Flemish Coffer Ornament Kits

 Back in Stock

I have a limited number of Femish Coffer Ornament kits back in stock~ if you are interested they can be found on my ETSY shop, just click the link in the sidebar!

A lil peek!

2022 Heirloom Embroidered Ornament Kit

Skarlet Ladye 

Oh. my. gosh. I finished stitching the model for my 2022 annual Christmas ornament kit and it is so beautiful! I wish you could see it in person! Several years ago I was lucky enough to see a 17thc embroidered silk petticoat before it was auctioned, and I fell in love with it. The embroidery was fabulous, but what was most striking was the scarlet red silk it was stitched on.  Can you just imagine an embroidered red silk jacket!? (swoon)

I have wanted to make this ornament for some while, but could never find the right colour duchess silk satin. When I saw this satin earlier this year, I knew exactly what I wanted to make with it. I used some of my favorite motifs from the petticoat and designed what I think is my favorite ornament to date. It was super fun and pretty quick to stitch, so keep watching for the kit so you can make your own! 

If you would like to get on my annual ornament kit mailing list, just drop me an email at rlkinnison@yahoo.com

How to Wax Paper

 Easy Peasy!

I have been asked as of late how I wax my marbled papers for finishing 17th c caskets. Theres nothing to it. All you need is a hard beeswax cake and some paper. I use an old hanky or muslin cloth to buff after applying the beeswax to get off any little crumbly bits that may have fallen off the cake. I do prefer a hard wax cake of 100% unprocessed beeswax as then you dont have to burninsh afterwards for the nice shine. Soft wax and some thread waxers may have conditioners added or scents ect...you dont want that, just 100% beeswax.

There is ONE spot left!

 My New Online 17th Century Beadwork Class

Starts October 1st!

I am very excited for class to start~ its going to be super fabulous! Tricia at Thistle Threads is my gracious hostess for 12 months worth of online lessons to work the above pastoral Texas view.  There will be technique videos illustrating stitches taught in class and we are scouting out an online platform so everyone can get together in a group/class setting to discuss the lessons and anything else having to do with period Beugle Works.

This is my most in depth class yet, and I aim to provide a firm foundation of basic techniques that can be used not only for this class piece, but that can be applied to future projects as well.  My lesson on making detached yellow roses can be applied to making any flower that you can dream up in your head~ real or not! 

All class kits are in the mail, so for my students, check your email for your tracking number because they have already been sent.

 There is one spot remaining in class, so if you would be interested in taking this journey with us, please email me at rlkinnison@yahoo.com

2019 Ltd Ed Nutcracker Ornament Kit

Time to get one, if you want one!

I am now well into single digits on the remaining 2019 Ort King Ornament Kits. 

Once they are gone, they're gone!  If interested, just click this link for more information & ordering ~

Happy Stitching!!

What A Time!

 2019 Bath Textile Summer School

  Have just arrived back home to Colorado from spending the past few weeks in England.  I had a fabulous time, and want to send a big Thank You to all of my students at the Bath Textile Summer School for taking my classes and being such enthusiastic learners!  Bookings open on August 24th for next years summer school~ click the link above to go check out the new website and see the classes on offer.  I am honored to have been asked to return in 2022, and will be designing a special piece(s) to commemorate the Great, Beautiful, city of Bath, as seen above, looking on from Prior Park.

  This year's classes were held at the Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution situated in the heart of Bath alongside the Queen's Square.

  In my first class, Pretty Ladye, we focused on surface bead techniques and how to build up a figure

 The BRLSI has gorgeous classroom spaces~ they are large & bright,with ample lighting. My room directly overlooked Queen's Square...and yes, that's a dinosaur casting on the wall. It's easy to see why the Lonsdale Room is referred to as the Dinosaur Room!

  Not bad for a single day's progress~ the beads do work up so much faster than silk

 My second class, Bath Bunny, focused on more detached techniques, and specifically how to build beaded stumpwork animals~

 It was an absolute joy to have two of my prior students visit and bring with them their completed Bath Arbor Baskets~ It's great to see them side by side to see how different & unique they are~ I love them!

