Hand Heart Hold

It was time

1/2 size Palatino upright bass

Heart Dress

I made another dress.

Don't you love the little matching pig-tail holders?

You know you do!

Goofing around with my designs

Lion Overalls

I made these for my little nephew, David Trygg. This awesome fabric is by Rachel Galloway of Mamma Made Designs. See her version here.

I think that the reason why people don't get excited about shopping for little boys is because you rarely see any kind of creative, adorable fabrics and clothes like this for boys. I mean, you can only get excited about so many baseball shirts and trucks.

This is what you, too, could be doing if you had Photoshop

Fruitful Tree

Remain

This is from Psalm 37.

The first half of the music is not yet written yet.






Remain

Flourishing green tree
Happy in your place
You spread out, down down and out
Your roots go down, down and out you seem
To be overshadowing everything
Drawing from the blood of the city

Nicely situated in one of your veins
Looking out my window
Leaves blocking out the light
Hotel of the wicked
Monsters hide in every hole
As you lift your branches
Suffocating sunny sky shining

And here we are
What a view
One's almost four
And one is two
How do we do when
Lions prowl outside
Waiting right beyond the porch

But look oh lookie here
Hear the words that make it clear
You're going down
The children laugh
And chase you out of town
The father laughs
For your day is on the way
You're going down
Like a puff of smoke
Away you go bye bye

Do not fret because of evildoers
They will wither like the grass
Trust in the Lord and do good
Dwell in the land and grow faithfully

Evil will be cut off
It will be no more
You will watch and see it
See it with your eyes, see it with your eyes
With your eyes

Those who wait on their God
Will remain will remain

SuperTwirl

Elsie was ruined for all other skirts by Mamma Made Design's Friendly Frog dress. All of the girly skirts I bought at the thrift store for the dress up basket dull in comparison and are not acceptable. So I made them up a couple of skirts from some material scraps my friend gave me before moving away. They are definitely twirly.

Painted Purse

Um, I painted a purse.

Heartflowers

Another project...

One day I found my 3 year old daughter had ripped this page from the front of one of her books and put it on my desk, saying that she wanted me to design fabric just like it and make her some pajamas out of the fabric. Normally I would have reprimanded her for tearing up her books, but this was just too cute and I must say a bit flattering to me that she assumes I can make anything....

Hansel and Gretel

Isn't this picture cool? I totally love it. This may inspire a fabric design.

Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm. Hansel and Gretel and Other Stories by the Brothers Grimm. Kay Nielsen, illustrator. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1925.

Spoonflower Jammies

I finally got these things done!

Meditation Joy Sorrow Oil

This was inspired by my best friend and the amazing music she has been writing.

There's one particular line one of her songs I can't get out of my head..."Let my meditation be pleasing to you".

Every thought we have is a stitch that becomes the fabric of our lives. Yesterday as I was meditating on how sorry I was for myself as I cleaned up my sick children's vomit and dia...ahem...the other thing, this line kept going through my mind. As I meditated on how crappy it was that I can never sleep in on a Saturday and do what I want to do because I have too many responsibilities, this line kept going through my head. As I sorrowed over the dirty dishes and agonized over all the things I had to do and sacrifices I had to make despite the fact that I was sick with strep throat and so tired from being up with the kids every night for a week, this line kept going through my head.

I failed miserably yesterday. But today in church guess what scripture verse came up during the sermon?

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

I will learn yet.

Run Like A Deer

Today when I was at church, I was walking past the preschool class and the teacher was having all the kids run around in a circle and she was yelling "Run like a deer! Run like a deer to Jesus!" And I got all choked up. God wanted me to hear that phrase and it just got me right in the heart, it made me think of the imagery of the deer panting for the water and how desperate we need to be for God. Anyway, I wrote this song tonight about it. I don't know why my voice sounds all pop-diva in it. I didn't mean to. Anyway, here it is:





Run Like A Deer
I have taken cover underneath the shelter
Of my own human strength
I’ve gone to other lovers seeking their protection
I have tirelessly sought them

Now you have brought me to the wilderness
Hedged me in behind and before
Here I am now broken hearted empty handed
I wait upon the presence of the Lord

And I run run run like a deer to you Jesus
There is no other love that satifies
I am thirsting for the living water
Only you Lord can provide

I will run to you
As You run to me Lord
I will run to you
As You run to me

Now you have brought me to the wilderness
Hedged me in behind and before
And I will worship in the glory of Your presence
Blessed are those who wait upon the Lord

Test of Time

My mom made this dress for me. I wore it for Easter in 1977.

