Sewing festival and almost finished
Sunday, February 07, 2010
There's a fabulous lace guy there who brings some marvelous things. I was looking for small motifs for both my spirit dolls and crazy quilt. I also desperately needed silk ribbon (that's the box too) - which will be used to FINALLY finish my fairy (watch for that as my next ongoing project here). Oh! and I think I've got Dianna talked into trying Brazilian Embroidery! yay!
While we sat, we stitched. And stitched, and stitched. we actually left there and went for our regular stitch night to Paneara bread too! tons of stitching.
Well, then I got home and reality hit and I had to get back to work. Yuck. Ok, not yuck, but I was way behind. So I'm just having a chance to even blog now.
Speaking of my blog. Blogger is no longer going to support ftp blogs, so I guess I'm going to move 6 years of blogging to wordpress. Wish me luck. YUCK. However, I was pondering changing my twitter handle and maybe I'll change blog name along with it. A fresh start! Maybe fun? Thoughts? Am I crazy? (well, yes, but in this instance?).
Ok, off to stitch more...more progress will be made today!
Labels: Blogging, Denver, embroidery
She's Finished! Now January can come to an end!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Just to recap:
I created her as a composite of several spirit doll patterns I saw out there and loved her because of her matronly "mother earth" sort of persona. This doll didn't end up with the arms (except the suggestion in the cast ons) - but I will work on that more on future dolls.
This one is a tribute to "going with it" and finding a spot and calling her finished. The colors are "my colors" - oranges, yellows and earthy tones and a HUGE tribute to texture and the tactile.I'm also trying to incorporate historical embroidery techniques into the spiritual and "now".
Did I mention my huge goal is just to finish one a month? ha ha!
So, all kidding aside, my goal is to finish one each month. This one ended up pretty heavily covered - but I might skimp on a few others to finish the month - OR just because I want to. I love her - my only criticism of my own work is the back looks a bit "pineapple-ish" - but it's a historic technique and I really wanted to incorporate it. Plus, I think the vine breaks it up a bit.
My husband thinks the doll is "creepie" - gotta love support, eh? But I really feel she's has an interesting spirit and I can't wait to "meet" next month's doll!
Labels: bead embroidery, bead journal project, beading, crewel
Touchy touchy - more embroidery!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
I'm absolutely LOVING the textures I get with the crewel and the traditional embroidery. It's so fuzzy and tactile (which I love). Lots of embroidery, but the next stage is to add more beading (although I see one bitty spot I need to cover with embroidery - ha ha).
The wheat ear stitch around her neck and down the back was a last minute decision last night and I like it. Oddly I'm not really loving the filigree at this point - I just wish it was easier to bead over, but it really isn't - so we'll see what happens when I add more beads tonight.Robin made a comment on my last post that she wondered my doll's "story"....I created here as a composite of several spirit doll patterns I saw out there and loved her because of her matronly "mother earth" sort of persona. This doll didn't end up with the arms (except the suggestion in the cast ons) - but I will work on that more on future dolls.
This one is a tribute to "going with it" and finding a spot and calling her finished. The colors are "my colors" - oranges, yellows and earthy tones and a HUGE tribute to texture and the tactile.
I'm also trying to incorporate historical embroidery techniques into the spiritual and "now". Did I mention my huge goal is just to finish one a month? ha ha!
Anyway, I think she's a good start and assuming tonight isn't too busy she'll probably be done tomorrow! :)
Labels: bead journal project, beading, crewel
Bead Journal project progress
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
So, here's my little spirit doll #1 - January.
I'm playing with crewel thread - but doing traditional embroidery (feather, chain) and then down where the "arms" would be are little "shells" of cast ons - the ones on the left, I have sort of added beads that act as "pearls" cascading down - I want to fill both arm areas with these - so lots of those to do. I already have picked out the embroidery for the back, so it shouldn't take long.
Deadline- Friday (Saturday at the lastest)!!
Labels: bead journal project, beading, crewel
Sharing every little minute detail of my life
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Furthermore, if you "edit" like I tend to - are we just putting out an image that's perfect and unattainable for most people. I have to say, I feel this mostly in craft blogging (Mom bloggers are another subject altogether) but haven't you seen perfect pictures of people's houses, followed by adorable pictures of their kids and LOVELY finished craft projects and just wanted to wretch?
