Get Inspired by: Citlalli of Sew Beastly!

Happy Monday everyone!  I quite happy today to feature a truly talented crafter and wonderful fellow creative to you here on FYSA.  I met this amazing girl through my sponsor exchange and was absolutely honored to have her also swap interviews with me for each others blogs.  Citlalli not only has a super interesting and beautiful name, but she is just as fascinating and inspiring to get to know.  She is a sewing fanatic and makes the most beautiful little clutches that she sells on Etsy.  She also runs a really fun and inspiring blog.  I have been truly blessed to get to know her and cant wait to share her words with you.  Here she is... the lovely Ctilalli of Sew Beastly.

 

1. We got to know a little bit about you from the sponsor spotlight post last  month but can you tell us more about your creative process as an artist/crafter? (what inspires you? how do you get new ideas? what kind of environment do you like to have when you create?)

I like to think I am a very free crafter and artist.  Free in the sense that just like in real life I like to think of something and just do it.  I have followed a grand total of 1 pattern since I started sewing; it was nice to get a step-by step, but I seem to grow a little impatient every time I try to get instruction.  That's the main reason why I have been a self-taught crafter.  I like to get an idea for a design in my head and just start cutting and experimenting...the risk of cutting too much or messing up is imminent, but I think that learning from mistakes is an acceptable way of learning....  I am very hands on.

I come up with my designs by observing anything from nature to fashion....I also think of functionality and a way to apply it to my designs.

I love to rock out to my music while I create....It facilitates me spending ridiculous amounts of time with my sewing machine.  I love to get lost in my sewing.  It is quite often that I sew the night away and realize it when the sun comes up.

2. What do you love so much about the particular medium that you work with?  How does it express a bit about who you are?  

I think my passion for sewing comes from the fact that I can go any direction I want with my designs.  There are no rules in my book, and I love to have no limits in my creative process.  I think my designs express my personality in the way that I love interesting, pretty things, but I also love it when they have a purpose.

3. Who/What were your influences growing up that led you to choose this craft/art as a large part of your life today?  

My father.  He has been a free-lance artist ever since I can remember.  I have always admired his drive and work ethic.  That's what keeps me going everyday.

4. What one step/phase did you take in your creative journey that is most memorable/makes you the most proud?  My decision to go into business by myself.   

 

5.  Where do you hope to be creatively with your art/craft in 5 years?   

I hope to have my brand well established, and of course to be able to rock it to the max like so many ladies do every day.  I hope to find that perfect balance between my work and personal life.

 

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Thank you so much Citlalli!  I am excited to see how far you go with your amazing creations.  If you'd like to see the interview that I did for Citlalli's blog, CLICK HERE.  I wish you all have a wonderful and creative start to your week.

XO, HARMONY

DIY: Embroidery Hoop Messages and GIVEAWAY!!!

Want to give someone a note of encouragement?  Forget the paper card, here's a super cute idea for sending messages to loved ones that they will want to hang on the wall and keep for a very long time.  

The material list is simple and you probably have most of this in your craft stash already.  

Needed: 3 Inch Wooden Hoop, Cotton Thread in various colors, scraps of material (apx 6 inch diameter), scissors, hot glue, epoxy glue, pen or pencil, ribbon.

Cut your material down to fit your hoop, leaving 1 inch of excess around so you can mount it on the hoop.

Next, pick a color to wrap your frame with.  Pull off about 3 arm lengths of cotton thread of your choice and tie an overhand knot on one end onto one side of the hoop, as close to the edge as you can get.

Then start wrapping around the frame, and be sure to tuck in the tail of your knot under your wraps as you go.  Keep the wraps straight and tight as you work your way around the hoop.

Once you get to the other end, tie another knot and then affix tail with a dot of epoxy glue on the underneath.

Next stretch your fabric square on your hoop, and use a pen to sketch out the words you want to embroider on.  Then load your needle and start stitching away.  You dont have to know anything about fancy stitches to do this, just stick with simple back stitch (google it if you are unsure).

Once I finished I decided to make it look a little more aged/vintagey, and used a bit of distress ink to color the edges of the fabric (this is optional).

Then, cut down your excess material until there is only 3/4 inch hanging and fasten to the undersides of the hoop with hot glue.  And finally, cut a 3 inch circle out of a heavy weight paper (I used Kraft paper) to add a more personal note on the inside.  You can also add a pretty ribbon on top, just tie around the metal screw.  

VOILA! Simple and quick and will make someone feel so special to receive in the mail and hang on their wall. 

Here's the fun part! A GIVEAWAY!!  I have these two 3 inch hoops ready to be inscribed with personal messages and sent to surprise someone and make them feel loved.  Just leave a comment on this post with whom you would send them to and why, or what message you would want on your wall, or something else happy and fun you would like to share, and you will be entered to win both hoops along with specially decorated envelopes to mail them in, but that's not all! Since you will be sending these to someone else, I have a very special one just for you!  I will also send you this third 3 inch hoop message I made, for you to put on your wall and remind you to keep reaching for your dreams. 