Here is Nadia Elsie in it 30 years later, Easter 2007. Missing a bow but still in great shape!

Heidi: Easter 2009. One or two more stains but it's still holding up. I wonder if my mom had any idea it would last this long!

Pantstravaganza

I haven't been doing too much in the creative arena lately and I've missed my art night the last two weeks, but I have managed to crank out 5 pairs of pants for my daughter who is sprouting up like a weed. Elastic waistband pants are so incredibly easy and quick to sew and you can add embellishments like cute little pockets and buttons to jazz them up.

Icky Water

Once I was at a marriage seminar and I remember the speaker saying that a woman talking is like a garden hose - When you first turn it on, it sputters and spurts out a bunch of water and sediment for a little while, and then finally the pure cold water flows. They were making a point that women have to talk for a while before they can get their point out. I don't know if that's true of most women. I'm not a big talker so I can't relate to it that well. However, that concept always stuck in my mind and I think it definitely makes sense to me when it comes to creativity. We can't expect things to come out perfectly at the start. We will severely cripple ourselves if we wait for that. We must turn the hose on, come what may. The cold clear water can only flow behind the junk that has to come out first...

Overflow Me

Recorded last night with my friends Ed and Natalie Wall.



Overflow Me

Let the water rise inside of me
Let the water rise inside of me
You have made a well inside me
Let the water swell inside me
Let the water rise inside of me

Holy Spirit reign inside of me
Holy Spirit reign inside of me
I am weak, Oh God You know me
I need You to overflow me
Holy Spirit reign inside of me

For You, You are the source of life
And You, You cannot be contained
Oh Lord, I am your vessel
Pour out your glory till You cover the earth
Rise up and spill out of me
Pour out love until You cover the whole earth


ⓒ2009 Mary Brewer

Cuteness

I had to take a picture of this. My mom was here today and my 3 year old daughter Elsie made her a "napkin cream pie".

Chinese Fabric

I got my Chinese fabric from Spoonflower today! The reds all turned orange. But that is my fault, because I did nothing to prevent it. This is the first time I have taken apart a scanned image and repositioned it into a fabric design. Normally I use vector art, where there is complete control over the color choices. Not so here. What I should have done is used Photoshop's replace color feature to pinpoint and adjust some of the more troublesome colors. I'm still happy with the way the fabric turned out though. The colors are bright and crisp and the extra orange does not take away from the design, in my opinion.

Tree...

First draft of something I'm working on for church.

Chinese Village

One night years ago, I made my husband paint with me. I made a snowman, and he made this:

I love this painting! He was always embarrased of it, so I made a point of showing it to everyone I could. I lost it when we moved from Georgia to Pennsylvania. So sad! I looked and looked, to no avail. Then one day not long ago I found it in the attic. Whoopeee! Now I have made it into a fabric, of which I have ordered 5 yards from Spoonflower for my prizewinnings. I think I am going to make pajamas out of it. It has to be something I will wear a great deal so he will have to look at it often. These jammies are going to rock!!

Shhh..We're being watched

Check out the work in progress by Rachel and a little bit me...
And check out the peepers on these trees...

Happy Guy

My sweet little "nephew" Guy, in a smiley jumper I made for him.

Moose Dress

It's a girly moose! Who would have thought!

-my design on a beautiful garment by Rachel

Many Sparrows

Song Particle

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
Luke 12:7

Lollies

In three flavors...

Oh yeah...

