~~Lilac Time~~

Welcome!  Thanks for coming for a visit today.

 At a local grocery store yesterday morning I was thrilled to see a huge display of bouquets of Lilac branches with blossoms in many shades of purple. The scent of the blooms wafted about in a wonderful way.  I rushed home to check on our old fifteen foot tall and nearly as wide Lilac bush out back, and was rewarded to see a number of buds up high. I was able to cut this plume of blossom that was down low on the bush and bring it inside to enjoy. Please enjoy a cyber whiff through your computer screen.

Since I last posted I found an inexpensive picture frame online like the one I showed you several posts ago that holds an embroidery piece my mom stitched.  The frame I purchased came with an E. A. Abbey print of a woman knitting [Katrina Van Tassel from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow], and I am enjoying viewing it on my living room wall.  I am planning to make an embroidery piece like my mom's to put in the frame. My track record for completed projects stands to be improved and the planning of this project is encouraging me in that direction!

I believe the frame is from the early 1900's Arts and Crafts Movement Period, as is the one above it.  My Uncle George made the framed mirror piece in his high school shop class and gave it to my mom for her birthday.  It had pride of place in all the homes my folks had as long as I can remember.  I especially like the print of the sheep wandering down a country lane.  I think my mom told me that she thought her brother had cut the print from a calendar.

 Several weeks ago at my worship art group our facilitator gave us some sketched forms on white paper that we cut out and glued on a acrylic painted background that we stamped with a fence form and some birds...following her example each in our own way. She had us glue both sides of the sketched papers before painting them in order to discourage the paper from puckering which was a helpful tip for me since I have made other pieces with lots of wrinkles.

 Then a week ago I found a Traveler's Journal that has papers that are lined or blank or gridded.  It is handy to have one journal in which I can record in a variety of forms, my creative explorations.  So far I have written and sketched on some lined pages, I am plotting my embroidery project on gridded pages, and I painted this wonky view of sunflowers with watercolor pencils on a blank sheet..trying to learn more about perspective and shading and process.

 At my Wednesday morning stitching group I am crocheting a new baby blanket and using Deborah Norville Serenity acrylic Baby Yarn.  I am stitching in a single crochet, double crochet repeat across which makes a soft bumpy texture.

 After cutting the lilac branch some of my girls joined me outside and they perched for me on the back steps by the recycling crate.  They are among the next able generation being trained to be  recyclers!  Their attire reflects the fantastic sunny 83F weather we have enjoyed the last two days, although boots are helpful since the ground is still wet and mucky.

 

The sky is the limit!  I thought this view of the Red Maple tree across the driveway from the steps where the girls were sitting was so pretty and up lifting! 

The post I published last night around midnight  in a thunderstorm disappeared. I used my iPhone, iPad, and laptop in the process of composing and publishing and received comments from Joy and Tammy which I hope I can recover as I reconstruct and republish the post.  The sky may be limitless but technology and my use of technology not so much!

Have you enjoyed views of limitless skies or enjoyed some creative pursuits since I last heard from you? I would love to have you share with me!

Gracie xx