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







Thursday, July 7, 2011

silk and a gift....

I have made something extra special for you this week. A tiny, tiny unique piece of paperwork. It is small, 6 x 3 inches but would maybe look lovely in your journal or sketchbook. It would even make a very pretty shopping list if you needed a random scrap of paper to write one down! As always, nothing original here! Just leave a comment, a nice one, a rude one, any kind at all!! The winner of the last buttons, these ones, I know....... it was years ago...is Lilipopo....postal details please!!!




Aside from stitching paper and pricking and perforating I have been embroidering some silk...yes...fabric!! This is to go with the ongoing paperwork that I showed you last time. Don't worry it will all become clear....soon I hope. And I hope you are proud...the ironing is done!!! and cupboards have been cleared out!! It's been a positive hive of activity round here I can tell you. Thing is though, I am no more organised. Despite throwing away shed loads of stuff I appear not to have gained a jot of usable space, not a chance of having everything in the same place. ....still pondering that one...

40 comments:

dandelion said...

Oh my goodness, and about time too!!;O) I will email you my address xx

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Lilipopo!
Karen, your works are always beautiful on paper or fabrics.xxx

Anonymous said...

It has been inspiring watching your work develop over the past few weeks. I admire your commitment to your craft.

Vicky Small

Doreen G said...

I would love to have one of your paper embroideries no matter how small it is because the beauty that it produces would be just magical.

Sue Morris said...

Just lovely work Karen. Please include me in your giveaway.Sue

Heather Woollove said...

It's gorgeous, Karen!

deanna7trees said...

i've given up on organization in the true sense of the word. my stuff might not look organized, but i know where everything is. gorgeous paper pricking.

Angie Willis said...

This is such a beautiful piece - like all your embroideries. I'm blown away!

Anonymous said...

Strange, isn't it, that however much you organise something, it never seems to be any easier to find what you want!

Lois Evensen said...

Hi Karen,

I just love all the pretty things you make. Your work is gorgeous. :)

Big hugs,
Lois

Unknown said...

Shopping list! Only if I was shopping at Tiffanys, Neiman Marcus, and buying lbs of organic beef. Amazing stuff as usual. Looking forward to your next piece. ~MB

Jane said...

Very pretty

cateriksson said...

I would definitely put this somewhere where I would walk by it often and admire it every time.

Beacee said...

Amazing! I am so impressed - ironing done, cupboards sorted!!! Then there's the small matter of the exquisite embroidery and the shopping list - beautiful!

Gemma said...

Too pretty for a shopping list!
Gem
x

Melissa said...

I'm totally fascinated by your paper. It would be great to see one up close...

Anonymous said...

I think I'd carefully mount your lovely bit (maybe over a dark paper or cloth) so I could savor the beauty!

:) Linda

Jane said...

I would love to be entered for your give-away.
No matter how much I clean and organize, I never have enought room to make my stitching room neat... how does that happen?
Jane

Elizabeth said...

I'm very proud of you that you managed to do the ironing, clearing out the cupboards, making a paper piece and embroider a silk piece. You are one busy bee.

Now I have to get to my second load of ironing of today!

Enjoy your evening.

Kirsty said...

I agree with the peeps above, it is far too pretty to be a shopping list. Beautiful xx

Kirsty xx
Hattie Willow

Carol Q said...

i dunno Karen - not only do you stitch on beautiful fabric, you stitch on beautiful paper too! looks stunning. wouldn't dare put it in a journal - it would be filthy within a couple of minutes lol

Joanna said...

Lovely work as always :o)

Flaming Nora said...

I love it, its beautiful, I would love it and look at it and care for it always. Let it be me, let it be me, let it be me!

JP said...

yes please - these pieces just get betterer and betterer!!!

Allegra Hawksmoor said...

I'd love to be included! I love your work, and love the ethos behind it!

Montreat Designs said...

I would love to be considered for this lovely piece!

Deb said...

cool blog!
really like your work,
very original!

jan b. said...

this is totally mesmerizing. I also like the ruched muslin on/against the paper piece in your post "home again".

Patchwork Linda said...

After your tidy up, if you are like me you'll never find things you need again.x

mamanova said...

beeeeeeeyooooouuutttiful!!! xx

geomauldin said...

your work is wonderful!!

Brenda T said...

I love this serious of work that you are doing! :)

Anonymous said...

I love, love, love your work. Thank you for sharing and for inspiring me!

Linda Carole Bloom said...

Congrats lilipopo!

As IF anyone would write a shopping list on that beautiful piece!!! Love, Linda

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I really need some new paper for shopping lists so I'm really happy to throw my name in the hat for this one. (Seriously - shopping lists???...horrors!)

monika@mysweetprairie.ca said...

Oooo count me in! You know this would be seriously loved by me!
Monika in Canada

Jacky said...

Ooohhh...this is so beautiful. Please put me in the draw...I would love a piece like this in my journal. How precious.

Jacky xox

c said...

just gorgeous, something that I would treasure for a lifetime

Anonymous said...

I have a beautiful oak frame that would do very nicely for a piece of your work...shopping list indeed!! :)x

Sonya Philip said...

This is my first visit to your blog, but I'm a admirer of your work over on Flickr. This is a truly lovely piece. I am a big fan of combining mediums!