"Gypsies Past" - a new Fabric and Lacebook

While many of our blogging friends are starting to enjoy

the bright blue skies and soft pastels of Spring

here in Australia we are heading to

the more deeper and richer

tones of Autumn

and

today I am showing some of these deep rich

tones and shades in the form of

"Gypsies Past"

 a recent fabric and lace book -

a custom order completed

recently.

Many layers including vintage tapestries,

variegated dyed silks, sari ribbons,
coins and braid and buttons
and beads and 

 laces - some dyed and some

left as is

 have been well selected to adorn the

gypsy women in these pages 

some telling fortunes and divining the future

while others hiding their shame beneath

the beauty of coins.

There is just something about these pages

which transform you to another place -

to another time when life

was not as romantic

and as easy going

as the pictures convey! 

This was a special page included for

my client's love of crazy

quilting again with vintage fabrics

and machine embroidered

by me.

A pocket created here for 

a Gypsy's Love Song - in words

and in music

(in another pocket!)

  

for Greenwood Girl.

(I have to confess how fond I am of this beautiful image).

The book is full and the pages finished!

as the journey ends for these "Gypsies Past".

"When the heart weeps

for what it has lost

the spirit laughs

for what it has found"

...........Sufi proverb

Thank you all dear friends for your kind comments -

they continue to inspire me onward!

xxx Suzy

Savouring the Roses

 In Australia we are moving into Autumn

and we have come to the end

of our rose growing

season

 so this is the time I love to pick the end of the

roses and hang them for drying

in the kitchen.

I am often inspired by the Tea Cup Tuesday segment

on Terri's artful affirmations blog

but never seem to manage posting there

due to all of my other

creative pursuits!

(Sorry Terri! I will get there eventually!)

So I'm posting a little taste of teacups in my kitchen

at present along with some of my

favourite dried roses!

It takes a little experimenting

to see which varieties of roses handle

the drying 

and which ones just fall apart.

 I must say I am quite partial to the pinks

and these ones (for some reason)

dry the best but, of course, there are no rules

about this

 as these colours look quite beautiful also.

Thought you might like to see some of the china

and depression glassware

sitting in the corner of my kitchen at present

 as a reminder that all of the beautiful pastel shades 

of Summer  have not totally left us yet.

♥♥♥

I was gifted this beautiful book from a dear friend, Marion,

a couple of years ago

It contains some inspiring words of wisdom

and this page is just one you might like to read.

 We can certainly to with more of these positive

thoughts and words in our lives today -

Enjoy!

Thanks for sharing some natural beauty here with me!

and for the kindness you show when you

visit and follow me too!

Love, Suzy xox

Vintage Laces and Cabinet Cards Exchange and some new Artwork

Hello Dear Blogging Friends

Today I am sharing with you a most wonderful

exchange I have  recently had with my

dear friend, Marie, from

www.marie-lostbirdstudio.blogspot.com

and I'm sure that this post will certainly inspire you too!!!

This is the first thing that jumped out at me when I opened 

this parcel from Marie -

How very true!

Look at how beautifully Marie presented her

swap with me!

 Marie has a special way of presenting her gifts

to friends! So much thought has gone 

into this wrapping.

This was what I found inside! 

 Oh my!!! Aren't these women looking so strong

 determined and powerful?

Perhaps a little sad!

Don't you always wonder about their lives?

So elegantly dressed with their lace collars

and jewellery.

  That piece of jewellery has been  so beautifully altered

 by Marie too!

and look at the dear little felted lace heart!

So special! 

It really must have been a huge deal

to dress up for these photo

shoots!

The quality of the printed cards is so strong -

they were meant to last lifetimes

and they probably will!

(in the right hands that is!!!)

They deserve to be kept in a special place 

don't you think?

and I will share that special place

further along in this post.

Along with these cards also came a stunning

tag made by Marie also in her own special

French style

and these napkins - with a bird theme - of course!

This is what Marie received from me from Australia -

- a packet full of vintage laces and  a few other little bits and bobs

that I thought Marie might just love to include in

her gorgeous creations!

  

Now for some antique and vintage lace pieces

A girl can never have enough of this stuff

and often we think they are much to treasured to use

but it is these pieces which make our creations so very special!

 and so appreciated

because of the many hours that have

gone into the lacemaking!

Some of these pieces include laced edged collars.

Such fine netted lace!

As I have a small collection of vintage post cards

and a some original cabinet cards

I thought it might be time for me to 

honour these women and give

them

a home in this album

which I can just reach out for

when I need to find just that inspirational image.

So receiving this very beautiful package from Marie

was just the prompt I needed.

So thank you dear friend for sharing in this most rewarding

swap.  I will always have the memories filed

in my heart and in my new album

to remember the lovely friend

that you are!

♥♥♥

I will be linking this post to Blissful Whites Wednesday

with Becky at www.timewashed.com and to

www.ivyandelephants.blogspot.com

Thank you to all my new followers and to everyone

who takes the time to leave a thoughtful

comment - you are really appreciated

so much by me ♥♥♥

Suzy xxx