Beautiful Lace

Isn't this piece of lace quite beautiful? 

Look at it again more closely. Do you see it?

The lace is really part of the painting below.

The lace is from a close up photo I took of his left knee.

I have always been facinated with the detail of fabrics and lace shown in paintings.  This painting is at The Getty in Los Angeles,  and I use it here as an example to show the detail the artist achieved while painting the lace.  There are so many beautiful paintings, but I wanted to show detail from a painting whose subject would ordinarily just receive a passing glance from me.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West

I know I have been absent from my blog for quite a while.  I thought I'd share some photos with you from a recent trip to Scottsdale, AZ to visit Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West.  If you ever get a chance to visit, it is quite wonderful.  The tour lasted 90 minutes, and our tour guide was very knowledgeable.  Photos weren't allowed inside, but we were allowed to sit in some of the furniture while she talked about the Wrights, Taliesin West, and the architecture school.



The trademark



The Taliesin name on a wall. The walls were made of concrete and stones from the surrounding desert.





The petroglyph symbol became the trademark







Our Tour Guide



Merry Christmas from The Mission Inn

My sister, Pamela, and I went for an outing at The Mission Inn in Riverside, CA.  It is a wonderful old hotel that is beautifully decorated each year.  I tried to take a couple of pictures at night when the lights were on, but they didn't do it justice.  There is a pedestrian mall on the block with various shops and restaurants.  There is also an ice skating rink on the mall.  It was so much fun and very festive!

 

Old Town Tucumcari, New Mexico

We drove a stretch of old Route 66 in Tucumcari, New Mexico.  There are numerous forgotten businesses, but some of them are being rejuvenated.

The Blue Swallow Motel is an example of a little gem on 66.  The note on the door told everyone that the owners were on vacation.  I would have liked to go into the lobby area as it is also a gift shop, and it looked so neat and organized.  Maybe next time through we'll see what they have.

The rooms were built with a one car garage - a real motor lodge.

Only a sign left at the Lasso Motel

The Palomino looks well kept for an old motel

The Ranch House Cafe sign and truck were interesting.

Wouldn't you like to see these gas prices again!

A cute Tucumcari shop.

Gary and Misty at Timeless Treasures.  Misty greeted us with her Frisbee as we pulled in to park - and of course we had to play with her a while.  Gary was friendly and filled us in on what is happening with the Tucumcari revitalization.  He also pointed out a couple of spots for us to see before we left town.

This barbecue place was cooking, but we were a day too early to eat. Next time through we are going to eat here because it was so cute and smelled so good too.

Inventive planter outside

The outside of the barbecue building was built with an eclectic variety of objects.

Next door is the Tucumcari Ranch Supply



Giant Cross - Groom Texas

We have seen this giant cross from a distance along I40 in Texas, but had never stopped to see it.  This year as we approached the site, we decided to go see what it was all about.  Quite the place to see.  If you have the chance to get off I40 to take a look you'll be impressed - the cross is 190 feet tall!

That is the Last Supper in the foreground, and lifesize Stations of the Cross around the base of the cross.

                                               Station - Veronica wiping the face of Jesus

               The Last Supper and the Crucifixion in the background with the angel at the tomb at the left.

A Blast From the Past - 1957

I received some old photos from a relative recently, and this was among them.  It is a photo I had never seen, so I was happy to receive it.

This photo, taken in 1957, is of my mother, my sister and me.  We were visiting relatives on their farm in Minnesota.  My sister and I were wearing 'farm play clothes'.

Do you enjoy looking into the past as much as I do?

Picker Sisters I -10 Home Store - Gone

My sisters and I enjoyed the Picker Sisters series, and really like some of the creative furniture and accessories they made from the rusted junk.  My sister, who lives in LA, went to take a look at the I - 10 Home store on Melrose, but it is closed with a for lease sign on the windows.  Too bad!  We were looking forward to seeing the creations from the show.

"Emily" - Wall Hanging

I finished Emily's wall hanging.  I decided to use the original photograph in this piece rather than printing the photograph onto fabric as I usually do.  The background fabric is a pale turquoise and gold printed vintage fabric.  The largest lace section is from the remnants of an antique dress.  I used additional antique lace, mother of pearl buttons and antique brocade ribbon.  The piece is attached to a vintage advertisement hanger for display.  The overall piece is about 16" x 29" at the widest points.

Vintage Photo Sunday - Emily

I'm sharing a vintage photo of 'Emily' today.  I really don't know anything about this young woman, including her name, but I've named her 'Emily'.  I'm incorporating the photo into a project that I will show you in a day or two.  Enjoy the image, and feel free to use it in your own artwork.

Maker's Mark Distillery

Kentucky is known for its Bourbon Wiskey, and Maker's Mark Distillery is a beautiful place to visit and tour.  I didn't realize that there are so many rules that must be followed to call a wiskey - bourbon.  For instance, the charred white oak barrels can only be used once.  Maker's Mark sends their used barrels to Scotland for use in making Scotch Whiskey. 

At the end of the tour you are given three types of Bourbon to taste - straight bourbon, no mixers.  If you buy a bottle of bourbon, you get to dip it yourself into the red wax to seal the cap.  There are many other nice gifts in the gift shop where I bought a canvas tote bag with the Maker's Mark logo.

We had a nice lunch at the Toll Gate Cafe.  This building was originally a toll booth when the road going through the property was open to the public for a charge.