Lots of Little Bags

Apart from the fact that the days of utter muggyness  are finally over, and it was fun to go out again, our weekend was particularly successful with a trip to Big Lots and finding lots of cheap yarn.  I found some lovely multicolored stuff and matching yellow and whipped up a bunch of little bags.   I wanted to try different stitches from the book:  The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet by Margaret Hubert, which I absolutely adore.  Get it from Amazon, the price has just been reduced to $16.

All the bags are done in a different pattern.

 

The multicolored bag on the left with the shoulder strap and crocheted white flower, is finished and the crochet stitch almost looks like bargello embroidery.  It is much less difficult than it looks.  I used both the yellow and multicolored yarn alternately.  The other multicolored ones are WIPs, as are the two yellow ones.  The top yellow one is in a very thick sturdy stitch.  I love its texture and have to think of making something special of it, with embellishments.  Stay tuned!

☯

~ Tranquility and Tolerance ~

Ready for my close-up?

I like to take photographs or "borrow" them,  and then alter them through Photobucket.  Today was a beautiful day: it was warmer than it had been in weeks,  the sun was bright and everything smelled fresh after the recent rain.  I decided to have a "me-day", leaving my darling boffin hubby home with his scribbling,  well provided for with yogurt and berries and hot tea.  I took the Prius and zoofed off.

First I had my hair cut by my favorite hair dresser.  I learned that she will have  hip replacement surgery soon and we arranged for her to call if she needed anything at all.   We like to do things for each other on the "pay it forward" plan.  Then I drove to Jo-Ann's and spent more than an hour going through the rows and rows of beautiful fabrics, yarn, and whatnot thingamadoodles.  Bought stuff for my stash, yarn on sale,  Mod Podge for an old nightstand I want to decoupage, and some beautiful craft books, which I will come back to later.

Then I went to Trader Joe's and bought a cart load of yummy things.  Even remembered to bring my own shopping bags, and had fun with the check out clerk, helping him pack things up and discussing the state of the world.  Trader Joe's has very interesting  and well informed people at the cash registers!

Then home just in time to feed hungry hubby lovely Sushi and Asian chicken salad!  Since we met late in life, we love to do most things together, and Trader Joe's is one of his favorite stores, but more than an hour in Jo-Ann's would have make him awfully cranky.  And  I like it best when I go alone and can take my time.

So for today, just a few of my photos.

Below is a multi manipulated image based on CARNOVSKY's RBG Wallpaper.  The colors were already breathtaking so that made it very easy to work with.   I feel the end result looks a bit like someone's derrière but I definitely was not aiming for that.

Below on the left is a photo of myself, painstakingly pixelated in with colors, to make it a kind of mask.  I added earrings and a necklace and other embellishments.  This took a long time but was well worth the effort.  On the right is the socalled "warhol effect" - same picture, four times, different colors.

Then there I am at about age 5 in 1949... It was an old black and white photo, badly damaged but I managed to put some roses on my cheek.  I look spacey.... signs of things to come...

And the day lillies in our yard on the right. This photo had a lot of shade background and practically came out like that, I just darkened the background a little.

This last one I call "Gaia" or Mother Earth. It started out with a photo my friend Randy took of a beautiful white orchid but went through many changes. The one at the top with the "warhol effect" is a result of it as well.

I like what eventually shows up in these manipulations and the fact that you can hardly ever duplicate it.

☯

~ Tranquility and Tolerance ~

Freestyle Heart

Remember my little free style crochet thingy from last month?  I have been working on it, and decided to shape it into a heart.  After all, it is almost Valentine's day.  No idea what to do with it next, so will let it sit a while until I get an inspiration.  It could be a pillow or a wall hanging or just simply something appliqued on the back of a jacket.  We shall see.

Before:

and after:

I basted it on a piece of muslin to hold the shape.  Want to add some embellishments too.  But for now I'll let the ideas germinate  - there's terminal germination -  in my brain.

☯

~ Tranquility and Tolerance ~