Artsy Autumn Beauty Sunflower Collage

For the past few days, I have been inspired by the beautiful Autumn Beauty sunflower blossoms emerging on the first sunflower plant of 2015. Thanks to Facebook this morning, not liking my artsy collages, I am taking time to blog about it.

On April 22, 2015, the first Autumn Beauties emerged along the side of my sunflower plant.

FIRST THREE AUTUMN BEAUTIES

There are the early emergers! The three beautiful Autumn Beauty sunflowers. The color is like rich merlot or perhaps a rich shiraz and remind me of a velvet-like fabric.

For the past couple of months, I have been watching that singular sunflower plant as it weathered our freezes. I'd cover it some nights to protect it from the cold. That plant just popped up, out of nowhere, this year ... so I opted to go with it. I was daily wondering, "what color will those blossoms be?"

ARTSY AUTUMN BEAUTY SUNFLOWER COLLAGE

This very morning, I was sharing those three sunflower photos on Facebook when one of my friends, Anna, suggested that I might want to do a collage. Hey, that was a great suggestion as I have done many artsy collages in the past. A collage is a good image to compile when you find it difficult picking just one or a couple photos.

 

So, I started to create my design in PhotoShop. Once I had the first sunflower collage prepared, I thought that I needed to change the background to create a colored mat. I went first with a white background, then black ... and then thought two more ... merlot to reflect the rich color of the blossoms ... and then green, to pick up the pretty colors of the leaves.

I then did a short post and added those photo collages to my post. However, just as soon as I went to submit that post with photos, Facebook told me my post was blocked. And, informed me that I could submit my reason they might have gotten that wrong. Good grief! OK, it was time to get back to my blogging.

Perhaps Facebook was being an art critic? What do you think??

Say, be sure to check out the beautiful line of designer throw pillows on Zazzle. These pillows showcase my authentic and original sunflower blossoms from my very own flower garden in Jacksonville, Florida. And, all those blossoms came from plants that emerged from the humble seed. This year, I am into my third such garden. Enjoy!

Oh, and by ENJOY, I didn't mean STEAL my copyrighted images!

Bunch of Sunflowers Zazzle Designer Fabric

To know me is to know that I love sunflowers! Especially the bold and inspiring sunflower blossom as showcased on the Bunch of Yellow Sunflowers Fabric available from Zazzle. I designed my very first fabric product with a collage design of yellow sunflower blossoms with the original blossom found in my sunflower garden in Jacksonville, Florida. I opted to go with combed cotton to put the focus on the flower. Take a look at the piece of fabric as I have displayed it as a floral hanging from my Stanley yellow dresser.

Bunch of Sunflowers Combed Cotton Fabric by JaguarJulieFlowers

Are you thinking flower power like me? I've been experimenting with that fabric panel throughout my house and haven't yet committed to one placement. I see so many possibilities for it! So, at the moment, that flower fabric panel is hanging on the front of my bedroom dresser as a focal point in my bedroom. And, you get to be in on my thinking and designing process! What would YOU design with that flower fabric panel?

Bunch of Sunflowers Combed Cotton Fabric by JaguarJulieFlowers

Stepping back a bit, to take in more of the artsy and sunny bedroom, you have a view of my white overstuffed chair. And, you can see the bathroom window through the door opening. The chair and the window are my first two design subjects. I'm looking for a white window shade to fit the bathroom window and want to stitch the fabric over the shade to make a sunflower window shade. I'm also going to try making a simple window curtain to hang as a panel over the bathroom window. I think the collage of sunflowers will look fabulous letting the light shine through the fabric panel.

Bunch of Sunflowers Combed Cotton Fabric by JaguarJulieFlowers

I personally love the idea of using the bold bunch of sunflower fabric as a cushion cover for the backdrop of my white overstuffed chair. What do you think? I'm also thinking that the sunflowers would look great covering the seat cushion. I love to be able to get a good view of the large sunflower blossoms. It's like adding a bit of art to the white chair.

Bunch of Sunflowers Combed Cotton Fabric by JaguarJulieFlowers
Browse more Sunflower Fabrics

Take a look at the beautiful presentation from Zazzle. If I lived in a loft apartment, I honestly think I might try presenting my sunflower fabric like a floral art panel. When I hung my panel in my bedroom, I flipped it from the Zazzle product presentation above. I've also added two additional designs to the bunch of sunflowers. You can select from Bunch of Sunflowers on Black or Bunch of Sunflowers on Teal.

If you are a seamstress, you will love the selection of fabrics available at Zazzle. I have designed all my fabric offerings using the combed cotton. However, you might opt to try one of the other fabrics available. Explore the various fabric types available from Zazzle.

