Cushion for Hillarys Blinds County Craft Competition

Can't quite believe how long it is since I last blogged.  I have made a cushion out of material supplied by Hillarys Blinds for a competition. I fussy cut an 18" square and raised the flowers up using the trapunto technique. I then quilted the background with the free motion embroidery technique.

This and that...

Bit of a catch up I am behind again. Been busy with my sewing machine. Firstly is the piece we made at the last play day 1st Feb. Many layers of material, free machine embroidery, hand embroidery and paper. it was based on an article in Sew Somerset by Kristen Robinson. It is one of three the other two have yet to be done.

After completing this piece I wanted to use my sewing machine again and had an idea for a small journal with tags.  It was made from Saunders Waterford watercolour paper and vintage notebook paper.

Have recently been given an Atc so needed to make one to give back. I made 3 mixed media with free machine embroidery. These were my first Atc's ever.

And last of all is my February Art Journal Calendar using Ranger distress paints on a Gelli plate and Dylusions ink sprays the new Dylusions colours are scrummy, go check them out at www.afth.co.uk. The page isn't quite finished yet. It needs an image or two!!!

January 2013

Just posting in time even though this was done early December.

December 2012

Here is the December  Calender page ready to decorate. The stamps are stampotique DT tangled enthusiasm (dressed up for Christmas!) and tangled lights which I also used for October but I just love them. The background was done with a Gelli plate and Golden Paints from AFTH.

Gelli Art

Spent a fabulous day at AFTH with Kate Crane getting to grips with Gelli plate printing.. The journal page background was one of many done on the day.  When I got  home I had a go at my Dylusions Journal cover.  Pics of the front and back.  I am enjoying using my new journal with Golden paints, Dylusions Inks and paints and my old Jo Sonja paint. Supplies from AFTH.

October and November

Finally caught up with my blogging! So here are October and November pages.

August 2012

Where is this year going August already. July is complete and August is ready to go.

July 1st

Well June was busy having spent 2 weeks in Samos. A beautiful island and not spoilt. It turns out I forgot to blog June's page so here it is now followed by July all ready to go.

It's May

Well better on the timing front than April. Here is May's Calendar page using loads of Stampotique images all available from AFTH. The background is Dylusion Inks.

Birthday Card

Back in March I went to AFTH for a mini art journal workshop with Kate Crane. We did a warm up exercise to music with 3 colours of Golden Paint. You had to just let the music lead you and paint shapes. The background to this card is part of that warm up sheet. The swirls and Mwah are Stampotique stamps and the two girls picture is a Paperbag Studio image.

April 2012 phew

Not sure how march is sideways but have done this post from my phone which I hope works better.

March 2012 at last!

Well its only 19th April so not too late........ April is ready and has been for ages so why have I not uploaded? Too many things on my mind, too much to do in the garden, house, re-ordering of patio take your pick.

Out with Feb in with March

February all done and March ready to go.

Watercolour Lady

Just been browsing on Youtube and was amazed to see this speed painting video. Just love the loose style of this painting by Agnes-Cecile@deviantart.com. Isn't it just stunning.

Payday Canvas

Ladies who lunch met for a playday yesterday. We had all watched this youtube video and were inspired to make a canvas. This is mine, my first effort at canvas with a person in it.

Camera mistake picture not taken in natual daylight but is actually the canvas is on a piece of white drawing paper but the picture is a little dark.

Pat's canvas is here and Ann's canvas is here.


Updated photo in daylight, the colours are sooo much better.

Stampotique Art Journaling

These pages were started on Saturday 28th when I spent the day at AFTH with Kate Crane journalling with Stampotique stamps.

I ordered some new to me Faber and Castell Gelatos (as seen in the photo) from Simonsaysstamp in USA on 25th Feb, well much to my surprise they arrived here 31st that must be a record. I used them to tint the faces and to quieten down the black which ran away with me! They are water soluable and sort of waxy and with a creamy opaque consistancy. Thank you Simonsaysstamp.

January done

So far so good January completed, and February ready.

Ponderings.....

What to do on a wet day, more sorting of boxes finding an old diary and being inspired to journal, drawings hand drawn inspiration taken from the 1994 diary I found when sorting. Following some camera technique guidance yesterday suggesting that you should not

1. use the flash for these kind of photos

2. if you put your subject on a white background the camera apature opens more thus making the picture brighter

I am uploading a revised photo. Thank you Kate for your sound advice.

Catch Up

Ladies who lunch do a project each month. I have not been very good with blogging over the last few months so here are 2 projects January and November, if I get the pics in the right order! January was the bird house using metal, November was the the Ikea mirror with metal panels. We made a Christmas door wreath in December as seen here on Ann's blog.

More stuff

Just testing. This is nothing to do with crafting but just trying out the Blogger app. Simples! This was my Grans tea set.