Progress on Blackwork Piece and Thanksgiving

After a month of working on the sky, I am sharing my progress with you. So...what do you think? The "fading" will be a little better after the piece is washed. I used blue chalk and it is still a little visible. Of course, the outlining will define the mountains more and make them sort of "pop out".

 

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving, whatever you did and wherever you were.  My dinner turned out excellent and everything was still hot when it got to the table.  That's always my goal although it doesn't always happen.

I did not forget, though, all the Thanksgivings I was someplace else, doing something totally different.  Like doing laundry at the Laundromat.  Those holidays were Special to me.  Celebrating Thanksgiving with other people that didn't have anywhere else to go but to do their laundry.  I have to say, spending a couple hours with complete strangers in a laundromat on Thanksgiving was a blessing. Sharing whatever it is that you have to give with others that need it.  And them, sharing with you.

My orchids are having a wonderful time and showing it with their blooms.  All except my new Blue Vanda.  I am sad to say that I don't think that wonderful flower is going to survive.  I've been working and working with it but, alas, it just continues to die.  Maybe it wasn't meant to be....maybe I was supposed to admire These beautiful flowers from afar.

Monument Valley Interpreted - Landscape is Finished!

It took almost 5 months but the landscape is now stitched. And, as promised, I managed to get the piece photographed from afar. Funny how Susan liked the idea of a 'natural' setting and I like the idea of a 'professional' setting. Ok, it's not all that professional but it got done what I wanted.....that you can really see that it looks 3-D!!

It was mentioned that the contrasts are so good now that perhaps I didn't need to do the sky. I thought about that alot but decided that it really does need the sky. If you look at the original photo, the sky is very much a part of the beauty. That blue. I hope to be able to capture that vast space of color and do it justice in my piece. I've started it a little in the left corner, down by the skyline. It will varegate darker as it goes up.

Monument Valley Interpreted and the Beauty of Fall

I am very excited about how my piece is shaping up.  I've noticed that looking at it close up and looking at it from a distance is a big difference.  At a distance, you can clearly see depth and the perception is quite good.  Of course, working on it, I only see it close up and it tends to look flat.  I will try to take a picture from afar after the foreground is done so you can see it too.  Someone asked if I was nearly done.  No, I am filling in the sky as well so there's still plenty to stitch before I do the detailing!

Yesterday was a first for me.  I rode my bicycle outside for the first time in November.  And it was only 40-45 degrees.  Although nature's colors are mostly earthy at this time of the year, when I look closely, I can find colors that seem to shout.  I am not sure what these things are but they are bright and bold  and sprinkle hope and encouragement throughout the woods.  The peak of our Indian Summer has passed but there is still so much to see.  My outdoor riding time could very well be over for this year but maybe, if I'm really lucky, there will still be a few days where I can brave the cold and explore the wonders of nature and be inspired by what I find.