A Gift for My Husband

Printer's Tray

The Holidays are a difficult time for Rob and I.  We miss our families especially our parents as they died way too young. Rob is an only child and as such his Mom left him mementoes of his dad (who died when Rob was 15) and of the life they shared together.  Many of those keepsakes were in boxes stashed away, hidden and when she died I added her treasures to those boxes.  When I first saw the printer's tray a few years after her death, I was not certain what I would do with it, all those little compartments! In the old days of the printing press the compartments were called type cases so named because they were used to hold the different letters of the alphabet. My husband's gift however holds some of the letters of his life, prominently displayed for all the world to see.  This tray measures 16" x 11.5" and has twenty-one compartments.  I have emptied those hidden boxes and filled the compartments with all the treasures that would fit.

Shirley's Fish Brooch.

       Here are a few of the treasure filled type cases:            

Rob with Mom and Dad

Child's Crayons and Game Pieces

Paris, the timeless city

Film Strip, Dad's Baby Ring & Computer Board

Nesting Bird With Roses

Crown and Treasure "Light Bulb"

 

Fir-de-Lis Note Pad

1,2,3...

Journey Key and Crown

Shirley with her Accordian

December 25, 2012

Happy New Year!

Treasured Hand-Me-Downs

MERRY CHRISTMAS &

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL

This little doll was made by my mother before she died.  She loved Christmas and would spend hours making decorations for the tree and the house.  Our home for Christmas was a wonderland, decorations everywhere, no corner escaped a toy, a doll, a reindeer and/or any one of the many Santas in her collection or the decorations she made with such care and joy. Her tree would be dripping ornmaments and this ornament was one of them.

This porcelain brooch is not really a Christmas ornament but a Christmas gift from my father-in-law to my mother-in-law.  Then, in 2004, my mother-in-law gave it to me to hang on the tree, the very first Christmas she spent with Rob and I.  This ornament and the angel that goes on the top are the last ornaments to be placed on the tree as they are always given noticable places on the tree.

The watering can...a small, plastic, orange, watering can.  It has been in my family for over three quarters of a century - our family heirloom and treasured by all of us. My grandmother bought the watering can for her very first Christmas tree, now it hangs on my tree. Eventually it will go to my niece, Kimberley as with all of my decorations and so the treasured hand-me-downs move forward to the next generation of children and family.

Christmas is a time for family, memories, traditions and treasured hand-me-downs.

Happy Holidays!

Mermaid's Purse

Mermaid's Purse

My Mermaid's Purse was inspired by Mermaid's Treasure (see post of December 13, 2011). It is a crazy quilt evening bag measuring 3.5" by 5".  It will carry a credit card, cell phone, lipstick and car keys.  Perfect for that night on the town!  The bag is hand embroidered and beaded with fresh water pearls and sea shells I collected on the beaches of Trinidad.

Mermaid's Treasure

Charms collected by the Sea Nymph

Happy Holidays from Trinidad's welcoming shores!

Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2013... I'm In

Unadorned Block

I have just completed making 12 unadorned 6.5" blocks in preparation for the year ahead.  I registered and was accepted, to take part in the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2013, 12 blocks, 12 months, I can't wait!  I spent the last two days going through my boxes and gathering my trims, ribbons, beads and embellies.  

Unadorned blocks

Hand dyed Silk Ribbon

These as just some of the ribbons I intend, plan, hope to use in embroidering my blocks along with some of my hand-dyed lace.  I have been hoarding this lace for about two years now and I think the colors are perfect match for the blocks I have created.

Blocks Ribbon Trim

Antique Trim

I am now drafting the layout of the stitching along with the accompanying embellies for my first block, due in January 2013.

Enjoy!

Dream, Draw, Create

The back door of the Studio is open to the lake and from my desk I see the white Ibis glide over the surface of the water as the ducks slowly drift by.  Enjoy the day!

susan.howai's photostream

susan.howai's photostream on Flickr.

The Magic of the Nutcracker!

The Nutcracker and Clock (Front)

The Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky's two-act ballet was first performed in St. Petersburg, Russia in December of 1892.  It was not a raving success. However, the twenty-two minute suite was, and so, inspired by this great music, Graphic45 paper and Arlene (designer at Graphic45) I spent the last two days making these Christmas tree ornaments, having the best time and I'm not done yet!

The chipboard piece of the Nutcracker is taken from Nutcracker Sweet Tags 1 is attached to a Tim Holtz Metal Holder and hot glued to a round paper-mache ornament that was first painted with white Golden Acrylic paint, embellished with lace and faced with Graphic45 paper.  The score sheet, Nutcracker Sweet Collection, Enchanted Journey, was added and the ends were curled using a skewer.

Grand-daughter's (Front)

Each ornament measures 3.75 inches and hangs from a string of small white pearls.  The ballerinas were all fussy cut and attached to the background with Pop-dots.  Mulberry roses in blue, soft pink, white and lavender sparkle with Stickles, Icicle and ornate keys complete the tree hanger. On the back of my grand-daughter's there is a pink rose, chipboard tag from Nutcracker Sweet Tags 1 and a metal swirl.

Grand-daughter's (Back)

Sugar Plum Fairy (Front)

Sugar Plum Fairy (Back)

The Sugar Plum Fairy and the Blue Ballerians are both made using tags and paper from the Nutcracker Sweet Collection. Stay tuned as there are five blanks on my studio table waiting to be completed and a couple of these will be sent to my Esty store...SilkRoadFabricArts.

Blue Ballerinas (Front)

Blue Ballerians (Back)

The Nutcracker and Clock (Back)

Enjoy!