ugh, I've spent most of the day going over my references for the life of artists/painters. Lots of fantastic information, but most of it is about the paintings and their subjects, not their lifes and the business. It's now time to take the notes and then putting it together. then I can play with the bobbins or the embroidery, yah!!

I finished the squares for the embroidery class. I have determined I am truly a fiber snob. The day before I was working on them and abandoned them to play with the bobbins. I found working on a simple braid I definitely liked the bobbins with weight. The single wood bead was not on the list. I kept holding them by the tip rather than the tail. Moved on to pony and bone beads. Those were okay, but of the two I'd rather use the bone. Then I went on to the two bead woodens. Those feel a lot like the three's. I think I could put both in the same pattern and not feel a lot of different.

Anyway, back to the embroidery samplers, I went back to them and worked very hard to finish them. I used up all the plastic canvas yarn I had on hand. My hands felt icky the whole time. I wanted to wash my hands. When I ran out of that nasty, I used a bit of the wool from the last project and the thrift store. That was soooo much nicer to work with.

Then I rewarded myself with playing with the bobbins again. I did several tries with various bobbins. I did the cloth stitch and it was very plain, straight forward. Still have the same feeling about the bobbins. Those with weight work much better.

This morning was reading for the artist class, from a book I picked up this weekend. It is Painters of reality. Interesting content, discussing drawing and painting styles of Lombardy style from Leonardo to Caravaggio. It didn't really help for my class which is about the artist's life, workshops, etc. I have to dig that info out so I have something to present.

It's been so long since I've posted, so many distractions. What has happened in the last year...
I didn't finish the boards for the demo, still haven't actually. I keep putting them on my list to do, but I always procrastinate and never finish them in time. I think that I am unsure of what I'm doing, so I am hesitanting.

I did a decent display at Steppes artisan, I'll see if I can post those pictures. There was some good work, good feedback too.

I have my realization that I'm not going to be a laurel, leastwise anytime soon. SO I'm doing art for art's sake. If it's not period, or period materials, that's okay. I am going to have fun doing it.

Last winter I had surgery, so for a while I was out of doing anything particular. That meant when it came time to enter something in Kingdom A&S I didn't, and had a good reason for it. I made another trip to the Houston Fine arts.

I did make plans to do a display of artist supplies and stuff at Steppes this year, then I got distracted. I have decided to go back to fencing, and I need new gear. I still haven't got to the fencing, but I've been working on the gear, and one pair of spectacular gloves for tourneys. I reviewed period examples, designed the gloves and have commenced the embroidery. the silk work is done, but the goldwork is on going. One problem with the gloves was that all of these examples was with bobbinlace. Not needlelace, which I would be quite happy to do, no, it has to be bobbinlace. with all else that I'm doing on these gauntlets, it has to be bobbinlace.

So i've made a couple of pillows (stuffed with straw) and several batches of bobbins(dowel rods and beads) and even done the first piece. I rather like working the bobbinlace so far, but I have lots to learn.

This year's Steppes artisan will be all about these gauntlets, from the embroidery to the lace and since I'm going to that step, I will be also making the gloves too. I just don't know if it will be by hand or not.

I'm going to be trying to get photos up on those too. and all my bobbins and pillows....