For no particular reason (or so I thought), I’ve had a strong admiration of botanical prints for quite some time.  As I walked through my house recently, I suddenly realized my admiration is genetic.  There are two paintings in my house I greatly cherish.  One is of an okra plant my Grandma painted for me since I always loved to eat the fried okra she made especially for me after church on Sunday afternoons (yes, I’m an East Texas gal through and through).

The other painting I cherish is a daffodil plant painted by my maternal grandmother, otherwise known as Momadee.

And how adorable is Momadee in this picture taken when she was just 16?

Anyway, as you can see it now makes perfect sense that I would be drawn to botanical prints.   So much so that I knew I wanted a series of four botanicals to hang in my entry.  The problem?  Those little prints can at times be very pricey (we’re talking 100’s of dollars, people).  Because of the cost, I decided to brush off the watercolor skills my 10th grade art teacher taught me 22 years ago (eek!) and paint some myself.  My little ferns aren’t perfect, but maybe it’s the imperfections I like most?  After all, imperfections are part of what makes painting with watercolors so great.  It’s NOT supposed to be perfect, which is right up my alley.

After my paintings were dry and sprayed with a UV protectant, I inserted them into some pewter frames I purchased at Michael’s for $8 each.  I love the pop of green the paintings add to my entry.

If you don’t have the painting bug in you, you can also find great vintage botanical prints on Etsy.com.  I have my own pair I purchased on Esty for just $2.50 each.

For a minimal cost, you can have stylish and colorful botanical art that bring the outdoors in.  Or in my case, it also brings me a little closer to some of the most influential women in my life.  And who knows?  Maybe my girls will carry on the botanical tradition which seems to be brewing among the women in my family?  After all, my 5 year old can draw the prettiest bluebonnets I’ve ever seen.