For centuries women have used cloth as a tool of comfort and as an expression of beauty within their homes. Creating cloth for warmth, cloth for shelter, our female predecessors embellished these linens with hand stitch using laborious and time consuming techniques thereby enhancing the functional beauty of objects which enveloped and protected their families. Inspired by these women I hope my creations pay tribute to and recognise the devotion expressed in cloth by our female ancestors .







''the use of traditional often time consuming process alludes to the devotion of a mother''. c K. A. Ruane 2007







Sunday, August 30, 2009

and the winner is.........

As you can see I carried out my draw the lazy man's way! Fair though, if a little lazy. I printed all the comments to save on writers cramp, put them all in my Swedish glass dish and hey presto, the winner is changeling things. Drop me a mail with your address and I will sort out the rest! I tend to feel a bit sad after a give away. I really do wish I could give everyone something and there are some of you who I want to give stuff to constantly, I hope you know who you are. Anyway, that's it, done, phew!

Excitement aside, well I was excited anyway! I have been soooooooo busy today. I am relieved to have the stuff parcelled up for the Weston Arts Festival and will post it on tuesday. Then I will spend however long it takes to get there with my heart in my mouth, posting my wrapping cloths, daren't say it too loud incase I get really, really scared and change my mind! I chose these two for no particular reason really apart from the fact that my work will be alongside that of some VERY talented individuals and I don't want to look too ordinary. A little ordinary maybe but not too ordinary.





New buttons have been listed in the shop and the Sparkle wrapping cloth is underway. I want to show you how that is progressing as soon as possible but can't give a time. It is approximately one metre square, slightly smaller than a yard and there is a lot of embroidery going on that is extremely time consuming. Add that to the fact that I am loathe to show anything that hasn't been damp stretched, (OCD again!) and you can see the reason for possible delays.







If I make good progress tonight and tomorrow I will damp stretch the bit that's done then I can show you. That's the plan, fingers crossed.
Now at the risk of you thinking I am stark raving mad I want to tell you a little story. I have been listening to Elvis whilst I've been doing this post. When Elvis died I was a very young teenager, not eligible to vote or drink alcohol and I didn't really care, passed me by without really registering on my radar, well apart from the fact that I knew a middle aged woman who wore a black armband for a week, Anyway now, when I listen to him, I truly feel sad that he is no longer here, like it happened yesterday. Am I certifiable? probably but I don't care, it's a tragedy he is not here anymore just as I begin to appreciate him.

15 comments:

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

Karen! Come, come now! There is no way your work could ever look ordinary. Not even a little bit ordinary! Each piece is a complete work of art. That ruched border (pardon my ignorance of proper terms but hopefully you know what I mean...) is completely to die for!
As for Elvis I think we were on holiday in Great Yarmouth when he died and by then he was past his best. But when I see footage of him when he was young and fit and healthy I really do understand what all the fuss was about!

Anonymous said...

I'm truly excited to have won your giveaway! Thank you so much. I took my laptop to the breakfast table this morning to show my husband all your beautiful work and point out my good fortune!

Dolores said...

Well, congratulations to changelingthings. Lucky lady. I love your work and would in no way call it ordinary at all. Creative, exquisite and beautiful are just some of the adjectives to describe your talent with needle, thread and fabric.
As for Elvis, my eldest daughter was almost a year old when he died and I did not have a radio nor television on at all that day. I didn't know he passed away until my husband came home from work. What a talent he had. The voice and the way he used it plus his stage presence all made him numero uno in my book. I liked him when all my friends liked the Beatles.

Jackie said...

Congratulations to changeling things.
Your pincushions look yummy all wrapped up like that.
Hope you sell loads at Weston.
Elvis died on the day we got back from out honeymoon. How could I ever forget it?

CJ STITCHING AND BLOOMS said...

Congratulation to the lucky winner. Karen, your stitching is always so lovely to look at. I hope you do well at Weston. Hugs Judy

connie said...

Congrats to the lucky woman who won your drawing. I always enjoy your narrative and your photos. Your work for Weston looks incredible. I want to wish you luck but you will not need it your work will speak for itself! Fabulous!!!

Victoria said...

Ordinary as pigs flying. Never. Ever.
Have no fear, you are unique and original, and very, very talented... just like Elvis was. I too was a teenager when he died, and the older I get, the more I appreciate the great talent he possessed.

(Congrats to the very lucky winner, too!)

PS. Would love to see the inside of that Boro book and daughter leaves in 3 weeks... I am really going to miss her.

Jane said...

That is one thing no one could ever accuse you of-being ordinary. I am sure your pieces will be well admired. Elvis was one of the boys favourite singer when they were little. I have no idea how that came about. It amazes me the bits of trivia they know about him too

gunnelsvensson said...

oh, Karen you know your work are wonderful and very unique, I don´t know any other who do such a beautiful embroidery on buttons, for example than you! Keep going with your lovely stitching!

Elizabeth said...

Hej Karen,
Pretty sure the sales at the Weston Art Festival will be good. You are making non-ordinary stuff and that will stand out any time. As for Elvis, I was a teenager too and kept a newspaperclipping of his death for years. I know, I´m weird. What is your favorite, mine is In the getto.

See you.

LiLi M. said...

Congrats to the winner! The buttons are cute.
Mmm I think I am restraint indeed.I am a Libra and I will think decisions over and over, sometimes that makes me crazy, but in the case of that junk yard: it is filled to the brim with loads and loads of stuff and only a 20 minutes drive from here. I can easily change my mind..

Joei Rhode Island said...

Ordinary...schmordinary!! I don't think so!! Your work is gorgeous...so finely done. Two friends that I have shown the little piece I bought were entranced by how the dainty stitches and lovely colors. I think your work reminds one to slow down and look at the details of life.
I can't remember where I was when Elvis died...I do remember a neighbor girl cried until her eyes were swollen....I favored Otis Redding and Jerry Lee Lewis myself.

Gina said...

I love all those pleats in some of those pictures. Congratulations to the winner!

Camilla said...

Just to let you know it's arrived! I'm taking the work over to the boutique today and unwrapping it all there. If I thought your work was ordinary I wouldn't have invited you to be part of this show now would I?

Think it's going to all look wonderful when it's set out- will make sure I take lots of photos for you. Now i'm going to make a post on the Frou Frou blog about you.

http://froufrouexhibtion.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Not even a tiny bit ordinary. Your creations are unique and gorgeous!
Congrats to Changeling Things.
Shari