Hand stitching again.

As August rolled in,  I put finishing touches on my Art Journalista visual journal.  What fun it was to complete those pages with all sorts of media tucked inside a re-purposed magazine.  After a day trip to "play" at Random Arts in Saluda several weeks ago, I was even brave enough to complete a page with an altered face.

I am anxiously awaiting Melody Ross' next online class- Brave Girl Art School.

The beginning of Melody's class is a few weeks away, so I decided to go in a different creative path for these late summer days.  One of the goals I have had for quite a while is to practice different hand embroidery stitches.  Embroidery is almost a lost art, but one that is such a part of our rich heritage.  One of my favorite artists/stitchers is Charlotte Lyons.  Charlotte has some beautiful samplers on her ETSY site, one of which is the Bluebirds Stitching Sampler.  I got one from her a while back, began stitching, then got sidetracked by life and other adventures.  So I picked it back up recently and really enjoyed completing it this week.

I had a pre-made canvas tote that I dyed a yummy greenish aqua color.  I made a funky shabby chic, ragged ruffle and attached some ball fringe on top.  It will be great to tote all kinds of things in.  

 I think the embroidery bug has bitten me, as I have ordered another of Charlotte's samplers. Her  LOVE-LY sampler has been redesigned for this year, and my initials will go inside the bubble where the date is on this one.  I'm learning so many fun new stitches... almost stitching in my sleep!  

Whatever your passion is...create something soon... it sure feels good!