Icon Update

Today I spent several hours doing some preliminary work on the icon.  I wish I had taken a photo of the plain white board.  But I didn't.  As you can see, I am doing Theotokos, Mary Mother of God.  So, I am given the drawing and transfer it to my board by tracing the drawing with graphite paper beneath it.  When I am done, I have the outline on my board.

Then the next step is to engrave the drawing into the gesso on the board by using a sharp object to engrave each line.  

You can barely see it, but it is engraved.  My teacher drew the halo for me, it is precision work.  

Tomorrow I will work on it some more.  And I will take photos as I go.  

Oh, I am so thrilled to be able to do this.  What a gift!  

It is such a prayerful activity.  We are downstairs from the chapel, and I can go for adoration whenever I would like.  I will likely be able to get to Mass every day this week.  This wouldn't sound like much of a vacation to most people, but it is beyond my wildest dreams.

And then I had a date tonight with the man I have been seeing.  As I was getting ready, I was nervous about how I looked, so I took a photo and sent it to my daughter.  She told me I looked fine, so I was reassured.    His friend is visiting him from California, and we all went out for dinner.  It was lovely, lovely, lovely.  I was a little nervous because I felt that he wanted to see what his friend thought of me.  We had fun, great conversation, I told them both all about the icon class - and they actually seemed interested - both Catholics, you see.  When they dropped me off at home, I said goodbye to the friend and he hugged me.  Since he is probably in his 70s, I thought the hug meant he liked me.  I hope to see this man, the one I am dating, more.  I am a bit smitten.  

And thrilled about the icon.  What are the odds I will sleep tonight?  Not good, I'd say.

God bless you all.  I will probably be posting every day while I am in my class.  I want to post the photos here.  I hope you like to watch the progress....