Monday 30 January 2012

See me in Sew Hip Issue 38

Last August I emailed several ideas to Sew Hip and was astounded when the editor said that she was interested in all of them!  I was featured in the [revious month where the magazine tells the reader what is coming in the next issue.  I was sort of hopeing that I may have been on the front cover.....well I am
.....bottom left hand corner!!
I made the three pin cushions and wrote up the instructions.I really enjoyed making the samples and last week they were sent back.
Lovely pictures were taken and I was delighted with the full page photograph.
Lots of close-ups which show the detailing.  (Can you tell how pleased I am with this?)
I now feel inspired to dig out the old felt and make up some more items.  I have signed up for a Craft Fair just before Easter and I do need some more stock.  Perhaps some of these would be the ticket.
Have a great week everyone and remember the deadline for the giveaway is tomorrow.
xx

Sunday 29 January 2012

OPAM - Table Top Ironing Mat

I was given a mini hot iron for Christmas and it prompted me into making something that I have been thinking about for ages.
In the attic it is not easy getting a full size ironing board up the curve if the stairs so a table top ironing mat seemed to be in order.
I still had a few quilt blocks to use up and by adding a few more rows around the outside I made it big enough for most jobs that could be ironed on a table.
I put a loop in one corner so that it can be hung up when not in use.
I added one of my labels for posteritiy.
Just big enough for applique, quilt blocks and adding bond-a-web nd taking to workshops and classes.
Hanging up when not in use.
Next is a little pouch to keep all of the interchangable tips that come with the mini iron.  Use a another quilt block, I think.
xx
PS. Enter Website name comp by clicking on this link

Saturday 28 January 2012

Prizes for the Website Name Comp

After Ballet this morning I sorted out the prizes for this giveaway.  Glad that 5 have signed up already, would be nice to have some more.
*So there is Pin cushion kit with Cath Kidston fabric and the instructions are in my tutorial sidebar.
*Plus 2 sheets of felt
*Bundles of ribbon
*A roll of Amy Butler fabric
*1 fat quarters of fabric
* A pincushion kit with Cath Kidston fabric (the instructions are in the sidebar under Tutorials
*Chiffon bag of buttons
*A keyring made by me using Cath Kidston fabric (not shown forgot to add in pic)
To Enter:
You need to leave a comment on the previous post gibing your suggestion as to what I could.should do about a name for my website.
If you are not already a follower you could do that to but it is not compulsory.
So some on folks, lets that those ideas.
Deadline is next Tuesday 31st January 2012
Good Luck
xx

Thursday 26 January 2012

Website Name Competition

Over the past year I have pondering about setting up a website.   I did dabble in this a few years ago. I have been considering whether to do a blogshop or a www website.  I have been spending the last few months investigating several options and tonight I have been looking at Create.
However, my question is......what shall I call it?
Shall I keep it Indigo Blue?  I have all of the stickers, labels etc as I have used this name since about 2008.
Shall I go for something else like "Stitched Creations" with a different colour scheme?
After all I do create items using a range of techniques such as the cushion above.
So here is what I thought we could do.
I was going to post a giveaway for my 4th blog anniversary last September but my Dad passed away then my 800th post but Tiger was very ill, plus work etc.  So I thought that now I could have a website site naming propsal Giveaway and do all three together.
All you need to do is leave a comment here with your suggestion.  Regulars will now what I make.  If you are not sure then there is a link to my Etsy shop (which could also do with a make over) and make a suggestion for a website name that suits what I make and feature on this blog and sell currently on Etsy.
You can enter as many times as you like but put a different suggstion in a different comment as the number generator will not recognise the number of suggestions you are making.
I will then use the number generator and pick a winner(s) and send a prize from my growing Giveaway Bag but it will be of a fabric-ribbon-magazine, useful lovely type of prize.
I will feature this tomorrow as I have just thought of this and not taken any pictures.
Anyone can take part.  You do not have to become a follower but it is an easy way to find the results post in your Dashboard to see if you have won.

