Another Day Without Needlework...

Do you feel the same way? I think I've shared my term for this before, but just in case, I refer to my need to create as my creative imperative. When I'm not working on something - needlework, knitting, sewing - I feel that there's something missing. I really can't wait to get back to it.

I'm feeling a bit like that right now. I haven't been able to work on my birds for nearly a week, and today is spoken for as well. I'm heading out soon to run a few errands before my hair appointment. Then at 3, I'll be meeting classmates for our monthly gathering. I'll be back home by 5, but once the sun goes down, I've lost my best light for sitting in front of the dining room windows, with my frame and magnifying lamp. I may try to sit down for a little while, but it's usually more taxing on my eyes to rely solely on lamplight.

I'm going to earmark tomorrow as my stitching day, and see whether or not I'm able to put on my desire into action. I'll let you know.

Tomorrow, of course, I'll be sharing our group classmate photo. You'll be able to see what I finally decided about my hair. I still haven't made up my mind. Can you even believe it? I'll see you again tomorrow!

Female In Flight...

As I take a little break from the stitching, I can still contemplate how I'll proceed when I can finally hold a needle again. (The bandaid really gets in the way.) 

I went online and pulled a few more photographs of female bluebirds (one more in flight) so I could get more accurate colors for her plumage. The stack on the left and in the middle are the likely colorways. The three on the right are possibilities, if used sparingly. You already know I'm not afraid to remove something I've already stitched if it's not right.

My thumb is actually doing much better today. The cut isn't real deep, but I want to make sure I don't leave unwanted DNA on my project. I'll be cautious and give it another couple days to completely heal. I plan to be back at the frame by the weekend.

November ATCs...

Brynwood Needleworks - November Artist Trading Cards - Fabric Theme

I created my November Artist Trading Cards for the Handmade Treasures Exchange, hosted by my sister, Jan. This month's theme was Fabric. Last week I was stumped over what I wanted to do because, well, I'm a fabric hound, and there are just so many ways I could have gone with this challenge. 

In the end, I decided to keep it relatively simple, as I needed to create ten of them. If I were only swapping with one other partner, I would probably have gone in a more elaborate direction. As it was, I think my choices in fabric made them appear more elaborate.

You'll notice that I fussy cut the wings on each of the butterflies so they'd be mirror image. I also have two that are the same. One for my sister and one for me.

So, I assembled the butterflies using my sewing machine, but did add a hand stitched element in a single flower. As I completed the last one, I found myself hoping that next month's challenge isn't butterflies or insects! Of course, if it is, I'm sure I can come up with another insect I can use. (I'm guessing it might be a Christmas theme, but that's only speculation.)

I'll get these in the mail in the next day, and then they'll be winging their way to new homes. I'm anxious to see what the others create this month, too! I'll probably wait until I receive all of them to share, rather than parade them out as they arrive.

I'll be getting back to my bluebirds later this week. I have an order for hickory syrup to bottle and ship, and a few other things I'd like to work on in the studio. I haven't decided which days will be dedicated to what yet, so your guess is as good as mine. I'll keep you posted. 

Mulling Things Over...

This month's theme for Jan's ATC Swap is "Fabric". Have you ever had so many choices that it ended up paralyzing you? You couldn't make a decision? That's where I am right now. Should I quilt my next ATC? Should I do some stitching on it or save that for a later exchange?

This is what I pulled out an started thinking about. I could use this fabric as the ground for anything else I do. Or should I piece fabrics together into a small ATC-sized mini quilt? Should I add needlework to it? Right now I'm completely stymied.

I could make ten small garment cards. Do you remember the one I did for the Blissful ATC Swap so many years ago. Here. I'll refresh your memory...

This one was actually secured to the cardstock I used for the card. If you'd like to see more photos and the inspiration, click HERE. Maybe I should make a simpler garment for this month's theme? Maybe something in flannel to go with the season? See? Now I'm off in a different direction completely! In the imagined words of Scarlet O'hara, "Whatever shall I do?"

