Nothing suggests spring more than flowers. Walk around your neighborhood and the beauty and colors of spring abound. This year in California we have been fortunate to have some additional rainfall, which has definitely helped our garden.
While I do not have the proverbial "green thumb" my eleven-year-old son has developed a passion for gardening. We have cornered off a section of the yard for him; we went to the nursery where he chose plants, and flowers and even strawberries. I have been amazed at the dedication he has shown to looking after his garden. He did all the planting himself and for the first few weeks watered in the morning and then in the afternoon, the minute he arrived home from school. Many days I am greeted by an excited voice, calling Mom, the strawberries are starting to appear or the Strelitzias have bloomed another flower. His excitement as the flowers begin to bloom and his garden takes shape due to his effort and commitment is wonderful to observe.
While he tends to his garden in the afternoon I get to tend to my "proverbial garden". I get to sit next to him and stitch, embellish and embroider my flowers. I get to decide if a button or bead is needed or if silk thread will enhance a particular feature of my sunflower. . We get to compare how our flowers look, how clever nature is and how beautiful my variegated threads are as they are inspired by nature, by their ever changing colors and subtleties. I look at the hand-dyed thread colors, like forest (54), moss ( 32), fern (4) and oak (10) and see how similarly they mirror the real thing.
Below you will see the Rose Design and next to it the Sunflower. I had a stash of yellow beads which just "begged" to be stitched onto the sun flower, I am so excited with the results and when I was completed with the stitching and button work I stitched it onto this yellow bag. Every time I wear this bag, I receive so many compliments. It is large enough to carry a lap top computer as well as all the other things I tend to carry in my bag. Till May 1st we will have the zebra black and white bag as well as the yellow (or blue) tote bag in stock. ($25.) That means when you are complete with your African Folklore Embroidery deign you can stitch it onto either of these bags and create a unique tote bag for yourself, of course it makes a great gift to give someone! Fantasy flower bag
While I am no gardener I can create my own African Folklore Embroidery garden with the many flower designs that we have. Of course the over 300 hand -dyed variegated threads that we carry which change color every two inches and are inspired by nature certainly help in creating my own " embroidered botanical garden". I am currently working on my fourth sunflower design. I have used silk ribbon, beads and fabric to embellish and then make into a tote bag. I could not think of a better and more pleasant way to spend quality time with my son, than watching him tend to his garden while I embroider and embellish one of the African Folklore Embroidery flower designs. Many of my kits are available on annthegran here. You can more designs on our website at https://www.aflembroidery.com/ receive FREE threads when you order $25.00 or more of threads till May 1st from either place.
Sign up now for our
Big Event on May 1, 2010
Dear Friends,
Come to the Anaheim Park Hotel on May 1, 2010 for a big event!
A DAY IN SOUTH AFRICA, with African Folklore Embroidery fiber and embroidery artist, Leora Raikin, visual safari
Anaheim Park Hotel, 222 West Houston Ave
Fullerton CA
10:00 AM
- Exhibition of African Folklore Embroidery by Leora Raikin, followed by an interactive and visual Lecture
12 PM - 1:30 PM
- Trunk show, & book singing
1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Workshop - Learn the stitching & beading techniques for African Folklore Embroidery.
To register, call Sandi at (714) 814- 6935 or e-mail cormaciheirlooms@att.net
Hosted by Mountainview Chapter of the Embroiderers
Leora Raikin,, Author Safari through African Folklore Embroidery