Costa del.......Pittenweem!
I had a brilliant day with some friends on Friday at the Pittenween Arts Festival. It was a glorious, sunny day and the whole of the East Neuk looked gorgeous. It's the first year that I've been to the Arts Festival and I'll definately be back! I've put together a board on Pinterest of my bestest favourites!!
We saw some fantastic work and in no particular order of fabulousness, loved the work by Anita Hutchison, Susie Lacome, Hilke MacIntyre, Susan McGill, Dot Sim, Weft Textile Studio and Workshop (actually a shop on the quay side SO, SO, SO, worth a visit anytime!), Frances Wilson (couldn't find a website for her, but this is a link to a profile of her AND it's got photos of her stunningly beautiful, gorgeous, fabulously lovely porcelain. I can't tell you how much I'd love to own some of this.......but I fear it would not mix well with two small boys. Well MY boys anyway!!) Alison Midson at The Backgate Gallery (sadly no photos of her linocuts, they are lovely!) Heather Cunningham. I think I've exhaused my vocabulary of "lovely" adjectives!
My preparations for Perthshire Open Studios are now well underway. Just as well because it's only 3 and a bit weeks until it starts! I'm excited, nervous and terrified all in equal measure! I've almost finished painting the studio and I can't believe how much better it looks. It's been on the "to do" list for at least 3 years but other "more essential" things kept overtaking it. I'll post some before and after photies when it's all done.
My preparations for Perthshire Open Studios are now well underway. Just as well because it's only 3 and a bit weeks until it starts! I'm excited, nervous and terrified all in equal measure! I've almost finished painting the studio and I can't believe how much better it looks. It's been on the "to do" list for at least 3 years but other "more essential" things kept overtaking it. I'll post some before and after photies when it's all done.
Paint-y, paint-y, sand-y, sand-y!
I've managed to get the studio emptied (mostly!) and the ceiling has had a coat of paint. Now I'm doing the boring bit.....sanding all the skirtings, door frames, the door and around the window. It'll all get done eventually but it's sooooo dull!
On a slightly more exciting note I also managed to get these two paper cuts finished, framed up and off to their new homes.
Sorry for the slightly duff quality of the photos.....but it was late!
Right......back to the sanding. My consolation is that I'll soon be putting everything back in the studio.
On a slightly more exciting note I also managed to get these two paper cuts finished, framed up and off to their new homes.
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| This day I will marry my best friend Doris & John 6th August 2011 |
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| One day like this, a variation on the happily ever after cut. |
Right......back to the sanding. My consolation is that I'll soon be putting everything back in the studio.
Busy, biz, biz!
I've had a busy few weeks with a very, very full order book, which is fantastic; but as Open Studios looms closer I've decided that I'm going to close my order book at the end of July until the begining of September. This should give me time to complete all my orders, sort out my studio and concentrate on cutting some new designs.
........Sorting out my studio is shorthand for remove everything, give it a long overdue paint and organise it!
........Studio is shorthand for the room where I take up one corner and the rest contains a piano, various chairs, toys and other detritus!
Here's a photie of my wee corner......eeerrrr nice and tidy!
Here's a sneeky peek of a paper cut inspired by a quote from Christopher Columbus, this is the initial drawing of the design. The next stage in the process is to have a trial cut out to see how it all works and tweek the design a bit if necessary!
........Sorting out my studio is shorthand for remove everything, give it a long overdue paint and organise it!
........Studio is shorthand for the room where I take up one corner and the rest contains a piano, various chairs, toys and other detritus!
Here's a photie of my wee corner......eeerrrr nice and tidy!
Here's a sneeky peek of a paper cut inspired by a quote from Christopher Columbus, this is the initial drawing of the design. The next stage in the process is to have a trial cut out to see how it all works and tweek the design a bit if necessary!
To bee or not to bee!
