Digitizer's Showcase - Bettys Original Embroideries

I really like adding some machine embroidery to my projects and appreciate perusing the beautiful creations of quilters and crafters who are much better than I with their creativity.  Their finished products are inspirational to me.  When I started machine embroidery projects I joined several Yahoo groups, but have since narrowed down my groups to those whose digitized designs are more reflective of my style, and of course quality.  One of the digitizers I like is Betty Falasca of Bettys Original Embroideries.  She digitized several of Carolyn Shores Wright whimsical Bird Life paintings and other pieces of whimsical artwork.  Through her Yahoo Group she also does monthly contests.  When I am feeling quite uninspired I participate in a couple of her monthly contests.  I would like to share a couple projects I submitted.  I thought the finished product was worthy of posting as a contest entry.

Luck of the Irish

Carolyn Shores Wright - Bird House Buddies

I also made a little baby quilt as a special request for a friend with Betty's Fuzzy Zoo designs, although I did not do the "fuzzies," just plain embroidery.

Fuzzy Zoo Baby Blanket

Chandler's Cottage - Thomas Kinkade

Keeping with my artist theme in counted cross stitch, I completed Thomas Kinkade's Chandler's Cottage about 10 years ago from a Leisure Arts pattern.  This one I had to have framed.  I don't think Mr. Kinkade would have liked the purple matting, but I think it goes well with the picture.  This piece is completed on 18 count Aida fabric. 

Chandler's Cottage - Thomas Kinkade

Excerpted from Mr. Kinkade's biography:

"Thomas Kinkade has been a published artist since 1985. Celebrating over 20 years as a published artist, Thomas Kinkade is renowned as "The Painter of Light". By infusing light into his paintings for a dramatic effect of pictorial lighting, Thomas Kinkade created incredibly romantic and tranquil scenes that seem to glow from within. This incredible ability combined with Thomas Kinkade's choice of wholesome themes at one time made Thomas Kinkade America's most collected living artist." 

Mr. Kinkade's daughter, Chandler, was the inspiration behind this portrait.  More information in his own words on this piece of art can be found on Art of the South website.

Thomas Kinkade, 1958-2012, was from Placerville, California.  

A Special Blanket - The Trains

The last of my special blankets is the Train blanket.  Now each of my grandchildren has a substantial size blanket made by their grandmother.  I think these blankets are special because each child chose their theme print, with the exception of my granddaughter.  Her special interest is horses and I found the horse panel print several years ago.  It was the last panel available in the shop and I just had to buy it.  I don't think it is in production anymore. 

The Train Blanket - 75" H x 61.5" W

My two daughters selected theme prints for their blankets, too.  They are going to have to wait a while longer as it is getting too warm to work on the larger size blankets.  I will, however, begin looking for patterns that I think are reflective of their personalities and suitable for the theme prints. 

Next on my agenda are some small items to sell in the local gallery.

Marjorie Sarnat - Kompanions

Kompanions - Marjorie Sarnat
Design Size:  350 W x 525 H (183,750 cross stitches)
Finished size on 14 count Aida fabric:  24"W x 36"H

Kompanions is a counted cross stitch adaptation of artist, Marjorie Sarnat's, Kleo Kats, series of artwork. (Click on her name to go to her website.)

Excerpted from Ms Sarnat's website biography:

"Marjorie's design work now appears as collectibles lines for Enesco, The San Francisco Music Box Company, Westland Giftware, and others, having been made into figurines, music boxes, holiday ornaments, waterglobes and more. In addition, her work appears on textiles, gift tins, and other merchandise and is published as paper doll books and greeting cards. Marjorie's painting style is highly detailed and filled with images from the past, with an emphasis on tender human emotions (even when the "humans" are bears or fairies).

Besides the inspiration provided by images from the past, Marjorie derives inspiration for her art from her own family experiences growing up in Chicago, and from her family life today.

Marjorie lives with her husband, daughter, and son in Southern California, where she pursues her lifelong passions for art and old books."

The counted cross stitch design is available through Heaven and Earth Designs.   

It took me about 2 years to finish this piece of artwork.                                                             

Zula Kenyon - Song of the Bluebird

Song of the Bluebird - Zula Kenyon

The picture on the left is a counted cross stitch adaptation of Zula Kenyon's, 1873-1947 art, Song of the Bluebird (link is short bio).  She did a bluebird series of pictures and the name is one of several I found for this piece.  The cross stitch pattern was in a Leisure Arts book, however credit was not given to the artist.  I did not know the origin of the piece until we were visiting my family in Wisconsin and I saw the picture on the right hanging in one of the bedrooms.  I was quite surprised and brought the picture home with me.

According to her bio, most of her subjects were of women, children, some landscapes and animals.  She was a very successful artist and produced calendar prints for the Gerlach-Barklow Company during her working career.  Most of her work was done prior to the 1920's. Ms. Kenyon was born in Wisconsin.