Happy December!
I sure hope this month will be filled with lots of fun and happy activities for each of you. I'm still recuperating from my knee surgery, and I'm being very good and doing all my exercises to reclaim full movement in my knee joint.
What have I been up to since the surgery? Well, healing for the first week or so, and then I decided to pick up my needles and thread, and return to Wedding Piece #2.
more stitching to do on the B
I'm contemplating adding some pale colours to the monogram
Picture cream seed beads as centers for the Josephine Knot flower cascade
in the top left corner of the Wedding Piece
still unfinished
woven picot leaves, bullions, french knots abound
more of the same, and yet, different........
lots more to add to this piece
I decided my angel for the Guild Swap needed a little more........
the fancy picot tatting shows on both sides
I added it and some Josephine Knot cascade hair to the other side of my angel
it's on its way to the swap
Then, it was time to return to the gessoed canvas.
I had mentioned egg shells ..................washed, dried, and crumbled
I used 4 eggs
mixing gesso, and acrylic paint
I saw this online, and thought it was a brilliant idea
I mixed the gesso and paint, then folded in the egg shell crumbles
it makes a great texture
it looks rather like corn flakes in milk, doesn't it?
spread into the flower center, I allowed it to dry overnight, then added more colours--yellow, green, golden browns
while wet, I sprinkled on a bit of gold glitz for a touch of bling
once dried, I added a layer of pouring medium to seal all the layers
painting the background......
first layer of acrylic paint colour
hmmm, those leaves look a little too dinky.........
better........
more shading on the petals....
lighten and brighten and shadow......
splattered
hmmm, there are some vertical lines showing on the top right petal
I'm wondering if it will bother me.....
dried overnight, and a bit of the highlights have faded........
maybe I'll add a few more. What do you think?
I'll let this painting sit for a few days while I evaluate it each time I walk past the studio......
I think it sort of pops
You might enjoy watching this video about seeing our beautiful world in colour.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz
Thanks for the button, Todolwen.
I sure hope this month will be filled with lots of fun and happy activities for each of you. I'm still recuperating from my knee surgery, and I'm being very good and doing all my exercises to reclaim full movement in my knee joint.
What have I been up to since the surgery? Well, healing for the first week or so, and then I decided to pick up my needles and thread, and return to Wedding Piece #2.
I'm contemplating adding some pale colours to the monogram
Picture cream seed beads as centers for the Josephine Knot flower cascade
still unfinished
woven picot leaves, bullions, french knots abound
lots more to add to this piece
I decided my angel for the Guild Swap needed a little more........
the fancy picot tatting shows on both sides
it's on its way to the swap
Then, it was time to return to the gessoed canvas.
I used 4 eggs
mixing gesso, and acrylic paint
I saw this online, and thought it was a brilliant idea
I mixed the gesso and paint, then folded in the egg shell crumbles
it makes a great texture
it looks rather like corn flakes in milk, doesn't it?
spread into the flower center, I allowed it to dry overnight, then added more colours--yellow, green, golden browns
once dried, I added a layer of pouring medium to seal all the layers
painting the background......
first layer of acrylic paint colour
hmmm, those leaves look a little too dinky.........
better........
more shading on the petals....
lighten and brighten and shadow......
hmmm, there are some vertical lines showing on the top right petal
I'm wondering if it will bother me.....
dried overnight, and a bit of the highlights have faded........
maybe I'll add a few more. What do you think?
I'll let this painting sit for a few days while I evaluate it each time I walk past the studio......
I think it sort of pops
You might enjoy watching this video about seeing our beautiful world in colour.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz
Thanks for the button, Todolwen.
You've not only been busy healing, but also creating too. All your projects are so amazing...you definitely have multi-talents!
ReplyDeleteThanks, MA! I like to play with different techniques and learn new ideas. And it gets a little boring just sitting and reading in between exercises, although physio slapped my wrist today, and told me I should not be on my feet as much as I have been..........and I have to raise my knee above my heart to get the swelling down.........I've been naughty.......grumble, snort..........back to putting my feet up, I guess........
ReplyDeleteHugs from Suz
May you continue to grow stronger as you heal.
ReplyDeleteI love the trim around your heart, but cannot figure out how you did it. It is beautiful. The whole piece is lovely and I look forward to seeing this as you go along. It will be a treasure!
FlowerLady
Thank you Lorraine. The trim I used for the heart is a needle-tatted Josephine knot cascade in long lengths, couched onto the fabric. If you don't tat, you could get a somewhat similar look by making hundreds of cast-on stitch flowers.
