Author: lauramchugh

The seniors are having a Hawaiian luau soon and wanted some decorations to add to the festivities. We’re still getting to know one another so I thought a clean and easy project would be to make flowers for their hair. They already had a source for leis. We took 6-8 six-inch squares of tissue paper in a stack and fan folded them with the folds about 1/2 inch wide. Then, using a twist tie from the local grocery store (thank you Safeway), we used the tie to secure the folded bunch. The ends of the ties made a way to clip the flower to a lapel or put behind an ear.

The seniors had great fun pulling out each piece of tissue paper gently from it’s folded position to create the flower petals. All one color of tissue was nice, or a combination of colors was also nice. Everybody did a few so there were extras for the people who didn’t attend the art lesson.

I hope they have a great luau.

I attend the 3rd of 3 photo transfer classes I’ve been taking with Julia Nelson-Gal at the Pacific Art League in Palo Alto. Julia has been focusing us on solar plates (photopolymer plates that use UV light to develop the image), pronto-plates (a linotype method), and gum arabic/xerox transfers.

My technique coming into the class with the gum arabic/photo transfers was adequate, but I knew I could probably get better results. Julia’s instruction on technique was just what I needed to learn to mix the inks and lay down a light, but effective layer of ink on my paper. I am much happier with the results after taking this class. I learned it helps to be patient though (not my strong suit). I am also really happy to have learned the solar plate method. It’s a bit expensive, but basically, you are creating a plate that is akin to an etching. It can be inked up the same way an etching can, and printed from the plate.

Today, I made a solar plate of a photo of a rose I took in Victoria at the Empress Hotel a few weeks ago. I printed it on it’s own, and then with a layer of yellow chine colle, which also looked nice. Here I am checking the print against the plate:

and here is the chine colle print. More tools in my bag of tricks! Yay.

I’ve been terrified to paint the walls of my home for years. The house was new when I bought it and the walls, though a beautiful and clean white, screamed out for some color. But I was afraid that if I picked the wrong color, it would be a huge mess. I was also worried that either I had to pay someone else to paint it for me, which can be quite expensive, or I could do it myself (DIY!) and that I would botch it up terribly.

A few months ago, I did paint two test patches on various interior walls to “try out” some colors. One patch was Carrington Beige, which I am wondering was it named after the elegant and fabulously rich Carrington family on Dallas?

The other color I knew I loved was Palladian Blue. My neighbor with exquisite taste discovered this color and painted one wall in her bedroom, only to move back to the east coast just a few months later. I saw it “in situ” with her orange pillows and chocolate brown rug and just knew I had to have it somewhere in my home.

We still have a ways to go to finish up. All rooms except the bedrooms are getting the beige, and the blue will only be on a small portion of the living room, for now. But we “ripped the bandaid” off by starting the project, and thanks to Claire’s amazing taping skills, it is looking extremely professional.

I’m very happy with the results.

I have to go to a photo transfer class today, but I can’t wait to get home late this afternoon and continue the painting, hopefully finishing it on Sunday or Monday. Stay tuned for pictures.

We arrived home, safe and sound, this afternoon. Unfortunately, our bags did not. We experienced “voluntary separation,” which sounds a little like giving up a child for adoption.

We left our place in Chelsea right on time and took the subway and Air Train back to JFK, but I could see that we were starting to run really late for our 1 pm departure. We had that typical running to the gate experience – what would any vacation be without that to top it off – but I knew when we got there, that we had probably missed the baggage cutoff time.

At any rate, we got to the gate and the flight attendants were so, so nice about getting us on the flight (hello United, are you paying attention to Virgin’s customer service?). We weren’t actually even the last ones on, and the flight was gloriously uneventful otherwise.

Thankfully, it is foggy and cool here in Half Moon Bay, though there is a thick and pinkish cover of smog out there that we flew through upon landing. I spent most of the flight alternating between playing Scrabble and fixing up the photos I took on my trip. I have 416 to go through and delete out what doesn’t work, but I will probably end up with at least 250-300 in that collection.

Thank you again to Nancy for the tip to use Lightroom. It is really a great application.

These shoes saved my life, these past three weeks. They are the worst for walks on the beach at home because of the holes that let in the sand, but they are by far THE BEST for walking on sidewalks, subways, up and down stairs, etc.. Hours and hours, over days and days, and my feet never hurt. Not once.

And thank you to my friend Laurie, for taking me to REI in Minnesota to get them back in June.