Category: inspiration

mrs. brown’s skirt

March 23, 2010
by annwood

I love it when there’s a label.

mrs.brown tag

I’m curious about Mrs. F. C. Brown and what she was up to in 1917.  Her skirt is very sensible with pockets and a modest train.  The fabric is fabulous.

mrsbrownsskirt

* note on the photo- I’m not giant, the chair is mini – I got it at the flea market a couple weeks ago.

It was fun to try on and I was surprised by how good it felt, the way it moved, the  pleasant weight of it and  how the little train felt behind me, it isn’t in wearable condition though, and I probably shouldn’t add “wears period clothes” to what I already have going on anyway. I’m going to make a collection of things from it, the first is a mrs. brown spider.

mrsbspider

boxes

March 4, 2010
by annwood

Everything I make starts in a box and then lives there until it’s done. The boxes are  for organization – keeping the many little bits for many little projects together and they are also a thinking tool  and  most importantly  a way to start, it is very easy to put things in a box.

owlbox3

I love Twyla Tharp’s book, The Creative Habit. Here’s a little of what she has to say about boxes:

“The box makes me feel organized, that I have my act together even when I don’t know where I’m going yet. It also represents a commitment. The simple act of writing a project name on a box means that I’ve started work”

birdbox2

I have different sorts of boxes for different sorts of projects. You could also  make your own box or use a basket – project bags are great too.

froth, foam and the daily bird

October 5, 2009
by annwood

underskirt

This truly glorious antique underskirt is destroyed in the skirt sense, it’s so fragile I’m surprised I was able to hang it for the photo,  but it  will make a  wonderful  foamy, boiling sea for a paper mache ship.

Bird news: the daily bird is back  for one week.   I’ll post one little bird for sale in the shop Monday through Friday,  the time will vary. I’ll post a link here in the side bar each day when it’s ready and also on twitter.

*little clarification – I’ll post a link here in the sidebar but will not be emailing subscribers for each daily bird *

matilde1

This is Monday’s bird matilde in a pine tree in Prospect Park.

future owl

July 16, 2009
by annwood

Or raven or bat -maybe something new.

Underneath are some old wallpaper scraps I got at the flea market last week.

The bodice has lots of wonderful hand stitching inside and it has great black glass buttons.   Speaking of buttons -an  almost finished owl with very fancy antique button eyes.

I came across this strange plant a couple weeks ago in a forest  in RI – I’d love to know what it is.

*check the comments for name info – they are called ghost pipes and some other great names.

titanic at the half moon hotel

April 20, 2009
by annwood

This photograph was a gift from my favorite guy at the flea market -(park slope) and I love it.  He stopped showing up in early summer last year. I’ve wondered and asked about him since and I found out a few weeks ago that he died.  He took the photo at the Half Moon Hotel in Coney Island, I’m not sure when- 70’s or 80’s probably.  He was a painter and photographer. I only new his first name – John.

birds and boro

May 22, 2008
by annwood

Stephen Szczepanek of Sri Threads came for a visit a little while ago and brought me a fabulous present.

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Beautiful bits of Japanese indigo and bright floral dust rags. I love them. You can find more about Stephen and these amazing things at his website. I think I’m going to make a bat out one of the dust cloths.

These little birds are on their way to London today for a garden wedding.

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I like this photo – I think they look very earnest or maybe sincere. Note on wedding birds/ cake toppers: I’m still making them but not taking orders right now so I can focus on current orders, tackling my massive backlog of email and doing a little restructuring to make everything more manageable for all concerned. If I were to continue without making some adjustments and changes I would certainly lose the rest of my marbles. If you would like updates please join the mailing list or check back here.

This lace and fabric is for some brides and grooms I’m beginning today.

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My favorite parts of the bird making process are picking out the fabric and taking the photo when they’re finished. I like the middle parts too – just not as much.

lovely things

February 18, 2008
by annwood

I bought a couple big boxes of old lace and trim and stuff and I’m having fun sorting through it and washing it and ironing it and thinking of things to make.

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The photo above is just some highlights ( you can click the pic for details), there are tons and tons of good things.

I know someone who makes wonderful wool bears ( and other things) who’s name begins with E.

e.jpg

I think the little E. monograms (love the dot) would make a perfect signature for them.