State Flowers Maps: A New Collection is Growing
Thanks to all who came out to Gig Harbor Local Maker's Market - it was so lovely to meet you! Hearing your tales of climbing on the roof of King's Books as a teen as we connected over the Tacoma Neighborhoods Map. One customer found my c. 2008 Seattle Map (discontinued) in the “Seconds” box and told me she bought it on Etsy back then - it's on her wall! My last customer, after the market had ended, worked with me to re-design the Tahoma topo + Mountain piece to include a title so she could hang side by side with the new Key Peninsula topo Map. I'm so glad to make this Mother's Day gift just right for her - that's the benefit of designing and printing in-studio.
Since the Market, I've been holed up in studio working on a new Collection -
I should say…working hard on business stuff and parenting and finding relief working in my garden, admiring the gardens all around me - marveling at the miracle of nature that these plants are renewing themselves, growing every minute, beautifying my perception of the world at a very distressing period of time politically.
I don't know plants, but my friends are master gardeners. I romanticize them, move them around in my yard like it's graphic design and barely bother to learn their needs for sun and water - then sneer at them in March as they mock my labor with their disappearance or dormancy. I repent, friends! Some of the plantings of the past two springs are coming back, and the good work of former owners continues to delight me in their succession of blooming: first the camellia, then fat wild onion shoots, a bunch of random wildflowers, intricate columbines shooting up in random spots, the lovely lilac tree in its phases, delightful California poppies, red hot pokers came back even though I accidentally pulled most out, then the roses and a few gorgeous foxgloves I missed (thankfully) when I weeded the front yard beds in April. My most exciting discovery was the trillium (a gift from a friend last Mother's Day) that disappeared while I was away for a trip and couldn't water religiously - it came back! I don't mind learning about plants this way - trial and error, now that it's a revolving flower show in my yard. I also enjoyed sketching flowers with friends at the botanical garden near my home!
What's growing where you are?