Do you have any thoughts or suggestions to help me trim down my criteria? I'm always happy for the input. Otherwise, you know I'll keep on thinking about this for a while until something hits me between the eyes. Just to be safe, don't plan to stand behind me for a while.

Just One More Room...

Artwork by Nina Katharina Sandberg

Don't you just love illustrations like this? It inspires me to create something in needlework. It inspires me to remember that I find solace in Nature. As many are planning for large Thanksgiving dinners, I know that soon my family will commemorate of the loss of my sister, Lyn a year ago this month. I'll write about that later as the anniversary of that sad date approaches, but this image wants me to ask these sweet creatures to add just one more room.

My uncle, his wife and family lived in an earth berm home many years ago. He's been gone a long time, and she's moved into a lake home on land they purchased decades ago. I've often contemplated the benefits of an earth berm home. How it nestles into the countryside, temperatures inside regulated by the earth. Safe from tornadoes and other weather events. I think the older I get, the more I favor the idea.

For now, I'm sharing this image as a way to save it for future inspiration. I may just sit down and draw my own version for the time when I'll create an underground cocoon in fabric and threads. Another item for my "To Do Before I Die" list. sigh

Introducing Baby Number Three...

Guess what I did yesterday? I spent the entire day needle dancing, while simultaneously doing two loads of laundry. It was a true day of accomplishment. For some reason, Baby #3 went pretty smoothly and quickly. Perhaps because I'd already done two?

This is how the piece looks so far. I only have one more bird to tackle...the one in flight. I'll do the fencing as my last element. I think that's going to take a while as I decide how I want to pad and stitch it, but I'm way ahead of myself even thinking about that right now.

I'll be at work today, so no time at the needlework stand. Oh, and we had a last minute call for Craft Day last Saturday. I'll share photographs of that with you tomorrow so you can see what we did. Even some of the kids participated!

Starting Baby Three...

Bluebirds - Work in Progress

With the weather change the past couple of days, my hands have been a little sore. Even so, the sun was shining and I had the itch to stitch. I sat down for about an hour and a half and began baby bluebird number 3. 

I know it doesn't look like a lot of progress, but I got quite a bit of the design started for the head and breast. It will be easier to lay in the other colors now that I have this part sorted out.

I'm going to spend the rest of this morning and early afternoon going through things to purge in the studio. We'll see how much I accomplish and hopefully the "Oh, look! A squirrel Syndrome" won't strike before I make some good headway. I just keep reminding myself how much I need to move things out, and how much better I'll feel once I get it done. I think I may develop a work plan where I purge for an hour or two, and then reward myself with an hour of needlework. It's not better than chocolate, but it's close. lol

Second Baby Bluebird Finished...

Two Baby Bluebirds Finished

I finished Baby Bluebird #2 yesterday, after I finished baking five loaves of bread and four hamburger buns. As with the adult bluebird, I won't add feet until their perch is stitched so their feet are on top, rather than buried in the fencing.

I have between six and seven hours in this little bird, although I didn't officially keep time. Next will be Baby Bluebird #3, and then I'll move on to the other adult.

Now, about those hamburger buns. We had the pressure canned sloppy joes on them for dinner. Rather than use my own barbeque sauce recipe (actually my grandmother's recipe) for the sloppy joes, I tried the recipe in my pressure canning cookbook. Handsome and I agreed that, while we won't toss the other two jars, we prefer our tried and true sauce. This one tastes a little too "Manwich-y" for us. It's more vinegary. As it will be pressure canned, my recipe sans apple cider vinegar is more to our taste. The rolls were just right, though.

I work again today, so my plans for Wednesday are to spend time purging studio "extras". I'm sorting through more fabrics, rephotographing my cork items, and then I'm going to have a sale in my Etsy shop in November. I won't be participating in the vendor show over deer hunting weekend, but I still want to move some of my current inventory. I'm also planning to add new items in November, too. I'll be making room to move around first, though.

How is your week shaping up? Are you doing something creative? Getting ready to put your yard to rest for the winter? Planning a trip? Celebrating anything special? I'd love to hear all about it! See you tomorrow.

