2/28/2011

Lovely Linen!


I have been a busy bee this week. I dyed some more linen and these two pieces I just fell in love with! So happy with this wonderful stuff. I cant wait to dye more of it. I also have been dyeing a pile of ribbons and several new velvet pieces. I so love playing with my dyes!


I have also been working on my rose choker and it is coming along nicely. I have the three component that I plan on using finished and now I just need to join them...although still not sure if the top piece will work out. I guess I will know soon :)


Hope you all have been enjoying a creative and restful week so far!
2/25/2011

ribbons and lace




I have been working on this beaded lace. This is my second version and I will probably stick with it. It's not perfect in my opinion but seeing as I have little skill with beading and this is a pattern I altered, it would probably take many revisions before I got what I considered perfect. This will be added to the Rose Choker I am working on. I cant wait to get that piece finished.

Today I cut ribbons to dye...lots of ribbons!

2/20/2011

Bracelets


Been a little busy this week. I am going to Physical Therapy three times a week now so that sucks up some of my time. Also trying to brush up on my french as I am going to apply for my ten year carte de sojour. Other than that I have been playing with ribbons and beads. I made these two bracelets and I really like both, what do you think?

2/15/2011

New Stuff

I've been playing with linen!





2/13/2011

Hope Springs Eternal


It's been a week of hope here. As many of you know, I fell a little over a year ago in December which started me on my decline. Slowly over time my hip has become increasingly painful and my ability to get around has greatly decreased. I had great hope in this last December when I visited a new doctor who gave me cortisone shots. I felt no pain for 5 days. I had forgotten what no pain felt like. It was pure bliss to be able to maneuver again, get off the bed without an effort,etc. I think the pain was even more devastating when it came back. I learned the hard truth that this form of injury does not heal easily. That even walking, getting out of a chair or climbing stairs is irritating it. All this time I had thought if I only exercise more it will go away. This time it's not that easy though.
So this last week I went for the first time to visit my new physical/massage therapist. HE worked on my back and set me up for three appointments this coming week. The pain is still here, and I know this will be a slow road but I now know WHAT is the problem and also what I can do to help fix it. I have learned the exercises that can help correct it and what NOT to do (which I think might be the most important thing to know) SO I have hope that this can be fixed, and that is much better than having nothing!


So besides therapy sessions this week I have been sewing. I worked on my moon choker last night, learning to bead a cabochon for the first time. I am loving this piece and plan to add more beads to it!


I also went into town with my honey as I needed to buy more dyes. We stopped at a wonderful restaurant and had sushi. It was the best I have had here, very fresh! He also bought me these...aren't they cute?!

2/10/2011

Beads Galore

I started using Plurk. If you don't know what Plurk is, it's similar to twitter, but not really. I have met a lot of really great and wonderful people on there and a lot of them are jewelers. I have seen some amazing work and I have to admit they have piqued my interest. Now I dont ever see myself becoming a jeweler but I have always had a passion for beads. A lot of my work is heavy with it.


I decided to explore this passion a little further when I started working on this choker of mine. So yesterday I tried my hand at beadweaving. Now this is just an experimental piece but similar to the one I hope to make for this choker. I really like how it turned out and can't wait to get the beads to finish this. It wont be quite the same but it gives you an idea. What do you think?

2/09/2011

I got my muse back!

So surprise, surprise...it didn't take long with my needle in hand for my muse to come creeping back too. Did I say creeping? I mean out and out knocking the breath out of my body gale force speed. I have been bowled over with ideas and hoping I can catch even a few of them!
It started out when I brought Small World out of deep sleep. It is now hanging on my board looking down on me. I worked two days non-stop and now the border is finished. The only thing that remains is the back mounting. It's journey is almost done.


After I finished I picked up some of my new velvet ribbon and started to play with it. This is a few of the WIP photos. It is only a small beginning...but it IS a beginning!

2/07/2011

An Old Friend

I was hit with the flu again this week, third time this winter...I am waiting for the sun to return. Spring will chase these bugs away I'm sure! In the meantime I have been determined to get back to my needlework so...


I pulled out an old friend. This piece has been waiting patiently for me to give it some attention again and I am gladly doing so now!