Flowers for me (click on the photo to enlarge)
I have never been one that has my heart set on flowers for Valentine's Day, it seems too predictable and anymore - terribly expensive. I would much prefer a handmade card, a handwritten note or poem. I do love flowers though and appreciate them so much more when I am surprised with them on some random day that is not marked by a particular occasion.
Now glass flowers are a whole different story! I would love to receive them any day or for any occasion! So I thought I would make an arrangement for myself for February. I found this pattern in the book "Designer Bead Embroidery" by Kenneth King. I am not one to usually follow a pattern and it proved to be a bit more challenging than the other months where there was no pattern to follow.
With the exception of just a few beads - the flowers are all vintage glass buttons or sew-ons. The lip at the top of the vase/urn is cobalt blue vintage nailheads; the beads that make up the body of the vase are blue size 11/0 true cuts as well as copper lined seed beads. At the bottom of the vase are dark blue montees and the base is made up of more seed beads as well as sequins. The very bottom of the base is another row of cobalt blue nailheads. I finished the page as I have all the others with an ultrasuede backing and a pointed edge stitch.
I admit I have fallen a bit behind with my monthly pages, but not so far behind that I feel any pressure to hurry. I actually finished up this page about a week and a half ago, but it took me some time to get the photos blog ready. Generally I will take approximately 10-20 photos of a piece, load them up to my computer, immediately delete the photos I know I don't like (bad lighting, out of focus, etc.) and hope there are at least 3 left that I think are good enough to post. Then I crop the photos and re-size them. There are only rare occasions in which I use any type of photo manipulation software (like Photoshop) to change color or lighting.
I have begun to pull together a couple of ideas for March, but have 2 other projects I am working on right now. My plan is to start the March page in the next week or so.
Thank goodness for beads!
14 comments:
Grace,
The flowers for you are just beautiful and I love the vintage beads! The vase looks antique and the flowers go perfectly. It is one bouquet that will last forever! I agree with you about receiving flowers when you are surprised by them...it feels more like somebody wanted to rather than had to. I was thrilled that Monica won your giveaway. I think she deserves a treat that will make her smile! ;) Have a good weekend!
What a beauty!
Elegant sentiment to fit an elegant page - thank goodness for beads, indeed!
Oh, Grace. That is so lovely. What a perfect way to use so many vintage items.
Arline
A wonderful departure from your usual style -- bet you enjoyed doing this one a bunch!
Kathy V in NM
hi grace
oh its stunning-you did a beautiful job-i love the urn and all the different flowers:)
i feel the same way about V.Day-give me flowers any other day -just because ;)
x's&o's
tammy
I love all the flowers! Nice! :D
Beautiful! I agree with your sentiments on flowers. I also take pictures like you do - several of them and just eliminate the bad ones.
Enjoy your never-to-die-off bouquet!
Beautiful flower project Grace. I am always fascinated by your borders on your pieces. Each one so intricate and unique. They must take a very long time. Well I want you to know I've started my little doll - and I've named her "Persnickity" for various reasons which I don't care to mention at this moment because my fingertips are bleeding from being stuck so many times by the needle! My fingers are about as nimble as sausages I'm afraid. But I press on with this little doll -- and she is begining to win me over!!
Hugs.
Cathie
Grace, You really deserve this piece after all that difficult work you did about your Mom. What a lovely selection of beads and a great way to showcase them. I love flowers, for an occassion or not, so this one really makes me smile!
Robin
Pretty flowers Grace!
I am dying to see some colourful flowers here, instead of white snow! I had fun looking at all the special beads on your piece!
I simply LOVE the simplicity of your pages!
This floral bouquet in the vase is so cheerful; it makes me happy to see it...you are so gifted with talent!!!
I really like this!! What a great twist on those flower beads! Its one of those pages you wished you had of thought of yourself and you so admire!!!
Thanks for the reminder that sometimes we should do something straightforward and real!
Cheers, Denise
Yes! Now that's what I'm talking 'bout. Jeff knows a bouqet of ART SUPPLIES will win him more points than jewelry & plucked flowers. ~Monica :)
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