If you're a likerer of my Facebook page you'll know about the saga of my bees swarming! Well there was a not soo happy outcome for the old queen and her devoted entourage....involving a hoover! Unfortunately I just couldn't get the queen out of the coomb space in our attic and soo after 4 days, numerous attempt at removing them, countless stings and sweary words, I had resort to the hoover and get them out. I feel really awful about it; they all toil away selflessly producing honey.....most of which I steal from them and I repay them by splatting them in the hoover! So I now have any extra hive which is empty! I may get some more bees from a friend of mine so fingercrossed for a slightly happier outcome!
You'll notice, as if my magic, a gallery tab has appeared at the top of the page! It takes you to my Flickr page where I keep photies of ALL my paper cuts, I've got a whole set of Happily Ever After cuts! I've really enjoyed looking at them as a set and seeing all their differences!
In between mass murdering bees, doing the run of the mill housewifey things and a huge number (well...sort of!) of Happily Ever After cuts, I've been working on some sketches for a series of paper cuts for Perthshire Open Studios. Photos will follow......maybe!
You'll notice, as if my magic, a gallery tab has appeared at the top of the page! It takes you to my Flickr page where I keep photies of ALL my paper cuts, I've got a whole set of Happily Ever After cuts! I've really enjoyed looking at them as a set and seeing all their differences!
In between mass murdering bees, doing the run of the mill housewifey things and a huge number (well...sort of!) of Happily Ever After cuts, I've been working on some sketches for a series of paper cuts for Perthshire Open Studios. Photos will follow......maybe!
Hello....I'm still here...I think!
Errrrrrr, well I'm not sure what's happened to May or most of June......it seems to have flown past in a blur of birthdays, gardening and paper cutting with a few sunny days thrown in for good measure!
Fear not though, I've been busy cutting away, making happily ever after cuts and they've been winging their way to new homes far and wide, from London to Florida! I think that I'll do a photo montage of all the cuts I've done, just so I don't bore you with a huge list of photos!
This week's highlight will be J's 3rd birthday on Sunday. It's going to be a weekend full of cake, ice cream and fizzy juice, with both sets of grandparents visiting on different days! I haven't got a clue where the last three years have gone, it just seems like yesterday we brought a tiny bundle home, I'm sure I'll still be saying that when he's 30!
I thought I'd share this new design that I've FINALLY found some time to make! It's been bobbling around in my head for months and been doodled in my sketch book for almost as long.....here is Deep in a wood, carved on a tree - a customised wedding congratulations card and it's available from Folksy and Etsy.
I am taking part in Perthshire Open Studios this year, which takes place in September and as this blog will be listed in the brochure I'm going to try double hard to post a bit more regularly! I attended a marketing workshop organised by the committee and run by Cultural Enterprise Scotland and met lots of fellow artists, it was really great to put faces and voices to people I'm in touch with on Facebook or who I know by reputation! I'm really excited about taking part in Open Studios and I've been sketching away with some new designs and I'm hoping to try my hand at making some screen prints of them!
Instead of leaving you with an Etsy treasury I've put together a Folksy finds board on Pinterest around the theme of British summer, tell me what you think.......enjoy!
Fear not though, I've been busy cutting away, making happily ever after cuts and they've been winging their way to new homes far and wide, from London to Florida! I think that I'll do a photo montage of all the cuts I've done, just so I don't bore you with a huge list of photos!
This week's highlight will be J's 3rd birthday on Sunday. It's going to be a weekend full of cake, ice cream and fizzy juice, with both sets of grandparents visiting on different days! I haven't got a clue where the last three years have gone, it just seems like yesterday we brought a tiny bundle home, I'm sure I'll still be saying that when he's 30!
I thought I'd share this new design that I've FINALLY found some time to make! It's been bobbling around in my head for months and been doodled in my sketch book for almost as long.....here is Deep in a wood, carved on a tree - a customised wedding congratulations card and it's available from Folksy and Etsy.
I am taking part in Perthshire Open Studios this year, which takes place in September and as this blog will be listed in the brochure I'm going to try double hard to post a bit more regularly! I attended a marketing workshop organised by the committee and run by Cultural Enterprise Scotland and met lots of fellow artists, it was really great to put faces and voices to people I'm in touch with on Facebook or who I know by reputation! I'm really excited about taking part in Open Studios and I've been sketching away with some new designs and I'm hoping to try my hand at making some screen prints of them!
