Happy New Year 2021

 Happy New Year 2021

Continuing with John Gerard’s ‘The Herball’ 1597 Frontispiece. The lady – possibly a portrayal of the goddess Flora, is holding a basket of flowers in each hand.  I can see a rose or is it a tulip in the left basket?  Why are all the flora petals in the basket shown in red? 

John Gerard’s ‘vertues’ of the rose
“The distilled water of roses is good for the strengthening of the heart and refreshing of the spirits and likewise for all things that require a gentle cooling... It mitigateth the paine of the eies proceeding of a hot cause, bringeth sleep,  which also the fresh roses themselves provoke through their sweet and pleasant smell.” 

I have included an applique of roses compiled in 2016 for comparison.  All of the fabric is made from a broken brolly (umbrella). 

Happy Christmas 2020

Happy Christmas 2020

The yellow backdrop on the bauble is made from brolly fabric, featuring a selection of used UK Christmas themed postal stamps. 

It's great that people still take time out to write and post cards!

Advent Season

 Advent Season

Over the centuries, the Advent wreath featuring 5 candles has come to represent variations of similar themes.  In some churches, one candle is lit each Sunday leading up to Christmas day.

1. The Patriarchs in faith -  Hope  
2. The Prophets - Faith
3. John the Baptist / Gaudete - Joy  
(also for those who are fasting over the period, refreshment day)
4. Mary and Joseph / Annunciation - Love
5. Christmas Day Candle / White 

In the arrangement shown above, the background and outer candles are created from brolly fabric and the central one from a piece of cardboard.   As I do not have any holly in the garden, I have used the rosemary herb for the circular effect.  Furthermore I find rosemary easier to work with as it:

 - has a pleasant scent
-  is not prickly like the holly
- can be washed and used in teas / cooking afterwards!

Six years of this blog

Six Years of this Blog.

So six years have gone by since I started this blog. A wide range of topics have been covered including using the broken umbrella (brolly) for: Arts – sketching on them, Crafts – cutting out shapes and using as appliques, covering garden pots, methods to help produce and heat water, the metal frame as an inference for use in the circular economy and much more.Now, for something a little bit different.  Whilst viewing historic literature on gardening, I came across the frontispiece used on one of John Gerard’s (1545 -1612), book ‘The Herball or Generall History of Plantes’  1597.  I am amazed at the number of plants displayed in one setting – for that time period.   They did not have the photo editing software then that we have now! So for this piece, I am going to focus on Sweet corn!  Why –  well  providing that it is not genetically modified, it is great to eat and has: essential minerals such as zinc, magnesium, copper, iron and manganese.  Other health benefits: it is a good source of the antioxidants carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin which promote eye health! (source Mayo Clinic Health System).The sweetcorn impression is sketched on yellow brolly fabric .  The green background is also taken from a bust brolly!

                            

Autumn Berries Sketch - revisited

Autumn Berries Sketch - Revisited

From my earlier sketch in September 2019, the blackberries and rosehip  are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden . The picture is drawn on  yellow brolly fabric.  The blue background was also taken from broken brolly.

Edith was in Scotland for a period of time during August 1906.  On  25th August she writes, ‘I gathered the first Blackberries at St Fillans’. 

The blackberries in our garden had started to ripen on the plant for at least 2 weeks now. Both blackberries and rose hips are a good source of Vitamin C.  Check for recipes  that include these items or the equivalent that help ward off colds and infection. I prefer blackberries in jam.  There was a rose hip based syrup called 'Delrosa', some people may remember this.

St John's Wort Sketch

St John’s Wort – Hypericum Shrub

The St John’s Wort shrub in bloom is illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden .

The image is drawn on a cobalt blue shade of brolly fabric. The green background is also from a broken umbrella.

There are numerous  varieties of this deciduous shrub.  Historically, parts of the plant has been used in medicine

.

