New Stitching Project

I just love embroidery and needlework...it is so relaxing and I love the look.  It is just fun to create, as many of you will agree.  I tried an experiment and designed this pendant this past week.  It is a little "Shabby Chic" and a little "Modern Victorian". 

It is a mixed media pendant with both new and vintage bits on it--new charm and beads, vintage pearls, lace, and buttons.  It has been listed in my Etsy shop, but I thought I'd share it here to see what you think. 

Vintage Red Heart Buttons

 

I recently bought an old sewing machine at a thrift store.  There's more to that which I'll leave for a different post.  The two draws were full of notions (what put me over the edge to buy the machine). Some things were bobbins and other items for the sewing machine.  Some things were old and junky.  Then there were a few treasures...including buttons--most not that great but a few nice ones!  These two heart buttons were in it.  I love them!  They need to be on a project, but it will be a while before I'll be able to part with them. 

 

Valentine Swap--To Sandy from Me

For Sandy's Valentine swap, I read over her blog and business to try to figure what she likes and what colors she may like.  She was into needlework things....her site has the colors of pink and brown...and she likes cats...so, I made her this needlebook.  Oh, and it has the required "heart on it" that the swap rules stipulated. 

Yes, other than tracing a cat head from someone, this is my own design and idea (I'm working on another one to sell in my Etsy shop). 

She sounded like she liked it...hope you do too. 

Valentine Swap--To Me from Sandy

Well, today is February 14th, and I could open my swap item.  It came all the way from Sandy in Australia.  She was also the hostess of the swap.  We were to make something; it had to have a heart on it; and we could open the item from our partner on February 14th. 

Sandy made me this beautiful heart ornament.  It has variegated thread stitching on the front and pretty pink toile on the back. 

I like how she put the bird on the front, then the toile on the back has birds and birdcages.  Just lovely!  Thank you so much, Sandy, for hostessing this and for my pretty, pretty ornament.

Ready for Flowers

Added a few things to my shop today--a vintage jewelry embellished ornament and a perfume bottle.  They both are full of flowers and birds.  Enjoy!

Spoolie Swap--Part 2--From Me

The spoolie I gave to Amy in Joanne's (from Vintage Dragonfly) Valentine spoolie swap was great fun to make. 

I took a vintage wooden spool and covered the center with pretty pink and white patterned paper, painted other areas of the spool white, and added lots of glitter.

I found the darling wee vintage porcelain girl at an antique mall.  I thought she was just perfect for the top of this spool.  Since she had a purple flower and not a pink one, I added lavender elements as well as pink to the whole thing. 

The flourish behind her is a cupcake liner that I folded, fanned out, and tipped in glitter.  I had some pretty lavender lace from which I hung little purple-pink shiny hearts.  I poked a hole in the tops of the hearts and tied them onto the lavender lace with green embroidery floss.  The green matches the green on the little porcelain girl. 

This has been a very fun swap.  What a unique idea to make these!  Thank you again to Amy for being my swap partner, to Lynn for the inspiration behind the swap, and to Joanne for hostessing the swap.

Spoolie Swap--Part 1--From Amy

I participated in Vintage Dragonfly's Valentine Spoolie Swap.  I had no idea what a spoolie was going into this, but Joanne directed us to an Etsy shop, Trash to Treasure, and Lynn's spoolie creations.  They are embellished thread spools with a mixed media flourish at the top. These were the inspiration behind the swap.  My partner was Amy of Ruby Moon Art.  She sent me a wonderful spoolie!

 

It is beautiful no matter how you look at it.  She also included a little pad of paper and some heart rubber stamps. 

I love the festive yet vintage look of it. 

The vintage trim with "Dream" on the end was a great touch.  Thank you so much, Amy!

Sweet, Simple Swap

I just joined a Valentine swap...it is sweet and simple. All we have to do is making something for our swap partner with a heart on it. Easy peasy. Click HERE for all the details. Thursday the 10th is the last day to sign up if you are interested.

Felt Projects

I had been wanting to work on some fresh products...and projects that traveled well when we went to Montana.  While actual "felting" sounds intriguing, I figure that is something I don't want to do right now.  However, I love the idea of stitching onto felt.  I've embroidered since I was quite young--my grandmother taught me--and have done many projects moving on to cross stitch in my younger adult years.  I liked the idea of embroidering and stitching beads onto felt, so I bought many different colors of quality felt and have been stitching ever since.  It takes me forever to finish something these days, but it has been such fun coming up with ideas and actually doing them.  There are so many ideas in my head...now just for the time to DO them.  Here are some projects I've finished....

This has not only beads and embroidery but also some small vintage crochet pieces found at a barn sale and a thrift shop.

This one was fun!  You know I love roses and old doors (just check out my Pinterest pins). 

This needlebook took me awhile to do.  I was inspired by the springtime needlebook swap hosted by Button Floozies this past spring.  The inside has more embroidery and a little pocket and place for needles. 

All of these are listed in my Etsy shop and are for sale (along with some other felt projects including a pair of earrings).  

Felt and Bead Heart Pins

Been playing with pretty beads and felt and finished these two heart shaped pins this weekend.

Better Late Than Never....

Happy "Heart" Day to all.  This was stitched by a dear new friend and given to me in a swap.  Thank you, April; I hope you had a great day, too.

Hearts and Roses

You know I can't resist hearts and roses--especially guilloche pieces and pink!  I added these to my shop recently....one is a rather large guilloche piece.  It was designed as a pendant and could certainly be used as one, but I put it on some ribbon so that it may be seen to be used as an ornament as well.

Then I played some with my new rose beads and made this pretty pin last weekend. I really do like these beads and thought they worked well into this setting.  I love the detail and the rich pink coloring.

Hope you like them too.  Enjoy!

Can't Resist...

...hearts and vintage bits.  So, these have been the result of my work lately.  I found these sweet brass heart lockets from a seller on Etsy as well as some of the bits and pieces I've put onto the hearts.  Especially pretty are the guilloche pieces and those chippy flowers.

They have been fun to work on.  Ironically, I found a seller on Etsy who sells the little vintage enamel flowers, requested a custom listing of them...they agreed...and despite several emails over the past several weeks haven't heard a word back.  I'm so disappointed!  I know it's a busy time of year (but it has been many weeks)...I know things come up (but I've noticed they've listed many things)...but just can't understand poor customer service--at least communicate with me please!  I'd rather have someone tell me they can't get back to me until a month has passed than just not respond.  Oh, well...a lesson learned to remind me to have good customer service when a customer writes...and I'll keep on looking for my flowers.  Anyway, hope you like these.

Heart Shaped Vintage Jewelry Ornament

Here is a picture of the pink mirrored heart ornament embellished with vintage and antique jewelry pieces.  I finally finished it, added it to my Etsy shop, and just love the mother-of-pearl and light pink pieces (not to mention all of those rhinestones).  Hope you like it too!