Something old, Something new

I was really hoping to have an Art Journaling video finished for you today, but I need a bit more time to edit it.  Everything just seems to take me a bit longer to complete these days, but I guess I have the excuse of being almost 37 weeks pregnant.  So I thought I'd give you a sneak peek into some other artsy fun I've been experimenting with lately.  Remember the Flower Embroidery Hoops that I did a while back? Well, that particular idea has morphed into using vintage photos and "painting" on them with thread.  Here is one of them.  I did some fun close up shots of the stitches on the piece.  I am really having fun with a new macro extender tube on my camera.  It gives an unusual perspective on something typical, and I like that. 

 There she is...isnt she so lovely? The photo was an original of a newlywed couple from Germany all dressed up in their wedding attire.  Here's the original photo...

 Arent they gorgeous?  I love how serious people are in old photos.  Most likely because they have been holding that same pose for a ridiculously long time waiting for the image to expose, and couldn't hold a smile the whole time.  So, I scanned it and cropped it down to just the woman's upper torso, printed on fabric, and framed in a vintage metal hoop.  Then I spent days and days with her just letting the colors, shapes, and stitches present themselves to me organically as I kept adding and adding.  She measures 5" across and is hung by a hand dyed silk ribbon.  I have several more of these I will be sharing soon, so stay tuned.  If you are interested in her, send me a message, otherwise I will be saving her for my next show.  Have a splendid day, and remember to look at something typical today in an unusual way! 

XO, HARMONY

A Morning Photo Session: New Artwork!

Remember my morning run and impromptu garden photo session a few weeks back?  Well, I have turned some of those pics into art! I was really inspired by this artist and her incredible art yarn paintings, and thought I could do something similar with hand stitching.  I printed the photos onto fabric and mounted them into my newly purchased oh-so-amazing vintage metal hoops, and just plodded along one stitch at a time.  They took me a lot longer to complete than I had thought they would.  Everything on them is done by hand, no pattern, just me slowly painting along with a needle and thread, creating a truly organic pattern that celebrates and tributes the beauty and art that can be found our natural world.  I finished them last night, and so my son and I staged a bit of a photo session with them this morning so I could share a special first look at them with you. 

They measure 4", 5", and 7" and have vintage hand dyed silk ribbon to hang them from.  They are one of a kind original mixed media fiber art, and I couldn't be more proud of them.  I will be listing these on Etsy later this week, so if you are interested in any of them and want them reserved for you, please message me. 

So if you are wondering what happens behind the scenes when trying to photograph art while taking care of a small child, then here's a bit of the other side to our morning.

Here's me on the front porch, because its the only place in my horribly lit Florida home that gets decent light in the morning, and yes I am still in my PJs.  I'll be honest though, I spend most of my days now working at home in my PJs.  What's the point of getting dressed when all my pregnant self wants to wear is baggy shirts and stretchy pants anyway?  I can still just barely see my toes, Yay! - I did have to lean forward a bit though :)

Baby boy was on the hunt for more flowers for me to photograph.  We have very little as far as flowering plants in our yard right now (who has time to garden?) but he did very excitedly produce this lovely purple wild flower discovered under a bush.  He loves to bring me flowers, roots and all.

Then he decided that he needed to paint the cardboard that I was using as a background for my hoop shots, and drug out some white paint and a brush that he swiped from my craft room while I was busy shooting.  Here he is showing me how he painted my flower and made it pretty.  He also apparently made the walkway pretty as well...(somebody should be watching this child more closely).

So there you have it, my latest creations and a bit of our morning.  I have quite a few more of these hoops in the works that I am saving for Fall Craft Show season, but I just couldn't resist sharing these first few with you.  Have a lovely Tuesday everyone! I am off to hose down an exuberant young painter and a walkway. 

XO, HARMONY

The Perfect Book for A Love Story

One of the things that I love to do is make creativity journals for people.  Over the years I have amassed a ridiculous amount of random papers, plus I can help myself from picking up tons of vintage papers/books anytime I see the opportunity.  I find using an assortment of interesting papers as a canvas for thoughts, doodles, collages, or photos creates a really great jumping off point for the imagination. Every once in awhile, I get the honor to create a very special book for someone, and collaborate with them to find papers, colors, and textures that reflect their spirit and passions.

I've been working on such a wonderous book this past couple weeks, and it is now zooming away across the states to land in the hands of a very special soon-to-be-wedded couple.  The book will serve as a guest book of sorts at their upcoming fall wedding.  I adored working on it and was over the moon with how beautifully all the ideas came together.  I couldnt be more excited to share with you a few peeks at some of my favorite parts of what I created for them...

 a love story from a vintage children's book

 pages from fashion magazine paired with valentines doily

 personal photos printed on fabric and hand embellished

 vintage wedding wrapping paper

fabric and paint makes such a yummy textured one of a kind cover

 lots of interesting shapes, sizes, and colors paired throughout

 hand embroidered photo of the couple and a love note

woodland creatures from old story book

 recycled ribbons from old saris and hand dyed silk, so rich in color

I can't wait for their friends and family to fill the pages with love and well wishes for the couple's new life together.  What do you think?   

*(If you are looking for a unique book to serve as a journal, photo album, gift, or anything else you can dream up, I'd love to create something special just for you.  Just send me a message that you want a custom journal and I can create a custom listing for you in my shop.  I also have pre-made creativity journals available in my Etsy Shop.) 

Thanks for letting me share my latest creation with you!

XO, HARMONY