Merry Christmas, Friends~

Merry Christmas!

Wishing your heart every sweet joy of this beautiful season~

Punch needle hedgehog

"Two Peas in a Pod"

Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

He is finished!

(Before Christmas!)

I added a small charm instead of holly.

This way he can be enjoyed throughout the year.

These are the little tags I printed on our home printer

to add to needle felted treasures~

His woolen background is forget me not blue~

One of my favorite colors!

Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday, Sweet Friends!

Punch Needle Hedgehog~

I have been finishing up my 2018 calendar toppers during the day~

Working on Christmas gifts by night!

This little punch needle friend is coming along!

Starting to look like a hedgehog~

I put down a patch of ivory colored, check pattern, wool.

I wanted his tummy to be smooth & flat.

(I would like my tummy to be smooth & flat, too! giggle)

Then I began punching in various tones for his spiny coat~

Now I'm trying to build up the courage to add more stitching details!

I think I will find a tiny antique glass button for his eye.

I'll share more pictures soon!

Hope you're enjoying this beautiful holiday season~

Hello, December!

Wishing your heart every joy throughout this beautiful season~

Thank you pattern~

Thank you, Friends!

You have helped me reach 5,000+ sales in my Etsy shop~

A little gift to share with you~

"Christmas Sparrow" copyright Michelle Palmer

~for your private use only, please~

A second pattern is available on my Facebook page
Michelle Palmer Artist

You can print it as a coloring page...

Use it for a punch needle or embroidery pattern~

Would love to see your finished projects!

Wishing you all the best~

Thank you for being the most wonderful customers!

Thanksgiving Fraktur

Wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with wonderful memories~

I first learned about Fraktur in college...

Definition of FRAKTUR

1

:  a German style of black letter

2

often not capitalized :  a Pennsylvania German document (as a birth or wedding certificate) that is written in calligraphy and illuminated with decorative motifs (as tulips, birds, and scrolls)

True Fraktur is beautiful~

My sketchbooks are filled with these little sketches.

My notebooks from college (especially the non-art classes)

have simple designs influenced by Fraktur in the borders!

Happy Thanksgiving, Sweet Friends!

Winter wren needle felted~

This little wren friend isn't so little...

Her name is Winnie Wren!

She is looking forward to a coat made of wool~

Sweet Winner before I started to add her feathers!

I start most of my needle felting with plain, raw wool.

No color, to save money~

I found this old wood turning well over 15 years ago...

It has been waiting for the perfect project!

I think it will make a neat perch for our Winnie girl~

Hope your week is off to a great start, Friends!

Praying for France~

Holding you tight in our thoughts and prayers~

Punch needle ~ Crow with the Velvet Hat

  

From one of my original watercolor paintings...

A new punch needle project!

"Crow with the Velvet Hat"

Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

I decided to set him in the same orientation as my original 

painting so that you could compare the shading & colors~

I think this little fella is just begging to be made from paper mache, too!

Black is never really black... 

Our iridescent friend is thrilled to have so many colors & values!

A peek at the finished side~

I chose to make the punch needle a bit larger so I could work details easier.

Time to start the background!

Wishing you a wonderful week, Sweet Friends!

Crow with the button jar!

I have misplaced a jar of tiny buttons.

They are in this studio somewhere~

If you happen to see a crow flying by with my button jar...

Hope your day is filled with creative, Sweet Friends!

Punch needle sunflower~

~The Sunflower~

My latest punch needle project!

My first sketches have a large star in the center of the sunflower~

As I started adding details to the petals the star seemed too prim.

This seed area is more fitting.

You will see my beginning sketch below~

I think of my punch needle works as 'painting with strings'

Same amount of detail as a watercolor painting... only with fibers!

Blue and yellow~

My most favorite pairing!

Here you can see the large star I had sketched from the beginning...

After hanging laundry on the line I walked around the bird feeders

to see if there were any feathers~

A little bit of blue!

A kiss of sunshine!

First colors being added...

Had I kept the petals simple yellow/gold~ I would have been able

to use the initial sketch with the star center.

Perhaps I will try it next time!

So many color variations~

A true palette of beauty!

Injured Robin~

We met this morning~

She flew into one of my studio windows.

I sat with her until she could fly again.

Making sure she was able to take as much time

as she needed without the stray cats & hawks moving in.

 Her breathing calmed & she started looking around!

I encouraged her to build her Spring nest in the backyard~

Hope you're having a wonderful day, Sweet Friends!

Vintage Linens...

I was in an antique shop along the Erie Canal & found a little flower linen.

It was crinkled up and browned... 

There was a 2nd one!!!!

(My little prayer was for just one more... just one more!)

As I searched the entire booth, under every blanket~

Between every table cloth and linen!

There were five!

With arms filled with various vintage treasures,

my heart skipped a beat over these!

After their gentle soak in mild laundry detergent & a dash of Oxy Clean

they were even more beautiful!

As I was pressing them the ideas were swirling in my mind!!

Should I draw top views of frogs on them (lily pads?)

Should I draw five different flowers with their botanical names?

Should I draw butterflies on them?

Should I pattern them?

Some of my favorite quotes & fuzzy bees kept coming to my heart!

These are on their way home to Nevada!

A dear heart who LOVES BEES will give them the love they deserve~

Hope your September has been off to a great start!

Punch needle, Pumpkin & Crow!

Cool August nights~

Corn fields changing colors...

Colorful leaves beginning to spot the lawns!

Fall colors are so delicious!

Started my 'Pumpkin & Crow' punch needle last night.

Now I want to make a pumpkin pie!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, Sweet Friends!

Punch needle whale & dolphins~

"Down by the Sea" copyright Michelle L. Palmer

He is swimming with the dolphins today...

Sir Whale is finished & ready for framing!

"Flow Blue Skeps" copyright Michelle L. Palmer

Is just home from the frame shop...

Framed with museum glass (zero glare) to protect

the colors and keep it preserved.

Sherry's Bear & Frame Shop in Seneca Falls

Sharing Sir Whale's progress (backwards...)

I use all cotton floss...

Six strands & three strands.

His coat of many colors...

I sketch my design lightly in pencil and then add some contour lines

with three strands... then I start filling in and painting with strings!

'Sir Whale' was his name before I started adding color...

As I was stitching along I was humming, "Down by the Sea..."

Still hum it when I see it!

Hope you have a wonderful week, Sweet Friends!