From My Studio

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I sometimes hate to make things tidy...

this is what greeted me this morning

on the work table...

Instantly I am drawn to what is there...

left from yesterday ..the previous day ...

last week....

The buttons I lay on a layout ...

to see ?...

Pencil is never far away...

nor are a pair of scissors...

 This was in yesterday's blog.... & newsletter..

It waits for those deers to be painted..it reminds me...to grab this as I paint orders this afternoon...they are due in the post today..the birds in blossoms & some angels...and santas.

The sample felt things from yesterday & see what happens...

Ah that oblong flower pot might fit..

Perfect...

Pudding on black felt..

The star on a larger angel decoration... 

mm that is an idea that needs more thinking through 

See the larger blue star deers ...they always jump out at me... the colour & mixed maybe with the reds about them they do more...

I need to see that in another setting..

The B&W fat cat..reminds me of dear sweet Millie who kept me company as I worked or worried where in the heck she has got to..for many years....

Just another view...

I can't leave it alone...

Alas I dare not start mucking about now as I have to meet Cynth soon...and then paint 100 robins in blossoms for an order..

Mini Decorations

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These are the little gems... the mini wood decorations just 4 cm big

Find these in the Button Stories as the little template from the larger design is included to make small felt decorations for the trees, for stockings, gift bags, hoops ...

Simple 

Fun !!!!

I have painted this lot so sometimes more than one available Each are $5.50 plus post

Using the template as a stitchery guide  & set into a hoop..much more you can do with this 

Stocking in felt with a small circle of felt just to set your ideas....

This is a Button Story in progress..

The deers need a coat of paint...

It has a saying arched over the Santa & deers 

& 

I love it on the stocking in linen & cotton fabric

Button Stories

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The day is finding me scanning these stories into my computer & then after a few frustrating moments wandering down to the kitchen table to load them onto the webpage....I have resized them so they fit onto the webpages they are small here & for the other reason which I won't mention ...LOL

***

I adore designing as I go to make up stories as I have done here..

what I am saying is that the one offs are just part of me 

& 

that freedom I did in business has allowed me

 to wander a little freely in how I sell the designs... .

UNIQUE in a different way than just the way I design my buttons & hand paint them...

EXCLUSIVE... won't be many I will do repeats for...

some layouts will be alike but with different buttons..

You will see me smiling...

As I do untangle my habits ....

I find myself with freedom to not hold this in stock ...

To draw & play with a batch of painted or unpainted buttons and not have to keep a check of what is needed for this story...

because I am telling you this story...once ...

it is ok..don't you think ?

 ************

Now my stories ..

The 3 French ladies have come into Paris 

or 

have they stepped out of their apartments 

& met up close by ?  

They will or can take you on one lovely shopping experience as you stitch the words & the buttons...

💛💛💛

The cats in le jardin.... I originally did this as a French rabbit & a bird house .... some of the changes as I love the circles to have some stitched words enveloping my buttons or as in the Christmas designs I actually get that cut......

💓💓💓

Then there is Christmas.

My absolute favourite is the Noel pudding sampler it was a repeat but now it is just this one & if you miss this one there will be other variations of this.

And Christmas in a circle ...with a house & a cat !!!

💓

Each are priced a little less than individual buttons...

How lucky is that !!!! 

HOPE

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 I am drawn to red & white stripes....

Mats are no exceptions...

This is a lovely little wall in my spot that says many things to me....

I love walking towards the kitchen in the mornings & seeing this red & white striped rug...

Today all guests have dispersed....

Lovely to see everyone....

The power was cut all day from 8.30 to 4.30 & it was kind of weird...

With NBN it is no phone, no internet, then no radio, no TV, no jug, no washing machine & no remote into  garage door.

I could paint until the shone glared in the window at me....

I pottered about in the little garden ....moving some pots & hanging my metal bird on a wall ...

it was rather nice to just potter....

Today as usual the HP gadgets & I are up here having difficulties as usual.

The printer has it's own agenda at times....when I need to print things !!!

then this laptop often drops out & restarts....

So my 10 minute job turns into an hour.

Momentum lost so thought might as well pop in here & publish a comment on an early post 

Thank you Maria !

Birds

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 Little birdie which is about to be released as a Stitchery Society illustration for stitching or as shown here a mix of felt & stitching or painted.

Great size for journal covers, needle keep covers .....all those sweet little projects....

***** 

Been a busy surprise week with connections with dear friends....

I have one staying this weekend after a flight in from Qld...

How exciting this will be.

Friends driving down from Melb on Wednesday who I have not seen for maybe 5 years?

Today was a lovely lunch with a friend & her father....

One of those spur of moment catch ups which I do love...

Another family lunch tomorrow

and ....

out of town on Friday to explore a couple of spots with a friend......and then the following week I meet up with another friend I grew up with..from age 0 !

Now I am off to relax....

The View

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Some fantastic rain for us yesterday & the days are now snug & cool.

Summer was way too long...

Sorry for Sydney & just down the road for bushfires.

