Growing the Garden : In Full Bloom!

Her seeds were planted and nurtured with love and being softly spoken to in order that they would arise in their fullness of bloom.

The Second Bloom

Growing the Garden. Daisy is my most favorite flower. They were the flowers at our wedding in Ireland. 

I love them because they are simple and yet so happy. Solid yet feminine. They shine in full bloom.

As I researched Daisies a bit more, I found that they are my birth month- April's conjoined birth flower with Sweet Peas. Of course they are.

And as all things find their way to the right place...I had two exquisite vintage Daisies (yes, in green) that I knew belonged with this piece. I have cherished these daisies for probably 20 years and now was their time to bring joy to another soul!

The Second Bloom symbolizes your time to ascend no matter your age or what life had previously been. It is an invitation to welcome the new, in a sense rebirth, and to share it with others. To set forth with your own devotion to come into your own true full blossom. 

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Two Daisies

These Daisy stems hold quotes:

Never underestimate the power or a seed

For many years now I have planted seeds of my life and now they are blossoming. I have a deep devotion to living my life as an artist. That is why I am here...to help others find their own beauty of  blossoming through my teachings of art and yoga. 

Use your energy to believe, create, and grow

I have found that for me the two intertwine -art and yoga. The beauty and gentleness of both while holding strong and continuing to learn so I can share my technical and heartful experiences as one.

Details: Vintage silk flower , vintage velvet leaves, quotes printed on silk, Cotton print fabric with topstitching and blue flower free form embroidered. NOTE: Seeds planted and stem end.

The Garden 庭 Niwa

It was very important to me to create a piece that spoke of being painterly. The skirt and coordinated top fabric I chose has such a beautiful water color effect, that I wanted that carried to her face, hands and feet.

Details: Sculpted clay head with silk - linen weave- overlay. Body sewn in same silk. Dyes of water color and ink. Hand Painted eyes, Hair of  hand dyed tussah silk. NOTE: Seeds at/of the heart.

Full Bloom

In this case, it is all about the skirt from where The Garden nestles.

The Garden is also about growth. As Daisy also represent new beginnings, hope, and rebirth...I wanted this skirt to carry the fullness of this symbolism. 

Details: Wall piece. 

Hat top to toes 30-inches.

It's all about the Hat...

In most - well probably- all of my one of kinds pieces, there is a hat (or a headdress) incorporated. I just have a love of hats within my art. I believe there is a magic in hats! 

As I love to include a surprise in usually my linings of soles of shoes...

Details: Hat all silk, Lining of magenta silk.

Vintage velvet leaves and hat band.

In keeping with the clothing, 

I included my signature topstitching in the hat.

Her hat called to be tall as if still reaching for the sky...for the sun.

Close ups

May your seeds be ever blooming.

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Embroidered Book Covers

You know how it is...you are researching for something online and one thing leads to another...another...

when I came across this blog and her discovery of book binding from the British Library.

 

Embroidered book cover with sequins. 

The Holy Bible (London, 1642)

The British Library holds one of the world's leading collections of fine and historic bindings. Numbering in their thousands, the bindings are included in discrete specialist collections and dispersed individually throughout the Library's holdings.

 So I had to check it out..old books... I refined my search to the ones that have embroidery! I was entranced with the number and the beauty of these book covers. The history and that they are revered and valued in today's world. This has touched me...in the time, love, and skill that someone took to make these glorious pieces. Especially in today's time, when even a real book with pages has lost favor...yes, I am guilty of this too and yes, I finally broke down and purchased a kindle...I so hope you can take a moment and think of the skill that went into and enjoy the beauty of these book covers...

The Whole Book of Psalms London 17c

 There is a hole which would have accommodated a ribbon 

(now lost) passing around the top and bottom cover.

 

England 17c

Pictorial. White and cream satin. In an embroidered binding with silver threads, enclosed in a bag, also embroidered. 1 ribbon tie.

England 16c

Psalmes of Confession

Remnants of 2 pairs of ties.

 Sequins and metallic threads used.

England 16c

New Testament Greek

owner: Elizabeth I, Queen of England (1533-1603)

With the arms of Elizabeth I. White Satin with silver threads.

 

England 17c

The Booke of Common Prayer

Owner: Montague, James, Bishop of Bath and Wells (1568?-1618)

2 pairs of silk ties. Red silk pastedowns

England 17c 

The Holy Bible

Owner: James II, King of England (1633-1701)

With 2 pairs of red ribbon ties

On the website there are 118 pages of embroidered book covers. This is a mere taste of what is there. As I viewed all these covers, I realized that it was just the very wealthy who had books and during that time period most of the reading was done through the church...but I think of the people who hand-made these covers..who where they? servants, court Embroiderers, were they held in high regard for their talents?

So coming back to our time period and what fits into today's world~ can't I make a glorious cover for my kindle..and someday someone might ask Who made this cover for this ancient device??

"Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress.” 

Mahatma Gandhi