Indian Block Print Stamps - Bunta

Every time I go to Santa Fe there is one store that I just can't wait to visit.  The whole time I am there I feel unsettled until we visit Jackalope.  They have all sorts of goodies from inexpensive chotchkies to extremely expensive antique furniture from all over the world.

During this past trip I came across two giant bowls of Indian block printing stamps.  From what I can gather they are called Bunta and are traditionally used to hand stamp patterns on fabric.  As soon as I saw them I was drawn to their beautiful worn wood.  I would love them just to have around the house, but the idea that I could actually use them was extra exciting to me.  The sales woman must have thought I was crazy because I had to look at each and every block.  She even offered me a pair of gloves, but by that time my hands were stained black from handling all of them.

After much internal debate I came home with the three stamps you see above.  I often buy items such as this and they sit in my craft room for years collecting dust or shoved away in a closet or trunk. I also had my doubts as to whether these things would even work.  But I finally made my way over to Michael's a couple weeks ago and bought a large stamp pad.  I then procrastinated a couple more weeks because it's always hard to start a brand new project that has a high likelihood of failure.  But one day last week I spread out some newspaper, found some fabric scraps and opened my new stamp pad and lo and behold look what happened!

I was super surprised by how easy it was and how great it turned out!  Nothing is ever that easy!  As usual my euphoria lasted about 10 minutes until I realized that I needed a larger stamp for the project I had in mind for these.  I can't wait to blog about it, but it's not quite ready yet.  So check back soon because I have become a BuntaBlockaholic!

Sunflower Bud

Today I was sitting on the porch and noticed how striking the colors looked in the flowers we get each week from our CSA.  In addition to vegetables we get a small bouquet of flowers each week. 

Today, the zinnias and sunflower were starting to wilt, but I noticed this amazing bud.  If you look at it close up (click the image to enlarge) you can see all the little hairs on the sepals surrounding the center.  And just look at how each petal appears to be bending over to tend to the precious seed cargo inside!  Pure joy!  I am constantly amazed at the marvelous things we can see all around us if we only take the time to look.

Man of La Mancha Logos

My in-laws are members of the Mclean Players and they asked me to work on a logo for Man of La Mancha.  These are a few of my first round ideas for the logo.

Chicory

Last week I stayed with my Dad and there is a vacant lot next to his house that is chock full of chicory so I wandered over to take a few photos.  Whenever I see this flower I think "cornflower blue"  - is it purple or is it blue?  Either way I love seeing this beauty on the roadside in the summer. 

According to Wikipedia it is toxic to internal parasites and is often used as a coffee substitute.  I remember my advisor in graduate school used to drink chicory coffee and it tasted bitter and awful!  No doubt his worm burden was extremely low.  I think I much prefer admiring its beauty externally!

Guitar Bandanas

I recently decided to make bandanas for my two favorite guitar-loving boys.  I wanted to make them something for their birthdays and then I received the July issue of Martha Stewart and was inspired by their bandana article (you can see some of it here.) 

I designed the bandanas to fit two across on Spoonflower's quilting weight cotton which is 42'' wide.

I got a lot of practice using my rolled hem foot.  Again, they weren't perfect, but I have learned to let that go.

I couldn't resist printing these labels for their bags.  I can't wait to give them their gifts.  Happy Birthday to my Guitar Boys!

Happy 10th Anniversary!

I made this card for my hubby for our anniversary today.  We got married 10 years ago in Raleigh, NC on a beautiful summer day.  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have spent 10 years with George and I hope for many, many more!  Happy Anniversary G!

If you would like to purchase this card click here to visit my zazzle store.

Bird Handkerchiefs

For our anniversary I made George these adorable bird handkerchiefs.  I chose the Woodthrush and Mockingbird because George studies both of them.  Each handkerchief has two of the same birds printed in opposite corners (see below) and I printed them on quilting weight cotton at Spoonflower.com.  I just love the idea of printing some of my Zen Birds onto fabric.  Oh the possibilities!

I had to learn how to use my handkerchief foot (or rolled hem foot) on my sewing machine for this project.  These videos (SewEtcetera and BrianSews) on youtube were very helpful.  I ended up using a combination of both their techniques.  First I sewed 2 opposite sides using the technique on BrianSews where you roll the fabric through the foot to begin.  Because the fabric won't roll well after one side has been hemmed I used the technique on SewEtcetera where you hand press a thin hem and then complete a few stitches before rolling the fabric into the foot.  This allowed me to do the two remaining sides.  I do have to say they weren't perfect and it takes some time to get it right, but it is a pretty amazing foot to learn if you have the need.

Adobe House Illustration

When I got home from Santa Fe I thought, "How can I ever thank our hosts Nancy and Bruce for their hospitality?"  So I decided I would do an illustration of their beautiful house. 

