Wild Hyacinths

Pretty in Pink - Hat Detail

2012-02-10T14:17:00.001-08:00

Update

2011-07-24T12:08:00.001-07:00

Am updating the blogs look today.

White Peonies

2011-06-01T19:20:00.000-07:00

Heritage Rose

2011-06-01T19:18:00.000-07:00

Old fashioned pink rose.

Garden Journal

2011-01-23T17:51:00.000-08:00

WIP - Garden Journal Spread

Chipped Heart

2011-01-23T17:49:00.000-08:00

Madder Root Dyed Lace

2010-11-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

Sketch Book - Motifs

2010-09-20T21:03:00.001-07:00

I made my own sketch book journal to fill with various patterns and motifs I was finding around the house, this one is from a stencil I'm in love with.

Journal Madness

2010-09-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

Large journal cover

Small journal cover

Gold motif

Man's Best Friend!

2010-06-18T19:36:00.001-07:00

John and Angel

Spring!

2010-04-18T17:24:00.001-07:00

Altered Prom Dress

2010-04-16T19:57:00.000-07:00

The 1950's formal I altered for Clare for her prom. I added ribbons under the dress so that it could be hitched up giving it more form, then added an underskirt with tulle so that it would be poofy. To break up the color I added a velvet belt with on of my vintage brooches, the colors in the brooch compliment the dress beautifully: smokey quartz, quartz, blue topaz, and silver.

Something Pretty

2010-02-27T16:09:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite color of brown! Lovely brown velevt ribbon.

Smocking Yummyness

2010-02-08T14:52:00.001-08:00

Found this lovely smocked trim at a thrift shop.

A Dab of Gold

2009-12-04T14:20:00.000-08:00

WIP - Heart

Beaded Bag

2009-11-21T16:06:00.001-08:00

Wedding Dress

2009-10-30T15:52:00.000-07:00

I had been visiting this dress for some time, see pics in previous posts, and it finally came home to live with me a few weeks ago! John is planning to hang a rod in the stairwell so that I can hang my vintage dress collection, three dress to date, there.

On my desk

2009-10-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

Vintage pearl cotton thread I picked up today for a project.

Majorie

2009-09-11T15:55:00.001-07:00

A picture of my mother in law taken back in 1936 somewhere in California.

2009-07-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

I love how the fabric buttons look being back lit like this.

Wedding Dress

2009-07-27T19:57:00.001-07:00

Today's Yard Sale Score

2009-05-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

There were gobs of bits of vintage lace, doilies, linen fabrics etc., all carefully folded INSIDE of tacky polyester fabrics.

This is just a hint of what I picked up, all at one sale, for fifteen dollars. The only downside is I'm going to have to put this stuff in a closet with my ozone machine - it smells like dryer sheets to which I'm very allergic. Most of the items like the millenary pieces are very fragile, still very usable for collage, and would probably not survive being washed.

This woman was an ace garage sale preparer!!! Very sly if you ask me, as I was taking items out of the bags all sorts of treasures started to appear. It's like she knew that these would be chosen ONLY by the right person. As I was looking around for more goodies, I had just grabbed a bag of millenary supplies, she asked me if I had looked at the other bags of fabric on the far table simply stating that everyone had passed them by. I took one peek and grinned from ear to ear and each bag was a mere 50 cents! Mother Lode!!!

Vintage Bling

2009-04-02T15:18:00.000-07:00

A peak of some goodies to come!

An overwhelming knot of trims!

Somewhat sortred!

Vintage type writer ribbon tin that held sewing pins.

Life is strange sometimes. I picked up a box of vintage bling yesterday at one of the shops I frequent. Typically I do not use gold anything in my work because I simply do not purchase anything gold, so I don't have enough to complete any one project - well until now that is.

As I went through the box I discovered that the box of trims once belonged to woman that once lived in my house! Just like the piano that keeps coming back to live here, after being sold multiple times, so has this box of trims! In the box I also found crystals from my chandelier that is missing and has been since dh moved here in 1991.

Yes life is strange sometimes.

Heart No. 3

2009-03-04T19:51:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Ric Rac

2009-02-28T15:15:00.000-08:00

Available in my etsy store wildhyacinth

Heart No. 2 In Progress

2009-02-28T13:25:00.000-08:00

Heart No. 2 In Progress

New Heart In Progress

2009-02-28T13:21:00.001-08:00

Heart No. 3 In Progress

Valentines

2009-01-27T13:01:00.000-08:00

I found this yesterday whilest cleaning my studio closet still attached to a bulletin board from my undergrad years. I made this back around 1995 in a papermaking class.

Back of Tapestry

2009-01-20T13:04:00.000-08:00

I suspect based on it's size that this was intended to be a chair seat cover. It appears, from the back anyway, to have been woven by a machine in a factory, not by hand.

