Hours of embroidery.

I've been working pretty steady lately, but at some slow going embroidery projects.

The first one is a set of place mats that are actually for my own kitchen - so of course I picked an embroidery design that will probably take me years to finish. I bought some adorable retro inspired fabric at my mother in law's shop - a floral design with little line drawings of birds. And fir the back I picked a contrasting print in the same colors - a wild and bold stripe.

 The embroidery comes in as texture mostly - giving the place mats a really handmade feeling. Using thread of the same brown shade as the illustrative line work in the print, I'm following the lines with a simple running stitch. While a slow going process (especially since I work on them in between sellable projects) I am really happy with how they're turning out.

The second embroidery project I've got going is a table topper. Using a piece of sample fabric I was given I'm also using the same running stitch line tracing technique. The fabric is beautiful - Robbins egg blue, soft grey, bits of navy, and pops of lime green. As the backing n edging I'm using a plain navy blue.

Luckily this project is much faster moving (which helps keep my prices affordable when I go to sell things).

Well back to the needle work and a relaxing Sunday evening.

Is back! And so happy the holidays are over.

So it's been a while (almost 2 months I think) since my last post.  And boy do I have a lot to catch up on. 

So I spent all of November getting ready for the Maine College of Art Holiday Sale that I previously mentioned.   The sale went great!  And ended up well worth the work.   Big sellers were the Antique Button Broaches and the Embroidered Cocktail Napkins.  

Then there were the holidays.  Did they seem extra fast and crammed together to anyone else this year?

We did Thanksgiving with my family this year.  Then my family did Christmas early (the weekend of December 11th)  while my sister, brother-in-law, and adorable niece were visiting.  Then I squeezed in a Christmas celebration with the in-laws in between working (it was my year to work Christmas Eve and Christmas).  Crammed in was also poor Megs trying to study and finish this semester's finals.

When her two weeks break finally came around we were both SO ready for relaxation and time together.  

Oh!  And I can't forget New Years Eve!  

Megs and I got all fancied up (along with our fabulous friend Tiffanie) and headed out to a fantastic night at Space Gallery here in Portland for their event Icing.  There were multiple performances including the local Burlesque Troupe The Dirty Dishes

the sounds of Lady Zen

and hey is that the band from my wedding reception?!  IT IS! 

 Over A Card Board Sea performed bigger than ever. 

And the best part?  My new vintage hat had it's first night out (thanks again Greg and Jo ;) 

So now,  a new month - A NEW YEAR! and time to get back to work.  First on the list is photographs and listing all the remaining and new items in the Etsy shop.  

I hope everyone out there had a great November, December and Holiday season.  Here's a preview of items soon to be listed. 

News and Napkins

A Retro Remedy was featured on another blog!  How exciting!  It's a first for me , so of course I'm gonna share the link and give lots of thanks to Fore Front Fashion for including me in their round up of Portland talent.  (I always love a little publicity) 

There were some other beautiful pieces listed in their slide show as well - I always new Portland was full of talent!

I've also been busy busy busy this week - I am a sewing machine!  Since within the first few days of my vacation from my day job I found out that I was accepted into the MECA Holiday Sale (see this post for info) I've been using my days (and evenings and sometimes nights) to finish up my stack of almost finished products and crank out some new inventory for the sale.  So far I've been super productive. 

In the works now are stacks of embroidered  dinner napkins and cocktail napkins.

This set  of dinner napkins uses one of my favorite decorative images - inspired by vintage tattoos - a blue bird.  They're embroidered with simple line work in a very pretty multi-shade blue floss.

The next set is definitely more summer appropriate than year round - but hey, who doesn't love a picnic!

Made of some fantastic woven red gingham fabric that I bought as a small amount of  remnants - each napkin has 4 black picnic ants climbing across the bottom and up the side.   

The third set (and the last I have pictures of for now) are retro party perfect!  I kinda want to make a set for myself - or maybe holiday gifts...hhmmm....

Fun patterned cotton material - the pattern reminds me of olives, which then just seem perfect for drink themed cocktail napkin - embroidered with ice cube filled tumblers and a green atomic swizzle stick.  

With this set I'm also trying out a different way to finish off the edges - with a much wider hem - and a no-folding-necessary, handheld size and style.  I'm taking pictures as I go and will post about the process later.  If it works out I plan on a bunch more sets in this cocktail size.  

Well there's plenty more to come  so I best get back to it.  

Til next time!

Happy Halloween!!!

A little vintage Halloween for my readers!  

I've had fun enjoying all the homemade costumes around me this year!  I made my lovely Megs a Hercules costume and I was Medusa  - gotta love a fantastic well built head piece! 

Have fun and Happy Halloween!

A Retro Remedy at the MECA Holiday Sale!

That's right kids!  I got accepted into the MECA (Maine College of Art) Holiday Sale!  It's been a couple years since I did the sale, but it's, by far, my favorite art n craft sale of the winter.  

Good thing I took a vacation this week from the day job - time to buckle down and build up a bigger inventory for the sale.  I have a few sets of embroidered napkins just waiting to be finished off around the edges, a couple more toddle pillows to photograph, and a stack of fabric cut to make some wintery snowflake cocktail napkins.  I also have a bunch more bluebirds cut and ready to sew and stuff and I have some fabric octopi in the works. 

  But that won't cut it for a sale - time for a supply run.  I think I'll make some more hight charts, a bunch more napkins, maybe some table runners and maybe some rag dolls.  

More posts to come as I finish up projects!  

 Have a great weekend!

  And keep the sale in mind if you happen to be near Portland in December.  It's  a fantastic sale featuring 65 local artists - many of them students and alumni of MECA. 

A Crafty Christmas

Like a lot of my fellow artists and crafters of all sorts out there I am a big fan of the handmade gift.  Not only do they really help a strained budget, but they always seem more loved, cherished, and appreciated (and are regularly requested around here).  This year Tilly from Tillyandthebuttons.com had the fantastic idea for a group blog to share out handmade gift ideas, tutorials, and successes.

Joining up was the easy part, however, now I just have to figure out what I'm making and what to share.  So far I've seen some fantastic ideas for gifts and holiday goodies.  

So what are your holiday gift giving plans?

A little post about a little bird.

A new addition to the collection: my little stuffed BlueBirds.

Made from up-cycled fabrics (specifically worn out old jeans) and scraps from projects past - these little birds are cuddly soft and awfully cute ;)

They're machine sewn, hand stuffed, and have hand sewn details.

And did I mention they were tough and durable?

The first one I made I gave to the pups to test out for weak spots and general durability.  It took a rough game of tug for the two of them to puncture it - followed by the rest of the week of Kinsey being obsessed with pulling out ALL of its stuffing.  (And I don't think kids are as rough as the two of them).  

The stuffing-less BlueBird is still one of her favorite toys.

(Kinsey does not like to have her picture taken)

Well, back to the sewing machine.  Until next time - enjoy your weekend!