Achievements and New Directions!

 I've been venturing away from the Large Bohemian Totes I've made so frequently in the past--working on a much smaller scale...sometimes ever TINY size bags--I call them pouches when they are little enough!

 These Necklace pouches, pictured above, have slightly varying length cords so when worn around your neck they hang from mid-chest to upper-abdominal area. The pouch portion can remain empty if you wish, or carry eye glasses, credit cards, ID, money, inspirational or motivational quotes, crystals--pretty much anything you can fit inside! 

 A tiny little birds nest pouch created with bits and pieces of scrap, jute, wooden and pearl beads, vintage lace and cotton cord; hand stitches and hot glued!

 This fun tiny necklace amulet was created using a scrap of upholstery remnant and wool felt with a broken vintage clip-on earring for the center piece of the fabric flower I made using vintage cotton eyelet. The  string beads are new acrylic and the streamers are vintage lace fabric scraps.

 Pictured above and below are cross-body medicine pouches made from Jeans pockets embellished with suede fringe, quail feathers, vintage and new beads, jewelry pieces, handmade dream catcher, vintage silk Saree ribbon, and much more. They were hand and machine stitched and I have attached a tiny little bottle with a cork stopper which may be removed to add seeds, essential oils, notes of inspiration or whatever suits you to carry along...

 Above embellishments include handmade fabric bead, ribbon flowers, and other wooden, metal and glass beads. This tiny little necklace pouch is about 2x3" hanging on a 30" leather strip

 More handmade fabric flowers, layers of mosaicked fabrics and eyelash yarn, with various other laces, tulle and cotton-blend fabrics; both with satin covered cord neck strings.

 Each one of these little purses and pouches are as unique and individual as you are! In their creation I've included handmade fabric flowers, vintage and new cotton, silk and upholstery fabrics of all sort and my own handmade fabrics created by melding together scraps and remnants with machine and hand stitching. You will also see vintage buttons, beads, brooches and other jewelry pieces and parts as well as laces, silks, satins and velvets and an array of other fabulous items mosaicked together to create a one of a kind piece of wearable art!

 And DREAM CATCHERS have become a small obsession for me...

 In my research I found that it is thought that dream catchers originated with the Ojibwa (Chippewa) tribe and became popular with other Native American Nations in the 60's when attending Pow-Wows became the "thing to do" mostly amongst the college crowd. The dream catcher is thought to ward of evil by trapping the menacing spirits in the tangled web while the good spirits find their way unimpeded to the central eye opening and, travelling down the feathers they bring healing energies to those sleeping beneath.

So here I am, looking extremely tired I know! But, very happy, holding an advancement certificate that took me quite a while to complete the portfolio for. But, I did it, submitted it middle of 2015 and was granted advancement to a D level RN at UMHS. I am quite sure I will for the remainder of my nursing career be a D level RN, satisfied and content. You will most certainly NOT find me stressing to the max attempting to complete the "E" level...not in the cards for me--LOL!!!