Oh October how I love thee

The first creative thing I did this morning was to start a sketch with my breakfast. Chinese lanterns gathered for my little birthday get together.

I started to add color with the pencils but then needed to get on with my day.

 Yes, it is my birth month, but is that why I love it so? Not everyone born in winter loves winter. October is perfect. By the end of September, I have finally let go of mourning the loss of summer. The air is cool and crisp--still requiring only a sweater on nice days though. And I can still enjoy a cup of tea on my deck. The show of colors is spectacular! Getting brighter every day.

Walking or cycling the trail is a fantastic experience when the sun is shining . You may notice that I'm still caught up by birch tees. I'm going to send a few photos to be printed as I'm not done with them in my fiber art yet. I have been thinking of new ways to depict them though and I'm anxious to finish my latest work so I can test out some ideas.

Mother earth has her own way of decorating the fir trees.

I walk the same trail every week and there never fails to be something new to see when one is really looking.

I love getting as close to the ground as I can (while I can still get up, lol). Dead trees and stumps are fascinating microcosms of new growth.

I love this world and the  feelings of 'interconnectedness' I get when I'm out on the trail. I just read something that struck a note with me in an article in Fiber Art Now magazine by Suzanne Smith Arney about the artist Joyce UttingSchutter. She talks about things in nature as having a simple rhythm of complements. "Everything in nature, in the universe, is part of the rhythm, just as every breath is life giving." I couldn't describe it better.



Well, now that I've philosophized, I'll move on to some creative endeavors. One of the projects that I've been thinking about is how to create poinsettias with paint on fabric. I could simply paint them to be sure, but I was looking for a way to produce a slightly more graphic look and to do something that might work for a workshop.

I drew up a poinsettia flower from copy-free photos and traced it onto craft foam pressing in some details with a ball point pen.

 

Now I can use this to print as many as I'd like and in variations.I tested it out.

 My plan is to add a wash of color to the background in a lime green or turquoise and then do a small bit of thread painting. I'd like to make a runner.

I'll leave you now with these thoughts and images. Time to attend to dinner.