Sunday: One down...

Bit of a nutty week at work, thus resulting in not a lot of stitching. 

But, I have managed to get at least one thing finished and a future project prepped. 

Firstly, the little bee that I briefly featured last week has finally ended up in it's finished form, a wall clock. Rather pleased with the outcome, so cheerful and friendly...and useful to boot. This also gave way to another idea for a new selection of items to go under my product line aptly named 'bees'. And the below shot is another sneaky shot of what's to come. I hope to have at least one completed, if not two, by the end of the next Bank Holiday weekend. Can I just say another three day weekend can't come soon enough. Tempted to make a four day.

Oh there was one other thing I prepped for this week, and that was the next newsletter, which will be going out in the next week. Thanks for all the lovely new newsletter followers. If you want to join, then do pop you email into the box on the top right hand of the screen.

All Scream for Ice Cream

Ice Cream Bow Embroidered Collar

Made the full most of the weekend to not only wizz up another collar, the second design in the Ice Cream collection but I also made a clock in the third out of the three designs! Can't say that's not productive. Also fit in breakfast out with my mum, let's hear it for french toast, bacon and syrup, and got my haircut. Still have time left over.

I am making the most of having a weekend like this, as I am predicting in April they are going to be pretty non-existent. Reason being I've given notice on my flat, and I have until the 25th April to get move out, hopefully into the new place, if not it will be stowing my worldly possessions away and moving back home. Scary notion.

Till that point I am trying not to get too stressed out and enjoying my time embroidering and thinking about the future. And thinking about this has prompted me to book a ticket for The Startup Showcase at Somset House next Saturday. It was a spare of the moment booking and I also pinged off emails to Farnham Maltings to find out more about their creative fairs and shows. And byjove there is a lot to get involved with. I can't wait to knuckle down, but I have to be patient and concentrate on one thing at at time. But yep, I have itchy feet and fingers to get going.

In the meantime, let me show off some pictures of the latest items:

Ice Cream Bow Collar - Ickle bows in silk thread

Ice Cream Bunting - Silk embroidered wall clock

All items can be purchased in my Etsy store. If your in the UK, you can enjoy free shipping until the end of March, just use the following code during check out FREEMARCH13. 

Return of the Bees

Nice to get back to stitching my bees once more. 

I stitched the ring in the centre of the clock last week, as its going to be used for my next mirror design, but it's kind of two for the price of one as it's also for my next clock. 

Actually this clock...

Ring of Bees Hand Embroidered Wall Clock

Size: 13 (w) x 13 (h) x 2.5 (d) cm - 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 1 inches (approx)

Materials: Cotton threads, linen, card, wooden hoop, and a quartz clock mechanism.

More bees on the horizon though, I need to work on the pouches for the mirrors, well once I have ordered the actually mirrors. I also got a bit sidetracked this afternoon I made a tiny bee brooch, whether or not I'll actually make more of them I am not entirely sure but I might gauge your opinions on it...

It's a tiny gold bee, which was stitched in gold check purl, over stitched with stranded cotton, on the back of the brooch it's backed with Liberty Tana Lawn fabric. It's just under 2.5cm in diameter.

What do you think?

Busy Making Honey...

And its finished.

Finished and made up into a wonderful clock, named 'Honeycomb & Bees'.

At first I was worried for the outcome of the blackwork piece, but byjove I love it. Love the colours, the bees the way it looks, and rather loving the photography too. So yes, I am in love!

This is the the first official piece that will help me raise money for the BBKA, £5 will be donated on behalf of the person who purchases it. So not only do you get a cracking clock but you get to help bees too.

Nice Artsy shot....which you can just make out the subtle stitching in gold thread.

As I said this is the first piece in what will be a series of bee themed pieces that will help the BBKA, I am also working out the design for a needlework pattern as well as making another Paradise Bird Peter Pan Collar, hot pink anyone?

