Heloise

Window

2012-01-26T13:23:00.008Z

Week three art prompt is "look out the window and create a piece of artwork based on what you see outside". Using an app on my phone I did a rough drawing.

The drawing has been used to make a card. And because I like seeing what I can alter in PS there is another in different colours.

Emma asked me how I was saving the collection. At the moment I am reusing cello bags, taping down the quote and then I put a small label on to identify the week. They are being stored in a box. I may well need to alter this arrangement as time goes on.

Week four "take out an unfinished project and do one thing to it: take off a piece, add a piece, add colour, etc. I found out some part made fabric paper. Added one colour in the form of oil pastel, colour 222 from the Sennelier® range, which is Phtalo blue. Then sealed it with a gel medium [iridescent] And reasoning that black is not a colour, doodled on it.

Before:

After:

I will use this for notebook covers and cards.

Wishing you a happy weekend.

Project for 2012

2012-01-15T14:51:00.008Z

I have decided that I will use the 52 art prompts from Cloth paper Scissors. They have all been cut up and folded and placed in a container. I tried not to look at them, not easy. The first out was "sew strips of fabric and/or paper together and cut them into more strips that can be glued into a collage". The first batch were a bit too ordinary for me so I had another go which I feel happier with.

The orange paper came from Ethical Superstore. My sister in law spotted it and thought I would like it. It is great, not too thick and easy to stitch.

Week two required me to "draw and paint small images that can be cut and stored for later use in larger works."

I am enjoying the element of surprise and have started work on next weeks already. Not sure how long this will last. The next module of my course starts in two weeks time. I have been using my machine to make designs. using black thread on white paper I just drew with my needle. One sample, which I am using for several designs.

This is just one example.

Wishing you all a peaceful week.

Happy New Year

2012-01-06T15:30:00.008Z

Happy New Year. It has certainly been a windy one so far. I took a few photographs on new years day which are out of season. A daisy in flower on the meadow and then a dandelion.

On the way back I found a hollyhock still in flower but lying on the floor.

Then blossom on a tree at the end of the road. The wind has made it hard to photograph, but I hope you can see a bit of blossom.

I love this hydrangea skeleton.

A post without much colour would not be me so I leave you with a colour mood board that I have made.

Not sure what I am going to do this year as a project, thinking about that. It may well be the 52 art prompts from Cloth Paper Scissors.

Last Post of the Year

2011-12-31T16:49:00.010Z

I have just looked at how many blog posts I have written this year. Must try harder next year. Have finished all my notebooks. Number 49 is a card cover with a photograph of my Father when he was about 5 or 6 which I used on the invitations to his special birthday party.

The cover of notebook 50 is a black and white photograph of the meadow taken several years ago which has been printed onto silk then machined onto paper with plain paper pages.

Corrine at dosfishes inspired me to paint a large sheet of paper. I used orange, magenta, lime green and turquoise.

Which has been used for notebooks 51 and 52. 51 has been made up using strips of painted paper with coloured tapes and circles of the painted paper.

The back of 52.....

...and a section of the front.

They have plain paper pages. I have been listening to "The Best of Van Morrison" while writing this, there are so many lovely songs on that CD. This evening I am going to watch "The Way" about the pilgrim route.

Thank you all so much for your kind comments and friendship throughout the year. There have been points of this year when I have almost given up blogging, then suddenly there is a lovely message from someone and you know why you do it. I wish each one of you a very Happy New Year with lots of fun, laughter, creativity and good health.

Notebooks 47 and 48

2011-12-27T16:19:00.005Z

I hope that you all had a good Christmas. Mine was different than I expected still had a lovely day. Have been for walks on a wet meadow with grey clouds overhead, not ideal for taking photographs.

Have been experimenting with a drawing programme which has been fun, gradually getting the hang of it. Made my "thank you" cards yesterday.

I was very lucky to be given a Bamboo Pen® for Christmas and will show you how I get on with that another time, once I am able to draw something that I feel pleased with.

Notebook 47 is a copy of an old envelope that I picked up at the Oxford vintage market a few months ago transferred onto fabric. I've stitched it onto cartridge paper and the hand stitched in a few pages of plain paper.

Notebook 48 is a watercolour picture that I did many years ago and found recently. It has hand stitched in cartridge paper pages.

