Merry Christmas!!

I've been doing some stitching on Wedding Piece #2 in between preparations for Christmas and doing my knee exercises, although not much progress has been made.

a bit of colour was added to the monogram with whipping and/or couching the existing stitches with single ply embroidery floss

'pearl' bead centers were added to many of the Josephine Knot flowers

 Some letters are being stitched with lots more work to come

 Our tree is trimmed as we await the arrival of family and friends.

May you enjoy this Festive Season surrounded by those you love.
Wishing you Joy and Peace, Much Love,
And a New Year filled with Promise.
Stay warm and safe.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

"God Bless us, everyone!"

Thanks for visiting.

Hugs from Suz

December Post

Happy December!
I sure hope this month will be filled with lots of fun and happy activities for each of you. I'm still recuperating from my knee surgery, and I'm being very good and doing all my exercises to reclaim full movement in my knee joint.
What have I been up to since the surgery? Well, healing for the first week or so, and then I decided to pick up my needles and thread, and return to Wedding Piece #2.

 more stitching to do on the B

I'm contemplating adding some pale colours to the monogram


Picture cream seed beads as centers for the Josephine Knot flower cascade

 in the top left corner of the Wedding Piece




still unfinished

woven picot leaves, bullions, french knots abound

more of the same, and yet, different........



lots more to add to this piece

I decided my angel for the Guild Swap needed a little more........

the fancy picot tatting shows on both sides

I added it and some Josephine Knot cascade hair to the other side of my angel


it's on its way to the swap









Then, it was time to return to the gessoed canvas.

I had mentioned egg shells ..................washed, dried, and crumbled

I used 4 eggs

mixing gesso, and acrylic paint

I saw this online, and thought it was a brilliant idea

I mixed the gesso and paint, then folded in the egg shell crumbles

it makes a great texture

it looks rather like corn flakes in milk, doesn't it?

spread into the flower center, I allowed it to dry overnight, then added more colours--yellow, green, golden browns

while wet, I sprinkled on a bit of gold glitz for a touch of bling

once dried, I added a layer of pouring medium to seal all the layers

painting the background......

first layer of acrylic paint colour

hmmm, those leaves look a little too dinky.........

better........

more shading on the petals....

lighten and brighten and shadow......

 splattered

hmmm, there are some vertical lines showing on the top right petal

I'm wondering if it will bother me.....

dried overnight, and a bit of the highlights have faded........

maybe I'll add a few more. What do you think?

I'll let this painting sit for a few days while I evaluate it each time I walk past the studio......

I think it sort of pops



You might enjoy watching this video about seeing our beautiful world in colour.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz




Thanks for the button, Todolwen.

Mid-November & Going Missing

We awoke to snow Monday morning.

It's not our first snow of the season, but it isn't melting away.........

I like the branches with their snow frosting 

footprints left in the snow when I went outside to feed the birds

a little railing embellishment

 at the sidelight

 beside the front garden bed

it's a little early for me to decorate for Christmas. I don't usually begin until December has arrived, but, I had to get as much done as possible. Even all the Christmas shopping is done!

Hmmm, no wonder there hasn't been much else happening.......

I did add a few more glazes to the Georgian Bay painting

the sky isn't quite so blue now

and a few glazes have greyed the water a little.
The horizon needs softening, and lightening. More work is needed on the beach. Then I need to add the shadows of the tree.......
The painting has been put away to dry.

I then grabbed an artist canvas (16 x 20) and added a thick layer of gesso 

while it was wet, I drew in the gesso with the end of my paint brush

first a spiral

 then some petals

I have some egg shells drying for the next step.
what?  You'll have to wait and see..........





Not a lot of stitching has happened.
I did, however, get a start on the newest Wrapping Cloth piece. This is piece #12. Mmmm, wasn't the last piece #12??  (apparently, I can't count!  I went through the box of finished pieces, and this new piece is indeed #12.   ;-* )

Lots of french knots added to the hanky edging and the wee bow

bullion knots begun across the lace verticals

a few french knot tucks on this shiny, rose patterned fabric

and piece #12 looks like this. There's lots more stitching to be done.



















Wedding Piece #2 sports a little progress:

a Josephine Knot Cascade Heart in progress

a start on the monogram

 Casalguidi stitch in progress

there will be one of these L's in each corner

a second ecru stumpwork leaf begun









I enjoyed a stumpwork class this past Saturday, but all the stitching was bits and pieces here and there on the project. Perhaps I'll have some time to work on it while I'm gone missing. Missing? Yes, I shall be absent for a time while I'm recuperating from surgery. Tomorrow (Wednesday, November 19)  I'm scheduled for a left Oxford Knee Replacement. Hoo boy. I'm not certain how long I'll be offline, but, I wish you all wonderful, creative, and happy days until my return. Take care.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz