Saturday, July 31, 2021

an outing and a finished model


So, did I mention I finished the second trumpet flower model. Friday between breakfast and lunch I took care of the minor issues, scuffed up the background (because there's no way to get the background smooth and unblemished and it looks better overall if it has a slight and random texture to it) and then after lunch smoothed it all out. I do this with naptha (a solvent similar to lighter fluid. It slightly dissolves the wax and I use my finger or a small piece of chamois dipped into the naptha.



Saturday I got a piece of styrofoam and cut it on the bandsaw to the right size but the block was 2 inches thick so I had to slice it into three thicknesses, glued two of them down on glass and then glued the models onto the styrofoam. The styrofoam is the reservoir to hold all the glass that won't fit in the mold. So now they are set up to have their molds made.



Before I did that on Saturday though, Pam and I went to the Hungerford (a dinky little town down the road) for their art and craft fair. The goods on offer were pretty predictable for a small town art and craft venue...canned and baked goods, costume jewelry of various kinds, big flashy seasonal wreaths, quilts and other homemade stuffed toys, plants from the local nursery, wood art of various kinds (lots of crosses), wine glasses and jiggers etched with a small dremel, etc. There was a woman whose son makes ballpoint pens with turned wood barrels which were very nice but also pricey and I doubt she sold any to that crowd and another woman who makes natural personal products...soap, shampoo bars, deodorant, insect repellant, lotion bars, stuff like that. I came away with a jar of pickled okra and a shampoo bar which I have been wanting to try.

After that we checked out the two new women's boutiques, both located in bad places as far as I'm concerned. The first was in the back half of a building that has a salon and while the salon faces one of the main streets around the square, this little clothing shop has no street frontage. The clothes were nice enough, not a large inventory, nothing I would buy but mostly because everything was made out of synthetic slippery stuff that all had to be hand washed or dry cleaned. The other shop had a bigger inventory but is tucked into a corner of the other big retail area in town and once again you really have to know it's there or you won't see it. She had a few things that we liked but for the most part everything was synthetic or skin tight or stretchy or all three and not one thing that we could find that you could just throw in the washer and dryer (do they not make clothes out of cotton or cotton/linen anymore?). Well, I hope they do well.

Then we went to the Peach Creek Market on the highway for more peaches and I think these are the best ones so far but they are ready so I'll have to do something with them tomorrow.



Back to work stuff, I looked for the wax cutout of the luna moth that I know I have, have looked in every container in which I have wax objects and I cannot find it! I've looked in everything two or three times. And you know, as soon as I finally give up and cut out a new one, then it'll pop right up.

I had thought to post some pictures from the garden but, next time. Meanwhile, Buddha ponders
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16 comments:

  1. We’ll see if this works. I’m on my iPad which seems to have forgotten me. Ha! Anyway, your wax model already looks like art, but I know it will be even better as glass.

    We got three softball sized peaches in our Misfits box today. I hope they don’t all ripen at the same time!

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  2. The best shampoo bars I have used are from LUSH. An honest company! Your carving of wax is art already- Delicate ,detailed lovely! The fair sounds like any little town fair- crafts like toilet paper covers knitted with acrylic yarn, eww.

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  3. The carving is really beautiful. I am looking forward to seeing the glass.

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  4. When I was very little, my uncle had a dog named Jigger. I was in awe of that name all my life.
    I've been looking around for a shampoo bar. So far, no luck.

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  5. I really can't wait to see the final glass work.
    We have a Trade Days coming up this fall. I love buying the soaps and shampoos at the booths.
    Lots of art work too.

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  6. Let us know how you like the shampoo bar. I am intrigued, too.
    Your trumpet flowers are going to be absolutely amazing. And yes, of course the luna moth will show up just as you no longer need it.
    What is the name of the plant growing around Buddha? I think there was just an article in the local paper about it as it is invasive here. I know I've seen it in my yard.

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    Replies
    1. bridal veil wandering jew. yes invasive, will spread everywhere. I pull it out by the handfuls to keep it from spreading and overcoming the buddha.

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  7. Your trumpet flower art is truly beautiful. Those peaches look delicious. Looking forward to seeing what you do with them. Seeing your Buddha in the garden makes me miss the one we had and left in our garden when we were living in the Sierra foothills. Now I want to go find a new Buddha (and I mean that in all ways!).

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  8. I hate it when I can't find something that I know I have. I was looking for Dave's old wristwatch the other day and it took me forever -- and it turns out it was in the cabinet where I thought it was in the first place. I just didn't look closely enough! Argh!

    It's weird that those shops didn't have cotton clothes. I would think that would be the stuff in high demand, especially in a hot climate.

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  9. The Buddha looks very happy amid his invasive plants. Yes, I too get really uncomfortable when I know I have something but cannot find it.

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  10. I know what the Buddha is contemplating: whether I can find time to cut away from work this week and get over there to pick up some peaches. I found their phone number, so I'll check first to be sure they're open, and to be sure they have some. I picked up a dozen at our market on Saturday, but they were ghastly. I need some good Fredericksburg peaches before the season's over.

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  11. I see your wax art and think it can't get any more beautiful, and then it does! Gee Louise... I'm hoping our new home has an area where I can set up a Buddha. I love the serenity of yours. Wonder if that wandering Jew will live here where it gets snow in the winter.

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  12. Lovely trumpet flowers. Serene Buddha.

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  13. Your trumpet flowers are so beautiful. I just looked back at the posts you did showing the progress from your first sketches to now. Amazing!

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  14. Inspired by your trumpet flowers.

    There are numerous things I cannot find in my tiny living space. A few days ago, when I couldn't find something, it occurred to me that I need to a "spring cleaning." Go through everything until I find what is missing. When I do that (which isn't often), I am amazed at what I find that I forgot that I even had. It's hard to start the process but once I let myself begin I enjoy the discovering and sorting and organizing and letting go that happens.

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  15. These trumpet flowers - I am looking forward to thge next episode.

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.