Embroidered Denim Jacket and Autumn Scenes

Embroidered Pansys.

I have had a really busy week.  I did not have time to do any work on my walking stick.  However, the week ahead is more or less clear, so I hope to spend some time on wood burning this week.  Even though I could not work on the walking stick, I was able to work on a couple of projects in the evening.  I thought I'd share one of them today.

Right now, denim jackets are very fashionable.  I have had this denim jacket since the last time they were fashionable.  It is nice for an early autumn day, but I hardly ever wear it because it is so plain.  This year I have been seeing some embroidered jackets in the magazines.  I decided to update my jacket.  Either I have committed to a long term embroidery project or else I have committed to purchasing a new jacket.

I decided to start embroidering on the cuffs and bottom band of the jacket.  I guess the flower I have chosen to embroider is a Pansy.  Really it could be anything.  It is just a generic flower.  I work on this in the evening when my husband and I watch television.  I am wondering if I have not taken on too much of a project.  In some places I have to sew through five layers of denim.  At times I have resorted to using a pair of needle
nose pliers to grab hold of the needle and pull it through the fabric.  At this point I am thinking I should have used the sewing machine.

I have just a few more flowers to embroider on the bottom band.  When they are finished I will have completed this segment of the project.  I could stop there, but I may do a little more embroidery on the front of the jacket.  The vertical seams would lend themselves to some climbing flowers such as Morning Glorys.  After that, I think I will quit.  I tend to get bored on projects and I am already thinking about a new project.

Mosaic Sphere.

It is almost time to start wearing a jacket.  The afternoons are warm, but the mornings are cool.  This week the low temperatures will be in the upper fifties (Fahrenheit).  Autumn Equinox is just three days away.  The trees seem to know it.  This morning there the Dogwoods had started to turn red.  A few yellow Poplar leaves have fallen in the back yard. It won't be long before the breeze turns chilly.

Acrylic paint on ball, glass mosaic and enamel painted disks

In four to six weeks I will be watching the news for the freeze warning.  I bring my glass gazing balls before the temperatures dip down to freezing.   When I was learning to make mosaic
gazing balls I read that water can get in
between the glass and the grout and freeze, causing the grout to crack.  It sounds true, but I am not sure if it is really true.  The mosaic disks in the picture with the painted ball (the disks to the upper left and right of the painted ball)  have been out there for years and have not cracked or lost any pieces of glass or rock.  However, the balls take a long time to make so I would rather bring them inside rather than have them damaged.

Arcylic painted ball has survived both freezing and hot weather.

 The painted balls can stay out all winter. The painted disks have been out there for a number of years as well.  In the last couple of years the red paint has started to fade.  The disks were painted with bake in the oven enamel paints.  Overall, I would say they have held up well.  The painted gazing balls were painted with acrylic paints.  I am waiting to see how they do over the long run.