The various fabrics include combed cotton, pima cotton, cotton twill, polyester poplin, polyester weave, ivory linen and natural linen. The fabric widths vary from 54 inches wide up to 60 inches wide. Plus the upgrade price is a bit more for the fabrics other than combed cotton.

It is time to welcome Spring! Why not pick the flowers -- the sunflowers -- and bring them inside? I live in Florida, so I am pretty much blessed to not have snow. We get a lot of sunshine. Maybe you don't live in Florida and would like a little sunshine inside? I have just the JaguarJulieFlowers zazzle fabric for you! Go ahead and browse my designer selections ... see if YOU can pick just one!

Designer Feedback

Here is your opportunity to be part of the design process! I personally LOVE to hear from my many readers; however, sometimes people are shy about leaving comments or don't know what to say. I would love to hear from my readers ... what would you design with this bold flower panel of a bunch of yellow sunflowers?

We've shared our designer thinking ... what do YOU think? Would you opt for a hanging floral art panel, bedroom dresser panel, overstuffed chair back cushion or seat cushion, window shade covering, window panel curtain, or perhaps wrapped canvas.

Some other options? Perhaps floral, three-panel room divider? That might be pretty cool. Or, I was thinking of making an outside panel that would be held by two of my five-foot wooden garden stakes. You know, sunflower art for my next sunflower garden! Let us know! Ah, hope you felt the sunshine today!!

Pretty Yellow Gerbera Daisies in my Flower Garden

I've written about the art of gerbera daisies, my favorite daisy, and lots of other flower art. Now, I've gotten to experience a little of that particular flower art with some pretty yellow gerbera daisies growing in my front yard garden.

Pretty Yellow Gerbera Daisy Growing in Front Garden
Photo taken on May 6, 2013 by JaguarJulie Ann Brady

In recent blog posts, I was celebrating the beauty of the Sunflower Blossoms in my backyard flower garden. Whilst I didn't plant sunflowers in the front yard, I did put in an impressive gerbera daisy plant. I bought a gallon plant at Lowe's for $12.98. Using Miracle-Gro Potting Mix, I planted the gerbera daisies in the large ceramic plant that housed my African orange and yellow marigolds last year.

Another Pretty Yellow Gerbera Daisy Blossom From My Garden
Photo taken on May 6, 2013 by JaguarJulie Ann Brady

What was interesting about these two gerbera daisy photos? When I was organizing my flower pictures after downloading them from my camera, I had to do a double-take. You see, I found these photos in my Sunflower Garden folder. I actually, at first glance, thought they were my blooming sunflowers!

Caring for my gerbera daisies, I make sure they have enough water ... they usually tell me by being a bit droopy. I've put them in a sunny location in the front garden so that they get a lot of direct sunlight and then a little indirect sunlight throughout the day. I've also sprinkled a bit of Miracle-Gro Shake'n Feed Bloom Booster Plant Food which I've been using throughout many different flower gardens this year. Honestly? I've had so many blooms coming off that gerbera daisy plant, I really think the Miracle-Gro should get the credit.

What do you think? Love the gerbera daisies? Do you think they are artistic? Love flower art? Would you have thought that these were sunflower blossoms? Look how many gerbera daisies are blooming in that pot!

Yellow Daisy Bushes and Yellow Gerbera Daisy Plant
Photo taken on May 6, 2013 by JaguarJulie Ann Brady

Here's a view of the little garden that is along the sidewalk to my front door. The yellow gerbera daisy plant is on the right. To the left, are two yellow daisy bushes which come back from the ground each year. This year, they got some bloom booster plant food. In this garden area, I've added black mulch which contrasts quite nicely with the light gray that I painted the concrete sidewalk. The decorative lighting adds a romantic feel.

Update! I have now captured a few more pictures of those pretty yellow gerbera daisies. Right before we had a soaker rain.

It's Another Pretty Yellow Gerbera Daisy
Photo taken on May 19, 2013 by JaguarJulie Ann Brady

Take a closer look at the three singular yellow gerbera daisy photos, which I have already shared, up above. You'll notice how each one of those has a different blossom center! Amazing that you can get that out of the same gerbera daisy plant.

Three Pretty Yellow Gerbera Daisy Blossoms
Photo taken on May 19, 2013 by JaguarJulie Ann Brady

Oh boy, but I sure do love the latest photos, especially the three-some. It's a sunny delight!

Yellow Gerbera Daisy Plant in Ceramic Pot
Photo taken on May 19, 2013 by JaguarJulie Ann Brady

And, one final look at the yellow gerbera daisy plant in that ceramic pot. I wished that I had started to count the number of blossoms that I have gotten from this plant. I am very satisfied with the quality of this plant that I purchased from Lowe's. I'm thinking that such a plant would be a perfect gift of flowers for mom or the lady in your life. Say it with gerbera daisy flowers! She loves me, she love me not.