Where the poppies blow

Bet you all thought you'd never hear me say this

I didn't think I'd ever hear myself say it either

but

I am really happy with how this one turned out!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely nothing like I had planned in my head for months and months

but one of those projects that evolves as you create

one idea doesn't work but inspiration comes calling and takes you in another direction

problems to overcome ... those poppies very nearly just about tipped me over the edge - from making them in the first place to getting them to sit right in the little tubes

Up close they look utter rubbish but from a distance, and if you squint a bit they just about pass muster as a poppy

besides, I have told you they are poppies, so you have to believe me

Did not want the gold lids on - was adamant there would just be the glass tubes

but just could not find a way of securing the poppies in place

so, with lots of help from Phil, a solution was found

and now I am really pleased those lids went on

Yes, I know, there is not a poppy on the planet that looks like them

but they are a new hybrid you see

a Tatteredrocks Wild Poppy

very rare 

so rare there will only ever be 7 in existence

Am so very cross with myself for getting the quote wrong though!!!!

Checked so many times and still got it wrong

it should, of course, read

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

and, of course, I only realised when Phil asked if I was sure it was "blow" and not "grow"

got a bit stroppy and snapped that of course I was sure and found the poem to show him

that's when the air turned blue

and my heart sank

so apologies for the misquote but, stuck firmly in place, there is nothing I can do

I think I know how it happened ... I knew I had 7 tubes so somehow distorted the quote in my head to give me 7 words as I originally intended to have one word on each tube 

The background is intended to represent the engraved memorials at the war grave cemeteries ... the crisp and precise marble engraved with so, so many names

and the tubes in a row to represent the lines and lines of crosses and the formality of how the cemeteries are laid out

Then the foreground is to represent the fields where the poppies grow wild and randomly and, in my mind anyway, the two extremes merge 

Early for Remembrance Day, I know, but we should not remember just on that one day at that one hour

PRODUCTS USED :

24cm x 30cm stretched canvas

random plank of wood from hubby's random planks of wood box

Powertex - Ivory / Red

Powertex Bister - Green / Brown

Powertex - Paperdecoration

Finnabair - Art Ingredients - Art Stones / Mega Art Stones

Finnabair - Art Extravagance - Stone Effect Paste Pumice

Finnabair - Art Alchemy Wax - Metallique Vintage Gold / White Gold

Finnabair - Art Basics - Heavy Black Gesso / Heavy Body Gel

Odds & Ends - Wire / Green Florist Tape / Flower Stamens

Stencil but no idea which brand