If you would like to purchase this clock you can by nipping over to my Etsy store, The Mason Bee. I am also open to a custom version of the design, using different colour ways, just drop me a message on here or over at Etsy.

I am feeling rather pleased with my outcomes this week!

What outcomes are you pleased with?

Oh! I almost forgot to say, I have a small Olympic appreciation style competition running on Facebook, once I hit 205 followers I will be randomly selecting one to receive one of my now rare button needlecases!

Go and check it out https://www.facebook.com/themasonbee 

Paradise Bird Hand Embroidered Wall Clock

There are times when I create a piece that I am so in awe of the finished look that I almost want to cry. Okay, I didn't shed a tear but it was close! I had at least a cup of Earl Grey in celebration instead. This clock is one of those pieces that deserved a cup of tea, of course miles away from it not wanting to tempt fate.

The clock as you can see is so simplistic in design but beautifully executed. It also gave me the great opportunity to get out the crystals again and use the new clock hands. Perfect!

This is also led me to feel happy about doing this again, but customised. People can select any colour thread, and if I have the stock the crystals, clock hands, size and even the linen. I want to do a mini version next, so a little 3" wall art version.

It's now available to purchase in store, the listing for the customised version will be up later today.

WIP: Bird of Paradise

This is a rather overdue post but I am sure you can forgive me, a lot has gone on this week and I have been feeling somewhat shattered. However, I now have a chance of a break and well catch up on the missing energy. So, without further ado, allow me to walk you through where I have got with my latest project. 

At this point I had applied all the felt layers, and cut out a section of the Liberty Tana Lawn I am using as the accent to the piece, it's also acting as my colour palette. I cut it out after having first applied a layer of vilene on the back to help support it. I should also add, this is the second version as the previous shape I hadn't allowed enough to shape over the padding. 

Here I am just doing tiny stab stitches around the shape.

With that part of the body done, I move to head. Now to keep in with the layering affect I worked it separately. Annoyingly photographing this part of the project was infuriating the fabric really didn't like to be photographed.

I applied very carefully to the back of purple silk dupion a layer of bondaweb, this then helped me to then cut out the shape of the birds head. Then this layer was applied to a very lightweight black cotton. You can see in the above image that I stabbed stitched the layers together around the edges before starting to do long and short, natural shading at the bottom to get a feathery effect. I used for that several colours of cotton stranded and highlighted it with sparing stitches of silver thread. You can see that in the picture below, you will also spot...sort of, that I have begun to bead the bottom of the birds head, and have also applied a crystal for the eye. Nothing like sparkle!

Once the head was complete, all the details finished, stitching, beading and so forth. I cut it out out from the fabric. In this shot I am just checking out the placement, I won't be stitching yet as I need to stitch the beak. Which is my current job! Pictures will follow on that part.

So, there we go, what projects are you working on at the moment?

Something I missed....Little Man on a Cloud

I can't believe I forgot to upload the finished shots of what I have called it 'Cloud Boy' clock, or the clock with the thousand names (me and Heidi are yet to work out the titles!). Anyway, without further ado here is the first of what will become a series of 4. So I'd better pull my finger out and get started on the other three...

Up close and personal

A couple of nice shots...

P.s. yesterday I posted a request for your comments on a new product range, why not let me know your thoughts...

Regal Clock Complete

And here is the Regal Clock completed! Pretty Swarovski Crystals adorn the crown on the left. Rather pleased with it, and also the photograph, though that was some what of an epic battle this morning! You can now purchase it from my Etsy store. 

Regal Stitching

So following on from the mystery shot earlier on this week, here is the progress of a new little clock. I wanted a fairly quick project to do, to be able to do in between working on my bits with Heidi. So this is one of these such projects. Nice and simple in both design and stitch (running and a bit of back). The stitching part is all done, now its the making it up into a clock and then adding the finishing details.

I don't often work on one section at any given time I switch it up.

Hey look it's a crown..and another

Now the making up begins....

