A Miniature Haven

Two more pillows done for the Miniature Needlework Society International "Miniaturia 100" project for next September. Worked on 48 count mesh with a variety of Japanese silks, rayon machine embroidery thread and some Needlpoint Inc. silk floss. I am using up all my off cuts of various size silk mesh. Most of the pieces are just big enough to get a pillow of and inch and a quarter square.

Its State Fair time In Kentucky! I can now show photos of my entries! 3 Blue ribbons and a Best in Show.....third year in a row...rather surprised my self on this one!
State Fair runs till Sunday Aug 27 and Tuesday Aug 22 is SENIOR day so free entry for age 55 and older!

The Guild School public display made it on the Local news! Check out this link and watch for TULIPS! They are mine!
https://www.wabi.tv/2023/06/14/2023-guild-school-displays-miniature-art-its-finest/?fbclid=IwAR3xEkljeH8Ja_lSkDuenJ-ZBaYNDWZKCfjsHElADKVr3uzJz2-nqZRJ_dM

The 2023 Guild School displays miniature art at its finest It was a big day in a small way for the Guild school.

Just finished an inspirational week at the IGMA Castine Summer School! I took a marquetry class and wood turning class and learned tons of techniques and even more construction tricks that I cant wait to include in my next build!

Even though I haven't posted in a long time my hands have not been idle... just working on items I can t post for a variety of reasons. HOWEVER now that I did an archeological dig in my studio looking for something else I discovered a project that I thought had been lost! So.. since I am in San Francisco teaching for a couple of weeks I decided to bring it with me to work on at night and early mornings. The chart came from one of my full scale needle point books and I believe the pattern was called Holland Park Chrysanthemum Medallion. I will look up the exact reference when I get home at the end of the month.

Here is a little YouTube video that I made to show how I finish a piece of embroidery into cushion for Tudor Bench. Let me know in the comments if you found this helpful. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/bQmRgP3cT-Y

Its such a good feeling to complete a project so early in the new
year! Stitching done on 4 Duncan Phyfe side chairs and a desk chair all worked on 42 count silk gauze. When finished they will populate a room with the set of fire screens I finished at the end of 2022!

Its 2023! And the Friends of SNAD( San Francisco School of Needlework and Design) are back on schedule for their FREE On line Stitch-In meetings every Wednesday and Saturday. We meet from 2-4PM Pacific Time, 3-5 PM Mountain Time, 4-6PM Central Time and 5-7 PM Eastern Time and I know its 10PM in England but we still get occasional night owls to join in!

It is a free gathering of folks interested in all types of needlework, crochet, knitting, quilting etc. And is great for every level from beginners to experienced needle workers. We share a lot of ‘OOOS and AAAHS “ when folks show their work in progress or even finished pieces and the regulars gladly share information, supply sources and answer questions.

Its a great way to dedicate a block of time each week to making progress on a stitching project and connect with kindred spirits from around the Us, Canada and beyond!

You can register for FREE at Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/online-stitch-in-with-the-friends-of-sfsnad-tickets-394529477287

Its always a nice feeling to finish out the year with a couple of finished projects. The Tudor bench and cushion is done! I didn't make the bench but I did add a little... "Je ne' sais quois" ...to liven it up a bit. The two Duncan Phyfe fire screens are destined for a Federal Style room ,with two fireplaces, which is next in line for the building department. The matching rug was stitched in 2020 . The Tudor cushion and firescreens were worked on 42 count mesh using DMC and some silk threads. Four chair cushions are next in line in the embroidery department.

Another KY State Fair in the books! Four entries ...4 ribbons! Third place in "Did it my way", Second place in Vignettes, !st place in individual item and 1st place AND BEST IN SHOW for room box ...second year in a row! All of thee will be on display at the Oct 8 Louisville Club show and sale.

In recognition of Queen Elizabeth's 70th year as the only British Monarch of my entire life , I thought I would share my humble attempt of a a late Victorian Diplomatic Reception room! This one lives on a shelf just above the commode in the guest bathroom just to see who gets the joke. A King and Queen are in process.

