winter green

I just finished piecing this together this morning. The freshness of these leaf prints echoes the steady snowfall (yet again) outside. The leaves are printed on vintage linen, crisp yet smooth to the touch. I imagine layering it with soft flannel, and backing with dyed cotton. The piece will be hand quilted in white on the white cloth. There will be some kind of edging too, maybe in the palest, faintest shade of green, with more stitching in the same hue... Thinking, planning, and scheming is fun. The final work hardly ever turns out the way first envisioned. But that is fine too...

Our severe winter weather made me think of my wonderful illustrator and artist friend Charlotta from Sydney, Australia, where they right now are in the midst of summer. She recently honored me with the honest scrap award, in which you are supposed to reveal ten things about yourself. Since I received the same award in September (thank you Molly) I will refer back to that post if you want to learn about my secrets. Please visit Charlotta's beutiful blog to find out about hers.

special gift – special request

My friend Mia gave me this delightful bracelet the other day, as a belated holiday gift and thank you token. I am especially enthralled with the fig leaf charm, which is a silver replica of my leaf print. Mia is a talented goldsmith and jewelry designer, specializing in beautiful wedding and engagement rings and elegant pendants. Last year she also introduced an adorable line of jewelry that can be customized from your child's drawings. Thank you for my treasure Mia!

Have you heard about the poppies, a fun and lighthearted series of awards initiated by poppytalk? The awards are not meant to be a true competition, but rather a way to highlight and celebrate talented crafters, designers, and artists. I usually don't fish for compliments, but if you feel inclined, I would love your nomination in the homemade housewares category. While there check out the other award categories. The nomination process ends on January 12, so hurry over and let the world know who your favorite creative people are!