Courting Couple Tapestry

2009-01-20T12:55:00.001-08:00

I found this in a box of fabrics I purchased at a yard sale a few years back. I'm not sure how old it is or what it was even intended for but I plan to create something the piece. I'd like to know a little bit more about it before I cut into it and create an altered tapestry/embroidery with the piece.

I have some beautiful quebracho dyed silk dupioni that I plan to use for the borders, both in a steel gray and a lovely rose color ;-)

This and That no. 3

2009-01-14T14:52:00.001-08:00

This and That No. 3

2009-01-14T14:03:00.000-08:00

Update still in progress added some yummies to the right side, I'll finish beading the right side this evening. I haven't decided if there's enough yummies on the right side yet I have some larger pieces of lace I'm thinking of adding first. Once I start adding beads there won't be a surface to stitch through to attach the lace. I may add some aqua/dark turqoise trim on the rights side first to balance the color.

This and That No. 3 - in progress

2009-01-09T20:42:00.000-08:00

I've added some beads to the crown piping and need to add more, I've been going through my stash of beads and am coming up with nothing as a pony bead is too big and I want to use something bigger than a 11/0 bead. The one bead I have that is the correct size is the wrong color, so maybe it doesn't need more beads on the piping??? Yet it tells me it wants to be encrusted!

This and That No. 3 Still Beading!

2009-01-08T21:03:00.000-08:00

I added some beads to the top of the pom pom fringe and am thinking about encrusting the entire area. I was trying to bring out the dark aqual color in the calico fabric and carry it to the bottom of the piece.

I'm also contemplating adding beads to the red cording at he top of the piece. If I do, and I'm pretty certain I will once my fingers heal up, I'll add some matt gold copper lined 11/0 seed beads as I think this will compliment the colors of the piece and well.

This and That No. 3

2009-01-06T18:47:00.000-08:00

In progress still - I went with the yellow and red toile instead of the ruby red. I did opt to deco the edge of the crown with red cording.

Vintage Flowers

2009-01-06T13:23:00.000-08:00

Tutu ala Bear

2009-01-06T13:19:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when you don't have children. You find something that you just h ave to have in this case it's the vintage millenary flowers on the tutu and you end up dressing up your bear in the tutu!!! I'm not sure how old the tutu is the netting is brittle and the fabric is very worn, the flowers have been through the wash who knows how many times but I still like them and they will look wonderful on the valentines I'm creating.

New Fabric

2009-01-05T12:33:00.000-08:00

This fabric, white upholstry, came from my aunt Sondra it's a creamy off white weave.

Stack of calico's and a fancy white fabric with gold threads woven throughout the fabric

Peachy pink tulle or netting

Some sort of cotton and silk blend fabric, I like the weave.

I had to go to JoAnn's today as I was needing some flannel fabric, seems I only have scraps of said fabric type and found a wonderful selection of fabrics on clearance. I'll be sure to make something really yummy with these and post the results here and soon.

This and That No. 3 Comparison

2009-01-04T19:26:00.000-08:00

Here is a side by side comparison of the crown for this piece I'm not sure which I like best the solid ruby or the yellow and brick red toile. Opinions please ;-)

Stitch Problems

2009-01-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

Well this is supposed to be a heart pattern - stitch No. 72 on my Janome 6500 and the hearts are not closing, also the machine is making a rather hard jerking motion when creating this pattern. Ideas on what may be the problem? Here are three pics starting with the bottom pic and ending with the top pic seems that towards the end the hearts were starting to look more like hearts.

2008-12-31T22:09:00.000-08:00

This and That No.

2008-12-31T19:12:00.000-08:00

She has a face, now to apply ribbon etc to the bonnet - who puts a bonnet on a cat?

2008-12-31T18:10:00.000-08:00

Finally some color! No where near done yet though! Now for more stitching, cats need hair right? Some beads, cordings, attach the crown, buttons, ribbons and more.

Angel

2008-12-29T13:47:00.000-08:00

Angel asleep next to my feet in my studio, so I started to take her picture and...

She figured out I was taking her photo, here she's getting up to bolt the room. She wouldn't come back NOT even for a cookie! You know my feelings really oughta be hurt but after five years I'm used to it now.

This and That No. 3 in progress

2008-12-29T13:42:00.000-08:00

It's stitched to a base, with quilt batting in between, of pink gingham fabric and its more of a rose color actually. The pom pom trim is sewn onto the bottom and it's now ready for embellishing. Buttons, beads, ribbons, glitter and maybe even a few suprises - been wanting to make some more paper beads.

Blogs and Valentines

2008-12-25T15:22:00.000-08:00

I'm not happy with the way this blog looks my old template suddenly vanished and I'm not sure why??? So I will be working on some changes hopefully for the better.

