10 cool embroidered things

What a brilliant idea for a present. Weddings, birthdays … yet another “10 cool embroidered things” post that makes me want to embroider portraits of my friends. By Laura Hartrich on flickr.

I am obsessed with this. The colors are perfect, and I’ve long been hoping to do some embroidered eyelets. By Recycled by Hyena on flickr.

I heart snarky cross-stitch. By Stitch Out Loud on flickr.

Cate Anevski did a whole series of these adorable “Facebroideries.” You should check them out.

This message is probably impossible to give to a person, right? You have to find it on your own? In any case, I love it. By Rosie Geissler on flickr.

It’s no secret that I love lady-bits inspired embroidery and art. The colors of this one are magnificent. By ScarletTentacle on flickr.

This piece, also by ScarletTentacle, is an interpretation of a friend/boyfriend/family member/whatever’s  doodles, and I love that idea. I can’t wait to embroider the pictures Grady draws. (Perhaps I already should? She does draw quite a bit already.)

I think this is intended to be a skirt embellishment, but I love the way it works in the hoop. I’d just put this straight up on my wall. By ginamatarazzostuff on flickr.

LOVE. By Urban Threads on flickr.

More vaginae! All shapes and sizes by ScarletTentacle on flickr. (Note: Technically the plural of “vagina” can be “vaginas” or “vaginae.” Until now I’ve always used “vaginas,” but I think “vaginae” may need a comeback. It’s just such a cool-looking word.)

Empty womb

I finally started Janeal‘s giveaway present. I grappled with what exactly to make for ages, obviously, but I’m pretty excited about my final design, and if it goes well I might use the idea as a “custom item” option in the shop.

Anyway, there’s something really delicious about laying out a meticulous grid like this one before starting a project. I generally won’t do it for cross-stitch projects, but this design will be particularly difficult to execute, so I’m taking every possible precaution. I took this picture last night, and in the last 24 hours have spent every spare moment (between emergency trips to the chiropractor and cleaning toddler puke off of, well, every surface in my home*. sigh.) stitching tiny little exes, slowly making progress. I’m about 70% sure that the idea will work.

And no, I’m not telling you what the idea is yet. Not because I want to create any sort of anticipation, but because while I want to share my creative process, I can’t really allow any possible negative feedback while I’m in the middle of it. The smallest comment can shatter my confidence, and once that’s happened I just can’t stitch. So that’s where this teasing is coming from.

(Janeal, obviously you are exempt from this rule if you want to know what I’m doing.)

Sigh. Anyway, cross-stitching always makes me think of my mom. I guess I’ll talk more about that when I can share the finished product. (Which, if I maintain my current rate of stitching, may be in about two weeks. If we’re lucky.)

*W/r/t the puke: Grady’s been having a bit of a gastronomic episode this week. But, knock on wood**, she appears to be returning to her happy, healthy self.

**This and throwing salt are two superstitions I cannot exorcise, even though I do not believe in their supposed power.

10 cool random things

I should definitely embroider this phrase, right? And hang it in the bathroom? Found via This isn’t Happiness.

This isn’t something I would want on my body, but man. Everything about this design is mind-blowing. Found via F*** Yeah Tattoos.

Love love love love love. Found via F*** Yeah Tattoos.

I <3 ferns. Found via F*** Yeah Tattoos.

Toilet paper roll monsters, found via Craft. I always dream of little arrangements like these among books on shelves, but my shelf space is constantly 100% occupied by books.

Found via this isn’t happiness.

Luuuuuv. Found via F*** Yeah Tattoos.

… Yup. Found via Le Love.

Don’t you just wanna spoon with him and all of his little sea-buddies? By Candace Jean on flickr.

In love with this. Seriously considering printing it as just a regular old photo, so it can be on my wall. Found via this isn’t happiness.

Written April 22.

Cute and sad.

First of all, the amazing Jess Smart Smiley made this portrait of Grady and I am in love with it. It’s based on this image, which was taken last summer. Pretty great, right? Not only is he talented, but a serious joy to work with. One of the nicest people I’ve ever internet-met.

Second of all, Grady is sick today. Vomit everywhere. It’s taking my entire willpower to not go into gross detail about the disgusting foray of bodily fluids we’ve witnessed these last 14 hours. We’ll see how today goes.