Happy To Be Back!

 I haven't blogged in a really long time.  I had lost interest, and found myself smitten with Instagram, which is a site that I really enjoy still.  But, I decided to give blogging another try, hopping to share more thoughts and content.  Hopefully I can stay with it.  There's still blogs that I love to look at, and I think more people are starting to blog again.  Maybe?

I'm still rug hooking.  The above is my current project, which will eventually be a large poppy pillow.  I stopped hooking for awhile, but joined Deanne Fitzpatricks creativity class called The Harbour.  It's a monthly class for one year full of great books, interviews and lots of creative inspiration and discussion.

This class really got me jump started back into rug hooking!

I've also had a lot of fun designing and constructing hooked bags.

These three are my most recent.  The blue and black are currently in my dulcysdoorstep.etsy.com.

Another favorite pastime that I continue is weaving on my triloom.  I'm addicted to Noro yarns and have recently woven these two lovely shawls made from a soft and vibrant cotton blend.  They drape beautifully!

These two shawls are also in my shop.

Another fun thing that I recently dipped my brush into is Annie Sloan Chalk paint.  I have/had these white cupboard doors in my bath.  Well, I became enamored with Annie Sloan's chalk paint palette after reading an article about her in Selvedge Magazine.  I fell in love with all her colors, but really have a passion for the Antibes Green.  So I used that on the insets of my doors.  Then I cut a stencil using inspiration from seeing the gorgeous purple/black tulips in Amsterdam.  So happy with the results!

Hope you're enjoying this gorgeous spring.  All the flowering trees are in full bloom here.  The colors and lilac fragrance outside my door in amazing!

One of my new fancy tulips I planted last fall.

xo

dulcy

It's Been Awhile

Thought I would share a bit today.

I've been on a furniture painting spree! 

I was so inspired by a photo of a cabinet painted by Gudrun Sjödén that she keeps her textiles in accumulated from travels.  I have a similar cabinet that I had chalk painted white about five years ago.  I decided to give it a face lift.

I'm also using it to keep textiles from travels, things I've created, and my small fiber library plus books on spirituality and travel.  So happy with it now!

Have been rug hooking of course!

Designed and hooked this tulip rug..... wanting to hook some florals in red and yellow.

Also have been working on a few bags.  Below is my Floppy Sunflower Bag.  I taught a class on this one Saturday.  

Here is a a series of three of my most recent bags.

Also I've enjoyed making posy pins! Have taught a couple of classes on these and currently have a few for sale.

And..... a bit of knitting.  One sock done, and currently working on its mate.  Also my very fun knit, the Hitchhiker Shawl.  Which I finished yesterday!

And I'll leave you with a sweet shot of a recent backyard visitor.

Happy June!

xo

dulcy

February Quiet

My days are so quiet right now, and I'm really enjoying the pre-spring peace of it all.  Crazy weather from sunny 60 degrees, to ice and snow in the teens.  Right before our last icy snow day, or wintry weather mix as the weather people call it, it went outside and took a few photos of new growth.

Snowdrops about ready to bloom.

And my lovely hellebores will be showing their color soon.

 There should be a nice full bloom from both our dogwoods out front.  White and pink.

I've had flowers on my mind and spent the last week making a new pillow.  I just sort of free hooked with no particular pattern mind.  My only plan had been to leave a nice bit of natural linen showing.

It looks sweet next to my old snowdrop pillow I made several years ago.

I also made a batch of posy pins.

These are really fun and fast to make.  I will be teaching two classes on various ways to make these later in March.

Yesterday I decided that I wanted to clean out my bookcase and dedicate a couple of shelves to my textiles and fiber art.  This is the case in the spare bedroom.

I took bags and totes I had made and stored away and put them out to see...I also have a few textiles out I purchased when in Guatemala last year.  I have a nice little library of textile books and publications that were scattered throughout the house and studio.  I grouped my favorites together on the shelf, and will donate rest to the library.  This sort of job is great when I'm between projects.  Perusing through my books keeps me inspired and dreaming about what comes next.  Well.... actually now that I look at this white bookcase, which is really quite large and painted with white chalk paint, wouldn't it be interesting to paint it multicolored with some stenciling?  I'll probably be out buying paint tomorrow.  No kidding......

A little February heart rock laying on a needle point piece I did at least 20 years ago.

Enjoying the quiet while it lasts.
xo
dulcy

Summer Musings

Oh.... hello!  Been awhile.  I battle with this blog thing.  Can't seem to get myself to post anymore, but then I read these great posts on other's blogs, and I think "well, blogging's not dead yet".  And.... I really do like taking photos and writing about them.  I use Instagram all the time.  It's become a tiny hobby.  Love using the filters, and curating my own little band of people and organizations that I like to follow.  It's sort of like a magazine of pictures that I've personally chosen.  But...... I'm here today to lay a few shots down of my beautiful, but extremely hot and humid world.  Although....the upside with all this humidity is skin, nails and hair.  Really, there's a big difference this time of year as opposed to days on end in heated enclosures.  But, boy do I LOVE a change of seasons!  Would not want to live where it's the same day in and out.  Oh dear, a bit off topic (whatever my topic is.......) not sure.