Back To My Bluebirds...

I had full sunshine in the dining room yesterday, so I could be found sitting with my needlework frame in front of the windows.  I spent hours blissfully working on my bluebirds. It was time to start the babies.

I'd estimate I spent about five or six hours with needle and thread and managed to complete the baby in back, and most of the head of the second baby.

The original plan was to be in Portage today for our monthly craft day, but Adrienne sent out a message Friday morning to tell us it was called off because she and her husband are ill. Best we all stay home, which is fine with me. I'll be able to work on the rest of my second baby bird! I should have this wee one finished by the end of my stitching today.

Brynwood's October ATC...

Brynwood Needleworks - October 2024 ATC

 

Well, it's already dark as I write this, so I won't go back and rephotograph this under artificial light, but...

I can see that I should have tidied up my background to remove the stray threads from my paisley board. sigh

 

I got to spend my entire day playing in the studio! This is the artist trading card design I came up with for the "Mixed Media" October challenge for my sister's group. If you're interesting in joining her Facebook group Handmade Treasures by Jan, you can click HERE to participate.

 

 

 

There are nine other participants this month, so I made one for each, plus one for my collection. The sun was shining, and I had so much fun making these. Each matching card features an acorn fairy image printed on silk fabric, part of an antique doily, and an acorn/oak leaf charm. The back of each one has a signature space so the recipient will know who created it, the ATC group, and how many were created (1/10, etc.) They'll all mail to their new homes today.

 

Artist Trading Cards...

Laura's ATC

My sister, Jan has a Facebook and Instagram group called "Handmade Treasures by Jan". I recently learned that she has a monthly Artist Trading Card (ATC) exchange, and decided to participate for a while.

Rather than being matched to just one partner, every participant receives a list (with addresses) of that month's participants and then makes an ATC for every member. This month, there are ten participants - including me - so we each make and mail ten cards (keeping an example for yourself). We have until the end of the month to mail them out.

This month's theme is "Mixed Media", and my first one arrived yesterday from Laura. I love the sentiment. Don't you? 

I haven't decided what mine will look like this month, but I'm already thinking about it. I'm hoping to begin work on them next week. I don't want to wait until the end of the month to make them. Mixed media will be a great theme for me, though. I can take it just about any direction! I'll be sure to share as I work on them.

If you'd like to check out Jan's FB group or would like to participate in the next ATC Exchange, you can visit her page HERE.

I work today, and then I'm finished until next Wednesday. I'm ready, too. My feet will definitely thank me for the break. Happy Saturday!

Special Delivery...

Although I'm not planning to do any shows in the near future, I will be working on a few new things for my Etsy shop. This new hardware came in today, as well as the new strap material. Wrist bands or shoulder straps? I haven't decided yet. I'll know it when I see it. I am tickled with the kittens, musical, and paw print zipper pulls, though. Makes me want to get back to sewing a little.

You can find me at the other store for one more day and then Friday and Saturday back where I usually work. I'll be glad for Saturday to be over so I can resume my stitching! I'm looking forward to putting my feet up, too. With a cup of tea. And lots of threads. And a little background music. Ahhhh, yes.

Next - Baby Bluebirds...

I probably won't be able to work on them until the weekend, but next on the project is to stitch the baby bluebirds. I'll begin with the one in the background and work forward from there.

These babies will be embroidered in shades of cream, tan and light brown for the majority of their feathering. The babies are never as colorful as the adults, and these are no exception. I'll share my color palette for these little guys tomorrow.

Four more days of work and then I can play. I don't think I'll add extra hours for a few weeks now, either, as I still have canning and yard prep to do for the colder months. As much as I enjoy working at the store, home needs more attention than work, and I need my creative time.

My thoughts continue to turn to our last domicile, Florida. I'm so concerned for our friends as this storm intensifies. I'm concerned that they'll lose everything when Milton makes landfall. I pray that they all stay safe, and if they've tried to evacuate, that they managed to get out of the state before they had fuel and supplies run dry. Please keep everyone in the path of this hurricane in your thoughts and prayers. 

