A Few More Photo Finishes

17 Oct 2016 9 Comments

by averyclaire in Boutis, Christmas, Cross-Stitch, Disney, Finishing, Flat Folds, French, Gifts, Halloween, Hardanger, Ornaments, Pillows, Wall Hanging Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Here is another post with photo finishes!  The finishing studio is humming where each week my clients challenge me with their work.  There is always something new and interesting to see. Enjoy the eye candy handiwork of my clients!

Vivian did this lovely Brenda Gervais small pillow “Merry Noel”.  Since the fringe was unavailable for her, I hand dyed some mini ball fringe to match.  It’s perfect.  The soft colors in this piece are beautiful.  Nice work Vivian.

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And Laura did an equally beautiful job on this Stacy Nash medium sized pillow entitled “Pine Tree Farm”.  She gave me handmade antique lace to use as an accent around the pillow edge and the perfect fabric backing.  It’s gorgeous!  And the colors in this one are equally soft and delicate.  Lovely!

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Judy created this beautiful white work pillow.  She wanted a brown backing behind the stitching, so I used the same brown fabric for handmade cording and the pillow back.  I included a zippered back so the pillow insert could be taken out if needed. Such intricate detailed stitching!

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Pat did a couple of gifts for little ones this time around.  She requested a rather large flatfold for the first one.  I added the “sticky kisses” across the bottom and the cute little matching buttons.  On the second one I added a handmade multi-colored cording with multi-colored french knots along the accent fabric.  And for privacy, in the photos I have deleted the birth date and weight from both.

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Pat’s needles were on fire this last month and she created this very large wall hanging for someone who just LOVES Halloween.  The tomb-like shape just adds to the fun!

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She also did these two cute wall hangings as Christmas gifts.  All the little girls seem to LOVE the Disney Princesses, especially the mermaids.  Here is one of Ariel!

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And another one of Snow White…this one is certainly elegant with the rosy red apple and the red rattail trim around the perimeter of the stitching!  I LOVE the Disney fabrics on the back!  These little girls will love to look at both front AND back!!

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If you are interested in learning Boutis (a simple running stitch and corded French needle work technique), I now have on my Etsy page not only a kit for the three ornaments I designed (containing ALL materials needed for the three ornaments), but a “pattern only” choice, as well as the “hard to find” special cotton yarn that is needed for the kit.

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I have lots more photo finishes…so come back again soon!  Thanks so much for your continuing visits!

Amities, Averyclaire

Spring Really Is Here

21 Apr 2016 17 Comments

by averyclaire in Christmas, Cross-Stitch, Finishing, Flat Folds, Halloween, Ornaments Tags: , , , ,

Well, the warm days finally arrived here in Chicago after a mild winter, but cold days.  It sure feels nice to sit on my back porch and gaze at my perennial garden.  Everything is slow to grow, but it IS coming.

I want to take the time to thank all my blog followers and let you know how much I appreciate your stopping in to view the lovely work of so many of my stitching friends!  And, of course, I love to have everyone peruse the finishing I have done.  I can’t show all the finishes because some people use their items as gifts and it is obviously a SECRET!  Alas I must say that MY stitching and MY quilting have suffered due to not much time left after finishing.  But I will be sure to show you something of mine occasionally!  A heartfelt thanks again to all you who view my blog each post!  Oh…and see my 2 new pages above… Finishes for 2015 and 2016.

Southpaw Stitcher did this soft, lovely ode to Spring!  Need I say more?  Love the soft colors.  So many of my clients are loving the “flat fold finish” for their seasonal projects.

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Cheryl gave me some beautiful purple and teal batiks to use for finishing her box lid.  I added some tiny cross-stitches across the top and bottom and added some hand made purple cording.  What a lovely tribute to friends everywhere!

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Pat will be attending a wedding shower soon and stitched this beautiful keepsake for the wedding couple.  All those little dots are gorgeous glass beads that she added.  Such a lovely gift.

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Judy had fun stitching this elegant leprechaun with his lovely shamrock and cute gold buttons.  I added some super Celtic fabric.  She has a BIG head start for next year’s St. Patty’s Day!

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And speaking of head starts…Pat (who did the wedding pillow above) also stitched this scary Halloween wall hanging.  She gave me the spooky black eye fabric and I couldn’t resist adding a silver spider web and a creepy spider to go along with it!

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Becky is also well ahead of time with her adorable “Elf on the Shelf” ornament.  I think some lucky children will simply adore this one!  Golly, I wish I were ready for the holidays for 2016 already??!!

