oatmeal anyone? (365 # 60)

On my walk today I something new on the lone bill board I pass. I had to ask myself just what folks were thinking when they came up with this particular concept...It definitely does not have the desired effect on me! 

"Fun with Gold Leaf" Part II

More fun with gold leaf today: 
These are the slim envelopes of leaf.I love the way they look. The type, the glassine. Everything about them.  They have not been opened in decades! Next is a photo of  the paper left behind once the gold leaf has been removed and applied to something. I had a little disaster this evening. I got ambitious and attempted to gold leaf one of my Christmas tree candle sticks. I am going to sleep on it before deciding for certain but I fear this idea was not one of my best ideas! Maybe certain things should never, ever be gilded. 

gold leaf anyone? (365 #58)

I did something new this week: working with gold leaf! I have a small box that holds gold leaf from my Grandma Claire & Grandpa George. I "inherited" the gold leaf several years ago and placed it into this box to keep it from blowing away.  If you have never seen gold leaf:it is this wispy thin layer of gold stuck on thin paper and it flakes off and blows away with little provocation. So , in the box it sat. Then I got some glue and pondered what to do with it all. I happened to be fond of collecting rocks and thought-why not place gold hearts on rocks-and my experiments began. This is rock #1 resting atop my gold leaf box. Here is the question:do I keep these rocks & give them as gifts? Do I place them back into the forest where I found them, for folks to find? I happen to have my eye on some larger rocks that I pass on my walk in the park. There is this theory that winter's frost actually brings rocks to the surface and these 6 large ones have appeared in the last few weeks. They really do seem to need a new home, sitting there by the side of the road on Myrtle Avenue. 

Spring? (365 # 57)

The very last of the snow is melting. Who knows if there will be any more? 

I am finally back to walking after catching back to back colds with fevers! As I walked between raindrops today, I looked for signs of Spring. There are small flowers coming up in gardens everywhere but in the less cultivated parts I saw very little beyond some deep red buds on trees. I did see lots of moss growing along the stone and cement wall that encompasses portions of the park and it all looked vibrantly greener today. 

As I walked I began to think of springs gone by. As you get older I find the past creeps into my life a lot more than it used to. I recalled those first brave flowers getting hit by late snow falls. In particular, my paternal grandparents had (until last year) the most amazing magnolia tree and almost every year it's gorgeous flowers had their lives cut short by snow. Then there were the flowers I always looked for :the Lily of the valley clusters. The crocuses-also known as every squirrels favorite snack-no matter what you put around  to protect them . (My parents used something scary  - literally called dried blood.)  Forsythia were also early bloomers as was my grandparents pear tree. It had the prettiest blossoms but do not make the mistake of smelling them! Their scent was awful! It amazed me that each flower transformed to become a pear by fall. What a miracle! 

365 # 56-in a blue mood

the new candle sticks in the kitchen window

Christmas tree candle sticks & hearts (365#55)

Today brought several new things: I created my very first candle sticks (out of the trunk of our Christmas tree!) and made 2 small heart stamps from corks! I'd like to think of both creations as recession friendly projects-both recycled materials that would otherwise be tossed out and both "cost" little to make . BEST of all, both will bring great joy to me & others! 

Could it be? More snow? (365 # 54)

We are waiting for snow-as much as 8". As we wait, I sit out my second cold of this winter season -watching, with my eyes closed, the lovely "Singing In The Rain". Made me cry- must be the fever I had ! I have always loved the magic of Gene Kelly . Besides just being amazing, he makes it look so effortless & filled with joy. Basically, he makes me want to learn to dance. 

On Thursday evening I printed up more silkscreens and had to hang the biggest mylar prints to dry on my window. Here Nicki sits, peaking out from underneath prints and between plants, watching the very first flakes of this Sunday Morning.

This Thursday Eve I also began printing next year's Valentines! Here is what color # 1 looks like. I am still figuring out just how to proceed with color #2!