I've decided that making valentines on Christmas was a good way to relax. Will share pictures later.

This and That No. 3

2008-12-25T13:50:00.000-08:00

This and That No. 2. In Progress. The piece is now ready for additional stitching and embellishments.

Pink Pin Cushion

2008-12-19T19:04:00.001-08:00

This pin cushion is living with Lynn now. The top fabric is cochineal dyed silk velvet with cochineal dyed rayon trim and two vintage buttons. The backing fabric is painted silk dupioni fabric the whole thing has been stuffed with merino wool - the super wash variety.

Back of Faerie

2008-12-19T19:03:00.000-08:00

Here is a view of the back side.

Water Nymph

2008-12-19T19:01:00.000-08:00

I just realized that I never posted a picture of Lynn's faerie here - I think I'm becoming addle brained or something - most probably it's middle age setting in.

Pin Cushions

2008-12-19T18:55:00.001-08:00

I'm on a pin cushion jag again, I've been making some for my aunt for christmas!!! This one is in progress still. I need to work on my closing stitching I think I will reopen the stuffing side and restitch it shut. Afterwards I'll put some beads along the sides and a button in the middle. I decided to go with a simple tuxedo look with this particular piece. The fabric was a gift from my A. Sondra - I believe it's upholstry fabric.

Faerie Wings Redoux

2008-09-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

The wings needed re-inforcing, they kept falling forward I think they were simply too thin. I cut out some wing skeletons with painted timtext and stitched to the original wings. They are quite lovely now.

Faerie Wings

2008-08-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

The last peak until the final assembly! But I couldn't resist the wings are beautiful, but they are NOT done yet I'm going to couch some constructed threads to the surfaces of the wings to give them strength and dimension then I will attach them to a fitting that can be snapped onto the faerie body.

The back side of the wings consist of angelina fused to painted misty fuse which is fused to painted silk organza and is againg fused, with painted misty fuse, to hand painted papers! I then stitched the elements using a rayon thread to match the angelina and a shimmery copper metallic on the paper side (bobbin stitched).

Another Peak

2008-08-21T18:20:00.000-07:00

I dyed the silk velevt ribbon with cochineal - a natural dye - it compliments my hand painted silk fabrics and ribbons beautifully. Now no more peaks until Lynn recieves her faerie.

Work Area

2008-08-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

This is where the bulk of the faerie making has been taking place.

Faerie Dress - Detail

2008-08-14T21:18:00.001-07:00

Sneak peak of the dress, a very small detail that looks very big!

Newly Painted Feet

2008-08-13T20:27:00.000-07:00

I changed the color of the faerie here's a new picture of her feet. The big reveal will be after Lynn my swap partner recieves her faerie.

Faerie Parts

2008-08-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

Remember I said I wasn't happy with the way my first faerie was working out? Well I made a new Faerie, here's a picture of her hands and feet! I'm pleased with this body form and will decorate it tonight, right after I'm done making pickles!

Faerie update

2008-08-08T16:42:00.000-07:00

Well I wasn't happy with the way my other Faerie was coming along so I decided to use a pattern for the body out of Patti Culea's book Cloth Doll Making. The body is now painted and is air drying as I write and while a bit bigger than I had wanted at least it'll come out the way I was hoping the body should look.

Later tonight I'll assemble the body, make a decision on the face, and then start embellishing the Faerie and her clothes. I'm working with the water theme still and that's all I'll say. Come August 25th I can give the big reveal. I will say this fingers and toes are hard on a pint sized Faerie!

Faerie Hands???

2008-08-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in a Faerie Swap over at Etsy Cottage Style ( a .ning.com social network) and the challenge it to keep it under $15. No problem there, the big problem is deciding what to pull out of my stash to put my Water Nymph Faerie together with, since Faeries are small there are a lot of options when looking in ones vintage piles and in ones scrap fabric pile.

Here I've been making hands and arms with natural dye painted cotton fabrics. Oh and you cannot listen to just any ole music while working on a Faerie, one must listen to Faerie inspired music, GOOD LUCK!!! So I've pulled out some classical piano music loaded it onto my computer in hopes of further inspiration. If that doesn't work I'll go check out some Tasha Tudor and or some Beatrix Potter from the library.

Silk Ribbon DeStash

2008-07-31T11:24:00.001-07:00

I'm destashing my studio so there'll be more space for working, so have decided to wrap silk ribbon around shipping tags and will be listing them in my store sometime today!

Beads

2008-07-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

I scored these vintage beads at a flea market today for a total of $4 I was so excited!!!

Bead Soup

2008-07-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

I'm destashing my studio, whilest getting my next project together and decided that it was time for the large collection of beads to find a new home. These are from mixes I had made for various projects a long time ago and don't feel like sorting them into "solids" again.