This is belated, but....yahoo! I won.
I can't figure out what to do with my 5 free yards. The options are staggering...

New Trick

I'm trying to learn CSS since my web design skills are still in the dark ages. Lovely and functional, mind you, but up to this point I've still been laying web pages out in -gasp!- tables. After reading an article that said people like me were the scum at the bottom of the web-design pond, I decided to re-educate myself.

Some day I will wow the world with my fluid, accessible dynamic CSS layouts.

Leaf Birds - light version

I didn't like this last night but today I do.

Leafbirds

I'll show you mine if you show me yours...

This post is dedicated to all of the friends whom I've ever told "You're house is always so clean!" and they've sighed and shook their heads disagreeingly. It's also dedicated to every friend who's ever said that to me about my house and I've done the same. It is certainly not true.

I've been reading a book that my sister-in-law gave me for Christmas, "Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life". It's been very helpful to me so far, and made me think alot about the pace of my life. Today it was discussing how we sometimes commit ourselves to things for the wrong reasons, and I started to reflect on what, if anything, I do for the wrong reasons.

The first thing that immediately popped into my mind is cleaning my house. I'm not a super neat freak or anything, but there is something in me that just feels better when the house is clean and orderly. Being a mother of two very small children, my house is now rarely clean and orderly at the standard it once was. I try to keep things as unsticky as possible, and the dishes get done every night, but I'm always feeling badly about the state of the house in general. A little guilt, a little shame. Especially when somebody comes over unexpectedly.

Oh, if I know you're coming, I will clean and put everything in it's place. The floors will be swept. The bathroom sink will be shiny. I will not let you see our "real house".

Herein lies the problem. Our houses need to be cleaned at times, and I think it's appropriate to try to take good care if what you have. But why the pride and shame connected with it? With me it is an act that is done "to be seen by men", and I don't like that. I know that I'm not the only one who worries about the way their house looks to other people.

So I felt the need today to take pictures of all my rooms, in the state they were in at 3:30 this afternoon, and put them here. I unashamedly (sort of) give you...my messy house. Not the worst it's ever been, not the best, just a typical day. Feel free to show me yours. Maybe it will make us feel better.

My psalm

Lord I want to say something to you
From my very deepest heart
What? What is in there that I want to express?

I'm so thankful you've saved me
I'm so happy you've given me true life
I know I'm not living in it the way I could
But I get stuck in places and I need your help
I get worried, I get stressed
I get in a hurry, I get annoyed, frustrated, despairing

But you are the confidence
and hope of nations
You are my confidence and my hope

I want to do what I'm made to do
I want to feel what I'm made to feel
And I pray tonight that You would work out
Your life in me, make me of strong character
Make the fruits of the spirit ripen in me
And move me into my place

I want to be in a place where you can flow through me
Where I can truly be
poured out like an offering
But I'm so tired of trying to pour out what I don't have
I want to be me
The me You've made me to be
I want the gifts You've placed in me
to function well and be utilized
In the way You made me to work

What is it that you want to do with me?
I want to be not unwise, but wise,
knowing what the will of the Lord is

I long to just be, to just be me
Not to just be me but to really be me
I want to be all that I can be in You
I want to stretch out and expand
and fill up the space
I want to be just the right color,
the right sound, the right pattern

Lord, what do I do with all this longing?
This longing to be a totally free person
To be functional, alive, fully alive, fully awake,
a living, breathing, walking, talking person
and no longer a fake

I want Your life to pour through me
and out of me
and bless everything
and everyone around me.

Moose

I'm working on an image that will be incorporated into a dress by Rachel for a little girl who loves a moose.

Here it is.

Mr. Sandyknickers and Much Candy

Once I had a dream that I owned a vending machine, and in it I sold something called "Crab-cake Crab-cake Cakes". No, that is not a typo.
And with that, I will leave you and Mr. Sandy-knickers in a very happy predicament.

