Flower Play

Quote of the day: “There is no-thing outside yourself you need. You are whole and  perfect now in this moment. Stop looking outside yourself for answers, and learn to love yourself right now from the inside out.” —Me

Layered roses and ferns

As I’m slowly recuperating from a fierce summer cold, I’ve had lots of time for practicing peace, presence, and acceptance. When I feel like working I work. When I feel like resting I rest. When I feel like meditating I meditate. In some ways the past week has been like a vacation with lots of light reading, NetFlix, and contemplation. I read half a dozen books and watched the entire Forsyte Saga on NetFlix.

As I’m starting to feel better I’m tiring of inactivity, reading, and movies and I’m itching to make photographs. Yesterday I made photos from our deck (more of those photos later this week) and of our daughter who came for a visit in her bright yellow raincoat and galoshes. Today I played with flower photos and started thinking about what to display in a small coffee shop exhibit I’m displaying July 3 – 24 at J Arthur’s Coffee Shop on Rice Street in Roseville, MN.

Here are the results of some of today’s flower play. The photo above was made by combining two photos – one of pink rose buds and one I made by moving the camera while photographing ferns. I like the sense of movement and mystery in the photo. I’ve also been playing with Kim Klassen’s lovely textures and a texture called “shabbyScript” from RH West.

Rosebuds with two kk_epiphany texture layers in soft light blend mode added

Pink rose buds with texture layers from shabbyScript_RHWest

Pink rose layered with ferns

Rose with two layers of kk_happyheart texture added

Clematis layered with kk_canvasmagic in screen blend mode