A week away is a nice break from the usual routine, but I'm happy to be back home.
Here's the view from our balcony. I love that arbor covered in vines!
The hydrangea were huge and beautiful.
Looking south toward the ski hills
To the north was the water. It was fun to sit on the balcony sipping wine, having wonderful conversations and watching the sailboats on the water.
There was plenty of rain during my absence, so my garden has grown well, especially the weeds. :-O
Here's what was in bloom on my return home:
golden glow
It really glows in the sunshine, doesn't it?
lavender
russian?
yum!
sweet
sandwiches!
Before leaving on holiday, I finished my July HEX LABS for StitchMAP. I chose to do the spider design, using a rayon thread for the web and a silk variegated thread for the foliage.
The spider is created with hematite beads.
The August HEX LABS have been released, and I've begun working on the Gecko.
Now that I have the wall bricks done, and the body outlined, I'm ready for the fun part of filling in. I've added guide lines to help me keep my stitching just where I want it.
Hmmm, there may be beads as well as different threads added. Should my gecko have a bit of bling?
Playtime with the gelli plate and a new stamp gave interesting results.
I used the excess paint from using the stamp on the gelli plate to stamp these roses onto yellow card stock. I turned the stamp 1/4 circle each time to create a varied look.
first print on the gelli plate created a subtle rose when stamping into the paint layer.
yellow roses on purple card stock with a red rose stamped over top using the excess paint
before
after
I like the results and will probably cut this up into several cards, adding some white or coloured ink to the surface to emphasize the designs.
I'm hoping August will be a wonderful month of nice weather and sunshine.
Wishing you a week of fun creativity ahead.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz
There was plenty of rain during my absence, so my garden has grown well, especially the weeds. :-O
Here's what was in bloom on my return home:
golden glow
It really glows in the sunshine, doesn't it?
lavender
russian?
yum!
sweet
sandwiches!
Before leaving on holiday, I finished my July HEX LABS for StitchMAP. I chose to do the spider design, using a rayon thread for the web and a silk variegated thread for the foliage.The spider is created with hematite beads.
The August HEX LABS have been released, and I've begun working on the Gecko.
Now that I have the wall bricks done, and the body outlined, I'm ready for the fun part of filling in. I've added guide lines to help me keep my stitching just where I want it.
Hmmm, there may be beads as well as different threads added. Should my gecko have a bit of bling?
I used the excess paint from using the stamp on the gelli plate to stamp these roses onto yellow card stock. I turned the stamp 1/4 circle each time to create a varied look.
before
after
I like the results and will probably cut this up into several cards, adding some white or coloured ink to the surface to emphasize the designs.
I'm hoping August will be a wonderful month of nice weather and sunshine.
Wishing you a week of fun creativity ahead.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz
Well looks like the vacation did you a bit of good! You got very creative, love what you have done and can't wait to see this gecko in bling.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mad! Hmmm, a purple blingy gecko sounds good, don't you think? How about some shots of lime green in the purple? I think so!
DeleteHugs
Definitely bling!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely right!
DeleteHugs
How very nice to get away and enjoy such beautiful surroundings. I so agree it is always even nicer to be home. Your garden of flowers and veggies is a vision of color and delight. Lovely Hematite spider and web with foliage. Gecko bling...why of course! Your stitchings are beautiful. August Creative Bliss Dear...
ReplyDeleteThank you Sherry. I am glad to be back home, even though the surroundings were beautiful and we had a nice rest. I'm a homebody at heart. There shall be gecko bling happening. Hope all is well with you and yours.
DeleteHugs
Marvellous what a bit of rain can do. Your spider and web is really cool and I love your gelli prints too. Yes, definitely a bit of bling on the gecko.
ReplyDeleteAh, Mother Nature does wonders, doesn't she? The rain really perked things up, and we had 2 1/2 inches during that week, with more since we've returned home, and even more in the forcast....Thanks. I've added a bit of bling to Mr. Gecko with more to come.