RULES TO ENTER GIVEAWAY

Leave a Comment on this post by next Saturday 8/20.

More Entries can be added by spreading the word about the giveaway (one entry for every different way you promoted this giveaway, please include a link to your post, tweet, etc)

Make sure that I have a way to get in touch with you, in case you win!

Happy Saturday!

XO, HARMONY

Creative Play...discovering color

So after a bit of technical difficulty (being that my son demolished my SD card reader yesterday and I couldnt get my photos onto the computer), I finally have this week's Creative Play Video up for you to view.  This time it's just me.  My son was very busy this week assisting his Dad with some very important hammering and other manly activities outside (we are doing some rewiring of electrical stuff to our new tool shed), and he couldnt be distracted with any art time with mom.  I tried once to get him focused on a project but he just ended up trying to wear it like a cape.  Go figure.  If you havnt seen the other video's that I did with him, just click HERE to find them.  This week's is a bit of play using an embroidery hoop with stretched muslin on it and lots of fun color work.  I am trying some new techniques with mixing my painting with hand sewing and this video shows me getting the canvas ready to sew on.  The drawing that I start with on the material was just something I free hand drew.  Hope you enjoy the process and maybe get a little creative inspiration from it! :)



Wait! Before you go, dont forget to sign up for my newsletter.  I will be sending it out next week with lots of fun new stuff and an exclusive coupon code for my etsy shop.  (Plus a free gift!)  Just put your email in the white box to the right.  Have a lovely Sunday Evening :)

XO HARMONY

Just Finished! Renew and Delight.

The start to my adventure into mixing embroidery with painting has led me down the path of renewal and delight.

They are both 5 inch circles ready to hang on the wall or mount on a shelf.  I decided to wrap the hoop frames with cotton thread instead of painting them, and I am really happy with the result.

I really fell in love with this process more and more as I continued to work on these two pieces.  It is a tedious practice, and I definitely learned that less is more and to think simply when  designing the stitched pattern as well as when choosing my color palette. 

They are both saturated in gorgeous color and texture, using a variety of mediums including acrylic paint, graphite, oil pastel, and cotton thread and are 100% original work handmade by me.  I have so many ideas coming to me after finishing these two that I am already starting on several more to add to the collection.  If you'd like to bring one of these sweet little guys home, you can find them HERE.

Stitching Dreams

 Mixed Media Artwork (w/embroidery) by Mimilove

There is a growing trend in the mixed media world of pairing the hard textures of paint and paper and with the softness of fabric and sewing.  There is basically a whole magazine on the craft, which I completely drool over every time it comes out.  A lot of it is free motion stitching, using a machine with a quilting foot that you can literally "draw" on your paper or fabric with thread, a very very cool and pretty technique.  (example: pic of art quilt done by Mindy Lacefield...LUV Mindy!!)

 This led me to start thinking about the lost art of embroidery, when there was no machines and women would spend years creating gorgeous works with just a needle, thread, and their skilled hands.  I am definitely not the only one getting intrigued by this craft and its use in modern art making.  I am getting kind of obsessed with the simple beauty of it and very very excited about the possibilities of pairing hand sewn details to my mixed media works.  Here are some of my favorite embroidery artists that are inspiring me with their stitchery right now....

The lovely Pam Garrison! She has been working on an incredible all hand stitched art quilt (this is a detail from it) that has just blown my mind.  

Uber Mixed Media Goddess Karen Michel and her Amazing Prayer Flags

Love Love Love Rebecca Rindquist's Hand Drawn Samplers.  Old world sampler feel with a modern twist (I just ordered the top one!)

Sweet little embroidered necklaces by Corrine of September House (top) and Skrynka (bottom)

And these absolutely gorgeous Abstract Artworks made entirely of hand stitched embroidery, done by Danielle of Merriweather Council (top), Rachel Hunnicutt of Cornflower Blue Studio (Middle) and Rebecca Rindquist (bottom).  LOVE  LOVE LOVE...

So yesterday I couldnt stand all this prettiness any longer and had to get in on it.  I went to my nearest crafting store and purchased the goods.   I have no clue what I am doing but with a embroidery bible in hand (literally a book called The Embroidery Bible) and my squeaky new hoop, needles, and thread, I will discover my potential.  I love that it's something I can easily bring with me places and work on while I am waiting in line somewhere or stuck at the train table at the mega toy store while my son plays (you moms know exactly what I am talking about - ;)  I am working on a hand drawn design to stitch that I can incorporate into one of my painted pieces later on.  I'll give you a peek of it when I get it on my hoop.  Any seasoned stitchers out there have any advice for me?  Any novices wanting to learn along with me?  I welcome the comments.  Happy creating everyone!