  I never require my students to have any prior knowledge of beadwork to take my classes. Some work fast, some work slow~ it doesnt matter. I always provide step by step written instructions so that they can be referred to at a later time~ but just look what these girls were able to get finished in class...makes me super happy! 

Thankyou so much to Lynne & Michael Roche for inviting me to come and teach~ they both work so hard to make sure everything runs smoothly. It was and honor to be in such fine company with fellow tutors Jenny Adin Christie and  Janet Bolton again. Ah! Such. A. Wonderful . Time.

If you have placed an order whilst I have been away, thankyou for waiting! I am on my way to the post today to ship them all out, so look for a ship notice email later on this evening.

2019 Limited Edition Ornament Kits

All Preorders Shipped Today

This year's kit is FanTabulOus and if you have already ordered one, THANKYOU SO MUCH! All preorders are on the way today & I have just finished sending out all the tracking number emails. If you have ordered a kit and don't see an email, check your spam box, its probably there!

2019 Ltd Ed Chrtistmas Ornament Kit

  'Ort King'

Available for Preorder Now!

  

He's here! Am super excited to introduce you to the mighty 'Ort King'~ my special limited edition ornament kit for 2019.

9 different threads~ real gold, silk and wires....15 different fun stitches....all combine to make this a fun project that can either be a hanging ornament or a stand alone one.  I can't think of a better way to use up all my little fabric/ribbon scraps and orts!!

If you would like to learn more about him and see what all is in the kit, you can do so here~ or just click the link on the right there to my Diamond K Folk Art blog shop page~ I do not sell my ornament kits in my ETSY store or eBay, so I can keep the cost for you as low as possible (both those venues have pretty steep selling fees). The paypal button is very secure, and your financial info is not shared~ not even with me!

Coming Soon!

It's Not Just All About Beads Here.....

I am super excited about this year's 2019 annual limited edition Christmas Ornament kit! I think ya'll are going to love love love love him.  Knock on wood it is coming along smoothly, just one redesign because of discontinued thread colors/types....it is super fun to work....works up quickly...and lets you try several different types of silk and metal threads all in one cute cute cute lil project. Those of you who have my previous designs, this year's ornament is worked on a linen  ground for a nice change of pace.

2017 Limited Edition Heirloom Ornament Kit Available

Winter Queen

I am happy to announce that this year's 2017 limited edition heirloom embroidered ornament kit, Winter Queen, is now available for preorder sale on my Diamond K Folk Art blog here.  I hope to ship them by 20 October, or a little before

Gloves of Elizabeth Stuart~ (19 Aug 1596~13 Feb 1662) Electress of  the Palatinate 

This year's ornament will be extremely limited. I have had quite a challenge this year obtaining enough quantity of the materials within the kit to be able to offer it for sale. Real gold threads, real cultured seed pearls and gilt tinsel handmade in Germany were all extremely difficult for me to acquire...and to top it all off, the dye lot of my dutchess silk satin has been discontinued. The amount of kits I will be able to offer is just a fraction of the amount of kits I sold last year....so if you are interested, honestly speaking, I would not hesitate.

Everything you need to make up an ornament is included in the kit, minus a slate embroidery frame and a certain silk...if you so desire to make up the 'secret' element to the ornament~ tho it can be made without~ just check out my Diamond K Folk Art blog page to find out what her secret is!

17th c Inspirations

Thomas Trevilian & the Folger Shakespeare Digital Library

 Instead of a Museum Monday post today of something from my collection, I thought I would share  a wonderful online resource that is a great study source and  the inspiration for my latest slide top spool box. Thomas Trevilian was born around 1548, his book the Trevelyon Miscellany was published in 1608,. and another work in 1616, so he was at least alive until then. The Tevelyon Miscellany is an absolutely beautiful manuscript ~ to quote the World Cat,  " The third part of the manuscript contains edifying and cautionary verses, with illustrations, on the Twelve Degrees of the World, the Five Alls, the Ten Commandments, the Nine Worthies, the Nine Muses, the Seven Deadly Sins, the Seven Virtues, the Seven Liberal Sciences, and the Twelve Apostles; as well as figures important to Protestant history, the six Gunpowder Plot traitors; Pagan, Jewish and Christian heroes; additional parables, proverbs, and lists of virtues and vices accompanied by scriptural and secular verses"

