for audrey

it always overjoys me when my work is liked

and someone cares enough to actually want to own a piece or two

such as this custom ordered banner

that i made for audrey

she had admired a previous banner i made around x-mas, before my trip to chile, that i had for sale in my etsy shop

but that i ended up taking as a gift for my friend maria cecilia, who also loved it and featured on her blog

so here it is audrey, my promise fulfilled



to make another just for you, hope you like it



my sewing machine has been working non stop this past week conjuring up new variations to my newest obsession: garlands.  i love taking a theme and making it my own.  loving denim, i thought i'd try something with that in blue and white, something a bit more modern and simple.  four more banner pieces arose.  then i combined them with the white ones on the ribbon and i just love how it looks.

but the week has had other amazing surprises in between of which i will put together a very special post in the days to follow. 

when you're on a roll, better keep rolling because, art block is usually around the corner.  that's how it has been for me since last friday.  after tidying up most of my art supplies, fabrics, buttons, laces and dusting the sewing machine, i have been working to create as many pretties as i can think of before the holiday season begins.  this latest banner is white on white on ecru and took hours to embellish with multiple floral machine stitches, appliques, rubber stamping, hand sewing, embroidery and embellishing with vintage jewelry findings.  i am so proud of it and once again would love to keep it but work is work and hopefully it will sell.

this blog post is dedicated to my mama who would have celebrated a birthday today.  and believe me, she knew how to throw a party.

so here they are, the fruits of my determination and the labor of my loyal sewing machine for the past  three days stop and go. hours and hours of bliss.  i am never happier than when i am entranced in the creative process.  although the relaxation is much more when i hand stitch, the sewing machine has saved me precious time by making the tedious straight lines a cinch.  i was very strict in the past about not using a sewing machine but i slowly gave in one day when i found a multi stitch singer at costco.

the apron is now ready and listed in my shop as is the banner but my more ambitious work, a purple jacket appliqueed with a sacred heart detente will take longer.
it really looks easier than it is since chosing the right color scheme is hard and balancing all the elements and stitches is frustrating sometimes.  knowing when the piece is finished takes a keen eye for artistic composition.

well you can imagine what it was cleaning up the floor after all the snipping, cutting, bordering and embroidering.  i'm just too ashamed to show you what my work space looked like in the process. 

inspired by the new apronology trend

hand crocheted trim for the apron in pink cotton

the jacket

three dimensional heart on jacket back, i had started it long ago and it still has a ways to go

garland

garland

i love this one

you might all think me rather silly spending time like a dreamer, but i'd rather spend all my time making things and even selling them at cost in order to pay the bills.  i'd rather make a creative $30 to pay the electricity bill or go out to have an iced coffee with my daughter than sit in an office for eight hours and 4 of them idely. i refuse to work for the system again (GOD please don't let the spit come right back down on my face!)  where i felt like a "dead man walking".  and that's an understratement.  more and more of us are going "indie" and there's a very good reason for it too. 

as my good friend kathy would say "things must turn around sometime soon, don't you think?" love that woman.  it's more than her blog, it's her in constant movement knowing what's true. oh, there i go again all sentimental like but that's who i am, a sensitive romantic.