Start - for OLW

I finished my layout for the OLW challenge due tomorrow - START. I kept seeing in my mind the word ST{ART} but couldn't figure out what to do with it. When I pulled out the Making Memories {}s and saw that I had both black and green, I decided to go with both, and the green led to plants, and that led to my Christmas cactus photo taken in early December. I thought about using a progression of the cactus plant blooming but then I thought that I'd attempt a drawing or painting of the cactus so I went out onto the lanai and sketched for a while to get the shapes of the cactus stems and blossoms. I painted the cactus with a combination of watercolors and acrylics but I think I succeeded in getting the general concept.

I am also posting a photo of the tessellation wall hanging on my design wall and the fabrics being used for my bedquilt. I'll be cutting out pieces this afternoon and listening to more of 1776.