pamgarrison

switching my stitching to sweatshirts

I bought a sweatshirt on sale at Target and decided to use it as a new sampler background. The sweatshirt had some pencil lines, "New York", and bits of color on it to start, but it looked more like I had spilled Kool Aid on it than an intentional design. I took it as an excuse to stitch away. Here's a better look so you can see what I'm talking about.

I'm going to try to show some restraint and stop stitching on it now, but it's not easy when you are addicted to adding bits and bobs. Off to find a sweater, or apron, or birdcage cover or a skirt to stitch on...oh, the possiblitlies are endless, aren't they? And, in case you were wondering, it's already been through the wash too and came out A-ok.

i've been stitching again

It's just so relaxing. Found a link to this site that offers free tutorials on stitches and lots of other information for hand embroidery. I watched three videos and found out all sorts of things that I've been doing wrong. I'm been a make-it-up-as-I-go-along-girl so far, but it inspired me to learn the true techniques. If you've been wanting to start, you'll find the info over there helpful and it'll keep you from having to re-learn your bad stitching habits :). 

 Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

 

in a 70's sort of mood

When taking photos of the wall project of last post, I edited out this plant, but then I started taking pictures of it and the other two I had recently bought for inside the house. It surprised me how much of a 70's vibe the plants have to me. This next one is in the living room and I had been looking everywhere for one (although I don't know the name of it, sorry) as I had seen it in every home magazine and wanted one for a giant pot I have. Isn't it funny that plants go in and out of fashion? This big leafed beauty is even in the current Pottery Barn magazine for proof of that point.

 

And while at Home Depot this past weekend figuring out a way to hang the wall art boxes, I stumbled upon this guy and couldn't resist bringing him home. All the plants were bought at Home Depot in the houseplant section, but none had tags on them, so I don't know what it is either. Here it sits on the dining room buffet. That's a French antique wine bottle drying rack on the wall next to it. I've got a good idea for it to come in a future post!

fini!

{Grrr...I double photo-ed here, but lately, if I delete a photo once added, everything else becomes underlined, so I'm not going to bother. You'll just get to see it from both sides :)}

I'm finished with my little wall art project for now, and we even figured out how to make them hang-able and hung them too! I had to toss around the phrase, "we've been here for well over a year with nothing on the wall" a lot to get full cooperation with the above,  but it was worth it. I like them!  Thank you for all the great thoughts and suggestions. It's so fun to brainstorm creatively with others; you know I can't get anyone in my house to discuss a craft willingly with me! Happily, this little set seems to be appreciated by the whole family, which is not always the case with things I make (my daughter still "doesn't get" the coffee filter garland...). They all probably like these because they were involved in the gathering of all the parts. Using just a few shells from my childhood made the house piece extra special to me, so I suppose they feel the same. Speaking of the shell house, it ended up  looking like this for now:

I did extend it a bit, but I couldn't bear to cover up the Paris postmark on the paper I bought there last year (see it below?). I also filled it in quite a bit with tiny shells.

The third piece is a tray made using a family photo taken by Tara Whitney at our favorite beach a few years ago. It sits on top of a piece of marbled paper cut out of an old ledger. The marbled paper reminds me of the ocean. I wired it on under a piece of glass. I tried mica instead of glass, but you couldn't really see the photo. My printer is l.a.m.e. so I may reprint and switch out the photo when I get new ink, or change to black and white, but for now it doesn't bother me enough to worry about. Here's the finished box on the same shutters I used to show you the others:

 

I hung a tiny little bottle off it and I'm either going to put some sand or water in it that we collect next time we are at the beach. First I thought sand, but then remembered Janice Lowry's cool water collection and liked that idea better.  So, when you look at the other things hanging, do you read it as "us" or "U.S." ? It's funny, it took me awhile to see it as "us", but now I do.

And there you have it! I'm done for now...but I do wonder if eventually I should add two more...hmmm...

number 2 of 3

Continuing with the previous post, I've made a second box to hang on our family room wall. This time I used shells and rocks that we have found over the last two decades. I did cheat a bit and used two shells and a couple shark teeth that were  found with my family when I was a child. It's not quite done; I think I need to add another inch or so at the bottom, and thicken up the insides some more, but it's close enough to share. Don't you love it when a project gets to the point where you feel like it's coming together and gonna work?

I keep propping these boxes on the shutters to take a photo and I have to say I really like the way they look on the shutters (which are in the living room). Watch, I'll end up hanging them on the shutters and have nothing on the family room walls again! Here are the two of them together against the wall they were made for. I love the first one, but not loving the second one yet. Getting worried that the set of three is going to be a little too crafty, too home-made. A little too summer camp. Somehow I'm feeling like the shells (maybe it's the house shape) are detracting from the hearts. A little too contrived? Not sure. Will keep playing and see what comes of it. Any ideas out there of why it's a bit off?

And here's another close up. Can you see the marble we found that is so rough and worn? I included shards of pottery, pieces of shells and lighter colored sea glass too.

 

Ok, off to play with glue and shells and stones and see how it turns out. ...Fingers crossed...

in need of wall art

After living in this house for over a year, I still have hardly anything hanging on my walls. A few architectural pieces, a couple of mirrors, and hmmm... that's pretty much it. Honestly. Wow, even I'm surprised as I looked around just now to see if I was forgetting anything...nope!  A friend mentioned that another friend was threatening to drop in on me, because she wants to see what I've done with the place. That's the problem. Not much is the answer. I feel no rush, with days coming and going, until a comment like that - it has been a year after-all and I love houses and decorating and enjoy being creative, I should have something to show for it.  So today, I decided to make a little dent and create something to hang on the wall in the family room. My current thought is a grouping of small wooden trays. (We'll see if the idea pans out.)  I have these cool old wooden trays that my Dad used at work. When he was closing down his business I grabbed a few. Of course, now I'm kicking myself for not grabbing every last one, but it was such a rush at the end. Here's a photo of the one I started with today:

I lined it with a piece of very old (1851) paper. It's not glued in, for fear that it was something I shouldn't ruin. I don't know what it is, it's just beautiful to the eye and touch. I glued a bit of old ledger and a letter to the edge shown above that was just yucky old tape. Next, I grabbed our family-gathered heart shaped rocks. Remember these? Here is where I found them today, on the old bakery table behind the couch.

Lastly, I wired them onto the tray. I did drill some itty bitty holes in that precious paper. Pretty much all there was to it.

And now I have a little something to hang on the wall behind the couch. Something hand made with family meaning. Maybe next I'll make one with shells or sea glass we've collected. I'll let you know as my little wall art project continues...for now this first one is just leaning on some old shutters (top photo), too small alone to make an impact on the empty wall.

 

got flowers?

I hope you do. If not, share these with me. Happy Mother's Day!

at your local bookstore now

The latest issue of Where Women Create is out and on the bookshelves now. Here's the opening spread of my article. I thought it was so cool that they used my doodles and scraps of vintage wallpaper on my layout. Fun to have friends Lisa and Amy in the same issue with too.

And not quite at your local bookstore, another book that I've just ordered from Earth Angels. It looks quite yummy. I love the artwork of Julie Arkell. (Katie Runnels of the constant gatherer compiled that lovely Julie Arkell post) Just in case you love Julie too...

thanks janice

Here's today's crafting. It all started when I saw this photo.
Which led me to this post.  And then when I got down to this photo, I was unable to stop myself from following along.

Thanks Janice for the great inspiration and tutorial. And by the way, that little Dennison label with scissors on it as your icon when showing how to make something is soooo cute!

And thanks for all the journal love, you guys are sweet as always. xop