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







Monday, January 16, 2012

4x3






Remember I said I was maybe going to work some more in this sketchbook? If you do then you will also remember that I said I have a compulsion to buy sketchbooks even if I hardly ever work in them, that I have lots of sketchbooks with only a few pages worked on? (and by the way, from the comments and e-mails after that post I know that I am not alone!!) Well, I did work in a sketchbook...only not that one. I worked in my newest sketchbook, a tiny sketchbook just 3 x 4 inches (approx 8 x 10 cm). I spent a little time over the weekend playing as if I was at nursery school! It does you good, you should try it....and the result? Another sketchbook for the shelf that has only 3 or 4 pages embellished.
If you want a beautiful, tiny sketchbook then I got it here....

18 comments:

Jane said...

Looks like you had fun. I like how you've followed on with the transfer pattern onto the page. Hopefully, it won't be so long before it's revisited.

Felicity said...

temptress! i too have a terrible sketchbook/notebook habit and now to find these gorgeous things on etsy....

beautiful work, as usual :)

Suztats said...

When I realized I was only completing 3 or 4 pages in my sketchbooks, I stopped buying at about #10!! Love seeing your playing results.

deanna7trees said...

so pretty. a nice way to experiment with different ideas.

Tina said...

So cool! You are a constant inspiration!

Peggy Holt said...

And because of you I had to go out and buy watercolor paper...that is now added to my growing stack of used, partially used, and never used journals. Tiny may be the way to go....I can make my own books using the small sheets of watercolor paper I just purchased, then I can watch your video again, then I can punch some holes, then......I'm tired!

Elizabeth said...

Love the use of blue!!!!

Carol Q said...

ooh but aren't they just gorgeous, lovely pages! I would sit there just looking at them and turning them and touching them. I have a plan to own every single Pink Pig sketch they make lol.

Doreen G said...

I could cope with a book that size-----I think.

Tammie Lee said...

wonderful to see the whimsy of your pages Karen.

Helena said...

So beautiful!!!
I love it.

Jeannie said...

Your sketchbook make me want to jump up and find one to experiment in. I have enough, but the blank page always intimidates.

Yvonne Moxon said...

Beautiful work! I like sketchbooks that have free pages in them, I also have many :) my teacher at college used to encourage us also never to start at the begining of the book but to be random with the pages. I have always worked this way.
I have a shelf soley for them in my little studio. Yvonne

Tatkis said...

Fantastic! Ideal sketchbook!

Hugs,
Tatyana

Anonymous said...

I agree, playing is something we should all do more of!

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

Ah, but 3 or 4 pages BEAUTIFULLY embellished! It's lovely.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I wonder if there's a self-help group for startitis??

barbara l. hale said...

since blue is my favorite color, I am liking these!