There was a festival in the village last week complete with funfair and a parade of floats.
Charlie was a Giant Sunflower....a few late nights and I finally succeeded in getting those petals to stand up! I had planned on making the collar leaf edged but lack of time and sleep meant that I had to simplify somewhat. Leafy wrist bands and a big smile did the trick instead!
Little fingers that just couldn't resist touching.
Tiny embroidered pincushions that should have been finished in time for Christmas.
Almost there....
ummm, skull.
Yet to be named but needs a good strong German name as that's where he hails from. At least I think he's a he.Why is he wrapped in tulle?
Skull is going to be part of my embroidery workshop project. Or perhaps all of it depending on how long he takes me to finish.
This is skull after the workshop yesterday. So far so good - but I have yet to tackle the bottom half of his head. I also think he needs a bit of dental work- gold or silver tooth? Or would a big fat diamond be just a little too much?
More photos soon.....
add a little glue and you are well on the way to making a book.
Day one of the embroidery workshop yesterday and our first exercise was to make a book with a decorated paper and fabric cover.
One of the aims of the workshop is to use hand and machine embroidery and to work beyond your usual boundaries. My natural inclination would be to stop here, or at the most add a little texture and depth to the body of the cover using (most probably) white thread so that it blends into the background. Maybe a small amount of blue or even red thread for contrast but nothing too alarming.
Do I stick to my usual aesthetic ( simple and fairly minimal) or try to do something different - maybe add some shocking colour or bold texture? The materials requirement list included beads, buttons and lace to embellish the cover.
All of the above which are still sitting quietly in my workbox. All around me there is a riot of colour, texture and embellishment happening. Lace, crystals, heavily stitched surfaces.
I have already taken the bold step of messing up the surface of the accordion pages I am going to stitch into the book.
Crumpled, ink stained and torn - quite a world away from my standard clean ivory pages.
Embellished or unadorned?
Need to think about that one.
I am celebrating my second Mother's Day this year ( I joined in the UK celebrations too).For the first time in about 20 years, I was able to make my own mum a cup of tea on Mother's day and take it to her in bed. Quite a novelty for both of us.
To all of the mothers, motherly types and to
anyone who has ever stepped up to the plate and filled the role of a
mother - enjoy your day!
You are special, you are needed and most of
all you are loved!
Happy Mother's Day!
( I used the same words last year and the year before- for me it says what I want to say simply and perfectly. I will probably post exactly the same thing this time next year as well.)
The little boy for whom this is being made has arrived safe and sound, half a world away.
Welcome to the world Billy, and happy Mother's Day CJ!
The project is progressing well except that I have run out of blue thread.
The online store that I ordered it from is waiting for more stock as well....I will have to be patient or try to find another place to buy the same shade thread.
Last but not least- a birthday portrait of me taken by Charlotte.
This was one of the years that my birthday coincided with Mother's Day - we celebrated with a yum cha feast (dim sum here) in London's Chinatown and a tour of London for my Mum. Loads of fun finished of with cheesecake and a glass of champagne.
Perfect.
(Now, if I can just hunt down some more thread....)
I have always been tempted by the beautiful vintage French linens on offer on EBay- however the cost of shipping to Australia meant that I only ever window shopped.
When I saw this piece of linen and cotton ticking up for offer I just couldn't resist it- and shipping to the UK is not quite so scary.
Perfect for making a present for a new baby due to arrive next week - heavy and textured, yet with a lovely soft handle.
I've had the fabric for a while and a vague idea of what I wanted to do with it.
At last I have cut into the fabric and started to stitch. I'm still not quite sure where it is headed but I am enjoying watching the design slowly appear stitch by stitch.
Unplanned yet thoughtful;patterns taking shape under my fingers almost without me having to think about it.
Not the way I usually work at all.
I like it.
Tab curtains are very tedious to make and not very inspiring or exciting to photograph. Longer days have highlighted the pressing need for curtains to block out the light in the front bedrooms.The past week has been spent cutting, sewing and hanging. My pincushion and most of my pins went missing in the move and as I found that eight pins were just not quite enough when making curtains, new pins and a new pincushion were called for.
Which is why you see a photo of a pincushion rather than boring old tab curtains.
Much quicker and more fun to make, as well as a good excuse for a bit of therapeutic embroidery after stitching all those tabs.
A big thank you to everyone who has sent mail to Charlotte - such a big smile to greet the postman each day! Your postcards have been sent (or about to be posted - I am a little behind on the mail) so be sure to let me know if you didn't get yours and should have!
Ali looked beautiful and despite the rain and heavy skies, it was a truly memorable day.
My friend Michele did a magnificent job with all of the flowers.The bridal bouquet of roses and peonies was a perfect match with the dress - soft and frilly.
The girls wore crowns of camelia leaves and Geraldton wax flowers(Chamelaucium).
This photo was taken after we had all been rained on so no perfect hairdo's here!
(If only someone had moved that stray leaf....).
The bride and groom...( and the Bridge and the Opera House!)
Now it's onto to the job of packing- removalists are arriving first thing Monday morning...but first some sleep.
The Horror is almost completed. There is still quite a bit of hand sewing to do but the hardest part is done.
Think I'll sleep well tonight....
Well, I would sleep very well if Gracie didn't insist on a bit of room service in the very early hours of the morning! However with the big move looming, there is no point trying to change her sleeping and eating habits at the moment. Time enough for that after we are settled in our new home.
And with big brown eyes like that...well, she's pretty much got her mama (and everyone else in our family) wrapped around her chubby little fingers.
A quick and easy guessing game.
What do chiffon, ruffles and tiny crystal beads have in common?
If you said a wedding dress, you are absolutely correct.
Now, you might be wondering what a wedding dress and our big move to the UK in a little more than five weeks have in common.
Me.
And before anyone offers me well meant,supportive advice suggesting it might be time for me to learn to say 'No' in a big firm voice, be aware that it is my one and only little sister that is the bride to be.
It is an honour and a pleasure to be able to make such a special dress for her. Perhaps not the most ideal time, but it would never have occurred to me not to offer to make it.
She's my sister. End of discussion.
( If I begin to complain about being stressed or tired or overwhelmed, you have permission to be blunt and point out that this was my choice.)
Bearing that it mind, I have still affectionately named the dress, 'The Horror'.
Not because it is ugly( it's actually very beautiful and romantic) but because it involves my arch nemesis, Silk Chiffon.
I hate Silk Chiffon.
A word to all brides out there who have the good fortune to have a mother, sister, aunt or friend of a friend who will help you out with your Dress for the Big Day - do consider a lovely stable fabric such as velvet or duchess silk. Calico,perhaps.
Anything but silk chiffon.
The Horror is all cut out and waiting to be sewn up. All going well, I hope to have the dress ready for hand sewing of the tiny crystal beads, by this time next weekend.
I love my sister.
I am very happy that she is getting married ,that we will be here for the wedding and that the girls will have the fun of being flower girls.
But I still hate silk chiffon