DeleteIf you tat, please let me know and I'll send you the explanation for making this, okay?
Hugs
good to read the knee is improving although have read your reply to MA and see you are being naughty! The josephine knots look amazing I love doing them too thanks it was you that showed me them the whole wedding piece is looking pretty spectacular. Well never seen egg shells used in this way before you have done a wonderful flower centre with them
ReplyDeleteHi Margaret,and thank you. I'm being naughty now sitting at the computer, but I shall shortly go to do my next round of exercises...........and then a soak in the tub. I'm really enjoying working on the wedding piece. Sometimes I think it would be good to stitch faster, but then, I probably wouldn't enjoy it so much if I was rushing.
DeleteHugs
I loved seeing how the flower evolved and your wedding piece is looking sumptuous. I hope your knee will soon be fine, though you're clearly not letting it affect your creativity!
ReplyDeleteThe flower sure was fun, Jane, and i may go back in and add a bit more to the petals. I've been working my knee hard today, so it's a bit sore. Thanks.
DeleteHugs
Glad to read you are healing well, dear, and that you are now having energy for embroidery and painting.
ReplyDeleteThe embroidered B inside the flowery heart, looks so very beautiful, and your little angel ,too , and I love the leaves and the knots!!
The flower looks lovely, and the egg shell effect is great, I also learned that in a class I attended on the internet, ..to be used in a mixed media hanger, :-) I wish you happy December dayes Suz, -with hugs from Dorthe
Thank you for all those lovely wishes, Dorthe! I have been doing a bit too much, so i must try to curb my enthusiasm until I am more healed. I plan to do a little bit of stitching tonight on the Wedding Piece.
DeleteMerry Christmas to you and yours.
Hugs
Hi Sue, you stop being a naughty girl now you hear! Although I know how boring it can be just sitting with your leg held high. What you have achieved with the wedding piece is so beautiful makes me want to get married so I could have one too. The flower is so good and the darker the leaves got the better. Love the idea of how to do the textured centre...very interesting.
ReplyDeleteAm thinking of you and hope the healing process keeps improving.
I tell you what, Shirley-- if you get married again, I'll make you a Wedding Piece! Right now I have to stop being naughty (sitting at the computer) and go do my exercises. Then I'll put my feet up again for a while.....either before or after a nice soak........and then I might do a little more stitching.......Thanks.
DeleteHugs
That wedding piece is just fantastic - I absolutely love the heart. I keep meaning to look up how to do that stitch but will have to wait until the New Year now... keep posting pictures of it to remind me hey?
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling better and that your knee is healing well... keep it up and sew!
Thanks Jillayne. i hope to stitch a little this evening, but have been reading lately instead. Ask me about the JK cascade anytime, and I'll be happy to share the directions.
DeleteHugs
Hope your recovery is swift...your heart is stunning! Lots of time spent making those knots...I am in love with your painting and what a wonderful idea using eggs...just goes to show that you can always learn something new...Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI always learn something new, Wendy, watching other artists and reading their posts. ;-) The wonder of blogland! So much inspiration and information shared. And such fun to experiment with all those lovely ideas. Thanks.
DeleteHugs
So glad to see you back :-) Have missed your sublime creativity & gorgeous photography !
ReplyDeleteHope you recuperate even faster & do all your exercises, etc. - that is your priority for the present :-)
((( Warm hugs )))
Thank you, Muskaan! Yes, getting well and getting my knee back to working fully is my job right now, but I am playing a little here and there in between exercises. Hope you're having a good December.
DeleteHugs
The wedding piece is beautiful.Lovely Josephine knots,it creates a wonderful texture to the piece.Be a good girl and get well soon! sending lots of healing thoughts and prayers to you Suz dear!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Anita, for all the wonderful healing thoughts and good wishes! I am being good and doing my exercises, so I'm not getting as much stitching done as I'd hoped, but if I do a little each day, I'm sure to finish the Wedding Piece sometime in the New Year. It won't be finished for Christmas, as I'd hoped, but that was before I knew that the surgery would happen so quickly. Best wishes to you and yours.
DeleteHugs
The wedding piece is glorious, Suz.. The texture of the flower centre worked really well. Must say I have not seen that technique before. Hope you continue to heal well.
ReplyDeleteit's so lovely to have you back!!! I hope you and your family have a magical Christmas xxx
ReplyDeleteGood recovery, Susan, be patient, you will be back to quite a normal knee. Thank goodness that "the" can do such operations. ... and I was thinking you are baking a cake, a tart, the filling, but then I saw that you are creating art - well done. All the best to you for 2015.
ReplyDelete