Volunteer Park Conservatory. Seattle, WA

Just when you thought you'd seen enough taxidermy..

Recently, a special friend of mine had a birthday and was proposed to within the same week. I decided it was good reason to make her something fun to help kick off their new life together. What better place then The Palm Room to search for goods. The lovely Margot gave me tips on how to taxidermy this moose antler plant, forgive my lack of technical terms here. It was a ton of fun to put together.

 

Needed:

-any plant you wish to mount

-an old pieces of wood or bark

- potting soil

-moss

-twine, metal wire, or strong string

-a drill with a small bit for wood

-fishing wire

-and a staple gun

 

 

 

Start by drilling two holes in the wood where you'd like the top of the mount to be. Tie your twine through each hole to create a loop hanger. (My piece was square and I mounted it as a diamond)

 

 

Place the plant in the center of the piece of wood. Add more soil around the base of the roots.

 

  

Cover the soil with layers of moss. Make sure its well covered as the moss acts as netting for the soil.

 

 

Then tie a few knots in the end of your LONG piece of fishing wire. Staple the piece of wire up next to the base of the moss/soil, maybe even a little under the mound.

 

 

In a criss-cross pattern staple the fishing wire back and forth and around the mound of moss, at the base of the mound. Try to get them close so they are hidden. Continue until you're assured the plant will stay put when its hung on the wall. 

Follow the watering instructions of the plant you've mounted. This particular plant needs to be water once a week. Simply take it off the wall and run it through a gentle stream of water from the sink. Let it sit for a bit to soak up the water, then return to wall and enjoy.

Inspiration within what you already know

 

Painting by LeRoy Greene from 1941 of Emily MacDonald Cole, a fellow art student

My very special great great auntie Emily Cole passed on last week. She was a woman of horses, leather work, photography, and love for her family.  Over Christmas I was given a few of her belongings that my relatives thought I would appreciate. Its been an honor to realize just how many things we share in common. I cant help but wonder if I developed a love for some of them because of her. I sure hope so.

JNG and I were lucky enough to attend the services back in Montana this past weekend. It was an especially wonderful time sharing pieces of my old stomping grounds with him and visiting with loads of family and friends.



{Though we didnt get to attend the show, the fabulous Pickwick, of Seattle, just so happened to be in Missoula the same day we were. We love them and stopped to document the fact. If you haven't discovered them yourself, you should. This video happens to be from the very moment they first rocked my world.}

video by the amazing Sound on the Sound- www.soundonthesound.com

Homestyled

I remember an instructor in design school commenting on the importance of one's interior space and how their happiness and inspiration is completely effected by such. Its amazing how true that statement has become for me. Some weeks more than others. This one happens to be especially prominent.

The outcome of my entire day seems to be abnormally dependent on how my home looks and feels to me. Whether it be while I work on jewelry or photos or am even just cooking dinner. I cant seem to get things done unless things are just so. Now I'm not sure if its just my semi-serious case of OCD, or if it does truly effect others the way it does me. I keep thinking that at some point, I'll have things the way I like them and inspiration will flow again but dammit its taking forever this time around. Perhaps the sun will shine again soon and I can pry my buns off this damn computer chair. Maybe that's my problem. It's not my home, its that I'm in my home too much to appreciate the areas I do love. Hmm.

Cheers to sun again then folks. And inspiring homes.