Sparkle! and Bling!

Kathy of Shawkl recently had a week of giveaways to celebrate her daughter's birthday, and I won!                 

My package arrived just the other day.


A pair of beautiful, swarovski crystal, double-butterfly earrings!

And 10 swarovski crystal butterflies in  assorted colours! Aren't they gorgeous?

Such sparkle!

I love swarovski crystals!!

No doubt some of this bling will find its way onto a few CQ's!


Thank you so much Kathy for the wonderful giveaway!

Here's hoping your day has some sparkle in it!

Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

From the Mailbox

Judy and I had another swap and she sent me this gorgeous fabric postcard:

 I love the colours she used! There's lots of bling the scanner just does not capture. I see felted materials, dyed lace, metallic cording, tulle, free motion stitching, and beads galore.
Bugle beads, seed beads, flower beads and sequins adorn my postcard.
Thank you so much, Judy!

 This is what I sent Judy:

my rusty bits postcard.















Also tucked into the envelope was this cute snowman decoration Judy made. It will sure look nice on my Christmas tree!














What a great swap!

Hope you find lovely things in your mailbox.

Weather permitting, I'll be away this weekend and won't have access to a computer. So I won't be able to respond to your very nice comments until Monday. Hope your weekend is wonderful!





Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

Fabric Beads

Some bloggers had recounted their results making fabric beads, and I was intrigued. Hmmmm, maybe I could do that.

I had signed up for a Christmas swap of white and bling, and decided to make key rings with fabric beads.

So I gathered together strips of cotton, white yarns, white and clear beady things, glue, and shishkabob sticks, and proceeded to wrap the cotton strips onto the sticks, sealing with some glue. ( note to self: use less glue next time)






Once dry, I wrapped the cotton with yarn.

Looking kind of ....cute, don't you think? All fuzzy and stuff........




Then I stitched beads into the wrappings on the sticks to secure and firm up the bead.

After a fair bit of yanking and twisting, (note to self: use less glue next time!) I removed two of the beaded beads, and added a bit of tatting done in a white and metallic thread.

What do you think?

Well, I thought they looked like some crazy space amoeba. ..........Cute, but a little weird.

Maybe it would work.

I sought another opinion.

DH said they were okay, but.....all those little tat loops would catch on everything, wouldn't they? Catch and pull.  Snag and tug.

Maybe not the best design having three of those beads dangling on a key chain.
Sigh
Well, another great plan shot down.
Back to the 'drawing board'.

Here's hoping all your plans are good ones.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

Sunday: A Painting, A Walk and A Ride

After priming some closet doors, I felt in the mood for painting, and pulled out The Nebula and played with it a bit more. It still needs more work, but it now looks like this:

I'm pleased with the depth of colour and how it is flowing across the page. The planets are not as defined, and I think that adds some mystery.


What do you think? Does it look like gaseous matter? Can you see the sheen of the interference acrylic paint?

I would like to introduce a white, streaming cloud across the page, but I'm not sure if it would enhance what's there, or not.
What are your thoughts on this?

Sunday afternoon.  I began my regular walk with Cody-dog. Hat, mittens, jacket and leash, and we were out the door, clomping down the deck stairs.
Hearing a roar coming from the nearby beaver pond, we set out to investigate the cause.
The beaver pond was frozen over, and water was escaping in a plume over the dam.

Frothing and foaming, cascading over sticks and tree limbs, onto rocks, boulders, and bedrock, the water swept furiously downhill.....

 it seethed and fizzed....

 spouting and splashing its spray onto tiny branches, freezing into tree-cicles......









roiling and bubbling, it crashed onto itself, whirled and surged over soil, and stone.....









swelled, then calmed.

We had found the cause.

Later in the afternoon, we went for a drive down the road, and came across these beauties:

Reintroduced into the area, the elk herds are growing and prospering, although causing area farmers much grief, as they knock down fences and trample or demolish crops. They are beautiful creatures. This grouping numbered around 15. At times, we have seen up to 30 or more in one group.






I hope you've had a lovely Sunday.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

My Package Arrived

I was so lucky to win a giveaway from  Diane, a wonderful book, "The Artist's Quest for Inspiration" by Peggy Hadden! You can check out Diane's blog as she is one very talented and creative lady.  My package arrived!
I opened up the large manilla envelope to find:

 something wrapped in pattern paper topped with a lovely tag, with ribbons and laces, and silk flowers.

 Oh, wait! There's a second tag--one I can use for a special gift. Aren't they fabulous? The blank one reads "Seek Joy", but I think Joy has already found me!

 But there was more! Two packages of pretty tags, and a set of Diane's recipe cards!


What's that underneath?

 Ooooh, look! A set of Diane's Christmas cards! I do love snowpeople, so this design is a perfect one.

 All these extra goodies were packed along with the book I won in Diane's giveaway. Talk about generous!

I know I was just beaming while I did the 'happy dance' all around the kitchen.

As an artist, I am often inspired by the everyday. Sometimes, though, inspiration is sought, but not found.                                                   I have been flipping through this book by Peggy Hadden, and I'm sure to find some inspiration in these pages on those days of need.

Thank you so much Diane for all the wonderful gifts! I am blessed.

I hope your day brings you blessings.

Thanks for visiting.