Instead of leaving you with an Etsy treasury I've put together a Folksy finds board on Pinterest around the theme of British summer, tell me what you think.......enjoy!
A turquoise happily ever after!
What a day Wednesday was! We were in Oban all day and had a fabulous day, it wasn't exactly great weather (a bit grey and windy) but it was a much needed break from the usual grind! When we got home I switched on the laptop and.......WOW!
Firstly my happily ever after paper cut had been included in this beautiful Etsy treasury.
Secondly I entered it into the fantastic Crafty Loves giving inspiration game and got some fantastic comments from people and thirdly.......it only bloomin' got included in the Folksy handmade wedding list!!!! I've been floating about 6 inches off the ground since!
And since it's Sunday, we have an Etsy treasury! I give you Turquoise #1................I bloody love turquoise I do.....and if that's not a good enough reason.....I don't know what is!
Firstly my happily ever after paper cut had been included in this beautiful Etsy treasury.
Secondly I entered it into the fantastic Crafty Loves giving inspiration game and got some fantastic comments from people and thirdly.......it only bloomin' got included in the Folksy handmade wedding list!!!! I've been floating about 6 inches off the ground since!
And since it's Sunday, we have an Etsy treasury! I give you Turquoise #1................I bloody love turquoise I do.....and if that's not a good enough reason.....I don't know what is!
Business cards and branding *yawn* until......
I've recently been thinking about business cards and how to make them stand out and be remembered and by default for people to remember me! And late last night in bed Billy Connolly popped into my head. I can't remember which DVD I saw this on....and I can't find it on YouTube (without watching hours of clips......not a bad way to pass my time though!) but I have found this which (as far as I remember) ia a transcript of the business card he'd been handed by someone!
Apparently this style of card was big in the 30's or 50's or 80's, depending which website you look at, still fricking hilarious though!
Paper cutting and Treasury Sunday
Well.......hello! I kind of disappeared for a wee while...again, and after all my good intentions! I have not been sitting twiddling my thumbs (I wish!), I've been busy cutting away making this paper cut for a wedding present.
I'm really pleased with how this turned out.....hopefully they will be too!
And as it's Sunday, here's the Etsy Treasury. I've cheated a bit with this, *whispers* I put it together last week but never got round to doing a post about it, just don't tell anyone!
and relax....it's the end of the week!
Just a wee quickie (oohh err Mrs!) this evening, a bit of a rounding up of the week!
I've been very busy with my trusty scalpel over the last few days...and this is what I've been making.
I've been very busy with my trusty scalpel over the last few days...and this is what I've been making.
Sorry about the slightly rubbish picture but I was soo excited about finally getting this finished that I just wanted to share it! A wee tidy up and then into a frame......this evening.....maybe!
I've also been working on another paper cut, which is a wedding present from me (the royal us!) but no photos yet.....I don't want to jinx it! It took me ages to come up with a design that I was happy with and now is the really nerve wracking bit of cutting it out....without mishap!
We spent a couple of impromptu days with my Maw and Paw, which was really nice. The boys LOVE spending time with their Grandparents, especially since they have a farm, with tractors and other big noisy machines and of course Granny and Grandad dote on the pair of them! My plan for the week kind of disappeared around Wednesday somewhere, never to return! But that's life isn't it?!
Much excitement...for me!
I've had a super exciting day today, *squeals* my very first ever (as in ever, ever, ever!) order has been delivered to a new shop/gallery Urquhart Glass, here in the village! Eeek! Here is a link to the lovely Mairi's (of the Urquhart name) website, showing some of her beautiful glass, well worth a look! The shop's looking lovely and has a wealth of work by various local artists. Anyone heading through (or to) Comrie over Easter should definitely make the effort to stop and have a look!
And here's a photie of the exclusive designs I produced for her! I have another two or three designs (in my head....not even as far as the sketch book yet!) to work on. It's all very exciting, did I mention that!
