Where Bloggers Create

Welcome! Thank you Karen for hosting such a lovely party! Come on in and stay awhile in my lovely studio. This beautiful room was empty for a very long time after we moved into our home. When my grandmother sold her home she gave each grandchild a gift and I chose a beautiful craft desk, and a sewing machine,and thus began my studio. The room itself is inspiring with views of my plants and the sound of birds. I am inspired by my surroundings, so I try to keep little pieces of vintage, color and reminders of things near and dear to me close. I collect vintage lace, buttons, fabrics and other little tokens of yesterday.


I also love yarn, as most knitter's do. I love the colors, the textures, working with a beautiful yarn brings me joy! This is my favorite spot to sit, knit, and have an afternoon glass of iced coffee~ I guess that is the drink of choice here in the Northeast, although I confess I love sweet tea!

As a knitwear designer, I am usually not finished with a piece until it "speaks" to me, so I will surround myself with what we call WIP~ a work in progress. I dress up my little mannequins and will keep coming back to the design and rework until it's right. The beautiful decopage mannequin post was purchased on Etsy from The Moxie Sisters. It is a beautiful piece and I fell in love with it at first sight. This summer I have discovered a total obsession with vintage lace. I found quite a bit on a trip to an outdoor vintage market near New Hope. I am enjoying incorporating it into my pieces.

I have been collecting vintage buttons for more than 20 years now. I am also a book lover, so I always feel a need to be surrounded by books.

Just a couple more pictures to share with you. Thank you for stopping in and visiting! Come back and see me again, I will be having a giveaway next month in anticipation of fall!

An Adventure

Just a quick post today, getting ready for the big Where Blogger's Create party tommorrow. Last Saturday night I actually left the house and went out with my girly friend Michele. We took a drive to Asbury Park, which, I must say is quite the happening place all of a sudden. Happening in a GOOD way. Lots of highend botiques, shops and resteraunts popping up everywhere. And quite the night life scene, for all types of people. So we went to see a Burlesque show. The troop was out of Philadelphia, and the show was very tastefully done. It was also a great "people" watching experience. But most of all... time well spent with one of my very close friends. Next up, roller derby, yup they still do that!

Feeling Blue

Lately I have been in a bit of a funk. A bit melancholy? Do you every slow down just long enough to see how fast time is moving? How you felt like just yesterday you were 16, ok, maybe not 16 but 26? I think previously I have shared about my journey through the world of fertlity treatments, etc. I don't talk about it too much anymore because I have stopped them (it's been years already) and I am moving on. Really, I am. It's just that sometimes things happen, or that baby is right in front of you and, I get sad. I get sad for something that as my life seemingly speeds on towards it's next phase, I will never have. Don't get me wrong, there are great things about my life that I thank God for everyday. But as I woman, some of us have always wanted to have the experience of something that is, as females, what makes us different from men. I think that, for me, anyway, I have always kept that little glimmer of hope in my heart, that maybe, after all the stress of trying so hard, it would, just happen. But, like I said, the next phase of my life is definetly starting, and that glimmer is beginning to fade.

So, what I have done all along is take all my emotions, and knit them into something. Knit, knit, knit. So meditative to me. I think because as I am making each stitch I am either counting, or murmuring knit, purl,knit,purl. And it works for me. It brings me a sense of peace, a sense of focus, a sense of being in this particular moment.

Inspired By Punk

I spent alot of time in my 20's going out to see live bands. I know most people think of "Bruce" when they hear Asbury Park, but there was a whole different scene going on 2 blocks away from The Pony. It was called the Fast Lane, previously and currently a bowling alley. But in my 20' s it was a bar that hosted all the famous punk, alternative and Industrial bands. My girlfriend Michele lived just a few blocks away, and we were there all the time. So my latest piece of work was inspired by punk. Time spent in the mosh pitt. I must have always looked too girly for it, but I held my own. So my new cuff, Schooled In the Church of Punk. Made of mostly reclaimed materials. I had alot of fun creating it. I just read somewhere that things we create "speak" to us when they are done. This cuff took awhile to get there. I just couldn't find the right pieces to "fit" into my vision. So I spent a couple of quiet mornings, listening to the birds and embroidering a bit here and there, then one morning, I saw it, it fit, It spoke to me.

A New Object of Desire

I have shared with you that I am a big collector of vintage buttons. I have been for many years. I now realize that I have a new affection for all things vintage lace. I've got it bad too. I can't seem to stop myself when I find these things. My latest trip to the Antique shops in Point Pleasant initially felt unsuccessful. The usual shops didn't have anything new. Then while I was in the Canvas House I remembered that they have an upstairs that I have not yet visited. So, buried in a tiny room under a bunch of doilies I found a zip lock bag. It was marked "vintage collars", I took a look and, yup, score! But I did not realize exactly all that was in it until I washed everything. Lots of pretty things. I am not sure on what exactly this one little treasure is, maybe someone knows it's original purpose? It has a seam on one end, not a collar, I'm just not sure, but the lace is stunning!There were also some collars included (lol) most of the items were lace pieces and fabrics. But the collars are in excellent condition and I am thinking that I may just have to leave them as is. They are too pretty to part with.