Helen Ahpornsiri's Fabulous Pressed Flower Art

 The talented Helen Ahpornsiri, of the UK, loves to gather leaves, ferns, & flowers.

She places them for up to 6 weeks in a flower press to flatten them.

Armed with a very sharp xacto knife, she creates a 

delicate image with the utmost artistry and precision.

The results are nothing short of gorgeous!

Her prints, stickers and greeting cards can be purchased on Etsy.

Watch this YouTube video, "Butterfly Made with Pressed Fern."

A close-up is a feast for the eyes...

She's even done tiny projects!

See much more of Helen's work here:

Website

Twitter

Etsy

Facebook

Instagram

The Watercolor World of Mary Shepard

Mary Shepard watercolors are beyond compare!

The beautiful states of Texas, Colorado and New Mexico provide

Mary with her subjects and her inspiration.

Kaleidoscope Cactus, above, is my favorite.

I'm sure you'll appreciate Mary's talent as much as I do!

Born to Plow

Turquoise Window

Chicken Clique

Left to Rust

Pears 'n' Chilies

Kitty Shadows

Floral Frenzy

See much more on Mary's website.

Images used with direct permission from Mary Shepard.

Elizabeth Blackadder's Watercolor Blossoms

Lovely spring blossoms, perfectly captured 

in watercolors by Scottish artist Elizabeth Blackadder.

Tulips, poppies, irises.

Delicate, airy...beautiful!

“The earth laughs in flowers.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dazzling Poinsettia Varieties of Longwood Gardens

Kennett Square, Pennsylvania is the home of the fabulous Longwood Gardens.

Folks come from near and far to take in the lush landscaping,
botanical gardens, and artistically arranged flowers and plants.

Each season of the year has a theme to feature what happens to be in bloom.

However, the Christmas display, "A Longwood Christmas," is in a league of its own.

It's truly over-the-top spectacular!

The crowning glory of the holiday is, without a doubt, the poinsettia.

Which is your favorite: red, white, or pink?

The traditionalist in me is tempted to choose red,
but after seeing so many unusual varieties today,
the choice has become anything but simple!

We decided that the vivid "Luv U Hot Pink" was our favorite!

My past blog features on Longwood Gardens:

A Stunning Christmas at Longwood Gardens - Kennett Square, PA
An Autumn Afternoon at Longwood Gardens


Karen and I are already planning our next visit!

Here's their website!

Display Your Flowers in a Japanese Ikebana Vase

Are you familiar with a unique type of vase called an ikebana?

It's from the Japanese art of flower arranging.

A pin frog like this one is set into each vase to help with flower placement.

We have 2 ikebanas, both handcrafted by Garnett Pottery in Lancaster, PA.

I love to give them as gifts! Although most folks have a vase or two,

they rarely own, or have even heard of, an ikebana vase.

 Visit my previous blog post about Garnett Pottery!

Ann Carrington's Brilliant Silverware Floral Sculptures

British artist Ann Carrington is multi-talented.

Today, I'm showing off her ingenious floral sculptures,

which she's created with thousands of pieces of silverware.

She seems to mostly have used spoons as layered petals, 
but also forks, knives and even some serving pieces.
Notice how the aged patinas give a rich glow. 

She's clustered, bent and curved each piece to resemble gorgeous

flowers in centerpieces and swags that are truly striking!

Find more of Ann's art here:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Images used with direct permission from Ann Carrington.

The Exceptional Photography of Rachel Piper

Rachel Piper, of the UK, is a talented artist and photographer.

She captures nature in a way that utterly fascinates us.

Her works are spectacular, as you'll see here!

You can find Rachel on her website & on Twitter.

Images used with direct permission from Rachel Piper.