This wallhanging started with several handkerchiefs that belonged to my mother and grandmother. The hankies are collage-pieced together with small bits of fabric, ribbons, laces, and trims. Special mementos include a few tatted and crochet flowers that my mom made, along with glass ladybugs, which is the symbol for our daughter. It is featured in my book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old with the New, by C&T Publishing.
On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!
Tea today is Watermelon and Lime Zinger, an unexpected blend of hibiscus with notes of watermelon and lime, well just like the name I guess it is a “Zinger”. I paired it with some oatmeal and fruit today.
Today’s Tip: Is one that I think is worth repeating, keep those you love, close to your heart, treasure and treat any gift given to you as one coming straight from their heart.
Lady RoseLizbeth’s’ Dress for FebruaryRose MarieLast of the Red Hot Lovers!
Lady Rose
Is an art doll that I made from a variety of components. The base of the body is made from felt, with two heart-shaped crochet doilies, and one embroidered heart shape pin, all made by my mom. I painted her face, and added ballerina shoe and hand-shape charms to the body, as well as crochet roses with leaves, also made by my mom. She is embellished with satin ribbons in a variety of widths and colors; vintage rickrack trim and rickrack roses; and vintage and new buttons.
Lizbeth’s Dress for February
Lizbeth is an art doll that I designed, several years ago, for a monthly challenge called Dress UP. The goal was to create a mixed media dress each month. I decided that I wanted to make a mannequin form first, and then create an ensemble for her each month. Her dress for February is primarily made from French wire ribbon; the accents are made from silk bias, velvet, and satin ribbons; with a bit of pink lace, and a heart-shaped button (from my guy).
Rose Marie
This is an art doll that I have made using a paint brush, this one was actually our basting brush from the kitchen. I soaked it too long in the dish pan and all the bristles came out. OOPS! No worries, I knew that I could make something from this fiasco. I painted the brush-base, the wooden heart-shaped body, and the cardboard backdrop with acrylic paints. I painted her face, and added in the “Carmen Miranda”-like tiara made from some crochet flowers made by my mom, and some ribbonwork leaves. On the backdrop, I added in a vine and leaf trim, additional plastic flowers, florist wire leaves, and lady bugs. Why? read on!
Happy Stitching to you! ~Christen
PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.
Heart Felt Wishes to you all! I love hearts, I love the shape, I love to decorate the house at Valentine’s Day, and I have a lot of hearts… so I decided to post A Heart a Day for the entire month of February.
Work with the colors that you LOVE! That’s what I tell my students when they ask me about color, and which colors to work with, I tell them to work with the colors that you love. Color always has the ability to make me smile! And when you are content, you can enjoy the process, and then the creativity will flow.
Happiest of heartfelt wishes for a wondrous day! ~Christen
In these posts I want to share some of my favorite pieces, which will include wall hangings, small works, pillows, purses, and just because pieces. February is National Embroidery Month, and I would like to share the pieces from some of my books, enjoy!
Week 4 of National Embroidery Month
For the Love of Embroidery! I love to embroider, which is no secret to all of you that follow this blog, or have taken a class from me, or even purchased one of my books. Thank you for that by the way, and thank you for your trust in letting me teach you, and thank you for letting me share this passion with you.
Hand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T Publishing
The Hand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, can be purchased from C&T Publishing, here is an index of the chapters and stitches.
This book was surely a labor of love to create, develop, and to write; and I had some amazing editors that helped me along the way to bring this vision to you.
To start with, there are over 500+ stitches listed in the book with images of the embroidered stitch and detailed how-to illustrations. I believe that there are almost 800 examples, if you count the illustrated variations of the stitches.
Certainly, this book should light the creative spark for any embroiderer, and did I mention there are both right- and left-hand directions!
Hand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T Publishing
There have been many embroiderer’s who have influenced my journey, one of them was Erica Wilson, her work was so diverse. I also researched many, many, many other books to find the variety of stitches that I wanted to include in this book. I even created a few new stitches that I thought would fit in with the my vision for the book.
