Grow the Leaves... Oh!
Can You remember, Dear Readers, about a year ago when I first posted the "Summer Green" Rhododendron shrub at the Folly Garden and wondered if it really had enough leaves to qualify as "finished"? Well, as some of you might realize, I decided it needed quite a few more leaves to really look right as THE evergreen shrub beside the Folly Porch. It is Evergreen, after all, so only steps aside briefly for the Blossoming version which takes a week or so, and for the Snowy winter version which comes and goes quickly only in Winter, so it had better be really worthy of all the rest of those months of viewing! Above you can see the "revised" version, newly "completed".... even though there are probably a few more leafy stems I will add, in particular in the corner by the Tree House. If you can't remember exactly how it looked before.... I have added a photo from Last Year....
And I know the lighting is different,
which makes it really hard to judge....
but I also know that the newer version has nearly 400 leaves
more than last year's version!
Here you can see it again... this years (version #3-2)
from the side of the Garden near the Tree House.
It definitely looks "denser" to me.... which was the whole point!
The "trick" was to add the "understory leaves" which are
the previous year's growth still attached to the shrub.
And believe me, this was tricky to do!
And very time consuming.
And as some of you know, last years "green" shrub
got a coating of "snow" during the Winter
and is now the "Snowy Winter" version (#2-2)!
So nothing was wasted after all!
And yes, Mr. Gnome is hoping that some of the disruptions
to his usually quiet neighborhood will be finished for a while.
And maybe I can get working on some of my many other
unfinished projects.... the list is Looooooong!
And Speaking of Green, Dear Readers,
some of the threads I had ordered arrived
and among them was a blue-green shade
that I could use in my Astrological Cushions!
The Leo Astrological cushion design
was asking for four shades of green and one of gold
for the ground below the Lion.
The darkest green had arrived a while ago,
and finally the blue-green arrived.
Until it did, I did not want to start stitching
until I could be sure it would work with the rest of the greens.
As you can see, it does! So I got stitching right away!
Here you can see the Leo Cushion before starting the greens...
but with the night sky completed.
These kits are designed for larger scale,
so the details are quite intricate for this tiny scale.
I was not sure the two blue colors would be needed...
but I have decided they work out okay....
Just the darkest blue would have been
too much like the black border squares.
And once the ground is stitched... it makes beautiful contrast...
This is just the first two greens...
Here you can see the stitching beside the chart...
it is sometimes difficult to tell which color the printed square is...
they are very similar shades.
I start with the colors that are clearest to follow....
the darkest and the lightest,
and gradually fill in the more confusing ones.
Here I have added the golden wheat color....
And here the Leo Cushion stitching is finished!
And because I had also been waiting for
that blue-green for the Wyvern Cushion...
I got busy right away with the Green ground.
This chart only needed the four green shades...
no golden color is needed.
More of the Greens have been added...
only the last one is still not stitched.
And of course, I have started the border for
the last little Cushion for this piece of mesh....!
But I will Leave you here, Dear Readers...
Wondering what the final cushion will be....
because I do have just a few more Leaves to grow
on the Evergreen Rhododendron Shrub!
Your shrub looks very healthy! I'd say the addition of 400 leaves was very successful! Mr. Gnome should be very pleased to have such a gorgeous bush in his yard. Your lion cushion turned out beautifully, as did your Wyvem. I'm eagerly waiting to see what your last one will be!
ReplyDeleteDo you happen to know the song "500 miles" by "The Proclaimers"? The chorus goes "But I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more"... Well, this was going through my head while admiring your summer rhodie... of course with lyrics changed (just a little bit) into "She has glued 400 leaves and she will glue 400 more" My, the difference 400 leaves make!!! *LOL*
ReplyDeleteBut without further joking (well, I'll try): I enjoyed so much to see those two miniature shrubs in their green splendor... both of them true miniature masterpieces: The incredible lilac and the awesome rhodie. And it was good to meet Mr. Gnome again... and I suppose he's just keeping up his grumpy attitude for show and to protect his reputation because deep inside his heart sings when he watches the evergreen rhodie grow and grow and become even more beautiful and impressive.
Speaking of beautiful and impressive... and after learning about the difference 400 leaves make: I guessed right... with the background the lion seems to shine now like the stars forming the leo sign. And even the mane is defined again! What a beautiful design... and so is the dragon now standing on a green ground with its claws. And I'm already so curious to learn who will be the last member of this terrific trio. But for now... happy leafing and happy stitching! ;O) And greetings to Mr. Gnome...
Hugs
Birgit