Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Dancing with leaves

 Remember how I posted about Mira and I collecting spring leaves (and the odd petal) to press between the leaves of a heavy book? The post was called 'Taking a leaf out of Nature's book' and if you missed it, click here to take a look: http://www.seasonalinspiration.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/taking-leaf-out-of-natures-book.html
I said I would let you know what we did with our colourful collection. So here it is, above. We made magic!
And this is how: first we uncovered our leaves from the leaves of the heavy book (I love the way English has the same word for both). Then we chose our very favourites, and arranged them on a small pane of glass, which I had found.
The next step was to place an identical sized pane of glass on top of our arrangement. The leaves slipped and danced around a little, until I squeezed both panes into a frame. I had bought masking tape, all ready to bind the edges to hold the two panes together, but was delighted when they fitted into the ready-made frame.
And so we had our picture, which we propped up against the ranch sliders so that the light could shine through.


When I was a little girl, my mother used to make chocolate paper pictures. She first drew - usually a beautiful seated woman or girl - on the glass, then filled in most of the background with black paint. By placing shiny chocolate papers behind the black paint, she made a gorgeous dress for the seated figure. A gold paper would make her hair, and another colour her shoes. 
Eventually I was able to make my own, after saving lots of papers. (My mother loved chocolates, which was quite handy).

And now, making this glass leaf picture with Mira, I am reminded of those happy times with my mother. When we make something beautiful with someone we love, the memory lasts forever.

11 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Juliet .. great picture - that's really clever and would brighten any home. Mira must be truly delighted with her picture ... you are clever.

The chocolate pictures sound so interesting too ..

Cheers and sounds like you're enjoying your Spring .. Hilary

Penny O'Neill said...

This is wonderful, Juliet, and inspires me to try my hand at such pictures some day. Isn't it heart warming to feel the connection of such artful play with your Mira and your mother? Thank you for this lovely post and the inspiration it brings to me.

Juliet said...

* Hilary, glad you enjoyed the pictures. The chocolate paper pictures were very shiny and bright, lots of fun too.

* Penny, Kezzie will enjoy doing this with you, I'm sure. Maybe when spring comes your way again? The trick for finding two matching pieces of glass is to get them from photo frames. If the slot is wide enough, you can slide two pieces of glass into the one frame as I did.
The connection with my mother and also Mira is wonderful; it gives a sense of continuity between the generations. It was only when I began to write the post that I remembered the chocolate paper pictures.

Thank you Hilary and Penny, a pleasure to have your comments.

Lynley said...

There is something about the way the light works in Mira and your glass framed art that really appeals to me Juliet.

And around it is the richness of the story you tell, the connections you make back to your mother and forward to the future.

Happy times.

Juliet said...

* Lynley, yes the light coming through the leaves is what I enjoy too. And discovering the connections was such a joy. Thank you Lynley.

Hotly Spiced said...

What a beautiful time you must have had with your granddaughter. What you made is so precious - and lasting! xx

Juliet said...

Hi Charlie, yes is it precious. Your comment about it being lasting reminds me to put a date on it.
Thank you.

Ruth P said...

Very special times Juliet! I love the way we can feel like we are within the weave of life when different generational layers of sharing and care - and creativity - flow through our lives with those we love!

anissa ljanta said...

how beautiful...i was wondering today what you two got up to with your leaves! xx

Vicki Lane said...

So lovely -- and I love the story about your mother and the chocolate papers.

Juliet said...

* Ruth, yes these are special times. I find more and more of this intergenerational weaving is happening as I grow older. It's all so wonderful.

* Anissa, I thought you would enjoy this one, given all the creative play you get up to!

Vicki, I want to find those old chocolate paper pictures now. Must have a hunt through my boxes.

Thank you Ruth, Anissa and Vicki for visiting and leaving your comments. Much appreciated.