December Projects

I live for moments like the ones I had the past 2 weeks.  I meticulously worked on two projects to be given as gifts, one of which was a playbill blanket showcasing playbills that had some personal connection to him- whether he played the music, had seen the show, or a family member had acted in the show.

The other project was another pet portrait I alluded to in a previous blogpost. It was so enjoyable to work on this one.  A black and white dog has more color to it than you might think. It was fun picking out the pinks for his belly.  They all look similar but if you look closely you'll see there are 3 pinks.   This dog owner had the best reaction; I wish I had recorded it.

New Art and New Craft

I try to put aside some time each afternoon to make and create, especially when I was preparing for my solo show in Asbury Park. Here's some finished and unfinished projects.

Sneak peak

Finished in a floater frame.  It started out as a self portrait and evolved from there.

My largest canvas since College, approx 5 feet high, "Eve's Temptation"

Something new and crafty but a work in progress. I've become increasingly interested in mosaics and have been doing some reading on using cement for outdoor mosaics.  I picked up a great book by Isaiah Zagar and read that on the way to New York yesterday. If mosaics are something you're into, I highly recommend looking him up.

How Many Men Does it take to Fix a Sewing Machine?

I went to an estate sale in Whiting, NJ and bought a vintage sewing machine for $20; a huge markdown from the original $140 pricetag. The seller had no relatives to accept the hand-me-down, or help moving the machine around, so I brought my trusty fiance to help me! I guess he knew it would be going to a good home; he even threw in a whole container of vintage buttons, original manual, all the bobbins and oil for the machine.

At first, I was concerned that I had been ripped off. Luckily, I have a Pop who loves challenges, especially concerning motors and machines. It took him some time but he got it working just before it got too dark.

In my research, I learned that this machine was first imported to America in 1947, and was the very first machine to have a zigzag stitch option. 

This baby pink "Nicchi" machine is built like a tank. Italy made! They make attachments for fancy embroidery, which are quite easy to find on ebay. The machine is attached to the table and even has an extension.  I was sure it was a 1940's and I wasn't too far off; it's an early 1950's model. It needs some cleaning and I may strip the wood and give it a new coat when I have a free weekend. I'm excited to add her to the family- right now I have a 60's Singer machine, new White machine, and a Singer Serger. Maybe one day I'll buy one of the bad boys to complete the collection. Keep an eye out for me!