I Believe It Can Fly...

Bluebird 1 Wing Rework

Saturday was my stitching day, and I got a lot accomplished...twice!! This little triptych shows you how my day went.

First, I sat down to my hoop and stitched an entire wing. About the time I was ready to declare it "finished", I took a photograph and looked at it. I didn't really look like a wing to me. I sat there for a few minutes and contemplated whether or not to "just leave it". Well, it wasn't long before I knew what had to be done.

I painstakingly snipped and pulled all of the blue stitches, and then I cut down my padding to shorten and reshape the wing. The middle photo shows you how it looked before I resumed stitching, and the photo on the right is my final wing. Much more elegant and "winglike".

It's what you do when "good enough" really isn't good enough. It needs to be something you're proud to share with everyone who sees it...or even if you're the only one who will ever look at it. It needs to be right.

Now, Bluebird #1 is right. The faint blue on the fabric around the tip of the wing is from my Frixion™ pen. I'll take a blow dryer to it soon, and then it will disappear. This picture is up close and personal so you can see my individual stitches. The bug and the bird's legs will be likely be the last things I do, so this one is done for now.

I've picked up extra hours this week, as a sister store (even closer than where I usually work) is short-staffed. On the days I'm not working where I was hired to work, I'll be helping out from 1-5 pm at the closer station. It will help them out, but my creative time may take a hit. I'll see if I can get some stitching time in while there's still daylight - perhaps before work. I'll share what I can. 

Today will be Day One of the extra shifts (plus Wednesday and Thursday). I'll have my usual Tuesday and Friday, and an added Saturday (unless someone else takes that off my hands). I'm praying my knee and feet hold out so I'm not stalking around like the old mature woman I am. Tylenol™ and I will be buddies this week. Wish me luck!

Then, There's A Wing...

 
Aside from making dinner and dessert last night, all I did all day was stitch. I accomplished quite a bit, as I completed the body and tail of my adult, perching bluebird.

All I have left to do on this one is the wing, which I managed to start before dinner. As I'd lost daylight by then, too (anyone else notice it's getting dark waaayyy too early now?), I stepped back until I can again work in natural light, with my magnifier lamp as backup. 

Once again, as I look at my photograph, I see where I unconsciously ended up with multiple light threads that appear as long lines in the body. I'll go back and partially cover those with other colors to avoid that look. Otherwise, I'm happy with the way it's progressing.

I leave the legs until the end, as I want them grasping the wooden fence. If I stitched them now, the surrounding stitches would bury the feet - a look I don't want. So, all the birdy legs will be completed last. I'm also contemplating how I want the little bug this one's holding to look. I'm thinking I may use vellum for the wings. I have to play with that idea first. Otherwise, I'll make stumpwork wings to add later. So many options!

I'm going in for a full shift at work today. My boss put out a request for someone to cover her shift, and no one else offered to help, so I jumped in. The good thing is I won't have to work my usual evening hours, as someone else offered to pick those up for me. Six hours standing is about my limit, so I was really grateful for her stepping in for me.

I won't stitch any more today, but I will be seated at my hoop tomorrow. By the time I get home from work, we have an early dinner and then I'm usually drooling in the chair within an hour. Handsome just smiles and lets me sleep. He's a good guy that way. See you tomorrow!

Reworked Bluebird Breast...

Bluebird Head and Breast WIP

This was the "finished" version I shared previously, before I looked at the photographs. Once I reviewed my work, I decided that it needed some frogging and re-stitching. I wanted more of the darkest shade to be used on the breast area, so I ended up removing the light colors below the dark in this photograph.

Reworked Bluebird Breast

Once I'd done that, I started the revision. I'm much happier with this version, so I'll be continuing on from here. I know it's subtle, but I think the rework was worth it. I like it a lot more.

I work today, but will be back to stitching later this week. I'm also going to do some canning this week because the weather is supposed to be cooler. I have an order for eight bottles of the Hickory Hill Farm Hickory Syrup, and I want to pressure can some of the meat that's been in the freezer. Ahhhh, yes. Another busy week. Then, there's this...

