Midterm Mosaic

I'm linking today with Mary at

Little Red House 

for Mosaic Monday.

My mosaic for this week is my midterm project

 for my Photoshop class last winter quarter.

We had to pick a "big idea" and create a

 mosaic with internet pictures to reflect our choice. 

The "big idea" I chose was emotions. 

We started with 40 different pictures put together in

mosaic form to represent that idea.

I no longer have a copy of the first stage of the

project, but step two was to start using the

techniques we were learning in class to blend the

pictures together.  Here is

my mosaic for step two.

 

           The mosaic represents the specific emotion of deep

 sorrow and depression, as I'm sure you can tell. 

My daughter was going through a very dark time in

her life and the pictures I chose 

represent her suffering and deep despair.

I was very pleased with my work and how it was

progressing, but my teacher was not as pleased with it

as I was. He prodded me to take it a step further

by blending the photos even more.  I was

reluctant to tamper with what I thought was a finished

work, but for a better

grade, I kept working on it.

Here is my finished work.

 

I will be forever grateful that he did not let me

settle with step two, because I love how

the finished project turned out.  

A Working Sunday

Sunday is supposed to be the "day of rest"

and God knows, I surely need it.

But today my sister and her husband are coming

to help me move wood. I had three dead trees

cut down this week, to the tune of $1000.

                         I don't have a wood-burning fireplace, 
                  so they will be burning the wood once it is seasoned.

I'd certainly rather have spent the money on new dishes, 

but oh well ~ that's life.

 

This is the wild cherry tree that unfortunately was

full of carpenter ants.

 

Then there are the two maple trees that were cut down

in the back of the yard by my green house.  I cleaned out 

this overgrown area so we could stack the wood back there.

  

 

And then there is the greenhouse window they broke 

while bringing down the trees. 

 

 My back yard is full of honeysuckle trees

which have yet to turn color, but are full

of berries that the birds will soon be 

feasting on.

 

These are the dracaena marginatas and asparagus ferns I 

took from the urns in the front yard.  They need

to move to the greenhouse until it gets too cold and then

they'll come in the house for the winter. 

 

 

Moving around to the front of the house is my beautiful

pyracantha bush with it's vivid orange berries.

I use the berries in various ways to decorate

around the yard and in the house.

 

And last of all, while we're out front, is my fall porch

which is sporting it's true colors today.

 

Can you tell I'm an Ohio State fan :)

I'm linking up with The Tablescaper

for Seasonal Sundays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Table

I'm joining Debra at Common Ground for Vintage 
Inspiration Friday "Setting a Fall Table" 

and
A Stroll Through Life  for "Table Top Tuesday".

~

I set a table for two today with my fall leaf dishes.

 

 Since my dining room and table are both small,

with space limited, I am forced to keep things on a 

rather small and simple scale.

The centerpiece is a lovely metal tray from

Columbus Architectural Salvage with moss

from my yard and an acorn purchased at Meijer.

 

 

Down the middle of the runner, I laid a

rusty metal leaf garland interspersed with

mini pumpkins and candles.

 

I used two dinner plates for my setting.  The bottom

green plate is from Steinmart and the leaf plate is

from Dollar Tree.  The soup bowl is a

Goodwill find.

 

 

 

 

And as always ~ candlelight sets the mood.

 

Table runner and napkins ~ Old Time Pottery

Napkin rings ~ home made

Glass candle holders ~ Goodwill

Glassware ~ Dollar Tree

Pine cone candles ~ gift

Metal leaf garland ~ purchased many years ago

 

 

 

 

 

Goodwill Goodies

I made an unplanned, quick stop at Goodwill

the other evening and came home with a boatload

of dishes.  I would normally feel somewhat

guilty about buying more dishes, but wait 

until you see what I got for just $22.

To start off with, all this glassware.

 

Then I scarfed up four dinner plates in both

solid green and blue.

 

 

Next I found these lovely hand-painted

dishes called "French Iris".

 

These I can mix and match with the blue dinner plates.

And last of all, I got this nice container that I have already

used to make a Thanksgiving centerpiece.  It was

only $.99.  But more about the centerpiece

in a later post.

