An old worn sweatshirt.................that I just love

for it's warmth and comfort..........has gotten a little shabby over the years.

 I just could not bear to toss it away.............so this week, I spent many hours and stitches, using my silk ribbons and beads............and brought my old sweatshirt back to life! If you have an old sweatshirt that you want to do the same to................get brave.............get your scissors...........and I will show you how!........................... Are you ready???

Start by cutting off the ribbed cuffs, bottom ribbed edge and top ribbed neckline............... and then cut right down the middle front in a very straight line................don't worry........it will look good .............afterwards.........you now have a "jacket" out of your sweatshirt.

Fold under the raw edges of  neck edge, cut front edges,  cut sleeves, and bottom............ and then sew a small hem line, either by hand or machine.

And now the fun part...........you have a blank canvas in front of you. Get creative. You can either applique, embroider or paint on your new jacket to cover holes or stains that might be there. I simply drew a round arch on the front of this sweatshirt and then let my imagination go wild. I have always loved silk ribbon embroidery and beads....................and decided that this is what I would use for this piece. You can find many wonderful books on silk ribbon embroidery and you can find the basic stitch instructions by surfing the  Internet.

I like to roll the sleeves up, however, the jacket looks just as nice with the sleeves unrolled.

I used oval pearl and shiny beads in clusters, and small seed beads to form small flowers. I also used seed beads for centers of embroidered daisies.

I embroidered various stems and then used seed beads as buds. The silk ribbon rose is basically a layer of stitched ribbon over and over.

I used different colors and shades of greens in silk ribbons for the leaves.

I got a little wild and trailed off with embroidered vines with little seed bead buds here and there.

Here it is!

 I placed a blouse underneath to show you how dressy it can be worn this way. I like to wear a light blouse underneath , making the sweatshirt jacket not too hot to wear. It's soft and comfortable and pretty.

I hope you try this.............if you do...........let me know and post pictures............will you!

Let me know if you used paint, applique, embroidery or some other technique.

I can't wait to hear!

I have always loved sunflowers

 and here on the farm, I feel blessed because all of our acreage is covered in sunflowers. If one looks over the entire span of our grounds, the color of yellow is what they see. The sunflowers grow wild here, much because of the birds scattering their bird seed here and there. With the large amount of snow and rain we have received in the past year, the sunflowers have just taken over!................much to my bliss!

These flowers always remind me of this tablecloth I embroidered when I was 15. My best friend had found it in their stash of things and passed it on to me. I gleefully took it home and started embroidering . I submitted it along with my other home economics classmates items, to the county fair. It got a first place blue ribbon! When I moved away from home and out of college, I used it often in my new married life. That is why it looks so worn..................however, I am thinking about remaking the pattern and stitching a new for our country home now.What do you think?? {:

How about you? Is there something that you created when you were young and still have or fondly remember?

I would love to hear!

There is a place

that I love to visit once or twice a year. A "museum" of old homes that have been donated by folks and where the museum has set them on the grounds, repaired and decorated them to their certain period of time.

Each home, I love to look at, but I am always drawn back to this particular space. In my last post and on my last comment , one of you dear readers,  Toni, spoke of a wonderful magazine ............"Where Women Create". And yes, Toni, I love that magazine, and it is what keeps pushing me on the path of finding my creative dream. For others who are reading this and do not know what the magazine is about, it features creative women who have found their career in what they create..............and their creative space. I can imagine my creative space to be like this, in the photo above.............. including the wood burning stove................however, the walls would have shelves of floss, patterns, books, and material. I would have an overstuffed chair,perfect for doing my hand work, my coffee pot on the side table and ......................

my black cat, Salem, stretched out on the rug in front of the fire................of course!

How about you? Do you have a creative space or do you have one dreamed up in your mind?

I would love to hear!

p.s..............thank you all for your encourage and sweet comments......................you are also the inspiration that keeps pushing me on! blessings to you!

I've been thinking a whole lot lately

and spending a lot of time in prayer.........waiting and searching for just what it is that I am really meant to be doing in this life. Since I have started my job at the cafe.................I really miss my creative time and my stitching time. I have a wonderful job...............hectic and stressful as it is...........that is what restaurant work is...............but I know that this is not what I want to do for the rest of my life. Logical folks around me will tell me that at least it's a job and that it is hard to find one in these uncertain times.............yes, I am going to keep on working..............

however, I still have a dream............a desire..............and determination, to get me out of the "greasy, stressful, situation I have put myself in.

Lately, I have gotten so much feedback from those who know what I mean about living a "creative life" and I have gotten such good advice from those who live a creative life and are successful with it, that instead of stitching on items for sale................I am jumping into the deep water of belief in myself and am beginning to create those linen designs I have always thought about one day publishing. I have done research late into the night, and have spent days, while working away at the grill, dreaming up new ideas and new designs, and spending the late night hours getting them onto paper.

I am now getting the know how, of the tedious task of putting together a book proposal...............I have already redone it 3 times and beginning to change it again. {:

And then..................finding someone to think it is worthy enough to publish............

I am determined enough.....................and I hope I am talented enough..............and I am not giving up.....................

How about you? Are you dreaming of living a creative life and becoming successful that way?.........or are you already living a creative life? I would love to hear!

Pleasant Returns

Since starting work at the cafe, I have come to know some of the customers...................those that are known as the "regulars" that always order the same thing.........at the same time of day. Some of these folks I have gotten to know through them purchasing my embroidery.

One such customer purchased this set of pillowcases that I designed. I actually never have met her face to face..............my boss has shown my work, while I am in the back...........cooking away............and then comes to tell me what certain people want............and then brings the $$ to me. However, I got to meet the sweet lady who purchased these the other day. My boss called me away from my grill, to come out.................
because this lady had brought me and enormous stack of wonderful, vintage embroidery transfers!

So many wonderful designs!

Transfers that she has had and used for years. She no longer does embroidery, and told me that she loved the pillowcases I embroidered for her so much, that she wanted to give these to someone who would use them. I was humbled and grateful and assured her that I would indeed use them in my future linens.So check back here now and then............I will have some of these beauties stitched!

How about you?

Have you been handed down something that you now currently use?

I would love to hear!

Flowers Of The Month

Once again, I have been going through old transfers and patterns.

I ran across this delightful transfer set that has the months of the year along with the flower for each month. I have set them into a coaster design,
in which I will cut them out along the enclosed stitching to use as a wonderful 12 piece coaster set.

With this being July, I started working on this month's design. I love larkspur for all of the pretty colors the flower offers. Although I have done this in blues, Larkspur also blooms in white and pink as well. What is your favorite flower? I would love to hear!

Wishing For More Stitching

As most of you know, my hand work has slowed down due to me now working a full time job. I still do my embroidery..................but not as much...............and not as quick............as I used to.

I have just enjoyed reading ..............and looking........through the new July/August issue of Victoria Magazine http://www.victoriamag.com

On page 62, a lady is profiled with her mail order business, where she imports beautiful kits and supplies from all over France to the USA, for all of us stitchers to be able to order. What inspired me with her article is that she stated that women in France are just as busy as we are, however, they make time to stitch.

How this struck a cord with me. I glance over at my work basket with the still unfinished ...................morning glories waiting to bloom on towels...........a set of pillowcases underneath........................ with butterflies waiting to take flight..............
I still want to design....................to stitch................to feel the needle and thimble on my fingertips.............
I have time...................I just need to use it for stitching. I don't feel complete unless I am stitching on something and there are so many things I want to create.............
How about you? Have you let your career, your " life's activities" get in the way of what you long to do? Have you found a way to make time for you to " create"? I would love to hear!