Tummy ache

Here is the evolution of Mr. Sandy-knickers into a fabric design. My husband and I both independently felt it might need a snail. It does seem a little sparse. I think liked it better as a single design, rather than a fabric. I'm not crazy about any of the background colors, except the purple would be kind of fun as a tablecloth. My three-year-old would like to add that she likes M&M's. Brown M&M's.

Happy Place

Mr. Sandy-knickers has found himself in an unlikely but happy place.

Mr. Sandyknickers

I did find out the history behind Mr. Splashy Pants. Cute as he is, I didn't want to rip him off, so I created a friend for him to serve as a launching pad for my design.



I call him Mr. Sandy-knickers.

Inspiration is indeed Everywhere

Rachel from Mamma Made is well...read the post.

I really like this little whale guy. I'm not sure what the history is behind him. I randomly found him on the internet by accident. I like his flat top.

Out, Foul Layer

Part 1 of Song


A sourness, a foul layer
Sneaky crept in
I didn’t know till Dense

Once was light and blue air
Sun and easy peace
I didn’t care I miss It, I miss it

I am not horse to work I am not no mind robot
I am baby I am kid

You no monster, you no cop
You no wicked old man
Meany old man
You, friend, you partner

Melt crusty heart again
Real me in here, your friend
Oozy soft and Yours

Hush (Isaiah 30:15)

Song Particle


Isaiah 30:15

For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, "In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength." But you were not willing...

I will not give up! Sewing Foibles Part II

I'm on the quest to make the perfect fitting pair of pants. I tore apart the ones I already had, my favorite green pants, and made a pattern from them. I was so enthusiastic.

It did not go so well. As usual, when I sew, I tend to always do something backwards or inside out. The first 50 times I did this, I chalked it up to beginner's ignorance, but now that I've been sewing for 20 years, I think it is just something that happens when I sew. I always do it, I always get frustrated and think that I was just not meant to sew, but I never quit. Oh well.

Take my new pants for instance.


First of all, the entire pants were made inside out, as I early on discovered I was using the wrong side of the fabric but did not have the patience to start over. The pattern pieces I had created did not magically come together, so there was many a turmoilious moment as I had to figure out what was wrong. I never did. I just kept sewing. And lo and behold, as I tried the lovely things on, I discovered that the waistband was sewn upside down, so that the waist flares out at the top. Arrrgh! Oh well.

The only sewing project I have ever done that went 100% smoothly the pillowcases I gave to my family as gifts this Christmas. I guess it's pretty hard to screw up a rectangle.

Garden

Partake - Sore Teeth

partake

Partake of Me, partake of Me
Enter in, all you who know Me and behold My face
This blood I’ve shed, this broken Bread
I invite you to My table, Come and take your place

The Lord He is salvation
The Lord He is salvation
The Lord He is salvation
The Lord He is our peace

The work is done, we now are one
Let the children of the Father understand His heart
I am for you, poured out for you
Do not fear to know the holiness that I impart

The Lord He is salvation
The Lord He is salvation
The Lord He is salvation
The Lord He is our peace

The Lord is my salvation
The Lord is my salvation
The Lord is my salvation
The Lord He is my peace

Come and eat all who seek the righteousness of your God

Elephant in the Leaves

Cozy Turtle

Whale

I spent art night at my mom's house tonight and we drew this together over tea and cookies.

What Can Man

Birdie Friends - Tweaked

Original

Another Fabric Design

I think I'm cured.

Tonight I got to spend an hour alone with the fancy shmancy keyboard that belongs to our church. I think I tried every single sound on it. I realized something. I don't want to make electronic music. No matter how realistic the instrument sounds are, there was still something weird about plunking the keys to make those sounds. It felt...cold. So there's got to be another way for me. I don't want this thing anymore. And I thank God, because I hate thinking about things I want and don't have.

So many times, God has answered my prayers by changing my question...

It was, "How can I get this thing and do this all by myself?"
Now it's "How are you going to do this God?"

