Lovely World

golden

The first photo is of a small embroidery (about the size of a placemat) that I found at a house sale this past summer. It has been sitting on my work table, and I examine it often. It is so pretty the way it is, yet I bought it with the thought that I would cut it up and use it in my own textile sculptures. I'll have to be very sure of myself before I take scissors to it.

The other photo is of one of my lions. I have made 3 lions so far, and they each have a unique personality. Interesting how the particular stretch of the fabric, or the fashion in which I happened to sew a seam, creates a different face, even though I use the same pattern.

I so love making textile sculptures. I have so many populating my work room. I have sold some - to people in my community, as well as others including in other countries. But, I have not struck upon the best way to find an audience. I have found that the creative part comes freely from me, the marketing not so much.

Lots of projects this week: sewing, knitting, cooking. Thanksgiving, Hanukah, and a sweet niece turns 16. It seems like yesterday when I witnessed her birth, which occurred during my first year of midwifery training. A whole lifetime ago!

❀ Maribeth

stitched portraits

 

 

 

Settling into the colder, darker time here in New England. Spending more time with my sewing. Our three cats roam about my work room, mostly behaving themselves, although I have to watch them carefully as they tend to like the ribbons, string, and yarn that populates my storage baskets. 

I've started making some bust portraits. Lots of embroidered details, which are a soothing and contemplative process to stitch. This past spring I bought a box full of small wooden chairs, each about 4 inches tall, from a local artist who is moving to New Mexico. I believe she made them for some sort of installation. I find them the perfect match for mounting these busts. 

Thanksgiving and Hanukah both next week. Looking forward to meals and celebration with family and friends. Hope you are too. 

❀ Maribeth

animals

I am drawn to images of animals, as I'm sure many people are. They are so a part of our lives, of our environments.

The above top image is from a memorial plaque at the Bath Abbey (The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul) in Bath, England. I just loved the aged marble and the sensitive expressions on both the animal and human faces. I was also very interested to see the beaver alongside all of the domesticated animals.

This is the second sheep I have made. It has a pink fleece (lovely German mohair) and a black ruffled ribbon around its neck that provides a somewhat solemn feeling to the piece.

We lost a beloved cat this week, so I am also thinking about how animals come in and out of our lives. If you own different pets over a lifetime, that is many losses along the way.

Be well.

❀ Maribeth

deep summer

It is golden summer time and I have been sewing quite a bit. I have some items in my etsy shop and will be continuing to add more. If there is something you do not see there, but are interested in, please let me know.

Above is a new taxidermy bird made of gold velvet, with vintage lace and millinery flowers. It has a silver loop on the back for hanging.

Also some images I recently hung on my bulletin board for inspiration. I see a gold theme here as well. I have been traveling a lot this summer and found these cards in various places: the Musee D'Orsay (small child with pail and tall cat), the gift shop at Buckingham Palace (the horses), and the Met in NYC (the hedgehog).

Please visit my web site too! I have been fine tuning this little labor of love: lovelyworldhandmade.com

❀ Maribeth

spring things

Here is a little blue rabbit I made, in honor of spring's arrival. The top photo is from a folk art book I enjoy flipping through for inspiration. The little white rabbit sitting on the upper left hand branch of the green tree inspired my pattern.

The bottom photo is of a basket sitting on the edge of my work desk that catches pieces I have in progress but am not currently motivated to finish. I have to think on these - what to do next, how to make a certain feature, and the like. The doll (which I showed earlier) now has hair and an embroidered face. I'm thinking about how to clothe or embellish her.

I am happy to tell you that my web site, Lovely World Handmade (lovelyworldhandmade.com), is up and running! Please let me know what you think. My etsy shop has a new banner and will soon have new work in it.

❀ Maribeth

sheep

I've worked out a pattern for a sheep. I have had several pieces of this gorgeous German mohair for a while and am very careful about what I use it for because it is very expensive. I think it makes a beautiful coat for this sheep. A poof of cotton candy. I have also used various colors of the mohair for lion's mane and camel hair.

I have made myself a pinterest account and put up a number of boards. Do you use this site? I am finding it a nice way to save images of things I want to remember. I am also interested in how my particular aesthetic began to shine through once I had posted a variety of images. I suppose we all curate the world with different eyes.

❀ Maribeth

costume

:: I recently found an old book filled with images of traditional costume from around the world. It is such a pleasure to browse through. I sometimes fear that local and regional style will be lost and everyone will be wearing a t-shirt with a corporate logo emblazoned on it. How sad that would be.

:: My 12-year-old daughter is very interested in the theater. She is involved in a program with Shakespeare and Company. This past weekend she went down to their costume shop to pull outfits for an upcoming fundraiser she and her classmates are performing in. She was so happy in that costume shop. She told me that at one point she was wearing around a large viking hat that had been gifted to Shakespeare and Company from the Metropolitan Opera in NYC.

:: The bottom photo is me holding a doll I made over a year ago. It is still unadorned because I wasn't sure what to do with it. Browsing the costume book is a chance to get inspired. I am doing the hair and face today.

new projects

CRAFT WORK

I have been making new animal patterns and sewing on a fairly regular basis. My favorite part of the process is the moment the animal's face is in place. Each has a unique personality, even for those animals made from the same pattern. The quality of the fabric, embellishments, and my own hand lend to the variations and individuality.

WEB PRESENCE

I am building a website for my craft work, Lovely World Handmade. This has been challenging, but I am getting close to finishing. I have actually found satisfaction in making the site myself, learning curve and all. I will announce the link to the website here soon! I will also be adding new work to my etsy shop at the same time.

THANK YOU

Thanks to all of you who have reached out to welcome me back to my blog. I really appreciate hearing from you. I have also enjoyed browsing through your own blogs.

XO Maribeth

return

I have been away from this space for quite a while. From my last post, it appears that I went away on holiday and simply never returned!

But, I now turn again to my Lovely World to collect and record my creative efforts and those things that inspire me.

I have continued to read, and be inspired by, the blogs of many of my dear readers. I hope some of you will find your way back here!

Above:

3 images currently posted on my bulletin board

A new animal I made in November: "Circus Elephant"

friday regroup

I bought some hand-printed fabric from Bookhou. It is a very nice quality. I am making some storage containers with it. I made one this morning based on a pattern in Bookhou's b.a.h. Magazine. I used a medium interface, and lined it with white linen. It stands up and holds its structure well. These are very easy to make. I hadn't sewn in forever, and was very happy as I cut up fabric and sewed it together.

This is the state of my inspiration bulletin board. It has looked like this for a few weeks. I think it represents the break I have been taking from the intensity of creative work. It is a deep breath, a clearing of the head, a blank slate, a regrouping, a look in other directions. It is possibility. (You can see a lovely ceramic heart my son made me hanging on the board.)

I got an ipod touch. I am just beginning to load it up with music and podcasts and all the other amusements that seem possible with this small device. Here is some music I have been listening to lately:

* The new The Decemberists CD (I started to write album - but I guess that isn't really the right word - although it appears that you can purchase this in vinyl)

* The Smiths Best of 1. I do have some old The Smiths albums. I began listening to them back in the 1980s when we didn't have CDs.

 

Happy weekend to you.