Thursday 30 April 2009
Creative Swap Challenge Runner Up
Tuesday 28 April 2009
Seed Sketchbook continued
A single smaller flower.
This picture shows the little black dots of the SEEDS. I have taken a risk and planted a few, well you never know do you? Lovely spiky look to these flowers once the petals have gone.
Spiky, spiky. I can think of lots to do with these images and I have decided that once Sophie is tucked up in bed on Friday evening and hubby is out I shall finish some marking and then have a play with some ideas in my book.
Another shot of this pic simply because I like it so much. Hubby thinks that I should make this into some cards.
Bye for now I need a hot cup of tea and an early(ish) night .
xx
Monday 27 April 2009
Sketchbook Monday (Sunday)
I then began to search for Dandelion pictures. I found some by accident on a clipart CD I had at work for a computer design software for Textiles garments! There were several Dandelion plants in the garden which had very kindly decided to grow at the right time so I kept an eye on them then got the camera out just at the right time.
I am quite pleased with this photo. It could be better but considering I do not really have the right lense for this type of picture I was lucky to get this.I then sketched small sections of the Dandelion head and looked at it from different views. This is not finished at all but I will then stitch up little samples using the pictures and sketches as a starting point.
I have a long way to go and as I have said before my sketchbooks usually evolve via my own interests rather than a set theme, so it will be very interesting to see how this goes. I shall try and post about once a week on this, partly so that you can see what I am doing but hopefully it will help me to stick at it too.
Anyway best be off, I hope the week has started well for you so take care for now.
x
Sunday 26 April 2009
Busy, Busy, Busy....
Then to put Sophie in the shower, breakfast and then to swiftly move onto housework. We are up and at it today because Hubby wants to see the F1 race today because the weather means that putting the last coat of paint on the garage is unlikely today. I also want to finish some marking, look at a scheme of work and then have some me time. If you have smalls and watch 'Me too' you will know that they have a song about finishing a task on time and it is a bit like that here.
You can give them as gifts anytime. So they need packing and sending tomorrow. I also need to update my shops and take some pictures for a sketchbook project that the Embroiderers Guild is to run for a full year. Sounds along time but that slips by quickly doesn't it?
When I was told that the theme for the sketchbook was seeds I inwardly groaned because it did not exactly fill me with inspiration. So I sat on it so to speak for a few weeks but during the Easter break I did manage to make a start. I have more to add but I have not photographed it. I have been a bit slack with pictures this week! I want to do some stitch samples to add to the sketchbook too. The final intention is to have all of the sketchbooks as part of our next exhibition so I want it to be reasonably good. Normally I do sketchbooks just for me and I sometimes show them here but not deliberately for people to see so we are all making a bit of a shaky start!
The ATC's information I shall try and scan again today as it did not want to know yesterday (technology is wonderful, but only when it works!) and as I said before I am looking for 6 people but give me a chance to post the info before you say yes! They are small, you make them all the same as they go to the 6 people.
I also want to spend some time with Sophie who has just started cutting up boxes etc to make something! I have not got a clue what she is making but she does so that is want counts. Yesterday we bought her very first pair of trainers. My little baby is growing up too fast!! Slushy Mummy moment.
Saturday 25 April 2009
Felty Fun...
However, I still could not abandon the popular pink and green either. Now, the next problem. Etsy or Folksy? I may have to flip a coin.
Bye for now
xx
Friday 24 April 2009
Creative swap Voting...
I have a busy night with work ahead of me so that I can have my weekend free so I shall be back tomorrow.
Have a great weekend.
xx
PS. I will post about the ATC swap this weekend too.
Wednesday 22 April 2009
Creative swap entry...
The last few pictures do the colour a little more justice. I also used handmade felt which I had made a little while ago. Plus some heated/melted Tyvek, which is pretty weird to use, and stitched that down lightly as it is prone to cracking. Then some Angelina fibres which is created during a day class but I can not remember how!?
Anyway, I was pleased with the outcome and it survived the trip to America. I now just need to wait and see who receives my creation in the post.
I have been sent info about an ATC swap from a friend of mine in Australia so I will post about that at the weekend as it might be a good intro to these as they are very small and I only need 6 people to take part. I might need to send some details by snail mail for you but I will see if I can scan the pictures I have as they would be a good start to get the ideas flowing.
Many thanks to the new visitors to my blog since the weekend. Two of you do not have a way for me to reply to you which is a pity so maybe you could email me instead as I would like to reply.
Back tomorrow with some more goodies.
Take care
xx
Monday 20 April 2009
Clutch Change...
The book uses stretchy cord which I do not have and I am determined to use what I have rather than buy more. So I have used a large loop of thin ribbon into which I had put a knot. Partly to make it a tighter fit around a button, but it can be undone to give more expansion, but the very end knot will also give it something for the user to hold when un-looping the bag open.
I then wanted to come up with my own version so I looked at creating a curved edge to the clutch bag with the idea of making it into a new make-up bag.
The bag is fully lined and I found a large pink button in my button tin.
I then made another version. I used some of the gingham left over from Sophie's curtains, plus a white FQ with butterflies on.
This is quite a big button, one of a set of three. I bought it last October whilst visiting my Mum. The other two are blue based and green. These buttons caught my eye and as is always the case I decided to buy them with the 'I will use those for something' approach! I really like this button and when I visit my Mum again I hope that the shop will have some more.