Will be back soon with more notebooks. Going to sit and watch "Little Women" on the box this evening, love the story.

Christmas

2011-12-20T16:46:00.003Z

I am so far behind with my notebooks they will have to wait until after Christmas. I have really enjoyed the course that I have been doing and I have spent far too long learning how to use a drawing programme.

Wishing you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas. Will be back soon once the notebooks are made. I will leave you with this card which I could have done freehand in a fraction of the time.

Notebook 45 and 46

2011-11-28T16:23:00.007Z

Like many of you I am sure; I am wondering how to get everything done at the moment. Decided that I needed to use two notebooks that I made some time ago for these two. The first has a photograph of my Mother's grandparents taken a very long time ago as Gt. Grandpa died before my Mother was born. I am using this notebook as it would have been my Mother's 80th birthday this last week. I have used felt to line the inside and it has plain paper pages.

Number 46 has a crazy patchwork cover including some fabric that I printed from fabric paper that I had made. Again lined with felt and plain paper pages. Both have handmade cords which were made from knitting yarn.

I have been out on the meadow again and this time I took my camera. Pictures of the vast expanse and one of the allotment.

Hope you are all well.

Meadow, Design and Notebook 44

2011-11-20T16:12:00.008Z

When I was out on the meadow in the week I saw buttercups and daises in flower. The seasons are certainly a bit out of kilter. I know that I have not done much blogging in any form in the last few months. I am likely to continue in that vain as I a taking an online course at the moment. When I was out in the cooler misty weather today I took some photographs, they are from my phone so not as clear as I would like.

I saw a huge gathering of geese, there must have 150, could not get too close.

I like the pattern that the bark and moss have created on this tree.

There are two trees near the allotments that are rather weather beaten. Some of the roots are proud in the ground.

Notebook 44 came to me as I finished off my bag of oats this morning I like the simplicity of the packaging, very traditional. I remember once as a child my Father sold some oats to Jordan's we were proud.

Then here are some very faded teasels against a galvanised barrel.

Hope you are all well. Good luck to all that have Christmas fairs coming up. Wishing you a happy week.

Notebooks 42 and 43

2011-11-09T16:29:00.009Z

A good friend had a special birthday recently and I made a journal based mainly on sand and sea colours as well as Bridport. Last time I was in Bridport I got a local newspaper from 1913. Several of the businesses advertising on the front are still there. Here are a few photographs of the journal.

Notebook 42 is a total experiment, the idea just floated into my head. I had been decorating some cardboard boxes with painted papers and decorative tape. I decided to leave the pull out packaging inside so that whatever it was used for it could be drawn out. That in turn looked like the outer covers for a note book. I have sewn the pages to a piece of linen cloth and then glued this to the spine.

Notebook 43 is a simple folded sheet of paper with a picture by Patrick Morgan cut out of the newspaper from an article on wine. The picture really appealed to me. The back is the a piece of decorated paper that has had some flower shapes cut out.

Blenheim, Notebooks 40 and 41

2011-10-27T15:39:00.013+01:00

I had a wonderful walk around a small part of the grounds at Blenheim earlier in the month. I went into Woodstock to start with and had completely forgotten that the fair would be there. It was wonderful to see the galloping horses outside the church and museum.

I have used my entry ticket to the palace grounds as the cover for notebook forty. It has cotton rag paper pages.

I walked through to the formal gardens at the side of the palace, where there are fountains and statues.

Then along to the rose garden, which is a large circular garden with arches carry roses around the perimeter.

I went back to Blenheim yesterday as it was such a wonderful bright sunny day. These are the photographs that I took.

I have been having a good sort out of my art materials including painted papers. Notebook forty-one has been made from one of those finds. The base is newsprint that I used to protect the table when painting, it has been embellished with oil pastels and pen. Then I have machined on vintage fabric and painted lace. The piece was then machined to thick brown paper also uncovered! It is 2.5 x 3.5 inches with torn cartridge paper pages.

Wishing you all an enjoyable weekend.

Notebooks 33,34,35,36,37,38 and 39

2011-10-16T16:02:00.013+01:00

Thank you all for your kind comments on my last post. I hope to get round and visit more of your blogs soon.