This photo was taken from the upstairs bedroom window a couple of weeks ago before all this heat wrapped us up in it's sweaty grip .  The mimosa has grown so much this year.  It's become a cloud of pink, with the most heavenly scent.  This tree has been in bloom for a month!  But I'm looking outside right now, and blooms are browning and tumbling into birdbaths and our pond.  Still, the aroma is fabulous if you catch the breeze just right.

See all those pink puffs!  All the same tree crowning our back yard.  It's like a tropical jungle.

I use these super hot days of summer to spend time in my studio with the AC cranked up, and podcasts and Netflix keeping me company (I've discovered "Absolutely Fabulous"  Hysterical!).  Things are a bit untidy, but it's my "happy place".

I took this shot today.  You may see the green shawl I'm working on, and the canvas that I've just painted red.  The color is actually called Christmas Red, but it has just a touch of orange in it that makes it perfect to mount this on.

My Willow Rug.... Willow is our extremely sweet girl.  This rug is done, with a few tweaks since I took this photo.  I'll post again when I have her mounted on canvas.  I'm showing her in December at a little exhibition I'm having.  Just four large pieces.

My new favorite shawl is the most gorgeous dusty sort of lavender.  Lovely silk/cotton blend.  I tea dyed much of the attached ribbon.

Smashing against the old green iron bench!  I chalk painted that bench a couple of years ago, and it just gets better with time and the elements.

Speaking of green.... here's little peek of a deck corner.  Everything is here, because it's the only spot that receives any sun.  I keep a few herbs and my trusty geraniums.

Fact:  when in France I saw that people really do have tidy window boxes of geraniums sitting on windowsills.  The scent keeps away insects.  Good to know.  I loaded up on red this year and have several pots located about.

And lastly...... enjoy this sweet little video I took the other morning of a very industrious garden spider.  The web was amazing with the east sun shining through.  All golden and sparkly!

xo

dulcy

Guatemala Rug Hooking Adventure

I had an adventure!

I went to Guatemala with my friend, Mary.

We hooked rugs with Mayan women.  The trip was sponsored by Multicoloures, an organization that brings handcraft skills and art to women in various countries around the world. 

I rug hooked with my beautiful new amiga, Estella.

We both worked on rugs of our own, but the Mayan way of rug hooking is quite different than what I'm used to.  Their rugs are made completely with used clothing, mostly cotton, all the loops have no raw edges.  All cut by hand and are mind blowing!

Estella helped me with a design and picking out materials.  I wasn't able to finish while in Guatemala, but worked on it until done at home.

I'm now in the process of binding it off with covered cording.  I'm really happy with the results, very different from my usual style, and got me out of my rug hooking "box" a bit.

One of the many happy surprises in Guatemala was meeting another Dulcy!

I'll share more of this amazing journey.

xo
dulcy

Yarn Snag

I finally was able to snag this yarn!  A Noro blend I love, and a color that just kept getting sold before I could get my hands on it.  Lovely not purple, not rose, but sort of a combination.

This color makes me think fall.  Added lots of long sari silk and one white quartz crystal as a happy surprise.  It's now in my little shop.

xo

dulcy

Summer Shawl

Another shawl with the additions of extra long sari silk and tea dyed ribbon. Great for summer in this soft silk/cotton Noro blend.   Love it against this old disintegrating chair.  The chair should be pitched, definitely not useable.  But it's so beautifully old!  Great prop for whatever I decide to photograph!

Very hot and extremely humid, but I love the jungle effect we have surrounding our house.  Daily visits by deer, and a mother raccoon the other morning with at least seven babies bumping into each other.  So cute!  Watched a hawk flutter up outside the studio door with a snake.  That didn't end well.  I like all the dampness.  It looks and feels lush.  Great for skin and hair!  Another summer day in the Ozarks.

xo
dulcy

Etsy Time

It's that time of year again...... yes, updating and reviving my Etsy store.  For now, I'm just adding a few shawls as I finish them.  I put in three today, and will add another pretty blue next week.

Here's what I have so far:

All three are made with gorgeous Noro yarn, in a silk/mohair blend.  Very light weight, and nice for all seasons and occasions.

This one is mine, but love the green and have yarn to make another.  Its's a silk/cotton Noro blend.  Such a great color!

So.... if you like green, may have one in the shop in a couple of weeks or so.  You can visit at

dulcysdoorstep

I take these everywhere in the spring and summer to stay warm in overly air-conditioned shops, restaurants, etc.  They wad up nicely in a tote.... no wrinkles ever!  That's what you get with great yarn..... gorgeous color, and soft great texture!

xo

dulcy

Home For The Holidays

Hello Friends!

Lovely crazy time of year, and enjoying every minute of it!  I haven't blogged in a bit, lately spending my days getting ready for a show followed by a holiday sale.  Just wanted to share a sampling of my fiber frenzy love.

Staying in the moment, trying to be quiet, spending time with family and friends, love being home.

Hope you're happy and well

xo

dulcy