Iris Flower

Iris Sketch

The iris flower in bloom is illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.

The image is drawn on green brolly fabric. The black background is also from an umbrella.

Historically, the parts of the iris plant has been used in cosmetics and in medicine.

I think my former sketches on yellow brolly fabric comes out more clearer than on the green !

Common Garlic

Common Garlic

The common garlic flower in bloom and butterfly are illustrated in the adapted style of the artist Edith Holden.  The image is drawn on green brolly fabric. The yellow background shown is also from a broken brolly.

Point to note, as  of 26th April 2020 the garlic in the ancient woodland was in bloom.  As of 24th May 2020 most of the petals from the garlic in the woodland had fallen.

According to Edith’s diary, 19th May 1906, ‘…and the garlic, the latter just breaking through it’s green sheathe.’

This suggests that the common garlic was blooming earlier in 2020 (possibly up to 3 weeks), than in 1906!

Garlic has historically been used in cooking and medicine to overcome viruses.

Apparently, locusts do not like garlic  - in addition to birds.  Perhaps garlic should be planted amongst the crops that the locusts destroy.

VE 75 years

The strawberry flower in bloom is illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.

The image is drawn on yellow brolly fabric. The blue and red backgrounds shown are also from a broken brolly.

Some people may have included the strawberry fruit in their 75th VE commemorative meals.  I noticed ours came from Spain.  Where were your strawberries produced? 

Happy Easter

Happy Easter 

The sloe in bloom and butterfly are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.

The image is drawn on yellow brolly fabric. The blue backgrounds shown are also from a broken brolly.

Point to note, the blooms from the Victoria Plum and Sloe are very similar.  As of the 11th April 2020 most of the petals from the Sloe in the garden had fallen.

 

According to Edith’s diary, 17th April 1906, ‘The blackthorn bushes are a wonderful sight just now, their masses of snowy blossom making a striking contrast with the deep gold of the gorse’

Periwinkles

Periwinkles and Song Thrush Bird

The periwinkles (vinca) and song thrush bird are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden .

The image is drawn yellow brolly fabric. The blue and green backgrounds shown are also from a broken brolly.

Snowdrops

Snowdrops Plant Sketch

The snowdrops and robin bird are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden .

The image is drawn yellow brolly fabric. The red and blue backgrounds  shown are also

from a broken brolly.

Blue Tit and Catkin Sketch

Blue Tit and Catkin Sketch

The blue tit bird and alder catkins are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.

The image is drawn on yellow brolly fabric. The blue and green backgrounds shown are also

from a broken brolly.

Mixed Winter Berries Sketch

Mixed Winter  Berries Sketch 

The mixed berries  are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.  All of the berries are NOT for human consumption and are shown for colour contrast only.  In order of display, the berries are: Privet, Yew and Mistletoe.

The picture is drawn on a piece of yellow brolly fabric.

Mushroom Sketch

Mushroom Sketch

The mushrooms are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.  The image is drawn on yellow brolly fabric. The blue background  was also taken from a broken brolly.

I wonder if edible mushrooms  can be grown under solar panels on solar farms?

Oak Leaves and Acorn Sketch

Oak Leaves and Acorn Sketch 

The oak leaves and acorn images are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.
The picture is drawn on a piece of yellow brolly fabric.

  

Horse chestnuts in the style of Edith Holden

Horse Chestnut Sketch 

The horse chestnut images are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.

The picture is drawn on a conked-out orange brolly fabric.  

Berries Adapted from Edith Holden

Brolly Canvas: Plant Berries in the style of Edith Holden

The blackberries and rosehips are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden. The picture was drawn on broken yellow brolly fabric. The blue background is also taken from a broken brolly.

Lavender Drawing

Lavender Drawing

The Lavender Picture was drawn on a yellow broken brolly fabric.  The vibrant blue background used is also from a broken brolly.

Sweet pea Brolly Frame

Sweet pea Brolly Frame