Coraline swap part 1

So here is what I made for my partner for the Coraline swap on Craftster. This was a really fun swap. The movie is so wonderful and full of so many wonderful characters. Check out the Coraline website for fun little things like getting your name spelled out in circus mice, too. Here's what I made. My partner's favorite characters were Spink and Forcible so I used the Other versions of them for this necklace and added some buttons.

Then I made a set of ornaments figuring it was close enough to Christmas. Some embroidered, some just in felt. I painted up this little black box that I bought at a thrift store and out them all in there.

For the ornaments I did a rag doll Coraline with button eyes, Wybie, Cat, a scotty dog with wings and the chicken oven mitt that the Other Mother uses. The scotty dog pattern I used is from here.

Close up of Wybie

and rag doll Coraline.

The piece I'm most proud of is this pillow. I spent a lot of time working on this--lots of seed stitches. One side shows Coraline going through the tunnel to the "other" side. I got the image here. I really tried to work with different color values--lights to darks. I also added the button key. I'm super pleased with it.





The other side has the Other Mother in all her creepy glory. She's quite frightening I think. I also did the three little ghost children who I thought were cute but kinda creepy too.



The ghost children.





I really hated giving this pillow away. I may need to make one for myself because I'm so pleased with how I did the shading and coloring of the tunnel. Other Mother turned out totally creepy, too. I can't wait to see what I'll get in return. That's the best thing about swapping--a surprise that you know is being made just for you. I will have to stay away from swaps for a while though. I need to start on Christmas gifts. I want to make most of my gifts again this year and do NOT want to be rushed like I was last year so I'm starting early!

Spooky

Continuing to catch up on my crafting goodies I've made I thought I'd post some Halloween things I've done. I love Halloween and wanted to spook our place up a bit. There's only so much you can living in an apartment. I have no yard to fill with things or anything like that but I've got lights and some awesome bloody hand prints in my windows. I thought my kitchen could definitely use a Halloween towel so I put this together using three Sublime Stitching patterns: Vital Organs, Zombies and Monsters and Gothic Grandeur.

Spooky huh? Here's some close-ups.

Creepy kitty is from the Zombies and Monsters patterns and the rest is from Gothic Grandeur.

Zombie #1

Zombie #2

Creepy corner using Gothic Grandeur patterns.

Other creepy corner using Gothic Grandeur and Vital Organs patterns. I like how it all came together and the zombies are really cool.

Then I did these patterns that I've been wanting to do for a while now from this site. They are free and super cute! There's............

.............scary bunny ghost................

...........vant to suck your blood bunny...................

...........bony bunny...........................and.............

...probably my favorite..........Frankenbunny. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do with them so just made them into little hanging ornaments---felt on the back and some Halloween ribbon.

Pretty cute if I may say so. Happy Halloween!

Tea Towel Tour: Part 2

If you remember, I'm in the tea towel tour #5 over on craftster. I've finished two more designs on the towels that have traveled to me. First up is sundayafternoonhousewife's towel. She wanted us to do something that was representative of our state like the state bird, or flower etc. NC"s state bird is the cardinal, which I love but it is also the state bird of several other states including some of my fellow participants. So I decided to do our state flower which is a dogwood. I did a pink version because, well, a white one wouldn't show up as well on a white towel. I also did an outline of the state in Carolina blue and added the Hatteras lighthouse which I think is very representative of NC.

Then I got greenlightgo's towel which has a nature theme. I decided to use this pattern set from Aunt Martha's. I used the persimmon design because it reminded me of the persimmon tree we had growing up. I finally got to use my linen thread also! They are really great--super soft and the colors are very nice. I thought the linen was a nice fit for the design.


I'll have three more towels to stitch on and I can't wait. I also can't wait to get mine back with everyone's stitching on it. How fun. TTFN.

Catching up

With my slight hiatus from the blog I've neglected to post some things I've made. So I'm catching up. I will be quick and painless.
Here's the piece I sent my friend Julia as part of the facebook swap thingie that was going around a while back. I met her the summer of 2001 while working in Alaska. It was that summer that I got her addicted................to Harry Potter. Since then we've read the books, seen the movies and maybe even had a naughty dream or two about Daniel Radcliffe. So to commemorate our love, I wanted to make something Harry Potterish for her. I decided on the Leaky Cauldron pattern I had printed off a while back. It's Harry Potterish without being too cheesy.

