Model of Industry Set

Available this Week on eBay

I couldnt be happier with how this set came out~ if you would like to see more pictures or are interested in purchasing it, it is available on eBay this week here , or you can click the link on the sidebar to my eBay specials. I put my heart into it, and I hope it shows~

Early School Girl Art Inspired Thread Winders~

   Slowly Progressing...

  

I'm not quite as quick or industrious as a bee, but they are slowly coming along.....the honeycomb is my favorite of the thread winders! I am thinking I will put this set on eBay when I get the thread palette finished, since I just draw and paint freehand, each set I make will be a little different....havent made up my mind yet :)   

 I really love painting with the watercolours. I can paint as transparent as I like to be sure the gorgeous grain of the wood shows thru. Am working on my skep today, I hope it comes out as pretty, but very slow..... paint a little, let dry, paint a little, let dry~ there is no artificial blow drier treatments between colours here!

A Little Test

Watercolor & Ink on Maple

  My little scrap doodle test for my thread palettes was successful I think. (this is why I never throw out even the smallest scraps!) I finally came up with a good ink/varnish combination~ so many varnishes are not compatible with watercolours....so many inks that are sold as waterproof and fade proof are not even close to being such. I'm really excited to get started~ I may have to paint a set with a little squirrel ~ this little one was just a quick draw,  after a 17thc emblem engraving as inspiration...loved him sailing across the water on a bit of bark!

The Worke of Thy Hands

Early 19th c School Girl  Art Inspired Thread Palettes & Winders

  I have always loved the quaint theorems and folk art done by young girls in the early 19th c~ the pieces have such character, and are both simple and very complex at the same time. It is indeed very challenging to capture the simple primitive nature of such art, but in loving it so, I am trying to do my best to draw from  my inner 'School Girl' spirit. I also love to work wood, and when I laid eyes on a certain figured maple board, I literally saw thread palettes and winders!  Its such a gorgeous piece of wood, I cant wait to show you the finished pieces I have been able to make from it.  I have spent the past few weeks cutting them out and sanding them, all by hand, until they are as smooth as a little wee babe's skin. Since we keep bees here on our little place, my first set is designed to honor them ~ I have named it  'Model of Industry' . Not only are bees a Model of Industry, but I believe so are our hearts & hands~ for when they are put together, great things can happen!  Each set will consist of a thread pallette, and three special themed thread winders~ so until then~ 'Whatever Thy Hands Findeth To Do, Do  It With All Thy Might'

With Heartfelt Gratitude

To Those Who Have, Who Are, & Who Will

   Serve this Great Country~ Thank you. Thank you for your service & your sacrifice~  

Inside my Flat Top Casket, FINISHED!

One Small Step...

    ....at a time. I always prefer to finish the inside of a case first~ then when I get the outside done, its really done!  Hope you enjoy this little video~ the doors are hinged with magnetic catches... I am taking a little respite to get over being sick...(thankyou school germs~YUK), and have been working on some really marvelous stitchers helpers for the shop...youre gonna really love them, I mean really love them!  Made for stitchers....by a stitcher..you can bet Ill be saving a set out for me!!!

Ladye Water & Some Special Bling

Water side Panel Ladye

  When working stumpwork figures, it is good to study your pattern and visualize it in your head as finished~ get a paper and pencil, and list each element of the design you wish to work, then you can go back and number them in correct order~ for example~ I cant attach Ladye's left hand until I have worked her vessel beneath it...and her right hand cannot go on until I work the fish~ but, the fish cannot go on until I have worked the dress underneath of it~ ect ect. It helps to write down a list, then you can go back over it and make changes as you think things thru. I worked Msr. Fish first because I was bored one day, and just really wanted to make him! He is worked same as the little one in the water, with real fish scales and an antique white opal bead for an eye

 Ladye's shoes were worked in a dark putty ovale over shaped padding, with grey gimp rands and soles on the heels. Little cream silk rosettes with red beads adorn their throats

 The bottom of her skirt was worked in stages like Earth Ladye's

 Once the lower skirt was complete, I worked her vessel, then attached her fish and both hands. Gimp was added to her bodice to define her stomacher and waist tabs

 Sleeves, cuffs and falling band were next, hers I trimmed in gold squiggle plate with antique gold lace on her cuffs

 Even after her hair and string of pearls were added, she still told me she was not quite complete and wanted a brooch...something special she said. I got to thinking....and yes, indeed, something very special ....I had just the perfect 'thing' so I was off to dig thru drawers and boxes until I found it

  This was absolutely perfect. It was one of my Mother's earrings, 14k gold and opal~ I always loved it when I was little, she had lost the other at some point and had this in a jar....when I left home to join the Navy...or perhaps it was when I got stationed back in the States...anyway, at some point I absconded with it.  Several times over the years I have thought it would make a nice dollye brooch, but never the right dolly needed it~ but when Ladye Water saw it, oh yes, she had to have it

~

I snipped the back off and stitched it on with gold silk, its just perfect and makes this panel even more special to me now....so if you have some special little bit of broken jewelry....a button, a single earring....a broken bit of necklace or ring~ you may look at it differently and try and figure out how you could work it into a special piece of your embroidery.