Category Archives: Needlework

Nov11

Creative Juice #317

Posted on November 11, 2022 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Lots of gorgeous photography this week.

Beautiful embroidery.
What a neighborly thing to do!
What happens to Ukrainian culture during the war?
I found this article about different kinds of teas to be very enlightening.
Writers: establish a pre-writing routine to help usher yourself into a flow state.
Five ways to improve your poetry.
A museum in Barre, Massachusetts, has returned 150 sacred items to the Lakota Sioux peoples, some of which were stolen after the massacre at Wounded Knee.
Moss-covered trees.
Amazing photographs captured by accident.
The photographs of Robert Frank.
Sketching at a festival of Indian dance.
Do you love Ann Voskamp? Then you’ll love her inspiring Instagram page. It’s worth joining Instagram for.

Jul1

Creative Juice #301

Posted on July 1, 2022 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Neat things to see this weekend! Happy Fourth, everyone!

Gorgeous embroideries.
Dog photographs on Instagram.
How to write a poem. (I can’t say this technique always works for me.)
Too artistic to eat.
Improve your poems.
The inspiration for Frankenstein.
Making the case for plein air sketching.
The eyes have it: beautiful animal photography.
How can you be productive in your writing life if you only have 15 minutes?
Sculptures at the Morton Arboretum.
Modern Women/Modern Vision. I’d love to see this photography exhibit.
A picture book author’s path to publication. Maybe you’ll win a copy for a budding writer.

Jun24

Creative Juice #300

Posted on June 24, 2022 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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If you like quilts and trees, you’ve hit the jackpot this week.

Sketching trees.
Beautiful quilts on Instagram.
Another stroll with Nathalie through Jersey City.
Challenge blocks and quilts. These always inspire me.
Charming vintage photographs.
The story of Zippy the raccoon.
Learn about the Lake County California Quilt Trail.
An artist describes her process and her journey toward becoming a children’s book illustrator.
Plein air sketching. I have been wanting to do this for years. Maybe someday soon. Those little clamps look very handy.
Do you like to cross stitch? Here are some free patterns. (Click on the titles under each design.)
Unusual trees. Maybe we could sketch these? (If you do, post them on your blog or social media and leave a link in the comments below.)
The Adoration of the Magi. I’ve always loved this painting. One year I sent out Met Christmas cards with a detail from this painting. I never realized it was painted by Hieronymus Bosch.

Jan28

Creative Juice #279

Posted on January 28, 2022 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Lots of quilts and artwork.

Gorgeous engagement photos. (I don’t know this couple, but I love the photographer’s blog.)
Free patterns for Southwest-inspired quilts.
How an octogenarian artist saved a village from destruction.
Glorious travel photos.
An essay by Susan Orlean for people who love chickens.
Quilt inspiration in nature.
Masterfully embroidered portraits.
Websites where artists can find reference photos. (I’ve used some of these sites for free-use photos for ARHtistic License.)
Christmas quilts that you could totally use year-round.
I have friends who swear their bullet journals keep them organized. I don’t get it—they seem very time-consuming to me. But if you’re into them, this article is full of ideas.
I enjoy the artwork on this Instagrammer’s page.
I love looking at this artist’s sketches.

Oct8

Creative Juice #263

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Beautiful things to look at, and hints for the creative lifestyle.

They don’t make things the way they used to. Manufacturers purposely make goods with a limited lifespan so that we have to replace them and they can make more money. How do we combat the throwaway lifestyle?
Photogenic pets.
For the writers: set your daily intentions.
Parenting is hard! Action points for getting through the tough spots (i.e. every day).
Doodling on the piano.
Internet romance.
Write a novella for NaNoWriMo.
How are quilters like athletes?
3D embroidery.
How to draw and paint a mushroom, step by step.
Watercolor streetscapes.
I’ve been following Amy Cowen on Instagram for years. I love the faces she draws.

Jun4

Creative Juice #245

Posted on June 4, 2021 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Today all my curated articles are from one of my favorite blogs, MyOBT (aka My One Beautiful Thing). Blogger Donna has a daily mission to share one beautiful thing. And she succeeds every day.

Get funky with the Ember Trio.
Gorgeous embroidery.
Photo-realistic paintings.
Braids to die for.
Dogs, beautifully photographed.
Now that we’re approaching the end of the pandemic, quarantine seems oddly funny. . .
I didn’t realize there are so many different varieties of birds of paradise.
Tour some famous residences.
Dance rehearsals.
Safety helmets don’t have to be bland.
Bird watching.
Fanciful creatures fashioned from papier mache.

Enjoy these? Maybe you should follow MyOBT.

Apr9

Creative Juice #237

Posted on April 9, 2021 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Beauty and fun.

Beautiful embroidery.
Wonderful photographs of birds.
Quilters—have you ever pieced yourself into a corner?
It’s National Library Week!
A blogger discovers a musician on YouTube.
You’d hardly know this Icelandic house was even there.
A book at the intersection of art and science.
A picture book about a vanishing lake, based on a real place in Ireland.
Your laughs for the day. You’re welcome.
When a museum storage area was opened to the public.
Kids and their food from all over the world.
Panoramic sketches.

Mar11

Video of the Week #296: Gorgeous Crewel Embroidery

Posted on March 11, 2021 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Feb19

Creative Juice #230

Posted on February 19, 2021 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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Twelve tantalizing articles to spark your imagination this weekend.

Start tangling in your journal.
You deserve a treat. Check out these animated shorts. Especially the first one.
For the math nerds.
A quilt story.
For the novelists: your first (or second, or third) draft is done, but it’s not what you know it could be. Try these writing exercises to improve your story.
Black-owned bookstores in 33 states.
This looks like fun: a virtual poetry reading via Zoom.
Interesting pictures.
Small-scale nature embroideries embellished with beads.
The secret life of trees.
I had to look up “confabulation.” Apparently, it’s a big problem in our society.
When conditions are perfect, this waterfall is on fire.

Feb12

Creative Juice #229

Posted on February 12, 2021 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

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These articles will challenge your intellect while satisfying your need for beauty.

The Harlem Renaissance.
Don’t you just hate it when the block you’re piecing turns out too small?
Beautiful Zentangle designs.
I love acapella singing. This group gives me goosebumps, they’re so good.
I’ve never heard of the Chinese Lantern Festival, but I was delighted to come across these beautiful photographs of it.
Informative article on sketchbook hacks.
Sweet little embroidered Psalm 23 book.
A different way to live during the pandemic.
Split-second photography.
An early history of pen-and-ink drawing.
Some disturbing photographs.
Gorgeous quilts in fall colors.