Posts by Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
Wedding
March 23, 2023

Bridal Shop Unveils Gorgeous Disney Princess Wedding Dresses To Make Dreams Come True

Many children have dreamed of being Disney Princesses—glamorous gowns and all. And now, thanks to Allure Bridals, their adult selves can make that childhood fantasy a reality by way of its Disney Fairy Tale wedding dresses. The collection has gorgeous gowns inspired by Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Tiana.

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Illustration
March 22, 2023

Learn How an Illustrator Transforms Basic Shapes Into Beautifully Detailed Drawings

If there’s a secret to drawing, it’s that even the most challenging subjects can be broken down into simplified shapes. Doing this makes them easier to tackle, and you can build up your drawing to achieve incredible detail. Illustrator and My Modern Met contributing writer Margherita Cole knows this well; her delightful drawings showcase the power of shapes and how they are vehicles for expression.

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Sculpture
March 20, 2023

Amazingly Realistic Animal Sand Sculptures Come Alive on Shore

When we think of sand sculptures, castles likely first come to mind. But you can do a lot more with sand than construct tiny buildings; artist Andoni Bastarrika is proof of it. He creates realistic animal portraits that are so lifelike you'll do a double-take when you see them. To create the illusion, Bastarrika tightly packs the sand to create a blank canvas for textures like fur and wrinkles.

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Embroidery
March 17, 2023

Give Your Embroidery a Voice When You Learn to Stitch Letters

One of the best skills to have as an embroiderer is an ability to stitch letters. In being able to embroider letterforms, you can personalize a project or open up your imagery to include quotes or other letter-focused work. If you've ever wanted to try monograms, this is the perfect opportunity. It might seem like a challenge to embroider letters.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.