In order to catch up with the weeks when I've not made a notebook I have done a big batch over the last few days. They are all very simple. Hope to be more creative with future ones

Number 33 has a postcard cover of lake Garda sent to me this summer. Cotton rag paper insides.

Number 34 is a mixed media piece. I was inspired to do this having seen the work on threadnoodle's blog. Thank you Iz. The notebook has plain paper and is 1.5 x2 inches.

Number 35 has a cover made from a small part of a mixed media piece I made having used the great tutorial that Robenmarie had published in the May/June issue of Somerset Studio. the pages are cotton rag paper. It measures 1.75 x 3 inches.

Number 36 is a photograph a friend took and gave to me to use. I have sanded it, added gesso and various paints. It has plain paper pages.

Number 37 is half of a square cut folder that has been covered on the front with a mixture of papers, decorative tape, ribbon and die cuts.

The back has a postcard that has had similar treatment to the photograph above.

Number 38 is another small mixed media without a cord this time. Plain paper pages and measures 1.75 x 2.25 inches.

Number 39 is a card that my American pen friend sent to me. We have been pen friends for a very long time. I save Mary's cards but this one seemed ideal to make into a notebook. It has folded cotton rag paper pages.

The back tells you all about who made the piece of work.

Finally a rose taken when I went for a walk in the grounds of Blenheim palace recently. Will share more of that next time.

Late Summer

2011-10-01T11:27:00.006+01:00

I hope that many of you are enjoying this glorious weather. Like many I had put my summer clothes away, it was good to be able to get them out again. I realize it is some time since I last posted an entry here. Here are a few images of some printing that I have done on fabric. I have used the thermofax screens for the black images then sprayed paint through stencils and added dabs of acrylic paints. I will use the pieces for notebook covers or bags.

This one has had chalk pastels added to it and a layer of clear screen printing medium put over the top. The idea of doing this was inspired by Linda Thank you Linda.

I have had an interesting few months with two operations and not much energy. I will need to make at least six notebooks to catch up. Hope to post again soon. Hope that you are all keeping well. Enjoy the weekend. I am celebrating another birthday in the coming week, I can hardly believe that it will be warm enough to wear shorts and a t-shirt.

Here is a collage made over the summer.

Notebooks Thirty, Thirty-One and Thirty-Two

2011-08-20T15:40:00.009+01:00

Welcome to new followers and many thanks for all the kind comments left on my last post. Not much has been going on here. I thought that it was high time that I caught up with with making and posting my notebooks. Number thirty is a zig-zag one. The cover is a copy of a copy of a photograph of my Grandfather when he was very young. He was born in early August and at the beginning of the last century. I knew him until he was 89, he so wanted to get to 90.

Number thirty-one is a Moleskein ® notebook with a die cut flower from grunge paper.

This is the sheet that I cut it from. I have used some other shapes on a collage picture that I am working on. I am not sure what I feel about it as a material. I always think that it is good try out new things.

While I was painting and decorating the grunge paper I used an odd piece of silk fabric instead of paper towel to mop up the spare ink and paints. I am quite pleased with the results and will certainly do it again. In fact I have used this piece to ink-jet copy onto other materials and in turn that fabric has been used in a journal. It is for a present so I am not able to show you yet.

Notebook thirty-two is another very simple zig-zag notebook with a collage cover back and front.

Finally I will leave you with a picture of the late of summer. Autumn has come early this year.

I hope that you are all well and enjoying a peaceful weekend.

Life

2011-07-26T11:16:00.010+01:00

It was a beautiful morning here on Sunday. The first zinnia to flower this year.

Then I spied the moon.

My shed with russian vine clambering over the top of it.

Both Emma and Alex asked to see the front of my last notebook, here it is. It is rather rustic.

I guess it is how I have been feeling. Last week I had another small operation so not much was done prior to it or since. I knew my free machine embroidery needed improving so I got a piece of fabric and just wrote all over it in cream thread. That it turn has formed the basis of notebook twenty-nine. I used up scraps of fabric to decorate the cover. The notebook is approx 3.5" x 7" and has plain white pages inside.

