Home again. We had a wonderful vacation together and I'm so glad you enjoyed the postcards. Feels good to be back.
I did a lot of stitching, sketching and thinking at the beach. Keeping myself busy under the umbrella with projects, reading the paper every day, the BP tragedy and the NY Times' extensive coverage, the mostly untouched beach way up here. Thinking about the sea creatures suffering so terribly- in the Gulf and elsewhere.
And I missed working on Rebecca's fabulous sampler.
All that combined into this little guy one day (and a few other designs too). Stitching his turtle shell full of different colors and patterns was so much fun. This stitch here, that stitch there. Changing colors. Imagining.
Now that I'm home, I got back to my studio and put it all together- pattern, stitch guides, photos and instructions- to share with you. I will be posting the design as a 3 page PDF in my Etsy shop today. 50% of the proceeds will go to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, an organization working very hard right now to save the turtles in distress.
Kind of a nice way to help out and enjoy embroidering creatively. Perfect vacation or car project. Set the kids up with their own hoops, pass the threads around and stitch a family of turtles! Whenever we went on car trips as a family, after all the fits and starts, my mom would happily announce, "And we're off! Like a herd of turtles!"
If only it were this easy to make real turtles.
Fabulous stitching and fabulous idea!!!
Posted by: frivolitea | July 16, 2010 at 02:32 PM
Oh Charlotte, you make me tear up with that last sentence. Those turtles look fabulous and say, what if it WERE that easy? Take care. I have so enjoyed your vacation postcards.
Candace
Posted by: Candace | July 16, 2010 at 05:29 PM
Hi Charlotte!
Welcome home, I've missed you.
I loved your postcards - my favorite was Barbie, what does that say about me?! :)
Oh! I am beyond heartbroken (and FURIOUS) over the BP disaster! You are such a dear soul and bless you for putting your art where your heart and sensibilities are and doing this for the beloved turtles.
Running over to Etsy now to buy your darling pattern and help a wee bit.
Happy almost weekend to you,
Sally
P.S. When I was little, my mother used to say "Hold onto your applesauce" when she'd drive over a bump. Thanks for the sweet mom memories!
Posted by: Sally | July 16, 2010 at 06:41 PM
Thanks! I just got one ordered!! ~Shelley O.
Posted by: Shelley Overholt | July 19, 2010 at 09:28 AM
Love the saying from your mom! Isn't it fun to recall the things family members have said... things that only mean something to another family member?
One of our's.... we had a family dog who loved to ride in the car (don't most dogs!) mom reminds me sometimes of what I used to say when we went around the corners...
(as she (the dog) would start to loose her hold on the car seat) I would say, "Hold on Cuddles". So now of course, when I am riding in the car with my parents... around a corner we go and those fun memories come flooding back!
Posted by: Jean C. | July 19, 2010 at 05:53 PM
Your turtle is really charming... loved all your beach photos. We're heading to N. Carolina- the outer banks, in a couple days... love the Atlantic Ocean!
Posted by: Kelly | July 20, 2010 at 03:44 PM
It's heartbreaking to imagine the sea turtles and other animal life suffering and dying in the Gulf. How nice that you could think of a way to help.
Posted by: Mitzi Curi | July 21, 2010 at 04:48 PM
This turtle is adorable. It makes me so sad to heqra what i happening to the turtles and other marine life in the gulf. I'm heading over to your Etsy right now.
Posted by: GardenOfDaisies | July 28, 2010 at 01:37 PM