Saguaro - Blackwork Beads and Stones

Inspired by Carol A. Bruno, artist for
Saguaro National Park in
Tucson, Arizona

Cousin's Get Together and Completed Pieces

Once again this year, five cousins and I got together for a couple of days of good food, great company and fun times. This year we were in Salzburg...does it get any better than that?


The weather was fantastic, the view...well, the view was magical as it always is.


We did some things that I've never done before.


We celebrated a birthday and talking until our throats were sore...at least mine was!


Thank you all for including me and I sure look forward to next year!

I've completed a few pieces I'd like to share. I posted this one pretty regularly while stitching it. I now have it back after my sister completed it. It is absolutely amazing. The pictures don't do it justice, that's for sure!


Susan and Steve....you outdid yourself with this!


The tray is unique and perfect.


I've always said that if my stitching looks good...just wait until Susan finishes with it...it will look great! You can see more pictures of it on The Camera Lenz if you would like.

I've also completed this piece which I call Chickens And Eggs.


It's canvas with beads.


I tried to make each part a different stitch and used many different threads and beads.


It's a bright and bold piece.

This next one, called Albuquerque, is also done.


It's also canvas and beads although a different style.


The beads are all very large and the piece is very different than anything I've done before.


The colors are also very atypical for me.


But I like the way it looks and feels.

I'm now attempting some cutwork or drawnwork. I'm not sure what it's called. The best book I have on it is a very old Austrian book and it is called "Durchbruchstickerei". That literally translates to "breakaway" so I'm not sure exactly what it is. But that's okay.

Sometimes Together Finished!

After 3 months, I finished my blackwork and stones which I call Sometimes Together.



I have to say, I am quite happy that I selected the almost canvas-type material because, with all the stones and beads, it's quite heavy.




I can (and have) stared at it for hours. It's amazing, if I do say so myself!




I guess I am so pleasantly surprised that it turned out so well because I planned out the design myself. I selected the threads, beads, stones, colors and stitches without a pattern. I normally always work with patterns so this was a brand new experience....



I believe that a few of the photos are good enough that you can really see the details by clicking to enlarge.


Each square is about 2 inches and the patterns in between the squares are all over one with one thread of YLI silk floss and petite glass beads.


This piece has so much texture! It's hard to keep my hands off of it, just to touch, once again, every single bead and stone. The side view is amazing.

So, what is next? Well, I start my January Hardanger Card Club design tonight! I've wanted to make a serious attempt at Hardanger for years. And now...I am! I don't think that the designs will take a month to complete so I'll work some on my Long Dog Sampler. I am still enjoying the feeling of my Sometimes Together finish.

Blues Chapel and Last Words and Other Stuff

Want to see something really incredible? Please check out my sister Susan's Blues Chapel and Last Words . What is it, you ask? It is her two solo but related art installations . It is now open in Columbia, SC and runs through the 16th of February. If you haven't seen what she does, you'll definitely want to check it out. If you have seen her work, then you are already a fan and know where to find her blog!

I am plugging away on Sometimes Together, my blackwork and stones piece. It's really full and pretty and I am completely addicted to it! If you click to enlarge, maybe you can see that the beads on the "in between" patterns are all outlined with a corresponding color. It's slow work but very worth it. And I can't tell you how good I am at starting and tying off the thread now! Susan...you will be so proud of me! No more long strings covering the back!


I know I need to change the setting on my camera to get clearer close up pictures but I keep forgetting. Maybe some day....

I've been thinking alot about my family these days, especially my Mom and Dad. A year ago, they were here. We had such a wonderful time. Even in cooking, I think of them.


Dad, you would have LOVED this! And look how green it is! Mom, you would be proud...I used only about 5 drops of oil! It was healthy, good and pretty!

And another picture for you, Dad...


My poinsetta is still alive!!!!! You are the master of keeping the stupid things alive for years and years and years.....I wish I could give this little one to you.

Progress and Tomatoes

Hi everybody! I sometimes think that my blog is pretty boring for some. I usually work on only one project at at time. That's just the way I do my thing. I do have a "long term" project these days (My Long Dog Sampler) but it's been my Blackwork and Stones Sometimes Together project that has been my main thing for quite some time now. Thanks for bearing with me and commenting on my progress. I've now started the "between the lines" work.


