Oh blog, I missed you.

I am working madly on my surprise, to be revealed very soon, perhaps as early as tomorrow!

Meanwhile, I've also signed up for Etsy's Holiday Boot Camp and taken the pledge --

I pledge to participate in the Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp to the best of my abilities. I vow to check in every week, do my homework and support my fellow Holiday Boot Campers. I will read the weekly newsletters and blog posts, check in on the weekly forum thread, read the weekly blog post, check off the checklists and salute the mascot. I promise to share what I've learned with those who need it, support my fellow Etsy indiepreneurs and, most of all, have a positive and persistent attitude. I understand that together we can spread the word about our handmade and vintage goods, making this holiday season a more unique and meaningful one to gift givers and give-ees everywhere!

Working On...

A new line... but it's a surprise until the first several are ready. You'll see!

Hello

I have gotten a little behind in my blogging this week. To catch you all up, my items are included in 3 more Etsy treasuries!

Stop Look POUNCE by RoughMagicCreations
Floral Goodness by SOMETHiNGMONUMENTAL
arts & crafts OCTOBER'S VITAMINS by sunsan

I've been working on some colour pages this week - Firstly to try and help someone choosing wedding colours, and secondly I think they may come in useful again later on. They're collage pages using magazine pictures.

Eyespot Designs in Etsy Treasuries!

Last night as I was adding some items to my aforementioned new Etsy shop before bed, items were added to 4 treasuries!

I Pounced, I Loved #4 by glistenbyerin
Take the Time to Think About... Life by craftybubushka
Team Discovery Pop Goes the Treasury Challenge by palimpsestic
NewBEES! by mintlane

And while I'm talking about Etsy listings, here's a picture of one of the paintings I've listed:

Second Etsy Shop

Well, in the interest of organizing my work a little more cohesively, and of making use of my Eyespot Designs name, I have created a second Etsy shop.

I've decided to keep my jewellery pieces and greetings cards in the first shop. The second I will be using for my textile work, and paintings. Any textile listings that were in the first shop (all 12 of them, which wasn't so many) have been removed and listed in the new shop. I have listed the first two paintings also! Eek! I found that a little scary, even though I've exhibited them before. I'll be adding some more periodically.

Silk and Opera

Took a little trip to the fabric shop yesterday, got some great thread colours, and some pieces of silk dupioni - one of my favourite fabrics.

Spent the evening watching a great production of Carmen on TV. Very dramatic!

More updates coming soon...

ANNOUNCING!!

You may notice the blog title has changed.  So has my Twitter link.  I am excited to announce my new business name:  Eyespot Designs.  I haven't changed the blog link yet, but that's coming.  I have some link updating to do!  This is an exciting development for me, hope you like it too!

Stitch Tutorial

Bullion stitches are similar to french knots, but more elongated.  

Bullion Stitch

Begin with a threaded needle.  Bring the needle up through the work from the back. 

Wrap the thread around the needle several times.  I've done so four times in this example. 

Hold the thread slightly taut, and thread the needle back through the work a small distance away from where it was brought up previously. 

My 100th Blog Post!

Enjoy a couple of pretty pictures -- Etsy treasuries I made recently. 

Molasses

Lace

Back to school?

Happy back to school if you're among the students out there!  It feels pretty strange, not going back.  Good, having graduated a few months ago, but strange.  What better way to acknowledge students' first day back than with a little tutorial!

French Knots

Thread a needle with your chosen thread.  I used cotton embroidery floss.  You can tie a knot near the end of the thread if you need to, otherwise just leave a tail on the wrong side of your work.

Begin by pulling needle and thread through the cloth from underside to topside.  Wrap the thread around the needle twice.  

Gently hold the thread slightly taut and pull the needle and thread back through the fabric near the point it was brought up before. 

Once the thread is pulled back through, you have a finished knot. 

Early September

I was out for a while yesterday.  This is the view of Toronto.  There were a bunch of lovely wildflowers around, and I failed to take pictures of them, but the colour of the sumac really caught my eye - not quite red, or orange, or brown..

My latest

Greetings!  

Happy to say I made my 2nd Etsy sale today, and got another treasury feature! 

Featured in another treasury!

Fresh cream, crisp red apples, and the warm scent of baking bread... by withaflourish

Sold today on Etsy!