I really like how this turned out. The pattern was easy and looks great and my friend likes it so that's all that really matters to me! That's it for now!

Long time no blog!

So I guess I've been neglectful of this blog lately. I've been a bit busy I guess but lots of things have been going on most notably is that I'm engaged. After 8 years, Colby got around to asking me. It was during our vacation out west. He proposed while we were on a hike through this beautiful canyon in the Ruby Mountains.

It really was a remarkable spot and just perfect. He also gave me a beautiful opal ring. It's my birthstone and I've always wanted an opal ring. So now, of course, the planning begins! I've already got tons of ideas on my head---way too many to make sense of right now. The rest of our vacation was wonderful. Northern Nevada is a beautiful area and Yellowstone is just amazing.








I totally fell in love with this chipmunk's feet and now want to add them in my art.
You can see more photos of my trip on flickr if you're interested. I have a few videos I will post later too----and a bunch of craftiness to share.

Tea Towel Tour: Part 1

I'm finally having a chance to get in on a tea towel tour! Very exciting. Here's what I stitched on my towel to mail out and then have other people add to it. I can't wait to see what my partners do. I wanted to do something that reflects my artistic style and some motifs I use in my paintings.



I'm just about packed and ready for my trip. We leave Wednesday and will be gone for a week and a half!!! Thank goodness Southwest doesn't charge for baggage because we are bringing a lot of schtuff---mostly camping gear. I'm bringing a small sketchbook and some pencils with me and hope to get some sketch time in. I've realized it's been a while since I've done that----I guess my last vacation in NYC at the Met. Anyhoo--see you later!

Just some things

Just wanted to note a few things today. First, big thank you to Pam for featuring my collection of Big sad eyed art. I've been collecting them for years and really love the genre. Pam has a great blog you should check out. Every day has a fun theme and she's a hell of an embroiderer!

Next, scoot on over to Mr X Stitch. They are celebrating the one year birthday of one of the best blogs featuring modern needlework and having tons of giveaways! Check it out!

On the home front, I've entered my work in to artSpark which is a part of sparkCon right here in Raleigh, NC. It's an awesome festival featuring art, music, dance, film, fashion, design and more. If you happen to be in the area I strongly suggest you check it out. I'm really looking forward to the fashion shows. NC is so full of talent and this festival really showcases it!

Also I'm signed up for two craft swaps! I haven't swapped in a while and really wanted to do something again. I'm in the Teal Towel Tour and a Coraline Swap. Both should be lots of fun!

Colby and I are going on vacation next week and will be gone for a week and half! We are going to the Ruby Mountains of Northern Nevada for some camping and then to Yellowstone for some more camping. I can't wait. It's been way too long since we've been camping plus we're both going to places we haven't been. I really need some time way from work and life and desperately need to unplug---and just maybe I'll hit it rich in Nevada! It's so easy to get tied up in the day to day that I lose sight of what's really important to me. So hopefully this trip will help me reconnect to that and to Colby. We definitely need some "us" time. So adventure awaits us!

Sorry Maggie, you have to stay with grandma and grandpa.

Um um what else......oh it finally hit in my brain that I need to do something to be healthier. So for the last few weeks I've been eating better, exercising and trying to go more organic, local etc. I'm not going to lie--it's been hard, but my body thanks me for the five less pounds it now has to carry around. So, I'm carrying on. I need to lose more weight, get more fit, eat better food and prep this body for nice, long, healthy life. My brain and heart will thank me for it. I've been reading some great blogs about eating healthy and weight loss which have really inspired me also. Plus, it's really got me thinking about my life and choices I've made. It's not easy being an overweight person, even if you're happy with the way you look. I see these feelings and ideas creeping into my art.

I've finished something for my friend Julia as part of that whole facebook "I'll make you something" pay it forward deal. I'll post pics as soon as I get it out to her. She checks my blog sometimes so I don't want to ruin the surprise.

I guess that's about it for updates. I'll come back from vacation hopefully rested and ready to go.