Happy Day sampler done!

This was the most fun ever! I hated to see it end. Pattern from Pam Garrison. Choice of type of stitches and colors up to the stitcher. So I went bright (I guess you can tell).
Stitches I used: straight, back, chain, stem, satin, French knot, star, seed, bullion (first time), daisy, couched. Variegated floss used for the letters, leaves, border and some flowers.
Inspired to stitch by dear Bryanna Lenan, Little Dear/Merwing and Roxie Creations.
Can't wait to frame this or make a pillow with it. It really makes me smile.

WIP: Happy Day embroidery sampler designed by Pam Garrison

Art Making in Two of My Favorite Mediums

Work-in-Progress Weekend: Happy 4th of July!

Will this two-year-old WIP get any attention this weekend? We shall see. It's a 4" x 4" canvas I painted with acrylics and stenciled myself. So far, so good. Stymied since 2009.

More Embroidery - Miniature Version

Cross-Stitch Art

It seems all my painting is being done with fiber these days--from crochet to embroidery to an old, old favorite, cross-stitch. I just finished this little sampler above a couple weeks ago (and in fact, the pattern is for sale in my Etsy). Just picked it up from being framed at The Stitching Post. Getting ready to hang it. My work is rough; I can see it. After not doing this for probably 20 years, I was shocked at how much harder it is to see those little patterns. But, I have another piece started, as well as an embroidery sampler. Needlework is just so much easier to transport when traveling. There's no mess to clean up, and the rhythmic stitching is soothing.





Crochet Art

I've been traveling a lot lately - TN, IN, OR, MD, CT - so it's not exactly conducive to having the canvasses, easels, paints, brushes and water sitting about for inspiration to strike. But my yarn, crochet hook and little scissors passed all the airplane inspections, and so I made some tiny Blythe clothes on my travels.
The sweater pattern is from Crochet Today! magazine, Jan-Feb 2010 and is an update on a 1960s knitting and crochet flier for fashion dolls. The hat pattern is from my friend Zoe Aarden's book, Grrrlie Designs for Blythe, which I edited (see sidebar on this blog).
Meanwhile, ever appreciative of real crochet talents, I bought this intricate vintage, yet mod, flower doily for $1 at an antiques mall. I knew I wanted to frame it, and so I sprayed it with fabric stiffener and then had it mounted to a bright mat to show off the pattern. Even with a ready-made frame, that $1 doily now has more than $50 invested in it for posterity.

More Weekend Finds & Happy First Birthday Tinkerbelle!

Some treasures from a stop at Objects Found in Catonsville, MD and The Fancy Flea festival at The Pink Cabbage in Ellicott City, MD. I bought the doll, and for some reason the seller threw in Raggedy Andy for free. I didn't even ask about him. And the Edgar Allen Poe volume, copyright 1902, was inside the vintage wooden bird cage. I had just gotten a box of vintage floral birds the day before, so I guess I am officially on a bird kick.
Tinkerbelle Louise turns one today- June 6. I adopted her six months ago from the Small Miracles Cat Rescue in Ellicott City, and she has been such a joy! She deserved her birthday "cake" with candle.

Memorial weekend vintage finds

I flew from Maryland to Indiana for my great-nephew's open house Saturday. He graduated from Center Grove High School near Greenwood and will study geology at Indiana University. He's also an incredible artist (new pics to come).
While in Indiana I hit some of my favorite antiques shops: AlleyCats in Leesburg, a great new antique mall; and a few shops in the well-known antique town of Pierceton, IN. I had seen two vintage Barbie cases (actually for Ken and Skipper) back in September 2010, and they were still there! The owner even gave them to me for half price, and they were already cheap!
Given my latest fascination with embroidery, I was on the lookout for vintage linens, and boy, did I score! Sets of gorgeous pillowcases, towels and doilies and baby dresses, all with amazing examples of detailed needlework. My plan is/was to embroider some more on some of them, but don't know if I want to spoil them. And I think I will frame the nine panel daisy doily.
You can see my other goodies-- a vintage art deco purse, small china doll, paint tins and a very smooth, much-used eyewash cup or egg cup. It just feels neat. I keep meaning to make an altered paint tin much like Connie Govea Stuart showed in Somerset Studio May/June 2009. And I'd like to make a big book of vintage textiles samples and lace bits like Sandra Evertson's Album d' Enchantillon featured in Somerset Life summer 2008. It's just a huge, gorgeous, rich, French-y book/album.
My travels took me through my hometown of Anderson, for a cemetery visit, and a much cheerier stop at the landmark, Gene's Root Beer (....or is it Gene's Hot Dogs?) Ack. Either way, it was a staple of my childhood. It was a big deal for girls to be able to be carhops at age 14. Saturday's carhops were about 30 years past that. But the good news was the food had not changed!
Today, Memorial Day, is the first day I've seen sunshine since I've been here. And now it is about 90-F of course. I've seen or driven through hail, sideways rain, thunderstorms, tornado watches and warnings; my planes were delayed or forced to circle, flights cancelled, bags lost/delayed. You know, the usual travel stuff.

Under the Sea pillowcases complete!

Motifs from Aimee Ray of Doodle Stitching The Motif Collection. Look for it on Amazon or on Etsy under littledear.

Still stitchin'

I'm really enjoying the nautical motifs in Aimee Ray's Doodle Stitching that I blogged about here.

I finished the first of two pillowcases, and after getting some really cool threads at The Stitchin' Post in Catonsville yesterday, I stayed up late working on the second pillow case, which I will show you soon.

I also found some really great patterns for cross-stitch and a very cool book called A Rainbow of Stitches. The book's designs are for embroidery and cross-stitch. They are modern and what I would call IKEA-like.

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival Report

Last Saturday I went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival right here in Columbia, at the Howard County Fairgrounds. It is the largest festival of its kind on the east coast. I had good advice to get up and go early, because by 9:15 a.m., there was about a one-mile back-up to turn into the parking area.

As you can see, the festival is about much more than just sheep, including goats, llamas, alpacas and rabbits. The third picture from the top is actually a goat. I'm pretty sure I offended its owner when I asked if I could take a picture of the "cute sheep." But I apologized- to the owner and the goat.

That booth is also where I got the great hot pink mohair seen in the picture with the other goodies I brought home. That will make a nice re-rooted scalp for a Blythe doll. I'm big on pink hair.

There was also pottery, jewelry, rugs, beeswax and clothing, as well as plenty of food vendors. I thought about a lamb sandwich, but couldn't do it. I settled for a corndog and a stomach ache. By the time I trekked to my car three hours later, the parking area looked like that of a giant shopping center. But I guess it was, actually, and handmade is always fun. When I got home, I couldn't resist the urge to doodle some sheep.