Project 10: Reclining Nude

Dear Mom,

Now she looks like this:

Thank heavens you're not the blushing sort.

Sincerely,

Your Daughter

Project 10: Reclining Nude

Dear Mom,

I restarted your painting yesterday. This is what it looks like.

I'm not exactly sure where you'll hang it. Maybe you can take down that dreadful painting I did in college that you have in the guest room. Just a suggestion.

Sincerely,

Your Daughter

A Friday Poem

The Satin Dress
by Dorothy Parker

Needle, needle, dip and dart,
Thrusting up and down,
Where's the man could ease a heart
Like a satin gown?

See the stitches curve and crawl
Round the cunning seams-
Patterns thin and sweet and small
As a lady's dreams.

Wantons go in bright brocade;
Brides in organdie;
Gingham's for the plighted maid;
Satin's for the free!

Wool's to line a miser's chest;
Crape's to calm the old;
Velvet hides an empty breast
Satin's for the bold!

Lawn is for a bishop's yoke;
Linen's for a nun;
Satin is for wiser folk-
Would the dress were done!

Satin glows in candlelight-
Satin's for the proud!
They will say who watch at night,
"What a fine shroud!"

Sewing poems, what a way to start the day. Now I'm off to the fabric store because my needle broke on my machine last night, and I hadn't any backups!

Literal or Not?

Yesterday, the bead shop hosting the challenge posted the results on its website. I was not the winner, and this I am okay with. It was my first bead embroidery cuff, after all. I respect the amount of time and skill that goes into creating a bracelet of this sort, but what irks me is that the other seven entries are nearly identical.

Winner: Amy Jarvie, Venusaur

Mary Kyle, Lilies on the Pond

Julie Austin, A Day in the Life of a Lily

Julie Hauri-Foster, Monet's "Water Lilies, Night Effect"

Janis Mills, Hopping on Lilie Pads

Raette Kaiserlian, Your Pad or Mine

Teresa Kenyon, George & Gracie

 Blue with lily pads, blue with lily pads. Then there's mine:

 

 

 

Picture from the website.

Taken with my phone.

What I like about it, and what I'm proud of, is that it's not so literal. I used pink beads around the cabachon as a lily with green crystal circling it to hint at a lily pad. The green and mauve seed beads were meant to represent water rippled with reflections, much like Monet's paintings, where my inspiration came from.

I should have known from the charms that they wanted something more literal. I'll keep this in mind for next time. When I get it back, I will be snipping most of them off.

Project 9: Water Lily Bead Embroidery Cuff

The bead challenge is due by five o'clock tomorrow. I have a long evening ahead of me finishing this off, but I will hunker down with a needle and thread, and before you know it, I'll be winning the contest. Or at least that's how it works out in my head.

The method I used for the background is pretty hypnotic and my favorite thing about this bracelet. I'd like to do a piece that's made entirely of undulating beads. Note to self: do that.

MIA: Rosewood Buttons

I'm genuinely shocked to find that the last post was in January. It's been two months? I suppose that makes sense... One may recall that it was about this time last year that I fell off the face of the planet, leaving a void in my blogging. Winter marks my busiest time of year at work, gearing up for the traveling summer season and sending two publications off to press. I am happy to report that the winter rush is winding down, and life is about to return to normal. Sigh.

In fact, I have a slew a projects ready for posting, from a new dress finally using the white silk I got last year to the previously mentioned Beading Challenge bracelet. The competition ends in a week! Stay tuned!

Bead Challenge

I went to the local bead store today for a simple clasp, only to walk out having signed up for the spring beading challenge: taking the provided kit and creating a water lily inspired beaded cuff. I love beaded cuffs, if you haven't guessed it, and I've been eying Monet's Water Lilies quite a bit lately as a source of color.

The true challenge is the provided kit. Frogs. Dragon flies. Butterflies. Sigh.

Everything pictured has to be used. I'm not one for charms usually, so how do I incorporate Kermit into something sophisticated and lovely? Thinking cap on!