I've wanted to be in a band for about 20 years (If anyone is interested, ask me and I will write a long post about "The Hamburgers"), but I always knew deep inside me that the timing was never right, so I never tried to make it happen, and I know that when it is the right time, God will work it all out. But I'm starting to feel it may be near.

Reaching

Made with Mr. Sketch Scented Markers! Tweaked in Photoshop. Lean in real close and you can smell it....

I didn't mean for this to look like the cover of Tell Another Joke at the ol' choppin' block. But that is one of my favorite pieces of artwork. I guess it's in my subconscious.

Throne of Grace

One of my favorite worship songs.


By John Barnett

Oh my Lord you are so kind
Oh my Lord you are so kind
Morning to morning, day to day
You reveal your righteous ways
It's your kindness that leads to repentance
It's your blood that brings forgiveness
It's your mercy that leads me here
To your throne of grace
In your kindness I find repentance
In your blood I find forgiveness
In your mercy I find myself
At your throne of grace
Your throne of grace

Here

Another fabric design

My Guitar

This morning I was reading the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. I was thinking, what was so wrong with that guy who was scared and buried his master's money in a hole, what was the big deal? I sat there and started to analyze it, and I realized why his master called him wicked and lazy and cast him away. It was because he let his life be paralyzed by fear. He had the same master as the other two slaves, and he was given the same substance as them (money). But he did not have the same understanding as they did. He did not know his master. He saw him as cruel, hard, unfair, unjust. And rather than take the chance on doing something that might displease the master, he did absolutely nothing. He was scared and lived his life in passivity for fear of failure. Unfortunately, I can really relate to this man. I've been timid in many areas, and rather than take a chance and doing something, so many times I've taken the easy way out and avoided the consequences of possible failure by doing nothing. Especially when it comes to my creative dreams. For years and years and years the desire has been growing stronger in me to create music. I've been playing rhythm guitar for church most of this time, and it's not satisfying my desires. I want to create music of my own, that expresses what's in my heart. It's not enough to sing someone else's lyrics, to play their chords. There's something new within me. I found a keyboard synthesizer at a music store that I want. I've been drooling over it in my mind. I fantasize about it every day. It can do anything. It can sound like anything, record, sample, sequence, it's the top of the line. I totally can't afford it at all. And I've been thinking, I will start making my dream come true when I can afford this thing someday. Then, and only then, I will be able to truly express myself, write beautiful, powerful music. When I get this keyboard. It's going to be great. Someday. This morning after reading that parable I realized I have been waiting on a pipe dream to do what God wants me to do. Why can't I do what I'm supposed to do now? Why does it have to be way off? And I had a change of heart. I want to start now. With what I have in my house. It may not be much, but I have an instrument. I have my guitar. Maybe I should just (and this is a new idea for me) learn how to play it better....maybe um...practice? A little? Maybe I can learn to use this thing I already have, instead of thinking it's not worth much. And I started to get excited about it for the first time. And I looked at it in its case and I thought, wow, I have an Instrument! Not just some thing I carry back and forth to church, but an Instrument! And when I took it out, it looked different to me, and it felt different, like something I had never seen before, and I started to play it, and it sounded different too. And I thought, wow, maybe I can play this thing unto God, and I realized that even one note played on one worn-out guitar string is more blessed than an amazing song written on something that I don't have, because once I have it, I would want something else. And I don't want to be discontent. I want to use what I have.......then I started thinking about an upright bass, and how intriguing they are, and wondering how I could get my hands on one of them, and maybe if I had one of those I would practice all the time.....Oh my.

Paper Towel Holder

I really like the design on this old paper towel holder in my kitchen and I've always wanted to do something with it, so for art time this week......

Waiting

A motive in the human heart is like deep water, and a person who has understanding draws it out. Proverbs 20:5

I did this piece of artwork a while back when I was having a frustrating "Art Night". I didn't really think that much about it at the time. It wasn't until I got a package in the mail a few days ago that I realized what I was feeling when I made it. God had directed a friend of mine to make this picture into a dress and send it to me, along with a message that pierced my heart.
It was encouraging on many levels. One of the neatest things about it was that God showed me how he can use very unusual things to touch somebody's life. I mean, a prophetic dress? Who has heard of that? Yet this is one of the most meaningful things anyone has ever given me.

