The framed "M" was created for my physician, Dr. Marion Owen.
The flowers are created in an explosion of color with roses, daisies, gladiolas and more.
The evening stole on the right was commissioned by the owner of Vista Gallery, Cindy Perryman.
I worked this stole on a deep periwinkle wool challis. It has a soft drape and lent itself perfectly to this flowing design. The brilliant color scheme of fuchsia, red, orange and yellow creates a strong counterpoint to the rich purple background.
The Liatris at the top was done entirely in stab stitch. The Gerber daisies are worked in YLI 3mm silk ribbon, as are the ferns and roses. The tiny Forget-me-nots are actually French knots worked in rayon ribbon. The daisies add a bright note with their sunny faces. The design trails off with a freestyle spray of freesias and ferns.
This cheerful pillow was created for a special friend, Carolyn Brooks, whose professional life was devoted to teaching children. Carolyn donated all these fabrics and I had fun incorporating them into the overall design. Cutouts of children holding hands and "love" at the center, whimsical Christmas trees, folkloric flowers and snappy polka dots all create a lighthearted theme. I chose a bright primary color scheme in keeping with the child motif. Carolyn told me after I gave it to her that her adult children had fun recognizing remnants of clothes she had made for them when they were small. The perfect keepsake for a wonderful lady!
Here is another interpretation of a framed letter created for my friend Diane Thorne. The silk flowers are done in brilliant reds, pinks, blues and golds on an Irish linen ground .
I painted the frame with a semi-gloss cream shade and matted it with a soft green. One of these framed pieces would make a lovely gift for a dear friend.
The pillow at right was the first of many that I have created over the years. I chose sturdy upholstery fabrics, bleached denim, in a muted pallet of greens, blues and golds. The patches are edged with many interesting traditional embroidery stitches. The pillow is piped with gold rayon braid, a traditional look that would harmonize with many home decor schemes. A pillow like this one would make a lovely house warming gift to a young couple or for very special friends.
The little pillow hearts above are just a few of the many I have created for friends and family. I call them my "Happy Hearts". They make perfect all occasion gifts to say "I love you". I will design one with the colors of your choosing. They are fun to make and I am always getting requests for these.
