Thursday, January 30, 2014

Award winning Reindeer

If you are looking for the Grown Your Blog post- click HERE. But feel free to leave a comment on any of my posts. I have the monitoring off for the next week to make it easy to comment. Thank you so much to everyone who has visited! I am so grateful for your help, compliments, suggestions, & follows!


My mother & I have belonged to the Daughter's of the American Revolution (DAR) for about 10 years. Last year we decided to enter their art competition for member daughters. In a way it is also an essay contest. So, this year we spent a bit more time in composing our essays that accompany the photographs of the art.

Since this years entries have just been submitted on the state level, I thought I would share my award winning entry from 2013. The theme was something like honor our heritage today... I don't recall the wording. This is what I wrote:

In December 2004, I was at a friend’s house for a holiday party. My daughter Fiona, then 3 ½ years old, & another little girl were bored, so our hostess brought them some paper & crayons. One picture Fiona drew was of the stuffed reindeer toy sitting on the couch with her. I am always on the watch for new embroidery patterns, & had just started embroidering my daughter’s drawings. I immediately thought this one would be perfect. Deciding to use a basic outline stitch in only two floss colors, I tried to mimic the simplicity of the line drawing in embroidery. The child-like fabric bordering the embroidery is subtle. The fabric on the back of the pillow is bold and graphic.
This pillow now graces the living room sofa every holiday season as a family heirloom in the making.


Blue ribbon redwork reindeer embroidered in brown & red

Showing the backing fabric of the pillow

I won the blue ribbon for NY State in embroidery, & advanced to national, but did not win at national. Maybe this year! The above 2 images are of the blue ribbon pillow. & it won a red ribbon at our county fair this past August.


This is one I did in traditional redwork

Redwork is a style of embroidery. Though, traditionally, rendered in red (hence it's name), you can stitch it in any color you want. In the reindeer below, I used 3 colors.


Wall hanging using brown, tan, & red

This one is stitched in blue...

Given to my daughter's grandmother- This reindeer was stitched in blue



44 comments:

  1. Just popped in for the blog event. Discovered this post, and couldn't resist. This is such a wonderful thing to do. LOVE that reindeer too. Me thinks you have an artist in the making for sure. Keep smiling and creating.

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    1. She is so amazing in so many ways. I wish she could just see what I see in her everyday.

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  2. Love the idea of using your child's drawing as a pattern, such a great gift idea. I am a daughter of the revolution who has never filed the paperwork!

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    1. My mom filled out my paperwork after she got in to the DAR. Then she did my daughter's for the CAR. There should be a registrar at your local DAR chapter that can help you file.

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  3. You did I a lovely job of interpreting your daughter's drawing. Great choice of fabric to frame the piece.

    Good luck with the the Super Bowl today..go Seahawks!

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    1. So happy my Seahawks came to play! Wished it had been a better game all around though.

      I have to say, my mom has great taste in fabric, especially Christmas fabric.

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  4. The reindeer is so cute and such a unique memento of your daughter's childhood because believe you me your blink and your children are suddenly 25, 22 and 21!

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    1. I know! It seems like yesterday she was learning to crawl, & she'll be a teenager in a few months!

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  5. What an utterly fantastic idea!
    I have 2 little nieces, and I may try this when they start creating art!

    Brilliant!

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    1. I hope you do. Let me know if you need any tips on how to get started.

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  6. Love that reindeer! Thanks for coming by to visit me. Eleanor x

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  7. Thanks for visiting one of my blogs, and here I am visiting with you! I do love embroidery, although I don't do it nearly as much as I did a few years back. On my crafting blog www.countryfragrance.blogspot, you'll see ( if you end up visiting there as well) that I've been getting into the English paper piecing! Your red work is lovely and I've scrolled down to read through several of your posts......I love the little bird you have done and congrats on the reindeer!!
    Hugs sharm

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    1. Thanks for visiting. Sorry to hear that Australia is having such a bad year with the drought. I hope things turn around soon.

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  8. Thank you for dropping by my blog. I am now a follower of yours as well. I absolutely love that you embroider your daughter's artwork!

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    1. It's such fun. So different from regular patterns.

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  9. Love your beautiful redwork! I haven't stitched in quite awhile, and you've inspired me to do some soon! By the way, my husband's sisters and mother are DAR members in Michigan.

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    1. Cool. My mom & I belong to the same DAR chapter. My aunt to another in NY. My daughter belongs to the local CAR chapter but it is tough to get her to go to meetings.

      I hope you do get back to stitching!

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  10. Hi Tisha! I'm returning the visit from myplvl.blogspot.com (Val's Quilting Studio) and so glad I stopped by!!! I added myself as a GFC follower. Nice to meet ya! :)

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    1. Thanks for the follow. The GYB party has been such an amazing experience. So many wonderful compliments & other creative people to visit!

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  11. Visiting from the grow you blog, found you after you found me :)
    This little reindeer is just adorable.

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  12. Hey Tisha! Thanks for your visit from the GYBP. I am popping over to say hello and to take a look around. Your redwork is awesome! I don't embroider, but it is something I would like to try someday after having seen your beautiful redwork. You are right, there are so many blogs to go through this year. It will take me some time to make it through all of them, but it's so fun getting to know "new to me" bloggers and seeing all their handiwork. Have a great day! And come by for a visit anytime.

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    1. Redwork is a great way to start embroidering since there are only 3 main stitches. I only use stem stitch/ outline stitch most of the time. & when I'm supposed to do french knots, I do a cross stitch or something.

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  13. oh how nice. What a wonderful idea. You have inspired me to do something similar!

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  14. What an adorable idea! You've captured your daughter's early artwork, plus your own creativity and skill -- all in one piece. Fabulous!

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  15. This is an adorable deer image and such a special gift to your daughter's grandmother.

    By the way, I tried again to sign up with G+ and it worked this time. I look forward to many more visits!

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    1. Thanks! Glad you were able to follow. I finally just figured out how to reply to people's comments.

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  17. Hello and thank you for stopping by my blog! I love that you can create such cute creations. Nice to meet you!

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    1. Me too. We have a museum nearby that focuses on children's art- the World Awareness Children's Museum in Glens Falls, NY- http://www.worldchildrensmuseum.org/

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  19. Hurrah!! The reindeer is simply precious, and your embroidery skills are wonderful - you won 2 ribbons at two different state events ?!!! superior Tisha - !! and you and mom are DAR - that is wonderful - I am excited to know someone who is a member :D (also someone who wins ribbons for their embroidery of their beautiful daughter's drawing!)

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  20. That is adorable. I bet grandma loves it too.

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  21. Hi Tisha-thanks for visiting my blog. I'm not an embroiderer but admire what gets created by those who do. The reindeer is adorable.

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    1. Thanks so much for stopping by. I feel that way about many crafts/ art too. I may not do it myself, but I appreciate the work & the process of creating.

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  22. So cute. I smiled when I say him. Thanks for sharing.

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