Sneak Peek...Royal Flavour

My next little project started this evening. A little break from my collaboration with Heidi (Making Strangers). Feeling a little bit Regal. Just need to decide on the stitches...running/back or a spot of trailing. Maybe a bit of both.

Drumroll Please - Completed Collab Number Two

Looks like he's waving

Oh he's holding something, and he's got a little jacket and hat on

And its got tiny little buttons and what is that in his hand?

Aww its a little telescope!

And here it is complete (ready for making up into a clock) and sitting long side its original drawing. This clock will be a series of four, and no one will be exactly alike. Different linens will be used, and who knows the jacket may be a different colour.

The progress and journey so far of this collaboration has been the most exciting thing I've done to date, and I hope your enjoying it too. More designs are in the works, and packaging and things of that nature are still to be designed, but soon they will be ready to purchase. If anyone is interested in joining a mailing list in regards to purchasing these clocks, then drop me a message here or over at my Etsy store.

Feeling a little Royal...and look ain't she pretty!

When I stitch I love to listen either to music in all its varied forms, TV box sets (currently West Wing and Supernatural) and the odd documentary. Lately its been the Diamond Queen, and I have to say I am feeling a little bit more Royalist. The Queen has always reminded me of my late nan, style, the way she conducted herself and at the time with my nan she was a constant. So its almost disappointing that the programme that looked back on her reign, the highs and lows was only three parts. Anyway, its been making me think and I am rather in the mood to stitch a crown. However, before I do that I must crack on with my collaboration with Heidi (Making Strangers), one clock is officially complete and another is in the works today.

Doesn't she look pretty? There are a few more bits to sort out, labels and packaging but she is complete! Just another two of this design to go, but on different coloured linens. I hear Berwick Street calling my name in a few weeks time!

Some of you might wonder now, hang on I thought you started this one already? Or is this your second one? Yes, I did already start this design, and technically it is my second. Like most people I am only human and I stupidly managed to get something on the first one, whilst annoying at the time has allowed me to rethink how I started it last time. I wasn't totally happy with the last stitching anyway, so it was perhaps a saving grace. So, this is what I am working on at the moment, just on the last cloud so I'll be able to whip the tissue off shortly and crack on with filling in the clouds, then it will be the trees, rain then finally the little guy standing on the uppermost cloud.

What are you up today?

Finished!

This morning I picked up where I left off last night, and with several cups of tea in my system I finished the hair shortly before lunchtime, handy! I nearly did a couple of whoops of joy. Though it was a challenge to stitch the hair it was great working it out, because yes there will be at least another two of this design.....

(above & below) This is me working on the bow, it was quite a refreshing change working in red thread. This was the padded satin bow, now it was tough going because in certain places your going through several layers of stitches, and believe me it can be tough going on your fingers.

(above & below) As you can see I did a split stitch outline, and built up a few layers in double thread, going vertical then horizontal with the stitches to build it up. Then straight stitches over the top, angling the needle when brought down to give it a smooth edge.

I added a few highlights in a slightly darker red thread. At this point I did a few additional stitches for the hair to tidy it up, replace stitches and filling in just above the bow. 

As before I used tissue paper to transfer the design, the face is delicate so I used black machine thread to get finer lines. Then carefully I peeled away the tissue to reveal a very pretty sleeping beauty.

On the right was the original drawing by Heidi Burton (Making Strangers). Bloody enjoyed it, and so pleased I actually managed to get the embroidery finished today. Now I need to source the right clock hands to go with this design then mount it in the frame. Though for now I am going to take a break and perhaps finish the other design. So at least I have two finished clocks before I move to make more. In all there will be three of each design, though each will be different either in the colour of the threads, or the linen used. Which means a nice trip to London for some inspiration on colours. Then of course it will be the packaging which I am working on with Heidi then listing for selling!

I can almost taste it...

Honest it's getting there! I can almost taste it......

Well I can sense that the moment for doing the finishing details is so close!