Category: Plants

Piece in Progress–Contemplate Something Beautiful

I am working on a piece that has the code–contemplate something beautiful. The code is based on a masonic cipher. Or the common Pigpen Cipher.

Contemplate something beautiful

I upcycled some green painters’ paper that was used as a template for a previous project. Made the blocks from tree wrap and cotton twine. Used safety pins and cotton thread to attach to the blocks to the background. Then used a solution of salt, peroxide, and white vinegar to age the metal. Unfortunately I used stainless washers for the twine icord at the top.

Contemplate something beautiful

This morning the piece still wasn’t dry so I placed it outside to finish drying. When I checked on it, I found that a spent Brugmansia flower had fallen onto it.

Contemplate something beautiful

I think it looks beautiful as part of the piece. Will I keep it? Maybe…

Fixed Up Box

Been thinking about making a piece with the quote–“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you; I could walk through my garden forever.”

When I ran across this box in my stash, thought it might be fun to combine it with the quote.

Postcard Box

The exterior bottom of the box had a hand written price of 79¢. Made me smile. The notion of how objects are valued is a curious thing. Some would say the value is whatever someone is willing to pay for it.

Box Lid Exterior
The lid of the box has a slot for a postcard or photo that is 3.5″ x 5.5″.

Box Lid Slot

I used a piece of parchment paper and bamboo fiber for the code. I applied PVA to the front and back of the code piece for easier insertion into the box slot.

Code Exterior

To prevent the code piece from moving about, I applied some PVA to the right side back of the parchment before inserting it into the slot. Why?

I noticed the postcard was a bit mangled. I thought it was wear from being carried around.

Postcard

But there are thin wood strips on the top and bottom inside of the slot reducing the space. When I trimmed the code piece, it moved about a tad in the slot. Apparently the wood strips aren’t exactly square. The PVA should prevent the parchment code from shifting.

Code Used
The code is based on an altered Masonic cipher, also know as Pigpen.

Code

Code

Box Interior
Postcard Box Interior

I fixed up the interior of the box with a bamboo I-cord, a piece of linen, and some trim that I purchased years ago.

Fixed up Interior

I make a practice of gathering and drying plants to use in pieces. The interior lid has two dried Datura flowers. Why two? For the same reason I have two stacks of bound pennies inside the box.

Interior Lid with Datura Flowers

Code Interior

The second part of the code was stitched onto a piece of tree wrap with bamboo fiber.

Code Interior

I stitched a few flowers onto the flipside of the linen with code.

Interior of Box with Flowers

I placed a beautiful malformed Brugmansia flower on top of the dried flowers to protect them. The Brug flower should prevent the dried flowers from shifting when the box is handled. It should also prevent the dried flowers from flitting away when the box is opened.

Flowers with Brugmansia

Unusual for me, but I did not count the number of flowers in the box. Even typing that makes me anxious. Should have counted them. Maybe I will.

Dried Flowers

Dried Flowers without the Protection of the Brugmansia Flower.

The bound pennies are located in the front left corner of the box. The binding is a dried Brugmansia flower tied with a bit of cotton cord. There are two stacks of two pennies–the first stack is 1963 and 2018, the second is 1973 and 1990.

Bound Pennies

Materials
Wood box, parchment paper, tree wrap, bamboo fiber, cotton fiber, linen fabric, cotton trim, dried flowers, stain, PVA

Masonic/Pigpen Cipher

Cymbidium, Datura, Prickly Pear

The cymbidium are doing great his year. I had planned to repot them for two years and kept missing the dormant time. The pots are also full of leaf litter from the wisterias covering the deck. The cymbidium will continue to bloom for several months. Maybe later this year I can repot them. Also wanted to pop some in the courtyard garden.

Cymbidium 1
Cymbidium 1

Cymbidium 1

Cymbidium 1

Cymbidium 2
Cymbidium 2

Cymbidium 2

Cymbidium 2

Datura
Even though Datura are considered to be annuals, some don’t actually die back where I live. They will lose nearly all of their leaves and then the base of the plant begins to thicken. Shortly after, new growth appears at the base and sometimes at the top of the stem if it hasn’t been cut back.

Datura New Growth

Datura New Growth

Datura New Growth

Usually I remove the seedpods to start new plants in flats and pots.
This year, I left a few to self sow.

Datura Pod

Prickly Pear
The start of the Prickly Pear is growing out of its pot. Just not sure where to transplant it. I don’t enjoy dealing with plants that can cause injury. A slight bump and multiple, nearly invisible spines to remove.

Prickly Pear