And Sew It Goes

I am still working on very hard on my project. I only have twelve days left. 

I am working hard on the roses to get them just so, to make the bouquet balanced. Keeping color, size, value, and overall composition balanced is my goal. There are a few different art functions going on in this piece. there is a little thread work, hand embroidery, bead work, and a few other simple arts.

I love hand work. Before I can do the hand work though I must finish all of the machine work.

Plus Fiber Art Art Traders has put up the coolest trade I want to get in on. Can't wait.

And Sew it goes.

Roses and Post-Card

I have been busy working on "Roses for Momma" the past few days.  I am sewing the roses down to form a bouquet to place in the basket. It will look so cool. 

This whole design was inspired by the song "Roses for Momma" my mom almost died from her chemotherapy last year. And it broke my heart. Someone sent me a rose to my phone. 
It was cold mom was always cold. So I decided to design an art piece that was warm. Warm Roses in a warmer setting to reflect a warmer time of year. So I am still looking at the Valentines Day finish date.

I also made my very first fabric post card yesterday. Of course it was for mom. I hope it will lift her spirits.


Hugs~
Dorothy

 

I Am Still Here

Oh my! What a month this has been since my last post! I finished my stocking just in time. I even finished a few Christmas gifts, which I will post about later. 
My mother, who is 72 and lives in Florida, had a mild heart attack, but that wasn't the worst of it. She had not been eating or drinking enough so her body had built up toxins in her body and she needed kidney dialysis. A nurse on the ICU floor told me her condition was so bad she didn't think she would make it. I was devastated!   

My mom and I did not get along while I was growing up. My grandparents raised me. My sewing and crafting skills I learned from my grandmother, granny, and the ladies on Leech Lake Indian Reservation. I lived there since  my second grandfather was an Ojibwe Indian. I could not believe this nurse was telling me mom was going to die! My mom promised me she was going to live to be 100 just so she could pick on me. I had not finished her art piece yet. She can't die yet. I have designed a special piece just for her. I call it  "Roses for Momma". I have it almost done. I put it aside, as I did other projects over the holidays. It is back on the board now. I started the art quilt because flowers don't last but fabric will. Last Valentines Day she was in the hospital, so instead of flowers, I started designing a rose piece for her. It is a work in progress. I hope to have it finished by Valentine Day. That is my goal. Here are a few pictures of the work in progress.

Before Background was added

As I was adding background fabric

 

 

 

 

Background and Round Table Top Added

                   

I decided I was not going to call the day nurse any more. I called the night nurse in ICU B, Anita was her name and I am so grateful for her assurances that mom was making progress. She was so helpful each night and made me feel so much better. I knew the first few days were rough for mom, but mom kept her promise. I talked to her yesterday. She told me of course she was going to live to be 100 how can she pick on me if she dies. She will be going to a rehab center to get strong enough to go home. Less worries for us kids.


Now tell me what you of the new piece.

Just In Time

I did it! Just in time to. I finished the stocking. The stocking is snow white beaded with size 10/0 gold beads and 11/0 silver beads and I made my stars from various size beads and tacked them down to the stocking when I was finished with the other beading, considering I have had a few falls and had a bad one last night I was surprised I finished at all.  Now as I am writing this blog I am noticing things wrong. I wanted a very simple, yet elegant stocking. I did not want an over decorated stocking. I wanted it simple to match my tree.


I have a snowman wall hanging, a wall hanging for my brother, three or four art quilts, and of course the piece that looks at me every day and says "I will be here when you are ready." All of these plus doctors waiting for me. I think I might find something to occupy my time.

When I am making my art I am taken to another place. Where I don't have to worry about doctor appointments, or getting sick, or having seizures or being in pain. I am free. If I want to put a crazy color or a embellish softly on a heavy fabric, I can. I am the one in control. Not the diseases. 

I was recently diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy to go along with Epilepsy and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Please understand by no means is my life ruled by my illness. I try very hard to rule them, sometimes I win, sometimes it goes the other way. My God willing I will wake tomorrow and it will be a good day and I will accomplish more than I did today. 

                        

Getting Ready For Christmas ?

I have done it this year. Due to being ill I have gotten behind since Halloween. Ugh! All of my normal organization has gone right out of the door. I didn't get the tree up until Monday of this week and it still isn't decorated completely. I have to address sign and mail Christmas Cards before the weekend.
I have my stocking to finish for Fiber Art Traders on Yahoo. I am really excited about it.

I have new art quilts designed. Actually they have been designed for three years. I have been scared of people judging me. Or them not being "perfect."
I have a lot of designs but frightened of what people will say about me my work. I am a creative perfectionist by nature. I live with a right brain left brain conflict most of the time. Live in my world for a day. LOL :)

I will get everything accomplished, on time. Because that is what you are supposed to do. 
Do what you say you are going to do; when you say you are going to do it; how you say you are going to do it. ~ Larry Winget  
I believe that if more people followed this philosophy there would be fewer problems in the world.

Well enough of my rambling tonight. Goodnight Happy reading Thanks for stopping

Really I Have Been Hard At Work

My last trade was a Christmas Doll trade. I made three six-inch dolls. An angel, an icicle doll, and a friendship doll. Each one has varying degrees of difficulty yet are fun to make and I had not made them in many years. I had forgot how much fun I had making dolls.

For the icicle doll I used a dark blue tone on tone snow flake material to make the body which is nothing more than a carrot shape. I sewed in funky yard at the top to represent hair as I was making the body. Then I molded a face with a mold a clay and painted it to match the material. I made arms from blue glass beads and one 6mm roundel bead in the center to represent hands. I put beads down the side to make it look like icicles and at the bottom I made tiny icicles.                   
The friendship doll is a Jill Maas pattern. I have always adored her patterns, if you have a chance look them up. The doll is simple to make. I think the hardest part about it this time was the head. I want to make a few more for some friends who went crazy over her. I didn't use velvet I used cotton this time. I used white cord sewn down with gold colored thread around her face. She has a purple heart, beading above her head, cross stitch, gold cord, flower ribbon held down by little beads.I drew her face on also.

Would like some feed back

painted fabric

 

 

Okay this really needs help. I haven't quilted it yet. The piece is about 9" by 12"  it kind of reminds me of left brain right brain conflict or rough seas. I am not unhappy enough to dump it, yet not happy enough to continue with it. Not sure what to do. Yet I know if I set it aside I won't get back to it for a long time. Any ideas?

~Dorothy~