My favorite part of his work is the embroidery patterns. Within you will find hand drawn patterns for caps and borders, as well as all over repeating patterns for cushions and clothing. They are in infinite source of inspiration, and one can literally spend hours upon hours studying them. So where can you see this amazing work? You need not get out of your chair, thanks to the generosity of the Folger Shakespeare Library~  they not only have Thomas' works, but a myriad of other early and rare books you would probably never have the opportunity to see otherwise, all  happily contained in a large searchable database you can find here . (this link will open the Thomas Trevilian search results for you)

The above page is a pattern that spoke to me, and that inspired the slide top spool box that I finished up today and hope to have on eBay tomorrow.  I am really excited to share it~ so many of my favorite things, all wrapped up in one beautiful box! Until then tho, do have fun~ grab a cup of tea and go check out the Library link obove

Slate Frames & Flemish Fantasy Kit~ nearly gone!

Happy to Accommodate your fondest Desire~

Its been a while since I posted some examples of my painted slate frames~ above it a set I did earlier this year of Judith & Holfroness~ a slate with matching thread palette set. All done in blackwork, the story of  Judith beheading Holfroness was a favorite for 17th c embroiders. I left it large so you can see the details....crimson blood and all~ isn't it fabulous!? If you have a frame on your Christmas list, I am far enough backed up now that you wont get it before then~ but dont let that stop you from nudging your significant other to get you one for Christmas! I put a slide show of some of my favorite paint designs on the slate frame ordering page on my shop blog, www.DiamondKFolkArt.blogspot.com~  just click on the slate frame page at the top and scroll down to the bottom to see them.

And in case you have the Flemish Fantasy Ornament Kit on your list~ I have just 7 left ready to ship~ 6 gold and 1 silver~ when theyre gone, theyre gone forever!  You can order on my shop blog as well~ dont forget to add the shipping!  Here is a little video I took today of mine on my tree~ 

May thee take joy in every stitch of thy needle~

Good Bye Flemish Fantasy!

Only 9 Kits Remain

 If you have been pondering a purchase of my Lt Edition 2016 Flemish Fantasy Ornament Kit, or have one on your Christmas Wish list, this is faire warning they are nearly sold out~ I have just 9 left in gold tinsel, the silver is completely gone.  

If you are interested, you can learn more about what is included, and order one on my shop blog, 

www.diamondkfolkart.blogspot.com

Just click on the "Flemish Fantasy Ornament Kit" tab at the top of the blog page~

4 day 17th c Beaded Basket Workshop

Come Join Me August 2017 at the Bath Textile Summer School!

http://www.bathtextilesummerschool.co.uk/

  Save the dates! The week beginning August 21st, 2017, I will be teaching a 4 day workshop at the gorgeous Holburne Museum in Bath England on 17th c beadwork baskets as part of the Bath Textile Summer School.

 If you have ever wanted to make your own 17th c inspired beaded basket, you wont want to miss my class! We will work 8 hours a day, Monday thru Friday~ with a break on Wed. to catch up if needed :) Students will be making their own versions of my Bath Arbor Basket, above. And if that wasnt cool enough already, the Holburne's 17th c beadwork basket will be just across the hall for plenty of inspiration!

 In this 4 day workshop prepare for bead overload! We will explore 17th c techniques for basket construction and dive into the wonderful world of 17th c inspired bead work figures, flowers, bugs and insects. Class will focus on starting, and completing, a fully beaded stumpwork figure. We will study the amazing Holburne basket, and sample some of the many forms of early bead work such as twilling, right angle weave, French and Victorian beading, couching and wyrework. Students will be introduced to a wide variety of antique beads and will learn how to use color and size to reproduce the unique look of 17th c beadwork . The basket will be sent as a kit prior to class, and will need to be completed and brought with you to class.

 The class kit containing basket frame, hand sculpted figure, needles, instructions and antique beads required is prepared for you to purchase after your successful class registration. The antique & vintage beads included in the kit are for working the Ladye and basket base only. Suggestions for beads to work the flowers of students choice will be included in the class materials list.

