Conceiving and setting up to work on project of extended duration can bring as much pleasure as seeing the completed work. The renewed emphasis on hand crafted and embellished fabric in fashion and interior design inspired me to delve into this art.
Highlighting a naturalist or botanical print with a French mat is an artisanal and historical method of framing the work. This reproduction of a naturalist drawing of a lizard is one of a small group. Read on for the back story.
Sometimes, when you share something of interest to you with family and friends, they express a desire to try it out themselves. This has certainly been the case with my
Old engravings or prints of garden plans, and as in this photo, people enjoying a formal garden are appealing to me. Searches in vintage shops, print shops, and used bookstores didn’t result in my amassing a large selection of garden plan drawings.
Working out on the land has become a passion for me. Wearing hiking shoes, a long-sleeved tunic, loose denim pants, a straw hat, and short or long gloves depending on where the work is happening, time and the rest of the world cease to exist. It occurred to me to try to document with sketches the life of these native trees and other aspects of our small piece of the Hill Country. So, I began with the purchase of an inexpensive, well designed fountain pen.
It’s always a thrill to find a way to redesign or repurpose something you already own. For me, reupholstering a chair seat is a fine way to freshen up a room, bring a chair into a new location smoothly, or create a focal point with a chair.
I am a firm believer in the hostess gift to express my appreciation. It is such a pleasure to be invited to someone’s home on any occasion. I enjoy seeing how others live and entertain and always go away with new ideas!
Recently I have been collecting and reading books about the history of perfume and making perfume. As a result I have set up a lab in my home to experiment with scent making.
I recently gave my niece two India ink fashion sketches I made and framed for her birthday. She is in the business and has a passion for all things related to fashion. How did I come to make fashion sketches?
I love peering inside shop windows and on any walking trip through a town or city can be found photographing shop fronts and window displays. I rarely venture inside, focused instead on the lettering on the window or the way the collection of objects are arranged.