@Friends' - From stock photo to original abstract art. Yes you can-vas!

During one of my of my regular rounds through the local trash heaps I came across these mirror image tree prints on 'canvas'.  It was not woven like a textile, but had a slightly textured matte surface one one side to make it look different than a standard enlarged photo.  Is there a specific name for this type of material? Photo-canvas paper?  Whatever.  The important thing is that the canvases were free.

Front and Back

The prints were a nice size, nice square shape, and had a sawtooth hangar on the back.  I wasn't going to paint anything on them, let's be honest about that right up front.  So I handed them off to the same friend who had done a lovely turquoise painting on another found canvas.

The photo below shows her first lovely result.  This abstract mix of rich colors reminds of the water in an impressionist painting.  Yeah .... I would not have been able to come up with that.

Canvas 1

This was her similarly dreamy treatment of the second canvas.
She used a similar process but with lighter colors.  Pinks and whites instead of reds and dark green.
Note the gold leaf sparkle fun!

Canvas 2

Both canvases now hang in her entryway to brighten otherwise muted beige interior hall.

Happy freestyling, unleash that creativity!

The Freestyle Plant, A Retrospective

Over the years I've given away many plant cuttings in the spirit of freestyle gardening for all!  One small Sansevieria purchased in approximately 2004 has been the gift that keeps on giving.  Really.  If you think you can't keep a house plant, you're wrong.  Just buy a snake plant and grow your confidence.  The variety I so casually purchased back then doesn't grow very tall, maybe 8 inches (other varieties can be 4 feet high), so it is a great option for small spaces -- and for giveaways.

So, how are those giveaways doing today?
Today's Sansevieria retrospective looks at two examples.

Example 1.
A freestyle blue ceramic pot and plant cuttings gifted to the fabulous Lady K in 2012.  The blue pot was from le dump and had no bottom drainage hole, but Sansevieria isn't picky.  Besides, look at that awesome red dresser, what plant wouldn't look good against that?

Here is the same plant photographed about three years later, sometime in late 2015.
Look at that lush greenery!  Even on a northwest facing windowsill it is still going strong.

The original blue pot went to a farm in the countryside.

~~~

Example 2.
We're not quite sure what this plant looked like when it was given away.  I wasn't expecting to keep track of these giveaways when I was thinning out my container garden collection.  It was probably one of the ones featured in this 2012 post about paying it forward with plants.  Safe to say that it was smaller, but after a few years and a fancy new pot this one is definitely still happy. Also, this is now on a north-facing windowsill in a bright kitchen, but with no direct light.  In true Sansevieria style it doesn't seem to care one bit.

 

 So there you have it, anecdotal evidence of the tough-as-old-boots qualities of this modestly sized Sansevieria variety.  It doesn't grow fast, but it can survive just about any home environment.

Happy freestyle gardening!

A mirror goes from ornate key to simplicity

It isn't often I find unbroken mirrors. 

Much less unbroken mirrors with ornate frames, wedged upright between cardboard boxes, in a dumpster where I can reach them.  Here is the gem that I saved from the trash.

 As you can see some of the outer frame with the Greek key design had broken off. Additionally, the outer frame had become detached from the inner frame on one side and was sort of flopping against the center circle frame where the mirror sits. Hmmm. Still too good to pass up.

I looked on the back and saw this tag. 

Wow. 

$299 .00 for something that got damaged and discarded.

Originally I wanted to replace the missing parts of the Greek key design, perhaps using cardboard and gold paint.... But I realized that attaching the floppy part of the outer frame back to the center would require either a lot of super glue (and then I wouldn't trust it) or some soldering (which I'm not set up for). I let it sit for a few days until I was doing laundry and decided it was time for the solution - break off the entire outer frame. Armed with safety glasses and a hammer that is exactly what I did. It was fun.

Given how easily the pieces bent and broke off at the connection points and how heavy they are I'm preeeetty sure there is lead in that frame. I definitely washed my hands a few times when it was all over.  In the end I was left with this, a simple gold circle.

Here is a close-up of one of the attachment points where the outer frame broke off. The break was not sharp and you can see the mystery grey metal that lies underneath the gold frame.

 I replaced the mirror and backing, then strung some picture wire across the back.  The only wrap points were the screws, so the wire went around two of them and then I tightened the screw a little bit more, probably didn't need to.

I hung up the final product on a nail that was already in the wall.

In less than 20 minutes (aka one load of laundry) this mirror went from floppy and broken to finished (and lighter!).  

It's smaller, and simpler, but that should make it more versatile.

Happy freestyling and Happy New Year.