I've discredited a lot of creative ideas that I've had because I thought they seemed too weird. "No body else does things like that!" But I am slowly learning to be okay with the way God made me and to operate in the gifts He's given me without always trying to figure it out...

elephants!

My husband thought that the horse fabric would look neat with elephants so I decided to try that out. I like it!

Sewing foibles

I think that the people who write the clothes sizes on patterns are smoking something. I made these trouser jeans for myself, strictly following the chart on the back, which always seems to be 3 or 4 sizes off what I actually wear in storebought clothes, but oh, well, I trusted they knew what they were talking about, they made the pattern. But alas, now I have a very cute pair of pants that does not fit... Even after adjusting and adjusting. Foo! Hopefully I can find a friend that they will fit.

New Business Launched

After many many days and weeks of labor, I have finished all of the preparations for my new medical website business at http://www.mdsitecraft.com/.

A huge sigh of relief! It will be first introduced to doctors starting October 22 in San Diego at a conference hosted by Practical CME.

Chesna's Birthday Dress

My brother is commissioning Rachel of Mamma Made Designs to make a very special dress for his daughter Chesna for her 6th birthday. I am designing the fabric that it will be made from. It has been a very fun process. I started from a drawing of a horse and rider that Chesna made....

...I produced a vector line drawing of the form...

...Added some color...and at this point I was quite amazed at the elegance of this form which was produced by a 5 year old!...

...Next I went through a lot of experimenting with patterns using the horse...

And I'm still doing some color experiments just for fun:

This is the final fabric design.

Now I'm getting ready to order it. It will be so exciting to see what Rachel produces from it!

Maritza

I wanted to make something special for my friend Maritza. She's watched our kids for us numerous times and never accepts any compensation. So with some trouble I talked her into letting me make her a dress. She picked out a vintage Simplicity pattern and the material.

I learned a lesson on this one. Next time I will make a mock bodice first. Even though I measured her and cut everything accordingly, the top was way off. Luckily, I got away with reconstructing only the back of the bodice so I didn't have to remake the whole thing.

Another lesson, pay attention when I'm cutting the bulk out of the seam! I was trimming the seam where the bodice meets the skirt, and didn't realize that part of the bodice was folded up underneath it. I rolled right over it with my rotary cutter and made a huge sickening gash.

So after a few ripped out seams and a few improvisations to cover the hole, here it is...

Vicarious

I've had this Raggedy Ann Doll since I was very very little. I've always wanted a dress like hers. So now my daughter has one... I only wished I could have found material a little closer to the original to make it out of.

Art Night Woes

Sometimes art night is so hard.

I want to make music.
Everything sounds trite.

I want to paint.
I have no ideas.

I'm tired.

I can hear the kids whining downstairs.

This is the only concentrated creative time I have all week...

And the minutes are ticking away.

I want to do something great.
I'm not doing anything at all.

But thank God for that option...

I'm so mad!

Last night I finally used my Spoonflower fabric to make this shirt. I only had a yard and it wasn't enough so I improvised with the orange thing at the waist. I liked the way it turned out and I wore it all day today. Tonight my husband noticed that the zipper under my arm was broken. It was attached at the top and had split open all the way underneath (see picture). I was not aware of this when I was wearing it around all day for my daughter's appointments at Children's Hospital, meeting with countless practicioners. I wonder if I've been exposing myself all day. Oh well... what I'm really mad about is that the zipper broke the first time I wore the shirt and now I have to do another one and I hate sewing zippers!

Hummingbirds and Rainbow Tulips

Another fabric design.

Mother Daughter

Some times a mother feels stripped bare in providing for others but God provides everything we need inside.

Resurfacing my website

I'm in the process of recreating and fleshing out my website, royalforest.net.

I actually haven't even been using it for a long time but I will be launching a new web medical web design business in the fall, and I needed to update.

