Woo-hoo ! I'm in the COCO MoCA

Conan Necklace, originally uploaded by ambrosianbeads.

My beaded Conan pendant got selected for the online gallery of artwork depicting Conan O'Brien and his various images and logos. Last summer I made a peyote stitched pendant (started off as a bracelet, but I procrastinated) and I wore it to the Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television tour that Conan did while he was off the air. Team Coco started a Flickr group for people's artwork (they totally stole that idea from me, I started my group first !) and selected different works in all media. There is a Facebook LIKE this page button for my piece, but the link is wrong. If you click it, you end up LIKING somebody else's piece ! Grrrr !

Source: http://ambrosianbeads.blogspot.com/2011/04/conan-necklace.html

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Time to vote on "Fashion Through the Ages"

Etsy Beadweavers Blog

There is still time left to vote for your favorite beadwoven creation in the Etsy Beadweavers' monthly challenge. This month's challenge was selected by our previous winner, Patrizia of Triz Designs. Patrizia has challenged our members to "Choose a fashion style from any period of fashion and design a piece to fit that chosen style/period." We do this for fun and to show the world the extent of our creativity...the prize is just the honor of selecting the next month's challenge. Please take a minute or two to look at all the wonderful designs, created entirely by hand and with original designs (using patterns from other designers is not allowed), and vote for your favorite. This month I entered a piece (#32) entitled "Metropolis", which plays on some of the design elements popular during the Art Deco period.

Source: http://ambrosianbeads.blogspot.com/2011/03/time-to-vote-on-fashion-through-ages.html

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Behind bars - Rabat Zoo

I recently spent three days in Rabat, Morocco to field a proposal to create a tourism/species conservation centre for Barbary lions in the Atlas mountains. The Barbary, or Atlas Lion went extinct in the wild during the early 20th century. Later it was proposed that the Sultan of Morocco's private collection would likely have specimens of this subspecies within it. In the 1970's these lions were transferred to Rabat zoo, and some later came to our park. Without proper breeding management over the decades, none of the remaining captive lions housed in zoos around the world are likely to be 100% Barbary lions on a genetic level. But it's the closest thing we have left.

Unfortunately the Moroccan authorities ultimately decided not to go ahead with the idea.

Source: http://microcosmic.blogspot.com/2008/01/behind-bars-rabat-zoo.html

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The ghost of Dolley Madison ranks No. 1 in D.C.

Binnie the unconventional ghost tour guide leads a group of tourists in July around spooky LayFayette Square in Washington, D.C. (Scott Beveridge photo)


WASHINGTON, D.C. ? Former U.S. First Lady Dolley Madison is spotted more around the nation's capital than many of Washington, D.C.'s, elites, even though her body has been interred in Congressional Cemetery since her 1849 death.


"The city of Washington is just in love with Dolley," said a tour guide named Binnie, who leads paying visitors around supposed haunted sites near the White House. "She's one of the most prolific ghosts in D.C."


The nation first became enamored with Dolley when she served as First Lady under Thomas Jefferson. Her first husband had died three years into their marriage, leaving her alone to raise a son until she became the famous bride of James Madison, the nation's fourth president who authored the Constitution.


Binnie wears a long red period dress as she discusses Dolley in Layfette Square, where Mrs. Madison spent her remaining years after that son squandered their money and left her to charity. But, Binnie has an unconventional style, chattering away sometimes in ghetto lingo, while sporting a tattoo on her right forearm and a modern blue paisley cotton tote bag off a shoulder.


She admits her style is her own. She insists the history behind her stories actually happened.


While destitute, men delivered free baskets of food to Dolley, probably the same guys she helped to educate when they were children under her platform of improving the schools in poor, local neighborhoods. Her educational charity work defined the roll of the First Lady, Binnie explains while working for Washington, D.C. Ghost Tours.

Today visitors to Lafayette Square claim to see the ghost of Dolley Madison rocking on a porch at the pale-yellow Cutts-Madison House at 721 Madison Place NW, where she spent her final years. Others claim to see her headless ghost in town, staring from a window. Her ghost apparently also has been spotted roaming the White House gardens, becoming angry at the sight of a gardener merely plucking a rose.


People have reported witnessing so many ghosts in this part of town that it has become known as "Tragedy Square."

Source: http://scottbeveridge.blogspot.com/2011/10/ghost-of-dolley-madison-ranks-no-1-in.html

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An idea

70's invitation, originally uploaded by Vintage LOVE.

From the same photostream as the last pic, how cute would this one look embroidered up? Circa 1970's.

