Roll of wonder inspires this little painting...
Melissa Langley at Ann Marie painted this little painting as a parting gift for me. It was inspired by my 15 foot roll titled Joy's Horizon. The photo doesn't do it justice, especially since it doesn't show the GLITTER.
Washington Post... wowza!
Just received this e-mail from the Director of the garden:
Greetings Friends!
Just spreading the happy news that our bottle blossom trees were the feature article in the Sunday print edition of the KidsPost of The Washington Post. There was a large photo on the cover of the pullout section showing one of our colorful bottle blossom trees at Annmarie -- with a nice caption that mentions us - and then inside there was more about how to make bottle blossoms.
If you didn’t get a chance to see the print version, you can explore the online version by clicking on one of the links below – there are three different online articles that refer to the bottle blossom project……
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/turn-plastic-bottles-into-beautiful-blossoms/2012/07/26/gJQARHL3DX_story.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/making-bottle-blossoms-at-annmarie-garden/2012/07/26/gJQAket1DX_story.html
Here's a snapshot of the wedding couple I stole from facebook...
Pretty dreamy!
Washington Post, my first up-do, and a nervous father of the bride...
Lots of excitement! Our first child was married. My interview was published in the Washington Post
Who looks more nervous at the rehearsal, John or Danielle?
I had my first up-do in my life and danced so hard I popped my hip out of joint. It was one of the most fun nights of my life.
and I have already been invited to apply for a commissioned Christmas tree for a municipality. Here is a picture of James, Natalie,and I in front of Buchannan House in Annapolis where John and I were married 33 years ago August 4th. He took the picture so he's not in it.
One, two, three, done!
I put last touches on the three trees left in the little glade this morning before driving to Baltimore for the WEDDING! I was running late and only could snap these quickly. I'll post more on our trip down to Orlando after the wedding.
Swimming in glitter...
I have had more than one person say they wished they could swim in my tubs of glitter, though this baby pool is to keep the glitter contained. No swimming allowed.
Birdie day spa and mother-of-the-bride...
I felt like Snow White today. I almost have the wild birds ready to eat out of my hand. They circle around, buzz me, and chirp at me angrily. I sat very still holding sunflower seeds and they eventually settled down . I looked up in the trees and I was in the middle of a circle that included wrens, cardinals, nuthatch, finches, chickadees, and titmice. It was like they were holding a tribal council. I think I passed.
I made my mother-of-the bride necklace last night. I wanted something airy and neutral in color.
Almost finished with the trees so it looks like I might be able to come home early!
Mother of the bride, fingerpaint...
I've been told I have a green thumb, but this is ridiculous! Note to self: Danielle's wedding is one week from today. Start wearing gloves.
One for the sand and two for the sea...
I made two beachy necklaces today, one for the sun and sand, and the other for the sea...
Current exhibits and fairyland...
Here is a shot of Ann Marie's fairy playland. It makes me feel like Wendy in Peter Pan.
In the upstairs gallery is William Allen Poe's photo exhibit chronicling Calvert County's African American heritage. I loved the quote below.
The lotus kitchen and spiders besid-ers...
The tree to the left now greets visitors at Ann Marie. Above is my favorite haunt where they let me work for food. That is not why they are currently closed. (They are always closed on Tuesdays.) I met the artist who created these gigantic paper spiders below. I like the floral interpretation using 'spider' plants and mums. The sculptor is from Italy and didn't know about our spidery plants. 
Starting tree number four...
This is actually opening day, the first bloom on the first tree. I forgot my camera so I can't download and post the latest images. I'm at the Ruddy Duck, a local brewery, drinking honey lager and eating potato chip nachos. Take a picture of it with your phone, you say? Forgot that too. I hope I remembered my wallet.
Back to glass...
I finally got a little time to work on jewelry. Liked this one so much I put it on and headed down to the pier.
Glitter will change your life chickadee.
I have a third tree about finished with two more to go. The chickadees have found the bird feeder I put out in front of the artist's house so my heart is full. I love watching them rifle through the mix to pick out the sunflower seeds, kind of like I like to find all the cashews in nut mix. They are much more robust in their approach than I am, using their beaks like pitchforks, casting the millet aside as though it were sawdust.
I'll try to get some pictures of the trees progress. In the meantime here is another shot of the roll of wonder, Joy's Horizon. I can't get enough of looking at this piece. Sargent Art and M Jacobs and Sons have been so generous with materials donations. Please 'Like' them on facebook for me if you get a chance and buy Sargent's glitter glaze. It'll change your life. That's my new line when visitors come to make blossoms for the trees for the public installation: "It'll change your life." Then, when they are finished I say, "Don't you feel changed?" So silly .
Roll of wonder installed just in time for the Art Blooms Gala...
Tonight is AnnMarie's Art Blooms Gala. Floral designers create designs that mirror the artwork currently on exhibit and it is amazing. We were able to install my roll of wonder I have titled: "Joy's Horizon." We attached it to the railing of the upstairs gallery.
The back side is almost as cool as the front. I still need to count how many bottles I used. I'm guessing about one thousand. I'm wondering if it will rain glitter.
Drive 'em cowboy...
On my way up to Baltimore I passed this Mercedes in the parking lot at AnnMarie... Giddy-up y'all!
If a tree falls in the forest...
Getting ready for the Washington Post reporter coming to cover the project tomorrow. The Master Gardener found this lovely spot, nestling them into crepe myrtles. It reminds me of a Van Gogh painting of olive trees. When we put them in and I looked I thought to myself, "Vincent, if you were alive today you would have really loved this." Wish me luck!
Finish line...
Can you tell an engineer cut the bottle below? I think I'm almost finished with the roll of wonder. It is at about 15 feet and they are considering hanging on the wall in the gallery so I think I am going to cut off the last ten feet. Lest the scale of the chair deceive you, it's a child's school chair. 
Never, never, grow up....
My last customers today in the ArtLab were so much fun. They reminded me of something Madeliene L'Engle said to me at a writer's retreat many years ago: "You know, God is not a grown-up." Thanks, ladies, for helping me remember that I don't have to be one either.