I love that this is called a 'Make Do' purse! Now I want to get all my little bits and pieces out and 'Make Do A Purse'!
I love that this is called a 'Make Do' purse! Now I want to get all my little bits and pieces out and 'Make Do A Purse'!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 in Antiques and Insights, Fun with Fashion, INSPIRATION, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (2)
This amazing work is by Penny Leaver Green! Her discovery of an old fan with birds on it, tattered and torn, has now become a delightful work of art! Be sure and look deeper into her websight for more wonderful creations!!! She also has an Etsy Shop - well worth exploring!
Sunday, December 20, 2009 in Fairy Tale Style, INSPIRATION, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (6)
My Husbands Grandparents came from Dalarna when they were young. We have a large collection of wooden Dalarna Horses to prove it! I have always been fond of Scandinavian folk art, and recently discovered the site for Jobs Handtryck. These fabrics have been entirely printed by hand since 1944. Patterns created years ago are as modern today as they were yesterday! Hand-printed means expensive, at around $140.00 a yard, but its hard to resist these patterns! You can also buy their fabric made up into handbags, pillows and shoes among other goodies. I just love the pumpkin print above, wouldn't it make a wonderful Autumn tablecloth? Or how about the beautiful chestnut print below, perfect for a woodland party!
Available statewide through Magdalena York Collection
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 in Fairy Tale Style, INSPIRATION, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (7)
Monday, August 31, 2009 in Fairy Tale Style, Fun with Fashion, INSPIRATION, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (3)
“I believe that friends are quiet angels who sit on our shoulders and lift our wings when we forget how to fly.” —Unknown Delightful WISPIES created by Shena Meadowcroft
Thursday, June 18, 2009 in Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (16)
Monday, May 04, 2009 in INSPIRATION, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (16)
Saturday, March 21, 2009 in Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (8)
Saturday, March 21, 2009 in Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (6)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 in Textile - Inspiration, Ulla's Art, Who is Ulla | Permalink | Comments (24)
Thursday, February 19, 2009 in Illustration - Inspiration, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (6)
How fun is this? A 'CD' circle exchange, sponsored by Nathalie Locquen in France! There is something so complete about a circle, and seeing the variety and scope here, makes me want to see an entire wall filled with these lovely little creations!!! There appears to be a 'theme' each month, and if you are good with a Translator it seems as if you could join in the fun too!
Sunday, November 09, 2008 in INSPIRATION, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (8)
Sunday, November 02, 2008 in Fine Art Inspiration, Illustration - Inspiration, INSPIRATION, Jewelry - Inspiration, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (4)
Saturday, October 25, 2008 in Fun with Fashion, Halloween, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (2)
Just because its so clever!!! By MVOS, and for sale at Green Grass Design!
Monday, October 13, 2008 in Fairy Tale Style, Fun with Fashion, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (1)
Sometimes we find beauty in the most unexpected places... This is an amazing Surgical suture sampler, circa 18th century, from the Zurich Medical History Museum in Switzerland. Just look at the variety of stitch techniques and detail, all appropriate for different anatomical regions and types of injury. If you put aside the use, and look at it purely for design, it's quite stunning! Link via Bioephemera.
Sunday, October 12, 2008 in Antiques and Insights, INSPIRATION, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (2)
I am still stumbling over using different computers. Now I'm on Husbands laptop... No access to my photos yet, but at least I am not crashing everywhere I visit! Here are a couple of truly amazing handbags by Ema from Japan! I LOVE her sense of whimsy and eye for details! (link via We're All Mad Here!
Thursday, September 25, 2008 in Dolls Inspiration, Fun with Fashion, Halloween, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (7)
In need of something different to wear? How about something by Reem Alasadi? I am loving her ripped and torn looks, and of course her use of gloves and doll heads! How does she describe her latest collection?
"Diaphanous and distressed, a short silhouette constructed with strict attention, ethereal soft sexy movements layered with dark edginess. Precious re-used lace and treasured metal trims liberated from a loved dress, convey a personal history. A fleeting glimpse from a romantic sepia-toned time, promised within the emotional savagery of aggressive street styling. Victorian forms in leather & wool, bustles and shoulders, drenched beads & lace. Why shout your message when you can retain some mystery, a whispered promise.............. this is our beautiful agony."
Surely one cannot get more romantic then this? 'Born in Iraq, raised in England... From her market stall on London's historic Portobello Road, she teaches others what English eccentricity is all about: her Arabic roots push the envelope of exotic mixes even further by using fur, lace, cotton knits, stained linen under-skirts, embroidered pantaloons, dolled-up camisoles, and curious mementos suspended from stiffly-starched shirting collars with ceramic wooden beads, protestant jet strings, and catholic streams of crystal with shreds of matte cotton haberdashery and macrame, to compose floral fragments of visionary jewelry...' (See more Here and Here)
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 in Fun with Fashion, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (6)
It was last October that dear Fine Pigg chose my name out of 'The Old Top Hat' for Christine Crocker's 20th Anniversarie Celebration! Then to top it off, (pun fully intended!) Christine asked me if she could make my PRIZE in colors of my own choosing! Of course I said YES! I told her I love old faded colors, roses and greens... So of course I was thrilled yesterday when a box arrived from Christine with my own personal 'Antique Worn Velvet Pinkeep' within!!! Beautifully handcrafted with rose printed bark-cloth, pink polka dotted tulle, and luscious antique velvet berries on top of a lovely hand-turned wood stand, I could barely wait to encrust it with my favorite pins! It now sits proudly on my dressing table, looking like a splendid dessert topped cake, delivered straight from a Fairy Bakery! THANK YOU CHRISTINE, for treating me with such BEAUTY!!!
Tuesday, April 08, 2008 in Fun with Friends, Textile - Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (8)

Hannah Lamb
Having always loved the textile work of Hannah Lamb, I picked up some purse frames Online a couple of years ago. I must have spent days trying to figure out how to sew a purse that not only would fit into the frames but also open up wider then a fingers width - with NO success. Well yesterday, my dear friend Judy and I decided we would put our heads together and 'figure it out'! After about two hours of feminine swearing and fiddling with patterns Judy went on line and found This LINK! We knew the solution would be easy, we just didn't know it would be that easy to find on line. I decided to use a wonderful PINK French Tea Towel that I bought from Quel Objet a while back to make my first purse. It went together with ease, once we had the pattern-drafted. The most difficult part of making the purse was attaching the fabric to the frame. Rather than gluing the fabric into the frame (didn't know what kind of glue to use?) I bought a small rubber mallet to gently pound it together. It slipped quite a bit and I had to re-pry it open a few times and re-hammer. I think this is something that one perfects over time - at least I hope so. I made a small stuffed handle but wanted the option to add a long strap later, so I attached the handle with buttons on either side of the frame. I'm quite happy with the outcome, and look forward to playing with lots of different shapes and fabrics in the near future!!!
Here is a photo of the purses made by Hannah Lamb that inspired me...

Thursday, April 03, 2008 in Fun with Fashion, Textile - Inspiration, Ulla's Art | Permalink | Comments (9)