Making Tiny Hoop Embroideries

It's tough to keep a blog fresh this time of year when so much of what you are working on is a surprise for someone, a family member or it is a custom item purchased as a gift from my Etsy shop.  So although I've been quiet here, it hasn't been quiet in real life!  

My Etsy shop has been really busy.  I have such awesome customers and it's been fun to work on a few more custom things this year.  For the last couple of days though, it's gone quiet and I have to say it's been nice.  I don't have time to make more of anything for my shop before Christmas now and so the pressure is off.  I'm finding that I'm full of ideas and inspiration and having to jot things down so I don't forget - I have my sketchbook permanently at hand.  I'm one of those people who is at their most creative late at night and I guess as I'm tired from all the busyness of the season, my body thinks it is late at night all the time!  

A few weeks ago I bought a package of these small embroidery hoops from this Etsy shop in Australia.  I bought these round ones and a package of tall oval ones.  They are so cute I can hardly stand it, what is it about tiny things?

I haven't had time to experiment with them till now.  Earlier this week, I pulled out some close weave oatmeal colored linen and did some quick little sketches before diving in.  

You can't really get a feel of the size of this from the above photos but these next photos will help.....yep, this is really tiny work.  And yes my scissors are very sharp.

Here are the components ready for assembly.  I'm planning to make this into a necklace but I haven't decided yet whether to use chain or something with tiny seed beads.

Last night I decided to try a tiny tree stump.  It's on the same linen which just looks different because of the different light.  I can't wait to get these in their tiny hoops.