Paper Cut

First Idea

After a conversation with Sarah W. about ideas for paper cuts, I got out my materials and did one the other day. It is based on someone else's idea that I had in my sketchbook.

Sketchbook pages of paper cut designs

All the little cuttings

Tools used, and design in reverse, on grey paper

The original concept was to be around a light.

Cute, but not right. (The light is LED, so it is safe.)

That obviously didn't work. The design - of the tree - is too lacy and cannot support itself. I thought of adding a tissue paper sheet behind the tree for support and to let light through, but that didn't look good either.

So I decided to keep it flat and to try a couple of background options, coloured and traditional.

This is with a pastel coloured background, but the figures, being grey, and not black, are not sharp enough.

So, white it is.

Now I need to try more suitable designs. More to come, I hope.

Autumn Begonias

Concert Hall

This is where we were last night for a concert of works by Tchaikovsky - violin concerto - and Mahler's first symphony. When one of ones children has a gift certificate, it should be used, right?

Tonhalle in Zürich

Have a good day, All.

Beautiful Tables, Beautiful Wedding Celebrations

Hello all. I am finally done with the frenzied days of baking and delivering wedding cakes and pies. Whew! So glad to be slowing down finally. I saw some gorgeous wedding settings this year. Whenever I had a chance I would take photos of the table settings because I wanted to be able to take a closer look later on (when I deliver desserts it is usually just before guests arrive so I have to slip out quickly) and I wanted to share them with you.

      

This was at one of the two very large weddings I had (on the same day) a couple weeks ago. The venue was large with spectacular views of the Columbia Gorge out the wall of windows. The daylight made it difficult to photograph. The couple was quite young and the bride was Hispanic. The Mexicans go all out on their parties as you can see from the tall flower arrangements and the Mariachi band getting ready to entertain.

      

They had a dessert buffet of cakes, pies, cupcakes and cheesecakes. (Sorry about the terrible white balance). 

                                     

The same day I delivered a large amount of cake to a beautiful private property on the top of a mountain. There were tents set up for the reception with heaters inside since the ceremony took place just before sunset and it gets quite chilly in the evening now. The bride was the daughter of the owners of a large company who also own a lot of property in the valley so they also went all out for their wedding. The flowers were lush and abundant, and everything glowed with twinkle lights.

     

                                This was the head table for the bridal party in the tent.

     

                                                       Those garlands of flowers!

This was the presentation of the cakes- on the dance floor so that all the guests (at tables arranged in a curve around the dance floor) would be able to see the cake cutting ceremony.

                         

       

       

                                                  Everything sparkled and glowed.

The next weekend-

                                         

                                                  Another tablescape with lush abundance-

                                          

                                                             And many thoughtful details. 

                                          

                                                      Don't you love the vintage postcard?

                                     

This was the wedding cake I brought. I really enjoyed working with these flowers and the unusual accents. You can't see them well in this photo but the foliage was deep red and there was a golden and pink colored status that added contrasting texture to the garden roses.

                                       

This outdoor wedding last Saturday had autumnal colors of deep jewel tones using copper as the accent.

                                     

(Except for the very first photo above with the tall white centerpieces, all the flowers at these weddings were done by the same talented local florist)

                                   

This wedding also had a desert buffet that included pies, cobbler and cupcakes. This was the cake with a deliberately thin layer of icing so the cake shows through (an unfortunate wedding trend I would like to see fade away.)

                                       

                                               Also last Saturday another sparkling setting.

                                     

              And....another dessert buffet-

                                     

     With a cake for a cutting ceremony-

        

As I was leaving I saw this extremely clever set up for a fun photo booth! Those girls were having a grand time in there with the different props and costumes available.

       

I will finish this post off with one last cake. This one was also delivered last Saturday (didn't I say things were frenzied around here for a while?) I was dreading this cake all summer long because the technique using fondant was way outside my comfort zone. I used a mold for the lace, something I had never done before. The delivery had to be carefully thought out (it was a long, winding mountain drive) and I had to figure out how to make the little pedestals for the tiers (styrofoam, ribbon and hot glue). I absolutely loved the wonderful flowers- the rich colors, the different textures (I love having variety!) and they were in perfect condition (not all flowers I receive are). The arrangement of the flowers is always my favorite part and this one really made me happy and finally satisfied with this cake. Glad it is finished! The bride was also very pleased.

