The Goddess of Summer

Life has been charging at me full tilt and I haven't had the opportunity to do much creative playing since I participated in my last OSA Card Layout Challenge so I haven't really had much to post. When I'm not invested in some family-oriented event, I'm in the garden for hours at a time watering, weeding, moving, planting, watering some more. By the time I make it down to my crafts workshop, it's all I can do to check my email and crawl into bed.

If you've been following me for any length of time, you'll know that I left my volunteer teaching position at the Dorchester Senior Citizens Center some months ago but I promised them that I would return to do the seasonal decorating that the members love so much. I had hoped to make it over there in June but the events of my life did not permit it so I'm heading over there later today to start decorating for summer. Yeah, I know, summer's been here for a month but better late than never, I say. I had taken a foam wig head from the senior center with the intention of decorating it for a seasonal display and after months of stops and starts I have finally finished  it.

Close up of flower, butterfly and hummingbird details.

I am pleased to introduce you to The Goddess of Summer. Her grass green hair is fashionably crimped and layered, covered in silky flowers and ornamented with large butterflies and tiny hummingbirds hovering over the blooms. She sports a cascade of leaves down one side of her face accented with a spray of delicate little blooms and wears a matching floral necklace. Glittery arabesque flourishes tattoo both sides of her face and she wears eye shadow with a subtle shimmer. Goddess took quite a bit of work but I am pleased with the way she turned out. She will spend the next few months on display in the showcase at the senior center until I return to decorate for the fall season.

One a slightly different note, I did manage to squeeze in a small project to commemorate my son Alex's graduation in June. His cap and gown were silver and his tassel was black so I created a box that looked like the mortarboard he wore at graduation. On the top I wrote out a message with stick-on letters and on the front of the cap I placed his school initials and class year. For the gift inside the box I folded a series of bills origami style to resemble hearts.This marks the last of my children's graduations for a while and I couldn't be happier.

Okay, enough of this. I've got to get back to my garden.

Ballo ergo sum

- Gitana, the Creative Diva