Hanging On By A Thread

Six years ago I went through some major health issues and spent the better part of a year traveling back and forth to Cleveland Clinic. I had a tumor and a section of my left lung removed. While all this was going on, I was also diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's Thyroid Disease. They did a biopsy of my thyroid and was told that there was no cancer, so I didn't think much about it as the lung issue was priority at that time. Other than taking a pill each day to replace the hormones that my thyroid wasn't producing any more, it didn't seem like a big deal. Boy was I wrong! As time went on I developed more and more symptoms related to the Hashi's. Most days I can barely get out of bed. I live with constant pain and exhaustion, brain fog and head aches,weight gain and skin that looks like I'm 90 years old. I feel as though I am "hanging on by a thread".

Since I don't go out much these days and I have no energy, I spend a lot of time scrolling through Pinterest. I search for inspiration and hope each day that I have enough energy to be creative in some small way. The following are some photos of my latest attempt at creativity.

Hanging On By A Thread

Necklace made of gray linen thread crocheted over a string of colorful wool beads.

The thread (Wolverine 20/2) is from Belgium.

The beads I hand felted a few years ago during a visit by my friend Odile Gova or  Woolly Fabulous, as she goes by in the art world.

I'm very pleased with the end result and so excited that my spark for creating is returning little by little.

I hope to share more of my creative journey with you as I adapt to living with Hashi's.

Thanks for listening and best wishes as you battle your own struggles in life.

Keep hanging on!

Love

Karen

Crewel Folder

So, I decided to go ahead and use those crewel samples this morning rather than hoarding them away.

In my last post I mentioned that they were very dusty, so after I laundered them and they were dry, I cut out my favorite parts and pieces and machine stitched them in a random pattern onto some reclaimed muslin. (2 rectangles of the same size)

I added some machine stitched text, 

 and some vintage buttons.

After I had all the crewel and embellishments stitched onto the muslin, I then stitched the crewel covered muslin panels to a larger piece of purple linen from my fabric stash. One to the left and the other to the right on the purple linen, creating a front and a back to the folder.( so the panels are side by side on the purple linen)

 I made a little flap and added a super sized snap.

 Next I cut a piece of quilt batting and another piece of muslin the same size as the purple linen. I sandwiched the batting between the linen and the muslin and layered on a smaller piece of muslin for pockets before stitching them all together.

There it is. A completed folder.

 It's just right for holding my reclaimed packing paper that I've been using for my doodles.

Here it is all loaded with paper and snapped shut.

All finished and no hoarding of materials.

karen

Vintage Crewel Samples

I've never tried crewel myself, but like the pretty patterns in these vintage samples. I purchased a small bundle of them from a little fabric shop that had recently gone out of business. 

 They were extremely dusty and even had some water damage on some of the edges,

 but I see potential in these squares of stitching.

 I cut them into pieces and soaked and washed them in lots of warm soapy water.

 I have a project in mind for these, so they'll be showing up here again in a different form.
Reborn into something brand new and one of a kind.
Just a little "Random Salvage".

karen

Simple and Bright

Some time ago I piddled around, covering little empty wooden spools with some reclaimed scraps of wool felt and random stitches. I had no idea what I was going to do with them, so I put them in a jar and they ended up on a shelf in my studio.

 I came across them recently while doing a little organizing.

 I paired them up with some large resin beads, some small bone beads and a couple of square ceramic ones. They are simply strung on a piece of turquoise leather.

I also came across some old memory wire, left over from my very first jewelry making attempt.

(I've been trying to use up some of the supplies that I've hoarded over the years.)

I wrapped sections of the memory wire with strips of old hippy textiles, also from my hoard of supplies.

I may add some beads and charms to these, but I kinda like them just the way they are, so maybe not.

Anyway, I hope I inspire someone out there in blog land to use up some of their hoarded supplies.

Have a great weekend!

karen

Crocheted Garland

A few months ago I found some old vintage curtain rings in a box in the basement.

I did a simple single crochet around each one and tied them together to make a colorful garland.

The pretty yarn is some hand spun wool that I purchased locally.

Still keeping it simple.

Just can't seem to concentrate on anything too involved lately, but I always feel like I need to be making something.

I thought playing with some pretty paper might snap me out of my mood.

So, I tried making some simple origami boxes.

Color always seems to cheer me up.

What do you do to beat the winter blahs?

karen

Hutch One Ready

Hutch number one is ready to be stacked and filled.

I'm so excited about having some more storage space.

Until now, I had been cramming a lot into one little hutch.

It has been moved to the other side of the dining room.

Everything is a mess right now, but this will all be worth it in the end.

Everything will be so much neater.

It all takes time.

Todays happy colors:

A bit of crafting fabric.

What makes you happy?

Karen



Fiber Frenzy

Frenzy.

That being said.

The latest by Umelecky.

Freeform crochet using the yummiest, textured, hand spun wool you've ever seen.

Hand felted wool orbs.

Hand crocheted orbs, stuffed with wool.

All trimmed in the finest cotton crochet thread.

Very freeform.

One of a Kind.

Bold.

I can't decide if I'm going to list this one or keep it for myself.

Thanks for stopping in.

Karen