Buttons.

Happy colours I always enjoy....

Several people have asked if I am resting......
..depends what one means by resting.

Painting orders still continues with 
retail & the designers popping in

I do take a day here & there now 

to work on other paper stuff, 
bits of fabric & felt are returning to the table....

&

some reorganising & redecorating now gets my full attention.. 

not stop & start.
*

When I resigned from the public service because of a nasty bullying persistant harassment that nearly took my life. 

I decided that when I embarked on the next journey it was one of passion

 I love what I do  .....
I really enjoy the journeys it has taken me on.....

I also realised from starting out with the monthly markets in the 1990's that it all became part of the way I lived & has done so ever since .

It became a very easy healing process meeting some happy, gorgeous .. gentle people...
Painting trays with pink roses ...cows & people....sewing cloth dolls & santas...they always soften the days... stories made with stitcheries & so it goes on....

Now I have travelled up there & down along the valley roads & rising up & down as the journey takes one....

I often enjoy conversing with colleagues now on their journey's... 
sometimes I quiz, 
sometimes I suggest 
& 
sometimes I get so excited for their processes & their successes  ..
so where will this journey take me next ????

Right now I am happy to coast... 
foot off the pedal..... LOL

***** 

I have just finished reading The French Perfumer which has now left a gap in my what to read next....

I enjoy Amanda Hampson's writing as I also read The Olive Sisters  before this French Perfumer.

I usually have a non fiction on the go also & have just started reading the Silent Invasion 
& 
another from Kikki which is a work book to think & do things differently ( always hopeful) 

Provincial Decor Living Bendigo Renovated store

In the city this morning & took my camera ....

asking permission to photograph & show this divine shop renovation to you all.

If you are travelling thru !!!!

It is not far off the main road ( High St ) turn at the Shamrock Hotel thru one small roundabout then next turn left....on your right !!

The building is old & has wonderfully high ceilings 

The stylists are amazing...

Thanks for such a gorgeous store !!!

******

This is what I saw as I walked into the main part of the building.... 

This is as you wander down a little room where some gorgeous rugs just were so desireable

Many are rolled up in a huge cane basket

Let you drool over this ....

This is the dining room at the front of the building...

So much inspiration 

The wish list is long

The fire place stacked with logs is such a piece of work !!!! Love it

The other thing that is used in a couple of spots are those magnolia buds...they really are temptations

I know i could relax in this room....

Feast your eyes on all this stuff !!! for one's kitchen

Just the sort of pieces I enjoy...

I buy ones of things ...bowls to wash my veges in... top shelf

white jugs are must haves ...

Chopping board..

spotted coffee mugs...

tea towels to dry something is never hard....

glasses for water..

I love getting a different glass out each day for my water consumption !

What is being worked on

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I am working on this small lady's purse/bag

It will arrive on www.theodoracleave.com in the pattern format as a Button Story

ie it will have layouts, simplistic instructions & the button..or will that be buttons ???? 

Add's to the base cost if I do 2 buttons...

Now that done... 

I have designed these using felt, soft soft divine felt....

Look at the difference the same item changes with different coloured felts & buttons .

I want to play with the button collection to change the view again..with perhaps the oblong flower pot ..a twig bird ....

Cats perhaps or that dog....???

When I gather some time later in this day I will see...what works.

I was going to make that grand statement "Not all the buttons will work" but I am thinking....with a different shape & size add on panel they just might ...

***

You see this is always some of the behind scenes thinking & experimenting .... painting a different colour, finding more felt colours & things I prefer....

I learnt this fairly easily when I started out doing markets...when imported patterns & men with scroll saws were scarce...

I'd buy one precious cloth doll pattern at Berrima Patchwork & make it up in many different fabrics & hair...without apron..add a thing in hand etc... same with wood. I often could get my hands on one doll shape & same deal paint different colours ..different hair...

So now when I design anything I am always veering over to the lateral thinking....

These are exciting & just a lovely change & something I have been going to get to for a long time & this layout has been drawn for several years...

When I painted much more volume ...

there was not often time to go play...

Join me ?

The Day is Young

theodoracleave.com

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Buttons or Decorations 

that fit simply 

into hoops, frames, etc

The work is almost done....

Add  the painted decorations I design 

with scalloped edges of one style or another...

some with etched stars in the scalloped borders 

& 

some with an extra lined etched circle

to a

small Hoop as all of these in the collage are...

Add a stitch like French Knots or running stitch.. or crosses if desired ...

Oh what about adding some small glass beads here & there..like snowflakes...

OR

writing words simple as Merry Christmas around the border....

Such fun....

****

Now as you can see in this one collage Buttons are easily applied in the same manner

I love the 2 star deers facing each other & with a star or that little scalloped circle..

The star deers ..these are the 7cm size & with a star or a heart or a scalloped circle they do look amazing don't they..

Work into a heart..

 Lots of options ...

Like the pudding button

Perhaps this would be great with felt as the back ground, use a double layer of felt for strength..as buttons are heavier & would drag the decoration heart down & be floppy.