Finally here is a collage that I have glued and stitched to-gether. Hand dyed silk, Alchemilla and Geranium put through the die-cutting machine just to squash the dye out. Screen printed brown paper, muslin and silk. They have all been bonded to soft tissue paper and some alcohol ink sprayed on. Free machine embroidery to finish the piece which measures 10" x 10".

Will be back once I have been creative.

Herbs, Roses and Notebook Twenty-Eight

2011-07-16T16:33:00.010+01:00

I mentioned in my last post about visiting Herbs for Healing which was interesting. It is on a plot of land behind Barnsley House the gardens there were designed by Rosemary Verey the mother of the Davina who has created the herb garden from a field. I came away wanting to grow more herbs and different ones. A few photographs of the garden.

When I was a child my Grandparents retired and moved to the village near us and had a property built. Just up the road was a typical village house side onto the road with the most amazing rose on the end wall. Once I had my own garden I was given a few roses from that plant and I managed to get one to grow. I have a couple of smaller ones coming along. It has been such a good year generally for roses. I wanted to share some photographs of my special rose. The son of the house, who must be retired now was a gardener for an Oxford college. The vegetables that he grew for his family were wonderful.

Some other plants have not done so well, this is the first dahlia in flower. I planted them in good time, but I think the conditions have affected so much this year.

A house leek, we had lots of these at the farm growing along the tops of the dry stone walls. It is the first time I have had any in my garden.

Notebook twenty-eight is a concertina one taken from my new book on making books. The front cover was inspired by these beautiful roses that Alex of Under A Topaz Sky makes from silk ribbons. I used some torn cotton fabric and pulled it quite tight.

Notebook 27

2011-07-09T21:06:00.005+01:00

I have been doing some dressmaking this last week. For most of my adult life I have made my own clothes, recently I have bought things. Mainly because it's not so easy to find fabric and the cost is greater than all the imports we have for everyday clothes. I found this beautiful fabric on Friday.

This afternoon I have been making a skirt with eight panels. It's been interesting as my machine with it's walking foot is being serviced and the shop very kindly loaned me one. But no walking foot, so back to sewing on tissue paper, which I have not done for a very long time.

Notebook 27 is a hard backed one. In my sorting out of clothes I decide my turquoise linen trousers that must be 15 years old were not going to be worn again. I have dismembered them washed the fabric and started to use it. I used to go and stay with a friend in Yorkshire and found a great place for fabric near Saltaire. This linen came from there, I had/have trousers, jacket, shift dress and a skirt the whole piece of fabric cost me £10. I have always been pleased with that purchase. I printed out my seed head using the thermofax screen. I meant to say where I got it from last time, the company is called Thermofax Screens.

The back has just a single image.

I thought I would share my process, which is one that I have come up with, having talked to a bookbinder, seen You Tube videos and then reading my new books.

Printed fabric, which is glued onto a piece of brown paper using watered down PVA. This stabilizes the fabric.

The signatures have been made up from torn water colored paper.

These are then stitched together with strong thread that has been waxed. The strips of fabric are to help hold it all in place.

The boards are glued onto the brown paper, the gaps between the front, spine and back boards allow the book to fold shut. At each gluing stage it is important to place the piece of work under something very heavy.

The fabric/paper are cut so that the edges are neater. Then using Golden Gel Medium I glued the edges onto the boards having first of all cut across the corners.

Glue end papers to the book stack down the edge near the spine. Once all parts are dry and have been pressed it is time to put glue on the end paper that will be inside front and or back cover, place this onto the board and make sure it is straight and smooth out. Weight the whole closed book down and allow to dry.

It is now Sunday evening. I started to write this yesterday afternoon, but Blogger was not happy. My brain is too addled to write anymore. Hope that you have all had a good weekend. I went to visit Healing with Herbs at Barnsley this afternoon, will tell you more about that another time.

Printing

2011-06-30T21:02:00.013+01:00

Notebook twenty-six, yes we are half way through the year. Is a very simple pamphlet notebook. The outside has been printed using the screen. This time I used Stewart Gill ® fabric paint to print the image. Then using another fabric paint with gold in it I hand painted the ends of the seed head. This is the front cover.

This is the back cover, there is some shadowing on the paper. I quite like this, but realize that I need to improve my technique. The inside pages are plain paper in a soft grey colour.

