My Weblog

Freestyle Embroidery

A work in progress....

Still stitching away on my freestyle sampler from an online class I'm taking from this person. Still not too late to take the class! You can join at any time since it's a work at your own pace sort of event.

Since the weather FINALLY feels like Spring may be coming after all, I'll quit with the words and let the photos do the rest of the talking so I can run outside with my canine friend and soak in some more sunshine...

 
  

...hoping the sun is shining in your world today as well....

this, and many more blessings wished for you all...xo, sue 

SPLASHES OF PINK

Welcome to another week of PINK SATURDAY.  Once again, I'm giving you a peek into my "a-work-in-progress" studio. Today's post will feature one of the alcoves I've been filling with little treasures and inspiration. 

Here's a quick look at the area with all its little inclusions and spashes of the color PINK.

There's still some work left to be completed, but a combination of having to travel and some "rain issues" that visited the Atlanta area, have put the project on hold for the time being.

Before I hurry away due to poor internet service, { I'm posting while traveling} I'd like to give special mention to a blog I so enjoyed visiting last week. Take a peek at Posted From Home. And for a listing of all the participants for this week's Pink Saturday, be sure and visit our hostess, Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.  

Vintage photos

How sweet is this? Notice the mother's hand resting on the baby's lap "just in case"... Is that her beautiful hat lying on the ground?

The original size of this tintype is 3.5" x 2.5", which is considered one of the larger sizes of this type of photography. Tintypes, which actually aren't made of tin at all {some other form of metal}, were first introduced around 1850 and became wildly popular. Mostly because the process was cheap, fast, and did not require a negative being made. They are often referred to as the first version of the instant Polaroid photo, if you will. Hence, many amateur photographers entered the marketplace setting up their businesses on street corners and such. During the Civil War these itinerant photographers were known to visit the soldiers' encampments and take photos for the soldiers to send home to their loved ones. One can only imagine how it felt to open that letter and find one of these photos tucked inside.

Additionally, given that little skill was needed to produce these as well as being very cheap to make, tintypes opened up photography to the "common man." No longer was photography something that only rich people could afford.

For some reason, I include myself in the company of collectors who are drawn to these photos. While some have not withstood the test of time and have almost faded into oblivion, others have held up remarkably well. {Please feel free to copy these tintype photos and save them to your computer for your own personal use!}

I've scanned in a few more for your viewing pleasure. As shown in two of the scans below, the little cardboard frames, with their ornate embossing were often used to showcase the photo.

 

Notice the little rosy cheeks on the photo above and below. I imagine they were handtinted in order to add some color to the portraits.

  Look at the detail work in this dress. Don't you wonder if she sewed this herself? How long did it take? Was it her plan as she sewed by candlelight or a kerosene lamp to one day have her portrait taken in it?

  

Again, another classic example of the ornate embossing on the paper matting. No doubt she's wearing her finest hat and clothes.

One day I hope to use these in a few projects that have been percolating in my imagination. Finding the time is all that is standing between me and those projects. The age old story, isn't it?

Which brings me to my last photo...a little side excursion of something I'm just starting to put together. I've found that as I continue to sort items, paint furniture, and all the other tasks of getting my art room put together, if I allow myself a little time to "play" now and then, it renews my motivation to continue with this overwhelming task.

 

I hope your day includes some time to devote to the things that matter most to you.

PAINTING FURNITURE

Today was a new beginning of sorts. Another major change in my life. After nearly four years of working from home, today my DH drove to an office...in a big building just outside of downtown Atlanta. I knew it was coming for a long time. But still....

But he was so excited. Like a child who was waiting for his birthday to finally arrive. I felt....lonely, displaced, weird. The house all to myself --well, almost. There's still the four-legged little girl who would like to play every minute of every day.

Wanting to feel like I spent the day doing something worthwhile other than moping about having lost my best buddy to an office building, I grabbed the gallon of primer and a paint brush. With tools in hand I entered my art studio...the one that is still a work-in-progress.

 

By lunchtime, I had this little sideboard finished. It's tucked in an alcove in my new art studio and will eventually house some vintage goodies. So intent was I on keeping busy, that I was nearly half way through the primer coat when I remembered to snap a "before" photo.

Nothing like a little bit of success to spur you on to the next challenge. Hmmm...what should I tackle next? Since the furnishings in my art studio are a mish-mash of  thrift/antique store finds, hand-me-down furniture and what nots, I knew eventually I would try to bring some semblence of cohesiveness to the furnishings {hence, the room} by using paint.

How 'bout this thing? Dare I paint it out? I came up with a lot of reasons not to...but I swallowed hard, shoving those not to reasons aside and began brushing on the primer. 

After all, I reasoned, I could always wipe it off if I changed my mind, say, in the next 10 seconds or so.

That 10 second window came and went and it was soon obvious that a commitment had been made. I was going to paint it out. Time for the dolls and all the other junk sitting on the piece to be moved to safer ground.

While I'm still a little iffy about my decision, I know that once it is finished I'll be happy with it.

 Spurring on my optimism is this four-tiered, rotating utility shelf, if you will, that received a spray painting this weekend.

 My little vintage treasures display much nicer on a lighter background, don't you think? I'm trusting that this will be the case with the big desk unit as well. And come to think of it, maybe everything will work out just fine with this new change of DH working outside the home, as well. In fact, he called me midway through the day still gushing about how excited he is about this new chapter in his life.

Yes, it's been a good day. We were both able to work on something we love doing and see progress being made and a vision coming into focus. Can't ask for much more than that now, can we? Yes indeed, it's been a good day.