Sorting Out

I just started the summer vacation from my day job. I am going through files that I have made during the winter and try to find seeds for the new projects. Here's something that I had made in May but never really finished. I am trying to find motifs that work with t-shirts, maybe I could pick something from here?P.S. Did you notice that I have a new product: a mouse pad!

Be You!

I believe strongly that every person is unique and every one has their own unique style. It is only the matter of time and practice to find it.

This time I did not want to create anything particular, just let go and relax. I love ornaments and dig some from my treasure box. They were made some time ago using watercolors and markers. Then I grabbed black background paper and started doodling. Color pencils add extra interest. Using various supplies makes the collage interesting.

By using a variety of supplies and taking care of the composition is often enough for the eye. The only third thing you need to add is You!

Behind The Butterfly

I have spent most of the spare time taking care of the new puppy. It has been pretty difficult to find time for creative stuff. I have moved most of the art supplies to our dining area table where I can watch the puppy more easily. That way I have been able to make something, now and then, in small steps.

Stella's point of view can't be missed. She thinks the summer smells great. I might have got some inspiration from her for the illustration! And the butterfly might actually represent her in the picture, who knows!

A Modern Quilt for The New Puppy

I have not been able to write here for a couple of weeks. I have a big project going on. And I am not talking about this quilt!

  

I am talking about the owner of the quilt!

She is my new beagle puppy Stella! As you can see from the pictures, see appreciates my hard work for the quilt.

I made the quilt from scraps that I found in the closet. I used to make a lot of quilts many years ago. Then I stopped. The reason was the lack of time to make really artistic detailed hand embroidered quilts and the lack of inspiration to make traditional ones. But now I have found a new trend: modern quilting! I am so excited!  

Stella wishes a long and warm summer to all of you! See you soon! 

Make Art, Reuse, Simplify!

When I made this handmade card I did not think of fabric. But the way I create art leads often to design. I love to reuse my illustrations and make new products from them.

I am so pleased with this fabric, made from the doodling. I thought this would not work as a repeatable pattern but it does! If you have followed my blog for some time you know how I hate simplified stuff. But I recently I have begun to turn more to simple things. And I have started to look my own work differently. These two designs don't really look complicated.I find it both funny and bittersweet to to be so excited about simple designs and simplifying! You will see some projects with a new twist in the near future! 

New Postcards

See my shop Peony and Parakeet for some new glossy postcards! 

I have more than 20 different designs already!

Painting With Wool

For a long time I have believed that the most valuable things are those that you can make yourself from start to finish. The question is only, where to start. This project was a very special one as I started with natural white wool. I had the idea of painting with fiber and I thought I could take a layered approach as what I have done with papers. 

My first step was to dye the wool by painting colors over it. Here's one of the rovings I dyed.

Then I spun the wool.

Here's some of the finished yarn. With spinning I added "painted" layers.

Then I chose the pattern. I could have designed it myself but I find so perfect one I decided to go with it. It's Stockport by Sarah Hutton from Rowan magazine nr 46. I chose to make mine it a little longer to really show off the yarn.

When knitting the sweater I made random stripes, another layer of paint. I think that the result really proves that the layered look can be done with fiber too!