During Art Week several people asked me about printing images onto fabric and I promised that I would write about it here. I know that many of you will be streets ahead of me on this subject. I have tried using various techniques over the years and have found inkAID to be the best at the moment. The product comes in clear and white. The clear is easier to apply as it is more fluid. The white gives a slightly brighter stronger result. The numbers on the bottles are my records of how many sheets I have printed from a bottle.

Besides the inkAID you will need pre-washed and ironed fabric, freezer paper, a wide soft brush and a plastic sheet to protect your work surface. Inkjet printer.

Fabric:

I have used linen, cotton, silk and bamboo in different weights. I often us old bed linen which has a lovely smooth surface after years of being washed. All the fabric needs to be A4 size. I rip my fabric so that the grain is true. The photograph below shows linen, cotton and bamboo fabric.

Freezer Paper:

It is made by "Reynolds" and can be purchased from Art Van Go by the roll or Rainbow Silks either by the roll, meter or pre cut A4 sheets. Type "Freezer Paper" in the search box on their web site and it will give you these options. There will be other places to get this from, these are the two I use.

Paint the sheets of fabric with the inkAID and allow to dry. Dry iron the dry fabric, then iron it to the shiny side of the freezer paper. Trim off any stray threads. If you have a scanner/printer place the image on the scanner bed as you would for copying it. Print off the image. I find it pays to hold the freezer paper with the fabric attached to it as it goes into the printer, it can easily get caught up in the works. If you do not have a scanner then you can print from the computer as you would any other image. If you wish to print several small images place them all onto a plain "Word" document and print that.

Do hope that makes sense, do ask any questions and good luck.

Wishing you all a very Happy weekend. Will it be a Murray weekend, we will have to wait and see.

Notebooks Twenty Four and Twenty Five

2011-06-23T16:32:00.018+01:00

On Sunday my Father and I visited the lavender farm near Snowshill which is in Gloucestershire. There are 53 acres put down to lavender. It was beautiful. When we walked to the top of the hill we could see the Malvern hills in the distance.

Last week I was given another surprise present by a friend who has moved to a smaller house. Lots of paper including, paper for oil and water colour paints and lots of cartridge paper. All ideal for my journal making. In addition to the paper there were several canvases and boards ready for paint or mixed media work. Amongst the paper was one watercolour abstract picture. Which I cut into three I made two notebooks and the third piece had more paint added to it and some alcohol ink, which has now been turned into cards.

My notebook is number twenty four. It is approximately 6" square with plain cartridge paper inside.

And this one along with cards and gift tags has been sent off to the lovely person who gave me the wonderful collection.

Notebook twenty-five has been made using half a square cut folder in pink. I have used papers that I've painted along with commercial papers, wine labels and receipts. Rag paper flowers that have been spray with alcohol inks and finally decorative tape. With plain cartridge paper inside.

When I was in Dorset I bought a June 1913 edition of the local paper. It is going to be used in a journal later on in the year. In the mean time here is an advertizement from the front page. Interestingly I recognize the names of quite a few of the companies andvertizing.

These grasses caught my attention, I did not want them to seed every where, so here they are photographed against the Bridport News.

On Saturday I went to Windsor to see the end of year textile exhibition at East Berkshire College. Two friends had work on display. It was great to see their work and that of others. While I was there I got three thermofax screens having been inspired by the one Emma had made. I can see how one could become hooked on printing. First of all I made a Fathers day card, using a small screen on a French dictionary page for "Father".

Then this morning I needed four cards for family and friends. I printed out the image which to me is like cow parsley onto sheet music and cartridge paper. Then added oil pastel to one and machined fabric strips down the edge of all before applying to cards.

Must mention the contest that Cameron is having. Do take a look.

Finally I will leave you with a few photographs of plants from my garden that are in flower.

Wishing you all an enjoyable weekend.

Travels

2011-06-17T09:36:00.007+01:00

Two weeks ago I was on the road down to my other home; as my very best friend tells me. Yes, I was off to Bridport for a few days. It was wonderful to get away. I went to the Saturday market where there are lots of antique and vintage stalls as well as local produce and the usual market stalls. In The Arts Centre there was an exhibition by local artists including some very large canvases of collaged work which was interesting. Then to Eype where Stephen Bishop had an exhibition in the church, which is now used as an Arts Centre. I like his work, it is so vibrant and using oil pains he creates a lot of texture. Time spent watching the world go by at Burton Bradstock beach and doing some sketching. Lovely local crab and crayfish for supper. I got some lovely hand dyed Chilean wool that is slowly been knitted into another pair of socks, this time I have a better idea of the size.

