Simple Joys

I wanted to have something new to show you today, but I've been battling bronchitis, sinus infection and maybe a touch of pneumonia for about 2 1/2 weeks and have just not had the energy to do as much as I'd planned. I let my son borrow my digital camera to take photos of the fish he catches the next couple of days, so I can't even send photos of some of my favorite collections here at home.

So, I think I'll show you a few things that I'll be working on for the next 6 weeks. I have been selling my work at the annual Lavender Festival in Oak Ridge, Tennessee for about 5 or 6 years now and love to spend the day meeting new folks, seeing old friends, and chatting the day away with all that stop by my booth. These photos are of past works, but you'll get an idea of the things I'm making. I learned to do silk ribbon embroidery several years ago when my sister bought a little heart pin kit for me. I was instantly smitten with it! But most of what I saw in books were very elaborately embroidered designs and didn't fit my simple country cottage style. I decided to design my own silk ribbon embroidered pieces (both pillows and framed art) and evidently they struck a chord with others ~ I have been making and selling them ever since! You may have seen some of my designs in Create and Decorate magazine (several issues from 2003-2006) and Victoria magazine (August 2002).

I prefer wildflowers and old-fashioned flowers that were in my Mom's gardens: beebalm, daisies, and coneflowers with a hummingbird or bee buzzing nearby. I also do simple words surrounded with antique and vintage buttons. I hope you enjoy seeing a few of my Simple Joys...