I've been harvesting the zinnias and sunflowers and bringing in bouquets to enjoy every evening. I love the weather this time of year and all the luscious color but I do get bittersweet about it all because I know the end of the growing season will be here anyday. If I don't pick a bouquet each day, I get all antsy, knowing that my opportunity to look at all this beautiful flora is so short.
I also take a lot of photos of the garden. It is so nice to look back on the beauty in the dead of winter. I am continually inspired by all the color combinations and the shapes of plants and blooms.
A few winters ago, I had a bit of an accident. I was taking photos of a pizza just out of the oven and set the hot pan onto the glass top a coffee table on the porch. Really, I wasn't thinking. All of a sudden I heard a crack. Giant oops. The heat of the pan had cracked the table.
I was never wild about the glass top because it always got dirty, full of pollen, road dust and general country grubbiness. I had a piece of birch plywood cut to replace it. That flat surface was just dying to be decorated. A while back, I got to it. I chose a simple sunflower motif, used some acrylics and latex and painted some sunflowers. I used a waterproof sealer to protect the tabletop.
Here with the inspiration laid atop it.
Now we have sunflowers all year round on the porch. If the motif is too garish and bright, I cover it up with a cloth. It has worn really well too and adds a bit of cheer to the porch.
The arrangement that is on the tabletop was something I made when I harvested a massive bunch of zinnias. The concept was a colorwheel of zinnias and although it isn't exactly a colorwheel, I does show the bright shades. Here's a close-up. I used a bundt pan and layered all the stems so they held each other up. The arrangement lasted at least a week and it looked so pretty on top of the painted table.
14 comments:
I think that your sunflower tabletop must be a vast improvement over the simple glass....all that color! I love it :-)
What a bright and beautiful idea. I live in Westwern Washington State where the winters are grey and rainy. Your sunflower tabletop would chase away the gloom!
Love your sunflower table - awesome! Also love that retro fabric (at least it looks retro), on the cane sofa - show us some more of that, it's lovely! I'm suffering 'quilter's block' at the moment - need to get stitching again and soon. Maybe tomorrow's trip to London to see Caroline will get me started again. Can't dilly dally for too long!
You are incredibly creative and I love the new ideas and inspiration from such a special place!! That table top would be a gorgeous pillow design as well!! Taking your Crewel/Embroidery class and loving it!!!
Your sunflower table top is beautiful. I know what you mean about your glass top (I have one) getting dusty, dirty, etc.) I live in Arizona and lots of dust. Don't know how I could cover a round top with fabric to look nice - but you've given me ideas. Thanks.
I love all of these, especially the sunflowers on the sunflowers shot from over head! You are always an inspiration. I might go cut all the last of my zinnia tomorrow and see what I can do, instead of having the last blooms spread amongst all the dead plants.
I absolutely love the table and the zinnia arrangement. Beautiful
I love your sunflower table. I'm a bit sunflower obsessed myself though I don't have enough sun in my yard for them. So great having those gorgeous colors in the deep of winter. . .gives me an idea or two!! Thanks.
I continue to be amazed by the things that you do! The table is lovely.
Love your painted tabletop, Kristin - the colors are gorgeous. Thank you for your blog posts - I read and appreciate all of them.
The table is beautiful, as is everything you turn your hand to.
Several years ago I started to re-do a worn out table top..sort of a collage. But, I ended up having emergency surgery and never got back to it. Hope to remedy that soon.
Your vitality for color is always an inspiration to me. Good post.
What a gift to be able to translate an idea to tangible form. Not everyone is able to do that but you do it beautifully, Kristin! What I wonder is; where do you find the time?
I too love Zinnias. The colors are so beautiful. They are absolutely my favorite summer flower. I am gardenless at the moment so I especially appreciate your fabulous Zinnia bouquet. If you dry Zinnias in the floral drier medium, the colors stay just as fresh, although the leave are more curled. Thanks for brightening my day.
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