New Pattern: Gracious Love

Yesterday I uploaded a new pattern to my Modern Folk Etsy shop:

As I wanted to do a sampler with text, I searched for a suitable poem and found this verse from an old English by Nicholas Breton(1558 - 1626):

Foolish love is only folly
Wanton love is too unholy
Greedy love is covetous
Idle love is frivolous
But the gracious love is it
that doth prove the work of it


The lettering was borrowed from an antique sampler in the V&A collection, whilst the edge motifs were inspired by traditional patterns from the Andes. Inspiration for the turtledoves came from Byzantine paintings, making this a rather eclectic pattern.


This pattern measures 119 by 140 stitches. Stitched on 32 count linen, this would measure approximately12 1/4" by 9 1/4" (31.5x23.5cm).


Click here to visit the pattern page on Etsy.


Hope you like it!

Scandinavian White

It's been a while since our last post, but I'm planning to do more regular updates on this blog. Last year has been a very busy year with me making lots of patterns and taking exiting steps with my Modern Folk embroidery shop.

A few days ago Etsy featured my treasury Scandinavian White on its European front page - so I thought I'd share the treasury here with you. Enjoy, and if you like it, leave some comments either here or on the Etsy page!

Scandinavian White by modernfolk

A celebration of the colour white with some fantastic Scandinavian design and vintage finds - making great gifts for Mother's Day as well! Featuring shops from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, The Netherlands and the UK. Enjoy! :)

Mid-Century Finnish Bis... 1001vintage $125.00	alvita pearl shell earr... MariaHelenaDes... $19.00	Snow quartz round beads... jivah $2.80
Swedish vintage table s... annchristinlju... $22.00	David Anderson Mid Cent... JannesVintage $42.50	The Reykjanes Divide 12... ArpadLukacs $48.00
White linen bird - chub... JennyKarlsson $19.00	Sky reflection (BL & WH... HavenOfHarmony $18.00	White and silver Genuin... fishskinpr0duc... $25.00
Table clothe vintage ha... orlova1 $70.00	Handmade Silver Bangle ... saedis $129.00	1960s Danish porcelain ... thelittleblack... $19.00
Horse photo - Black and... madebymoongirl $26.00	Medium Trio Triplets Ko... Maari $89.00	Vintage // Small & Cute... VintageDanishD... $8.00
So clear -necklace -roc... HappyDayDesign... $26.00

The Third & The Seventh

Last year I came across a beautifully animated short film called The Third & The Seventh by Alex Roman. It is unbelievable that this whole piece was made on a computer as the 3D models look amazingly realistic.

Just watch the video and enjoy Alex Roman's wonderful work. Make sure to watch it full screen though, and put the volume up as the music is fantastic also!

The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo.

Hindsvik - An Inspiring Etsy Shop

Ages ago I discovered Hindsvik, as they run a beautiful little shop on Etsy filled with the most amazing vintage finds. I was very pleased to find a little video by them on the Etsy blog, which I'd like to share with you.

In this video Daniel and Valeria of Hindsvik share a glimpse of their beautiful home in Canada. Enjoy!

There's No Place Like Here: Hindsvik from Etsy on Vimeo.

Of Fixing Chairs & Finding Hidden Artworks!

Today I visited one of my favourite places in town - the Banana Warehouse in York, which is crammed full of old stuff. Lots of stuff is overpriced, but sometimes you can find great deals - if you know how to fix stuff up!

I was looking for a couple of frames as they are very expensive when you buy them new, and managed to find four that caught my eye. One of them had a peculiar piece of embroidery in it:

I also found a little green chair stacked on top of a pile of old furniture & rubble. After climbing on some benches and pulling it out, I discovered that it was actually rather lovely! I quite like the fact that it has been fixed with a wooden seat from a different chair. It goes very well with the character of the chair.

Once I got home I got a bucket out and washed everything as it was all very grubby. Less shabby chic, more so minging! The paint was also in a very poor condition and clashed with the rest of the interior. So it was time to paint!

I'm really happy with the end result. I've been trying to frame some of my samplers but couldn't find the mounting knife so that will have to wait for another day. I did however find a surprise when taking the embroidery out of one of the frames.

It's quite a sweet piece of Chinese inspired embroidery, but the real surprise came when I took the linen off the cardboard it had been glued to: a Pre-Raphaelite looking sepia watercolour of a young woman appeared! It's nothing valuable (I think) but it's sweet nonetheless and I'm quite happy with it.

I'm off doing a little stitching now, which I hope to share with you in a couple of days!

Galerie Gravin

I would like to give you a little peek inside Galerie Gravin in Sloten.
Although the Gallery is small I think it looks lovely -  it has definitely lots of character!
The room has still most of its original features. Since the house was built in 1880 this room has always served as a shop, hence the shelves and cupboard.

 

 

 

Besides my own work Galerie Gravin also features work by my son Jacob and a German artist named Wilfriede Doppelfed. Wilfriede devides her time living both in Germany and Fryslân. Although most of Wilfriede's work are abstract compositions, you can sense that she takes most of her inspiration from the Frisian landscape with its flat horizon and wide open spaces.

