Snowflake Designs
Most winters we have a little snow in Inner Southeast Portland — this year, an unforecast snowfall on December 29th caused inconvenience for many commuters, with freeways in gridlock till midnight or later. For those staying home that day, it was simply a lovely winter experience.
But snowflakes in winter are certainly not limited to the real thing.
These are the months we spend more time involved in indoor pursuits. Many folks use the time to try art projects, so what could be more seasonal than snowflake designs? Many local retailers offer crafty assistance to such art, with how-to books, stampers, paper punches and more.
During the recent Holidays, the local New Seasons Markets sold a recently-published book of snowflake patterns — featuring seasonal images — entitled “Snowflakes: Creative Paper Cutouts”, by Cindy Higham.
At the same time, the Pendleton Woolen Mill Store displayed Higham’s earlier book, “Snowflakes For All Seasons”, showing how to create elaborate designs for round-the-year holidays.
In the Woodstock Shopping Center, the “Collage” creative crafts store was selling a variety of snowflake paper punches, rubber stamps, and snowflake-themed stickers to help create distinctive winter scenes.
While such snowflakes are usually cut from white paper to decorate windows at school and home, Higham’s books suggest that other pastel colors may be just as lovely. Her season-specific designs feature repeating symbols of pumpkins, turkeys, butterflies and pioneer wagons, among dozens of others. For this month, the delicate cutouts can also be used in February as the lace behind homemade Valentine hearts.
To get meteorological for a moment, a true snowflake forms in a hexagonal pattern with six angles and points. This shape is based on the structural bonds of hydrogen and oxygen atoms that make up water molecules from which snow is formed. Like a pearl, the center of a snowflake is built upon an imperfection, although the finished product results in a symmetrically pleasing art form. Increasing our understanding of mathematical patterns found in Nature can raise our appreciation for all forms of Earth's artistry.
And snowflake art can consist of photographing real snowflakes. You can discover the fascinating history of snowflake micro-photography in the award-winning picture book “Snowflake Bentley”, by Jacqueline Briggs Martin. This children’s story describes the life of Vermont native Wilson Bentley, whose lifelong love of these magical winter patterns led to the first successful effort to preserve snowflake designs on film in the early 1900s.
More recent books celebrating snowflake designs are also found at local bookstores. One classic is Kenneth Libbrecht’s “The Art of the Snowflake, A Photographic Album”. This book, as well as a Dover Coloring book, “Snowflake Designs”, by A. G. Smith, can be found in Inner Southeast Portland at Wallace Books in Westmoreland.
24 comments:
tamara davis said...those look so great! I love your LO, never thought about a kid growing up not seeing snow...but at least you can enjoy the beach all year round!
Dana said...Beautiful card and a great layout, too! Funny to read about your "winter". Like Tamara, I cannot imagine a childhood without seeing any snow. The grown-up me wants to go to the beaches, too! ;-)
Basement Stamper said...I love the snowflake card!!! And the layout is too funny, wishing I were in that 80 degree weather!
Ashley Cannon Newell said...Love your card, Jen! The scrap layout is amazing! Thanks for taking on an Embellish challenge!
edyo said...Hello Jen, i 'm coming to vist your page :). It's so interesting and a lot of thing I have to learn from you :). Those cards are so beautiful. Love the way you design and combine color :)
Uyen
Love the snowflake card! Your layouts are always stunning, Jen.
kim.mom said...Love your projects - especially that LO. We are on Oahu and I have a 17 month old that has never seen snow - I may have to scraplift that one!! Beautiful job!
Shabby Horse said...Lovely card and page! Love your colors and that big snowflake on the card. Very nicely done!
Laura Davis said...Stunning work!
Laura
Wow, you made these colors look so effortless together!! Love that card Jen.
Brenda Weaver said...seriously, that scrapbook is such a wonderfully creative way to use these challenge colors. The colors are kind "beach-y" feeling and you still managed to add the snowflakes even on a page about the beach! super cute!!
Katie Cotton said...this card is so pretty and i love love love the digi layout! Time for me to get crackin' on the digi scrappin again!
Wendy said...Jennifer Tapler!!! You wouldn't believe how much snow we have!!! You wouldn't of wanted to come here this year I tell you! Love the card and the page rocks!
Courtney Baker said...Oh wow on both! Love your card and that layout is amazing!
Heidi said...I am just loving the brown and blue. Love the card.
apigonfire said...gorgeamacious! :)
~Kendra
WOWzers, these are gorgeous! Congrats on your recognition!
Charlene Austin said...Holy Wow! This card is incredible!!
And your son has never seen snow??? Lucky kid! lol.
BOTH are very pretty creations! Love that big snowflake with the button center! Congrats on your win :)
Nicki (CSS) said...Congrats on getting selected on the Embellish Magazine blog - your card and digi LO were fabulous!
alexandra s.m. said...CONGRATS! i love your card and your page ;-)
maddy hill said...wow love the card ! and what a fantastic snow flake !
Julee (Vervegirl) said...I'm pretty sure I never stopped to tell you how fabulous these projects are, but they're fantabulous, Jen! LOVE that snowflake card and your digi layout is awesome! Fabulous stuff my dear!
Dee Dee said...These colors are gorgeous together. What a sweet layout. :)
