all you need is love... and flowers

Hello! How has the week been treating you?

I have been painting, painting, painting. And I have been enjoying all the flower suggestions for my giveaway. Keep them coming (there's still time to enter). If there weren't other projects on my list I'd be sketching and painting up a storm, trying to tackle each of your flowers right now. The ideas sure are whirling in my head!

I know I was thinking Valentine thoughts way back in January and I still am! In terms of Valentine flowers, strangely enough, I never really think of a dozen roses. Nope, forced bulbs and cyclamen plants say Valentines Day to me. And that's what I've been painting lately. Not because of the holiday, but because I've been surrounding myself with them. I seem to paint cyclamen every year. I can't help myself. I think this year's pink one is my favorite yet.

Botanical watercolor painting pink cyclamen

I especially liked using metallic silver paint mixed in with the light green of the leaves.

sparkly metallic paint in a watercolor painting

It's very subtle, but if you look closely you can see the sparkle.

Because I have so many cyclamen paintings I thought it would be fun to create a set of mini prints of them.

watercolor archival botanical prints

And it was. (They're available here).

I painted a pink hyacinth which was supposed to be quick and wasn't.

watercolor hyacinth painting

Not my favorite painting, but I kept going anyway. I loved painting the bulb.

I guess I have a thing about bulbs because the next painting I dove into was cyclamen bulbs.

cyclamen bulbs botanical watercolor painting

I'm still not sure about the roots, but I have moved on to another project (which I am very excited about).

I guess choosing to focus on painting this month for the Make & Do challenge was a good idea.

In other Valentine thoughts, I made cupcakes the other day.

cupcakes on a rose plate

I always think of cupcakes when I think of Valentines Day. I used this recipe. And I wish you could reach through your computer screen and grab one of them. I wish I could, too, because "the other day" was long enough ago that they are gone. Ah, well.

Doing anything fun for Valentine's Day? Treat yourself. Tell someone you love them. It doesn't have to be cheesy or commercial. Celebrate love (what's better than love, in all its many and varied forms??). Have fun (again, what the world needs now might be love, but I think fun should be right up there, too). Wishing you lots of both.

(Oh, and if you're in need of Valentines, don't forget about my printables).

Comments

  1. This week has been a swirl of snow, cake and birthday dinner for my husband and heart cookies for school. Now I need a nap. LOL. Happy Valentine's Day to you. I think I'm going to run out and pick myself up a cyclamen that I've been eyeing and a gardening magazine before the next round of snow comes tomorrow. Love yours. xoxo

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    1. Hope you did get that cyclamen and gardening magazine. Winter survival necessities!

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  2. Your paintings are exquisite Anne and the touch of silver paint really makes the leaves pop! The joy that painting brings you comes through in all your paintings. I hope you are having a Valentines Day that is full of love and laughter! :-)

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  3. Ha, I think of cupcakes for Valentine's too. :-))
    I love your work! Beautiful to look at on a cold Winter day.
    Carla

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  4. Beautiful and inspiring painting practice, Anne. Well done. Fantastic work!

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  5. aha! metallic silver paint! I was wondering how you got that gorgeous sheen to the leaves...mystery solved!
    This are truly lovely, Anne. Such delicate beauty you have captured so well. :)

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    1. Thanks so much Laurie! I have yet to use the metallic paint as metallic paint itself. With my usual subjects there isn't much call for it, but I couldn't resist silver gold and copper paint. I have been thinking of teacups, though, a perfect reason to bring out some gold. :)

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