Coolness...

I think these amazingly somewhat pre historic looking birds are coolness personified!  So glad we live in the same neighborhood.  Although...they fly off to the coast for the summer months.  

First finish....

I've seen so many 'First Finish for 2014' posts on FB and felt way behind each time.  To my credit, I've finished many projects, just not of the stitching type.  Guides have been written for at least three canvases and several new designs drawn up and painted. Made an awesome mobile with my daughter one weekend and have a baby sweater on the needles for my soon to arrive grand baby girl. Yay!  

So below is my actual first 'finish' of the stitchy type.  He was a blast to work up even if the beard did give me a few fits.  

TaDa!!
'Santa Close Up'©
a Kimberly design©

Fish Eye Turkey Work with Vineyard Classic
First time ever that I've not brushed and cut Turkey Work.
The Classic doesn't need it I'm happy to say.

Next up on the frame is a dragonfly....stumpwork, maybe, almost positive, yes...it's playtime.  Wings that glisten are in my head.  

time changes....

It's a gorgeous day and I'm feeling like a slug.  What I want is to sit quietly with a basket weave piece. Which would require me to 'have' one ready with threads and I, of course, do not!  

I've a lovely piece drawn on canvas ready for painting.  That's what should be my focus...but my messy mind is elsewhere.  

I'm going to totally blame this on the time change.  Speaking of clocks....the one below is amazing.

My daughter took this beautiful shot of the Astronomical Clock in Prague a few years back.  It's one of my favorites of hers.
You can see more of her work here.

happy birthday !

Seven years old today, my constant companion
who supplies daily unconditional love.
Sweet Chance, with a yogurt beard...he loves yogurt!
Plain Greek yogurt, of course.

One more heart design transitioned to canvas, yay!
'Flower Power'
a Kimberly design©

Next up to be painted, another portion of my Dreams piece.  
This one titled 'Dream Glimpse'
a Kimberly design©

His superb version of down dog, perfect alignment.
I've recently returned to taking yoga classes, home practice just isn't enough.  No matter how devoted you are to a home practice, its so nice to be with others in a class once in a while.  So of course, nothing halfway, I've also returned to a tai chi practice, moving meditation, so good to settle my 'messy' mind.  

eye test....

Not so precise to my eye, more free form.
'Around Monday'©

Precise....almost an exact cut out from 
the original rectangular design.
'Around Monday'©

Original piece from 2009...

I drew this right before my daughters wedding...she and I spent a wonderful week hobnobbing around Columbus, Ohio before the big day.  We also sat around watching movies in the hotel while I played with my Prisma pencils.  I forget how many different colorways I did of this piece that week.  She used them for thank you notes.  

One of the original cards.

You've seen this piece many times...it was my banner along the top of this blog for a long time in stitched form.  Its also an inset in my Weekender bag from Lee's Needle Art.  [aka nylon tote]

'Monday'
[because I drew it on a Monday....]

So back to the top...which do you like best...precise or free form?? I'm not sure now that I have both painted.  It is possible to make oneself go in circles.  

Around...Monday...

Keeping track of my marbles...
at least three of them.
It's been said that artists are flighty...
I don't totally agree, my theory,
different focus.
Sometimes the focus is very single minded.

"Not all those who wander are lost."
J.R.R. Tolkien

It's a process...this is my second attempt to turn a rectangular design into a circular one.

Not there just yet...
'Around Monday'
a Kimberly design©

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's not the position in which you stand....

it's the direction in which you look.  

Whether you're up North staring at feet of snow or fearful of stepping out your front door because of the slippery ice, make today special on your own terms.  Be present, Enjoy!

It's a process...converting card art to canvas.

Tada!  I'm on a roll here.
'Heartful'
a Kimberly design©

Valentine Collection
a Kimberly design©
[cards are available through Brooke Pottery click here]
Next in the line up is 'Flower Power' far left, then 'Happy Hearts' in the center.
No...I'm really not having any fun.... :-)

a trunk show !

BeStitched in Scottsdale, Arizona is having a trunk show featuring artists from Ruth Schmuff...of which, I am one!  Yay!  My first public trunk show!  Have fun shopping, click here for more information. 

Most of my designs start out as illustrations.  Blossom was actually a 'trading card', that grew into a greeting card, that grew into a painted canvas.  

Designing, painting, I love ...

...from me to me.

a flower bloomed...

the dew fell and a butterfly happened by....

and the story grew...with more to come!
Dream Fragment©
a Kimberly design©2014

Focus....

 Santa has a face...now he just needs his beard and a spectacular pompom on his hat. 

Santa Up Close

a Kimberly design©

Close observation will show that he had a portion of beard...

and that didn't work.  Ripped and waiting for more thread. 

Dream Fragment
a Kimberly design©
Watching the snowy weather up North made me really want to paint flowers today.  Beginnings of a new piece.  Thought you might enjoy seeing some of the process.  

Pretty happy with this so far.
Dream Fragment
a Kimberly design©

All together now, eight little Biscornu!
Photo by Whitney Hussey©
My daughter took many beautiful pictures during her visit last month.  The above was my request, it was hard to choose which one I loved best!  Now to search out the perfect pottery bowl to display them in.
She also took my new profile picture, she makes me look pretty amazing!  Just a glimpse of parental pride.

his nose...

I'm not great at post titles...each time I begin a new post that's the first thing I have to tackle.  Some times it's quite easy...others require me to be creative with words. 

Drawing, stitching, playing with color, this I can do, words can throw me a curve.  Which my mind just stitched in herringbone [the curve, would be cool in herringbone].  See!  

This post is about, the nose, the mustache, the hair, the eyebrows, his lacy face, the cute little squares of felt on his hat. Progress being made so I can effectively write the guide with real photos of the stitching completed.  That's how this one works best.  

His nose...beautifully shaded beneath the padded felt I couched to the surface.  I had many stitches in mind for the nose but none were going to bring it forward enough.  I've been wanting to play with felt on canvas and voila!  I cut two circles, one smaller to fit underneath for padding.  Next, I'm going to blush it with 'blush'! This will be accomplished by cutting a hole the size of his nose in a piece of paper.  Then I can apply the blush to make his nose a bit more dimensional with no fear of hurting his lacy face.

For the little squares marching across his hat, I used more felt. Turned out rather fun, even if I did poke my finger a few times using a 'sharp' needle.

Tired of stitching...this one plays with her colored pencils and ideas for another canvas.  This is just a portion of a larger design soon to come to life as a Kimberly design!

Life, is what I'm up to...

I realized today that it's been a couple of weeks since my last post. A twinge of guilt tried to take hold, unsuccessfully.  I've been having a blast, so the blog was over looked for a little bit.  No guilt as I was spending time with family and wow, is that nice! 

My daughter came home from Germany to visit for a bit.  She's expecting my very first grandchild!  Yay!! to us.  She looks amazing, has that glow business down pat.  

We spent a couple of days working on a one of kind Elephant Mobile for the babies room.  Three generations with a fourth maybe listening to the happy sounds of creativity going on.  

Glowing darling daughter.

Busy creative minds.

Beginnings.

Finished one of a kind mobile,
designed by Whitney Hussey©2014
Stitched lovingly by
Gramme Em, Mom [moi], & Whitney!

Up close with a bit of Christmas tree sparkle to add to the magic.

In the evenings...I've been stitching on 'Santa Up Close', guide coming right along.  Today, I wrapped up the 'Camel Flowers' guide!  Happily busy as the sun brightly shines into my little work space.  Yes to those who know me...I'm in the purple chair.  Chance at my side.  

'Santa Up Close'
a Kimberly design©

My constant companion,
Sir Chancelot.