I love the way the adobe houses in Santa Fe blend perfectly into the landscape.  Everything seems covered in a layer of dust that mutes all the colors and yet this allows any color that is not earthy to really pop and feel even more saturated.  And speaking of adobe houses, check out those incredible beams and posts (not to mention the wrought iron light fixture!).

I just sent the illustration off today.  Thanks again Nancy and Bruce!  We had a wonderful visit.

(And for anyone out there looking for a good archival printer, I used my new Epson Stylus Photo R1900 and had great success.  I used their Epson Cold Press Bright paper and the colors were spot on.  I would recommend this printer for anyone doing fine art prints.  The only drawback is the colors are faded on regular paper so you need another printer for regular printing purposes.)

Hand Embroidered Necklace

Lately I have been obsessed by all things embroidered so when I came across this necklace I fell in love with it.  The necklace is hand embroidered by Natalya Pavlysh from the Ukraine and she sells them here on etsy.  It was hard to decide which one to choose because there were so many wonderful designs.  Thank you Natalya - I love it!

This necklace also has extra special significance because George gave it to me for our ten year anniversary.  Thank you for the necklace and for ten incredible years!

Roxanne Swentzell

I can't even think about going to Santa Fe without visiting the Tower Gallery which houses the work of my favorite Santa Fe sculptor - Roxanne Swentzell. I remember the first time I saw her work it really struck me.  I immediately loved the curved, rounded feminine figures and their beautiful, smooth bronze and clay colored skin.  And just look at the toes - talk about expressive!  Although I couldn't afford a bronze, I did purchase her book the first time we visited (you can buy one on her website here or a bronze if you'd like!).

If you ever visit Santa Fe it is worth going to the Tower Gallery which is about 20-25 minutes north of Santa Fe.  Don't miss the great movie about Roxanne in the bottom room of the tower.  It talks about her life, how she became an artist, and her current work( and she is even a collector of heirloom seeds! - you just end up really liking her by the end).  In addition to her gallery, there is a wonderful museum with local artists work and an exhibit about life in the pueblo that Roxanne did all of the figures for.  I really can't say enough about how much I love her work - so inspiring!  Love it, love it, love it!

Bandelier National Monument

On our trip to Santa Fe we got a chance to visit Bandelier National Monument to see the cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Pueblo people (formerly known as Anasazi).  I highly recommend it if you get a chance to go.  It is so much fun to climb the ladders and crawl around in the caves. The main loop trail is an easy trail to take even with children.

We also took the Alcove Trail which led to a high cliff dwelling.  As you can see below, I don't recommend this trail for those with small children or people who are scared of heights.

Once you get to the top this is the view.

Then you can climb down into the man-made structure and it looks like this.

As you can see from George's face, we had a lot of fun.

Taos Pueblo

We also visited the Taos Pueblo on our visit to New Mexico.  The pueblo is nestled at the base of a beautiful mountain with a clear stream running through the middle.  I love the adobe architecture and the blue paint on the doors and moulding.  We took the guided tour and it was interesting the way the guide described the way the houses were in various states of weathering.  It seemed to me that without care these houses would return to the dirt they were made from in no time at all. 

Santa Fe Trip - Peter Woytuk Sculptures

I haven't been posting lately because we took a trip to one of my favorite places - Santa Fe, NM.  There is something magical about Santa Fe.  I love the rounded adobe architecture of the buildings, the beautiful, sunny, low-humidity weather, and the abundance of art that never ceases to amaze at every turn.  And that is what brings me to these incredible sculptures. 

While driving into town I spotted these bovine beauties in the Ghost Ranch sculpture garden off Paseo de Peralta.  I love the way their soft curves suggest the gentle nature of the cows.  And just look at the way their front legs are tucked under their bodies - so cute! (I know I use that adjective too often, but c'mon you gotta admit they are so dang cute!)  The artist is Peter Woytuk and when I got home I really enjoyed visiting his website where you can view more of his wonderful work.

And of course I loooooooove, the bird scuptures!

Vintage Embroidery Tablecloth

Last month I went with my mom to the Springfield Antique Show Extravaganza where I found this amazing tablecloth.  When I spotted it from across the booth I was immediately drawn to it.  I love the contrast between the cornflower blue and orange and the yellow makes the whole tablecloth so cheery.

And did you get a look at those gorgeous butterflies dropping in for a sip of nectar?  They are interesting because the maker purposefully left the top of the butterflies open to form a pocket.  At first I thought it was for a little weight to prevent it from blowing in the wind, but the tablecloth is only a 34'' square and so the butterflies lay on top of the table.  Then I thought maybe the butterfly pockets were to hold playing cards...and then I thought wouldn't it be so cute if you had friends over to play cards and you had a little card with their names sticking out of the butterflies!  Whatever the case it makes it all the more charming and I hope it brightens your day like it did mine.