Talking of wool I have been very lucky as my neighbours who have a few sheep asked me if I would like some fleece. I was expecting a small bag of wool but no I have been given a whole white and a whole black fleece. It has been good fun cleaning it all, takes me back to my childhood. I am going to try dying some of the white fleece, will let you know how that goes.

I had to go to Stroud last week, on the way I went to the Brewery Arts Centre in Cirencester. The exhibition Close to Nature was well worth going to. My favourite piece was done by Celia Smith, I believe that she is a farmers daughter. It was an amazing piece in very fine wire, a collection of birds in flight. I also spent some time talking to the bookbinder, Katherine O'Connell. I came home and just had to have a go at making a hardback notebook. It is quite a challenge to get everything just so. My first one is not true, but none the less I feel quite pleased that I managed to make one. This is notebook twenty-two, it is 3.5 x 2.75" with a fabric cover and plain paper inside.

I have since brought a book on making notebooks, lots of wonderful projects inside here.

Notebook twenty- three is another hard backed notebook, it is 6 x 4" the cover is paper and the inside pages are pale blue, pink and mauve.

I have another new book, Surface Treatment Workshop. It is packed full of information. Some of the processes I have tried before others are completely new to me. I am going to work my way through the book over the summer.

Hope you are all well. Have a good weekend.

Happiness and Sadness

2011-06-01T19:59:00.005+01:00

Not much to show you this time, in fact there is only one picture of paint on paper.

Art Weeks for this county have come and gone for another year. I met some wonderful people lots of whom were interested in printing photographic images onto fabric. I will come back in a while with a "how I do that" blog post. Thank you to all who came to see me. I think the highlight had to be when one visitor walked in and said that she did not want to go home, really appreciated that compliment. Especially; as I later discovered that she was obviously a very talented artist. Sadness as some members of my extended family drove up from the south coast on one of the two days I had to be closed as I was so unwell. So sorry to have missed them. I slept for England for several days at the end of last week.

I am beginning to catch up and will get the parcels from the give away off in the next few days, sorry for the delay.

I decided whilst talking a walk on the meadow to take a break from blogging. Will be back with my weekly notebooks sometime soon.

The pair of swans on the meadow have six signets this year, they are fluffy balls of grey down at the moment.

Stay well be happy.

Notebook 21 and Giveaway

2011-05-25T19:38:00.004+01:00

Notebook twenty-one is one that I have created quickly using a moleskein notebook. The text on the front which is a description of an artist was given to me by Emma and the beautiful flower by Linda.

The roses are amazing this year and this one is actually next doors, but as it is on my south facing fence I have more in my garden.

All the names for the giveaway went into a bowl and were drawn randomly. The winners are:

Gina who will be receiving the textile item

Jan who will be receiving something heart related

Corrine who will have some mixed media items

Underatopazky who will have something photographic

If you can let me have your addresses I will get the parcels off next week. Life is a bit busy with Art Weeks, which is our open studios event. It has been going well. Even though I was closed today I had 6 visitors 200% more that yesterday. The weekends are when most people come.

Hope you are all well and happy.

Notebook Twenty

2011-05-18T13:27:00.016+01:00

This weeks notebook is a journal about 3" square and just over an inch in thickness. The cover is some silk strips stitched down onto a backing fabric. I am agai using up some work started at least five years ago. I had a go at making felt beads recently, they were not round so this is one cut in half so that you see the colours used in the middle. Water colour pages decorated with pieces of some of the French manuscript I recently acquired along with some commercial paper.

I have used vintage Laura Ashley fabric for the inside of the cover.

Recently a friend had a special birthday and this is the journal I made for her. Working in muted browns, green, mauve and aubergine was a bit of a challenge for me.

Hope you are all having a good week.

Flowers and Notebook Nineteen

2011-05-15T16:33:00.009+01:00

My original post from Tuesday has not found it's way home so all the kind comments that you left have vanished too. Please do leave a brief comment here for the give away if you would like to. I can remember most of the names but not all; so thought it best to ask you.