More of that Bird

Inspired by an old canister on my kitchen counter.

Tweaked

A tweaked design, and a tweaked-out color experiment.

Creating upon creating

The neat thing I am discovering about art is that the more I do, the more creativity I seem to have. It's not like physical energy that gets depleted by exertion. Rather my passion for creating seems to grow every time I create. It's like if I were to pick one flower and two more were to spring up in its place, and then two more under each of those.
This picture was done while listening to one of my very favorite songs.

More Fabric

Here's another design with that bird...

Crispy Cajun Crickets

In my sophomore year of college, I had to give a "persuasive" speech, and I wanted to choose a topic that nobody else would pick. So I did "Why people should insects". In my research I came upon a recipe for "Crispy Cajun Crickets". I thought I had better try eating insects if I was going to talk other people into eating them, so I caught a bunch in the yard and made them and actually they weren't that bad. The spices kind of overwhelmed the cricket flavor, and after being roasted, they had a pretty nice crunch. Here's the recipe in case there's anyone out there who wants to try it, and some artwork inspired by the handout I made for that class.

Psalm 139:5

This fabric design was inspired by Psalm 139:5...

You have enclosed me behind and before and laid your hand upon me.

To heck with fusible interfacing!

I've always been obedient to sewing patterns (mostly) but this time I said, "To heck with fusible interfacing!" After making this dress, now I see why it's so important. But I had to be a naughty sewing rebel just once, to see what it was like...

Blessing

If you click on the image it will open up and show different colors.

Addicted

Since Rachel's blog introduced me to Spoonflower, I am totally addicted to designing fabrics. I want to do a new one every day. Maybe I will. I'll keep adding them as inspiration comes.

The tiling can be pretty tricky when the images are complex...but it's a fun challenge.

Art Night

Every Sunday night my husband has graciously agreed to watch our little ones and let me have an uninterrupted (sort of) art night. Sometimes I sew, sometimes I paint, sometimes I write songs, and sometimes I just goof off. Here's something I made with no other purpose than that.

The Bulb of Eternity

My brother, who is now about 36 or so, made a lamp in college. He was an industrial design major. In its original form, it was a white square with a big half-sphere sticking out the front, covered with what looks like eggs. One of the eggs at the bottom is secretly a dimmer switch that turns it on and off. He gave it to me when I was 16 or 17 and I always used it as a decoration everywhere I've lived. It looked kind of Star-Trekky. Last year I converted it into a huge flower via foam and pipecleaners for my little girl's obnoxiously lively bedroom. Okay, but listen to this. I have never ever changed the light bulb in it. This light bulb has been going for 16 years! Isn't that totally crazy?

Spoonflower

I found out about a new website called Spoonflower.com through the Mamma Made blog (a great read for sewing enthusiasts,) in which you can print your own designs on fabric. I've been pondering for about two weeks what to make. Sometimes having so much creative opportunity can be overwhelming! Today at dinner, I had the perfect idea. Many years ago I made my husband sit down and paint pictures with me one night (NOT his cup of tea), and he painted the cutest little picture of a bunch of Chinese men with those little pointy hats riding bikes through a village. It's all one dimensional, kind of like a little kid would paint. I LOVE it and he HATES it, and through the years, I always bring it up and threaten to do different things to display it (i.e., making t-shirts out of it) and he always gets so mad! So I had this great idea tonight: I will have it put on fabric and make a garment out of it! It is like the ultimate idea! So I went up to my attic to find it and oh no! Alas, I can't find it! So, sadly, I quit looking and decided to just make some kind of design. So here it is. It's no Chinese village, but it will have to do.

Smiley

Here's a romper and cap I made for some special friends of ours who are about to have a little boy. He will be growing up in the mission field in the Middle East.

Pink Shirt

Here's Heidi in a pink shirt I made for her, which was my second attempt at sewing something without a pattern, using another garment for a guide. It turned out pretty well except it seems to have too much extra material at her chest and I had originally planned the sleeves to be longer. I'll have to adjust for next time - I plan on making a bunch more of these out of some sweet old baby blankets that we aren't using anymore.

