Studio Bliss And More Dresses...

I had a great weekend in the studio. I actually took the day "off" on Saturday and spent time with Handsome and the pups, but Sunday was very productive. I'm making more pincushions for my Etsy shop.

I'll be stitching and embellishing today. I have vintage jewelry that I'm repurposing, and all those yummy seam bindings are waiting for my needle and thread.

Tag will be back tomorrow, but I'll post the finished pincushions on Wednesday, even though they'll be listed by the end of today.

More dresses arrived over the weekend, too! Sherry E. of Createology blog sent a package filled with so much sweetness!

There are pretty flowers and colorful caterpillars.

Look at these baby elephants!

...and this pretty dress for a bigger girl. It's just the right amount of sweetness, without being a "baby" dress. Really. It makes me wish I could be there when the children choose from the dresses I've received so far. I know there are more on their way...and lots of little girls who have no idea of the efforts being mounted around the country on their behalf.

  I'll be back on Wednesday. Hope you have a great week ahead.

Lo, How A Rose E're Blooming...

Christmas gifts have been shipped to family and now I have time to create

 the gifts that are on my list for special friends and family here at home.

I'm not going to mention the names of anyone in particular (like maybe the one I
mentioned in my blog post yesterday. shhhh!), but I decided that project would be
the first one I'd work on in the afternoon after everything else was delivered to the
post office. I told you I already had fabrics and embellishments planned in my mind.

It wasn't long before I had all my supplies pulled and was busy at my
machine. I sewed the basic design, and then I sat down to do my handwork.
I used silk ribbons for a sweet feminine touch and after I added a few more
adornments, I sat back to assess my finished efforts. I was pleased.

These gifties are going to be wrapped this morning and then they'll be on

their way to a certain "sparkle-ing" friend. I had a ball making them and

I hope that she's as tickled with her gifts as I am with the ones she sent to me.

As soon as I know she's received them, I'll share photos of the whole project.

I don't want to give away any more than a peek - just in case she stops by for a visit.

One more thing today - I'm not of the mind that December 21st is the end of
the world. I'm looking at that Mayan calendar like the odometer on a car.
When it gets to "999,999.9 miles", it flips over to all zeroes and starts again.

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 Besides, I have way too many ideas for projects that I intend to finish before
all the lights go out. I'll be back tomorrow and hope you'll be here, too.
I'd love for you to see what I have planned next.

Saturday Road Trip...

Saturday morning at 8 o'clock, my friends, Netta and Monica hopped into my Explorer and the three of us headed to Orlando to the CHA Craft Show. A quick three hours later, we had parked the car and walked across the lot to the Orange County Convention Center. I say "quick" because we hadn't been together for a while and were catching up during the drive.

Before we knew it, we were entering the show with our eyes open wide before all the displays. I've done trade shows and needleworker events before - both as a vendor and as a buyer - but that first sight of a show in full swing is always awe-inspiring.

We were quickly engulfed in a sea of humanity, all scurrying about for Make & Take workshops, vendor lectures, giveaways and demonstrations. We decided that it might be best for us to split up for a couple of hours and then meet at a designated time near the entry to grab a bite to eat. After our tasty repast, and comparison of shopping bag contents, we again set off for the vendor booths.

Many of the vendors were focused on products for knitting, scrapbooking and stamping, and I managed to find a few unique items that would suit my purposes. A booth run by Bello Modo (The Beautiful Way) from Olympia, Washington had these beautiful wire lace ribbons. They are tubular, so you can slip beads or other embellishments into them. They can be pulled lengthwise or widthwise and they retain their new shape to add a beautiful sparkle and a lacy effect to just about anything. You can see they come in many different colors, and they make up into beautiful jewelry!

