A tisket a Casket

Tidying up yesterday I came across this Casket I made last summer. The casket was inspired by a article that I read in the June/July 09 issue of Stitch Magazine from the UK written by Janet Humphrey.

Instead of using the pattern provided in Stitch, why make life easy, I pull out a book I've had for ages Embroidered Boxes by Jane Edmonds. I reduced the size of the pattern in the book adapting it to the techniques given in the magazine.

The base used is Pelmet Vilene which is then dyed. Silk and sheer fabrics are bonded to the Vilene, free machine embroidered and hand embellished. I used lace that I had dyed myself and the lining is silk. Painted wooden beads are use for feet. With great intentions I had planned to make 2 more in a larger size for my little grand daughters. That has yet to have happened, but as they are only 3 I do have some time until they would have a use for it.

Rock sculpture on the Beach

Although I live in a large city I am very lucky to have access to a beach and boardwalk a few minute drive from my home. We decided today to have lunch and a walk on the boardwalk even though it was cool and overcast.

We came across this man building rock sculptures next to the boardwalk. We stopped to chat and asked what he used to attach the rocks to each other and was amazed at the answer which was "nothing is used". Balance and finding the center of gravity, and thats it.

Some of the rock were quite large and in the photo above you can see one of the items used was a cement block! At the end of each day he knocks the sculptures down to prevent any accidents.

What a interesting way to spend your spare time!

I loved the roots of this tree and can see potential for a embroidery here. Lots of ropy texture. The on line class I am taking,Studio Journal, has me looking "with a artist" eye and taking lots of photos for future inspriation.

This photo is of the life guards perch. It looks so gray and desolate today. Below are houses that face the beach, I think how nice their views mus be any time of the year with the park and beach in front of them.

class exercises

One of the exercises we have been given in the class I am working on is creating a Rubin Face Vase. A Rubin Face vase is a vase that is created by the profile of a face. I though it would be interesting to use the profileof my twin grand daughters. It was a bit of a challenge to find photographs that would work and were about the same dimensions. I played around a bit in a imaging program trying to get the dimensions the same and printed out the photo, then cut them out to make the vase. This process would have been a lot easier if I understood how to use Photoshop.

A Martha Steward Moment

I had intended when I started this Blog to only share my creative stuff and I guess you could stretch and call a cake creative. It was my twin grand daughters 3 birthday this month and I asked if they wanted a cake or a cup cake, both was the reply. I found a cake mold in the shape of a cup cake and the girls "helped" me decorate it. They were besides themselves with the joy of gum drops, smarties (M&Ms) and sugar stars, and certainly sampled them as they decorated. As you can see from the photos I've posted the "cup cake" was a huge success. My daughter called it a Martha Stewart moment!

Free Motion Embroidery Samples

The FME class took place over four weeks, with lessons being send out each week. Janet Clark our teacher lead of through a series of exercises to get the feel of working in free form. Above is a sample of one of our exercises.

As the lessons progress I found my control of the stitching and my skills started to improve.

The photos of the Tulips are from week 4 and the last lesson. We were instructed to print a photo onto cloth and then using the sewing machine add texture, and dimension to the photograph.

On line classes and Kaleidoscopes

I have not posted in a while due to taking 3 on line classes through Joggles which have kept me very busy. The first class which is just finishing is Free Motion Embroidery, given by Janet Clark. It has been a wonderful way of improving my skills and confidence in FME. Janet has been a excellent teacher. In my next post I'll upload some of the samples from the class. The other classes I am taking both being taught by Sharon Boggon are A Studio Journal as a Designers Work Horse and Sumptuous Surfaces which is a Design class. One of the exercises we have been given was to take a image and make it into a kaleidoscope. I used the image of the hat and the tar pits which are in my last posting here to make my kaleidoscope. I think the results are just too cool! Sharon has been a wonderful and encouraging teacher and I am looking forward to the rest of my lessons arriving each week.