More Upcycled Trellises

This past spring, a cluster of dead Staghorn Sumac trees needed to be removed, and rather than haul them all away, I turned some of them into a useful trellis.

I  built the trellis using the same techniques as I used to make this pergola:

https://betsyblissart.blogspot.com/2024/06/from-drawing-to-reality.html

Right away, the birds seemed comfortable perching on the "new" trellis, like this Mockingbird who took a quick bath in the nearby fountain before landing to dry his feathers in the sunshine.

Here's a short video of the finished garden area with the trellis and the fountain running.

What could you make with sticks?  

Upcycling takes more time than simply buying something new, but reusing cast-off supplies lets you use your imagination and creativity.  

And it saves you tons of money!  

And you end up with something unique and special.

Happy Creating!

Copyright Betsy Bangley 2024.  All rights reserved.

Nature Journal Update: Pencil Drawing at the Park

Pencil & paper: the simplest materials an artist can take on a Sketch-podition (Our family term for an art expedition).  In this case, I took my 8.5" x 11" hard bound nature journal, a mechanical drawing pencil with an HB lead, and a vinyl eraser. 

I find that I often take far too much out with me in nature, cramming a backpack full of paints, brushes, colored pencils, pens, papers and assorted extras, when in the end, I use a few favorite supplies. Lugging all that weight and all of those expectations is a burden, and it's freeing to minimize.  Now the focus can be on the experience.

In the case above, I sat among my Tromboncino Zucchini plants, and sketched the beautifully shaped squashes growing on the vines.

The tiniest things, like the beetle and leaves below, are wonderful places to focus your attention.  I love to settle into the landscape by slowly drawing a curled leaf on the ground.  As if by magic, I begin to feel more grounded and connected to the earth around me.

Hoping you find time today to grab a pencil and paper and slow down with a sketch or two!