The ONLY good thing about rain that freezes when it hits the ground is the discovery of ice leaves.
I was sliding my way out to the chickens when I noticed all the leaves I stepped on looked like broken glass. Hm. Yup, I could peel the layer of ice off and get a shard of crystal leaf. Here is a short video. I would have investigated the phenomenon further, but it was raining. Raining. And freezing.
My eldest’s favorite shirt is a Medusa print t-shirt her Aunt gave her around four years ago. We recently bought her a second one, since the first image was wearing away, but she still wears the first one, and it has become creepy cool the way the print has worn off.
We bought the new shirt here (so I have a reference when I need to rebuy it in another four years.)
Sourdough baking presents me with a different kind of blank canvas: the smooth surface of dough, with the lame blade as my brush.
Sourdough is scored to give the bread room to rise in the oven, and there are some amazing bakers doing intricate and beautiful cut designs that utilize different depths of cut to achieve their vision. I’m still learning control, so I am emulating the cuts of others to learn technique.
I have much to learn, but the process is enjoyable, and the results, no matter how wonky, are edible.
My second work in pyrography is also a beloved pet. I’m quite pleased with how this one came out. Working with the wood burning kit is much like pointillism, nearly all the shapes are made with small burn dots layered upon one another. I have several more pieces of this particular paper to experiment with before I have to source more and hope the light and dark effect still works.
I used my professional wood burner setup on hand made paper. Using different tips and heat settings I was able to lighten and darken parts of the image. I’m calling this done while I still like it and before I take it too far. (It happens to me. Often.)
The paper was not hand made by me, but ordered through Etsy. It was darker than I expected, but it worked out just fine.
Critters and Craft 