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

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

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

display

I recently had a display of my work at our local public library. The library keeps an enclosed glass case near the circulation desk, and exhibits rotate through the year. I enjoyed the conversations and positive feedback from people in my community who were inspired by the display. I sold a few things, and was commissioned to make several new pieces as well.

I am hoping to have my website up and running very soon. A friend is helping with some design work and I think we will meet this week to finalize things. Once that is done I will be placing items in my etsy shop.

We are heading down to Washington, DC this weekend for the Climate Rally. My kids have never been to DC and this is a very exciting way to first experience the capitol - with political action!

❀ Maribeth

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"

away

I will be away from this space until the first week of July. I am traveling out west to Yellowstone National Park and the Salmon River in Idaho.

Take care for now.

♡ Maribeth

i am here

I have been so busy, here and there. Here is a brief glimpse of me, look quick before I'm off to something else!

I keep looking at my feet in this photo. I have been attending yoga class regularly and often find myself focused on the contact between my feet and the floor. I really like this grounding. It is a point of mindfulness.

I put a few birds in my etsy shop earlier today. Please take a look if you like. Lovely World Handmade.

Hope all is well. ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

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.

the long view outside

I'm spending very little time online lately. Instead, I'm finding myself outside as much as possible. Gardening, hiking, watching softball practice and games. This has been a good break away from screens for me. When I'm outside, I see the long distance, the big picture. When online, I can develop tunnel vision. Does anyone else feel that way too?

The top photo is my lawn. I love that it is an incredibly weedy lawn because we get blankets of dandelions, violets, thyme, and moss.

The two middle photos are of a recent hike on Pine Cobble. The top of the Cobble is a jumble of stone. I love the cairns that have been built out of this jumble. Nature's altars.

The bottom photo is of the little parade that opened the Little League season. My daughter marched with the band. I realize that I am thankful to live in a town that closes a main street so that baseball players and the school band can march to the ball park.