Sheep Fabric Box

This one I made last year. The sides of the box are made out of Timtex which you can use to make all sorts of shapes.

These two pictures are when it was in the WIP stage.

As you see, I used all sorts of fibers and fabrics to get different textures. And here is the completed box:

 I used a this stumpwork sheep project for the top that I had sitting around for a long time.  It seemed like a good place to use it.

The box was a lot of fun to make! I could imagine doing another one eventually because I really like the interactive aspect of a box, but this one is kept tucked away in a glass cabinet. I'm too afraid to interact with it much. ;)

October 2012 Embroidery Journal Project

I am ahead this month! Actually it wasn't planned, but I was working on this little project and since it was the same size as the others, I decided it could be my journal project.

I started it out as something of a study in using different yarns to help add interesting textures and surfaces. I found a great yarn that I thought would make an interesting sea, so this because a little seascape project.

I didn't really plan the project out at all. I just started with the water, then built up the land area with some different types of yarns. I made the rocks along the shore out of fimo clay, as are the bigger rocks. I didn't work off a photo, but I did take inspiration from my time along the coast in SE Sweden. It's very rocky and in places there are a great number of large boulders. There isn't much by way of sandy beaches, but the coast is interesting and varied!

It was fun just letting the project develop as I went along. There will be more of these types of projects in the future.

June 2012 Embroidery Journal Project

I have finished my project. It's different for me, so I was actually hesitant to post it here at all. I call it Sun and Rain. It's a texture study.

The background represents the sun, of course, and the blue, the rain. The blue is not to mean puddles though. It is holes in the sunshine. June goes down as the rainiest on record for us. It was often very unsteady weather with periods of rain and sunshine, sometimes both at the same time. I think most of you know the type of weather!

Anyways, why a texture study? Because it is just now that I feel inspired enough by the idea of creating textures in my work to really begin learning how to use the stitches to create interesting textures. It isn't that none of my projects have textures, but the idea with my texture studies is to focus on texture first, then color and design. I hope to get better at all three in time. So I chose to mark my beginning point with a journal project. I can't think of a better use for a journal project than to set a marker where you are with your artistic progress. And I want all of you out there to remember that we are not static, we are capable of improving. Just because today you can't create the project or artwork you want, doesn't mean you never will be able to. Work, push back your boundaries, test the water outside of the box, but most of all reach inside yourself, learn about yourself, and express what is in there. You will be surprised at how far you are able to go if you keep on your journey.