They Might Be Giants. Day of the Dead. Jacobean Hand Embroidery

How our hand embroidered pillow looks now that I've got it all put together. It looks very much at home on our green velvety mid-century rocker next to my hand knit red lace shawl. It's a nice corner for reading, or just thinking things over.

They Might Be Giants Embroidery Project

The lettering is all freehand, so I wasn't quite sure how good it was going to look. I filled the red chain stitch outline in with yellow french knots. Lots of french knots. It looks all right.

Day of the Dead Jacobean Inspired Embroidery. Memento Mori.

One of a kind design hand embroidered in cotton floss on a cotton canvas ground fabric. 7" x 15". Jacobean/ Dia de los Muertos inspired artwork. Embellished with metallic thread around the skeleton. Flowers, insects, memento mori, macabre art. All hand made and hand sewn, stuffed with hypoallergenic polyester fiber. Embroidery on front only. Spot clean with diluted laundry soap when needed. Skeleton Pillow at My Good Babushka.

Jacobean, Day of the Dead, TMBG Embroidery and Something New

 Work in progress here for my Jacobean, Day of the Dead, They Might Be Giants embroidery.
Also, I've started planning a new embroidery project I'll call the Abecedarian of Demise.
A is for Asphyxia.

Jacobean, Day of the Dead, They Might Be Giants Embroidery

I have done a whole bunch of Day of the Dead Embroideries. I wanted to do another one, a bigger one, that had a musical theme. I also wanted it to be more contemporary and less Mexican folk art. I've been listening to a lot of They Might Be Giants.  I just started listening to They Might Be Giants and I like them a lot. In fact, I was hoping I would get some new (to me) They Might Be Giants for Mother’s Day, but instead, my offspring decided to give me the flu. But I digress. Even as skeletons, I think they make fairly identifiable characters. I like that the pink bunny moon can serve as my signature, since my shop totem for My Good Babushka is the little babushka-wearing rabbit. I also love, love, love my little blue moth with skull wings.
Below are some of my other Day of the Dead hand embroidered pieces available at My Good Babushka.

Jacobean, Day of the Dead, They Might Be Giants Embroidery Project

I had to re-draw my design, it gets smudgy and wears away. So here I've penciled it back onto the canvas so you can see what I'm talking about.

I just started listening to They Might Be Giants about a month ago. Wow! I like them a lot. They are playing two free shows today in Washington DC, at the Science and Engineering Festival, if you are near there.  This may be my last Jacobean, Day of the Dead embroidery for a while. As this potboiler is working, I am devising a strategy to embroider a new subject (mystery! surprise! tune in next time!)  in a style that echoes illuminations and marginalia in medieval manuscripts.

Working on Some Embroidery

A Jacobean/Day of the Dead/They Might Be Giants amalgamation.
If you are a person who lives in my house, then you'd know that They Might Be Giants is my new favorite thing. No one can escape it.

TMBG. Jacobean Embroidery. Day of the Dead Embroidery

 I really liked the part Jacobean, part Day of the Dead embroidery I just finished:

And I wanted to do another one, a larger one, and make it more musical. Skeletons playing instruments are always fun. But I didn't want to make a regular sombrero-wearing day of the dead skeleton band because there are already lots of those.

 So I'm making a They Might Be Giants, Jacobean, Day of the Dead, Embroidery project.  Here it is sketched out on canvas, blanket stitched all around, two times, and ready to go. 16" x 16"

I'm pleased with the composition, and I think it will make a nice textile piece though I haven't decided yet if I'll mount it on a stretcher or make it into a pillow.
Maybe when I'm finished I'll submit it to the TMBG are OK Tumblr!

Dia de los Muertos Custom Painting

Here is my finished custom Dia de Los Muertos painting. Very colorful and festive. Though this painting was made for a specific client, I have other Original Paintings available at My Good Babushka. Art - Chainmaille Jewelry - Needlework.

Dia De Los Muertos Custom Painting

Just a few more touches and I'll be finishing this custom Dia De Los Muertos custom painting.
You can see more paintings at My Good Babushka. Painting, Needlework and Chainmaille Jewerly.

Dia De Los Muertos Painting

Keeping to a lot of pinks, greens, golds, reds. Bright and un-muddied. Perhaps a bit lurid.
This is a custom work, but you can see other artworks available for sale at My Good Babushka. Art, Chainmaille Jewelry, Needlework in the section called paintings.

Day of the Dead Painting

Another day of work on this custom Day of the Dead painting. Worked mainly on the colorful lanterns and papel picado. Trying to keep a nice, bright palette. You can see my other paintings  that are available for purchase at My Good Babushka. Art, Chainmaille Jewelry, and Needlework.

Sketches for a Custom Day of The Dead Painting

A skeleton band and some Dia de los Muertos festivities. This is a custom piece, so not available. You can see available paintings in Paintings at My Good Babushka. Art, Chainmaille, Needlework