Happy May Day.
I can’t wait for the day when we can teleport objects by thought or keyboard stroke. I’d certainly wing a May Day flower basket to your front door for you to discover. However since current technology hasn’t caught up to my fantasy quite yet, you’ll have to make do with this representation.
I do love vintage images, and that feels like a perfect choice for this vintage and alas quite out-of-fashion custom.
The actual origins of May Day baskets is vague, but is often associated with the Beltane celebrations. I suspect the origins might actually be even earlier. In ancient Rome the Floralia festival was held at the very end of April to celebrate Flora the goddess of flowers.
While my own garden is just beginning to wake from its long winter slumber, I have been immersed in flowers nevertheless. Today I mailed out the flower postcards I created for iHanna’s DIY Postcard Swap. Here’s a peek at a few of them.
While April was delivering the showers that will hopefully bring May flowers, I was inside playing around with watercolors. Just to incorporate a little extra floral magic into the cards, instead of just using plain water to paint with, I used water infused with flower essences, as well as misting them with some of my floral aromatherapy sprays. Not enough to scent them, but enough to create some lovely little spritz patterns in the colors. I also used drips of alcohol to make splotch marks, and then scattered a bit of pink Himalayan salt to soak up the water in places. Then after all that delightful alchemy had a chance to work, I simply took a pen, outlined a few shapes, applied a little dotting with some glitter pens, and then pasted on a few torn out words. And voile, I had a garden of flowers.
I invite you to check out the linking post on iHanna’s blog where swap participants are giving sneak previews of their cards and talking about how they created them. Fun!
May Day also is celebrated as International Workers’ Day and I’m part of a family that has worked hard to promote fair labor practices and workers’ rights. So today is a perfect day to support your local artists, your neighborhood florists, and all the workers of the world.
Now tag, you’re it. How has May started out for you? Enjoying some flowers? Laboring at something that fills you with joy? Swapping post cards? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
Thanks for the flower basket, so cute! Never heard of that tradition before, but it sounds nice. I have had a lovely day with lots of flowers as I took a walk and took lots of phone photos of all the spring glory!
Happy first of May, and thanks for joining the swap. Your postcards are very cool!
Oh that sounds like such a perfect day. And I’m so glad you hosted the swap and the invitation to play – I had great fun. And thank you for stopping by – the was very kind.
Deborah, I love your post cards! The colors and techniques are absolutely gorgeous! Happy May!
Kelly
Thanks Kelly. And Happy May to you!
Love your cards–they remind me of growing crystals! Bet they were fun to make. Hope you get lots of awesome mail in the next few weeks!
Oh YES – growing crystals – that’s perfect! And I hope your mailbox overflows with wonders this month as well.
I wonder sometimes about the customs we keep that are actually from places with different climates, so the timing seems off.
Today I went to Job Club, where we talked about long-term goals, and also to the anime club. It’s getting near the end of the season, so two shows reached their concluding episodes.
Yes I expect you’re right about that. Wishing you a wonderful May, and thanks for stopping by to say hello.
these are so pretty !!
May started for me yesterday as Im in Australia and its started off perfect headed to the post office to post my postcards.
How exciting .
hugs xo
Thanks so much for stopping by and saying hi. That does sound like a most excellent way to start the month. And it makes me smile to think the mailstream being filled with fun postcards from all over the world.
How beautiful your postcards are! Brought a smile to my face!
May 1st was a joy filled day for me. We arrived back in Indiana after being away for the winter. I was reunited with my son and my soon to be daughter in law! Cuddled and cooed with my great nephew who is about to turn one year old….and I had ice cream! Feeling so blessed!
Oh that sounds like a perfect way to usher in May! May the rest of the month be filled with lots of wonderfulness as well.
Your cards look verry beautiful to me! Love your blog and website too! I hope you have enjoyed your Mayday…?!
Thanks Deezy – and I appreciate you stopping by and saying hello.
Your cards are beautiful and I love the vintage flowers. You’ve reminded me of how, as children, we would pick weeds, arrange them, and leave them on front porches. Of course, we didn’t think of them as weeds – just abundant foliage and flowers that we wouldn’t get in troubles for picking!
LOL – weed scavenging! I love that Linda. And I’m sure the arrangements were all received graciously in the spirit they were offered.
Happy May Day to you as well. I remember as kids how we’d go around leaving baskets at the front doors of the people that were in our lives. I too, would love to have the ability to teleport a basket or two right now since having forgotten it was indeed May day yesterday.
I love the cards you’ve created!
It’s such a lovely custom isn’t it? Happy May Kelli.
I received your beautiful card today. Thanks so much!
You’re welcome. It was fun playing wasn’t it?
These are gorgeous.
Thanks!
Hi Deborah! I sent you an email, but wanted to thank you for my postcard! I was the lucky recipient of the card “A few words on a piece of cardboard….” and have shared the image on the iHanna FlickR group. Thank you so much. Love the card. <3
Glad you enjoyed the card Betty – I had lots of fun playing.