I highly recommend checking out her website 

If you are visiting Sloten this year I would love to welcome you to Galerie Gravin.

- Geertruida

 

Modern Folk Embroidery

A couple of days ago I launched my website Modern Folk Embroidery - a site providing cross stitch embroidery patterns influenced by traditional examples with a Scandinavian touch. You can find the website here: www.modernfolkembroidery.com

I have also opened an Etsy shop (modernfolk.etsy.com) where you will be able to find some exclusive content, including commissions (which I can't offer on my personal website).

The first new days of the year brought me a lovely package from Petits Details, with a selection of embroidery linens. I wanted to try out the light grey linen first, so I embroidered this little heart on it:

I am quite happy with the result - the white on the light grey looks very pretty I think! I am now working on the redwork sampler depicted earlier in this post. I really enjoy creating the patterns first and then working on a pattern that you've made yourself. It's so nice to see an idea on paper take shape like that!

Places To Visit This Year

Photo: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

With the holidays over and everything returning to (slightly) normal, I thought I'd make a little post today and share an article I read on the Etsy's Blog. It features the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, MA., housing a wonderful and eclectic collection of art and objects.

Although it's a little out of the way for me, I'd invite you to read the article here - and if you're near Boston, definitely visit the museum!

Photo: Tom Pennington

A little closer to home is the Treasurer's House in York - owned by a very eccentric gentleman who created a series of period rooms in this magnificent home just behind one of Europe's largest cathedrals; The Minster.

Beningbrough Hall

Finally I'd like to share with you Beningbrough Hall - a beautiful Georgian hall which is just outside of York, and is also owned by the National Trust. If you are in York I would definitely recommend visiting the hall. We often go for a walk from the city to the hall and have tea at the Home Farm, to gain some strength for the walk home!

Christmas in Sloten

As promised more photos of my living environment. On the shelves you see part of my earthenware collection. Not only lovely to look at but I also use them as objects for my still life paintings.

Many years ago when Jacob was still living in Sloten we hand painted these christmas tree ornaments. I still find them beautiful and use the ornaments every year.

These photos are taken in candlelight. I love the soft, magical touch that candles bring to a room, in this case my living room.

The final three photos are taken in my studio. I am currently working on different projects. Some dolls are finished but these three have to wait until the holidays are over. It is now time to celebrate!

I want to wish you all a very merry Christmas!

Geertruida

Christmas in York

While mum's been preparing the house in the Netherlands I've worked on some small projects to get the house ready for Christmas as well.

One corner in our living room - you can see the cushions I've finished a few days ago. I bought several samples of fabric this year in India and didn't have a purpose for it until now.

We got this desk off a friend who was moving house a few years back. It's very simple, but works really well now it's painted all white. The bowls at the bottom I bought several years back in The Netherlands - they were picked up from the wreck of an old trade ship and never reached their destination. I love the decayed floral pattern.
The Paloma lamp I picked up from Habitat, and have recently given it a little make-over. The cross stitch sampler I'll add to my etsy shop soon.

I'm collecting little antique earth-ware objects such as these here. I'm really happy with the pudding mould I found in York a few months back. I do use it sometimes, and the puddings look absolutely lovely! I painted the pale blue duck eggs on the right hand side with traditional Japanese patterns in white paint.

We've got two cats in York: Neko and Mira, the latter posing for this photo here. She's such a pretty little cat!

I bought Herbert Krenchel's Krenit bowls a few years ago when I was on holiday in Denmark. The thin black bowls with the bright red enamel are so beautiful, and I've never regretted buying them.

These little red shoes were lost by a little girl in a shop I worked, and after having been stuck in lost property for months they were about to be thrown away. Linens I bought from The French House in York. They used to have a wonderful shop on Micklegate in the city centre, but have unfortunately moved out of the city center.

And speaking of linen: as I was looking for things to decorate the house I came across a long-lost bag of linens yesterday! I'm really excited as it has some beautiful Belgian portrait linen, some course embroidery linen and a few other pieces. On one piece I had made a cross stitch border pattern - a traditional pattern found on embroidery from Marken.

More photos later!

- Jacob

Christmas

This week I've been decorating my house for Christmas. I decided to keep it simple and natural and I am quite happy with the result. The photos below are taken in my kitchen.

I love the delicious smell of pine scent coming from this branch.

More photos will follow soon, so stay tuned :)


- Geertruida

New doll

Can I introduce you to Liv - one of my latest cloth dolls.

 

I first modelled the head of clay, over which I stretched cotton fabric. This allows me to make a series of dolls from the same head. Each face is different as I slightly adjust the fabric and change the way I paint the faces. Liv's face is painted with water colours.

 

Her clothes are sewn out of antique fabrics. I believe the fabric is from Hindeloopen, one of the 11 cities, famous for its traditional costume (see link). Although I'm not sure of the origins, I do know it's both beautiful and very old.

The shoes are modeled out of paperclay, which allows her to stand on her own. 

I hope you will like her as much as I do!

Geertruida