Now I'm off to spend the rest of the evening with these......
also for Urquhart Glass (but may also put them into my Etsy shop)....and not a scalpel in sight! I AM using a glue gun though; hot, burnie, burnie glue as I can confirm!
Oh and a bit of random trivia for you......did you know Mother's Day in America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand is on the 13th May?! I didn't until I sold another Mother's Day card to California! Well not TO California, to a lovely lady (with impeccable taste!) IN California!
And here's a photie of the exclusive designs I produced for her! I have another two or three designs (in my head....not even as far as the sketch book yet!) to work on. It's all very exciting, did I mention that!
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| Exclusive designs produced for Urquhart Glass |
Now I'm off to spend the rest of the evening with these......
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| Paper rose gift tags |
Oh and a bit of random trivia for you......did you know Mother's Day in America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand is on the 13th May?! I didn't until I sold another Mother's Day card to California! Well not TO California, to a lovely lady (with impeccable taste!) IN California!
Hot sunshiny sunny sun and Treasury Sunday!
I'm still here *stands on tippie toes and waves* . I've sort of dropped of the radar this week, due to the fantastic weather we've been having here. 22oC on Tuesday and it's only flippin' March!
Me and the boys (or the boys and I, for you grammar hounds!) have spent almost all of every day in the garden, savouring every drop of sunshine. Our vitamin D levels must have gone through the roof! This has lead to a hugely tidy garden...........unfortunately this has also lead to the house becoming a bit of a tip! Ah well, it'll get done......when it starts raining!
So.....last Sundays Etsy Treasury (the one which didn't quite happen due to Etsys fickle nature!) has now been curated! I give you Spring is bursting out all over the place! inspired by the stunning weather and a week in the garden!
My other huge excitement this week is buying a new craft knife........I know....what a geek! Anyway I've been doing a bit of sketching this week, a few ideas for some new cards. I'll post some pictures once I've made the prototypes....with my new knife, did I tell you it's an X-Acto craft swivel knife! Ok....I'll stop now!
Me and the boys (or the boys and I, for you grammar hounds!) have spent almost all of every day in the garden, savouring every drop of sunshine. Our vitamin D levels must have gone through the roof! This has lead to a hugely tidy garden...........unfortunately this has also lead to the house becoming a bit of a tip! Ah well, it'll get done......when it starts raining!
So.....last Sundays Etsy Treasury (the one which didn't quite happen due to Etsys fickle nature!) has now been curated! I give you Spring is bursting out all over the place! inspired by the stunning weather and a week in the garden!
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| Floral typography art print by CisforColour on Etsy...here. |
My other huge excitement this week is buying a new craft knife........I know....what a geek! Anyway I've been doing a bit of sketching this week, a few ideas for some new cards. I'll post some pictures once I've made the prototypes....with my new knife, did I tell you it's an X-Acto craft swivel knife! Ok....I'll stop now!
A sunny, gardening filled untreasury Sunday
Well.....my resolution to try and post here a couple of times a week hasn't even lasted a week! I'm going to blame the nasty sickness bug that struck us all midweek, are you all convinced?....good! (Not sure I am!) Anyway there's always next week!
We remembered the change in time last night....must be the first time in years! So summertime is officially here and what a beautiful, stunning, gorgeous, hot, sunny, springy day to start it off! We spent all day in the garden, digging, weeding and generally preparing for planting season to commence.
I was itching to get a few seeds into the ground today and I had to keep reminding myself that it's still only March, far too early to be planting things. It's not unusual for us to get frost in early May so it's best not to get too carried away with the mild weather!
There is no Etsy treasury this Sunday, I began to put a gardening themed one together and then Etsy started playing up. So I read the signs and decided that I would write this, get the kids in bed and then..................a long hot, hot bath.....a glass of red wine and then........early to bed!
We remembered the change in time last night....must be the first time in years! So summertime is officially here and what a beautiful, stunning, gorgeous, hot, sunny, springy day to start it off! We spent all day in the garden, digging, weeding and generally preparing for planting season to commence.
I was itching to get a few seeds into the ground today and I had to keep reminding myself that it's still only March, far too early to be planting things. It's not unusual for us to get frost in early May so it's best not to get too carried away with the mild weather!
