What to do next?

So, the bean tapestry is off the loom, and I've trimmed it up and steamed it. The good news is that the bubbles seem to have gone away and the whole piece isn't as horribly misshapen as I had feared it would be. Actually, it's all good news. I even have a vague idea of how I want to mount it - but I'll need to consult with some folks about how to go about it. And probably I'll need to rummage in Otto's scrap pile.

Anyway, now I have to figure out what to do next. Please be very impressed that not only have I completed ONE tapestry, but that I'm actually looking forward to doing another! I've been playing with some of my photos in Photoshop Elements (wheeeee!) and have a few potential designs. Really, I have a lot of potential designs. I just have to figure out

• which one appeals to me most, and 
• which one I might have the skill to take on.

So, for your amusement and mine (probably mostly mine), here are a few of the possibilities. Please bear with me. I had a lot of fun with Photoshop. And do let me know what you think!

Carrying on with my veggie theme, we have "carrots and red potatoes in a colander." Each version becomes slightly more abstract. Click on an image to enlarge.

 

 

I think all three of these are a little odd, but way more interesting than the original photo...

Also, the Chives in my garden. An appealing option since I already have most of the colors leftover from the beans & eggplant.

Daffodils - from most to least abstract.

Does this one make you uneasy? Just wondering...

My buddy Adam and I moved a doorway in my house last summer. I call these "Doorway." :-)

I really like this one for some reason...

 

I also like this one. It seems very atmospheric to me.
It looks like it would need a lot of subtle color blending though...

The Little Red Schoolhouse in Cedar Falls, (or possibly Cedar Rapids) Iowa. My mother-in-law went to school in one just like this when she was very young.  Her mother was the teacher. I like the strong lines and intense colors in this one.

Although I'm pretty much ready for spring, I thought these photos from an icy morning in Happy Valley looked interesting.

I think the sharp angles in all of these would make them hard to weave.

So, there you have them. The possible contenders so far. What do you think? Do any of them make you go ooooh, that should be a tapestry ?

Repurposed window cold frame

Just wanted to share this brilliant idea from the great blog Design*Sponge. As a collector of cast-off treasures (i.e. other people's junk) I really appreciate this great idea for making a cold frame out of old windows.

Read the complete post over at Design*Sponge for construction details and more photos.

I'm off to rummage in the basement and see if I still have any old windows lurking in the corners.

Shhh. It's resting.

Here's what the bean tapestry looks like from the back. Yup. It's done. Right now it's "resting," tension off, relaxing it's little warp and weft yarns. Next week I'll trim the back, hem it, block it and then figure out how I want to mount it. (I know I should have probably thought of that first, but there you go.)

It took me over a year to finish this relatively small tapestry. I'm hoping that I'll have more time to devote to the next one. Please note that I said "the next one." This from a person who swore they'd never weave tapestry because it was too slow.

I think I've finally gotten to the point where the journey is more important than the destination. There was pleasure in every inch I wove. And unwove. And rewove. Whatever. The point is, weaving tapestry is completely absorbing, sometimes frustrating, and really lots of fun.

You can quote me on that.

Around Town

Sunday was an exceptionally balmy day for January. I took a walk to the public library to return a book (A Rare Benedictine, by Ellis Peters). Here are a few photos I snapped on the way home.

Main Street Baptist Church. It's for sale, if you're in the market...

The first buds of spring!

Main Street, with our fancy new light posts and cross walks.
This the main business block of our 3-block-long downtown.

Perhaps not the most fascinating of subjects, but good practice with the new camera.