Four more pages...

Ah... I had most of yesterday in my sewing studio, tucked under the protection of my giant Redwoods! Didn't have a clue what I was going to create... then my supplies started jumping into my hands saying 'pick me' - 'use me' - and - 'I'll be perfect there!"

So here are the four new pages.
The sweet image was printed on silk. The fabrics are from vintage dresses, and the little crochet pocket... well, I think it was to put on the bottom of a glass? This is what popped off my shelf and said 'use me, I'll be perfect here'.

 This page I created to be placed opposite of the above page. Originally, this needle point was to be incorporated into one of my gypsy purses.... but it really looks great here.

 I love the way the silk took my inkjet color on  Mother Mary. I rediscovered several purple-ish dresses in a drawer... Handy scissors and here we go.

 More fabric from the purple-ish dresses.... the pocket here is actually a purple tulle over an orange silk, embroidered with sequins and a metallic thread. Made for a nice pocket.

 These two little treasure bags I made on Sunday. Used vintage doilies and trims. So much fun. I'm not having much luck selling things on my etsy site... but they are for sale if anyone is interested. ($20 each)

Sunday's stitching...

You'll love this eye-candy because it was so much fun to embellish. These are the first two pages I completed yesterday while watching the 49ers with my hubby. (They won!) I'm not sure if I truly want to say 'completed' because I hold the right to add more if I'm inspired.  Let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions!
  Remember this page? I used a few new flower embellishments, but everything else is vintage... the pink flowers came from the seamstress estate, dating 1919! The abalone buttons from my stash. The ribbons are all bias tape ribbons, also from the 1919 estate.

 Even though it's lowly bias tape, I love the silky look. I just gathered and puckered, tacked it down, then added the buttons.

 Here's a great closeup of the 1919 flower mixed with the newer vintage looking flowers.

 You haven't seen this page yet. I just assembled it yesterday. I had never used these stitches on my Janome machine! I love, love, love them!  This is several layers of both vintage and newer fabrics. I love the heart stitches!

 At the bottom of this picture you can see the precious lace pockets. I've had about a yard of this lace trim in my stash for years.... never wanting to cut into it.  But I think it makes for a lovely pocket!

 And these little lovebirds have also been in my treasures box for a few years, just waiting for the right place to call home. I think they are happy nested in the pink silk ribbon. (The pin on the back was broken, that's how it made its way into the treasure box.)

I actually worked on one more insert, but wont show you until it's more fully embellished.
Happy Monday and Sweet Stitching!
Chris

On a roll with two more insert pages....

Seems like I just can't wait to get into my sewing studio and assemble these foundational inserts for my fabric & lace CQ prayer book. It seems to be taking on a life of it's own as I play with the book, inserts, and embellishments.
This is my forth block or insert (I need 15) made yesterday. You can't see the deep velvet colors, but the foundation is crazy quilted around the message. This is one of the pocket pages, the pocket being the folded crochet doily on the bottom 1/3. All the lace on this piece is vintage! Just waiting now for it's embellishments.

 Now, this insert is a slightly different style, using layers of vintage fabrics from several dresses. There's an oversize piece of tulle that I plan to fold back onto itself, embellishing with silk flowers. I think I'll try to use only the vintage silk ribbons and flowers from my stash I mentioned in a previous post. I'm thinking that on some pages, I want to stay true to pure vintage. I love this angel picture. She's stitched onto a piece of upholstery fabric, which is a pocket as well. This book will have many, many pockets to tuck in prayers and wishes.

You can't see it fully, nor get the effect of the layers of laces and tulle dripping off the end of the page. I love the way it looks when I lay it in the book against the deeper colored pages.

Writing, Sewing, Painting, or Posting...OH MY!

It's kinda like trying to pat your head and rub you tummy at the same time. I love having inspirations! and I love creating... just can't do it all at the same time!

Here, you see my latest Diary of Faces painting

 

Oh... and this has been keeping us somewhat busy.... sweet hubby is creating a sewing room for me... I can't possible sew and craft and paint in the same small studio! lol.... that now stands for Lucky Old Lady! Thanks honey!!

A New Look, plus this week's work

So, I'm going for a new look here. Something softer that blends with the cloth side of me. Please tell me if you like it? Any suggestions?

In the mean time, here is the work I completed this week. Been a busy girl, with many hours lost in the wonderland of fabrics, laces, ribbons and buttons. I'd love to hear your comments. Oh, and if you are interested in purchasing any of these creations, please email me!

First, here are a few Composition Journals that I covered in the paste papers I made last fall. I love the colors. And I love paste paper! I'm selling these in my shop (Boulder Creek Antiques & Art) for $12 each.

Now, here is my Lace Album.... finally completed. I'm really happy with it... but of course, now I know how I'd do things different. It's a lovely book. I've already put it into my shop, and will probably list it on Ebay and Etsy. I'll create live links when I do. And, you're always welcome to email me directly.

So here it is.....
This is the front cover. I printed the images on muslin using the freezer paper technique. Much more economical than paying $10 for three sheets of printer fabric! All the laces you see are vintage, sewn onto upholstery fabric pages.

Here are some pictures of the inside pages. I embellished with a few vintage pins, buttons, and flowers I made from vintage satin.

You can see a few little pockets here and there... perfect to tuck in a little note or something.

 This page, on the right used several vintage hankies to create three individual tuck spots.

 I'm proud of the page on the left here. I created my own fabric by first using Photoshop and some vintage postcard images. I printed the image on fabric, then cut them and quilted them into a deep pocket page. The flower is another of the satin flowers I made. After cutting a number of circles, I singed the edges which made them curl, sewed a button in the center... tadaa, a rosette.

 This vintage, hand crochet doily made a beautiful back cover. It feels so great in my hands.

On a roll this week. I created another Composition Journal Wrap with vintage lace and fabrics. It started with a vintage hanky on top of a rectangular doily that just fit the 7x9 size journal. Then lots and lots of lace and another satin flower. (I listed this for $22, do you think that's too much?)

 Here's a pocket inside the front cover, perfect to keep your pen in.

 And, I just couldn't leave the back cover alone.... so I stitched row after row of different lace trims.

Yes, there's more!!! I just can't keep out of the laces! I had lots of bits and pieces left, so I stitched together some sweet little hang tags. (I put these in the shop for $4.50 each.)

Well, that's enough for one week. I just loved playing with all the fibers!
 PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS! Thank you and SWEET BLESSINGS!

A Reiki Center Blessing....

My friend Joyce just celebrated the opening of her SANTA CRUZ REIKI CENTER.

Knowing I would miss the Blessing Ceremony (attending my nephew's graduation) I wanted to create a symbol of the good works she is doing, and will do for many years in her new Center. I envisioned a scroll that she could display opened up, or rolled up and stashed in a secret corner.

In the style of KC Willis, I wanted to keep it organic and reminiscent of the Ancient Energies that Reiki embodies. So, with bits of this and that, and words lifted directly from her website, here is what I came up with.

 Here is a close up of the top and bottom. I used vintage raw silk, hand made lace, and some translucent brown organza.  Ah, I just realized I didn't get a picture of the backside. All was layered upon a piece of vintage upholstery fabric, all in shades of muted green and soft healing creams.

And here it is, all rolled up, able to be tucked into a secret corner, still emitting Sacred Blessings.