Preserving Nature and Cherished Memories

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DSC01172Have you ever pressed the petals of a flower into a book? I have a flower press that I gave to my girls when they were little. I often take the blossoms and press them, and then I put them into my favorite devotionals. There is something so special about opening up a page and finding a pressed flower.

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bows and beesPressed flowers, beeswax and Spring, such a celebration of nature. To gift wrap a memory of nature.

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DSC01172I finished another beeswax collage. This one is about my Great Aunt Adelaide.

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My little yellow friend is the garden housekeeperI used a vintage page from a seed catalog dating back to to 1890.

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DSC01165After designing my own monogram Garden, I added it to the collage. I used dried hydrangea flowers and a vintage pin to enhance the collage. I covered some Lavender with wax and placed it into Aunt Adelaide's bouquet.

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hydrangeaThe vintage pin in used for the center of the dried flower petals that were previously dried and reconstructed to create a flower image.

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pretty swan card

Tulip YellowAnother one I am working on....

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DSC01172And another...

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DSC01172Preserving vintage letters, images, pages with dried flowers and beeswax.

My creation

Hello Mrs. Robin's sonI love this idea. To cherish old words written on a card or letter, a photo of a favorite person, petals from flowers and preserved in wax that the bees provided.

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Swan's NestThe song for this post is Mother Nature. I love the words of this song. Such timely words.

My creation

Ashley's photographyTo cherish the world that is yours and is mine.

Enchanting

P.S. speaking of nature Maggie Hallam included my washline in her treasury on Etsy today. Of course I just had to see her shop on Etsy. Her nature rubber stamps are amazing. Maggie is located in Fairbanks, Alaska and adds an unusual and lovely design to her creations on her etsy shop. I just ordered two of her gorgeous stamps. I will share them when they arrive. Talk about serendipity, did you know that she also sells gorgeous boxes of wax crayons. Don't you just love when the muse leads you to kindred spirits?

Here is another post all about Beeswax Collage.
Snap said...

Beautiful! As always!

Brenda Kula said...

You are so creative. I am just amazed by your constant flow of talented artwork. Where on earth do you get such inspiration? I have always wanted to press flowers. Maybe now you've inspired me to finally do it. We all know I have plenty out there!
Brenda

LiLi M. said...

Your collages are gorgeous again! Is this beeswax the kind of wax that you could preserve flowers with, like roses dipped in wax too? Anyhow your projects are amazing, a lovely post as always!

Paula said...

Hi, Karen,

I'm doing catch-up on all my favorite blogs, and your post on preserving nature's treasures, as well as vintage photos, etc., with beeswax is delightful. Makes me want to run off and try something creative right now! Thanks for the beautiful inspiration!

Paula

Beverly said...

Karen, I love these. What a wonderful idea to create such a treasure.

Gabriela said...

Hello Karen,

The effect with the photo is fabulous! Love it!


~ Gabriela ~

Carol said...

Wow! You are busy! Lovely work!

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

You have really introduced me to bee's wax. It is really a great embellishment! And thank you so much for mentionning me on your blog! Some of your people have visited; what a delight! Love, Anita

Elyse said...

hi karen,

i used to love to press flowers when i was little. i used to keep a shoebox full of them, neatly stacked between tissues. i think i wrote "flowers" with blue glitter on the box lid.

your beeswax collages are amazing. very cool! remind me of john derian.

happy thursday!

xo

Coralie Cederna Johnson said...

What beautiful thoughts and pictures! Thanks so much for this wonderful inspiring post!

When I was a child I often found four-leaf clovers in our yard or, for that matter, wherever I went. Then I'd run into the house, grab the nearest book and press the clover. For years, my mother would find flattened four-leaf clovers falling out of her books when she'd pick them up to read!

Rhondi said...

Hi Karen
It looks like you're having lots of fun creating these collages. They are really great!
Hugs, Rhondi

Blondie's Journal said...

Karen,

I have been gone awhile so I don't know how long you have been doing these collages but they are stunning. I just adore all the mediums you are using and their links to nature. Oh, I just can't wait to see where this takes you...

Speaking of your washline prints, I saw them long ago and was inspired to use them in my guesthouse at the lake. I will be doing my spring cleaning soon and I will take a good look around. So far I have nothing on the walls and only white wicker.

Lovely pictures at the end also!

xoxo
Jane

Vee said...

Wonderful to see all this amazing creativity. Now I'm wondering about the pressed flowers that I have that I want to preserve and have been using some sort of glue on. I think that the beeswax would be ever so much better.

Sharon's Cottage Quilts said...

Stunning Karen! I have missed you so much! First thing I did when I arrived home was visit your blog!! Hee hee! I love your beautiful collages, what delightful keepsakes! Bless you friend!
Sharon

Lisa Kettell said...

Karen, I always leave your blog feeling happy and inspired, its my favorite place to visit. I grab a cup of coffee or tea and sit back and read the adventures and art you post. BEAUTIFUL!

Also, Miss Karen, You won something in the mermaid tea party, drop on by to see it!
xoxo!
Lisa!

xashee's corner said...

you do such BEAUTIFUL work! hydragengas are some of my FAVES!! Thank you so much for sharing!! Have a LOVELY weekend! :)

Anonymous said...

Karen,

I love your work. It is absolutely gorgeous. I find it has a dreamy look to it. I have used wax only once on fabric and it turned out great.

Would love to know how to use it in collages.

Kris

Laurie said...

How lovely! You are very prolific! I must learn from you and start more than one project at a time!

Unknown said...

That is such a sweet photo of your Great Aunt Adelaide. What a pretty girl! Love the sweet collage!

Kathleen Grace said...

Your collage is beautiful! I have never herard of using beeswax this way, I would love to see a tutorial:>)

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