vacation

You'd think i was already on vacation by how often I post here. Hopefully my week on the lake will provide enough time and thought for me to devote some of it to this space.

The Last Iceberg

I found these photos by Camille Seaman today while reading miniature rhino's blog. It led me to Camille's site where I found myself transfixed. They are from a series entitled "The Last Iceberg". It has solidified my desire to go to the arctic and see these monoliths with my own eyes. How often are we able to step outside of our daily lives and feel as though we're on a different planet?

My heart actually aches, these are so beautiful. I simply cannot get over that blue...

photos by Camille Seaman

It's that time again!

you can apply here.

oooooooh...

i found these little crayon sculptures by diem chau on lola and fell in love a little.

then, at her site, i found these intriguing porcelain pieces. there's a story here that is begging to be told. and the miniature table and chairs, are carved out of toothpicks. toothpicks! and the photos are amazing...

a little inspiration

strolling around my favorite blogs this morning, i came across this sweet little napkin by allison manch featured on aesthetic outburst.

it reminded me that i love the beach boys and are now listening to their undeniably perfect harmonies. it's really what i needed to lift my mood this morning. thanks abbey! you always showcase the most fantastic artists and provide constant inspiration. it has also reminded that i need to get back to my true love: embroidery. it's been a while since i spent any time on my art.

another favorite source of inspiration is my friend rachael's new blog: a photo and a link. keeping life simple, it is exactly what it says: a photo of an artist's work, their name and a link to their site. it's a back-log of beauty and it's perfect.

i have been consumed

by the past. lately (mostly because of facebook) i have been lost in days of yore.  old friends, old photos,  old memories. it might be a little unhealthy but i am ok with it for now. i think i needed something to get me through the last days of winter when the cold just can't seem to let go. soon my garden will consume me and i look forward to it. 

since switching my shop over to mostly new flower designs the traffic has really slowed down. i could be bummed about this (and i was for a little while) but ultimately it's nice to have my free time back. it has afforded me the time to complete a project that's been on my list for a very long time. i made this tote for my grandmother who admired one i made for myself. the button is one of a set she has cherished for years. she gave me the set and i thought i would share one of them with her. i love the way this bag turned out. maybe it is time to make a new one for myself...

work. sleep. work....

i've been away for a while. most of my "free" time lately has been spent on new work. and photographing new work. and listing new work. 

so. much. work. 

my evenings have been spent scouring the internet for a vacation home to stay at this summer. while the end result of this will be more than worth the effort, it feels so much like homework. endless streams of houses, high prices and low availability have left me feeling like a zombie at the end of each night. the only thing that has made this even remotely bearable is my sister-in-law. my friend, really. she sits on the other end of the phone, many miles away looking at the same pictures and making me feel as though we are in the same room. laughing and laughing. making all this work seem a little more fun.

so i suppose there are worse ways to spend an evening.

here is a look at some of my newer pieces...

i am so happy with how they have turned out. truth be told, though, i've been fretting big-time about whether or not they will sell. i have loved my little silk blooms, but i can no longer make them. i will pop some in my shop here and there, but my true direction is these newer ones. made from found and re-purposed fabric and buttons from my huge collection of vintage buttons. in every way, they feel like the direction i need to be headed. the question remains, though: will anyone come along?

a little light came to me on friday when i found this incredibly sweet post about my shop at bronette. thanks so much for giving me a little boost when i needed it most! a lot of encouragement has been coming from here lately as well. thanks, k.