DeleteHugs
I love the view from your balcony too! How lovely to have a week away and then come home to all those yummy tomatoes... mine are still green I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteI love your Hex challenge you're doing and teh gecko looks like it will be great fun - they are such cute little things!
Thanks Jillayne. It must be our new location that's done the trick with the tomatoes. We even had some to eat before going on holiday, and in over 31 years of gardening, I've never had ripe tomatoes in July! Our peas are still producing, probably because it's been so mild, and so is the lettuce. Usually the lettuce bolts in early July. but we're still harvesting from the first planting!
DeleteI'm having fun with Mr. Gecko, adding bling and thread. The HEX LABS are proving to be challenging and enjoyable. I like having a choice of projects. Happy stitching.
Hugs
your garden is looking so colourful and appertising too. Spider and web have worked so well and the gecko definately should have some bling. Interesting what you have done with your jelly plates, very creative
ReplyDeleteMargaret, we have been enjoying our garden produce. Yum! There's noting better than going to the garden and plucking one's meal from the bounty there. A warm, just picked, sweet tomato bursts with flavour!
DeleteThe gelli plate is such fun to use! Every print is different. I could easily run out of paint and paper........lol
Hugs
Sue i cant believe you have golden glows.that is a blast from the past. My dad grew them all along the back fence behind the vege gardens. I have been looking for them for years. My dad was such a wonderful gardener.
ReplyDeleteYour holiday venue was so nice it must have been very relaxing
Your gelli prints are amazing.
Shirley, my father brought me some golden glows for my garden about 20 years ago, and they did very well there. He got them from a friend of his and grew some in his own garden. When I commented how pretty they were, he brought me some, too, but I missed not having any in our last house. So, I was pleased to see them growing in the garden here, and I've noticed them around the neighbourhood. My father has been gone for 11 years now, but every time I see golden glow, I think of him. He liked to garden, too.
DeleteWish I could send you some, but I know Australia is very strict on importing plants. What about seeds?
Hugs
Ooh! Such beautiful pictures! I think that if we lived close to each other, we would have great fun learning new things. I love seeing all you're trying, especially the HEX LABS... something for me to look into!
ReplyDeleteI think if we lived close to each other, we'd get into a lot of trouble (and fun!) together! lol You'd show me weaving, and I'd show you gelli printing and painting, we'd tat together, and learn from each other. The HEX LABS is through StitchMAP, a yahoo group devoted to promoting the needle arts, sharing knowledge and skills, and encouraging one another as we learn. I think you'd like it.
DeleteHave a great day, Diane.
Hugs
sigh....such beautiful pictures Susan. Your home looks amazing...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen. The gardens are lush with all the rain we've had and the weather has been great!
ReplyDeleteHugs from Suz
You home looks awesome Suz..Lovely views from your balcony.both the hexes looks great! I don't like spiders but your bead one looks cute! Love your creative gelli plate experiments..wish I could see them in person :)
ReplyDeleteAh, Anita, I think I may have led you astray: the photos of the balcony and mountain/lake views are of our holiday destination where we stayed for a week. It would be wonderful to have those views out my windows every day.......I realize that wasn't clear in my post. Sorry for the confusion.
ReplyDeleteI'll be posting a photo of the finished gecko--he's a blingy sort of guy! Thanks.
Hugs
Dear Suz, thank you so much for your so kind comment on my blog, so sweet of you.
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks wonderfully green, here we missed rain for many weeks now.I love your play with the gelly plate, and hope to give myself time to try, later.
Hugs from Dorthe
Yes, we have been lucky with our weather here, Dorthe. It's about 5 degrees cooler than normal for this time of year, and we've had some rain, so the gardens are green. When the time comes, I'm sure you'll have fun playing with your gelli plate. Take care.
DeleteHugs
Beautiful scenery, beautiful flowers and some lovely stitching!
ReplyDeleteThank you Connie! it's been a lovely summer so far with mild temperatures. I like that.
DeleteHugs