So my creative friends get thinking and I am keen to see what you come up with.
Deadline for this is next Tuesday 31st January at midnight.
I shall post the prize pics tomorrow.  I also have some good news but I have to wait until tomorrow to tell you.
xx

Wednesday 25 January 2012

Pop Art WIP

This year I have been asked to teacher Art to Year7 and 8.  I like to actually have a go at the wook that the students are asked to do and it enables me to see what pitfalls they may encounter before they reach them.
So I found a sketchbook like theirs and started to produce some of the tasks in advance so that they could get an idea of how to work and create their own interpretation.
I needed to choose an artist from a list of three.
I chose Romero Britto.  I have previous posts on this artist.
Sorry, this picture has been rotated, we also looked at existing bold graphical images including chocolate wrappers.
We also looked at stencilling with acrylics.  I have a picture of this but blogger is being silly with it so I shall leave it out.  Once all of this was done we then designed an image in the style of our chosen artist on to a wooden board using acrylic paints. 
Below is my effort.
Using a sponge I coated the background in turquoise and being acrylic I needed to let it dry overnight.
I then pencilled on my design, keeping to the theme and artist style that I had chosen.
The areas of colour were then added using my research as reference.
Once all of the colour has been added and allowed to fully dry, I used a thick permanent marker to go around the edges and add any detail.
It is now sitting in a stand on a shelf in my classroom.
I really enjoyed this project.  This week we are starting Tribal Identity.  Lots of pattern and lovely research to be done.  More on that another time.
xx

Tuesday 24 January 2012

London Science Museum Summer Visit

That would be Summer 2011 that I am referring to.  I was going through my Picassa file and noticed that I had not posted about our visit to London.  For the past few summers we have been visiting my sister in law in Seaford and if we can a trip to London has to be done.  We live in Cornwall to it is quite a distance to manage otherwise.
So off we went on the train and first visited the Natural History Museum to mainly look at the Egyptian exhibits because Sophie was doing a project on them in the September.  Then it was off on the underground to ..............

..........the Science Museum above.
We just wanted to see it all, but there was one exhibition there which really interested me and is not normally there.
An exhibition on how the fashion industry is trying to combat landfill and recycling of fabrics and other materials.
There was a lot of information about possible new fabrics of the future.  I hope you can see the text as I did not have a notebook with me, tut tut!
This dress was really eye-catching and I had to really think where I would start to actually put this together.
Carefully folded pieces of newspaper.  How many do you think there are?
It looked even better in the flesh.
I did manage to take pictures of some of the information posters which explained some of the garments.
The above information goes with this eye-catching white dress.
Sorry about the reflection in the glass, did my best to avoid that.
This is a message that I cover as part of my lessons.
It was only a small exhibition and it was a pity that it was not publicised more but Sophie was very interested in what she saw.  The next generation needs to be well informed.  Roll next Summer as i think we would like to try the Art galleries next.
xx

Monday 23 January 2012

Postage Stamp Charm Quilt Swap

I was blog hopping last week end found this swap/challenge on The Curious Quilter blog.  I really enjoyed taking part in two quilt alongs a year or so back and I do have tiny scraps of fabric which I do not really know what to do with.  There will be regular sign ups as we go along and I felt it was a challenge that i could dip in and out of depending on my work load.
I have decided to use 2 inch squares and my shoe box is gradually filing up.  I have a 100 squares cut up and ready to swap when I am assigned a partner to send them to.  I will then recieve some in return which will be different...and so on.
I will also need to decide what to make my charm squares into.  I was thinking of small but useful items which I will be able to complete and not fall behind with.  I like several items on the go at a time and this will fit in well with the makes that I have started in the New Year. 
So do pop over and read the posts shown so far and see what you think.
xx

Sunday 22 January 2012

OPAM 2012 I have signed up.................

