Playing around - fly stitches on rubber matting with added net and french knots

Withdrawing threads from raw silk loose weave and working into it with nets and threads.

Large cross stitches on sprayed canvas.

New Year Break continues

I've just been to Edinburgh today to see an exhibition of Turner's watercolours, but I also wanted to see these amzing embroideries again - two shown here are from a seies of four entitled "The Progress of the Soul" by the Arts and Crafts artist, Phoebe Anna Traquair.
They are a staggering six feet high, and are entirely stitched in silk and gold thread on linen. The detail, texture, colour, vibrancy, craftsmanship is a pure joy.

New Year, New Ideas

We're almost into the New Year. Time to start digging out the canvas, threads, fabrics, wool, needles, books..... and put them in a prominent place to remind me that this is the creative time of year. I made it all the way through to June last year, finding time to work on embroidery just for myself, before the demands of the business took over.
This year I think I am one step ahead already - ready to dust off the cobwebs on this blog and make it a working diary again.
One new embroidery book for Christmas to inspire, and a magazine subscription.
Just a few more days to go... there is too much indulgence going on at the moment. You don't feel creative with a tummy full to bulging, and the house is full with family staying. I'm having a lovely time with them though, playing games and walking on the beach.
But it's also exciting to think ahead to when the Christmas decorations are all packed away and my workroom is not cluttered with everything that was taken out of the living room to make way for the tree, and I have peace to start a new project.
Happy New Year.

Update

I haven't visited this blog for months because I didn't want to get depressed/disillusioned/frustrated by the fact that I have had to lay aside this aspect of my work while I concentrate on the business side of things over here.
Since June we've given up all spare time to business work, but once more the end is in sight. You see we have an unbalanced year - the first half is relatively quiet and the second half is manic.
Once Christmas is past things start to slow down and suddenly there are free evenings again, possibly even afternoons and I can start to think about doing some embroidery for myself.
This year I've decided to start thinking about it earlier, so that when the free time arrives I've done the thinking and can make a start right away. Don't want to waste precious time.
So tonight I've opened up this blog again and have reviewed the meagre amount of work I managed to do last year.
Roll on 2011 - hopefully I can take a few more steps on the journey....

I Admit Defeat (I think)

I'm going to bow out gracefully for a while. Even the ten minute rule has had to be abandoned for the next few weeks because the business part of my life has become just too hectic.
It's not that I'm actually not doing any embroidery - it is in fact part of my business life. It's just that I'm not getting the chance to do anything just for myself. And that's what this blog is all about.
So I'll leave off posting until I have a chance to get time to myself again. Hopefully it won't be too long. But summer is always crazy.

All my threads, fabrics and bits and pieces are not far away though.
Bye for now.

Now What?

Time, where does it go?
Not enough hours in the day. I ran on empty for a few days ( and nights) at the end of last week, but finally lack of sleep caught up, and I stopped functioning in a rational way, and had to go to bed early last night.
The problem is being self employed. It becomes almost impossible to create a sensible work/life balance, as they say.
Especially when it starts to get busy, like now.  I could probably work 24 hours a day, if my mind and body allowed, and I still would be running to catch up.
But some things have improved.
1.  The workshop is tidy for once, which allows a certain degree of control rather than the usual chaos.
2.  I am trying to keep to a simplified work plan. One order at a time, completed and dispatched before the next one is started.
3.  And still the ten minutes a day rule for my embroidery. I've been using those minutes to plan in my head rather than do anything definite as yet. But it's never far from my mind, which is good.
4.  And despite the lack of sleep, I seem to have an unusual amount of energy and stamina. I think it's because we have upped the production a level or so ( this is our business I'm talking about  - Embroidered Originals ). This usually happens around now. The first few months of the year are quiet in comparison the the second half, which we have now entered. Each year I say that we have to build up stocks in the early part to help us cope with the busy times, and each year we run headlong into pandemonium and the stockpile melts away.
5.  So if I can apply some of this new found energy to my own embroidery as well....
6.  I think the answer for now is to try to produce some small pieces, which can be finished in a realistic time, and use them as stepping stones. I don't imagine there will be any theme running through them as yet. I'm still at the experimenting stage, so each one might have a different direction. But that's how you learn and develop, isn't it?

First Finished Piece

I saved up all my daily ten minutes' worth for the past couple of weeks and made a concerted effort over the past two nights ( and I mean nights) to get this piece finished. It's not exactly finished to the standard I think I'm used to - but I made a decision to add it as an extra present for my daughter's birthday on Sunday (ssh, don't tell her). Once I make a (rash, impulsive) decision like that, it just HAS to be done.

So here it is...

Sorry, the tacking stitches are still in the corners!

Now it's not a major work of textile art - it's not even a miniscule work of textile art, but  it has the distinction of being the first piece to be completed in this new journey of mine. That's satisfying.

Interesting to note that this is one of the few pieces I've made which has not been framed. I like the softness of this work and I don't really want Laura to have to hang it.

Already planning bigger and better, but time is against me again.

I think I'll set myself another deadline......