Well its been a busy winter and spring! Just finished 4 stitching projects , three for a room box I have had from the 80's and one that is in the design stages but started in the 80's! I have had the Franklin Mint Chinese room since it was first offered in the 80's. The large sofa and side chairs never came with cushions sooooooo, I dug out my 40 count silk mesh and got to work. The central medallions were adapted from a piece in the MET collection ...an embroidered fan case. All three piece are worked in Japanese silk . The folding screen was inspired by classical blue and white Chinese porcelain vases. The vase designs were adapted from a book of Chinese rugs.
The Federal stye mahogany bench was built and stitched in 1984 but only recently had its final finishing to the cushion. There is a Federal style room box on the drawing board!

Alert the Media no wait they have already been here! Last fall the KET ( Lexington PBS station ) spent a couple days filming my miniatures for a segment of their Kentucky Life series. It was a trill and an honor to have them take an interest in the work. That segment will air Sat May 7 and 8pm in the local area. However it can be live streamed from their web site :https://www.ket.org/program/kentucky-life/

On Saturday April 30 at the same time they will air a segment focusing on my work as a tambour beading specialist and instructor. I do hope I was "ready for my close up!"

Many thanks to the great production crew who went to great lengths to film in my studio and in all the 1/12 scale room boxes. Cant wait to see how they look on TV!

So ready for the Louisville Miniature Club show and sale Sat Oct 9 at the Beargrass Christian Church Activities Building , 4100 Shelbyville Rd, Louisville. (Just up the street from the St Mathews Mall). I have been working on new pieces of wicker furniture as well as my favorite items...candle lantern vignettes! With 21 vendors and nearly 100 exhibits it will be a grand event!

The list of vendors who will be participating in the Oct 9 Louisville Miniature Club show and Sale!

In case you missed it today on WKYT
https://www.wkyt.com/2021/09/22/out-about-miniature-haven-sept-22-2021/

Out & About - ‘A Miniature Haven’ (Sept. 22, 2021) A central Kentucky man is being recognized for his work on a ‘miniature scale’!

ALERT THE MEDIA!...no wait we already did! "Out and About" reporter Deanne Stephens and her camera man were here last week to check out some Ky State Fair Miniature category winners. Her segment will air Wed Sept 22 on WKYT Lex (CBS) between 4:50 and 5 pm. If you miss the broadcast it will be on their website after 7 PM. Just search for "Out and About"!

Getting things ready for the 8th annual Louisville Miniature Club Show and Sale! This event is coming up Saturday
October 9. There will be 17 vendors some from as far away as Wisconsin and Connecticut along with displays of miniature creations in all the standard scales, I inch, 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch. Several of the Ky State fair winning entries in the miniature category will be on display for close inspection. A "Make and Take" table gives anyone, child or adult, an opportunity to make a miniature item of their very own and perhaps embark on a life long hobby!

Well this was a pleasant surprise! I entered three miniature items in the Ky State Fair and when I visited the fair on the opening day I got a bit of a surprise! 3rd prize in the "Vignette" category, 1st Prize in the "Did it my way" category, and 1st prize and Best of Show in the "Room Box "category. Altogether members of the Louisville Miniature Club won 16 ribbons this year! There will be more pieces on view at the clubs Oct 9 show and sale in Louisville! The state fair runs until Aug 29. Worth the drive to Louisville!

A Miniature Haven updated their address.

Everything is ready for the July 10 Cincinnati Miniature Show! Even the table cloth is ready! Come to the Entertrainment Junction off I &% in Butler Co Ohio and see all the great vendors and exhibits.

Mozart has finally assembled the rest of his quartet in the Wedgwood Salon. Looks like they are ready of a bit of eine kleine nachtmusik! I assembled , dressed and wigged the musicians this week!

Well another embroidery project off the frame! This grouping was done in record time ...just over year. The larger rug was started April 27/2020 and all the additional pieces were finished on 5/5/2021! On 38 stitch to the inch gauze that is record time! I have had pettipoint projects that were on the frame for upwards of 9 years! The rug, two wall hangings and chair seats were made to accompany the mahogany bench that I made back in 1985. The yellow tulips were part of the on line flower making class I just finished.

The tulips in my front yard may have come and gone but after a two weekend class with Sandra Rubin (IGMA) I can now enjoy tulips all year long! An enlightening on line class that has me hooked on making more tulips etc.It will forever be spring in my studio!