{"id":915,"date":"2025-11-20T17:25:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T01:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/wordpress\/?p=915"},"modified":"2026-08-20T19:47:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T02:47:23","slug":"915","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/20\/915\/","title":{"rendered":"Magical Shadows"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"et_pb_section_0 et_pb_section et_section_regular et_block_section\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_row_0 et_pb_row et_flex_row\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_column_0 et_pb_column et_flex_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et_flex_column_8_24 et_flex_column_8_24_tablet et_flex_column_24_24_phone\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_image_0 et_pb_image et_pb_module et_flex_module\"><span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Terri-Rottman-NJ-Christmas-Cactus-2020-Watercolor-Pencil-770px80q-232x300.jpg\" title=\"Christmas Cactus, 2020\" width=\"232\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Terri-Rottman-NJ-Christmas-Cactus-2020-Watercolor-Pencil-770px80q-232x300.jpg 232w\" class=\"wp-image-866\" \/><\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_column_1 et_pb_column et_flex_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et_flex_column_8_24 et_flex_column_8_24_tablet et_flex_column_24_24_phone\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_image_1 et_pb_image et_pb_module et_flex_module\"><span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Terri-Rottman-NJ-Christmas-Cactus-Process-2020-Watercolor-Pencil-770px80q-225x300.jpg\" title=\"Christmas Cactus Shadows Process, 2020\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Terri-Rottman-NJ-Christmas-Cactus-Process-2020-Watercolor-Pencil-770px80q-225x300.jpg 225w\" class=\"wp-image-867\" \/><\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_column_2 et_pb_column et-last-child et_flex_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et_flex_column_8_24 et_flex_column_8_24_tablet et_flex_column_24_24_phone\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_image_2 et_pb_image et_pb_module et_flex_module\"><span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Terri-Rottman-NJ-Christmas-Cactus-Shadows-2020-Watercolor-Pencil-770px80q-232x300.jpg\" title=\"Christmas Cactus Shadows, 2020\" width=\"232\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Terri-Rottman-NJ-Christmas-Cactus-Shadows-2020-Watercolor-Pencil-770px80q-232x300.jpg 232w\" class=\"wp-image-868\" \/><\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_row_1 et_pb_row et_flex_row\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_column_3 et_pb_column et-last-child et_flex_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et_flex_column_24_24 et_flex_column_24_24_tablet et_flex_column_24_24_phone\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_0 et_pb_text et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_module et_flex_module\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>One day I noticed the sun filtering in through the window of our little front room creating a warm, cozy space and lighting up the Christmas cactus which was in full bloom. I couldn\u2019t resist the invitation and quickly grabbed my journaling supplies and settled down in front of it. Initially drawn to the dazzling pink flowers, my attention quickly shifted to the cast shadows on the surface below. Light coming in from multiple sources was creating all sorts of intriguing patterns and colors, so I snapped some photos and began to sketch. I drew the flowers as well, but in the end, it was the shadows I most enjoyed capturing.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_row_2 et_pb_row et_flex_row\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_column_4 et_pb_column et_flex_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et_flex_column_2_5 et_flex_column_2_5_tablet et_flex_column_24_24_phone\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_image_3 et_pb_image et_pb_module et_flex_module\"><span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Terri-Rottman-NJ-Kale-Shadow-Flowers-2021-Watercolor-Pencil-770px-1-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Nature journal drawing of shadows from kale plants turned into flowers\" title=\"Kale Shadow Flowers, 2021\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Terri-Rottman-NJ-Kale-Shadow-Flowers-2021-Watercolor-Pencil-770px-1-300x225.jpg 300w\" class=\"wp-image-1065\" \/><\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_column_5 et_pb_column et-last-child et_flex_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et_flex_column_3_5 et_flex_column_3_5_tablet et_flex_column_24_24_phone\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_1 et_pb_text et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_module et_flex_module\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>Another day I was out in the vegetable garden journaling about some peas and radishes that were just coming up, but once again it was the frilly-edged shadows from nearby kale plants teasing at the corners of my notebook that really caught my eye. When I finished with the peas and radishes, I found the ideal position for my notebook and traced the kale shadows to fill out the bottom of my page. Sitting back to see what these shapes looked like, they immediately transformed into flowers in my mind. Adding some additional lines and color, they became the highlight of the page.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_row_3 et_pb_row et_flex_row\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_column_6 et_pb_column et_flex_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et_flex_column_3_5 et_flex_column_3_5_tablet et_flex_column_24_24_phone\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_2 et_pb_text et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_module et_flex_module\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>Autumn leaves make great shadows too. They are one of my favorite things to draw, but it can be difficult to get them to stay in one position if you are sitting on the couch. My solution? I stuck the stems into the spiral holes of my notebook. Once again, my attention was diverted from my subject to its shadows. I ended up drawing these instead but colored them in as if they were the leaves.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_column_7 et_pb_column et-last-child et_flex_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et_flex_column_2_5 et_flex_column_2_5_tablet et_flex_column_24_24_phone\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_image_4 et_pb_image et_pb_module et_flex_module\"><span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Terri-Rottman-NJ-Leaf-Shadows-Reimagined-2025-Watercolor-Pencil-770px-300x234.jpg\" title=\"Terri-Rottman-NJ-Leaf-Shadows-Reimagined-2025-Watercolor-Pencil-770px\" width=\"300\" height=\"234\" srcset=\"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Terri-Rottman-NJ-Leaf-Shadows-Reimagined-2025-Watercolor-Pencil-770px-300x234.jpg 300w\" class=\"wp-image-1095\" alt=\"Nature journal drawing of shadows from leaves propped up in spiral turned into leaves\" \/><\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_row_4 et_pb_row et_flex_row\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_column_8 et_pb_column et-last-child et_flex_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et_flex_column_24_24 et_flex_column_24_24_tablet et_flex_column_24_24_phone\">\r\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_3 et_pb_text et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_module et_flex_module\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>One of the things I love most about nature journaling is that it almost always takes you some place unexpected. I hope you are inspired to find some magical shadows of your own.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One day I noticed the sun filtering in through the window lighting up the Christmas cactus which was in full bloom. I quickly grabbed my journaling supplies and settled down to draw it, but my attention quickly shifted to the shadows it was casting on my page&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":867,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,16,17,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abstract-fantasy","category-flowers","category-nature-journaling","category-plants"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=915"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1207,"href":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/915\/revisions\/1207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willowsongways.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}