.... of a Mother of Pearl cross (or should it be Mother Pearl is cross?)

I've done it again..! I have so many projects on the go at once I'm spinning. Often I don't know which one I should be working on so I end up wasting precious time and not achieving much at all!

I found this in one of my old sketchbooks last night and played around with it a little. Have I mentioned I have a new phone photo app which I am loving messing around with? (probably accounts for some of my wasted time!)

I started stitching this piece a few years ago..... and recently found some supplies online which I have been keeping an eye out for- bulk Mother of Pearl buttons! I can't wait for them to arrive this week so I can pull this out of storage and continue on as if a few years really haven't lapsed! Quite excited at the prospect of actually finishing it! I just need to remember which box, crate or bag I saw it in recently!

Half Time (.....of the mid year)

My name is Sandi and it has been 2 months since I have blogged!

On the flip side I have a (challenging) new job which I am learning to love and am even finding some time for persuing my art. Life is good! 

I'm enjoying the garden on weekends (having planted some winter vegies and annuals). I'm loving sitting by the fire in the evening and am teaching myself to relax! It really is ok to just chill sometimes!

I've dug out my sketchbooks and am enjoying the variety and numerous ideas I've sketched and planned over the years! Resurrecting some projects, the multitude of ideas are leading me down new paths. I will never get them all made or even started..... but it's wonderful to be looking forward.

 Older sketchbook ideas....

Latest sketchbook ideas.... getting excited about starting this one! Royal II

An old idea revisited...... in a much smaller scale!

The original.....

Off to start this one................. seriously! Tonight.

Another New Beginning....

So, the house is half packed up ready for my next move and yet somehow I find the time to stitch. It's such a necessity for me.

Stitching = Destressing + Creativity = Sanity

Hand dyed linen and silk; definitely landscape inspired. More to come once the move is complete: a little closer to Christmas.

No, it's not a pumpkin......!

WIP Challenge!

Yes, it may look a little like a pumpkin at the moment; but hopefully it will look like something quite different by the time it's finished (which needs to be before the end of the month so I can enter it into a challenge!) Wish me luck - there's a lot more beads to add yet! I'll post progress photos!

My friend Lynda and I have been busy playing with dye and upcycling vintage and found fashion! We've had so much fun collecting our resources and playing with embellishing them. We've been chasing up some legalities about selling these pieces and hope to have some of the finished pieces for sale in our etsy stores and a local gallery soon....

Upcycled Fashion

I've recently entered a few local art exhibitons and have been lucky enough to gain a 2nd place in the Works on Paper section with 'Virginia Creeper' at the Bendemeer Art and Craft Show and a 1st prize at the Currabubula Red Cross Art Show with 'My Tree of Life' Textile piece. I've been over the moon about both!

'Virginia Creeper'

Pastel

Another WIP! I found this lovely long silk scarf this week and am going to try some more shibori dyeing... I've drawn 5 circles and have stitched running (gathering stitch across each one - actually I've one to go!) I want to get it into the dye pot tonight. I envisage 5 patterned circles on a black background. I can't wait to see how it ends up!

Found Silk Scarf

Stitched ready to gather for Shibori dyeing...

The circles remind me of sunflowers at the moment...