Latest Desideratum Earring Designs

It's high time to update my blog..  a busy summer in the garden took precedence... the harvest was good and much was eaten and put aside to store for later use... since then I have been in the studio more often making sweet and colourful combinations of semi-precious stones and Sterling silver earrings.

 A selection of a few of our new designs... 

 Above is "Crystal Sparkles" $35. pair, sterling silver and crystal teardrop

"Amy" $35 pair. textured sterling disk with amethyst

"Carnelian Shimmer" $38. pair, domed hammered sterling silver with carnelian drop

"Ankh" $35. pair, Fresh water pearl, carved bone Ankh and Mother of pearl

"Amethyst Links" $35. pair, sterling silver links and amethyst

"Baroque Diamond" $35. pair. naturally formed baroque pearls with handcut sterling silver

"Caroline" $35.pair, facetted citrine crystal and hammered sterling disk

"Lavender" $35. pair amethyst nuggets with sterling silver oval and rectangular drop

"Crystal Dreams" $50. pair, crystal drops and hammered sterling tops

"Diane" $35. pair, Amethyst, peridot and spiral roses in sterling silver

 To see many more original designs, go to our Desideratum Art and Jewelry FB page and see all the photos,  please copy and paste the following link: 

 https://www.facebook.com/DesideratumArt/photos/?ref=page_internal

You can contact me from there or send us a message directly HERE 

Cheerio and the best of the coming season to Everyone

Tiny Scrappy 9-Patch

The scrappy " 9-Patch" in the frames... love using up small pieces..

waste not - want not...

my planning stage for the quilt top.. below are the steps it took to get to the first picture. 

using the 1963 Bernina knee controlled machine here.. she's a beauty, I found second hand. well all my machines are second hand.

each 9-patch block is made up of 9 1" colourful squares

making the window pane strips.. these strips finish at 1/2" wide. I like using the little squares on the corners as it helps the blocks match up easier when sewing the long panels together.

used several sewing machines during the making of this quilt top. here is the 1936 Singer treadle

think I am using the 1973 kenmore here

below I am pressing the back of the entire top... I pressed each block as I sewed them as I went along but this will be the final pressing before it goes into the frames.. The back is interesting to look at too.

a little up close view of the work

the frames I used.

 the ones with the green fabric attached were my grandmothers

  

these are the stands. very simple to make and they just slot together. we just made them up quickly from some old boards in the shed

pinning in the back... I used a red and white striped sheet.. no seams

antique clamps I found at a flea market

old pack of quilting needles I found in the drawer of a sec. hand sewing machine..

 only 47 cents for 20 needles.. quite a bargain.. never see that price again

when it was first put in the frames..

 now many hours of happy quilting. and trying to forget the crazy things that are going on in the world outside. and hoping for better things to come..

I love this simple patterned quilt

Cheerio All

The Primrose Blanket .... Yay... Crochet!

This is the first crocheting I have done in a very long time...

...the design is from the Norwegian Designers "Arne and Carlos" crocheted Primrose blanket...

I Loved ❤️ it so much I'm now working on my second one... 

just getting started

Switching it up and doing some crocheting ... something I have done very little of till this year... it's really fun and easier than knitting, at least I find it so... surrounding myself with colour and things to keep my hands and mind busy... eventually with the addition of many more crocheted circles and an additional contrasting circular round on each one, this will be a super cheery "Flower-Garden Blanket". 😊
...inspired by the Norwegian designers, "Arne and Carlos"...if you have not heard of them, check them out they have lots of YouTube videos... talented and fun ❤️

The basket is filling up.. using all kinds of different colours and sizes of yarn in any type I have around, wool, acrylic, silky stuff, fluffy stuff, mohair, cotton... anything at all 🙂... just stuff from a grab-bag of scrappy odds and ends that have accumulated...

doesn't take long ... and I love the multitude of combinations ❤️ 

... just using the simple steel crochet hook that's shown lying in the middle of the pile ... when I have enough 2-colour circles soon, I will add the 3rd colour which will be added to each circle as they are attached together.

in progress

in order to begin attaching them together, a third round of colour is added

then they are attached as you go along.

still assembling

the little 1/2 circles that attach along the edges to make a straight edge

next the border to frame it all in

so pretty..

it is quite a good size

Man, I just love it!!!

This one was made in Oct-Dec 2019 ... but I liked it so much I decided it was the perfect project to be occupied on during this worldwide shutdown crazy time...

 if you have to stay home for a long time, it is best to focus on a pleasureful activity and make yourself a little happy... I did. 

to watch the video where they share how they did it please see this... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT8e5RwaRKc

 also check out their blog for the actual pattern.. it was great fun to make

Thank you Arne and Carlos for everything you offer to the world.. you are so inspiring!!! 😊

***update: I had to upload all my pictures a week later as  when I did this the first time. I went to check my blog and only one picture was showing.. I saw that other people on blogger were having the same problem.. Hope they stay this time... if not let me know cheers,
 and don't watch the news... too stressful

Just For Fun Art

Love this quote by Douglas Malloch so I did a drawing . 8 1/2" x 11" pen, watercolour

it was given as a christmas gift

playing around with Origami... little turtle... 

fun and sure takes some fiddling to get those folds.. need more practice

a host of whimsical beings in my sketchbook, 8 1/2" x 11" , pen and watercolour

doing my paperwork practice... origami kangaroo from brown paper.

and an occasional game of chess, man, do I need practice to remember how each character can move

And...my tattoo artist son, Max, working on a huge fantastical Wolf charcoal drawing. 

He is never without an art making instrument in his hand

Hope you are all doing some enjoyable creative pastimes and letting it carry your imagination away.

Cheers, from Desideratum

The Cardinals and Doing Repairs

Surely was pleased to have my camera at hand when the Cardinals graced us with a visit. couldn't believe they stayed still long enough to get a picture.

Not the best capture as I had to move quick without scaring them being they are so very cautious. they come at times when not many birds are around the feeder and in dull gray light most often... very early mornings and near sunset.... so bright and beautiful. the pair are together here.

 ...later I decided it was about time for me to fix the worn edges, top and bottom of my much loved and used goose down puff..as I noticed escape down lately floating off everywhere.  I love that thing and could not bear the thought of throwing it away... it's so light and warm, like sleeping under a cloud and it has lasted for so very long... prob at least 20 years so far.  I'm using my 1973 Kenmore machine here...that makes her 47 yrs young. bought second hand before I moved from St. Martins.. love tools that last as well... works great

I went to my fabric stash and found some cotton of as close a colour as I could and in enough yardage and made a wide band to cover both worn edges... was rather bulky to manipulate but I managed to finish the job . I'm so glad I saved it.. now it's ready for another 20 years.. ha. hope so.

cheerio