Fall Poinsettias

Happy first day of Autumn!

I don't know if it is because I was a child of the Seventies or what, but I do love the fall colors when the season comes around. Oranges, rusts, golds and yellows...  Living in Florida, however, does limit the amount of *natural* fall colors that come into my life.  So I'm relegated to finding somewhat artificial ways of introducing the pallet into everyday life.

After gathering up the tired, worn Christmas poinsettias from the family gravesites last year, I had stuck them in a plastic trash bag (and promptly forgot about them) where I thought I might somehow spruce them up and recycle them this year--Florida, wet, hot, mildew, sun-fading, yuk!  haha!  Still where there is a will, there is a way, and I decided to spray-paint them in fall colors. Looking on the net produced nothing, so I felt the grave (haha!) responsibility of producing a how-to of my project...  um... IF it turned out.

I think it did, so here ya go!

Before...

After...

An empty box served as a paint station.  Wanting to keep the flowers in their bouquets, I isolated each stem through the box flaps.  A paper towel ripped halfway up the center further isolated the flowers from the leaves.

I simply spray painted the flower with orange.  Initially, I used brown on the tips and center, then experimented with yellow, but with this project, I determined less is more.

                                                    (^^^awesome action shot!!!^^^)

Turns out the mildew stains and sun-fading actually enhanced the look of the finished product, and all I did besides the orange was a spot of gold on the center cyathia (<<million dollar word!)

If you are a Glitter Girl, then of course, there is one more step to go before displaying your Fall poinsettias.  Go for it!  But me, not so much, so I'm good to go.

Here is a fun website with information on the real poinsettia plant: Poinsettia Facts

I believe I have indeed produced the very first orange poinsettia! Now how to use it in my decorating... Any suggestions?  :-]

Have a great fall season!

Mischief Managed...

So after a three-year long hiatus where children were married, graduated, launched, received, launched again, established, well-wished, celebrated, etc.... and dogs...  many dogs.  I'm BAAA-AAACK!  Details about all that later, but I am somewhat re-purposed in my day-to-day dealings, and have decided to write about what is new and happening now.

I am still costuming for the high school from where my children are *now* all graduated. (WOW!)  Past productions have included The Great Gatsby, The Three Musketeers (fave!), R&H's Cinderella, Footloose, Robin Hood, and many others. Currently going up this fall is "Night of the Living Dead", based on the classic 1968 movie, and subsequently costumed in all "black and white", as the movie was filmed. I love the 1968 styles, so am having fun with that.  The spring musical is "The Addams Family"  ...funfunfun!!!

I have opened an Etsy shop called "PiecesofEighths" featuring small quilt and sewing items--baby quilts, wallhangings, coffee cozies, gift bags, etc. I will be putting up some Halloween-themed items later this week.

I have continued the search and documentation of my family genealogy, and recently attended the 300th Family Reunion and Conference for the Germanna Foundation this past July in Culpeper, VA.  Turns out I am descended from one of the original 12 families that made the trip to Virginia in 1714 to establish a mining colony for Governor Spotswood.  I am a Holtsclaw-Otterbach descendant!  :-]

From my love of genealogy and a passion for cemeteries, a determination to document gravesites for Find-A-Grave has blossomed. I used to think that *every* grave in America had already been put up on FindAGrave.  How wrong I was!  Many of the very large cemeteries have not been completely documented because of the sheer size and numbers, and many of the smaller (particularly African-American) cemeteries have not been completely archived. I am trying to do my part when I can to remedy this.  I have also been able to document many sites in the small Tennessee County where we have land. This brings me joy, and keeps my own hope alive that one day those ancestors of mine that are not yet found will be put up by some kind soul.

So it's good to be back!  I hope I can be more consistent, and have interesting things to share. Onward!