Hugs from Suz

A Card Swap

Doreen liked one of my cards from Painting Experiment #1, and so I sent it to her. She sent me this card in exchange:

Machine stitched layers of paper with a wonderful picture of this sassy lady decorate the front of this card. I just adore that hat!


Thank you, Doreen, for sending me this lovely card. It makes me grin!











Hope you'll be smiling today!
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

On the 11th Hour, Of the 11th Day, Of the 11th Month......

In Remembrance and with Gratitude.  For those who have served, those serving now, and those yet called to serve. Bless you and Thank you.

A Bit of Tatting Going on.........

I've been doing a bit of tatting for some special people. The pieces below are in the mail, and being sent to Gina for her lace piece.

 Tatted with Coats' Opera #30 in ecru. this pattern comes from "Needle Tatting with Style Book 1", page 16, "Place Mat" by Virginia Byrd.
I tatted Round 1 and Round 2, then added a third row repeating the pattern in the second round.
This mini-doily measures just over 2 1/2".
Frilly, huh?

 

I was tatting variations of Rosemarie Peel's 'Leaf' from " 20 Tatted Motifs". My 'leaf' variation measures 1" at its widest point. The 'flowers' are 3/4" wide.
These are for Gina to use as she wishes.

Other tats are waiting to go in the post for some swaps.




Have you been tatting? What have you been making?
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

Fabric Doodles Finished

I've been working on my fabric doodles and created two fabric postcards from this start.
Along the way, they looked like this:

 Taking shape with the addition of beads, tatting, rusty bits cheesecloth, as well as some rusty fabrics with free-form machine embroidery.




 I added some rusted lace, and a shell bead.

There is also some yarn-- a tawny-coloured lion suede. I was pleased with my progress, so far.

 I added some tatting to this postcard, some paper bead dangles,  sewed it all onto a dark chocolate corduroy backing and finished the front edge with a brown varigated eyelash yarn in two layers.  I frayed the corduroy edge and sighed. I was finished.



 I loved the fact that these different elements had come together in a monochromatic colour scheme to create something I think is interesting. I usually work with lots of colour, so this was an experiment for me.









 On the second postcard, I added an edging of the suede yarn with two wood bead dangles. It also has a backing of the frayed chocolate corduroy.








I had now completed the fabric doodles.............................At least I thought I had until I read Jillayne's blog , and thought again.
I agree with her philosophy of creating with thoughtfulness and adding special details to one's creations.
To me, hand-created is heart-created, and if I am putting my heart into the art I create, I want to do so mindfully, and with attention to all the little details that show I care and make it special.
So, inspired by Jillayne's writing, I decided to add a little something extra to finish off the back of my postcards. It's just a little addition, but it's a small surprise that I hope will delight the recipient.
So, I tatted this on the reverse:                                                                                        

 A small tatted 'Josephine chain' on the diagonal, ending in 3 Josephine knots, with two special wood bead dangles. I liked it, but wondered if it was a little too dinky.














I decided the first motif was a little small for the size of the postcard, so, on the second one, I created this larger tatted 3-D flower.                                             
What do you think?

I like the size of this better. Maybe I'll go back and add more to the first postcard.



Thank you Jillayne for the inspiration!


One of the postcards is going out in the mail. I haven't decided which one yet. If you were choosing, which one would it be? Postcard #1 or #2?


I hope you find some inspiration today, and time to create.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

MAIL CALL!!

Friday afternoon the snow was still falling, and it looked like this:

It was so dull and grey, it looks as though these are black and white photos.










DH came back from town, and brought the mail! Two big envelopes. I couldn't wait to rip into them and discover what treasures were hiding within.

 This wonderful package of goodies came to me from Bsotf! Fabrics, wired ribbons, satin ribbons, and  2 Workbasket Magazines!! I've never seen a Workbasket before, and now I have two! And they each have tatting patterns!! How neat is that? Thanks so much, Bsotf, I love it all!

"Tatted Flurries" is Sharon Briggs' new book, and my copy arrived today. Yay!
I love snowflakes!
I see lots of tatting in my future........it'll be hard to choose which one to try first!

Aren't they gorgeous?







Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

I Bought it at The Second-Hand Store

I keep going back to search for treasures. And I found some more!
a lace tablecloth for $2

 a meter of fine, white cotton for $1



12 feet of lace for $1







a package of yarn for 25 cents





seam binding for 25 cents and a package of curly hair for 25 cents









See what was in the package of yarn?









           And more laces in a package for $1


Treasure hunting is addictive!
Everything I found  is already earmarked for projects I'm planning.













I hope you find some treasure today.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

Fabric Doodles

I have been preparing fabrics for some projects.                                     

I have pieced together some rusty bits fabrics with an assortment of fabrics in the same shades, creating a couple of 'crazy squares'.

I've used  dinosaur and leopard designed cottons with a geometric pattern.







Here, white satin has been free-form machine quilted with silver metallic thread onto old flannelette in a pattern which I think is called (and please correct me if I'm mistaken) vermicelli lace, where the stitches are continuous, but never cross over other stitches within a border.  I often used this pattern when I decorated cakes.

Another piece of rusty bits fabric with more free form machine embroidery in brown as well as a multi-coloured thread.

What am I making? Several items, some for gifts and some for swaps. I'll be adding tatting and laces and beads!
I just thought I'd show you what I've been doing lately. I hope you've had some time to create, too.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

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