed media dress she created from recycled brown paper bags, tissue paper, twigs, fabric, and many other fabulous goodies!  

And the winner of this beautifully made artwork was me!!!!

Jill created this artwork as a response to a reader challenge in the magazine Cloth Paper Scissors and it was chosen to be published as well!!!

I decided it would look awesome against the green color walls in my dining room and that is where it is hanging!

Thanks so much Jill!

It will be quite a conversation piece!

sharing the inspiration and hard work of artists on this artist holiday,

hannah

Kindness Chronicles September

I have been blessed with many wonderful people in my life, both family and friends.

And on this month's Kindness Chronicles,

I would like to share about my very special friend...

Tanya

Tanya and myself in DC, back in 2010.

We have known each other about our whole lives, growing up together in the same church.  And over the years and miles between us, we have stayed in touch and our friendship has grown stronger.

I am sharing this on Kindness Chronicles because she is such a kind, thoughtful, giving and wonderful friend!  I am so blessed to have her creative spirit and artistic passion in my life to inspire and keep me going on days that my own creativity is lacking.

She has been living in Hawaii for about 4 years now and over that time we have shared our projects and artistic experiments over thousands of miles.  I decided to grab just a few of the many special treasures she has sent me and my family in that time.

This picture shows her many handbags both small and large, a burlap canvas she created, her photography skills, potpourri bags and a dishcloth she upcycled into an apron!

I love them all!!!!

As you can see, Tanya is blessed with such a beautiful ability to sew and create with burlap and fabric.  

Check out her latest design...

Burlap Pumpkin Pincushions

and this...

or this...

She creates beautifully handcrafted bags and such with Hawaiian burlap coffee bags and Hawaiian fabric!

For our distance apart is large, Tanya captured how we feel with this burlap wrapped canvas quote...

"No distance of place

or lapse of time can lessen

the friendship of those who

are thoroughly persuaded

of each other's worth."

Robert Southey

Such a wonderful quote!

Her latest package included my very favorite snack, Honey Roasted Macadamias!!

So yummy!!!

But one of my most favorite possessions from Tanya...

My pen bag!  It holds all my important "good" pens, an eraser and my very small pencil sharpener!

I use it about everyday and love the Hawaiian button she attached to the zipper!

She puts thought into everything she creates and her kindness shines through everytime!

Her website and etsy shop are:

website

etsy shop

I hope through this month's Kindness Chronicles we are reminded of the kindness of our friends as that saying goes...

"Make new friends and keep the old, one is silver 

and the other gold."

Thankful for my friends, both silver and gold on this artist holiday,
hannah

Lesson One - In the Stable

Read more about my new position at church as
Craft Consultant.





Lesson One

In the Stable

This lesson called for a baby Jesus craft in September, so my thoughts immediately went to the Baby Jesus craft from last Christmas.  But for Wednesday night's preschool, the crafts need to be simple and made with easier materials.  That is when I devised this version of Baby Jesus...

Baby Jesus laying in the hay

Materials list includes:

cardstock

scissors

regular glue stick

old maps

hot glue gun

ribbons

optional:

crayons, markers, colored pencils

Why maps?

When I read the lesson, I was struck by the detail of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem.
My thought went to maps and what great visuals they are for artists!

Old (real) map paper ready to be cut into hay.

I have provided the template for those interested in making your own.  

This template is for 5 Baby Jesus ornaments.  

Directions:

Cut template patterns from colored or white cardstock

(The "hay" could be a variety of colored cardstock.)

(The triangular shaped blankets could be on white cardstock for the children to color as they wish.)

Cut map paper to size slightly smaller than template provided.

Once all pieces (2 "hays", 1 blanket, 1 baby face, 1 piece of ribbon) have been cut and colored, it is ready to glue together in this order:

1.  glue map "hay" on top of cardstock "hay"

2.  glue blanket on top of map "hay"

3.  glue baby face on top of map "hay" with the baby face slightly tucked into blanket

4.  Adults - hot glue ribbon onto itself first then hot glue to back of cardstock as shown-

back of Baby Jesus ornament

Other options:

Make mini ornaments or a collection of them

Incorporate mixed media into the background or blanket

Trim the edging with a special something

Incorporate stitch lines

using maps for visual effect on this artist holiday,

hannah

Craft Consultant

With each step you take, new opportunities come from unexpected places...

Chicago Botanic Garden

That is how I feel about my new Wednesday night position as Craft Consultant at our church.  The responsibilities for this title include designing or creating various crafts that pertain to the classes curriculum.  Many crafts are given along with the lesson, but for a few I may need to design another venue for the teachers to take.  I am also planning crafts for the special occasions throughout the year, such as Christmas and Easter.  

I am very excited and have already experienced joy through this opportunity.  I wanted to share this with you because I will be using this blog to share my craft designs and various experiments I will do through this position.

Chicago Botanic Garden

Instagram

My hope is for you to find something useful you can apply to your own life.

I encourage you to share if you are able to use any of what I present here.  That is my only way of knowing!

Chicago Botanic Garden

My Craft Philosophy

My craft philosophy is to create a lasting memory and in most cases a cherished craft for each child to feel represents their creative time spent discussing God's love and many biblical stories.  I believe a cherished craft holds together for more than 24 hours and does not feel like a waste of time for the child or the teacher.  Though every week, every craft may not appeal to each child the same, I do believe the collection we create over the year will instill visual memories for the children to recall the parable or moral lesson at a later time.

I created a philosophy for this position so not only would the teachers know my position, but it would create perimeters for me I could refer to when needed.  

Millennium Park - Chicago

"The Bean"

I have my backpack on ready to explore and continue to grow personally through my love of creating arts and crafts!

Standing inside "The Bean" and looking up.

Chicago

It is when we search inside ourselves, that we really find the answers we were looking for.  

I learn this again and again..

Praying for a season full of creativity and self awareness on this artist holiday,

hannah

Kindness Chronicles August

It is when you bless someone else that you get many more blessings in return.  I realized this again very recently...

A dear friend and my art mentor just recently had surgery.  I decided to send her a small boutique of flowers.  She lives a couple hours away and this was just a small gesture to say I am thinking of you and to feel better real soon.  As with any gesture of kindness you feel good and though I would have loved to visit her personally, sending flowers was what I could do at the time.

It wasn't very long before she sent me one of the coolest thank you cards....

A vegetable fabric postcard!!!

She found them at a farmer's market!!

Beautiful deep shades of purple and metallic thread really set it off!

She wrote on the back with a thin pen!

That was awesome, but then something else happened...

I received another fabric postcard from her!

Lovely batik and commercial fabrics!

I just love how the artist used the pattern of the batik for such texture on the veggie!

I will cherish this beautiful mail art for many years to come!  

I actually want to find a way to hang them in my kitchen!

I thought, that's pretty cool!  2 fabric postcards!!  And then she sent me another one!!!

This was created with vintage linen!  I am enjoying the bright oranges with the subtle background.

Fun patterns on the fabric!

Embroidery work!!!  Very nice!!!

Each came wrapped in a plastic sleeve, protected and with the stamps on the plastic.  Such a cool way to send mail!

Do you see what I mean?  She should be getting the mail, the get-well-soon cards and instead she is sending kindness and smiles back my way!  

Thank you L.R. for your kindness and continual guidance in my artistic endeavors!

thankful for beauty from a friend on this artist holiday,

hannah