Completed!

Well, actually it doesn't have a label or a sleeve, but you know what I mean.

This is the first of my three piece doorway series. I am so thrilled with it. In some ways it is a departure from my recent work, and in other ways it is the clear next step. I love that.

I really like the doorway symbol and then I like how it gets lost a bit with all the other elements that I incorporated. I worked with some transparent layers and that was a challenge. I felt like the 4 street number stood out too much. It was too white, so I covered it with a leaf skeleton and then covered that with some blue tulle. That little snippet of transparent ribbon further tones down the whiteness.

I enjoyed incorporating stuff that both complemented the design as individual elements but also worked with the whole -- or improved problem areas.

Here is a detail of the street number. Actually this whole space a was a bit dead and I pondered what to add for quite some time. I knew I wanted to play on the 4 and think of it as the word "for." Eventually, the strains from one of my favorite hymns creeped into my head. "For the beauty of each hour, of the day and of the night... Lord of all to thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise."

So I added two flip tabs, one from the hem of some old jeans and the other from a recycled home dec fabric catalog. I stamped "the beauty" on the denim and "of each hour" on the green piece. Still too dramatic, so I added the ribbon on top. It's interactive!

Here is a detail of the pot. And really, it's just a pot shape. I didn't want to bother with shadows or any sense of dimension. I just want it to be a shape in which I can frame other elements. Here I chose a tiny metal frame and some sea glass. I tucked that old stamp under the corner ala Lesley Riley. She mixes paper and fabric beautifully and knows exactly where to add new elements and how to layer them for the best effect.








Here is a detail of the top of the arch. Behold the seed stitch! Always a welcome addition. You can probably also see all the handwriting I did in the peachy section. It's just stream-of-consciousness type writing about doors and openings. Obviously, the key and tiny key hold charm enhance those ideas.



More paper. It's a torn piece from an old atlas. A bit of the same map is under the key. I embroidered a little meadow of flowers with varigated perle cotton right at the door step.

Now on to the other doors. And all the other things on my "to do" list. But first, Citrus Lovers Rosemary Porkchops from Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals cookbook.