...already! 

 

One more day before I can post photos from our Craft Day. I'm missing an image and need to get it from one of the other ladies. Hopefully tomorrow. See you later!

 

Needle Dancing The Cha Cha...

Pre-Frogged Original Colors

Two steps forward, one step back...cha cha cha. I spent most of Sunday afternoon stitching out the colors on the neck that you see here. Then I photographed it and decided the colors were too brown and dark for the male bluebird. You know what that meant. Ripit. Ripit. Ripit. Sigh

Post-Frog Final Colors

I chose new colors and started again. It still needs tweaking, because I want that darker band to be wider. I'll take out the lighter colors below and rework that area today. I do love the new colors much more, though, so I will stay with those.

I think the program is to photograph my piece as I'm working on it each session to evaluate placement, etc. The picture shows more than I can see as I work, I guess. Some things just jump out at me in the picture that I never seem to notice until I've worked past it. Then, it's more involved to go back and carefully remove the threads I want to change. Lesson learned.

I'll share photos from Craft Day (last Saturday) with you tomorrow. We had a great time, and I really enjoyed the project! 

I'm off to get my morning cuppa, and then back to the needlework frame. Let's see just how much I accomplish today.

Stitch, Frog, Stitch...

I admit, it doesn't look like much yet. I stitched the baby birds beaks, frogged what I'd stitched, and then stitched some more. The same for the bluebird's head. Getting the eyes and beaks right is very important to me. When I stopped for the day (losing daylight), this was all I'd accomplished, and I still have some tweaking to do.

The beak is not the finished look. This will be the padding for the actual stitching so it has some dimension. The babies' beaks still need a little bit of work, too, which I'll perfect using my lighted magnifier.

For the bluebird's head, I'm first stitching in the darker of the colors. I'll go back and add lighter colors for contrast. You'll see that I'm using only one strand of thread. This is all Anchor floss. Using one thread will make it easier to get more detail. The eye is almost finished, but I have a little more to do there, too.

I'll be doing more stitching on the beaks, eyes and heads today. I have to go to work tonight, but should be able to get a little more finished by the time I have to leave. I'm also planning to stitch all weekend, so I should have quite a bit more done by Monday.

Sending prayers for strength and safety for all our Florida friends in the wake of Hurricane Helene. I hope everyone will be okay in the wake of this devastating storm.

September Classmate Gathering...

l-r: back-John, Jeff, Donna, Ken, Mary, Deb B. front-Cal, Al, Bruce Missing: Dick and Mike S.

Another great meal shared with old friends. Two of our classmates left before we took our photo. We always take one right before we part ways, and they took off before the rest of us. We'll remind the newcomers at the beginning of dinner to hang around at the end next time.

I sat next to Deb and Mary, and we agreed that we really love these monthly dinners. Old friendships rekindled as we planned for the reunion, and then tended each month since as we share a meal together. We all look forward to these dinners. Not everyone can attend every month, but that's okay, too. It gives us new things to discuss the next time they join us. We sure have fun, though, and there is always much-needed laughter...and more than a little story-telling.

Bruce is a huge fan of my cinnamon rolls, so he always orders some before our dinner nights. Yesterday was no exception, so, because I want them to be fresh, I got up very early yesterday to "make the donuts". I made a double batch of dough, which yielded four trays of four large rolls. I took an extra tray, which was grabbed almost before I could finish offering it. I guess I should make more next time!

Actually, our next gathering will be on October 30th, so I'm thinking I'll plan ahead and make frosted sugar cookies in the shape of a pumpkins, black cats, or ghosts. (I'll need to get new cookies cutters, because I don't have those shapes.) I'd also have to start the weekend before so I have plenty to frost the day of our dinner. Could be fun!

Handsome doesn't have any appointments today, so my plan is to spend the day needle dancing. We'll see how far I get on my birds. Either way, it will be fun to just sit and stitch for a bit.