I've been having a wonderful day off from work playing in the garden and planting. Today I planted astillbe, bleeding hearts, cala lilies and hanging pots of herbs. Last year I hung several pots of herbs under the almond trees in the back yard and they were incredibly beautiful and tasty.
The backyard is full of fruiting trees, we have three apples, peach, nectarine, lime, cherry, two almonds and an apricot. In the front is a huge olive, guava and pecan. This spring has been beautiful with all the blossoms. A pair of birds having nested in the olive tree and chipped at me the whole time I was planting in front. The olive tree has created an opportunity to have a shade garden. I have planted ferns, maidenhair and china doll, The china doll is huge! Also there are several orchid plants, cymbidiums, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya and Laelia. They love this area of california and can live outdoors with protection. Only the cymidiums are blooming right now and they are beautiful shade of pink. I smile everytime I see them.
As usual I have to many crafting projects to count. Currently I'm working on a ribbon embroidery project. It will be a scrapbook cover for her forthcoming baby so it has to be perfect. I've been practising my stitches because it has to be perfect! I've also been decorating a silk ribbon box. It is traditional to have a beautiful box for storing silk ribbons and supplies. It is a paper-mache hatbox I got at Beverly's Craft store. I painted it turquoise and then sponged it with silver ink. Today I printed out scans of japanese prints to decorate the sides of the box. I think it will be pretty. The original prints were purchased in Japan when my SO's father lived there before WWII. They are so lovely and this is a way they can be enjoyed and the originals safe.
Tonight I am going to read a book from the library "Romantic Silk Ribbon Keepsakes" by Mary Jo Hiney. It has some flower techniques I haven't seen in other books and I'm excited to start reading it. Tomorrow I start seriously stitching the baby album cover.
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