New Horizons

     Another long hiatus:  visiting daughters and grandchildren; restructuring my artistic pursuits, and generally having a relaxing summer.  This is the first time since I retired from teaching 12 years ago that I haven't been actively involved in creating products to be sold.  I no longer feel the burden of paying rent each month, having to work (fun but restrictive), and keeping my "merchandise" current.  Although I still bring items into the shop on a consignment basis, the presssure to produce is gone.

      My life is still very busy, but much more laid back:  I art journal nearly everyday (as shown on my last posts), have a major project involving journals in the works, and am still sewing, printing fabric, hand stitching, and playing with new ideas.  Right now I am restructing some old wall hangings into smaller "works of art."

     Here is a 5 x 5 section of a much larger piece, cut up and "framed" with couched yarn (I neglected to take a picture of the whole wall hanging before slicing into it!). 

    On three of the 5 x 5 pieces, I hand stitched small swirls of yarn on top of the berries (same yarn used around the outside of each square) and then added small copper beads.  I also snipped scraps of sheet copper and stitched them by machine to "empty spots" across the composition.

     After completing all three squares, I covered a piece of foam core with art paper, touched it up with some metallic paint, and then adhered the squares in place.  This whole idea was conceived after some of my larger wall hangings did not sell, and so I removed them from the shop..  Now, I have made quite a few of these ART X 3 hangings (which fit into a narrow space), and they are selling quite well .  I'm really enjoying the process of recycling old pieces and adding new ideas to my repertoire.