handmade...portrait bookmark

Jude and I finished up our father’s day gift on Monday. Well, Jude had his part done last week, but I had a hard time sitting down long enough to sew it up. We used this tutorial from Amanda Blake Soule’s upcoming book Handmade Home. This was a really easy project and the results are really satisfying. I can see more of these as gifts.

Jude practiced his self portrait before he attempted on the fabric. He is just really getting into drawing lately. It all started with a tree, then a sunflower, and now this. We decided to do a self portrait instead of a portrait of daddy. Jude picked out the thread for the embroidery and since he couldn’t make up his mind about the fabric choice we went with two fabrics for the back and I pieced them together. I happen to know that these are a couple of John’s favorite fabrics, but Jude’s choice was based on the color…green. The boy loves his green! Since I didn’t have ribbon, I made a tab from the batik.


I forgot how nice it is to embroider. I was able to sit outside and take my time. I might attempt some more projects like this lovely little purse in the near future since I can do this outside especially at shows.

week in snapshots

1. turtle, 2. yellow water flower, 3. smiles, 4. swing, 5. round moss, 6. strawberries and lavender, 7. orchid, 8. swing and chimes, 9. whoa, 10. wild strawberries, 11. black swallowtail, 12. dad's father's day card

1. A turtle we discovered on the path to John's shop.
2. We kayaked today but the water was so swift I got few pictures. I got this one because I was on a side shoot of the main branch, but I got attacked by stinging nettle in the process! The flowers were lovely even though I don't know what they are.
3. Jude and John have a routine called hugs, noses, smile. This is smile...looking intently into each others eyes.
4. Jude and I hung out for a while at a client's house on the creek while John installed that corner desk. They have a really lovely spot.
5. I love moss.
6. See recipe for strawberry lavender sorbet posted earlier this week. YUM!
7. This was a gift I received at a retreat I went to last weekend. The orchid was so exotic compared to everything else that I am surround by, but I loved seeing every day on our kitchen table. It was "a gift".
8. I wish you could hear this shot.
9. Jude wasn't crazy about the rope swing.
10. We discovered a nice patch of wild strawberries. I hope the slugs leave a few for us. We are just about to begin the season of fruit foraging around here. Mulberries are just about ready.
11. This butterfly was hanging out at our house all day today. And it just didn't fly away when you approached. I couldn't help but think of Bennett and took this shot for John.
12. This was a shot from our nature walk earlier in the week that I fancied up with picnik.