 The focus of our class time will be to work the Ladye, but will also include the basics for designing and working all the pretties that you can pile onto your basket!

 Class number will be very limited, 14 I think, so if interested, I would suggest you shoot an email to the head of Bath Textile Summer School, Lynne Roche~ her email is posted on the BTSC website~ link is above. Registrations will begin on Aug 20, 2016, but class info will be available sooner than that. Hope to see you there!

Flemish Fantasy~ An Embroidered Ornament in Gold & Silk

  Flemish Fantasy~ An Embroidered Ornament in Gold & Silk

Inspired by early 17th c Flemish embroidered cabinets, I have designed and finally finished stitching the model for my Flemish Christmas ornament~ its so very delicate and feminine~ you will want to keep it out all year long! It is safe to say that this will be the first in a series of embroidered Christmas ornaments~ I am planing on designing a new one for each year, with the full kit for each being available for that year only. Ill be posting details about the kit soon, so keep checking back if you are interested! Let me know what you think!

Thankyou too for all the well wishes, I am feeling much much better!

Mark Your Calendar!

2017 Bath Textile Summer School

   I have been getting lots of questions about what Ill be teaching, when Ill be teaching ect~ so here are the particulars~ Ill be teaching a 4 day workshop at the 2017 BTSC Aug 14-18 2017.  Four glorious days, 7 hours a day, of non stop 17th c beadwork! YES!!!!  I will be teaching in one of the study rooms at the Holburne Museum~ class will be Mon & Tues, with Wed off to attend lectures or see the sights of Bath England...and do any catching up needed for class~ then back at it Thursday & Friday. Lynn tells me there should also be a textile faire at the American Museum that weekend so much fun to be had!  I am not going to disclose my workshop project yet, but you can be sure it will be absolutely FANTABULOUS, a mixture of beaded stumpwork along with twilling and three dimensional fruits, flowers, figures and perhaps animals like I worked on my beaded basket.  You cant sign up for the 2017 session just yet but you can email Lynne that you are interested and she can put you on a list~ you can find her info on the Bath Textile Summer School website here . Registration for my class should open the 20th of August 2016, if you are interested I know it will fill quickly, its limited to just 14 students~ We will have the Holburne's marvelous beaded basket there in front of us for inspiration too~ I cant wait & hope to see you there!

Sweets for your Tree & Tummy~

 Molded Gingerbreads for the Tree

 Forget about the same ol gingy's and their sweet lil gumdrop buttons~ this year, fill your home with the sweet smell of baking gingerbreads.....the entire season long!  In addition to pressing out gingerbread cookies with my springerle molds, I make them as ornaments for the Chrismtas tree as well~ ornaments that you can actually eat~ yum!   Make up your dough a day ahead of time at least, and store in the fridge in an airtight container or zip bag~ be sure to squish all the air out of there!   I like my gingerbreads heavy on the nutmeg~ and only use molasses~ no corn syrup!
  There are a few tricks to getting a good impression with springerle cookie  molds, but don't worry if you don't have any~ you can get out your regular gingerbread man cutter and use that too.
  After your dough has rest at least a day,  its time to press them out~ don't bother to  preheat the oven tho, because these will set at least 24 hours to dry before baking~ it helps to set the impression in the top of the cookie.  Gather your springerle molds, flour, foil, spatula, rolling pin,knife, pastry brush, something like a skewer with a pointy end to make the hanger holes, dough and a parchment lined cookie sheet. Do you really need parchment??? yes.

 I like to roll out my dough on foil~ use a generous amount of flour so the dough wont stick to it~ after I roll out the dough, I take a really thin spatula and slip it under the dough all the way around to be sure its not stuck. With a pastry brush, brush flour into your mold~ you want a light even dusting not only in the deepest areas, but the flat parts as well~ the flat parts are what end up sticking the most. Make sure the deep areas are not filled with flour~ brush all the excess out, then give the mold a tap on the counter to get any last little bits out.  To get really good impressions from the springerle molds, I never press the mold into the dough!  I cut a piece of dough out the size of the cookie mold, pick it up with the spatula, and flip it over onto the cookie mold~

 The dough is pressed into the mold upside down~ I just take my thumbs and press evenly, starting at the bottom and working up to the top~ don't go back and forth or you could get double impressions.  A sharp knife is drawn round the edge in a downward slicing motion, to remove all the excess dough form around the edges of the mold.