 

Linking up with Coastal Charm for

Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays. 

 

 

 

Autumn

Autumn is fully upon us and color is everywhere.

This morning even the air is fragrant with the unique

smells of autumn.

Today I'm sharing autumn at my home.

I'm linking with Little Red House for Mosaic Monday

and Holiday Haven for the Harvest Blog Party.

Won't you join us?

Sunday Dress Up

Another beautiful fall weekend ~ another beautiful

Sunday afternoon decorating my yard.

I finally had some time to get my urns 

dressed up for fall.

In the summer, I keep asparagus ferns and

annuals in them, but for fall it's time for a

pumpkin topiary.

 

I bought the urns quite a while back from a nursery in

our area called "A Proper Garden".  They are special

to me because my sister designed the store's logo, which

is displayed on the urns.

 

I prop the pumpkins up from underneath with a couple

bricks and then set them in a garland of evergreens, 

yard moss, and pyracantha berries.

 

 

 

At various times, the urns have been in different

places in my front and/or back yard. Now

they are together again, one on each side of my

garage door, which is where I like them 

the most.

I am linking up with The Tablescaper
 for Seasonal Sundays.

 

 

Last Roses

I was working in my gardens last night, hurriedly

trying to get in some weeding before the cold and

rain came in.  I noticed my white roses still

blooming away, more so than any other year. 

Since the temperature was predicted to drop down during

the night, I cut them and brought them in to share

with all of you and myself.  There were a couple

pink roses in the yard, so I tucked them in the 

middle of the bouquet for a touch of color.

I arranged them in a clear glass vase with water

from my rain barrel and set them on the vanity

in my bedroom.

 

 

They look so lovely with my white furniture and mirror.

 

I love the way the mirror reflects the white armoir and the

pillows on my bed.

 

 

There is something very sad about knowing that they

are the last roses of the season.  I wish they could

last forever. 

I'm linking up with Faded Charm for White Wednesdays.

 

Sunday Afternoon Apple Picking

A fall tradition - apple picking.

Usually my daughter and I go together or with a

group of friends, but today, it was a go alone or not at all.

It was a gorgeous fall day and perfect for apple 

picking at Lynd's Fruit Farm.

 

 Sorry for the quality of the picture - it was taken

through the window of my car.  I promise the rest will be better.

At the fruit tent, they were selling everything from pumpkins, 

corn shucks, apples, pears and cider.

 

Away from the crowds and the lines buying produce, I

headed out to the orchards where I was surprisingly

alone.  

I found out later, everyone was over in the Fuji fields

and I was picking the Gold Rush apples.  I'll let

the pictures speak for themselves.

 

I'm linking with The Tablescaper for

Seasonal Sundays 

 

Bees

Some time ago (I've lost track now), I used to be

a beekeeper.

I miss my bees, and bees in general.

They are more scarce now due to mite infestations

throughout the country and are truly

seldom seen.

(Internet)

You  either like bees and are fascinated by them

or

you are deathly afraid of them.

Bees have that effect on people.

Even though my bees are long gone, and my garden shed now

sits in the place their hive once was, I have many

mementos of them throughout my home

and yard.

For years I had a lovely beeskep that sat in the middle

of my herb garden.  But the weather and elements took a

toll on it, and now all I have is my picture to remember it by.

 

In my garden shed on a shelf up high, I have several bee

plates that were given to me as gifts.

 

In my laundry room hangs a beeskep picture and a 

bee fly swatter.

In my kitchen a tiny bee buzzes amidst an arrangement

of fall silk flowers.

Did you know there was such a thing as "bee on a rope"?

I have bee coasters . . .

and bee candles . . . 

bee books and bee fabric . . . 

(both books are great reads), and

a smaller bee skep that stays inside . . .

and lastly, my bee cross-stitch sampler.

One might think my house is swarming with bees, but

their presence is so discreet, you may not even notice them.

Even though my bees are gone, these cherished objects will 

always remind me of my fine fuzzy friends.

I am linking up with Debra at Common Ground for

Vintage Inspiration Friday