Look why not try the heart stitched on fabric add button & slot int a hoop or frame...
I have just had a thought as I was checking the post...
Use a felt heart... stitch onto fabric then pop into a frame or a hoop......

This collage was taken after I did a mixed  years of designs & collaged some of the results

The flat wider scalloped border from last year with the etched stars & twig angels sit on off white fabric in a hoop & on a frame

The santa is oh a few years ago now...& I found a couple in that box...

( that reminds me of the big trunk that sat in the hallway when I was little...full of sort of dress up stuff Nana Theodora had left...go to that box & find treasures to play with..my box ! )

Then the snowmen are in a fine frame which was again some years ago now...

then the tight scalloped edge which I like the best...what 2 years ago & I pulled back on the designs of last year ..they look best in the tighter scallop ...but I am critical as I stare at them a lot as I paint them !!!

But that said 

I love them all .... 

Little Blue Bird

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Another Illustration which I have painted & that will be available for stitching or this one can be felt or applique....

you may well recognise this bird with the branch as it was the motif on my website for many years..and then it fell into an etched thread keeper....gorgeous but heck to paint keeping between the lines

I have been assembling several surprise illustrations .....

...........

Updated some words ....

Car has had it's annual service....I waited. 

Took 1 1/2 hrs !!! Amazing.

To work..post first then back to paint

Max & Louise have done fabrics !!!

See what my friends Lisa & Louise of Max & Louise Pattern Company  have been doing ......

http://maxandlouisepatternco.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/introducing.html

Wonderful news !!!!

ODD SPOTS

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Tags I did the other day .

I love doing stories...

Simple ones... BY The Sea....boats bobbing on the protected waters...painted in the blues, reds & whites all a little mix..

$5 per tag.... postage will probably hold 3 in small letter thing

These stamped tags were done some time ago..

But I happened apon them like treasures ...

So now all gone

At the moment I only have one on the web of these ...the one bottom left

Think it is $4.95

These Christmas ones I love love love !!! will be on web hopefully by Monday.

It is this later system I replaced laptops & then scanner & talk about a difficult lot....

So depending how it co operates as I go to load stuff & whatever else is bothering me in my private life....sometimes I just get over it & wander off.... LOL

Today I need a break now !!!

Had 2 lots of great news today, one sniffy snipe on email ... dreadful news I read...

&

I am going to paint & sip tea ..maybe stitch

Anyone wish to join me ?

Au Revoir

Cleaning. Tidying boxes

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Tidying up the storage boxes is always fraught with danger....that I will find things that I just want to go & paint NOW !

Here is a great fun selection of the ...

Santa Stocking with engraved holly on the stocking.

I painted 5 red & the token white one.....

Then out of the depths a robin sang in the frame with holly..sometimes when I retire a design or reduce the size I save one for me....but not this one...

There is a chocolate star deer 7cm size & the red cat who got so into the spirit of the paint table & I was so far gone in my painting world I thought why not...glad I did

The santa in the stockings go so well on many projects & mix with this robin .... sew some border or tuck the 3 into a tighter frame than the one i found handy

Loads of fun

I am going to add these to the website now & they are limited numbers....

More Nectar for my Soul !

theodoracleave.com

Taking advice from many advisors to celebrate one's achievements...

The Passages Of Time 

as 

we wander along our pathways & roads....

bumpy & smooth...

We have milestones.... 

how far we have come & where we are heading...

Now where would that be ????  I ask myself ....Where are you heading ???? LOL

These are the stores that will continue to sell my buttons & decorations.....and the 3 Designers ...

&

Moi ....

When I suggested they might like to  continue on....the responses were that nectar for my soul....

Anni Downes  at The Home Patch NSW

( who wept so loud I could hear her from Bathurst to Bendigo....)    

Janeene at Fabric Patch in QLD

Gail at Gail's Fabric Emporium VIC

Noemie at Boutique De Mere en Fille FRANCE

Marion at Handarbeiten Kab GERMANY

Anne at Minerva NZ

Rachel at Annies Country Quilt Store NZ

Sofia at Tucalico SPAIN

There maybe 2 more to come...I need to offer to...

..................................

Designers who use my buttons in their designs that continue to have the same as the stores are

Marg  at Marg Low Designs AUSTRALIA online store 

Sara at Sara Guermani ITALY online store

UB-Stick Designs GERMANY

............................

& ME at www.theodoracleave.com 

I am excited about this change... this little path off that main road  in my journey in design...

From cloth dolls..santas etc 

to

stitcheries...

.brooches...

buttons...

painted wood decorations...

quilts...that odd one or 2...

applique....

books.....

 with distributers both in Australia & Internationally... doing major shows.... small shows.....trunk shows.....magazines in Australia & France

Mail order in the old sense & later the web site store.....

wholesale always....

Now wholesale to a few...

As the world changes... & life changes ....

our way of doing business can change too...

&

To the lady who gave me an opportunity to think differently....& bring not a sense of ending to this part of my life but a new beginning....