sitting down to re-aquaint myself with embroidery

One of my Visual Arts students has requested the desire to embroider.
I always ask my classes what do they want to learn to do...I get weaving, and sewing a lot....no problem there......My students tend to want to do more Craft oriented things, which often leads me to the problem of making it still an Art lesson. With quilting and sewing, I show them the amazing GEES BEND QUILTS...great Art and History there. With weaving there are multitudes of amazing fiber artists out there. So, does anyone have any historical information/art ideas for embroidery?
I have a great book from the 60's illustrating 100 stitches.....I think I will go practice a few before I dive into teaching it! (It's amazing how none of the guys in the class complain....they are pretty much up for anything! I love that!)

art storage

I have been desperately trying to get organized......I have been trying my whole life.
Notes/Sketching on the go!
I love this Angela Adams Fabric..I had a memo sample, which was just big enough to fit my note pad and pen.
I love the pad....it is gridded. No searching for a pen...if I remember to put it in the bag!
Great for sketching and planning for classes, and it wont get destroyed in my bag.
I will be making some of these for my
ETSY SHOP!

Grab it and go!!!!

Bag for water color supplies..... I have been into water color lately...but on my own terms....quick, and loose....and I then preform the worst of the worst water color sin...I outline with a black marker........but I like it. I love black squiggly lines over watercolor!

The bag holds my colors, brushes, small water storage(pill container), and small book.

I love the fabric...it has a sheen finish to it....which will be great for repelling water, and muck!

more pillows!

I have been in the pillow making mood.
I think it will last a few more days,
so I am going to make as many as I possibly can.
My lovely friends 40th birthday came and went(she was away, so we haven't celebrated yet), so I think I will make her some pillows for her living room.....she has a very earthy palette, so it will a break from all the yellow.
I am posting these on my etsy shop. I wonder if they will sell...you just never know.....I would love to trade with other artist for stuff....maybe I will add that to my shop...but then what do you do if the other persons stuff is not to your liking...hmmm

old navy sweater

Outside my living room window is this icicle that keeps getting longer and longer....

everyday it grows an inch......

Have a great day.

new pillows

I have been sewing up a storm!
I go through periods where I love to sew, and then there are times that I could drop kick my sewing machine. I have found some great tools that make sewing so much easier......the first
are these electric scissors....circa 1960's. These scissors are amazing...they cut fast, and they cut everything.

(if you want a pair they do have a set on etsy)

the best thing ever.....this vintage Singer 185j. I found this machine on the side of road in a garbage pile. It needed a new $4.00 belt, and it has been great ever since. It's a work horse!
It's not fussy like my modern one (which is constantly pissing me off), it doesn't require constant pampering, re-threading, or tension adjusting. It just sews.................
They just don't make things like they use to!

I made these pillows yesterday. The photos stink.....It's snowing, so the lighting in my house is less than ideal.

the pillows are adorned with flowers broaches, and vintage buttons.



this pillow has a 3D flower on the top right.

I will be posting these in my ETSY shop.
I also plan on doing other sets as well.

I just love this little owl...I bought it on ETSY
on this site Sewciopath

the craftsmanship is perfect.... if only I could sew this type of detailing.

sea smoke

This morning it is 9 degrees below zero!
The sea smoke is so amazing...I have never seen it this thick.
In the first photo down on the right is a camera man....
I guess sea smoke is news.
I opened my living room window to take these....
my hand hurt after 30 seconds of being exposed to the cold....
it's a hard life being an action news photographer..hee hee.
BBRRRRRRR...........

morning color

amazing color this morning @ higgins beach!


sea smoke, and the morning sun reflecting on the wet sand.
These images just touch on the actual intensity of being there.
Have a great day!

flea market finds

I love most things vintage......I love yard sales, Goodwill, and flea markets....
here are some recent treasures that I have found.

hand sewn vintage quilt piece - yard sale 10 cents
(I had the frame)

Vintage Santas are one of my favorite things to collect.
This one is a bell....made in Japan $3.20 (Arundel).

I totally love this duck and egg planter
($8.00 - kind of a lot)....
(Arundel flea market)

cute little creatures....25 cents each

super love this vase ($1.99 - Goodwill)

troll doll - ($2.75 - Brunswick flea market)

onion salt shaker ($3.00 Brunswick flea market)

oh' neti

My friend Becky tells me that I am an Afrin addict. What can I say....there is nothing like instant breathing relief with just one squirt.
It started when I lived in Louisiana, I couldn't breathe (or poop) for the first year that I was there. Totally sucked. A southern friend told my to try Afrin. I did. It worked great(on the breathing, not the pooping)! What I failed to realize was there is an Afrin plague that settles over Louisiana. The Afrin addiction rate is huge...they have doctors that just deal with weening people off of the drug. No lie.
Well, I brought the habit back to Maine......I now find over the years Afrin doesn't work as well as before........so, I thought I would try the holistic, ancient tribal nasal cleansing route. om!
neti pot
Now, let me tell you............I hate water up my nose...to this day I still plug my nose when going under water.....

I went online to check out the neti process. I found this video on you tube.... it is so funny.
Well I have used it for 3 days now. It seems to be working well. I definitley would say warm salty water up my nose is no fun.....but now I feel that I can honestly say that my Afrin addiction could be weening! ahhh to be addict free..........