sick as a soggy chip BUT

I've managed to finish a little embroidery piece that was easy to pick up and put down. I started it before going to Puerto Rico. I sewed on the plane, in the airport, by the hotel lake, and finally over the holidays.
I will print out pics and add to my travel journal. It's based on my sketchbook doodle of a hand of fatima I designed and then elaborated on.  
 How to Keep a Travel Journal

Don't leave home without it

My camera that is, and my embroidery.It was lovely to sit by the pond in San Juan hotel and quietly stitch as the swans wandered by. Alas the trip was far too short, but sweet.









Meanwhile back in Jafabrit's studio, sniffle's abound. I had flu shots, but I haven't escaped a horrid little cold, so it's chicken soup time.

Feliz Navidad

Laguna Del Condado Bay fireworks

Our first night in San Juan we were treated to  a fab display of fireworks and live music from our balcony.






Just sitting and looking at all the lights at night and hearing the waves was a treat, even if the visit was short. 

Cheers everyone :)

Stone Angels

photo by jafabrit




Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery



 Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Grumpy Koi in San Juan

Koi at Caribe Hilton San Juan

And Mr.Fibbs said grumpily, "why do you come to the edge of the pond and give me hope when you have NOTHING to feed me?"

There was a wee tropical storm and I was stuck in and around the hotel for the afternoon so I decided to give myself a challenge. Can I find interesting things to photograph stuck in a hotel,Caribe Hilton,in San Juan. 






Luckily the

Off to the Land of Cockfights

I admit I was shocked when I saw this last time I visited. The thought of it makes me shiver, arg!



Instead I will leave you with this image as I fly off into the sunshine for a few days.




Playing with Wire






alas my wire face sculpture is nowhere as near as good as Alexander Calder's below, but 



 I didn't follow the method of using a continuous line drawing to base it on. I was

Embracing Process

Sometimes I really have to remind myself that I'm not in a race, that I don't have to rush onto the next project.

My internet was down for a couple of days and I had no access to bbc radio,  we don't have tv, so it was quiet around here.  I rather enjoyed the solitude in my studio. I did watch a couple of old Bette Davis movies on DVD, and sketch out ideas for a piece, AND play in my

F is for Faffing

As in Faffing about the studio 

while I psych myself up to start my next major embroidery piece. So here I am experimenting with felt flowers for a fun wee project.






My next embroidery piece is going to require quite a bit preparatory drawing and planning. Nothing to share on that front at this point, other than it is a narrative piece. 




Water Sparkles



Blow, blow, thou winter wind

E is for Egg Cozy

Yea, I finally finished one for my Etsy Shop.





hand embroidery on tea stained linen


Slowly building up our inventory at our shop, yea!  Takes time, especially since we are not rushing making anything just to sell. I had so much fun making a few for myself and a spare one for the shop.


FAF
Mark was so taken with the idea of Free Art Fridays after our radio chat that he created one for

D is for Dull

which is the best description for the grey skies of Ohio today BUT life is not dull, thank goodness.

Besides adding new items to my etsy shop with jafapal Nancy, getting a lovely shout out for my F*ck embroidery at Cauchy's quilt project blog, I spent a few minutes chatting with Mark Lipinski on his Creative Mojo Radio show today about Free Art Fridays.  I don't really know when it started or

C is for Colposinquanonia, Crafts and Christmas Stamps

 I must be a real BEAUTY then LOL!

 Okay NOT, but my C is;)



Hand Embroidery designed by moi

copyright ©2011 Corrine Bayraktaroglu aka Jafabrit All rights

Crafts

wheeeeeeeee!I won Mark Montano's Book The Big-Ass Book of Crafts 2 from Craft.You (thanks Margot), and can't wait to play. 
  

Spuggy Christmas Stamps



tweeeeeeet
I now have REAL US Post Office stamps available at Zazzle. 

B is for Breakfast, Bullies and Birds Nest Drinks

Breakfast


 Every now and again we like to have soft boiled eggs for breakfast; so my egg cups are not just for show. Can't have egg cups without egg cozy's though, so I designed and hand embroidered one for myself.


 Muslin, hand embroidery
Bullies
A High School Student gets Threats from the Burzynski Clinic

Dealing with bullies
Legal Guide for Bloggers (US based)
Institute of Bully Free