pretty song friday

wordless wednesday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pretty song friday

paintings: horses x2

I was asked to paint the same painting twice, but that is beyond difficult so I changed it up a little. This was a special request, so already sold.

Which version do you like better? Why?

round up of recent paintings

These are all special request works. But just to let you know, I am still painting and still available. It’s never too soon to ask for holiday (Christmas! Birthday! Anniversary!) gift items. I always run out of time at the end of November, so please ASK EARLY.

painting: a nubian goat (07/11/2017)

I wanted to paint really bright and happy, and show off all the colors.

She’s in my etsy shop now.

11″x14″ oil on stretched canvas.

making something pretty today x3

I’ve been doing a little sewing in the background, because it’s hard not to think about making pretty things–and then make those things happen.

I bought several charm packs of Moda’s Poetry fabric, and made some zakka style curtains for the living room. They sadly don’t photograph well because of all the light behind them, but they came out perfectly and I love them. And then I found myself with an extra charm pack of squares, so I set to work on using them up.

First I made this zakka bunny tote. It’s huge!

I didn’t use those brick color squares in my living room curtains, because the color was too strong for that use. So they got used up in this tote!

I embroidered the bunny by hand, and then did some light quilting so the batting stays in place.

 

These are actually the fabric patterns in colors that I didn’t like so much. But aren’t they still pretty?

In case you haven’t checked my etsy shop lately, I will mention this tote is available for sale there. I make too many totes to keep for myself!

This next tote is also using my remaining Poetry fabrics. These were more my first-choice color/patterns, and it’s always a little sob in the heart to use them up. But there’s no purpose if they’re gathering dust on a shelf, right?

I gave this tote to a writer friend, and included the covered notebook. So she can carry around her notebook and write down all those momentary thoughts before they get away.

I thrifted the embroidered doily a long time ago, and hurray, it has finally found its purpose! I thrifted that pretty ribbon, too.

My sister (you can visit her blog, and her etsy shop–she lives in Japan!) gave me the watermelon fabric, and I knew it would end up in an apron.

That green and pink is pretty vibrant, so finding the right accent fabric could have been a challenge. But you know what? My sister had already given me the rose fabric (Lecien brand, Flower/Sugar pattern from maybe 2015).

I’m not much of a ruffle person and find making the gathers tedious because I hate pinning, and the thread always breaks, and on and on. But didn’t they turn out lovely? I probably only pricked myself with a pin twice, too.

Another thrifted doily, just sewed straight on to make a pocket. When the top edge folds naturally over, it makes its own decoration and edge. How perfect is that?

And lastly, all the apricots on the apricot tree. I swear this tree is only four years old, but it’s about 30 feet tall now. Maybe 20. But MUCH larger than I ever expected. The variety is, if I remember right (and I am pretty sure I do) called Chinese Mormon Apricot.

Even better? The apricots are not all buggy!

The branches are so loaded with fruit they are touching the ground.

 

 

And that’s my summer so far. How is yours going?

 

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