On my online workbook this week: it’s finally The Rustle Up season

Dear

This week’s inspiration is these two bundles of grasses rustled up from the left over unseasonably warm autumn pickings. On my one balcony garden they were still green and “summery” yet on the other balcony garden they were already golden and ready to be picked for seeds for next year’s grasses. Weird, that.

But my design note for you this week is about where on the stem I place the glue. I am using both small snipped grass and taller ones so I am allowing the grass to dictate where exactly I glue them.

We want to create straight-ish lines around the pumpkin display. The grasses are already somewhat straight and displaying the sections that are the straightest (and holding the grasses in place so that the glue cures straight) gives you a great line to frame the display. But also it is natural plant material. That means it will have natural lines. And a tendency to droop in the thinner stems. Let them be a bit crooked where they want to be. I glue in my strongest straightest grasses first to establish the lines I want. That should predominate.

Then I can fill in the lines with the “less than perfect” grasses.

One way to design in the straight lines is to actually glue the grass stems right on the node. Where things get crooked. This is where it tends to “change direction”. Gluing the grasses on the node or on the bend to the other horizontal grasses naturally breaks the line for your eye to follow and you do not pick up the change in direction as much because it is already crossed at exactly that spot.

Enjoy!

Every good wish,

Christine