framing complete

I finished matting and framing my pear piece.  I was so happy with the square format that I had the frame shop make me up a bunch of square frames.  I'm going to work on a still life grouping.  Here's the pear all framed up....

New Page Added

I just added a new page to my blog listing my current wool applique patterns.  They are available through Whistle Stop Quilt Shop as a kit or just the pattern.  Look under "Let's Shop" or call them for more info.

Solo Pear Completed

We took some time and went to the beach this past week.  It was a nice relaxing break.  I took my pear with me and had the best of intentions to get it finished but I just couldn't do it.  I got involved in a couple of mystery novels and couldn't put them down.  I only ever get to read while at the beach.  I think it is the only place I don't get distracted by other things.   

We got back early yesterday and I once again had inspiration to get back to the pear piece.  I was able to finish it up this morning.  I do most of my work in the morning as I am fresher, and the morning light in my studio is the best.

So, here it is...

A bit of still life

I got back to some rug hooking today.  Just a bit, but it reminded me how much I truly love this craft.  A while back I took a painting class to sharpen my color skills and to have some fun.  In that class I had done a small still life of an apple wedge. From that painting I hooked this piece.

  It is one of my favorite pieces.  Ever since I had finished this apple piece I've been wanting to do some more small still life pieces.  Today I sketched and hooked a small pear piece.  I hooked it entirely from my bin of leftover strips which is so much fun!  Looking for the right value and color. A true treasure hunt.  I love the challenge of it!

Here's today's pear.  Obviously I still have the background to do but the pear is done!

I started a bit on the shadowing of the pear and the ground.  I'm thinking of using my favorite color scheme which is a split complement of Yellow-green (the pear) with blue-green (the ground) and then red for the upper background.  More later...

A bit of dyeing

Today I did a bit of dyeing.  I got a special order for some banana leaf greens.  Not all of these are for the banana leaves but while I was at it I did some others. I wanted to do the whole green thing so I did a yellow-green, a green, a green-blue and a blue green.  Green-blue being more green than blue and blue-green being more blue than green.  Here's the results...

I wish the camera could catch the true richness of these colors.  They're really pretty.