For the past week or so we have had gorgeous weather here in Middle Tennessee. Low humidity and cooler temps have made it feel like fall. I decided to take a little walk down our road instead of my usual workout routine in the house. My fast walk soon turned into stopping and gathering the interesting little presents that the nature around me had left in my path.
Poke berries are such a beautiful shade of dark purple, contrasted against the bright magenta stems and green leaves. The immature berries are a cool chartreuse. 
When crushed, the berries yield the most deep, magenta pigment. I couldn’t resist mashing them and adding a few drops of water to extend it to make some paint.
I had a jar full of black walnut hulls that I had been soaking since last fall in my pantry so I combined the two to make this pattern in my journal. It will become the background for some future creation, either collage or a photo background.
If you are feeling uninspired, just find a nice park or country road, or even your own backyard and see what treasures you can find to spark that flow of ideas. See where it takes you!
