Welcome Winter

Getting Better

I'm still battling this bug, whether a virus or the flu it's one miserable illness, I'm struggling with daily task so mostly I just lie down and sleep, I haven't had the energy to read or stitch, I don't think I could hold a needle long enough to put in more then 2 or 3 stitches which really makes waiting out this bug seem so long.  My eyes can't focus well right now, and just when I start to feel better I am hit with another bout of fever, chills and coughing, I have had moments of black outs when I cough that leave me feeling confused like my brain is wrapped in fuzz.

Right before I got sick I was working on a few projects and I did managed to snap a few photos of my progress before this bug hit me so hard.

the blue snowflake is stitched and the green snowflake was started

I started another one of the Jacquelynne Steves house blocks but as you can see haven't made much

progress.  On a positive note over the past two days I have managed to sit up and page through a few magazines and even managed to read a few articles. Some time today I would like to at least try to get a letter written. 

I wish you all a great day and hope to be back in full creative mode soon. For those of you in Florida here is the flyer for the 2018 State Fair I would love to enter something  here is the link click on State Fair and go to the Family Living Section for rules etc.   http://www.floridastatefair.com/

Warm Wishes for a Happy Halloween and a Blessed Samhain

Butterfly Goddess and stitching

I have the blue Butterfly Goddess spirit doll completed I think she turned out well one day while strolling one of the local fall festivals and craft fair I came across a little bag of odds and end beads though what caught my eye was the face and I knew it would be the perfect piece for the butterfly doll.

Her painted faux butterfly wings were the inspiration for this doll and the fabric was in my stash bin I

thought would look great I added randomly hand stitched beads, a clear crystal point and shell barely visible. Tiny floral pick to complete her look

I was originally going to use the blue face I made but when I saw that face among the bags of loose bead leftover I knew it would be perfect.  I will use this one soon enough along with a few other face beads I have.

I have been gathering my wild fibers for a few other goddess doll projects these below I'm thinking a harvest doll or maybe bee related and something summery or springlike.

Last week I had to make a stop at Brick City Cross Stitch for some Weeks Dye Works  floss  and as usual came home with a few other goodies.

A few pieces of hand dyed fabric, Gentle Arts floss and the cute little counted bed stitch kit

On the hand embroidery project the cauldron with the labyrinth was  one of the last projects I completed.

This was made for a friend just growing into her Crone years.

Crafting Spirit Dolls

The weather here is finally feeling like Fall with this morning a beautiful 63 degrees which made my morning walk very pleasant.

I haven't done much hand embroidery this month I did start a project but put it aside because I just didn't like how it was turning out.  Instead I pulled out some crafty supplies to work on another project a new Nature Goddess/Spirit doll

here is a close up of her face made with air dry clay and paint.

here is a look at the back, I used a sea shell as a full moon

There are small sea shells attached along with some charms, dried and silk flowers some ribbon too.

Bits of cloth and ribbon are used to create the clothing and headdress and the staff is an actual twig from the yard.

I have a few more ideas for spirit dolls which I plan to craft over the next few weeks.  Here are some painted clay faces ready to be used on those upcoming projects.

This week I am reading a little magic

Welcome Autumn

Wishing you all a warm and wonderful Autumn Equinox

And a Happy and Blessed Mabon

Let the day flow softly into night

and may you be wrapped in the warmth of the season

It Started with a Sketch

Inspiration comes at the oddest times and so often from things I see every day.  My recent Goddess hand embroidery was inspired by a favorite Goddess figurine by Abby Willowroot.  You may have seen or perhaps even own one of these figurines yourself.

While lying down resting after a busy afternoon I was admiring the statue across from where I was lying when the thought came to sketch the statue so I pulled out my sketchbook and pencil and started to sketch.
When I was done I was happy with what I had put to paper and couldn't help but admire my addition of stars and the labyrinth like spiral head, after all the figurine does have a spiral on the other side.

Once the sketch was done I turned it here and there and decided it would look great done as an embroidery so I scanned the photo and then printed it onto my favorite stitch and wash away product.

Stitching was slow going at first my fingers were still sore from the work I did on the Summer of Love piece.

I made progress each time I picked up the piece to work on and before I knew it I was getting ready to stitch the moon.

I decided to use DMC satin floss for the moon I was a bit apprehensive at first using the stain floss but it stitched up nicely.

Here she is completely stitched using a variegated blue for the body and the spiral, I left off the stars and reversed the two moons on the sides of the tree trunk.

 I still have the corners of the cloth I want to embroider I'm just not sure what I want to do so for now I'll give it some thought and eventually I will have the corners done, or I may just cut her out and applique her to another piece of fabric.

Books, Beach and Birthday!

July is moving along at a fast clip, do you ever wonder where the time goes, it seems it was just yesterday I was blowing out the candles on my 62nd birthday cake on the first of July and here we are 9 days into the month.

I have been slowly making progress on the Peace symbol Zenbroidery and I am happy to say my satin stitch is looking much better as I work, for some reason I always struggled with that stitch, but not nearly as much as I struggled with the french knot.

