Here is a peek at the sunflowers I designed and am currently embroidering. I am embroidering on a painted dryer sheet. I just think it is really fun to be able to paint the background for my embroidery. Here is also a picture of the sunflowers that inspired my drawing. These are growing on the edge of our front yard. My husband, Andrew, planted them with the girls earlier this summer. They stand about seven feet tall at the highest point. The Yellow Finches (also known as wild canaries) love the sunflowers. I have been trying to get a good picture of them perching on the flowers but I have not been very lucky. I have also posted a couple of pictures of some flowers I took the other day while out with the girls. My parents discovered this wonderful park about twenty minutes from our home. It is part of the Lorain County Metro Parks and was at one time a private arboretum. It's a wonderful place, I can't wait to take some more pictures there. Hope you enjoy the flowers.

Bright orange bursting in bloom...

Orange flower
Originally uploaded by cshella

I think this flower is a Zinnia. I know it is not a Gerber Daisy. This one happens to be orange but there were also plenty of yellow and red ones blooming as well. The wash of color was so pretty. This park had a little bit of everything. The children's garden was wonderful! Complete with a watering garden and a working merry go round. The girls absolutely loved it! I can't wait until Fall when all of the leaves are changing colors. I will be back to take more pictures.

Soft purple on a bright summer day...

Hydrangias 1
Originally uploaded by cshella

The park had numerous flower garden displays scattered all over. I think every color of the rainbow was growing! I snapped this photo of some pretty blue/purple Hydraingias just as it was starting to rain.

I decided that I liked doing the first embroidery project so much that I would jump right in and do a second one. This pattern is also from the book "Modern Primitive Embroidery" by Jennie Baer. I am normally not a fast craft person. It usually takes me quite a while to finish any project. Take knitting for example; it takes me weeks and weeks to finish a baby blanket. Embroidery however, goes by fast! I can take it outside with me when the girls are playing and I don't have to worry about counting stitches or reading a chart. It seems like the perfect medium for someone like me: an over indulgent mother who has two very demanding little girls! (I know, if I wouldn't over indulge they wouldn't be so demanding!) I'm going to try my hand at designing my own pattern next. Something simple I think like just a couple of sun flowers. Wish me luck!

A bouquet on a coffee filter

embroidered flowers on coffee filter full view
Originally uploaded by cshella

Yes I have embroidered on a coffee filter. I have been experimenting with different ways of making hand painted backgrounds for my craft projects. I have tried brown paper bags, dryer sheets, and now coffee filters. Although I like the differen textures of all of them, my favorite for embroidery is the dryer sheet. The coffee filter looks nice and accepted paint really well but the dryer sheets are much more "cloth like". The coffee filter is more like stitching on paper. This was fun though and I will definately try it again. I don't mean to cut this short but I do need to go because as I write I currently have four young kittens trying to use my legs as a climbing wall! Have a great week!

An embroidery experiment...

embroidery full view
Originally uploaded by cshella

Well here it is! My first real attempt at embroidery. I must prefice this with the fact that I am not new to floss and needle. I used a pattern from the book Modern Primitive Embroidery by Jennie Baer. Eventually I would like to try my hand at drawing my own design. I did not use the colors recommended in the book. I went to my stash and pulled out colors that I thought complemented the dryer sheet. I must confess to being a floss snob. I love using over dyed and hand dyed varigated floss. It just gives whatever project you are working on such a home spun, individualized look. Hope everyone has a good week, I am off to try some more embroidery!

Tiny embellishments for a tiny project...

I decided to use beads for the center of the flowers rather than French Knots. I have yet to master the French knot so I decided to go the easy route and just add the beads. I also liked the texture that the beads added. I'm not sure how I'm going to finish this yet. I was thinking about trimming it and sewing it to a piece of purple cotton fabric that I have. I have started another one for my Aunt Tracy. She is having hip surgery in August and I think something nice to spruce up her hospital room will make the whole ordeal more bearable. I will post pictures of that one when I am finished. Have a great day!