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| Blossom on our Cherry tree |
Treasury Sunday
Sunday again!! How did that happen?!
This week seems to have flown by in a flurry of Mother's Day card making. I've sold twice the number I thought I would, including one to Australia (check me out, Crafty Lou International!) so I'm a very happy bunny!
No rest for the wicked though! I've been scribbling away in my sketch book with ideas for Easter cards, so watch this space!
I've also been working on another couple of paper clay ideas.
And I bought this lovely paper, all fresh, clean, spring colours!
And, as it's Sunday we have an Etsy treasury! This weeks was inspired by the spring stirrings of all the birdies, beasties, animals.................and maybe even faries!! I give you Spring Fairytales.
This week seems to have flown by in a flurry of Mother's Day card making. I've sold twice the number I thought I would, including one to Australia (check me out, Crafty Lou International!) so I'm a very happy bunny!
No rest for the wicked though! I've been scribbling away in my sketch book with ideas for Easter cards, so watch this space!
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| Easter card scribblings! |
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| Paper clay objects....big and small! |
And, as it's Sunday we have an Etsy treasury! This weeks was inspired by the spring stirrings of all the birdies, beasties, animals.................and maybe even faries!! I give you Spring Fairytales.
Treasury Sunday
I try my best ( I really do!) to make an Etsy treasury every Sunday. It's the kind of day that lends itself to a bit of quiet browsing on a theme. This week I was all set to go with either Peach Melba or Pink and Turquoise as my theme and then.....................today was the most glorious, sunny, warm day of the year!
We spent the afternoon in the garden, tidying up, digging, chasing the chickens and ducks...(you know.....the usual!) and I noticed the first hints of cherry blossom starting to open on the tree in the garden and my honey bees, for the first time this year, were as busy as....well, bees! So when I sat down to make the treasury Cherry blossom and honey popped into my head and voila.....I give you this Sundays treasury!
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| Bumblebee photograph by sixthandmain on Etsy |
Happy Friday...crack me!
Just a quickie tonight as I'm off to bed, busy day tomorrow!
But I thought I'd show you these egg-strardinary (gettit!) items that I've made recently......just a wee bit different!
"Wow," I hear you all cry "it's an egg in a beautiful box" Why, yes it is....but now here's the really clever bit, *whisper* the egg's empty, I've blown all the content out through a teeny tiny hole, but shhh , don't tell anyone, it'll spoil the surprise!
But I thought I'd show you these egg-strardinary (gettit!) items that I've made recently......just a wee bit different!
"Wow," I hear you all cry "it's an egg in a beautiful box" Why, yes it is....but now here's the really clever bit, *whisper* the egg's empty, I've blown all the content out through a teeny tiny hole, but shhh , don't tell anyone, it'll spoil the surprise!
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| Write your message on the slip of paper...... |
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| roll it up as tightly as you can....... |
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| put it inside the egg, then put the egg back inside the stunningly beautiful box! Now.....hand it over to the luck recipient for them to crack the egg open and reveal your message! |
Je T'Aime
I seem to have a bit of a heart theme running through my work at the moment......it's not been intentional. Maybe it's the old saying "In Spring the crafters thoughts turn to love!"......hmm maye not, but they've popped up here,
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| Pink heart keyring, hand knitted and felted. |
And here,
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| Heartfelt message in a bottle |
And here,
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| Heart strings bunting |
And finally here.
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| Vertical hanging hearts decoration |
Hellllllooooo!
Yes, it's me, I'm back!
I haven't blogged for over a month, somehow it doesn't feel like that long.
I have not been idle though! You will have noticed a Facebook page has appeared, and a Folksy shop, and an Etsy shop. They even have items for sale in them.................and I have had sales!
What a thrill when a wee email pops onto my screen saying "order confirmation"......ohh, someone likes my stuff enough to spend their hardearned cash on it; to give to someone they love; to show them they care. It makes my heart leap and sing!
Anyway I'm off to make a couple of cards, for me to give to people I love, to show them that I care!