What would this sound like if it were a song?

Harrison

Here's little Harrison in the outfit I made for him.

Sucker for Ric-Rac

I am totally a sucker for ric-rac. I love the stuff. This is the first time I have ever sewed a garment where I picked material that looks almost exactly like the one on the pattern package.

The lollipop has become a necessity, in Elsie's mind, for taking photographs in dresses. I made her first dress last week and gave her a yellow lollipop when we took the photo, and this time she was like, where's the lollipop? So here it is.

Tree Swing 2

Here is the after and before of this painting. It was fun painting the dots. I think I like the style overall, but it made the sky a little too crazy. Next time I do this I will try to make the dots smaller and much subtler.

Nesting Dolls Dress

I loved this material and I had to do something with it. The pattern I chose looked incredibly easy, but the neck turned out to be highly confusing. I don't think I did it right. But she likes it and that's all that matters.

Another Baby Outfit

This one is for my friend's little boy in Georgia.

Wedding Dress

I wanted to make my own wedding dress, and I did. Mainly because my mom made her own, and I always thought that was really neat. Now I had always thought, since I was little, that she had sewed it from a tablecloth. I told people this, all my life, whenever the subject of wedding dresses came up. After my wedding we were discussing it, and it turns out that she did not make her wedding dress out of a tablecloth. Or anything abnormal. This story has no founding in truth whatsoever. Why did I think this? I could have sworn she told me! Did I dream it? Who knows! Sorry mom!

Signac Painting

I think I might go back over "tree swing" in little dots, in the same style as this painting by Signac. It's one of my favorite paintings. I think that this endeavor will probably take forever but I love the style.

Tree Swing

I'm not sure if this is done yet.

Bathroom Door

We turned some unused space in our house into a bathroom. Then we needed a door. There was this old glass panel door out in the garage that fit perfectly, but then there was the problem of being able to see through it... so my mom and I painted this peacock on it.

Finished Cat

Here is my finished Kitty and its happy owner.

See Rachel's progress here. They are slapping them out like hotcakes over there. She's even got video. Dang, Rachel!

Little one with Daddy

Oil Pastel, 2005.

Cat Progress

Here's my progression on the cat. I messed up part of the head and I will have to cut some new pieces. Rachel has her hands full! See her work here.

My Big (little) Brothers

This one started in oil in 2005 and ended up in acrylic in 2006 after I found out I was pregnant and that certain oil pigments can be harmful to unborn babies. I didn't know what they were, but I didn't want to take any chances. It's my two big brothers when they were little. It was a gift to my father and it is hanging at his home.

Lambs

Oil - 2003, I think. This was done as a gift for my goddaughter.

Baby Outfit

Here's my niece and a special outfit I made for her.

Favorite Picture

This is my favorite photo that I've taken.

Owl Tree

Another print that's currently in my first show. I like owls alot.

No Umbrella

This one is computer generated with Photoshop in 2008 and its currently one of two prints hanging at a show. This is the first time I've ever submitted any art to a show.

Daniel 4

This one reminded my husband and I of a Soul Junk song. Not any one song in particular, but like it could be the visual for one. So I sent it to Glen.

It's a depiction of this story in Daniel chapter 4.

Girl in Poppies

My 2 year old daughter looked at this and said "She's probably a kid".

Oil pastels, 2008. To enter Spring Art Show at Butler Art Center.

This hangs currently at my mom's apartment.

Rooster and Hen

Acrylic - I think I did this in 2006. A gift to my brother.

Birds in a Tree

This painting, done in acrylic in 2007, is hanging in my brother Joe's bedroom.

Tiny Dress

I made this Barbie dress at the request of my dear niece.

Sewing a Cat with Rachel

I'm sewing a cat with Rachel! Here are my cut pieces. They consist of my old curtains, some vintage placemats, and a piece of material my mom gave me.