Tangled Stitch

crossing , a photo by DebraAnn813 on Flickr. At times like this it is important to remember there is a higher power. I am very lucky to have not suffered much(at all really) but that can't be said for so many of my friends in all the places I've called my home. Best wishes and blessings to everyone who has crossed my path. Everything can be replaced except the people we've lost along the way.

On this crazy whack a doodle day ending this crazy whack a doodle week I am sharing Whack a doodle do. A hurricane and earthquake in the same week happening elsewhere and affecting upstate NY. Now that is really Whack a doodle. This is just my interpretation(made weeks before the earthquake and the hurricane). Hand embroidery on muslin. I loved using all the different colors, it was fun. I just wanted to do something whimsical, another one of those departures I've been talking about. Almost every piece these days is a departure. If you are interested Whack a doodle can be purchased at Valley Artisans Market. I worked today at VAM and had a marvelous day. Lots of customers which was amazing considering the storm and even more importantly the Travers at Saratoga. Very nice day, very nice people and I made a few sales too. I hope you had a wonderful day. I'm going to cut out and hopefully will be back soon if a tree doesn't fall, my basement doesn't fl...

What an interesting few days it has been. Firstly this piece is hand embroidered on tea stained muslin and it was bought by MaryLou from Valley Artisans Market. It reminded her of a childhood home. I love to make pieces that resonate with the people who buy them, remembrances of a happier time. As for myself, it is in a style of embroidery which I made back when I started. I would hand embroider pillows, not framed pieces not enough confidence for that at the time. When I joined the first coop I ditched the country style it thinking it was not "artistic" enough. Silly, silly me. Valley Artisans Market celebrated their 30th anniversary this past weekend with a pottery seconds sale, a show in the small gallery of Ginny McNiece and her daughters work. Very, very lovely. Very complimentary to each other, but very unique also. If you are in the neighborhood please come to see the beautiful works in the gallery and in the store. We had demonstrations, myself demon...

In honor of my new background color I am sharing the Calico Cat. It is hand embroidery on black fabric and currently residing in the Katbird Shop. I enjoyed making this piece as it is yet another departure for me. In the past few months I have rekindled my love of embroidery. It's very simple. Pillows, ornaments and framed pieces. No knits, no bags, no drama. If I want to experiment with new ideas, there is all the time in the world. I am also working every day which is something that had been plaguing me for quite a while. I went through one of the longest dry spells in memory(alas aided by my idea that one has to be all things to all people). But then I changed my focus and that has made all the difference. I have also taken to embroidering in silence when I need to center myself. Embroidering gives me such peace and tranquility. What do you do to center yourself or to give yourself the gift of peace and tranquility? I have just celebrated another birt...

A new lease on life. I don't have my pictures downloaded yet to this new computer so I thought I would update my blog look. Instead of plain white I opted for a cheerful orange color to go along with my new cheerful computer face. So what do you think? Do you like the cheerful orange color? Or should I look for a new one? Please be honest because I can always change it again. Will be back very soon with photos. And hopefully they won't clash with the cheerful orange.

Hi All! This is another of my bird hand embroideries. It is the Tanager. It is for sale at the Valley Artisan's Market. It is hand embroidered on watercolored muslin. I'd just like to take a moment to remind you that during this terrible time in the economy you and I can do something to help. We can shop local and buy handmade. A few weeks ago my husband and I went to the Adirondack Museum in Blue Lake. It was a wonderful day. The thing I most take back from our day trip was the beautiful handmade everyday items and how they have stood the test of time. The beautiful canoes which are centuries old. The beautiful quilts in the quilt show currently there. The beautiful furniture, the beautiful linens. Just about everything you can imagine is there and is sustaining all this time later. I dare to mention that in our current society everything is disposable. The years of having a car or a refrigerator or a washer or dryer that lasts decades is over. Now we buy things...