I'm doing it with petite glass beads and one strand of YLI silk floss over one.


I sort of had to pick the colors based on what I had so there are four different flower colors.


As you can see, it changes the whole look of the piece! I love the combination of "conservative meets unconventional". And the crowning will be where the squares come together. I have a rough idea of what I am going to do there but not a complete plan yet.

It's wintery here in Munich. The wind has been blowing pretty much nonstop for days. The whistling through the balcony door really gets on your nerves after hearing it for hours on end. But it's too cold to put new insulating strips on the door now. I'm pretty sure that's what is causing the whistling but it does help with the draft. (NOTE: my DH has, in the mean time, explained that just because it's cold doesn't mean that the insulation strips won't stick, like I thought. He has fixed the whistling problem within minutes)

And right in the middle of winter......


....we have tomatoes!!! I'm trying to "winter" the one surviving tomato plant that we have. And it looks like it's working although I don't know if they will ever ripen. But it's so fun to see what happens!

And lastly, I have a mystery plant that I've been taking very good care of for a year now. This was my Valentine's Day present from last year (remember Mom?) and the moss was collected from the local woods where I ride my bike. But what this plant is...I have no idea. I take really good care of it though. Ok, everyone...am I tending a weed?????


Have a good week!

Skiing, "Sometimes Together" Progress

Hi everyone! All last week "they" were predicted a beautiful Saturday. You know, one of those winter days that just won't quit. And it came true! We packed up the car and headed to Lenggries where there is a ski resort with a panorama restaurant.


For once, the weather predictions were correct and this day just went on forever, like the view.


Fog covered much of the valley but, up top and towards the mountains, it was breathtaking.


The skiing was awesome even though there were lots of people all over the place. But it wasn't just skiers, there were hikers and snowboarders, walkers and lookers, families and school trips.


It was a day for everyone to do whatever it was that they enjoyed.



It was certainly a beautiful day and a wonderful experience. If you want to see more pictures, check out The Camera Lenz where I have a slide show.

My "creative mojo" is still going strong (it's my "blog mojo" that seems lacking these days) and I'm happy to say that the blocks on Sometimes Together are finished.



I am not posting all the individual blocks but they are all nice. Above is a very pretty one which includes rocks and two different types of beads.


This is the piece in its entirety as it is right now. You can click to enlarge to get a better view of the different blocks.


And now I am at the point where I really have to make my decision about the stitching between the blocks. I'm still working on that. I know what I want but I don't have the thread yet to do it. So, in the mean time, I'm working on my Long Dog Sampler, The Spirit of Vierlande. No progress pictures yet.

Sometimes Together Progress

It's a snowy day here in Munich. That's okay though. I like snow and I'm happy that we are finally getting some. Northern Germany has been hit by a winter storm and there's flooding scattered throughout Europe. But here in Munich, it's pretty and snowing. Okay, the truth is told by my Austrian hubby. Austrians are used to having at least a yard of snow in the winter so what we have here is "mouse knee-deep". I personally think then that the mice are in a state of emergency because we have at least 4 inches!

I got all the blocks stitched and couched on Together Sometimes. It's now time for the "good stuff"...beading and stoning. Is stoning a word? Well, it is now! I just happen to have a dentist appointment tomorrow morning and right there is a little bead store. It's not open very often but maybe I'll get lucky. I don't think a girl can have enough beads or thread, do you?


These rocks look a little more red than they are in real life. They are more of a burnt orange.



This is one of my favorite...it's neat and orderly. The beads are flat black and the rocks are fairly matt as well. It's one of the "stronger" blocks.



This one is pretty cool and yes, the stone is snow flake obsidian...a great rock for these black blocks.



I like this one alot because of the white beads. Unfortunately, there isn't alot of rock action in it. But it looks good anyway.



And here it is in its entirety. I'm hoping that my sister Susan gets the chance to mail me some YLI silk varigated threads. I'm planning to stitch one over one between the blocks with it. Of course there would be beads too and maybe stones as well. I'm not sure yet. Of course, this piece is pretty slow to work on because the beading and stoning are completed by block. The thread that I'm working gets hung up on the rocks quite often. This isn't the way to stitch but I had to do it this way to know what came next! It's such a fun piece! Hope what you are working on is fun, too!