Do you remember all those Easter mixed media supplies I got from LaBlanche? Those Easter bunnies which looked serious and not cutesy cute? And the amazing very detailed stamps? I used them to make this mixed media tag! To see the step by step tutorial on how to make this tag, click here or on the image below. 

This mixed media mini album is made from gell prints and vintage photos. It includes inserts that can be use as gift tags, bookmarks or just as little joy-to-look-at objects. Click on the immage to see al the details of this little delightful album! 

This album features vintage photos of gentlemen, this one, holding a flower, is one of my favorites.

This album is quite small and it comes with its own box.

This art journal was a labour of love. It has seven (yes, seven!) signatures, they are sewn into a rounded spine: It is dedicated to one of the greatest criminal novelists Dorothy L. Sayers, and to her book "The Seven Taylors". As you know, Tailors were bells; and it was a joy to find examples of the bell sheet music! 
And there is more than at first meets the eye. Dedicated to a criminal novel, this art journal has a secret of its own. What is the secret? All is revealed in the video!

Today is a beautiful, bright, sunshiny day! And it inspired me to create a card with a stained glass effect. It features my favorite cutting die: Poppy Seed Head Aperture Die by ClarityStamp. You can find it here, should you wish to create a similar card.  

Just look at the beautiful reflection! The stained glass effect comes to life in the bright sunshine.

Some time last year I did a mixed media piece to reflect the pain I felt about missing my dad. I used an image of a poppy seed head, which for me represented the loss and emptiness. I knew then, that I wanted to return to this idea, and I wanted to create a sympathy card for those who felt the same way. When I saw this poppy cutting die from ClarityStamp, I knew how I was going to do it. The quote comes from a poem. 

This 15x15cm mixed media piece was done for the #artfulevidence weekly challenge. I used two of my favorite mixed media products in this piece: Baked Texture embossing powders by Seth Apter (in my book this artist is a genius!) and a Gummiapan stamp. Their stamps are unique and original, but at the same time they are quite versatile and will serve you for more than one  project (disclimer: I am not in any way linked to these companies, I honestly love what they are creating!).

Here is a video that allows to see the My Tribe mini-album better. The album itself ,should you like it, is now available in my Etsy shop here:

In their day these photos were taken for various reasons. For beauty, for ridicule, for artistry, for documentary. Whatever the reason was, thy touch my heart. I see your eyes, my sisters, I know what you are feeling, and I know what you are thinking. 

This is from a bigger project I am currently working on called "Cross Section of Christmas". Part 1: Spruce Needle.

Book lover or not, everyone if feeling the inspiration of the season. I embroidered this pumpkin using a lot of colors, but only one stitch: stem stitch. Usually it is used to embroider lines, but it can be a surprisingly good filling stitch. 

The headband is detached and also embroidered by hand.

In this work I wanted to abandon the idea of a book being meant to read.  When embroidery is added, not only the appearance of the book changes, the purpose changes along with it. The book becomes an interior object, to be looked at, a piece of art. An attempt to open and read this book would damage it. Simple scattered stitches send the scull to the background allowing the sculptural wreath to become a focal point. The leaves, although they remind delicate cast iron vines hugging gates and fences surrounding graveyards, are embroidered one little stitch at a time. A nod to traditional art of hand embroidered bookbindings. The piece is meant to evoke both sadness and curiosity, be somber and joyous at the same time.

There was one book at the Chelsea Antiquarian Book Fair which made my day. What am I saying! It made my year! Stunning, rich, beautiful, exquisite 19th century embroidery sampler book. It made my heart beat faster, it made me happy, and it made me wish I had a million in the bank! Luckily, the very kind owner of the book allowed me to take pictures and even turn the pages! My hands were trembling as I did that.

There were not only books at the Chelsea Antiquarian Book Fair. Antiquariat Michael Banzhaf from Germany showed a 19th century herbarium of artificial plants used in schools. What a lovely and fun thing, craft and science in one!

Mr. Harrison from Bernard Quaritch Ltd. is showing us the first complete edition of Aristophanes' Comedies, housed in leather clad wooden covers.

The highlight of my trip to London this time was the annual Chelsea Antiquarian Book Fair, held in the beautiful Chelsea Old Town Hall.

My second collection of hand embroidered bookmarks is available now! Sunny "Country Cottages" are delightful silk embroidered bookmarks. They are a thoughtful and unique gift for the person in your life who lives in the world of books.  For a passionate collector, avid reader or enjoyer of all things beautiful!  It will make her or him smile every time a book is opened.  These bookmarks are embroidered by hand only, one little stitch at a time, no sewing machine is used. I use pure silk threads; they provide a subtle sheen and quiet luxury to the embroidery. The embroidered fabric is then hand stitched with tiny overcast stitches to a satin ribbon. This design was inspired by early 19th century bookmarks, which were made of paper and attached to a silk ribbon. I hope that these little bookmarks will provide many warm moments of joy to you.
These bookmarks are available in my Amazon.com shop. To go there, please press here or the big green button "Bookmark Shop" on the top right corner of this page.