Sunday, March 17, 2013

Happy St. Patricks Day


Had to do this one for Amy- she loves green and St. Patty's.

This little gem can be done with three or four leaves.  I got the pattern of a Pintrest post.  Basic loop with three petals and then a single crochet stem ( I did six and then single crocheted back up to the base).

The Pintrest post link is:
http://www.skiptomylou.org/2009/03/13/crochet-shamrock-garland/

She did this as a chain- I left the shamrocks as individuals with a pin backing and gave them to my kids and coworkers.

Have fun.

Plants- Drocera Sundew Carniverous plant

Oh, wonderful Drocera.

One of my new plants that I am trying out is the Drocera.

I have one drocera plant that has been doing really well.

I got this about 3 weeks ago and it has a lot of new growth.  The older stalks look  a little dry but I think this is due to shipping.  It is bouncing back great.  I love it's unusual shape and texture.

I decided to try doing gemmae (clones) also.  I have been growing the clones for 3-4 weeks.  I have never done clones but it hasn't been very hard.  The clones are still very small and would fit on a pencil erasure.  They are finally big enough to catch on camera.


 I bought my gammae from:
http://www.droseragemmae.com/GemmaeSales.html


I can't wait for them to get large enough to take a really cool picture.

These plants need light and distilled water.  They are in a mix of peat moss and sand with some perlite.  They need to stay wet- always water in their saucer.

For more info on care:
http://mysite.verizon.net/elgecko1989/Drosera.html

I am also trying seeds but do not have results yet.  I just put them down today.  I'll let you know in a week or two how it goes.



Friday, March 15, 2013

My story of Pi

My story of Pi-

It began innocently enough in IHOP.

So, Monday night, hubby is at a work related thingy and I take the girls out for a night on the town.  IHOP is the elected dining establishment by the kiddos and I don't care enough to argue.  Normal antics ensue and we are left playing hangman on the back of the paper place settings.
When our family plays hangman we pick a subject of inspiration.  As the game begins the question of subject is immediately declared by my 9 year old with a loud and resounding response of "Pie".  This makes us all laugh and the game begins.

As the turns circle the table with the usual Rhubarb and mince meat, my twelve year old is given her turn.  She sketches out     _ _ _ _ _     _ _ _ _ _     _ _ _     _ _ _ _.  Her pie is Pi, three point one four.

Tuesday night rolls around and we are eating dinner and I share with hubby what a witty daughter he has.  His response it to share a lame Pi joke.  It goes something like this: Pi and 4 are in court arguing their point to the judge.  Everyone is frustrated and 4 turns to the judge and says " but judge he is relentless, he just goes on and on and on..."  My daughter found this quiet funny.

Quiet Pi Wednesday.  My coworkers had to deal with hearing the wicked bad Pi joke.

Thursday is Pi day- 3.14...  I am in my car driving to work at six am when I hear the radio discussing Pi day.  A must for my husband and daughter to know.  I pull up my in-car contact list and go to "H" for Hubby.  I see "Home" and think- I don't want to call the house and wake everybody.  I switch to "M" for Michael.  I am tired, did I mention that...  I go to "M" and on total auto pilot click "Mom and Dad".  Big Whoops.  I hear a groggy old man answer the phone, my Dad, in Colorado.  I immediately apologize and hang up.  I then pray he is so tired he will not remember that I called him at 4 am.

Pi day ends with a call from my Dad.  He did not forget.

I love it when life deals you a string of connectible events- from a 9 year old in an IHOP in Virginia to a 75 year old man in bed in Colorado.

Love you Dad- won't happen again...

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Paint on Canvas (Acrylic)

So I wanted some earthy colors- So- I made my own canvas.

I started with putting down my base colors- I used a wet saturated washcloth to give a blended mix to the colors.
I then added highlights- this was done also with the rag.
I then added accents- I splattered the highlights with a brush (thinning the paint with water to get the consistency I needed).  I let it sit for a few minutes and then pulled with rag to get splashy smooth colors.
I then put on paper petals adhered with 3M spray.  I painted with a strong earth color and let dry (I had to apply two layers to get the consistency I wanted).  Then I peeled of the paper (sometimes had to use a tweezer to get an edge up without peeling paint).
It was great to watch the sun/flower shape come in.
And finally...
I hung this in my bathroom- I get to lay there and follow the lines of the swirl and find patterns within the varying size petals.





Staghorn fern

My new favorite fern.


Platycerium (genus)- these plants are epiphytic (which means that they grow off of other plants or material- getting what they need from air and water.  

They like light but don't leave them in direct light that will burn or dry out the substrate you are groing them in.  I have mine mounted on wood in my bathroom on a North-East facing window.  I soak the substrate about every 5 days and mist it when I remember.  It is supper handy to lay it in the bathtub so I don't have to worry about the run off water. 

Air Plants / Tillandsias

So many kinds- I find new ones all the time. 

From Right to Left: Bulbosa (Belize), Xerographica, Ionantha X Brachycaulos hybrid, Pair of
Ionantha Guatemala, Caput Medusae, Pair of Funckiana, Andreana, Tricolor (the one I killed), and a Single Ionantha Guatemala. The top is covered with Spanish moss (this has to be misted every/everyother day).

I bought an air plant and proceeded to start killing it with love.  I sprayed it every day- woops. My poor plant started to rot at it's base from sitting water.
 
Tillandsias need to be soaked (I do it once a week) in bottled water.  I soak them for 30 min- 1 hour and then shake them dry and leave them crown down for about 4 hours. 

It is really amazing to watch the leaves change from white to bright green as they are absorbing water.  

I keep mine 6-10 feet from a window on a South-West window. 

My favorite is the Xerographica

I also like the Ionantha X Brachycaulos hybridIt has a pretty pink hue to it.

 Tillandias are  bromeliads.

For more information on care:

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Crochet- hats and such

Blue Elf hat
Rainbow elf hat
Nipple hat for breast feeding baby
Hat for my daughter and her friend
Nipple hat for my Vietnamese friend's baby

plants, plants, and more plants

My current favorite thing- My plants.  I think I miss the outdoors and keep trying to make the inside just a little bit greener.  My favorite plants right now include:
My orchid that did not bloom last year but gave me so many this year.
My staghorn fern.  I just love having this above my head in the bathtub.
My mother fern- it grows the babies right on the leaves.
My drocera/ sundew carniverous plant.

And last but not least...
My air plants- which I adore and keep finding new ones.

Well, that is it for now.  I'm sure I will be back with my other interests-