Numbers

I have been tidying up my blog postings and have found that there were quite a few draft ones from the early days when I was unsure how it all worked. So, I have not published as many posts as I had thought. Back in early July I announced my 150th post, not so; it was actually in late August. I will never keep up with those of you who manage to find time daily to post something.

............and talking about numbers here a few more pendants and puffy hearts

Embellishing

It's been a while since the embellishing machine has been used. This is the result and what an expensive one, broke three needles in one go! Does anyone know a good place to get them, because at £2 each I need to find an alternate source.

I had a very happy Sunday making my very first batch of soap, well two in fact. The first one seemed to go well so I went for a second batch, not so easy. It is something that I've been going to do for a year and now wonder why I put it off for so long. The proof will be when I can see the full results in a few weeks time, it is happily curing under the kitchen table.

Puffy hearts

These are just a few of the puffy hearts that I made from the fabric created last week.

Creativity

All credit to Joe, my nephew, who took this photograph. I think it is wonderful. Joe has made me all sorts of wonderful wire work figures. A small sheep as I love sheep, had a playpen with them in when I had my tonsils out at the age of five. A vase of flowers for a special birthday in an old lemonade bottle containing sand he had collected on a rally through a desert and a person with lovely solid feet.

Creating New Fabric

Creating a new fabric from bits and pieces of other fabrics is something that I return to often. I saw an article about making puffy hearts in the recent issue of Cloth Paper Scissors so I thought I would have a go at making some. It fits neatly with my frequently used heart shape/motif and the use of oddments of fabric.

This is the new fabric that I have created from velvets, silks and fancy yarns all stitched on to a piece of old sheeting.

Indian Summer

Well, I thought it was Indian summer like today and the fabric that I have used is and the colours seemed just right.

I have not used soluble fabric for a while so thought I would just let my imagination run away. I have used bits of an Indian printed silk scarf along with snippets of grosgrain ribbon. The sculptural pieces are knitted wire made into dish shapes into which I have stitched some smaller pieces of silk that I have machine embroidered, finished off with seed beads.

Happiness

Had a lovely surprise yesterday, Charlotte of fancypicnic posted this award for me on her blog. It's the first one I have had, saying that it may be the only one, I am very grateful it cheered me up. I now need to think who I would like to pass it onto. 

Family History

I have spent many a happy hour researching my family history and have been fortunate enough to find out information going back as many as seven or eight generations. This last weekend my Grandparents would have celebrated their 79th anniversary. This small quilt is a very simple celebration of that. I found the photograph of their wedding; that I had printed out onto silk a while ago and the other items were in the collection of odds and ends to use up.

Dorset

I've been down to one of my favourite places for a few days. It was so good to breath in some sea air, I am about as far away from it as it is possible to be be in this country and I just love being on the coast.  Visited Hugh's Cafe for the first time, lots of lovely food and pottery to be admired. Weather was generally kind, had lunch outside on Saturday overlooking a turbulent sea. There were several good exhibitions to see including Made in Dorset fantastic wallpapers in the most amazing colour combinations, felted and machine jewellery, local produce and much more. The church at Eype is now used both as a local church and an arts venue. There was an exhibtion by several of the artists that I have got to know by visiting Art Weeks and other events.    

1st September

I can hardly believe that we have a bright blue sky today, it's been so rare this summer, just had to comment on it.
These are the other two items that I made from the embroidered denim.
A brooch made with recycled denim as the base to which I have added snippets of fabric, angelina fibres, threads and then a layer of organza. Machine embroidered and then with a soldering iron I have burnt back the organza. Hand embroidery and the addition of seed beads finish the piece. And yes the back is recycled space dyed linen.
First attempt at an ATC on the same denim with similar additions to those of the brooch.