Elemental Stitches

Journal Making

I taught a workshop on journal making at the college today.  I had a blast and made three beautiful journals. 

I had plenty of leftover paper, so tonight I made four more.

I'll post more pictures when their done.

Two More Postcard Sets are Up

Hi Everyone!  I know I am focusing a bit on photography this week but I promise to get back to embroidery soon!

Here are two more of my photo postcard sets that are now available in my shop.

They look beautiful!
The set I posted about yesterday was already featured in a treasury!  There are a limited amount of sets so get one before they run out!  Thanks everyone for this brief self promo, we will be getting back to crafting now!

Postcards Are Here

Yea!  There here!  I got them this week.  Here is a peek!

You can find them in my etsy store!  There are more that will be up this week too.  Yea!  I am so excited!

This Week

Hi!  I have been super busy this week so I am sorry about the small amount of posts.

Remember how we were having beautiful weather?  Well we finally got some of that rain we needed and a little ice too!

The ice was coming down so fast that I couldn't get a good pic with it so dark outside. 

This poor plant has been repeatedly uprooted by a toddler, repeatedly dehydrated and now pounded by ice.  I think I am going to take pity on it and re-pot him.  I still cant believe its still alive.

Do you see how perfect those little spheres of ice are?  Isn't weather amazing!  Today is in the high 60sF, but tomorrow night the rain is supposed to drench us again.  Another couple of inches are on their way.

After the sun came back out I felt really cheery and decided to make a cheery cake.  Just something easy and fun.  I haven't played around much with frosting so I tried out some new frosting dye I got recently.

The color came out perfect!  Super pink!  My Munchkin was ecstatic.

My postcards also came in this week!  They will be available in my shop in the next couple of days.

Valentines Day Embroidery

I finished the hearts.

Taken from Mary Thomas Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches
The patterns from top down are:
Top-Torocko Stitch
2- French Knots
3- Squared Filling Stitch 1
4- Couched Filling Stitch
Bottom- Plaid Filling Stitch

I hand drew the hearts onto fabric first then filled in each heart with a different filling stitch.  Then I backstitched around the edges.  I think the plaid one turned out to be my favorite.  Those of you with a sharp eye might notice that I tore out the stitching on the second heart.  In the last post I had a loose white satin stitch that I was weaving pink through.  It ended up being really difficult to keep the threads separate and make it look smooth so I tore it out and tried something that worked a lot better texture wise.  Enjoy!

Embroidery for Valentine's Day

I have been really enjoying all of the beautiful Valentine's day embroideries!
There are some great free patterns going around.
Here, here, here, and this one is free until the end of Feb.

I am working on some hearts of my own.

I used several different filling stitches for the hearts and then did a straight stitch around them.  I only have a couple of hearts left.  I love Valentines day!

Yet More Blossoms

More Blossoms

Its raining, its pouring...  Finally! 

I have another beautiful blossom shot for you.  Its also available in my shop!

Also I have a sale going for February!  Prints in my shop are buy one, get one half off!

Spring Comes Early to the Central Coast

I feel kinda bad posting this photo after looking at all of my favorite bloggers who are swamped with ice and snow.  We have had very little rain and unseasonably warm temps here in California.  Everything is blooming as if its spring.

We have our first big storm forecast for Thursday-Friday.  Hopefully we will get a good soaking.  We need it or fire season is going to be really bad this year.

By the way, this photo is available as a print in my etsy shop.  It would look beautiful paired with this one.

Elemental Mandala Finished, Cuts of Meat- Beef Finished

I finished the Mandala!

It was done about a week ago but I got knocked over by midterms and ANOTHER cold!  I had the same sore throat 3 weeks ago!  What is going on! 

I did have some time to finish another project although there is one tiny problem with it.

See where it says Heel?  That is not actually the heel its the smaller section below it.  Who cares!  Maybe I will change it later.  This little guy is going up on the wall in the kitchen.  I think I might make the chicken and pig version too.  More soon!