I haven't blogged for over a month, somehow it doesn't feel like that long.
I have not been idle though! You will have noticed a Facebook page has appeared, and a Folksy shop, and an Etsy shop. They even have items for sale in them.................and I have had sales!
What a thrill when a wee email pops onto my screen saying "order confirmation"......ohh, someone likes my stuff enough to spend their hardearned cash on it; to give to someone they love; to show them they care. It makes my heart leap and sing!
Anyway I'm off to make a couple of cards, for me to give to people I love, to show them that I care!
Roaming in the gloaming
It's been a fabulous week weather wise......well when I say that I mean it's been dry! What a dreadful summer, autumn and winter we've had. It's been ridiculously wet, raining practically every day.
This evenings sunset was a cracker though, beautiful reds, pinks and oranges! It brought to mind the old Scots word for sunset.....gloaming, as in roaming in the gloaming!
Now I'm done being stereotypically British and talking about the weather!
This evenings sunset was a cracker though, beautiful reds, pinks and oranges! It brought to mind the old Scots word for sunset.....gloaming, as in roaming in the gloaming!
Now I'm done being stereotypically British and talking about the weather!
Singer love!
My Christmas present from JH arrived, belatedly, on Friday. I had asked for a sewing machine and said I would prefer an old one, so the word was spread through our village charity shop and a 1950's Singer 201K has now arrived! I do love it! I've only managed to have a wee shot to test it out, incase it wasn't to my liking.....as if! Here she is in all her glory, I will have to give her an appropriate title, what do you think?
It's got the original manual and with it's help I've figured out what all the feet do! It ony does straight stiches, forwards and back, anything else requires a foot!
Some look very complicated.......
It's got the original manual and with it's help I've figured out what all the feet do! It ony does straight stiches, forwards and back, anything else requires a foot!
Some look very complicated.......
Happy new year and lang may yer lum reek!
I hope you all had a fabulous New Year or Hogmanay as we call it round these parts! We're lucky here in Comrie to have the flambeaux take place, I wish I had some photos to post but alas I'm not normally to capable of focusing a camera come midnight! There are some brilliant photos here on Flickr to give you the idea! The flambeaux torches are lit at midnight and are carried to the North, South, East and West of the village, proceeded by the pipe band and followed by a fancy dress parade, it's quite a spectacle.
It makes for a fantastic atmosphere as there is a great turnout of villagers and visitors. It's a good way of welcoming in the New Year with your friends and neighbours without the stress of going to a New Years Eve party which are always an anti climax. The return of the flambeaux to the square is the signal for everyone to depart and do a bit of first footing. I think our record was getting back to the house at 5am, not nowadays with two little people in tow..but give it 3 or 4 years!!
I forgot to take photos of most of the presents I made but here is my favourite one! This sketch book was supposed to be a Christmas present for my friend Anna who was in need of a bit of creative inspiration for the New Year...but in the rush of Christmas it didn't get finished. It's now winging its way to her as a New Year present, complete with some inspiring quotations and images I know she loves!
I traced to word inspiration on to cream cotton and then embroidered french knots in three shades of turquoise around the outside of the word. The french knots are raised off the material, giving it a lovely 3D touchy-feely vibe.
It makes for a fantastic atmosphere as there is a great turnout of villagers and visitors. It's a good way of welcoming in the New Year with your friends and neighbours without the stress of going to a New Years Eve party which are always an anti climax. The return of the flambeaux to the square is the signal for everyone to depart and do a bit of first footing. I think our record was getting back to the house at 5am, not nowadays with two little people in tow..but give it 3 or 4 years!!
I forgot to take photos of most of the presents I made but here is my favourite one! This sketch book was supposed to be a Christmas present for my friend Anna who was in need of a bit of creative inspiration for the New Year...but in the rush of Christmas it didn't get finished. It's now winging its way to her as a New Year present, complete with some inspiring quotations and images I know she loves!
I traced to word inspiration on to cream cotton and then embroidered french knots in three shades of turquoise around the outside of the word. The french knots are raised off the material, giving it a lovely 3D touchy-feely vibe.