Well this is embarrassing.
Ten days since my last post. First of all lets deal with this here silk ribcage, which will go into the Midsummer Collection and which I completed on Wednesday. Then I gots some explaining to do.
I filled in the rest of the shape with my fine fine machine weight silk, chose a couple of other warmer shades for the spine and added some french knot spiny processes and (you probably can’t see this but) some subtle shading lines on the under edge of each rib.
Then I spent some time outlining the ribs in a dark grey cotton. Here’s a better view:
Finally I mounted it in a plain wooden frame:
madebymothereagle.com 
Hey there Mama Eagle, love the redo, just shows even more how much you’ve Grown. The original was beautiful, this is just sublime. Just a thought, maybe Mama needs some space to put her roots back down. It’s obvious that you are where you should be, but none the less roots have been pulled up and it takes time to re-establish that grounding. You know your heart follow it, whatever feels right that day is right that day. Only one word of caution, based on my experience not a comment on you. Don’t slip back into what you can do just because you are good at it! It’s good whilst you enjoy it and it feels right but it’s too easy to end up staying too long. I know to my cost you’ll risk getting hurt or worse hurting yourself. Not saying it will go that way just a risk. I left a job I was good at to start my family, rather than taking the opportunity to grow and move into what I should be I trod water and eventually went back to what I knew. At the time that was the right thing to do but now I realise I stayed far to long and it’s bitten me royally! I’ll recover and all experiences are good for learning but for me there could have been a shorter route to where I feel I am now heading. Totally my personal experience but that’s what you asked about. Personally I feel your just in the right place, doing the right thing right now, just keep your heart and ind open as usual and you’ll be fine :)
Love and miss you xxxx
I can completely empathise as I’m one for putting myself under a lot of pressure too. But sometimes you need to cut yourself some slack. You totally deserve to give your self a break, a big move and a new job are a lot to take in at once, and your blog should be a joy for you at this time not a chore. Maybe set yourself a loose guideline of one blog post a week- but keep them short and sweet – and talk about something other than what you are making, for example about your tools, your inspirations, shows you’ve seen, whatever- so that you don’t always feel like you have to have some specific work to show off. Then catch up with your stitching workload when ever you are ready to. Hope this helps.
Enjoy your new home and all the changes you hoped to make. Don’t give up on your stitching, but just do some for fun rather than ‘work’ in the meantime.
b.x
It does help Bridgeen, but not as much as your general niceness and support! I really really appreciate the feedback on the blog too, and it’ll be fun following some of your suggestions x
I know exactly how you feel, although I don’t go out to work, I am a full time Mum. I am so lucky that we can just scrape by on the one wage, but my mind and my sense of independance drove me to start my business. I don’t want to let it slip but I struggle to find an hour at the end of each day to sew and, as you say, it’s not always the best time to do fine work. I am trying to be relaxed about it, keep working a little bit at a time, build the business organically over time. It may take me several years to build the reputation I would like but if I keep chipping away I will get there. Don’t drive yourself into the ground, you already have a reputation and a body of work to be proud of. :-)
Thanks Victoria, you’re so lovely and supportive, and so talented.