Larks!

Not the flying kind but the kind that throw you off the beaten track.  This happens to everyone, I'm sure, but artists seem to have a knack for it.  

When my fabric for the "Knot Garden" came back it made my heart soar.  I loved it...yes, it's okay to love what you create.  You love your children that way too.  I was so happy with it that recess couldn't get here fast enough.  

About a year ago I had this idea of making myself work a 'little' larger.  I'm not inclined to it, I like drawing small things...like my cards.  So when I was purchasing some art supplies and saw nice pre-stretched canvases for sale...buy one get one!  I bought several...and there they sat under my desk.  [I did keep them dusted...but that's another obsession.]  

Everything happens for a reason.

Recess/weekends are not long enough....

Mischief...

Piles of wool felt...unfinished hand painted tassel tops...line drawings turned into super fun canvases...and finished Peace canvas computer bag.

Not all mischief...have no earthly idea what I'll do with the felt but there are stray thoughts here and there.  

The "Down Dog" canvas is hand painted by Karen Grant, my cartoon of Chance, her paisley rendition!  I love it, she made my day when she brought that in to me.  You may see more of these collaborations in the future.

The real thing, Chance!

 Friend, Barbara Garrana, did a fabulous job on my Peace sign computer bag, it's being put to use daily!  Can never have too many bags in this industry!  Barb was recently featured in Needlepoint Now for her clever sewing abilities.  'Bags by Barb' are popping up all over the place!

button button ...

Stitch Lab had the buttons!  Yeah!  Emily and Niku were wonderful to help me dig through the yellow button jar.  There was a bit of giggling, quietly as a class was going on in the next room.  I came home with the buttons and a pile of wonderful colored wool/rayon felt to play with [someday].

Look !

The fabric for the Knot Garden arrived Wednesday and  I love it!   I went on the hunt for a center bead and could not find anything.  Somewhat daunted I came home...ate some dinner and had one of those flashes of light.  Remember my post of a few weeks ago, I went exploring local fabric shops?  I brought home the cutest little yellow flower button and Voila! est parfait!  I'll be on that cute fabric shops doorstep Sunday to see how many I can get out of their yellow button jar.  

Maybe I'm having too much fun with these?!

I probably shouldn't get too attached to this button just yet!

Did I write you that Biscornu is a French adjective meaning
quirky irregular shape?  

From the bottom.

 

a glimpse....

 Building another border on Swirling Hearts Biscornu.

Silk, Velvet, Metallic, Rayon

Eyelets, Couching, French Knots, Fly

Can't wait to design the fabric for this one.

another life time ago....

...I was an illustrator.  My daughter wants me to 'do more of these', she grew up to be an interior designer, amazing child of mine.  My son will soon be certified to weld the world together.  His dream to design swords...on the side of course, as he tells me ... 'Mom...you know I have to have a 'real' job'. Smart kids...grown kids.  Both amaze me and make my heart smile.  I can't believe how the time has flown.

I didn't have children when I drew these ... it really was a life time ago.  When I look at these my head spins.  The only work I could find back then was freelance for small boutiques...I drove my rusty little yellow VW bug all over Pittsburgh.  Of course, gas was ... well, lets not go there.

Anyway, just thought I'd share a few 'gems' with you.  More soon on my current project, Swirling Hearts Biscornu.  I'm playing with the border!

Oh my gosh...I forgot to mention the caricature of moi....this was rendered by my college roommate, Lori Maxwell.  It was always an adventure hanging around with cartoonists.  Lori and I are still great friends.  I will post a link to her website on the left.  The year was 1977, I lived in my Dr. Scholl's, jeans and adored that striped sweater...and yes, my hair was HUGE, very curly and very dark!

Here a stitch....there a stitch....

Next up...Hearts & Swirls Biscornu!  Playing with memory wire tonight and randomness.  Which tends to freak out most stitchers.  Sorry...but it can be very freeing.  

Being your own inspiration...I painted this wooden tassel several years ago.

I've been busy...

Biscornu Three ... Knot Garden ...


simply bursting with knots! 

Adding the last few beads...around 1a.m.
Just couldn't stop until it was finished!

The center is left 'un-stitched' as that's where the center button
is attached during the finishing.

Fini !

The Mardi Gras Biscornu all dressed up and ready to go!  In my last update I'd mentioned ordering the fabric...I was concerned as to how the colors would print.  Seems I had nothing to worry over as it is pretty perfect.

I'm busily working on the next addition to this series, the 'Knot Garden'.  I'll post some snaps of it soon.

Swans...

Actually, just one & he's either taking off or landing, reminds me of myself!

I'm thinking this one will have to become a painted canvas soon.  This was a card commission for a

stitching friend who belongs to an infamous group of women who gather once a week to stitch.

They call themselves the 'Swans' which I now know stands for 'Society of Women addicted to

Needlepoint!  Thank you to Stephanie for leaving a comment, so I could re-post this correctly.

Independence!

Happy Fourth of July!

Friend, Barbara Garrana is presently making a computer bag for me with my Peace Sign featured on the front of it.  Can't wait to see it all finished.  

Barb...if you're reading this...NO pressure!

Exploring...

I had a great time out in the Texas heat yesterday morning shopping local fabric stores.  I was on the hunt for lining fabric for my new purse!  I finished the stitching a few weeks ago but haven't had the time to shop.

So when I found myself with some extra time yesterday a.m. I took off!  First I went to The Common Thread and found a peaceful oasis of color .  I left with a yard of beautiful rayon with a tone on tone design that matches the jade green in my purse exactly.  And of course, a Dragonfly button I couldn't continue the day without.

Second I zipped down and around the corner to The Stitch Lab Here I found a riot of color squeezed into the cutest bungalow.  They teach many classes but one in particular draws many of their young stitchers to The Needle Works for fine wool to do crewel embroidery.  

Of course, I left here with a wild print that upon checking out I found to be a Kaffe Fasset print, the man does everything!  I first met him at a lecture in Rochester, NY....too many years ago...neither of us were sporting silver hair back then.  I was a knitter back then...and did not want to knit with that many colors but knew immediately that I would definitely stitch with that many.  His excitement about color was indeed contagious to this mind.  

Now to make a decision....I want to use both!

These little yellow flowers also had to come home
with me from the  Stitch Lab.

My Desert Flower is full of blooms!
Beautiful way to start the day!

a full weekend...

My weekends start after work on Saturdays...this weekend by the time Sunday evening rolled around I'd accomplished so much I thought it was over!  Only for an instant mind you!  Realizing how full the day had been and that I still had all of Monday was very nice.  So naturally, I stitched and worked on the fabric design for the newly finished Mardi Gras Biscornu.

This is how I work at home...stitch and graph.

Johnny Bravo checking it all out from a distance...

The fabric for backing has been designed & ordered
Crossing my fingers that the color and size all work.
The Butterfly Biscornu took three tries.

Just a glimpse of the Knot Garden....love those corners & borders.

Borders & Corners....

I love stitching borders and corners....it's like magic!