Several members of the stitching challenge I am in have made this and told me that once its nearly done it will be very hard to get the needle through, I had noticed how dense the stitching looked on photos they had posted so I am using back stitch to outline some of the motifs rather than have it all filled in,  I like the look of some white spaces.

My time on Sanibel Island was lovely, though as it is with vacations too short. The weather was lovely sunny and hot, I forgot the further south in Florida the hotter it gets though it did seem less humid being on the gulf coast enjoy the balmy breezes.

Spent some time shelling on the beach and browsing bookstores during the afternoon rains, the water so clear and the shells abundant.

a perfect beach day

hunting shells low tide

tiny shells on the shore

lovely day

I didn't take too many photos, I was too busy picking up shells and walking along the shore and wading into the water.  I will post some photos of the larger shells found eventually.  After an early morning of shelling I brought out my beach chair and spent a few hours soaking in the sun.

I located two book shops on the Island, one of the bookshops had 3 buildings and books everywhere.
These are some of the books I bought.

a little of everything

City Guide

two in one

I also found a bookshop in Fort Myers and purchased a few books but I haven't unpacked those yet.  I have just started the Terry Prachett  Discworld series so I am picking up the books not available at our library, and I just thought to grab the City Guide complete with map.  Wicked is the first two novels for a friend. The Randy Wayne White books are written by a Sanibel author and the novels take place in and around Southwest Florida.  Now I can start this series too.

On the first of July I celebrated my 62nd Birthday with a little cake that just makes me smile, it was so colorful.

basket of flowers cake

I have to tell you those flowers were amazing and quite sweet, I don't like too much frosting so I scrape most of it off, it was a delicious white cake inside.

One of the new projects I am working on is a witch bonnet Sue quilt, here is a look at two of the blocks waiting for embellishing, I will be embroidering the blocks and adding some beads too.

Here is a close up of one of the Sue blocks, they are appliqued on using fusible web, don't you just love the spider webs.

I'm thinking may be using some metallic threads around the block.  Here is a look at a traditional Sun Bonnet Sue block I made years ago.

As you can see the black threads are all the embroidery I added around the edges, added the lines for socks and umbrella handle and her hands.

Well that's all I have for now, I will be posting up dates on my projects as they progress.

Happy 4th of July

Have a Safe and Happy Independence Day to All of you!

Happy Summer Solstice

The first day of summer brings me back to my childhood days of eagerly waiting for the last school bell to ring signaling the end of the school year and endless days of sunshine, tree climbing, berry picking, trips to the beach, chasing fireflies, skinned knees and playing outdoors with every kid in the neighborhood from dawn till dark.

While I may no longer get those skinned knees or play outdoors from dawn til dark, I do take trips to the beach, I'd chase fireflies if there were any here in Florida.  I do spend as much time outdoors as possible, though usually in the early part of the day to beat the summer heat most of my playing outside the gym or frolicking at the beach is with needle and thread or a good book both of which give me as much pleasure as those activities I did as a child.

My latest projects from the hand embroidery over the recent weeks are my winter goddess, though it didn't turn out as I planned I do like how she looks.

I had meant to stitch her using mostly blues, white and silvery gray and just a touch of green and red for the flowers she is stitched on a snowflake printed pale blue fabric,  but as I stitched her I changed my initial plan of stitching the swirls in blues and gray choosing to use green instead.  I'm happy with the overall results.

One of my current projects is the Zenbroidery Peace Symbol kit I purchase a few months ago.  I am using mostly variegated floss this is my progress so far.  I am slowly stitching this in between other

projects which brings me to the other project I am working on The Summer of Love stitch at home challenge I signed up for in May.

I chose a whiter shade of pale colors provided by DMC, once they arrived I had to decide where they would work best in my design.  Knowing myself as I do I know I would tweak the design several times before I began stitching.  

As you can see I did finally get started on the stitching and believe me when I tell you this took me quite a while to stitch. I'm happy I like it so far.  

I am planning to take the challenge piece along with my on vacation so I can make the August deadline. I'll be at the beach so I'll need to sand proof my work and tools. I don't stitch daily as I would like to because something like sore fingers or housework tends to get in the way.  On days when my allergies kick up a notch my eyes water all day so I can't really see well enough to stitch. And some days I'm just not in the mood to stitch.

On the days when I don't feel like stitching I will either read or do some other form of needle work, usually crochet.

I purchased the Playa Ruana pattern last month from a store online called Two of Wands, I just lose the soft flow it appears to have.  I plan to use my shawl in a ball yarn hoping to get a light airy look. I don't normally crochet in the summer time but this pattern just called to me.

Last week I picked up a few books to take along on vacation, I went in search of a beach read and came home with a short stack of books.

The book on the bottom is the one I had in mind to purchase the others were just happy surprises. I love cozy mysteries and I have wanted to read the E.J. Copperman series because they take place in New Jersey, if you didn't know it I moved to Florida from NJ 20 odd years ago and still consider it home.   The Beach Bags and Burglaries I'll take with me on vacation too along with a magazine or two.

I have also started planning a little Halloween quilting project which I will begin some time in July and once I have all the fabrics chosen. 

Have a warm and happy Summer Solstice