I've returned! My apologies for the extended away time. I just needed to think about what direction I am headed with my embroidery and other related things including this blog. I'm going to shift the focus a little to include my other thoughts and work regarding what inspires me and what else I create other than just with the needle. It all means something to me and is part of the bigger picture. I hope it "ok" to venture a little outside the bounds of just embroidery, but the other things impact my stitching in many ways, so I will handle things as such.
I have said it before and I will say it again (and probably many more times!), embroidery is an art form, and like all art forms it is an expression of what is inside. Things that you love, that happen to you, that you think, feel, and see all effect what is inside, so it's a useful exercise to examine what in your life guides your self-expression in whichever media you choose. You will learn more about yourself and the world around you if you take the time to contemplate your work and try to find the meaning.
Next I have a new blogging, stitching friend you can visit at
Wonderland Woods. Starr is a new blogger and a new embroiderer. It's great to see new people take up the needle, and they should definitely be encouraged! She's been a great help to me in focusing my thoughts and ideas.
Ok, now for this month's embroidery journal project!
I have stitched this piece on cotton fabric with wool, linen, cotton, and silk threads. Plus some little glass seed beads for sparkle. I painted the fabric with watercolor paints. The blue is a little washed out in my photo, but you get the idea. This project pictures the metamorphosis from frog egg to tadpole. Ok, so only 2 steps are shown in the project. I filled in with little plants and algae. I started with an idea for the project, but I made it without drawing on the fabric, so I could develop it freely as I worked.
The reason I chose this subject is because I have been watching the tadpoles develop this spring. We found a pile of eggs in our backyard a few weeks ago. The water in the yard was draining away and it was starting to freeze. So we scooped up the eggs into buckets and kept them in the cellar. In the days, we hauled them out to get warm, then back at night, changing the water so they would have plenty of oxygen. I watched the eggs develop day by day, then the tadpoles emerged. There are a lot of them!!! It's fun to see them grow and swim around. I am really hoping for a big pile of frogs.
Above is my inspiration for this embroidery.
5 comments:
I like and can identify with your commentary in this post. I am just a little weird and believe in what American Indians teach about Animal Totems. Watching the eggs turn into tadpoles and then to frogs are very appropriate for what you are thinking about your art and the changes you will make in blogging. Frogs teach us that material things are not as important as listening to your heart and pursuing your inner self.
I love your piece. I also love frogs!!
I look forward to your posting about your other interests and am very interested in visiting your new friend's blog since she has helped to guide you to a new direction.
xx, Carol
A beautiful piece you show here. I love your centipied stitch...we use that in bookbinding. I know what you mean by including other things here on your blog. I have several interests,,,painting, bookbinding, photography,,,and, and, and,,,,and I feel each one plays off the other one and you have some rebound from one to the other and one is NEVER bored that is for sure.
Emily - you don't need to apologise for anything, nor do you need to 'hope it's OK' to do whatever you like with your blog! Just enjoy what you do and blog what you enjoy!
I love this so much. And I love that you 'saved' the tadpoles. I'm hoping for you to have lots of frogs, too.
Emily, this is wonderful! You have illustrated this miracle of metamorphosis in such a beautiful and artistic way. Isn't it terrific what gorgeous things come about when we make art about the things we love and are really interested in? There is so much to look at in this piece, I keep coming back to it again and again to 'study' it. It's really, really good. I can't wait to see what you come up with next!
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