teany.tiny.stitches. for real!

Proverbs tell us that "The first step is hardest." or "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Well, I took the step. I figured if I was going to design and market a line of patterns, that first I needed a name and a logo. Two friends and I have a dream of opening an stitching shop with a tea bar and calling it "teany.tiny.stitches." Yes, we know that "teany" is misspelled. But we are going for a cutesy little joke. TEA. Get it? I love the name, so I decided that it suited this new venture. Since it is all about stitching, I knew that the logo needed to be stitched. So that is where I am in the process, if you can call it that.

New Ventures, New Adventures!

I have always been a thinker and often-times, an over-thinker. Many people are guilty of this (especially women.) Since losing my job, I have had PLENTY of time to think. Sometimes, I think about my worth or lack thereof. It is truly amazing how much of our self-worth is linked to our jobs. It defines us and I felt as though I lacked definition. That is until last night...

After a fabulous anniversary dinner date/trip to the library with my sweetie, it struck me: I AM AN ARTIST. Therefore, I have a job. I have been given a gift: time. I get to experiment in the kitchen, garden, walk, take photos, sing and dance, enjoy the sun, see my friends, and CREATE. Sitting behind a desk would limit these experiences, so why am I moaning. I should be reveling in it.

I have decided to spend the rest of the time I have been given doing just that. I will be focusing more on creating embroidery patterns to share and to sell. I will complete that blasted set model. I will embellish. I will make. JOY!

Working today for tomorrow

Some of you out there may think that I am a little scattered: jewelry-making, cooking, crocheting, felting, embroidery, plays, fitness, work, and now art. It may be true, but not in a bad way. For as long as I can remember, I have liked to stay busy. As a child, I had a vast imagination and could spend hours playing with Barbies or reading books. Summer reading challenges were no big deal for nerdy lil me.

As I reached adulthood, I have tried to maintain my imagination and creative spirit.I enjoy branching out and learning new things. I have always been fascinated with fonts, layout, and text (hence my metalwork) and my new online classes are fueling that fire. I think that they will really help me with my eventual goal of publishing my own embroidery patterns.

I realized, as I carted art supplies through the house that I have dedicated spaces for sewing and jewelry-making, but not "standard" art. Enter the new art space:

I want to make a line of patterns inspired by the Dowager Countess on Downton Abbey. Some possibilities above.

My first Downton pattern! I will stitch it up soon, refine the pattern, and post it here soon!

How Tuesday: Tray Upcycle

Sometimes, everyday things need just need a little spruce up. Perfect example, this tray. It originally held programs at a formerly important event and then got a quick coat of brown paint and stored supplies under a now defunct aquarium. I admit to occasionally enjoying a meal in front of the TV. Let's be honest here, doesn't everyone? The pain is making multiple trips to/from the kitchen. Inspiration struck while watching Downton Abbey. Watching Carson and the footmen carrying in tea and such on nice trays and salvers, I  devised a way to redo the tray in a way that even the Dowager Countess would approve.

   

The tray is wooden, from the craft store. It was originally cream with gold trim and then hastily covered with brown craft paint. Not very appealing. For this upcycle, I painted the tray with every crafter's secret weapon:  GOLD SPRAY PAINT!

Next, I trimmed a piece of cardboard the fit inside the tray, allowing a little space for fabric.

Sadly, I forgot to take of photo of the fabric covering process. I simple cut a piece of fabric with pinking shears a little larger than the cardboard. I sprayed the cardboard with craft adhesive and wrapped the fabric around it, folding hospital corners so it would lie flat. I placed the fabric-covered cardboard in the tray and was ready to go. I did not tack the fabric down so that I could launder or swap out the fabric as desired.

My Downtown worthy dinner on a tray that Carson would be proud to carry :)