I’m of two thoughts about hibiscus flowers. No fragrance, often ants are in them, not a good cut flower. On the other hand, the bushes are so cheerful and come in so many colors and sizes, they add a lot to a garden. As a photographic subject, done right, they have a lot to offer as far as shape, texture, and shadow.
More post-production playing.
In a way, just devoting some time to playing with a color image and converting it to black and white is a very educational experience. For instance, many times with black and white film and no filter, everything gets lost – it’s all the same as far as the film goes.
Here, a digital image of a fremontia, a low-growing bush found in California, with bright yellow flowers, gives way to a rather lovely black and white image (at least I think so!) when properly manipulated. Filters are necessary for good b&w, but here, just a few mouse clicks, some home-made or pre-made presets, and off you go!
I am currently going through my archives and looking at yellow things – how well do they change into mono?
One of the absolute best things about having a blog, on any subject, is that the world comes to you and, if you look, those who read and look at what you write often provide support and care and concern. Even if you haven’t met, relationships develop. There are a lot of people who inspire me, and who send me off in other directions. Reading others’ blogs, too, even if they don’t read mine, are still forms of connection in areas of common interest.
Today, I want to thank Breathing Deeply because she has said some very encouraging things – but, more – she has mentioned on her blog that she is taking classes online from Anna Mason who is a botanical watercolorist. Well, I have seen Anna Mason’s work. She is a self-taught botanical artist. Botanical art is detailed and realistic, and in some ways, not really what I aim for. Anna’s work is refreshing and beautiful. And, she has online courses. A free one to show you her teaching style, one in which she walks you through how she approaches a simple D’Anjou pear. Clearly stated, simply done, I decided “what the hell!” and dived in.
I think I might sign up! I really enjoyed what I learned, and to my way of thinking, perhaps a realistic approach will slow me down when it comes to painting. I am hasty and careless, don’t think ahead as much as I would like to when painting. My impatience leads to frustration.
So, thank you Breathing Deeply for your kind words and for your own bloggy inspiration, and to Anna Mason for providing a very nice approach to painting.
More adventures in post-processing. Here, yellow flowers turned to black and white. It is endlessly fascinating what you can do with a computer . . . but I still like film a lot!
I have spent the last two Saturdays sewing up a monstrously complex – and decidedly fun but crazy-making – project. If it weren’t for Betsy, the able and skilled teacher, I probably would have stopped midway through it. Besides spending 2 six-hour Saturdays in a classroom at Quilty Pleasures, I also spent about 15 hours quilting the pieces. Oy oy vay!
This is my first sewing class since I left middle school a century ago. Then, it was called Home Economics and we learned to sew by making aprons and A-line skirts. Very simple and basic. Since then, I have sewn oodles of stuff, but nothing like this.
The “Boxy Tote” is designed by Penny Sturges from Quilts Illustrated. It’s rather sophisticated and well-designed, but the directions for many people were confusing. This is where having an instructor who had it figured out was great. The fun thing is, for me, there are a lot of new sewing gizmos and whatevers that I haven’t used, like fusible foam and fusible batting. A zipper closes the bag, and arms or something, which you can see in the picture below, are used to pop it open. 
There is also a firm flooring or bottom for the base, to keep the shape of the bag, as well as handles which, instead of batting, our instructor used webbing for the insides.
I am going back on this Thursday to finish it up. Betsy is being kind enough to help us stragglers along, on her own time. I’ll lug my machine and supplies over there and have a good time altogether. I’ll probably buy fabric, too, as there is another bag class I’ll (hopefully) be attending in November. Time to make Christmas presents, you know!
So, here are photos of the bag in different degrees of construction.  Maybe by Friday I’ll have it all together and ready for Part II.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 