Last Day of May! Flower Challenge

I can't believe it's May 31st!  I have been participating in Lori Moon's blog challenge here and there so I figure I HAVE to post on the last day.  This sure has been a month full of flowers, outside and in the blogging world.  Today I'm going to share a collage I made on PicMonkey of some of my favorite flower  photos from this spring.  I hope you enjoy them!  If you can, get outside today and enjoy the flowers around you.

This moment...enjoy it

I'm the kind of person who very easily gets trapped in the past or the future.  Whether it's daydreaming about an amazing vacation to Jamaica from a few years back, or worrying about what my relationship with my daughter will be like when she's a full-blown teenager, I'm rarely in the present moment.  I've read books on the subject; I jot down quotes to remind me, but still I struggle with this daily.  How about you?

Having something in plain-view does help me instead of jotting down some "words of wisdom" in a notebook that gets shoved somewhere on my painting table.  Since I love creating paintings with quotes on them I decided to do a little one with "enjoy this moment" collaged on it.  I'm sure there are others out there like me who need some reminders too, and why not have it be in the form of "art"?

I'm really wondering if you have any tips for staying present and enjoying the moment I am in instead of dreaming of the past or worrying about the future.  I'd love to hear them...share if you can.  Thanks so much!

Dahlia Love - May Flower Challenge

I absolutely love dahlias but have never had much luck in them lasting in my pots.  This year we're trying AGAIN to have them around because my husband loves them too.  I wonder if they've gotten too much water in the past, still going to try no matter what.  I figure I better share them now while they still look amazing.

Here are a few shots I took with my i-phone and instagram this weekend because they are still alive and well (we've only had them planted for about a week)!

I hope you enjoy these flowers - to me they are perfect.  Honestly I look at them and can't imagine a more perfect flower.  If you have a chance stop by and visit Lori Moon who is hosting this May Flower blog challenge.  Enjoy your week and take time to notice the flowers around you!  It really makes a difference.

May Flower Challenge

I've been participating in Lori Moon's blog challenge for May which is all about flowers.  Mind you, I haven't posted everyday, but I'm doing it when I can, and I love stopping by to see some of the other participants' posts and what they are sharing in terms of flowers each day.  If you have a chance, stop by and check out their blogs, especially if you could use some uplifting flowers.  You can find all the other participants at the end of Lori's blogpost.

Today I'd like to share a picture of my May ATC (artist trading card) swap that I've been a part of since last fall.  A group of us that met through an online art business course have kept in touch and now create little cards every month based on a theme that we swap with each other.  May's theme was flowers of course!  Here are my cards which I have already sent to the hostess.  In return I will get three cards back from three different friends.  This is something we all look forward to getting in our mailboxes.  In July I will be the hostess and my theme is "sweet summertime."  

Thanks for stopping by to visit today!

First Greenhouse Visit of the year - Mother's Day

What's Mother's Day without flowers, right?  Well, my hubby and daughter gave me 4 bouquets of flowers so it would look like one huge vase-full.  They really started my day sweetly, with breakfast in bed, flowers, some jewelry, dark chocolate and a massage gift certificate.

Later in the day since it was so beautiful outside we took a trip to our favorite greenhouse, Eberts in Ixonia.  It. Is. Amazing.  I've never seen such lush flowers and so many of them.

They literally have over 25 greenhouses with annuals and hanging baskets so it's over-the-top beautiful.  Here are some of the flowers I photographed while we were there on Sunday.  Now it's so great to look outside my kitchen window and see our hanging baskets of petunias and the patio pots I planted after work today.  Finally color, greenery and life after a long winter!

Thanks for visiting!  Enjoy your day.  If you have a chance stop by Lori Moon to see her post for today's May Flower Challenge that she's hosting on her blog.

Friday Flowers - May Challenge

I can't believe it's the second Friday of Lori Moon's May Flower Challenge!  Time is a flyin'...  If you haven't had a chance to check out her blog for the past two weeks, you really should--she is posting some amazing flower photographs, artwork and New York architecture that has so much character.

This close-up is of a vase of white lilacs I took in my kitchen last year.  I must say lilacs are probably my all-time favorite flowers.  My husband and daughter have bought me two deep purple lilac bushes and one white for past mother's days and to me they are one of the best gifts!  These two varieties don't smell as strong as the traditional light purple, but they still have a subtle lilac scent.  They bring back memories of my youth and stealing bunches of them from my neighbor who did scold me...very embarrassing when you're a little girl!

I love this shot because you can see the sun shining through the kitchen window over the sink.  It's so odd because both these shots are the same vase of flowers, yet they look so different.  I'm a bit sad now as the lilacs are on their last blooms already here...have to wait again till next spring to enjoy them.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my flowers!  Have a great weekend.

Roses on my Table...

We're heading into the second week of Lori Moon's Flower Challenge for the month of May and today my post is all about roses.  

I've always loved this quote and agree with it:  

"I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck" by Emma Goldman.  Now roses aren't my favorite flower, but this quote really says what I believe about flowers in general.  Being surrounded by fresh flowers is more heavenly, in my opinion, than owning sparkly jewels.

 One picture is an acrylic, abstract painting I did of a vase of vibrant roses and the rest are all photos I've taken of roses, whether in my backyard, on vacation or strolling through a local botanical garden.  Enjoy!

Thanks for visiting today!  Stop by the other blogs participating if you have a chance for some more beautiful flower inspiration.

(All paintings and photographs © Jill Lambert of Jill's Dream Artwork unless otherwise stated.  Thank you.)