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That’s all I can show right now.  I hope you enjoyed today’s photo gallery.  Tis a busy season for everyone…gardening, family celebrations, graduations, Mother’s Day nearly here, vacation planning.  I hope each one of you is truly enjoying beautiful warm and sunny days.  After the long winter I am feeling renewed for sure.

I hope to have some photos next time of a stitching retreat I will be attending at Country Sampler in Spring Green, WI.  Can’t wait!

Until next time, amities, Averyclaire

 

 

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN……..

30 Oct 2011 9 Comments

by averyclaire in Gifts, Halloween, Quilting, Stumpwork Tags: , , ,

I absolutely love Halloween decorations…the fun that the children (and adults) have in dressing up and partying…the chocolate candy. Alas I did not have a lot of time to do many new Halloween needlework pieces, but here is one of my favorites finally mounted and finished.    I found an unfinished box at Hobby Lobby, painted it black and roughed it up a bit to look antique.

I found the cutest tiny fuzzy ball trim to go around the mounted cross-stitch work.    Sorry it’s so difficult to see.

And the grandchildren just love the surprise inside!!!    And I love the orange paint!!!

My birthday is coming soon and my dear French friend, Maggy, sent me the most BEAUTIFUL pair of “Eiffel Tower” scissors!! I absolutely adore them. How did she know that I have wanted a pair of these for a LONG time? Thank you Maggy.

She also sent me two French Patchwork magazines and a watercolor book on scenes from Provence. This will keep me busy for sure.

Remember the Stumpwork workshop I attended….well I had finished the needlework itself, but now I have completed the finishing on the ornament. Don’t you just love the look of the Dupioni silk?

It was great fun doing the little spider.

And whoo hoo….I have finished the quilt top I started on retreat last weekend. Now it just needs to be quilted.

It turned out larger than I had expected…isn’t that nice!!

Hope everyone had a fun weekend and a laughter-filled Halloween Day.

Til next time, Amities, Averyclaire

Stitching and Sightseeing

03 Sep 2011 12 Comments

by averyclaire in Chicago, Cross-Stitch, Halloween Tags: , ,

I know I should be working on Christmas things (because it’s RIGHT around the corner, but I have been busy with some little Halloween pieces. A couple of small ornaments (“Boo” from Waxing Moon and “in progress” is “Full Moon” from Ink Circles–Halloween Just Cross-Stitch Issue 2010) to hang on hooks and knobs around the house, and another lovely Halloween piece from Drawn Thread. I LOVE Halloween. Guess I am a kid at heart.

I DID do a bit of Christmas (only because this project takes a LONG time)! Another finish for me this week was the Christmas stocking I was making for my daughter’s husband. She has a felt stocking from when she was little and each of her children have one, so she asked me to make one for her DH. Voila! I thought “Santa’s Workshop” was appropriate for him. It had a “zillion” pieces, but it was fun to make.

This past week my DH and I spent a day in Chicago’s downtown area and I thought I would share a couple of photos of some of Chicago’s famous artwork. In 2004, the sculpture “Cloud Gate”, dubbed by Chicagoans as “The Bean”, was unveiled in our new Millenium Park. Creation of British artist, Anish Kapor, “The Bean” is 66 feet long and 33 feet high, weighing 110 tons. Made of steel plates polished to this shiny finish, it looks like a big drop of Mercury. The skyline of Chicago can be seen in it’s reflection and everyone loves the reflections that are like a funhouse mirror. “The Bean” and Millenium Park has become a destination for school trips and people of all ages.

Also downtown, but on our “Magnificent Mile” is the “Forever Marilyn” statue created by artist J. Seward Johnson. It was unveiled in July 2011 and will remain here until Spring of 2012. Marilyn Monroe (26 feet tall) is posed in her famous stance from her movie “Seven Year Itch”. It is fun and interesting to see. There are mixed emotions from the masses regarding this statue. Some people say it does not depict a dignified enough image for Chicago…that it is too obscene. I thought it was delightful. (Everyone goes underneath it to see her panties.)

And last, but NOT least, I went with a friend to visit “The Farnsworth House” in Plano, IL about 1-1/2 hours west of Chicago. It was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and completed around 1951 for a physician who was single and wanted a weekend get-away house for the weekends. An interesting architectural experience, it sits on lovely acreage along the Fox River. All the walls are made of windows. While I do not care much for modern things, I could live in this house in a minute because of the surrounding woods and beauty. However, being near the Fox River, it has been known to flood, so I think I will stay where I am at!! Anyway…it was a SUPER fun day to spend with a good friend.

Til next time…Amities, Averyclaire