Blazing fall colors, dancing peacocks, patchwork quilts turned wonky birds. This week at the cottage… Continue reading
Tag Archives: craft
Cottage photos January 1-11 excavation
Hey you guys, it’s been awhile.
Everybody and everything here at the cottage has been ka-put, wonky, torn-up, broken, or sick.
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fringe
I’ve been keeping my heart busy with projects. They are all rocking some fringe.
So in the words of the Junk Gypsies – “If loving fringe is wrong, I don’t want to be right.”
Yes, I’ve been a crafty sewing freak.
This spring I scored a bit of vintage fabric at thrift shops and yard sales. Oh and all kinds of fringe too.
Boxes of it.
Oh Yeah!
I made a pair of curtains for the pool side bathroom door.
Mr. Cottage says I got the ’60’s thing going on here.
Several months ago, I bought a plain little stool at a local thrift shop.
Painted it one coat of Parisian Grey chalk paint, then a coat of Grotto with a somewhat dry brush, so that the grey could still show.
Cut some foam to size.
Played with fabric choices.
Too plain, not the right color.
Nope. Right color, pattern didn’t feel right.
Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner.
More vintage fabric.
A pop of ball fringe and the completed project is ready to travel to Coral Cottage South.
I leave you with a few photos from last night. Mr. Cottage and I were mesmerized by the full moon and feeling grateful to live amidst the beauty of the rolling hills of Virginia.
Barely there wispy clouds.
On the other side of the driveway the sun slips behind the trees in a blazing ball of awesomeness.
What projects have you been working on? Do tell.
See you later, Bye!
Kim
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daddy’s necktie – a creative process
Over a year ago, some friends and I went on a shopping venture, where they helped me nab a big stash of old neckties. I planned to repurpose them into something.
I’ve pulled them out from time to time and thought about making stuff with them, but as of yet nothing has come to me.
Or I just couldn’t bring myself to cut them up.
Or I had some kind of block, or I don’t know – I just wasn’t feeling it.
Recently my dad gave me a stash of his old neckties.
I got to work that afternoon cutting them up and repurposing them into their new life.
I think it was because I could feel a personal bond; I could remember him wearing most of them.
The creative gods said now is the time.
When I create, my heart is the leading force. I need the process, and the end result to be something that comes from my heart, and speaks to the heart.
Fabric cuff bracelets.
Yep, the old man’s necktie – one tie, three ways to smile.
This one I call sun-burst and stars.
I use lots of straight free-flowing stitching to achieve a simple style outlining on all the fabric patches. This is where my stash of fabric scraps come into play.
I added a few basic hand embroidery stars. Vintage buttons from the collection.
Old lace and dreams.
On this one, the necktie is layered several times with, lace, ribbon, free form stitching and dare to dream printed from the computer on muslin fabric.
A golden wing and a smoky glass bead for accent.
Believe features a sweet little key charm and a clear bead.
While I work on these pieces, I not only remember my dad wearing these ties, but I also think of the women in my life that influenced my sewing. My mom, she tried to be very disciplined in her sewing. She was a perfectionist that would spend many hours, tearing out her stitches and redoing them until she achieved perfection. I found her process to be un-fulfilling and swore I would never sew. My grandmother, sewed out of necessity. She repurposed and reused what she had on hand. I think her sewing sensibilities are what I feel the most when I sit down in front of my Singer.
What is your creative process? Do you have a special way of achieving your vision?
See you later,
Bye!
Kim
Visit Night Bird Creations to see more
Moonbeam catching * star wishing * soulful handmade *art for your heart.
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fish crow
The common American crow is the Corvus brachyrhynchos the call sounds like, caw caw caw.
I think they sound like they are laughing – when not giving that spooky scary haunted house on the horizon sound.
I happen to be one of those people who enjoys the antics of crows and ravens.
They are loud boisterous, travel in large flocks and they scavenge.
Seemingly unpleasant traits.
They are also highly intelligent birds, that I think get a bad rap.
While we were in Florida a few months ago, I was highly amused by Fish Crows, they are different then our laughing crows back home in Virginia.
these guys entertained me in the back yard for hours.
I put bird seed in my home-made record bird feeders. They hang by shepherds hooks in the back yard by the water.
A brief fight with a red wing black bird.
I sat in the shade of the mahogany tree with the camera mesmerized by their antics.
Magnificent blue plumage sparkles as they hop about in the sunshine.
Fish Crow – Corvus ossifragus have a call that sounds like unh unh unh.
So if you ask them it they have done something wrong, they will reply unh unh.
The inspiration for my folk-art style pencil sketch is from these silly birds.
I scanned the pencil sketch, then played with digital overlay. Using new software it was a mistake at first, but then I rather enjoyed the different looks that I could achieve. I tried several different styles, one of which is in the header of my blog. Thank you Debra, for asking.
I’ve managed to accidentally delete the files with the other scans, and as of this time, I’ve lost the original pencil sketch.
Once the original is found, it will be available along with others at Night Bird Creations.
I asked the crow if he deleted the files and took the original but he said, unh unh.
See you later, Bye!
Kim
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barn raisin’
Earlier this summer I received a wonderful gift. Something I’ve always wanted.
It was hand-made by my dad so it couldn’t have been any better.
Not really a barn – it is actually a Purple Martin house.
Betsy Beagle supervises the installation.
Dad and Mr. Cottage working on a plan.
A job well done.
A pair of blue birds were checking it out the other week.
Hopefully by spring the Purple Martins will have arrived and moved in.
My dad turned 82 last week, he is still rocking it!
See you later, Bye!
Kim
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sophie’s art
Sophie’s art
On Pinterest I found this charming, amazing art from a 10-year-old girl named Sophie. Sharpie markers and cheap white kraft paper. Yes, this is a keeper.
Here is the original blog post.
I have to admit along with admiring her sweet young talent, I have a case of envy too. After reading about her getting 5000 hits in one day on this post I think to myself how did that happen? Just goes to show you never know what is going to strike a chord with people. For me, to see that kind of response to something hand-made, makes me quite happy.
Hooray for creativity. I hope you keep rocking it Sophie.
See ya later, Bye,
Kim
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wearing curtains
I’m teaching myself how to sew. I have a stash of old fabric and clothing that I am repurposing into other useable objects.
I should tell you I don’t follow directions and I don’t use patterns and no, I’ve never had a lesson.
Any of y’all out there old enough to laugh with me on this. Remember the classic Carol Burnett show – the episode where she is doing a spoof on Scarlett O’Hara – to make a dress she wraps the drapes around her – pole and all? I still laugh uproariously when I think about that episode.
apron made from my kitchen curtains
Yes indeed, this flamingo fabric used to hang at my kitchen window.
I’m an apron wearing gal. I think I got that from my grandmother. I wear one when I am in the kitchen and while gardening, and working in the studio. No, I don’t play naughty maid dress-up.
Also from the recycle/ repurpose bin, this crazy wild print came from an old blouse that my mother made many years ago. I cut up the fabric and repurposed it into an apron.
half apron
and because everybody should have a purse to match their apron
I’m off to see what other projects I can get into.
See ya later, bye
Kim