I have signed up to OPAM 2012 again, this will be my third year and it is really one of the most motivating things that I have joined in with.  Even after having a blog for about four and a half years the struggle to upload the image with the link etc in the side bar had me at odds with my beloved little netbook.  I shall never understand ICT, why it should work with one thing and then drive me to despair when doing exactly the same task again (I have uploaded more linked images that I care to think about but still ended up swearing under my breath).
Well, moving on....it can be found in the side bar and links (hopefully) to Peg and you will be able to see all of the other OPAMERS and see what they are making.  Their work is brilliant.
I have made several things already this month and I shall add them once I have checked that they meet the guidelines of the challenge.  This year I must also remember a few things myself such as.....

*Remember to take a decent picture BEFORE giving the item away!
*Remember which file I put said picture in so that I can actually find it to post it!
*When I do a mass picture taking session to remember to go back through them all and create an end of month OPAM post using Picassa collage to show my makes for that month.
*Try not to let the end of the month round up sneak up on me and rushing to email my total.

In short I need more time and a much better memory.....trouble is one I never seem to get enough of the first  and the late I think might be down to middle age (or lack of sleep).

Since Christmas I have been a little mug rug mad and with some birthdays coming up I think some more are likely to be in the pipeline.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend.  I need to go and plan a Textile Art lesson for tomorrow.  I am doing a workshop on felting with a group.
xx

Friday 20 January 2012

Warning PLEASE READ... SPAM EMAIL ALERT

URGENT PLEASE READ
I have just had an email from who I thought was friend and it turns out that it was a SPAM email using their address.  I was not able to open it as my interent protection stopped it.  However it has gone through my email address book and sent the spam email on.  So if you have recieved an email with my name just before this one today then DO NOT OPEN IT!!!!!

I have sent an email to my whole address book asking them not to open it and thought I would put it here too.
I am so sorry but came with a friend's email address and did not look suspicous at all.  It does not appear to have damaged my laptop at all ( I am using it now) but it has upset me to think I could cause anyone else any problems.  I have also informed my friend whose email address was used.  I just hope I do not have any complaints from Exeter Uni on Monday!!

So sorry and I wish this kind of abuse of the internet could be stopped.
xx

Wednesday 18 January 2012

Crochet WIP Progress

A few posts back I said that I was making up a series of Granny squares.  Well I have now made them and stitched them together.
I have been using up wool that could not be used for anything really that big other than knitting or Crochet.  I tried to spread out the colours across the squares.
By curving round one square I will be able to transform the squares into a bag.  My next step will be to sort out a pattern for the lining so that the bag does not over stretch and things do not fall through the crochet.
I hope to have a final view really soon, but I need to crochet the edging and make some handles too.  I have seen some similar bags on the Internet but I have figured out the shape and layout myself and considering I am fairly new to crochet I am quite pleased with how it is looking.
Anyway, time to go to my little sewing group and see how my quilt wip is progressing, I have not touched it since last summer.
PS.  Many thanks for all of the lovely comments regarding Tiger.  It was a very sad day but he is recorded here on my blog and we have talked about him lots this week.  Toffy seems ok but has stayed very close to the house this passed week.
xx  

