Finished it Friday

I sent this off to it's new home in California on Monday.  LOVE the framing courtesy Cindy Moleski's studio.  I have to say, working with this client in particular was a very great experience.  She sent me the kindest, most artful words via email as I worked along on this piece for her.  It's hard to explain, but it was different.  She was so loving toward my heartfelt connection with my subject matter.  I can't explain it.  It's like she commissioned my joy.  ?  I won't quote her emails here in this post, but that is what it was like.  If I was passionate about a place, name, or color... then she wanted it to be part of the work.  Her commission ended up not only being a gift for her, but a gift for me.  THANK YOU. 

It seemed to have had an effect on the piece.  Autumn Over Blackstrap Lake ended up so warm, natural, glowing... just different from the rest.  It was more like a piece I would do just for me, no pressure to please anyone else.  There!  THAT is whet I'm trying to say!  lol

I also mailed off my forth threadpainting to the other side of the planet.  THAT still blows my mind.  Good gosh I hope it arrives safe & sound.  The original Jacarandas photo was taken by Jim Niesel, in Australia.  His wife commission it.  So - I cannot get credit for the scene or composition itself.

I had a precut grey mat in my studio that I thought I would try out.  The purples looked really good with grey, however, notice the yellow inside edge??

a sign that it isn't acid free?  tsk tsk

My framer told me she can spot matting that isn't acid free.  She told me to look for a yellow color where it's been cut.  Sure enough, against the white background this matting is indeed YELLOW!  So I headed off to Cindy's again and had an acid-free mat put in.

Good to know!
(Plus, it looks way better now...)

I added a few last minute stitches, including some green in the tree tops to the right.  It didn't feel balanced before.  I also added a sprinkling of fallen petals stitched onto the road to bring the foreground forward.  It was empty before.  My oh my there is a LOT of hand embroidery in this!  Here it is once again; the finished finished version of this threadpainting.  It is now off and circling the earth to it's new home 'down under'.

Safe travels!  And thank you to Jim & Yvette for the commission.  I can't wait to hear when it has arrived.  Have a great weekend everyone!