rain, fog, quiet

so many plans this weekend... replaced by the quiet of the rain and fog. instead, i've been enjoying sewing in the coziness of my home... what a beautiful light the misty clouds cast

finished a new wool and cotton tree:

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i decided to pull out my scanner this weekend as well, and after a year and a half of not working... voila! so, as a result, boxes of photos were also pulled out. i found the image of me at age three, riding a horse... remembering in wonderment how small i was when i began to ride. i then came across this image of my grandpa walker, who i unfortunately never knew as he died before i was born. we walker's have been put on horses as soon as we can walk for quite some time now (and taught how to hold those reins!). also found this image, below, of my great-grandmother (on the left), riding in wyoming

now i realize how many years have gone by since i've been on a horse... makes me long for a ride. something to plan for this spring, perhaps!

hope everyone had a pleasant weekend

'springtide' is now available in the shop

hand embroidered and hand stitched fiber/textile piece on canvas, mounted on a vintage metal embroidery hoop (see the post below if you'd like to read of the inspiration for this piece)

some sore fingers... but well worth it ;)

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**and, please take a moment to read this blog post over on littleloveblue... about companies copying designs from indie crafters, in order to produce cheap wholesale knockoffs... urgh!

in progress... 'tree'

'in progress' is an apt title for all of my creations right now... everything is in various stages of development, from the idea phase, to sketches, to half finished works in progress... i see a spring burst of finished works coming soon!

busily working on a new 'tree' fiber art piece... as you can see, i am still in the process of hand embroidering the trunk and branches with vintage thread (a process which my fingers feel by the end of the day!)

i've embroidered this piece free hand based on my sketches, as opposed to first inking my design on the canvas

the leaves will be three dimensional wool and cotton hand stitched, in shades of soft blues and greens

once completed, this fiber and textile piece will be backed with wool and mounted on the vintage metal embroidery hoop, ready for hanging or propped in a cozy corner

i was inspired to create a new tree on canvas, after coming across this old sketch of a tree i did for one of my theatre design classes back in college... the structure of a tree is a recurring theme in my work, whether in my soft sculptures or in my wall art. every spring i'm sure to feel the surprising wonder of a bare winter tree with the first soft hints of color

i really could arrange and photograph fabrics in harmonious colors and prints all day long!

oh, and shopping for new (or often vintage actually, but new to me!) fabrics, or happily finding a package of fabrics awaiting me in the mail... there are no words! i have several new fabrics making their way to me right now, which have already inspired many new ideas. can't wait to hold them in my hands so that i may begin stitching them into new forms!

you can see more images of this work in progress on my flickr page

holiday conifer

i'm excited to add some more of my holiday collection to the shop over the next week or so... just trying to finish up a few custom orders this weekend. i did add this new originally designed conifer to the shop... i'm just loving this gray, red, and white cotton, and have made a few more coordinating pieces, which will also be added to the shop

busily creating holiday nests, tree toppers, trees, and wreaths, and hoping my hands stay strong this week for the onslaught of ideas floating about in my head!

the bird or the egg

phewwff... we are finally swimming out of the rain here in atlanta... in my befuddled, soggy state this weekend, i accomplished very little i must say (fortunately i was able to stay safe and dry in my home)... although i did take a pair of scissors to my hair for some new bangs. a new season always seems like the time for a new look (and i am rather impulsive when it comes to my hair)

the emerging sunshine has been moving my hands to create once again

just added this set of two pieces of mixed media fiber art to my shop... which asks the question of which came first 'the bird or the egg'

combining ink illustration, hand stitched fabric, felted and stitched roving, and needle felting on canvas, each piece is mounted on a vintage metal embroidery hoop, with a circle of wool attached on the back

local food 9/9 ~ a season of change

summer was definitely shifting into autumn this week at the decatur farmer's market... apples, gourds, baked goods, and pumpkins are beginning to appear in abundance. autumn being one of my favorite times of year, the sight of harvest produce excites me greatly... makes me want to settle down with a warm drink in front of the fire (although i think the weather still has a ways to go before this becomes a reality)

it makes me sad, however, to see the summer crop coming to a close... the farmer from whom i bought these luscious heirloom tomatoes told me these were the last few of his crop. and, oh, the end of green beans! a vegetable i eat at least twice a week during the summer... i suppose i will have another good month before these beauties say goodbye for the season. instead it is time to begin focusing on pumpkins and mums, pies and savory stews (vegetarian for me). there was an absolutely gorgeous sage green pumpkin at the market this week... i'm regretting that i didn't take that one home. the farmer selling it told me it would make at least two large delicious pies... perhaps he'll have another next week. i did pick up a sweet little pumpkin... of the decorating variety... to get me started on my autumn adventure

and the milk hunt was a success this week! i knew immediately from the long line in front of the johnston family farms booth, that i would finally be in luck (these family farm tours look like such fun too!). can't wait to try the milk out... i was told by the farmer selling the pumpkins that his wife raves about this milk, although has had to adjust her baking measurements accordingly... tastes and cooks so differently from the grocery store variety

~ in shop news, i'm continuing to add to new autumn pieces to the shop this week, and am excited to see that i'm only one sale away from one hundred ;)

as one

a new piece has finally been added to the shop!

'as one' is a mixed media fiber art, combining ink illustration, hand sewn fabric, and hand embroidery on canvas and wool

as always, i began with a sketch, and then began my work on canvas... i was trying to capture the harmonious world of nature, blurring the lines between the beginning and end of the bird and tree... to feel as if they breathe and move as one

the leaves/feathers are made using a lovely hand felted wool, with hand embroidery used throughout the entire piece

you can see more images of the piece on my flickr

busily working on a new house as well, which i hope to add to the shop this week... so lovely to be creating once again... looking forward to some autumn inspiration to really move my hands in the upcoming months as well ... summer always seems to draw me outdoors to other pursuits! it looks as if summer will last quite a bit longer though, here in georgia, so i must find a way of settling down and focusing on my work!

**** here is another sneak peak at my upcoming blog giveaway from handmadecharlotte

later this week... you can see the post below for another look at this sweet, wee skirt ;)

work in progress...

Sharing a new wall hanging that I'm currently creating.  The design and cutting are almost complete (although I inevitably will tweak things here and there before I truly complete a work).  Next step:  sewing!  

Thinking is not what works for me when creating these wall hangings; feeling, discovering, dreaming- this is what moves my hands to create.  And these can never occur for me until I truly commune with nature, the season, my surroundings, my heart.  It is not so much a relationship to a particular emotion, for example happiness.  Instead, I create when I can simply connect to whatever emotions are brewing within my spirit, and every emotion has the potential to emerge in surprising and beautiful ways.  This is true of all my art, including performance art.  It can sometimes be difficult to truly embrace all of these varying emotions that we humans feel, yet I always find myself more connected to the world, my spirit more open to my surroundings,  and more centered to the heart of it all.