Two months ago, I bought a toaster. The ugly orange box containing the electric kitchen appliance is today useful for cutting balsa wood. Let me introduce you to my new series: hand embroidered miniature flowers, framed in coffee-flavored hand dyed wood.
Everybody likes flowers, right? I met someone who made me approach their design, pattern, shape… in a new unexpected way. Sucked into a charming swirl, my hands started to draw (with a needle and sewing thread) undiscovered flowers on small pieces of felt.
Now a frame? A handmade one-of-a-kind miniature wood frame for the new delicate embroideries! That's a lovely idea. He took me to a wood store (mmm, smells so good!) and we found the supplies I was looking for: glue, balsa.
The balsa wood tree, scientifically named Ochroma lagopus, grows best under conditions found in rain forests, ideally in mountainous terrain between rivers. Balsa is one of the lightest varieties of wood and it's remarkably strong for its weight. It could be carved easily with standard woodworking tools.
On the ugly orange toaster-box-cutting-board, while the wood is still very pale, my roommate's hands are busy slicing the balsa sticks-stacks before their night bath…
…into strong instant coffee.
Flower, wood, x-acto knife, beside a cool op-art dinosaur ruler.
Mini clamps are pretty cheap: 6 for $1,99. While the glue dries, they are very handy to keep the woodwork in place.
After other mucho appreciated advices, the frame is now a little bit larger. To give breath to the flower.
Some of them are listed in my Etsy shop.
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From the manner in which a woman draws her thread at every stitch of her needlework, any other woman can surmise her thoughts. -Honoré de Balzac
Patiently and repetitively hand embroidering this pretty flower pattern keeps me away from the Ocean of all the dangers.
Thank you for your interest in my work.
