Vintage Patterns

Thinking about spring and some new additions to my wardrobe got me looking for patterns. I always make myself a few items so that I'm ready for the lovely warm weather and sunshine when it finally arrives. However, I've had a hard time finding vintage patterns in my small size.

I discovered and bought these from Nana's Sewing Basket after seeing one of her vintage patterns in a Storque article suggesting things to frame and display in your home.

It's true that these patterns envelopes would look smart framed and hung on my wall. They remind me of Barbie dresses or those smart little outfits Samantha Stephens would wear on Bewitched! Now I just have to find some fabric and some time!!

Featured!

So today my love bird pillows were featured, along with a lot of other beautiful birds, on the blog at foundhandmade! They are right under Miss Butler's heart ornaments. Miss Butler is one of my favorites! There are so many cute birdies and hearts and now I've discovered another handmade site!

another treasury!

Oh my gosh, I'm in two treasuries on the same day! Now this might be old hat for some of the better-known etsy sellers, and perhaps a day will come when I too can say that I'm in treasuries all the time, and I'm a regular on the Front Page. But for now, this is exciting!! My only item of a Valentine theme: two love bird pillows.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=36045

a treasury on etsy

My orange and gold bird brooch has been included in a treasury on etsy! And I thought no one liked it! This is the second time I've had the honor of being in a treasury. I think I'll have to start making treasuries myself, but it sounds difficult, from what I've read in the forums. Difficult to get one, I mean. And then it would be hard to choose items from all the great stuff on etsy. I guess I'll have to get to work reviewing my favorites and making a poster sketch!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=36232

Valentine for etsy

I spent Wednesday evening making this embroidered Valentine "card" and then I sent it off to etsy on Thursday morning. They are going to be given out to seniors on Valentine's Day with Meals on Wheels. I hope a lot of etsy sellers (and others!) are participating; there may be a lot of people who are alone, and who would appreciate a little token of affection on that special day.

So, get to work and create a beautiful Valentine card! Etsy must receive them by February 2nd!

A Mosaic Workshop

I made this mosaic last year in a workshop at the Musée des Tissus/Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Lyon. I love participating in workshops there. There's this amazingly big work space, the artists are helpful, especially with technical details, and there's no phone ringing, or kids asking you to do things, at least for the duration of the workshop! Five hours of non-stop creation.

This mosaic workshop was two five-hour periods, two Saturdays in February. After ten hours, I had finished way less than half this mosaic! I worked another 20-odd hours at home, not including grouting or cleaning! And it's not even that big; it measures about 45 x 35 cm. I had it professionally photographed, and it is in my portfolio, but it's been sitting on my worktable, propped against the wall for almost a year.

So last week I decided to ask at the local fine art supply store if they'd let me hang it there. I had noticed that they had a lot of paintings up, but no mosaics. Well, the owner liked it, and said he was about to set up a display of mosaic supplies and my mosaic would be the perfect wall hanging in that area, right in the front of the store! He said he couldn't guarantee that it would be sold (who can ever be sure of sales?) but if it does, he doesn't take a commission. Thanks so much to Le Pinceau d'Or in Lyon, France!

So, I've found a home for my rather heavy mosaic, at least for now.

Gifts & Swaps

Here are a few brooches I made for my sister and her daughter this weekend. I sent them off to the USA yesterday with about 50 of my brand new business cards enclosed! I thought since she's going to be passing them out, the least I could do was to make her a few little gifts.

This one is for my niece, Sarah, to whom I gave a big set of seed beads in lots of colors for Christmas. Perhaps this will inspire her to try felt too!

Speaking of business cards, I also sent out a few cards to another etsy seller, and she's sending me some of hers. If you would like to do a card swap, let me know in the comments. I would love to include them with my orders, in the USA or internationally!

Another Fish

My latest fish pillow is made of this pretty green fabric that I got at the outdoor market here in town. In French, the color is called vert anis, and I didn't know what it was called in English. (Yes, I'm a native English speaker, but I'm really bad with color names!) So I was on a thread on the etsy forums last night where people were talking about hot colors for spring and I found my color on a Pantone color chart. So apparently it's called "dark citron."
I had never heard of this before, I hope I've got it right!

Anyway, I like the way the fish came out. Once again, my son wants one of these too!

Bird pillows or Soft Sculptures

So, I've made some pillows (or soft sculptures), still inspired by my drawings of African bird sculptures in bronze. This one is like one of my brooches, only bigger, of course, and 3D instead of 2D. This one sold two days after being listed on my etsy shop. This is the first one I tried, made of cotton decorator fabric I found in the remnant bin of my favorite fabric shop here in Lyon.


This one is made of a beautiful paisley cotton I bought from etsy seller, The Designers Touch. I used linen for his beak and felt for his legs and feet. My son loved him so much he hugged him!

I like the fish too. She's simple and would look good on a couch with lots of other fishes. I'll have to make a bunch more! My daughter thinks they would be the perfect pillows for a beach house. We don't have one though, so...

Bird Walk

I was finally able to photograph the finished piece! It's been winter grey skies for what seems like a very long time. Today the sun came out, even though the temperatures are frigid.

For some reason, I had to call it Bird Walk. Instead of "birds walking" or "walking birds" or even "the birds go for a walk". The title Bird Walk just seemed to be my only choice.