Garden Muse: Botanical Portfolio exhibit coming soon!

It’s that time again! I’ll be installing my second photography exhibit at the Horticulture Center at Green Spring Gardens this Monday. The exhibit runs from August 30 through October 23. Meet the artist (that’s me!) on Sunday, October 9, 1-3 p.m. There will lots to eat and drink and lots of inventory to purchase (please do!). Hope you can make the reception or at least the show.

Also, Green Spring Gardens has their annual Fall Fest on Saturday, September 10, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. I’ll have a booth there with lots of great inventory and you can stop in and see the exhibit that day, too! Thanks to everyone for your support!

GARDEN MUSE: BOTANICAL PORTFOLIO
Green Spring Gardens Horticulture Center
4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA
August 30 – October 23 (free entry, free parking)

GARDEN MUSE BOOTH @ FALL FEST
Green Spring Gardens on the main lawn
4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA
Saturday, September 10, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (free entry, free parking)

EXHIBIT ARTIST RECEPTION
Green Spring Gardens Horticulture Center
4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA
Sunday, October 9, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. (free entry, free parking)

Official press release from the USPS

From the USPS official press release:

Hi,

I’m with the Postal Service and wanted to give you a heads up that Washington, D.C., area photographer Cindy Dyer beat the odds by having her beautiful water lily photo selected on a Forever Stamp as the 11th of 16 stamps to celebrate the National Park Service’s 100^th anniversary. Cindy is a great interview. Please feel free to reach out to her: 703.577.4122 or dyerdesign@aol.com. Here’s Cindy’s website: www.cindydyerphotography.com

The Postal Service gets about 40,000 suggestions for stamp ideas each year, but only about 20 topics make the cut. To have your work appear on a stamp is extremely rare and is often unparalleled in a photographer’s career.. Here’s a link to the news release: http://about.usps.com/n…/national-releases/2016/pr16_026.htm

The June 2 first-day-of-issue ceremony for the National Parks Forever Stamps pane will take place at New York City’s Javits Center at 11 a.m. as part of the world’s largest stamp show that only takes place in the United States once a decade, World Stamp Show-NY 2016. Dedication ceremonies will also take place at or near each of the National Parks depicted on the stamps. Individuals are asked to spread the news on social media by using the hashtags ‪#‎NPSStamps‬, ‪#‎FindYourPark‬ or ‪#‎NPS100‬.

Other National Park Forever Stamps previewed to date include Acadia National Park, Arches National Park, Assateague Island National Seashore, Bandelier National Monument, Carlsbad Caverns National Park , Everglades National Park, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve,Grand Canyon National Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore and Haleakalā National Park.

Photography featured on Nikon’s website again!

So exciting! My photography is featured on the Nikon website again in their Learn & Explore series. Check the feature out below:

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/article/ic7egnag/one-shot-stamps-of-approval.html

Waterlily stamps featured on Jeopardy!

Thanks to the eagle eyes of my friend Barbara Kelley for catching this screen grab on Jeopardy (Sept. 21). I also got an email from Mark Saunders (USPS PR guy) alerting me to this fun thing!

Answer: What are water lilies?

Another fun thing—the ferns were featured in Jeopardy last year! How cool is that?

The Traveling Water Lilies Forever Stamps Project, Installment #13

For Installment #13, my friend Betty Ferguson has ramped up her contributions big-time by hitting the road in search of stamp lovers! Determined to win that gallery wrap canvas, she is currently the frontrunner with 41 recruits!

First up is Betty’s friend Candace Meinders (Arlington, VA), whom I met several years ago at one of our first Chocoholic Parties (Hi Candace!); Brandon (Dallas, TX); Dallas & Kim (TX); Debbie (Frisco, TX); Evan (Richardson, TX); Hugo (MN); Irene (MN); Julian (all the way from Austria!), and Kathryn (Grapevine, TX).

Next, we have my friend Carmen Mezzacappa with her friend Colleen, followed by the Mahaffey Plantation Bunco Babes (Carmen’s note on this entry read, “We were well into our drinks by this time…note the stamps on our foreheads!”).

Next, my friend Laurie Pullins (Maryville, TN) with her audiologist Beth Humphrey (Knoxville, TN); Laurie’s dancing feet (she is a competitive ballroom dancer!); Laurie with her friends Jennifer Nelson and John Tourtellote at Let’s Dance Ballroom Dance Studio (Maryville, TN), and finally, Laurie with her husband Steve Pullins at a Christmas in July celebration.

Next, we’re back on the road again with Betty Ferguson in a Japanese Garden in Adare, Ireland (where she accidentally left behind her traveling stamps!); and in front of a sign advertising “Big Bad Bob” at the National Stud Farm in Ireland, followed by Pat (Oklahoma). Our next entry is my friend Barbara Kelley, who found pre-stamped envelopes at her local post office (didn’t even know they were selling these!) and sent in proof. Betty Ferguson comes in again with her last-minute entries to Installment #13—Sherry (Georgia), Polly (Georgia), Mona (Louisiana) and Janet (Georgia).

THE ONES TO BEAT TO WIN A FREE GALLERY-WRAP CANVAS: Betty Ferguson (41) and Sue Cummings Titterington (27) are the top two recruiters. Thanks to my friends Steve Stroupe (14), Kathy Muchemore (7), Judy Schefcick Martin (10), Martha Biz (7), and James F. Williams (5) for recruiting friends and family as well for the project. The contest ends at midnight on December 31, 2015, so start recruiting those stamp selfies!

Save the date—Saturday, July 11

DC/VA/MD FRIENDS! Mark your calendars for the annual Lotus Asian Cultural Festival at Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens on Saturday, July 11.

FOR MY PHOTOGRAPHER FRIENDS: the park opens at 7:00 a.m. (yes, that’s early but it’s also most likely to be less crowded AND a tiny bit cooler temp-wise).

JOIN ME FOR SOME PHOTO TIPS! I’ll be giving a brief photo workshop/tips & tricks session from 9:00-9:30ish.

THE FESTIVAL officially kicks off at 10:00, followed by a Water Lily Stamp Dedication Ceremony at about 10:20.

BUY SOME STAMPS! The USPS will have a mobile postal store by the curb at the entrance to the park where they will be selling the Water Lily Forever Stamps (in case your local post office doesn’t have them available). Be sure to buy some, take a selfie holding them and send them to me via email or FB so you can be part of my ever-growing Traveling Water Lily Forever Stamps Project!

A HEAD’S UP: Water lilies and Lotus like to bloom during the HOTTEST period of summer, so dress cool, wear a hat, bring water, cover yourself in sunscreen and stay cool!

The Traveling Water Lily Forever Stamps Project / Installment #3

Thanks to all the participants who continue to submit to my “Traveling Water Lily Forever Stamps Project.”

For Installment #3, we have friend-through-HLAA Jeff (Georgia), my friend Carmen‘s postal lady Diana (South Carolina), new FB friend Virginia (Florida); Carmen’s friend Marcy (Missouri); my friend Karen (Virginia); my friend Sue’s YAHAS group (Alabama); my cousin Deanna’s cousin Sylvia/J&T Tire Inc. (Georgia); and Lee & Tweety (Missouri). Thanks for purchasing my water lily FOREVER stamps and sharing your mugs with me!