Really? Are they perfect?
However, back to "Mom blogging" - sometimes I see an angle there that is also disturbing - where they air all their dirty laundry, telling you WAY too much information and giving you a bit too keen of an insight into their lives.
To be honest, I'm probably part of the first part. I don't put in the blog when I'm sick of my kids (very often) or when I fight with my husband (almost never) or when we're late on bills (not telling). I write about things that make me happy. Taking my Mother's line on communication, really do people want to hear the bad stuff?
So, here's my question to you...Mom bloggers, craft bloggers and readers and lurkers. Do you like the ugly side of life? Or do you WANT to envy the person who's blog you're reading?
Labels: Blogging, crafts, family life
Stitchin and surfin!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Well it's been a couple of crazy days here - but I've spent today sitting and stitching with my computer next to me...surfing the blog world.
This via Mary Corbet's "Needle and Thread" who is one of the most amazing embroiderers I've seen on the net. She does a ton of tutorials - but this work is in crewel and it's amazing. Things like this make me want to throw in the needle - ha ha - not really! but wow!
Finally, tomorrow is Martin Luther King Jr. Day - which to a lot of us means "kids at home", "day off work" or no mail. However I really enjoyed the simple tribute on Carmen Rose - simple, poignant and a good reminder of a great man.
Labels: Blogging, crewel, embroidery, inspiration
Sunday craft shopping and a all work and no play makes me grumpy!!!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Now, just one soap box minute. WHY are no craft stores open on Sunday? I understand the going to church duty, but that's in the morning! And plenty of other shops are open Sunday afternoon - at least for a few hours. What really bugs me is that craft stores quite often complain about a lack of younger followers - and yet what store was packed on Sunday - Fancy Tiger (go check out the link if you haven't heard of it - yummy!).
So, anyway, they and Denver Fabrics (they don't have a website anymore - but it's a great store), and a lovely little bead store on Broadway, Fancy Tiger and Meiningers got all of our hard earned cash because the rest weren't open on Sunday. (be sure to visit all their links - hopefully they'll get some kudos for being open).
Ok, rant over.
Now, here's what I got - yummy!
Trims, from Denver Fabrics - no idea what I need them for, but really - I just needed them!
Fabrics from their discount bin. I think they'll all become lovely spirit dolls.
Oooo, crewel thread from Fancy Tiger! (aren't those colors awesome?)
My spirit dolls lusting after the beads I got! What a deal too - oh, and the little bag has little skulls for a Dia de los Muertos doll!
So, that concludes the shopping and really crafting for the week. I have taken out a TON of awesome crewel books from the library and found two I love.The first one is:
Crewel Embroidery in England
- has some unique old stuff. Love the ideas and I really enjoy historical pieces
by Judy Jeroy - which has the most fantastic eye candy. I love the little animals. Labels: crafts, Denver Craft Examiner
Don't tell Matey Moo - Gumby's dead.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Today Art Clokey, the creator of Gumbey, died. So, I said to my husband "should I tell Matey Moo". "No" he said. So, why do I feel weird. It's going to be really sad for him, but isn't this part of life that people who create things we love die?I'm still wrestling with this - opinions? I'd love to hear them.
Labels: family life, inspiration
3 ways to repair kids pants
Saturday, January 02, 2010
First, I've already fixed these once before, but a new hole appeared in the behind - so "tada" it's a heart. (the little one - the big one is the "old" one)
Then this pair - which had a HUGE hole in one knee. On the back was a leopard skin heart shape patch and so I had some tiger print flannel and patched the front. The trim you ask? Well that's to hide little holes that were created from where these used to be hemmed up. Missy C said she loved it and it wasn't over the top! :) So, here's the finished pair. She says they are here "wild pants".
These are the final pair. A much beloved pair of pants that are WAY too short! So, - tada! A HUGE cuff of printed fabric that lengthen the pants. She picked out the print. I have another pair in pink but I need to prewash the fabric.
I think they turned out really cute, and again, the lengthening the life of these pants! :) I'll let you all know how they wear - hopefully I don't have to patch so many holes that those pants are just a mass of hearts! :)
Labels: family life, sewing
Cool artsy video
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Labels: family life, inspiration