I like working with this gingham, it irons nicely, finger creases well and gingham always looks so crisp and fresh. I am certainly going to make some more of these. I have a couple of birthdays coming up and these would be ideal especially as they will need to be posted.
Back at work today and all went well, lovely weather but this cold is still with me. It has gone down to my chest and I spent most of the day trying to catch my breath. So an early night with my book tonight I think.
xx
Saturday 18 April 2009
A sneaky peek...
A little wallet for coins, notes and cards.
Different types of totes and bags with step by step instructions.
I think that this bag would also look good as a mini version.
Straight forward quilts for anyone who has not tried on before. Good for using up all of those lovely scraps that many of us have tucked away.
Items for the kitchen such as tea cosies, coasters, place mats etc.
Friday 17 April 2009
Something Old Something New
Meet this old fella who used to belong to my Uncle when he was small (sadly no longer with us) and then was given to me when I was a baby. My uncle died in his mid-forties and I am going to be forty this coming Christmas so this is one old little bear. I passed him onto Sophie and he is not for playing with due to his grand age but I thought you might like to see him. By today's standards he is made of quite coarse fur, he has movable joints and toy eyes. He does not have any labels so certain age or where he was bought can not be determined. I do not think I ever gave him a name, he was simply Teddy.
His nose is a bit off centre, I think one of our family dogs had a bit of a go at him one day but he was repaired. I bet this little fella could tell some stories if he could talk.
Anyway back to the curtains, I needed this..
All very important, especially that mug of tea!
I have had this machine for about 10 years and it is brilliant. i can buy all sorts of attachments for it, a Husquavarna Lily.
Sadly it is no longer made, but parts and attachments for new machines still fit mine. I wish all companies thought ahead like that...
...and hopefully you end up with lovely curtains for about £15.00. I did take more photos but the flash kicked in and they did not come out properly. They are not quite as full when shut as I would have liked because I was recycling the blackout curtain fabric from the last set and that really 'fixed' the size for me. they look really good closed, (honestly) and Sophie is delighted with them. There is some gingham left over so I am going to buy a plain white single duvet cover and decorate it with the gingham. I have managed to make or embellish bed linen for Sophie ever since she was born. The pink quilt I made her last summer will go on top and will still be used for really hot nights instead of the duvet. Sophie has insisted on that bless her.
As for the bed, well, can I have a little moan please?
I rang up on 2nd April to enquire about stock, delivery etc and all was ok. Rang back two days later and it was out of stock. Ok, so when will it get to me?, well they will not be in stock until 14th April and then we can deliver. Well, we were going to be away for a bit so we said ok and I have not been able to find another bed that fits the bill, needs storage underneath etc. Tuesday 14th rang again, they had arrived but were being checked, rang again today still being checked and another delivery van will not be coming to Cornwall until 30th!! For petes sake, Cornwall is attached to the rest of the country, also why was the van situation not mentioned before? Also Sophie's old bed has been taken apart, she is in the attic which is not ideal for her (too complex to explain here) I shall be spending quite a bit here yet there seems to be no speed or urgency to get their hands on my money!! How b****y long does it take to check a bed for scratches or whatever it is. We were told there are 50 of them, but as I pointed out I only want ONE bed. So we are in limbo, so much for getting her room decorated, bed in shelves up etc before school starts! This is going to roll into next week. I would have preferred to have been told what was going to happen because their website, catalogue and my phone call all said a couple of days to be delivered, not a month.
Hay Ho!! But the curtains look great!!??
Thursday 16 April 2009
Wedding Anniversary
However we did go into Waterstones in Truro and Hubby treated me to these:
I also got the Amy Butler "In Stitches" book but I can not find the picture for it! I read that in bed last night and I have many items that I want to try out. Firstly I must finish Sophie's new curtains which I hope to have to show you tomorrow. I felt to awful yesterday that I did not go to my sewing group so the quilt is in one bag and the wadding is still sitting in another so no progress there at the moment. Sophie has a friend coming over to play in about 45 mins and the weather is much brighter today for them. Hubby is off to Dartmouth to do a stability test on a boat and I need to do some more marking. So a busy day ahead of me I think.
Well have a great day, I am off to decided which of the above to do first.
xx
Tuesday 14 April 2009
Recycled Quilt blocks.
I divided the blocks with some yellow strips that were in the bag. Now this bag was given to me about a year ago by a friend who was having a turn out. There is lots left and I am going to take them to work for Year 10 to have a practice on. " Waste not want not"! I will confess to not measuring anything, much of it was already cut to some degree. Sophie did ask if Tiger liked yellow or not which I thought was sweet. He did not seem to worry about the last blanket being bright orange!
The quilt stayed on the sofa for about 5 minutes before he settled himself down for a sleep. He is a little camera shy so this was the best picture i could get.
A happy cat on a new mat!
My posting has been a bit scant recently due to having problems installing my new computer anit-virus software. However Hubby has done it again and solved the problem! I knew there was a reason why I married him!
Back tomorrow.....
xx
Sunday 12 April 2009
Happy Easter everyone!!!
Friday 10 April 2009
Cath Kidston Brochure..take a look
I do like snap purses too. This pink paisley pattern would suit any age range.
Don't they look lovely hanging up like this?
Ahh!
Ooooo bags , bags glorious bags. I think I feel a little faint best get a cup of tea. See more here.
Have fun
x