It is quite strange seeing pieces of my stitching sitting in unfamiliar surroundings after seeing them here on the end of the dining room table for such a long time...
This first one was a design from Helen Stubbings - you may remember these. I loved the daisy type flower but I wasn't so in love with the round flower - however I wanted to play on a small scale with the design... I wanted the flowers to overpower a small space and in the case of the round flower not even fit... I love tone on tone so I made the pale flower be the central object on the pale tone fabric and using a combination of Studio and Watercolour Derwent pencils I coloured it in... I partly stitched around each petal leaving a space at the whitest part trying to suggest an almost impressionist look of 'absence' when light catches something... The centre of the daisy was the hardest bit and I tried a number of things until I found some sequins which were a translucent shimmering pale pinkish/mauve... These I stitched layer upon layer, overlapping as I went with a a few pink seed beads scattered amongst them to create the illusion of height...
The red flower was half the original motif - this one I gained inspiration as I went along with a combination of pencil coloring, sequins, beads and embroidery... I wanted to create 'a space' between the sequins and central beads - but something which also spoke for itself... I think I achieved this with my doodle lazy daisy stitch - I call it a doodle as that is one of my telephone doodles - something I draw when on the phone... The message pad beside the phone is covered in them...
To tie in the Valentine theme I stitched a small tile word block with the word 'forever' (hidden in the photo) on the edge of the daisy flower and threaded sheer pale pink ribbon through it with the word love embossed on it... I wanted to convey that forever seemed to be a tangible permanent thing while love was less tangible but knotted around the word - a constant 'ribbon' moving between the present and the future... Well, we all like to think so in those first flushes of love :)
And of course a flower isn't a flower without bees and so my two little gold bees were stitched humming across the top edges of the daisy motif - they were also the 'love interest' as they were a pair...
The leaf was a simple shape and used as relief from all the pinks and clarets it was coloured in using blended layers of greens and then highlighted with green back stitch...
This FPC nearly sent me to the asylum for the stitching incompetent... Here my aspirations heavily outweighed my skill base....
This piece of furnishing fabric had been in my stash for ages... It spoke to me of faraway romantic places which had doorways that led into dark unknown hidden places...This was perfect for a 'secret Valentine' card which was heading off to someone who wouldn't know where it was coming from...
In my mind I kept hearing the word 'Marrakesh' and of course there is the famous Crosby Stills and Nash song Marrakesh Express which I had a listen to... I won't bore you with details only to say that I reworked elements on this card quite a few times until I had them 'just right'... G hinted at my need to have everything perfect -she is probably right. :) I do tend to get at little 'focused' when I am creating and I 'fuss' until I get it right...
As these were my first attempts at Fabric Post Cards I was pleased with what I achieved and what I learnt from constructing them... I did say 'no more' however the March swap was announce with the theme being Green... LOL the only thing I can think of is Kermit.. But I don't have to participate do I... :)
4 comments:
Beautiful work.
Sharon, they really are gorgeous - you can be very pleased with yourself! You put your heart and soul into your creations, much more than I do, but we are all different. There is a big difference between creative and practical people, but we both get there in the end.
Hi Sharon. I am the very lucky recipient of your second postcard. I think it is absolutely gorgeous! I have not been able to put it into my collection folder because I need to keep looking at it! Whatever problems you had with it were worth it all. Photographs can't do justice to the impact of this card. You go, girl!
Your work is beautiful and your postings were fun to read. I have never visited before but I will be back !!!
Post a Comment