Hand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T Publishing
When I teach a class on embroidery, I try to explain how the stitch is formed, and explain how stitches can be altered, to create a different stitch. In this book I grouped stitches by stitch families, starting with the individual stitch, that can then be used to create a continuous stitch. These are:
Straight Stitches
Outline Stitches
Knotted, Woven, and Whipped Stitches
Lazy Daisy Stitches
Chain Stitches
Barb Stitches (new stitch family)
Blanket and Buttonhole Stitches
Fly Stitches
Feather Stitches
Fleet Stitches (new stitch family)
Cretan Stitches
Cross Stitches
Herringbone Stitches
Capped Stitches (new stitch family)
Chevron Stitches
Embellishment Stitches
Hand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T Publishing
It is my goal as an author/artist/teacher to give you the reader/stitcher/student the confidence to learn and grow and become more familiar with the stitches. I feel a big part of one’s growth is to practice, I suggest working out the stitches for each stitch family, on a 6″ x 6″ (15.3cm) square of fabric. Once you have completed each square, you can stitch these into a Sampler Roll of Stitches as a reference guide and a keepsake.
You can see all of the books and products that I have created here. I wish you all the happiness and hope that you enjoy creating with this beautiful craft and art form.
Heart Felt Wishes to you all! I love hearts, I love the shape, I love to decorate the house at Valentine’s Day, and I have a lot of hearts… so I decided to post A Heart a Day for the entire month of February.
Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs, Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes, Being vexed, a sea nourished with lovers’ tears. What is it else? A madness most discreet, A choking gall and a preserving sweet. – William Shakespeare “Romeo and Juliet”
Happiest of heartfelt wishes for a wondrous day! ~Christen
Heart Felt Wishes to you all! I love hearts, I love the shape, I love to decorate the house at Valentine’s Day, and I have a lot of hearts… so I decided to post A Heart a Day for the entire month of February.
3 heart pins3 embroidered hearts3 heart ornaments
Shower the people you love with love Show them the way that you feel Things are gonna work out fine if you only will. – James Taylor
Happiest of heartfelt wishes for a wondrous day! ~Christen
Heart Felt Wishes to you all! I love hearts, I love the shape, I love to decorate the house at Valentine’s Day, and I have a lot of hearts… so I decided to post A Heart a Day for the entire month of February.
And so you see I have come to doubt All that I once held as true I stand alone without beliefs The only truth I know is you
–Paul Simon. Kathy’s Song
Happiest of heartfelt wishes for a wondrous day! ~Christen
Heart Felt Wishes to you all! I love hearts, I love the shape, I love to decorate the house at Valentine’s Day, and I have a lot of hearts… so I decided to post A Heart a Day for the entire month of February.
Country Hearts
Country Hearts
All the promises we break From the cradle to the grave When all I want is you
-U2, All I want is you.
Happiest of heartfelt wishes for a wondrous day! ~Christen
On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!
Tea today, is an old-time-favorite, Red Zinger, from Celestial Seasonings. This tangy fruity tea is flavorful beautiful blend of of hibiscus, peppermint, sweet orange, lemongrass and wild cherry. Kind of a crazy mixture, that somehow works, sort of like today’s post.
This wallhanging was made from a collection of greeting cards that came from the two loves of my life, my husband and daughter.
Today’s Tip: Re-purpose those fun little Jello-O mold tins, and cookie cutter molds in fun ways! You remember in December, I had a post on re-purposing tin Jello-o molds, and one on tin cookie cutters. Here are a few more from my collection and ideas on how to use yours.
I fill the tins with fun little treasures that haven’t found a home on a wallhanging or other project. Sometimes I fill them with buttons, charms, ribbons, or whatever strikes my fancy. For the Cookie Cutter Wreath below, I took a collection of aluminum cookie molds, and wrapped them with ribbons and trims. I then glued them together, and added in a collection of flowers made from burlap ribbon and zippers. This piece is featured in my book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old With the New, by C&T Publishing.
Filling Jello-O Molds With Special Treasures
A Heart a Day: 21
Heart Felt Wishes to you all! I love hearts, I love the shape, I love to decorate the house at Valentine’s Day, and I have a lot of hearts… so I decided to post A Heart a Day for the entire month of February.
Heart Felt Wishes to you all! I love hearts, I love the shape, I love to decorate the house at Valentine’s Day, and I have a lot of hearts… so I decided to post A Heart a Day for the entire month of February.
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller, Author
Happiest of heartfelt wishes for a wondrous day! ~Christen
Christen's Creations 