Source: http://stitchybritches.blogspot.com/2008/09/idea.html

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The nearly lost art of flocking Christmas trees

Mike Joseph of Joseph's Nursery & Garden Center in Monessen, Pa., explains the Christmas tree flocking process at his family-owned business. (Scott Beveridge photo)


By Scott Beveridge


MONESSEN, Pa.  Last week I was interviewing a corporate executive from the Richmond, Va., area when, while making small talk, we discovered we had both grown up in the same region on the Monongahela River Valley.


He in Brownsville, Pa., and I, in Webster, a small Westmoreland County village 19 miles north of his Fayette County hometown.


Then he surprised me by saying he would drive five hours this way the next day to purchase a live, flocked Christmas tree at Joseph's Nursery & Garden Center in nearby Monessen.


"They're hard to find. You can't purchase them anywhere in Virginia," he said.


I hadn't seen or thought about such trees since I was a kid in the 1960s, when they were sort of popular and sold fluffy white or in pastel shades of pink and blue.


So yesterday I went in search of Joseph's, about four miles south of my house, a business I was familiar with only in name. I went there with my aunt to see its flocked trees and also purchase a regular fresh-cut tree for my living room.


The GPS app in my Droid inaccurately took me to 921 Rostraver Road in nearby Belle Vernon, past a Walmart and an Eat'n Park. A quick smartphone check there on Google maps directed me back to Monessen to a street entrance that had long ago been allowed to become overgrown with grass.


A little exploring on the hill there eventually put me on Rostraver Street and en route to Joseph's, a business sandwiched between houses in this decaying former steel town neighborhood.


Mike Joseph immediately greeted us and showed us his perfectly manicured trees grown on the family farm in Uniontown. It didn't take much urging for him to show us into the barn to see the flocked trees.


"People, if they've never seen it before, they think it's something new," Joseph said.


The flocking business, though, has been around since the 1930s, he said.


He went on to explain these trees are sprayed with ground cotton and rayon, mixed with water and glue, materials that swell when they dry over the course of two days.


When dry they are beautiful and sell for about $160.


What's even more beautiful about this business is the friendly customer service. Joseph and his father quickly bound my tree with cotton fishnet and tied it on the roof of my car.


It's no wonder Joseph's has survived decades in business, even in an area with devastated downtown business districts and big box stores breathing down its back.


The family defines all the reasons why it's good to shop local.

More examples of flocked pine at Joseph's Nursery & Garden Center in Monessen, Pa. (Scott Beveridge photo)

Source: http://scottbeveridge.blogspot.com/2011/12/nearly-lost-art-of-flocking-christmas.html

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Metropolis Necklace-Etsy Beadweavers Challenge

This month's Etsy Beadweavers challenge theme, Fashion Through the Ages , struck a chord with me because I had a pattern developed that fit perfectly with the Art Deco style of design. I created the triangular portion of my Metropolis Necklace using the pattern I made with my BeadTool design program and stitched it in herringbone using 4 beads at a time. Then I worked upward in brick stitch to a decent choker width of 1/2" and finished out the rest of the choker in peyote. I had fun looking through my vintage button collection and found the perfect button to complement the Art Deco design. Of course, I finished it all last minute and could only get some basic photos done. Next time, no procrastinating (yeah right) ! You can check out all the amazing entries from our beadweaving team now and vote on March 8th.

Source: http://ambrosianbeads.blogspot.com/2011/03/metropolis-necklace-etsy-beadweavers.html

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walkers 705

walkers 705, originally uploaded by drewzel.

Hi Stitchy friends,
I scanned this one ages ago and promptly forgot about it...hopeless aren't I? I found it in my Flickr just now. I don't have many Walker's transfers but I do like their style, they are more "realistic" than the stylised animals of Vogart and Aunt Martha's (which I also adore.) It depends what you're looking for. I'm guessing these date from around the 1940's and I can't even remember where I got them now! Another good thing about Walker's is that they always appear to give you double copies of the transfer sheet, which is a nice bonus, so usually the ones I've found, even if one sheet is used, the other will usually be intact. Hurrah!

And because our kitty friend on rollerskates is a popular motif...here you are:

scottie kittie1, originally uploaded by drewzel.

Click on the picture to go to Flickr and get sizes for printing.

Source: http://stitchybritches.blogspot.com/2008/11/walkers-705.html

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Tutorial: How to Antique Paper, Fast and Easy!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HowToMakeArt/~3/a00fH3DqjHU/tutorial-how-to-antique-paper-fast-and.html

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Vintage embroidery - Mexico

Vintage embroidery- Mexico, originally uploaded by Vintage LOVE.

