First of all let's discuss sketchbooks shall we? There is so much going on about them right now that I thought I would throw my two cents worth into the mix.
Common Sense Sketchbooks
Sketchbooks are wonderful tools to give you a place to play with your ideas. You can draw to your hearts content and play with any color combinations you like in them, all without benefit of anyone critiquing it. It is like a creative diary if you will, only more of a playground than a confessional. I have looked at a lot of sketchbook articles from various artists over the years, because I was searching for ideas as to how to make mine work. They were all very lovely and unique but just didn't fit me or how I work. When I have an idea I have a book I put them down in. The ideas have to come to me, I cannot sit in front of a blank page and then wish for something to draw. I have to start with a color scheme or design of some kind. When I go to my sketchbook (it's more like an idea book really) I am there to flesh out something I already have in mind. Is it neat and tidy? Absolutely not! I use pencil, ink pen, marker, or anything else I can get my hands on. The entries are random and do not follow any specific theme or construct. These are my ideas only and when it is time for me to utilize one of them I get a real sketchbook out and begin to plan the colors and what the design should look like. Then I look for the different media I want to use in it. Of course the last effort is to put it down as a pattern on graph paper in 14 count.
The message I want to get across is that a sketchbook, idea book or whatever you want to call it, is for your personal use and there shouldn't be any hang-ups about the way it looks. It doesn't have to look like something Leonardo de Vinci put together unless that is your preference. If you are not particularly happy with making yours look that way, then don't! You don't have to! Just because it doesn't look like something you've seen somewhere else, doesn't mean a thing except that it is your personal work and looks like it. Do your own thing when it comes to your ideas and your pursuit of them because that is where your satisfaction lies.
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| My very first sketchbook. I found it at a local drugstore and it is just a regular spiral bound lined notebook. It is quite full now, these are a few of the pages I have left. |
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| Here are a couple of sketches I did when I was trying to flesh out ideas for the Pear Blossom Studio plaque. I just used an ink pen. |
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| When I see something in a magazine that catches my eye, I like to save it for inspiration later. Sometimes it's a color combination, other times it could be the flow of a design. I try to note what I liked about it so I don't lose time scratching my head over it later. |
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| Here is just some doodling on a page. Again I just grabbed an ink pen and started drawing. It's these kinds of doodles that ideas spring from so don't be afraid to be messy in your sketchbook. This is your happy place so you can mix it up any way you like. |
A funny thing about scissors, there are so many of them! Wow, you name it and there is a scissor in that design and color! Whew! I have to admit, I got overwhelmed by the variety of them at one point, and of course I had to have THE pair of stork scissors and then one that looked like a rooster (yes, I too was a victim of mass merchandising hysteria!), but I soon learned that a few good pair was all I really used. Now there are many that are true collectors of scissors made in the past and present and this discussion does not include them. This is strictly about scissors that you will actually use. First of all, you do not have to use the same scissors as anyone else, you decide what it is you need, my discussion is strictly for information.
I think the best scissors for what I do is the small curved scissors. This is one that I always have at every project. They are sharp and because they are curved, you don't have to worry as much about accidentally clipping your cloth along with your floss. I have used these for so many years I couldn't even tell you where I got them but I do know this style is sold in a lot of places. Happily they are still nice and sharp even after a lot of use and abuse.
The second pair I have but don't use as much anymore, are travel scissors. These are scissors that are approved to go on airlines so you won't have to hassle with it if you ever fly and want to get some stitching done. These are also handy because they have blunt tips and will be safe in a car or any other mode of transportation.
The last pair is one that I just recently purchased for cutting out applique pieces of felt for my granddaughter's Christmas stocking. I just needed a good pair of sharp scissors that would cut these tiny pieces out easily and these small Fiskars certainly filled the bill.
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| My go to pairs. You can see the stork and rooster on the left side. In the middle from top down are my curved scissors, next my travel scissors and the next two I didn't mention because I don't use them that often. The one on the bottom is serrated and I use it for cutting metallic threads. The one right above it has one side with a notch cut out so you can easily get the scissors under a stitch and clip it. This pair got dull pretty quickly so I kind of retired it for now. The pair on the right are the new applique scissor made by Fiskars. |
My Favorite Wool Fiber
I have to tell you that I enjoy using all the wonderful wools I have discussed here. Yes, they truly are all Wonderful! But I do have one that I fell in love with when I first tried it and it is my favorite. When I win the lottery (Ha!Ha!) I am going to buy it in every color. It is Caron Impressions. This is not 100% wool, but instead is 50% wool and 50% silk. What a lovely combination, the best of both worlds! It stitches like it was made for 14 count Aida and is so easy to use. These come in a gorgeous array of solid and variegated colors that are all hand dyed (not overdyed) and being hand dyed means that if you plan on laundering them you need to test them for colorfastness. It also means you need to be sure to order from the same dye lot if you are going to use a lot of any particular color fiber. Now these are a little pricier than the others but if you enjoy working with them, the price is easier to bear. The website is loaded with information about not only this but the other fibers they create so check it out and maybe give it a try if it strikes your fancy!
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| I loved the coverage and the ease of use of this truly fabulous fiber. Whenever I found some locally, I snatched them up! |
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| Here are some I grabbed. I have to tell you my color selection wasn't great, but I loved the fiber and just got what I could lay my hands on. |
Hope you all have a fabulous rest of the week and weekend and I'll see you back here next week!
Don't forget to Keep Creating!
Thought Nugget:
"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong."
~Ella Fitzgerald
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