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Shower Flowers Sketches: Dahlias, Pansies and Paper Bootie


My daughter-in-law’s mother (Why is there no name for this important family relationship: “Son’s Mother-in-law” and “Daughter-in-law’s mother” are so awkward!) decorated Brittney’s baby shower so brilliantly. She covered the tables with colorful vases filled with dahlias and a little pot of pansies at each place setting that I took home to sketch and paint.

More Shower Flowers: Pansies, ink and watercolor, 8x5"
More Shower Flowers: Pansies and Paper Bootie, ink and watercolor, 8×5″

My daughter-in-law’s mother (Why is there no name for this important family relationship: “Son’s Mother-in-law” and “Daughter-in-law’s mother” are so awkward!) decorated Brittney’s baby shower so brilliantly. She covered the tables with colorful vases filled with dahlias and a little pot of pansies at each place setting. She decorated the walls with banners hung with pages from all our favorite old Little Golden Books classics.

I took home my pansies to sketch (above) and a vase of dahlias to sketch (below) and paint (see previous post). Each place setting also included a little baby bootie (in sketch below) that she made from different decorative papers and filled with chocolate.

Shower Flowers Sketch: Dahlias, ink and watercolor 2-page spread in Moleskine 16x5"
Shower Flowers Sketch: Dahlias, ink and watercolor 2-page spread in Moleskine 16×5″

11 replies on “Shower Flowers Sketches: Dahlias, Pansies and Paper Bootie”

🙂 What am I thinking? I think these drawings / sketches are beautiful, not only because the flowers are all in my favorite color schemes!
You’re so right – I miss word’s like “my brother’s mother-in-law” etc. too. I think we should make a word up for these kind of close relationships 😉
Have a very HAPPY weekend! 🙂

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Thanks Marian, I planted some a few years ago but only one continues to come up and usually the bugs get it pretty quickly. I wonder if you’re supposed to remove them each year even if it doesn’t freeze here? Jana

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Hmmm, Jana…so I did some research and if your dahlias are in the ground, and there is no freeze, they should be fine. Another important thing to do with dahlias is to “dead-head” them as the flowering season goes along.

For me, because it’s so cold in Boston, a friend told me, “I have had great luck storing my dahlias in Pro-Mix. It is light, fluffy and dry. After lifting, cleaning and drying, I divide each clump, which is the hard part, then put each division in a ziploc bag , covered with Pro-Mix then zipped shut. These are then placed in the coolest corner of the basement. Nearly 100% success every year”.

I think this is sounding like a lot of work. I might have to engage some help!

I am also thinking it might be easier to paint them than to grow them! 🙂

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Thanks for the good info. I never did the dead-heading thing but will pay attention next spring. I agree about painting them more fun, but of course it helps to grow some to paint! Jana

On Tue, Sep 23, 2014 at 3:18 PM, Jana Bouc, Artist wrote:

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Beautiful Dahlias! One of my favorite flowers. Planted a bunch this year and got a great crop of gorgeous pink and white flowers. Just discovered that I can remove the bulbs and replant them next year! Hip, hip, hoo-ray!

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Thanks Carol, I am excited about being a grandmother, mainly because I’m so happy to meet her and spend time with her and my son and d-i-l. Jana

On Sun, Sep 21, 2014 at 7:03 AM, Jana Bouc, Artist wrote:

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