purple alliums

There's something about allium flowers that grabs my attention each time I see them. I don't know if it's because I'm in awe of how perfectly round they seem to be, or if it's the bright purple color of the petals.

I made a special trip out to Windsor Button in downtown Boston a couple of days before our trip to Chicago because I just had to get some skeins of Manos yarn for a striped scarf project so I could work on it during the plane ride. A scarf? Made out of wool? Yes. And you're working on it in this heat? Yes. Well, mostly at work where it's quite frigid because of the air conditioning. But yes, during the summertime. I know, crazy but Christmas is coming! (<-- that was supposed to be funny ...)

So, where was I going with this? Oh yeah ... so I made this special drive out to downtown Boston and actually managed to find a parking spot (thank you, parking angel!) next to the Public Garden. I went along and bought the yarn, and then on my way back to the car decided to take a quick stroll through the garden. Why not, right? It was a gorgeous spring day, I didn't have anywhere to be in a hurry, and I could use the exercise.

Oh, and the alliums were in bloom!

So pretty. So tall. So purple. So spring. So step-carefully-over-the-chain-onto-the-grass-for-a-quick-photo-opp worthy.

And it was also nice to see so many people out enjoying the weather. I loved this scene of the swan boats at rest.

Of course, as I write this -- fashionably (?) late mind you -- I look at these photos I took a couple of weeks ago and our park just pales in comparison to what we experienced in Chicago. More from that trip to come soon!

TGIF!

signs of sunny spring days

Ahhh, I do love spring time in New England, although it has been rather hot and humid lately. With the first day of summer around the corner (June 21st!), I've been appreciating these signs of sunny spring days ...

snails out and about after a rainstorm

a bunch of beautiful hydrangeas in a cool mason jar left on my desk at work from an awesome coworker (I brought them home to enjoy over the weekend)

the incredible selection of flowers and plants at Ricky's Flower Market in Somerville (I bought one of the little sunflower plants for my green thumb husband)

a refreshing way to cool off during on hot days: a yummy cocktail at the Independent (this is a lovely Blueberry Dorchester made with blueberry vodka and cucumber lemonade ... de-lish!)

Enjoy the spring while you can ... before you know it, the heat of the summer will be here! :)

more signs of spring

My kalanchoe plant at work rebloomed! I didn't kill it after all (my thumb is not very green). My husband will be proud of me.

Flowers on a tree next to our building at work. I see these everywhere we drive these days, and I think the excessive rain really made them bloom this season.

damask + flowers

I got this nice big damask stamp from Impress Rubber Stamps the other day and couldn't help but put together a bright, hot pink-ish sort of diva-like card right away. I love how crisp the image came out, especially after using some clear embossing powder on it to make it feel slick.



Aside from the one card design that I've managed to create within the past week (yeah, I know, I need to pick up the pace and set my butt down at the craftin' table to make more soon), I put together a listing on Etsy for some flower notecards. I love walking through the neighborhood snapping photos of flowers. Lately, I've been so drawn to allium flowers, especially the big bright purple ones that just seem to spring out of no where.

So this set ... you can pick four images and you get four notecards with envelopes. Mix and match flowers or you can have all the same, etc. (click on the image to enlarge it)

Oh and you know what other flower I really like lately? Peonies. I just think they are so beautiful and I love how the petals look so papery.

Anyway, that's it for damask and flowers. On to another heat scorching day here in the Northeast. Can you believe that it's supposed to hit 90 -- isn't it only mid-May?! Luckily (and somehow rather quickly) it's supposed to get back down to 70 on Saturday, so hopefully this [long] weekend will be nice.

TGIF everyone! :)