Breakthrough!

My creativity just might be home from its long holiday. I sure hope so.


Jodie came by to have a "crafternoon" with me. She's working on a big crochet project. Since I was in a dry spell, I didn't have anything in particular in mind to work on. But I have been meaning to pick up
Elfie Whoo again to see if I could get un-stuck with this small cross-stitch ornament that I started last February.

It appears I simply needed a second pair of eyes to look things over and help me make some decisions. With Jodie's help, I was able to figure out the bottom of the ornament, the color of the ribbons on the gifts, and how to add the words.

Once those decisions were made, I was able to complete the ornament in just a few hours.

I made a "Baby's First Christmas" ornament for Melody back in 2017. But in the Summer and Fall of 2019 we were busy with our move to Oregon. I forgot to make a special ornament for Annalee. Julie asked if I could make one now.

Annie's favorite animals are owls. I used the chart from the 2015 Just CrossStitch Christmas Ornaments magazine, then added the date and words.

I am ecstatic to have moved through this months-long roadblock. If I'm lucky, this will be the push I need to get on a roll. I have many, many projects in long lines, ready to be made. I so hope Owlie is the start of a creative streak.

I guess we'll find out together.

Eugene Park Tour -- Arrowhead Park

Dale and I visited Arrowhead Park on a beautiful sunny day in mid September. 

This is a lovely neighborhood park in the Santa Clara community. The main part of the park is a large open space, dotted with trees and a bark-covered walking path.

Dale and I parked at one end of the park, and walked the gentle loop around the greenspace.

There are several concrete paths coming into the park from the neighboring blocks, making for easy access.

The trees yielded a lot of shade, as well as these fruits.

We parked near the playground, and set up at this concrete pad that holds several picnic tables and a bike rack.

The playground sported a swing set

this teeter-totter

and a climbing structure. The day we were there, a group of middle school boys were gathered for some fun and minor mayhem. Other families stopped by to ride their scooters and bikes.

Dale and I ate our picnic lunch, and rested in the shade to read for a while.

Solitary Sunflower

This stubby sunflower lives on our property line at the end of the driveway. He's the last holdout of summer.

Did I say "lives"? I stand corrected. He's flailing in the cold winds blowing across the wetlands. 

But I got close and heard him mimicking Elton John, "I'm still standing."

#flowersforfriday

Throwback Thursday: A Deciduous Dozen

I have so many Autumn photos to choose from! It's lovely looking back on them. Here are twelve  favorites, putting all the Fall colors on display. 

(And yes. I know fungi and acorns aren't deciduous. They don't have leaves. But I liked the alliteration).

#throwbackthursday

Say it in Black and White

Here's another take on my leaf in the rain. 

Moody.

Try It Toosday: In the Rain

It's time for another Try It Toosday! The day I attempt to recreate a photograph that caught my eye. This is number 19 of the 21 I hope to complete this year.

Today's photo is more of a rhyme than a duplicate. The inspiration was raindrops on fallen leaves. The inspiration photo has more variation in color than I was able to collect. My bum knee doesn't allow me to wander in the woods right now, collecting several different species and the full range of autumn color. 

This leaf, complete with raindrops, was right outside my mailbox. I carried it carefully into my dining room, losing about half the droplets while transferring it. I played with the light from the window, the weave of our kitchen placemats, and my macro lens to come up with this composition. Though it's not much like my inspiration photo, I do like the result.

My inspiration photo was collected in November 2012. I'm sorry that I don't know who the photographer is.

Tomorrow I'll share a different take on this theme.

#tryittoosday

Giant Hibiscus

Back in August, on a hot afternoon, I turned a corner and was surprised by two giant hibiscus bushes in curbside planters. 

I'd never seen flowers this big before. The full blooms were bigger than my hand!

The first bush had stark white flowers with brilliant magenta centers.

The second had these gorgeous pink and white variegated blooms

and a visitor.

#flowersforfriday

Throwback Thursday: Looking Up

 

#throwbackthursday

Rainbow, Rainbow ... Rainbow Around Me

I looked up from my currently content couch-potato life, and was greeted with this view.

Click for larger image

I don't know about you, but I can even see a heart-shaped cloud about half way up the rainbow. Do you see it?

Try It Too-sday: Needle

It's time for another Try It Toosday! The day I attempt to recreate a photograph that caught my eye. This is number 18 of the 21 I hope to complete this year.


Today is a macro photo of a needle, threaded with yarn. Here's my version:

click for larger image

This is my inspiration photo which I saved in June of this year. I don't know who the original photographer is. 

Every time I attempt another of these photos, I learn something new. Today my lessons dealt with lighting for a macro photo, measuring angles, photo ratios, and depth of field. After experimenting for a couple hours, this is what I was able to produce.

When I Wasn't Looking

Fall showed up.

I was laid low for over a week by a sprained knee, but got outside late this afternoon for a very short walk. The world changed while I was recuperating on the sofa. It's so pretty out there now!

High Drama