  Carefully flip the mold over in your hand, and starting from the closest edge to you, give it a start by just slightly peeling the dough off the mold at the very edge~ once you do this gravity will do the rest for you~ be patient here~ don't go trying to pull it off or it will distort or tear!

 Pressed cookies are placed on a parchment lined cookie sheet~ don't forget to use your skewer and make a hole in the top for the ornament hangers!  These need to set in a cool dry place for at least 24 hours.
  Be sure they are safe from pets and snack snicking husbands.....

 Once dried, cookies are baked~ I bake mine at a low 300 degrees, and because I like them crunchy, will cook them about 15 minutes. If you like a bit softer cookies, cook them about 10-11 min.  I made a couple of sets of the 12 Days of Christmas for the tree, and then let the girls press out normal cookies from their favorites. They have finished baking in the photo above~ letting them set a whole 24 hours to dry helps them to keep crisp designs~ tho bolder ones always come out better than the really intricate springerles.

 They smell so Heavenly!

 There is nothing more fun than asking a guest if they would like to pick an ornament to eat off the tree when they come calling, tho I do like to watch the children drooling over them as they get closer and closer to the Christmas Tree~ if you have pets, be sure to hang them up high enough that they cant get to them.

  As they age they get crunchier and crunchier~ ohh some of the best cookies you will ever eat!  If you would like to try and make some of mine~ here is the recipe~
 
3&1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
3/8 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1&1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup molasses
4 tsp water

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, water and molasses until its thoroughly integrated.  Pour the wet bowl into the flour bow and mix well with a spoon until a stiff dough forms~ I use a folding motion with a big spoon~ don't use an electric mixer!
 Put in a sealed zip bag in the fridge for 24-48 hours.
 Press cookies then let dry 24 hours before baking.
 Bake cookies on parchemnt lined cookie sheet at 300 degress f, for 10-15 minutes, depending on how crunchy you like them.

MY Little Minion....

It All Started With a  'Fart Gun'

  It was the first of September and she was with me grocery shopping.....and there it was. The most annoying thing I think I have ever seen.....the 'Fart Gun' from the movie Despicable Me.  If you haven't  seen the movie, Gru asks Dr. Nafario to make him a 'Dart Gun' , but Dr. Nafario is olde and cant hear well, so he made him a 'Fart Gun' instead. That was what she wanted for her birthday!!!  She just had to have it, didn't want anything else. I still cant wait to hear her tell her own children she wanted & got a fart gun for her birthday one year.... So anyway.....she decided she wanted to be the little one eyed Minion that carried it around in the movie for Hallowe'en this year.   Hmmm.....how does Mum make a Minion suit.....I know~ I will let her make her own Minion suit! YES!  So I went and got a big scrap of cardboard, she went and found a rubber ball larger than she was wide.... and she covered that with a plastic garbage sack.

 She made her glue for traditional mache from flour and water

We tore strips of old newspapers for the mache

Traditional mache is really fun, but way messy~ best done outside!

Strips of paper were laid on to cover her little form evenly~

Just a thin single layer for the first time~ then we let it sit out int eh sun a whole day, and in the house another week to wait for the next coat on the next weekend.....and then another a weekend after that.  She built up three coats of mache

Then the next weekend we cut the holes for her arms and face to see thru. Right here I had just cut the pilot hole so I could see how big to make the monocle...I think she looks like a demented rocket.... she went off zooming around the yard~ I was sure she was going to trip and break a leg

Here she is with her cherished Fart Gun and holding little Minion in her other hand

First on a couple coats of bright yellow~ we had this left over from her Sponge Bob suit we made last year....

A big smile and pair of overalls,  and Minion is complete!...well, sort of~ he still needs his goggle made...OH! And we cant forget the hair!

Black pip cleaners poked in thru the top for his 'do'

The goggle is a round of cardboard covered over in duct tape, held on with a big elastic band. Baggy trousers to match his overalls, and a quick make up of 3 finger gloves complete her suit.

 There is nothing more fun than making one's own Hallowe'en costume!