Plays With Needles: Pink Artist Project

Thanks to my husband, Jim, I am back online and better prepared to face my future, technically anyway. The black screen of death has lifted from my house and I am free to post among the living -- it's great to be back.

While I was "sick", I was busy working on making this Stitcher's Treasure Nest. It's for a donation to raise money for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure through the Pink Artists Drawing. The Pink Artist project is the brainchild of Monica Magness of Girl Gone Thread Wild, where artists donate original artwork to be given away to those who make a donation of at least $10 to support the cause. This year the #1 prize is the Pink Artist Quilt -- you can see the individual blocks here. Last year, you might remember that the group made a BEAUTIFUL art doll called Love Squared where inchies were mailed in from participating artists and made into the skirt of this inspirational doll. Technically, the parade of Prizes doesn't officially start until tomorrow so you may want to check back then for the big reveal.

So back to the nest. I had always wanted to make a three-dimensional version of the nest on my March Bead Journal Project -- Flight Delay -- so I decided to make an attempt for this donation.

I had no idea how to make the structure of the nest at first so I started making beaded sticks. The nest used many more sticks than I anticipated -- probably about 40 or so! (They say a wren's nest has an average of 368 per nest so I guess 40 doesn't sound like so many.) I just continued to weave the sticks through and around each other, nestling in bits of fabric and lace, buttons and baubles.

At the end of the day, I was very pleased with how it turned out. I put a little bowl in the center because I wanted to be a useful Treasure Nest. Well, I'm not sure how useful it will be...but the bowl is removable.

Jack had a good idea and said I should put a candle in it. Maybe I'll try that and see how it looks.

I'm heading to New York City this morning just for today and tomorrow. My sister has two visiting French students so we're taking the bus up to show them the sights. Saturday I'll be posting my finished May bead journal. See you then!