Sunday 1 June 2014

Places



We’ve visited a lot of places this week, with my mother while she visits from the States, with the girls while they’re on break from school, and with just me and Darling Husband for some grown-up time together.

Which has me thinking about places. A few weeks ago I joined in the Stitchy Swap hosted by &Stitches, with the theme ‘Places’. Open to interpretation. I was paired up Jeanne from makkaroni art, who does colourful and eclectic stitching and quilting.

Rather than embroider a landmark, map or destination, I decided to interpret the ‘Places’ theme in a more abstract sense – and my brain conjured up a ticket stub.


What place did this ticket take someone? A film? A concert? An exhibition? I thought I’d leave it up to my swap partner to decide...

I used white linen that I stained with strong black tea, cut the fabric and frayed at the edge. I found an ‘Admit One’ ticket illustration, which I tore in half and used to inspire my doodle. 



The outline was stitched with two strands of charcoal embroidery floss. The letters used three strands. The tiny numbers on the side actually represent the month and year of the embroidery and used one thin strand of floss.


I backed the fabric with some brown felt to prevent further fraying (you can just see the charcoal floss and some frayed fabric along the edge). I glued it into a small wooden frame that I sprayed pewter. The ticket itself is maybe an inch or two – I do love my tiny stitching!


I hope Jeanne likes this, I certainly enjoyed making it! I fancy one myself, I like the torn fabric letting the background show through the hoop.

For me this week, this ticket could represent the Chichester Festival of Flowers, where we took my mother on Thursday. The theme was ‘The Music Makers’, and each arrangement (and there were gazillions of flowers!) was based on a piece of music, an opera, a musical.

The works were creative and breathtaking. Blooms hung from the ceiling...

That's an airplace on the right!
...rose from the floor...


...and spilled from pillars...

Fire and water:




Night and day:




The ticket stub also could be for the Victoria & Albert Museum in London – on Friday Darling Husband and I ran away to London for an overnight visit. We stayed in South Kensington, ate a most enjoyable and relaxing meal at an incredible Italian restaurant (Il Portico, for those who find themselves in the area!) and spent a few indulgent hours exploring the museum, which has treasures that interest us both.



I love the glasswork of Dale Chihuly, I remember the exhibition when this outrageously crazy-beautiful chandelier was installed...


And of course we had to get a few snapshots of all the medieval St George and the Dragon for our own dragon!

I can’t believe it’s all back to the normal routine tomorrow, girls back to school, my mother back to America...it’s going to be terribly quiet around here! But that will allow me time to bake and photograph for my next post: Grandma’s Fudge Recipe! Get your bowls and wooden spoons ready...


Chrissie x

31 comments:

  1. Sounds like you've had a wonderful half term, wow that glass artwork is stunning. I love the ticket stub too, such a creative mind you have. It's fab
    clare x

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  2. Love that ticket stub concept - cheeky, inventive and fun - just like its creator! Sounds like it's been a week to remember (for all the right reasons) xx

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  3. I love the embroidery, Chrissie, it's such an interesting concept and beautifully stitched. I enjoyed these photos of the flower show and museum too, thank you for sharing. I hope you've had a lovely visit with your mother and that you've enjoyed that tasty fudge. :)

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  4. The embroidery was a delight and such a wonderful idea. The Victoria and Albert museum was one of my favourite places to visit when I went to London when my daughters lived there. Hope you are having a great visit with your Mum.

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  5. Your embroidered ticket stub is fantastic !!
    That could easily be sold in a modern design/art shop !
    It looks like you had a great week.. My gosh, that chandelier.... Just magnificent... I wouldn't like to clean it, though.... ;-)))

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  6. Your embroidery is such a great idea - it looks great, very effective! Wow, love that glasswork chandelier in ocean colours - so beautiful!
    Maria x

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  7. Great creative idea.,I'm sure your swap partner will be thrilled.
    S,xx

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  8. Looks like a busy and interesting week Chrissie, with days out and time with your Mum and children, the Flower Festival and a night on the town - you lucky thing, how exciting!
    Love the interesting embroidery, it's great fun to try something completely different!
    Have a great week Chrissie.
    Gill xx

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  9. Hi Chrissie, what a busy but lovely week you've had :-) Your hooped embroidery is absolutely brilliant and so well thought out and executed. I love it.
    Tracey xxx

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  10. Such a beautiful little piece of embroidery Chrissie - and you are so clever to have thought of such a unique idea.
    So glad you've had such a lovely week, lots of fun things to remember.
    Have a great week, even if it is a 'back to normal' kind of one,
    Kate x

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  11. Wow Chrissie, what a great piece of embroidery - really different. Love it! Good for you and the Mr to have some time away - the V and A is my favourite museum. Have a good week XX

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  12. What a clever idea - you're very talented. It's years since I visited the V&A but it's one of my favourites too. x

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  13. Sounds like a wonderful week Chrissie and I love the embroidery, what a clever idea. Have a lovely week - my bowl and wooden spoon are primed and ready to go! :o)
    Jane x

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  14. This is a very innovative post from start to finish Chrissie - love your idea of the hoop with ticket, and all the little details that you've so cleverly integrated; your visit to the flower show must have been so exciting, as well as all the other outings and I'm very happy that you and hubby had such lovely times together making the most of each other and the wonderful happenings around you! You will miss your Mum but what a treat to have had her with you all. Now it's back to routine but I don't believe yours could ever be boring, you put so much into daily life! Have a great week, love, Joy xo

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  15. The ticket stub embroidery is wonderful, and I love that museum chandelier, it's like some huge sea creature

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  16. Your embroidery is fab, what a unique and creative idea!

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  17. Original embroidery !
    Beautiful pictures !
    Have a nice week !
    Anna

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  18. Your embroidery is lovely, I look forward to seeing what you receive in return, and hope that yours is loved by the new owner! Lovely to see the flowers, they really are so beautiful, and that Chihuly chandelier is amazing, I love his work. xx

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  19. Loving you interpretation there, brilliant! :) x

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  20. Love your embroidery! It's fantastic and very original...you are so creative, I love the ideas you come up with. Glad you had a lovely time in London. I would love to go to the V&A museum! Hopefully one day...
    Marianne x

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  21. Hello Chrissie what a lovely time you've been having...my hb and I love the V&A too and have spent many happy hours there! Your ticket stub idea is great, I love to see embroidery used in lots of different ways like this.....you are a very creative lady!
    Happy week!
    Helen xox

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  22. Love that interpretation...funny and clever....like you! glad you had a getaway. I was thinking of you today, guessing it would be quiet in your house....?
    My bowl is waiting....
    love A xxx

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  23. I absolutely LOVE that ticket stub! How crafty and thought provoking! That goes beyond a simple craft; that's delving into the world of art!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you brother! Now I know what to give you for your birthday! ;-)

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  24. Love the ticket stub, how very creative. Your swap partner is going to be thrilled. I am so glad you are having a good time with your Mother, so nice she can make the trip and spend time with all of you. Those flowers are amazing.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  25. Anonymous7:23 am BST

    Your ticket stub is so imaginative - brilliant.
    Glad you enjoyed your trip to London.

    ukcitycrafter@live.co.uk

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  26. I love this! I really, really like the frayed edge, what a fantastic idea! I love the way you chose to interpret the theme!

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  27. That ticket stub is great Chrissie, so imaginative and original! It looks like you had a brilliant half term break, full of family time and time away with your husband in London too, how wonderful. x

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  28. I love the embroidered ticket stub, & how you distressed it. <3

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  29. Great piece - the tea stain and torn fabric work brilliantly x

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  30. Love this idea, and the finished piece is really effective.

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