                                      

Different Bracelet and Mock Covers

Just to warn you, this post will be short and plain. I'll spare you the details of my week.

I made a bracelet. Tried a new design I found on Pinterest a while back and never had a chance to do.

And then, since that's pretty much all I have for you today, I thought I'd show you these silly mock covers I played around with. The first one was made in 2015, the other two in March earlier this year. Just like doodly stuff I did on my phone, based off of a couple of my story ideas. Eh.

Hope next week is more craft-filled, but we'll see.

Cosmos

Cosmos are one of my favorite flowers.  They come up on their own, ask nothing, and bloom in a riot until the frost.

I might have to start over with new seeds next year though.  I think I have a mutant!  About half the plants have these weird flowers with no petals, just little yellowish balls of non-showy flowers.  I had noticed that the patch didn't seem to be blooming as prolifically as usual, and when I went to pick a few to draw into my sketchbook, I discovered these strange things.

The photo above is highly edited to balance the flowers with the bright October sky.








This photo is heavily edited, too, in order to make the colors pop, with a heavy sprinkling of film grain and vignetting.

That periwinkle Adirondack chair was a junk find that my sweet husband bought to me.  I don't love the color, but the distressing of the old paint is delicious.  Probably next spring it will get a fresh coat in a color I adore.  And see that rusty red wall behind?  That is the current color of half of our house. Our mission this week during our bit of "Indian summer" predicted for us is to repaint that part of the house.  I picked a dark gray green, and as much as I do NOT relish the project, I look forward to the results.  It's going to be such a great update!  The other half of the house needs new siding, so it will remain a very dark brown until it gets new siding (next year? I hope?) and we'll paint it all to match with the gray.

This is not a beautiful picture (though I do love that sweet little weed, called "Lady's Thumb"), but it's just a quick study in depth-of-field.  Unfortunately, there is no good editing hack to change depth-of-field.  You have to catch it with the camera.  The photo above is focused mid-range, so the foreground and background are just slightly blurred.

In this photo, I got the focus to the very front making a bit of lemon balm bokeh in the background.

Later in the week I'll try to show some house-painting updates, as well as show the results from my first print-making session the other day.  For now, I'm off to get covered in paint-- the house kind, not the kind I prefer.

Autumn Punches

Sunday Shapes

Today our guest left for distant parts, but before she went, I helped her collect materials for making seasonal decorations for autumn and later for Christmas. Tropical places lack something in ambience for those seasons. So she punched out quantities of leaves and snowflakes and such. I hope we will see the results of what she makes one of these days.

Before putting the punches and things away, I sat down - wouldn't you know - and punched out a few shapes too and put together a little something - just because.....

With assorted papers, pens, and odds and ends....

.....punch out leaf shapes (or use real leaves), then edge them with color....

....arrange, write, stamp until the page is full.....hmmm... I see it lacks something....

If stuff is not put away, probably repeat tomorrow.

Blessed Sunday, and enjoy your Raclette, if you have the cool weather for it, which we did.

There won't be cool weather or good cheese in the Philippines, so today was the time to indulge.

... with pumpkin cheesecake and Swiss chocolates for dessert. Right. No one needs to eat for a week now.

And your Sunday?

Autumn Rose

Finished Project!

It is good to be done with my last class project. I really enjoyed making it, but it was quite an intense summer of many classes. Now I really must get ready for new guests arriving shortly. Then I want to start other things.... I have ideas.

Here is my Autumn Rose.

This is version one, in bare feet

a still life

The boots - I got them plain and was told to decorate them, so I did.

Autumn Rose, finally finished

The namesake silk rose -

See the turtle?

The little charm (from the my teacher) says, "Never never give up." This was my motto for the class.

And now on to other things.