Sunday 15 January 2012

Goodbye Tiger

I had half written a post about my blogaversary and 800th post giveaway today but something sad has happened.
He had a lovely face and very long whiskers!
Tiger was about 18 years old, give or take a year or two and he was a rescue cat from the PDSA.  He had recently developed a form of diabetes, and we were told that we would have to inject him twice a day.  Tiger would not have put up with that, he hated having his claws clipped.  He did not like being grabbed and held down.  Only the Vets seemed to get away with that.  We felt that as long he was not in any pain and was eating and drinking we would not go down the injection route.  Some may not agree with this but we felt to stick a sharp item in him at least twice a day and not be able to explain to him why was a bit cruel.  So we have been keeping a very close eye on him and was one of the reasons why we did not visit anyone over Christmas as we did not want to put him in a cattery, they probably would not have taken him anyway.
We noticed weight loss, especially when we were travelling back and forth to see my Dad.  He was eating well, Tuna being his favourite, but the last few days we have seen a rapid down turn and last night he was eating but could not stand for long or walk.  Could not get comfortable and was crying a bit.
One of the oldest cats in the area and none of the other cats ever bothered this old boy.
This morning when I got up he was worse.  Hubby had left at 7am to go to the NEC to see the motor show, the first time he has gone anywhere like that with two friends for years!  Excellent timing.
Tiger would not eat, kept falling over and was clearly distressed, so I rang the vet emergency line and Sophie and I were asked to take him in.
After a quick check up he was quietly put down at about 1.15pm. I asked Sophie to wait outside but she said no and wanted to stay.  This aspect is all part of being a pet owner but  it was a first for me at 42, so I was not sure how she would react, I had always been at school or college .when this ever happened with my parents pets.  I know have to tell hubby when he gets in as we did act quickly this morning and I have decided not to ring and tell him but wait until he gets in.  There is nothing he can do.
So it has been rather a bad day but it was for the best.  We have pictures and stories to look back on and we knew when we took Tiger on that he may not last long, it has been about three years.  At least it was in a  warm family home with comforts, and not stuck in a large cage where we first met him.
 He loved lying in the sun on the decking all afternoon!
We decided to make the last few months/weeks as comfortable as possible and he was purring a little and spirited even when the vet picked him up, and we made a fuss of him right up to the end. Toffy is sitting on one of the kitchen chairs next to me, he is going to wonder where Tiger is at dinner time but he will adjust.
So....I shall post my giveaway in a day or two time. 
xx

Thursday 12 January 2012

Take a look at.....

Whilst looking at google images for flowers I found this.....
Now, I think that this is perhaps taking your hobby a little far when your new paint job in the style of cross stitch.  I have to say that it is very cleverly done, so neat and it in colours that I really like.
Not sure that it would look right on a silver Vauxhall though.
Progress with WIP's has been slow this week and i seem to have started about three things all at the same time.  I will try and post what I am doing this weekend.
I wonder if anyone has tried a patchwork/quilted look to a car?  I could then be tempted...........
x

Wednesday 11 January 2012

Recycled Cards

I thought that you would like to see something that Sophie and I made together at the weekend.
Old Christmas cards, hole punch, old pinking shears, thin ribbon, sentiment stickers.
For several years Sophie and I said that we should recycle our cards and make them into something, and this time we did!
We cut the cards into shapes and punched a hole.
Sophie added the stickers on the back and looped the ribbon through.
We soon had a small pile of tags ready for next Christmas.  Any cards not used were put in the recycling and the above tags have been put safely in one of the small dresser drawers where we will be able to find them.
Our organising of 2012 is still going strong.....so far.
What you do with all of your Christmas cards?
I was sent a lovely card two years ago by Lise at The Chocolate Cat with a round patchwork cushion on it and I have kept it as a bookmark as I liked it so much.
xx

Monday 9 January 2012

A lovely treat.......

I think that word has got round that I like Cath Kidston.  Whilst studying for my Fashion degree I did develop an allergy to calico and used pots and pots of Nivea and Atrixo at the end of end day.  I do not have this problem to the same extent but I am prone to dry and irritated hands when using rang of fabric, paints,PVA and washing my hands in between tasks, that I still use quite a bit of hand cream.
SO when I was given the above for Christmas....well my little face just light up with pleasure and appreciation not only for the brand but also the though for my poor over worked hands!
The nail file is in my handbag, the hand and cuticle cream is by my bedside and the soap on the shower room.  All set for lots of hand TLC after many a sewing session.   I think this set is still available on her website.
A Lovely gift which will be put to good use.....thank you.
The winter months always takes a toll on our skin and needs a little help, so what is your favourite hand cream?
xx 
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