Embroidered embellishments...

Just  a fun little project to add some pretty touches to some plain looking undies :)  I think the little pink roses and purple pansies make a nice addition, don't you?  The bows were made with ribbon I had in my stash.

These were from a Hanes nylon 6-pack on sale at Walmart for around $10.  I didn't think to takes pics of the process but will be sure to on the next couple of pairs.  Overall, a really cheap and easy upgrade :)

Does anyone remember...

Tri-Chem liquid embroidery?

As a little girl in the 1970's, I remember my mom hosting several direct sales parties with her friends and other ladies from the neighborhood.  There were also Tupperware parties and Avon, etc. but those seemed to be just selling products we all might use or have a need for.  I would often be in the house, somewhere nearby, but was never actually interested in these parties - other than being curious about gathering of ladies and their giggles and laughter and the obvious absence of any men, lol.  They all seemed to be having such a great time.

The Tri-Chem parties were different in that in addition to the products on display, they were selling a "hobby" - something the ladies could do in their spare time.  I remember the lady presenting taking me aside and showing me how to color in a simple pattern :)  From then on I was hooked.  What followed were tee shirts, a nightgown and even a few tea towels embellished with liquid embroidery.  Anyone else remember these?

A Little Baking...



This weekend my friends and I will have our anual cookie extravaganza!
I find that baking can be so much more enjoyable as a "social activity" especially when like-minded ladies gather together in the kitchen :) 
It's messy (and noisy) but oh, so much fun!  My go-to's are traditional tollhouse and oatmeal raisin.  Most will be donated to our town's anual bake sale.  The rest will find there way as gifts.
So what are some of your favorite recipes?

Dreaming of Dirndls...

Goodness, what a lovely group of ladies decked out in their finest dirndls. 
I especially love the use of applique and embroidery on their skirts :)  Sigh, if only time (and my skills) allowed for such pretty embellishments :)

Just couldn't leave this one alone...

 

With all that hard work, it seemed a pity to leave it in that silly plastic hoop after all!
With a little finagling, and several trials, I was able to get the tucks and fullness just right :)  Some might think it looks a bit too "grand-motherly" but I think this gives it the perfect finishing touch, don't you?

The Forgotten Project... Update!

Some time ago I posted about an embroidery kit I had started a few years back.  Well, I am so thrilled to finally be able to say that it's finished!

  

Once I got back into it the hours just flew by and before I knew it I was knotting my last stitch and admiring the completed project.  It was so enjoyable that I'm determined to make this one of my regular hobbies from now on.

What initially drew me to the project was the pretty flower and butterfly motif.  The printed saying was nice but not the reason I selected this particular kit.  In the time since that expression has taken on a decidedly new meaning for me :)



The Art of Aleksandr Averin

 

 

I just came across the work by the artist Aleksandr Averin, a Russian painter with an exquisite eye for capturing scenes of domestic femininity.  Never before have I seen such an extensive collection of work on this subject.  Truly breathtaking images.  You can read more about the artist here.