Monday, February 19, 2024

UFO Pile of Shame and The 100 Day Project Inspiration

I've been spending some time lately trying to prioritise my works in progress (WIPs) and UFOs (UnFinished Objects) so that I can really get some finished this year. I am very good at starting projects- buoyed by the excitement of something new - but lack of energy, lack of time, and often lack of confidence make the project stall. It is amazing how quickly time flies, and suddenly something you put aside 'for a little while' has been sitting around for a year (or more). Covid certainly didn't help with any of that!

In a happy coincidence, I was reading a social media post by the Baroness of Politarchopolis and she mentioned #The100DayProject. #The100DayProject | online art community It is basically on online project to encourage people to be creative and commit to 100 days of creating. Very much the same as #100 Days of A&S which I loved being involved in, and which has set up really good habits of doing at least ten minutes a day on SCA A&S projects (and which I have pretty much continued with). This new project has given me a shot of motivation to spend the next 100 days focusing on UFOs and WIPs. Probably for only a short time every day as I am at a very low spot right now health wise, but every little bit helps.

I won't be posting day-by-day updates on what I have been doing because I think it will take a while to achieve anything as I will be working slowly (and it will be boring to readers). But I hope to at least have some Finished Article victory posts for you soon!

(Please imagine a tidy little pile of nicely folded UFOs here. In reality my UFO/WIP projects would probably take up half a dozen storage tubs and that is downright embarrassing.) I try to console myself with the thought that a lot of them are embroidery which takes a very long time to do.



Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Some medieval and renaissance heart imagery for the romantics among you

 

Miniatures From The Book of Knighthood (1460) Containing Christine Pizan's Épître d'Othéa - Flashbak Image from: (1503) Pinterest



Image from: Livre d’heures à l’usage d’Amiens | BnF Essentiels


Heart shaped codex contains Danish love poetry,  Copenhagen, KB, Thott MS 1510.
Image from: (1504) Pinterest



O rosa bella by John Bedyngham in Chansonnier cordiforme, ca. 1475, made in France (Savoy). Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Ms. Rothschild 2973, fols. 8v–9. Source: gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France, image fromThe Soundtrack of the Renaissance Court | Getty Iris



Young Man Holding a Book, Master of the View of Saint Gudula Netherlandish ca. 1480


Happy Valentine's Day!

For more information on unusual book styles from the medieval period, go here: Strange Medieval Books | medievalbooks

Future Challenge - Blue Brocade

 Here's an idea I had for a future challenge for myself: I found this gorgeous remnant at an op shop (thrift store) for about $1.50. It looks like it has been trimmed off the bottom of a curtain; it is quite narrow and has a hem on the bottom.

Will I be able to make a pair of detachable sleeves out of it? Stay tuned...