Going back to the beginning

 My plan, whenever I face creative block, is to do something, even if it's just to fondle fabric.  I also tidy and clean the studio, which also leads me to fondle the things I find.  Well, I found several stitched samples that I've put in my sketch book, when working on a major piece.  The pieces are long gone, ant the samples really don't serve any useful purpose, so I've re-purposed them.

This first one was a machine quilted  piece of fabric to which tiny dots had been added with metallic fabric paint.  I added the silver beads, and mounted it on one of several pre-cut mats I had bought years ago and never used.  I then packaged it in a Crystal Clear bag.  Since the bag was sealed I hadn't wanted to open it, as that might have meant that I would have to find another bag, and I don't have many left.  Sorry for the glare, but I took the photo through the bag, as I did with all of the pictures.

This was similar process, but I had to block the quilted remnant  before I started stitching on the beads.  I used two hand made beads. I painted Tyvek  with metallic paint in different colours on each side, then rolled it up, and hit it with a heat gun.  I'm very pleased with the final effect.

For this piece I used all commercial beads, but varied the shapes and sizes.  For all of the pieces, I tried to have the colour of the mat, work with the beaded design.

This is different.  It is also a much older sample. The background is dried flowers held in place with tulle, which has been stitched down around them.  Then I made a similar flower using hand stitched, free standing, "stump work"

This whole effort has pleased me, and I hope to place these pieces in a gift shop for sale.  All of the components came from my stash, so I consider them to have been 'found objects', and therefore having no supply cost.  Always a bonus in my mind.