Inspire Me

2008-07-09T13:20:00.001-07:00

the flowers were in a bag marked a dollar at the local fabric store! Sign me up they are bright and cheerful and a wonderful addition to any project I might have in mind.

Some where in this pile there is a piece of yarn I'm wanting to work with! I collect things, lots of bits of this and that they come in handy when wanting to work on various projects.

Some Ideas

2008-07-09T13:09:00.000-07:00

Ink painted cotton fabric ironed to fuse a shade, I think the size is approx 2.5 by 3.25 inches (ATC sized)

I stitched the edges using my machine and laid down a bed of organinc stitches using free motion stitching.

I then stitched a silk flower to the tag using my machine and couched down some scrap bits of acrylic yarn in complimenting colors.

This could easily be made into a book mark, post card, or other small gift item. To finish it off I will add some beads and a tassle made with scraps of yarn, ribbons and threads.

Vintage Scarves

2008-06-19T19:45:00.001-07:00

I've been collecting these for years to use in various art projects.

Shakespear Books

2008-06-17T17:58:00.001-07:00

Cloth covered book 4.2" wide by 5.5" high, there are 36 of these in the series.

Nice gold gild lettering on the sides of the books, some are older and may have been purchased over several years?

I picked up 36 of these books by William Shakespear at an estate sale, now to find out their value as I have no idea when they were published. This particular book is titled The Tempest.

Wrapping Paper

2008-06-07T11:56:00.000-07:00

We have a wedding reception to go to later this evening and I didn't have any wrapping paper for the gift, so I made some. It was so sweet seeing John's jaw drop when I pulled the present out of the bag - yeah baby I did THAT! The tag could use a little work and I'm thinking of redoing it before we leave - well actually I'll use my wacky scissors and make a pretty edge to the tag.

There's about 9 yards of vintage binding ribbon, and threads, on here, I had to go around it several times to make it look like there was something on the package. Hmmmm I don't see any buttons, I have just enough time to fix that as well!

I used white butcher paper, distress inks, metallic paints, and a stamp to create this lovely covering.

Bouquet of Peonies

2008-06-05T19:58:00.001-07:00

Some Thing Pretty

2008-06-05T19:54:00.001-07:00

Vintage Hankies

2008-05-25T20:20:00.000-07:00

I picked these three hankies up for a dollar a piece and the buttons for two dollars at a local antiques mall yesterday. The pink floral one is really soft.

Studio Clean Up

2008-04-11T17:31:00.001-07:00

Drawers of goodies neatly organized.

Vintage faux pearls, picked up at variou yard sales over the years, I plan to put them in a jar of some sort.

I've been cleaning and organizing in my design studio!

Vintage Cotter Pin Container

2008-04-08T15:41:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure where John found this tin but it's absolutely lovely! It is about three inches tall and about two inches across.

Lamp Detail

2008-04-08T15:40:00.000-07:00

Vintage Dresses

2008-04-08T15:07:00.001-07:00

Vintage Tin

2008-04-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

Multiple views (each side has something different on it) of a vintage tin, it has quite a bit of pink on it. The top image of the tin has a faded painting of a water mill and a river.

Dressing Table

2008-04-08T14:53:00.001-07:00

Corner Found!

2008-04-08T14:52:00.001-07:00

I found one corner of the guest bedroom

Teddy Boa

2008-04-08T14:50:00.001-07:00

One Corner

2008-04-08T13:19:00.001-07:00

Of our guest room, it is a tiny room, very nest or den like. The white shrouded item on the wardrobe is my wedding dress, I still haven't stored it away after seven years! From time to time I take my veil out and wear it around the house, it's what every princess does right? ;-)

One Corner

2008-04-08T13:19:00.000-07:00

Lamp

2008-04-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

I found the vintage tin at a thrift shop about 7 years or more ago.

I found this lamp at the Salvation Army of all places, it has a hair

line crack in it which only seems to add to it's charm.

The carosuel to the right was my mothers, my dad made it for her one year after she found the horses at a local store. It doesn't rotate, but John says he can fix that for me, I know my mother would have loved it even more had it rotated. It plays music and has lights and the riders on the horses go up and down.

Finally!

2008-04-08T13:03:00.001-07:00

I've been looking for a space in my house where I can photograph things undisturbed - read cat and dog free zone. So for the past two weeks I've been cleaning and deciding, well today I stumbled upon an area that is perfect, and why I didn't think of it before is beyond me, it's the guest bedroom. So this afternoon I'm removing the "all" from this "catch all" room~!

And what I'm finding in there is, not only my artwork, but lots of vintage goodies I forgot I had collected over the years.

Test

2008-03-22T21:27:00.001-07:00

Just a test post to make sure it's working correctly.