a silly trial

A few weeks ago a friend of mine asked if I could make a dress for his daughter based on one a friend had given them... about an hour later i was delighted with a smile on my face with the little one I made for my little P.R. It turned out pretty cute, and being a dress that I made a pattern from not too bad for a first trial. I am going to make a few more for P.R. and Gigi, seeing as how these are being sold for a pretty penny, I think having an original is always nice.





It is a busy time of the year and I am reminded that the holidays are only a few months away. I am going on a long needed vacation next week that includes a stop at Harry Potter in Orlando and then setting sail in the Caribbean. I am really excited. Upon my return I have a new project I want to begin that goes along with a few things I have been dipping into... Can't wait. Hope everyone enjoys the fall and all that comes with this time of the year.

old and new.

-Modern sampler

This summer has been filled with change, experience, and moments shared with some very important people in my life. There was a big move (almost sent me over the edge), a wedding, two new babies, some trips to the ocean, some laughs, some tears, and some room for growth. Through this time my mind has been making what my hands have not had time to do. Finally things calmed down a bit and I started playing with some thread and needles. I have been fascinated by traditional embroidery samplers as long as I can remember. It is an organized way to show different stitches and embroider something as simple as a letter or a number.
With one of the new babies that came I made a quilt, back in the winter, under 3 feet of snow! For the newest little one added to my circle of friends, I decided to make an alphabet sampler. This baby already has two brothers, so she had everything she needed including some quilts, I thought the alphabet sampler would be a fun piece to hang on the wall that the brothers could learn from too. I am using all different fonts, stitches and colors, on a piece of feed sack I have lying around. I am about half way through it and it looks like it belongs in a nursery already.
Sometimes making for me is about a concept, that has many layers and meaning, and others it is about people and the idea of giving a handmade object as a keepsake. After all that is what history is made of.
Some other things have been brewing in this studio as well. A new collection of quilt "fragments" has appeared and when the sampler is done, a new "quilt" project will be tackled.


-Traditional sampler



This is with the letter layed out, not yet embroidered. I am about half way through- photos to come!

Lady gaga

Last week I went to my second Lady gaga concert. I think she is an amazing artist with an open mind, that is not afraid to put out into the world the fantasies that exist in her mind. I enjoyed seeing the show again, the costume changes alone, are worth the ticket. Like most modern artist she pulls from all aspects of pop culture new, and old. There were influences from Madonna, clearly one of the best artists of all times. Even some influences from the wizard of oz, with the trees and tin person. A show worth seeing!

a room of one's own.

You see that light creeping in, the fabric settling down, the thoughts forming... What comes next?? What will these hands make, where does one start?



The move is complete, and the studio is set. Yes these are photos of my new studio, perhaps one of the most beautiful spaces I can imagine to create in. The shelves that line a whole wall were already built in and ready for all my collections. The loft area was already complete with enough light to make any artist weak at the knees. Every single box in this new place has been opened, unpacked, and put away. Every item from two households has been merged into one space. The start of a new way of life. It has been years since I have lived with anyone, and it was not without some compromise, and growing pains. However here we are almost 2 months later and I have to admit that I have never been so delighted to come home at the end of the day. To open the door to a place that is "home". Home can be so many different things depending on what is going on around you, for me home means a place where I feel safe, a place where I can turn off the rest of the world. Home has always been in making and expressing myself. I feel most like myself in that place where I am creative and inspired. In the past months I have learned there is another addition to that place that one calls "home" in my world. It rests in the arms of love. The safest place, even more so than in making. Complete with the two I can move ahead, feeling complete.



It has been difficult for me to adjust, change is hard for me as with so many people. However this change was welcomed and I am so happy to be here now. I have not been able to pick up a needle or thread or anything in a couple of months, first there was the packing and the moving then the unpacking and putting away... Now that everything is in it's place. The need to make the need to move my hands across something and create is killing me. So where does one start... One stitch at a time I suppose. One pull of a needle after another.



So here I go, a new adventure, complete with love, and open mind and compromise. One stitch at a time. Back to making, enjoying life and being proud each day to be where I am.

book worms

I finished the "Lace Reader" last week, and I must say that book was worth it in the end. The last few chapters make you re-think the past 300 some pages. A really smartly written book, and it was full of textile references which I loved! I have now moved onto the second book in the Steig Larrson series, "The girl who played with fire". It is unfortunate that he passed away shortly after writing the trilogy of books, I am so glad he finished these though. I read the first in the series a couple of months ago, and while it took me a while to get into it, once I did it was an addiction. The movie version was alright, however like most stories so much better told with ink on paper.

book worms

A while ago I came home to find one of the sweetest presents for me. A couple of books and a gift card to Starbucks. It was simple, but reminded me that sometimes taking an hour or two out of a day to sit and be swept away by words is worth more than spending time rushing around. This book, "The lace reader" was on of the books and I have finally been able to read enough to get into it. The book speaks of a group of women from Salem, Mass. that can read fortunes in lace patterns. The whole book speaks of the special lace, and how it is made. It is a mixture of mystery and antiquity. A lovely book to grab for a summer tote.

sex and friends

This summer is going to be full of great movies with my friends... The first which premiers today!!! I have been following these ladies since they first began and after the last movie with the amazing clothes, sets and all who could resist another movie! I have a date with my best ladies on sunday to go see it, and can't wait! Hopefully I don't cheat and go see it before then!