How wonderful is this? I found this pic on Vintage Love's Flickr.

I must apologise for the lack of posts of late, having to take down all the Vogart ones knocked the wind out of my sails, so to speak, but I'll be back soon with some cute patterns!

Source: http://stitchybritches.blogspot.com/2008/09/vintage-embroidery-mexico.html

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Baby Tattooville Art Jam Video!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HowToMakeArt/~3/_J8yhWSmom8/baby-tattooville-art-jam-video.html

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Custom Order from Facebook Friend !

Recently, a fellow "Coco-nut" (fan of Conan O'Brien ) ordered a pair of my Starflower Earrings . She wanted me to choose the colors and her only requirement was that the two colors be contrasting. I tried to elicit more info from her, and finally established that she likes metals, so I picked out a copper and gunmetal color scheme. The plan worked ! She loves them ! Whew ! Plus, I included a strip of stickers I made using my beaded Conan logo from the old "Late Night" show...she loved those too :-)

Source: http://ambrosianbeads.blogspot.com/2011/01/custom-order-from-facebook-friend.html

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Purple Drops Tatted Necklace

Purple Drops Tatted Necklace, originally uploaded by ambrosianbeads.

New necklace...the second one using the pattern I designed for my mom's birthday necklace.

Source: http://ambrosianbeads.blogspot.com/2011/10/purple-drops-tatted-necklace.html

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Saturday Quotable

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HowToMakeArt/~3/qOgldkzphRU/saturday-quotable.html

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Thank Goodness For...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HowToMakeArt/~3/E3J6uLCKvqM/thank-goodness-for.html

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A Christmas sugar fix fulfilled

Gummy eggs on a plate, sunny side up, definitely do not qualify as old-man candy.

Neither does a three-quarter pound cherry Gummy Bear.

 
That settled: Have a sweet holiday. 

(The goodies were found at Katie's Kandy, a newer store at 609 Amity St. above the tracks from the Waterfront shopping Mecca in Homestead, Pa. The old-town section of this former steel town is making a slow comeback, thanks to clever business folks such as Katie.)

Source: http://scottbeveridge.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-sugar-fix-fulfilled.html

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The mysteries of the garden shed

50mm lenses can make anything look interesting

Source: http://microcosmic.blogspot.com/2007/08/mysteries-of-garden-shed.html

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Retro kitchen delights

For as long as I can remember I've had a real weakness for retro/vintage crockery. Left to my own devices and without thought or care for life essentials such as food, bills and rent, I could quite happily part with significant chunks of my budget on more vintage kitchen accessories than I could possibly ever hope to use in a lifetime.

I guess part of my love of pieces such as these is the sense of childhood nostalgia they evoke. The colours, patterns and images prevalent in pieces by Hornsea, Staffordshire,Denby, Turi Gramstad Oliver and the like are a tangible link to grandmothers china cabinets, fathers mugs, old storybooks. It is a style and form of artwork that must have imprinted on me at an early age, and that I still respond to with a feeling of lighthearted joy.
It is with no small measure on happiness that I can claim not to remember the last time I bought a 'new' item of crockery, and that my kitchen shelves are bursting with a mismatched assortment of flea market finds.
I plan to start experimenting with some of these design elements in a series of sketches/collages soon.

1. Ceramic pestle and mortar,2.Creamer,3.Pots,4.Owly tea,
5.Tea for 3,6.? 7. Hornsea mug collection, 8. Hornsea mugs ,9.?

Apologies for the couple I forgot to make note of....

Loads more amazing finds in this groups: http://www.flickr.com/groups/vintagehousewares/pool/
and this blog
http://hisforhomeblog.com/

Source: http://microcosmic.blogspot.com/2010/07/retro-kitchen-delights.html

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VIDEO: My Submission for The Sketchbook Project 2012

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HowToMakeArt/~3/SbLYkPGLUAw/my-submission-for-sketchbook-project.html

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The "How to Draw" Series: An Introduction

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HowToMakeArt/~3/cq_FReUvVGQ/how-to-draw-series-introduction.html

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Link Love: January 2012

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HowToMakeArt/~3/49D0s6YHbfk/link-love-january-2012.html

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Harmony

For the land where it's a great travesty
To harm a stork's nest in a pear tree,
For storks serve us all...
I am homesick, Lord!...

Cyprian Kamil Norwid

Source: http://microcosmic.blogspot.com/2008/01/harmony.html

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Aunt Martha's vegie melodrama

aunt marthas vegies, originally uploaded by drewzel.