Right on the counter next to the ribbon display was this beautiful necklace using first, a pendant with charms, then adding pearls inserted into the ribbon, alternating with spacers and dangles outside the ribbon. It was finished with a length of silver chain and a clasp at each end of the ribbon. I was intrigued enough to purchase about 6 different 1 yard lengths in a half inch width. I can't wait to play with it.

We left the show with bags full of information, free patterns, make & take projects - and feet a little sore. We stopped in Sarasota for a bite to eat and then headed home with our booty.

As I write this on Saturday night, I know that tonight my dreams will be filled with the sights and sounds of market, along with ideas cooking in my head just waiting for the right time to come forward in the studio. Tomorrow is going to be fun! Sweet Dreams.

FIVE DAYS and counting until the 100th Post Giveaway!! I'm so excited about what I'll be offering. It's taking all my willpower not to spill all the details now!

Look What I Found...

I was tidying up (ok, I was cleaning and purging) in the studio yesterday, and look what I found! I had started this project a long, long time ago - when we still lived in Wisconsin. When we moved, this was put in the box with some of my other needlework projects, and then just went into the bottom drawer of my pattern file when I moved into my current studio.

As I opened that bottom drawer yesterday, these ribbon embroideries caught my eye. The embroideries are completely finished and all I have to do is assemble them as pincushions into the shaker bases that I have for them. I can't believe I'd forgot all about them! Especially knowing how much I love pincushions.

If you've never tried silk ribbon embroidery, it's really a fun and although there are specific stitches for creating the different flowers, the stitcher has a lot of leeway in the finished design. You can embellish nearly anything with the embroideries. Very pretty - and definitely very vintage.

I think they've waited long enough for me to finish them. I bet you can't wait to see them all put together.

By the way, can you believe it's August 1st already? Only 6 more days until my 100th Post Giveaway!!!

Everyone Needs A Little Frippery©...

Isn't "frippery" a great word? A few of the synonyms for this word in the Thesaurus are: adornment, bauble, decoration, fanciness, fandangle, frill, knickknack, ornament, or trinket.

Well, I've been playing with some baubles in my studio and now have some frilly little adornments to offer to you! They are fobs for your needlework tools or scissors. You can use your fob to identify your tools at classes, guild meetings, or just to dress them up at home!

I've created each fob using Swarovski and Czech crystals, sterling silver beads and sterling or pewter charms. Of course, because they are handcrafted, no two will be exactly the same. Some have little sewing charms, or sea creatures, or fun charms, like flip flops!

You can visit my Etsy shop: brynwoodneedleworks if you'd like to see my full line of offerings. Everyone needs a little Frippery©.

Love Letters...

Do you save your love letters? I've saved sweet thoughts and messages from Handsome since before we were married. I even have a special photo or two in there. They're more reminders of why I love this man.

I came across this beautiful fabric envelope while shopping a while ago and wanted to share it with my talented friends. Perhaps some of you seamstresses or needleworkers would like to try your hand at making one of your own.

This one is slightly larger than a business-size envelope (taller and less wide), and features a beaded flap with the word "Love Letters", surrounded by bead embellishments and silk ribbon embroidery. It opens to reveal a pocket inside to collect your special memories. A silk ribbon ties into a bow to keep the contents safe.

I think I'd like to make my own in the future. Don't you think one would make a beautiful gift for a bride-to-be or a newlywed?

I Love Sparkle...

I sure love shiny, pretty and sparkly! On a recent trip to Michaels, I found these lovely bits and bobs and was so excited to add them to my stash.

I've already used the freshwater pearls in my tiny birds nests (which you can see here), but I'm equally excited about the prospects for the rest of my new goodies!

I'm thinking that the large blue pendants might make the perfect closure on a hand-sewn bag, or perhaps something knitted and then felted, or what about a trim on a bottle of the perfect shape? My mind is already starting to create as I write this!

For now, I'll add them to my other shiny baubles until that perfect inspiration strikes. You see, even when you least expect it, "Art Always Finds A Way". (Hint: You'll see my quote again very soon!)