I scanned this one, because I saw it blogged the other week with a different cover, I'll find the link and add it in here. Update : - it was Claudia's blog, the patterns are here.

Source: http://stitchybritches.blogspot.com/2008/08/aunt-martha-vegie-melodrama.html

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The "How to Draw" Series, Part Two: Motivation and Continuous Line Contour Drawings

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HowToMakeArt/~3/iigmtJNrRx0/how-to-draw-series-part-two-motivation.html

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Big Giveaway in Honor of my 200+ Followers!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HowToMakeArt/~3/06FE4X-0h8U/big-giveaway-in-honor-of-my-200.html

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Retro kitchen delights

For as long as I can remember I've had a real weakness for retro/vintage crockery. Left to my own devices and without thought or care for life essentials such as food, bills and rent, I could quite happily part with significant chunks of my budget on more vintage kitchen accessories than I could possibly ever hope to use in a lifetime.

I guess part of my love of pieces such as these is the sense of childhood nostalgia they evoke. The colours, patterns and images prevalent in pieces by Hornsea, Staffordshire,Denby, Turi Gramstad Oliver and the like are a tangible link to grandmothers china cabinets, fathers mugs, old storybooks. It is a style and form of artwork that must have imprinted on me at an early age, and that I still respond to with a feeling of lighthearted joy.
It is with no small measure on happiness that I can claim not to remember the last time I bought a 'new' item of crockery, and that my kitchen shelves are bursting with a mismatched assortment of flea market finds.
I plan to start experimenting with some of these design elements in a series of sketches/collages soon.

1. Ceramic pestle and mortar,2.Creamer,3.Pots,4.Owly tea,
5.Tea for 3,6.? 7. Hornsea mug collection, 8. Hornsea mugs ,9.?

Apologies for the couple I forgot to make note of....

Loads more amazing finds in this groups: http://www.flickr.com/groups/vintagehousewares/pool/
and this blog
http://hisforhomeblog.com/

Source: http://microcosmic.blogspot.com/2010/07/retro-kitchen-delights.html

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Winter Winds

Mark Dignam and Brooke Annibale, accompanied by the Panther Hollow String Band, perform "Winter Winds" at the WYEP Holiday Hootenanny 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pa.


This concert features great local musicians who alway puts me in the holiday spirit.

Source: http://scottbeveridge.blogspot.com/2011/12/winter-winds.html

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Foolish in April

I'm a sucker for a cheap gimmick.
For anyone that doesn't speak a lick of French, it's a play on 'chateauneuf'
Cat On Egg

If you don't know anything about wine either, then there's nothing I can do for you really... ;)

Source: http://microcosmic.blogspot.com/2008/04/foolish-in-april.html

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Purple Drops Tatted Necklace

Purple Drops Tatted Necklace, originally uploaded by ambrosianbeads.

New necklace...the second one using the pattern I designed for my mom's birthday necklace.

Source: http://ambrosianbeads.blogspot.com/2011/10/purple-drops-tatted-necklace.html

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Sailor girl and Sailor boy

sailor girl, originally uploaded by 'Playingwithbrushes'.

Given the fact that I've been neglecting my scanning lately, when I find something cute and stitchy in my Interweb travels I have to share with you. Two cuties to stitch, from a vintage colouring book, courtesy of Playing with Brushes' Flickr.

Source: http://stitchybritches.blogspot.com/2008/10/sailor-girl-and-sailor-boy.html

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Water Falls Treasury

Another lovely treasury entitled "Water Falls" by Trinity Designer Jewellery features my "World on a String" necklace. I appreciate her efforts and artistic eye and wish I could reciprocate with a treasury of my own, but I have never been able to snag one...and I know how much fun it would be to make one !

Source: http://ambrosianbeads.blogspot.com/2010/05/water-falls-treasury.html

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Behind bars - Rabat Zoo

I recently spent three days in Rabat, Morocco to field a proposal to create a tourism/species conservation centre for Barbary lions in the Atlas mountains. The Barbary, or Atlas Lion went extinct in the wild during the early 20th century. Later it was proposed that the Sultan of Morocco's private collection would likely have specimens of this subspecies within it. In the 1970's these lions were transferred to Rabat zoo, and some later came to our park. Without proper breeding management over the decades, none of the remaining captive lions housed in zoos around the world are likely to be 100% Barbary lions on a genetic level. But it's the closest thing we have left.

Unfortunately the Moroccan authorities ultimately decided not to go ahead with the idea.

Source: http://microcosmic.blogspot.com/2008/01/behind-bars-rabat-zoo.html

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