We had lovely light this morning so here is a brief tour around the garden. Photographs of flowers that are out at the moment. My eucalyptus tree has looked very sad, only in the last week or so have wonderful new shoots begun to appeared. The olive tree and pittosporum look rather sad too, but there are some tiny new shoots appearing.

Notebook nineteen for which I can take no credit is a moleskein with a piece of art work by Emma, that she gave to me when we met up last autumn.

Wishing you all a happy week.

4 Years - Again

2011-05-10T22:12:00.009+01:00

Replacement Post.

Well, it seems that the post I did the other day has been lost in the ether. I had started it on Tuesday, then worked on it on Wednesday. Third time lucky I hope. It was May 10th that was the anniversary.

I know this is how it started as it was saved in draft form.

"I can hardly believe that it is four years today since I started this blog. Some of the time life has flown by and others it has not."

The opening of doors and the journeys down various paths has been interesting. This is the gate into an enclosed garden at Waterperry House.

I feel very fortunate to have come across some wonderful people. I have made friends and discovered new techniques. Thank you for sharing your work and ideas. We all learn information about our own country and those further afield.

A pathway through the bluebells.

This photograph is of an 18th century French manuscript that I recently found at a local market. The lace is from a blog friend and the rose from a family member.

I am having a give-away that will be a surprise. The draw will take place on Wednesday 25th May. I looked back at the labels that I had used most of all and they are textile, heart, photography, mixed media and textile jewellery. Once the names are drawn I will match up items with those selected.

Thank you for your friendship and kindness.

I am afraid that I do not remember all that left a message so might I ask you to do so again.

Hope that you are all having a good weekend.

Flowers

2011-05-08T17:27:00.000+01:00

Buttercups are beginning to come out and the meadow usually has a good covering. These are two photographs that I took when out for a walk this week. I had hoped to get to see the cattle but they must have been at the other end, which is quite a way away.

This one is looking over to the west and "The Trout" of Morse fame is off to the right.

This one is looking towards Oxford.

Using the organza that Jill sent to me earlier in the year along with some of the silk from Anna Belinda I have made these flowers. Whilst hand stitching them in the garden a gust of wind took the blue one off into next doors apple tree. Liberated with the aid of a garden cane.

The garden has certainly benefited from the rain over the last 24 hours. Lets hope that it is enough to make a difference to the crops that have been calling out for rain. Whilst on the meadow I could see quite a few cracks in the bare ground especially where the cattle and horses have been.

Over the last week or so I have been working on some mixed media art journal pages having been tempted to purchase a copy of Somerset Studio Magazine. The workshop instructions were by Roben-Marie Smith who's work I have admired for some time. Link to article on Roben-Marie's blog. Here is a close up of one of the pieces I have made. This is on heavy weight water-colour paper. It is a very absorbing process and one that I shall return to.

Then using a part of it I have made some tiny books.

I had a go at the same process using a canvas. Which was different. I think in hind sight I should have used clear gesso in order to build up more layers. This is a corner of the canvas.

Notebook number eighteen is one of the small notebooks. It measures 1.5 inches x 9/10th. It has 10 pages of cartridge paper pages.

Wishing you all a good week.

Bluebells

2011-04-29T17:02:00.009+01:00

These bluebell woods are near Stonesfield, which is a Cotswold village not far from Woodstock. The light was wonderful when I was there last weekend.

Oil seed rape is in flower several weeks early. It can seem out of place in our landscape or create an impressive impact. This field is near Blenheim.

I have been making some collage cards. Some with vintage fabric and others with coffee dyed scrim and old photographs printed onto silk. The lace was in the box that Cameron sent to me recently. It is so lovely I am finding it hard to use it.

Notebook seventeen has a cover made from vintage Laura Ashley fabric and an appliqued vintage label printed onto cotton. I have used plain paper for the pages.

Wishing you all a peaceful weekend.

Lines

2011-04-24T16:52:00.011+01:00

I like being outside as much as possible and on Friday I had breakfast outside for the first time this year. I have had lunch outside on quite a few days but to complete the day by having supper outside too; was wonderful. It has been summer rather than spring weather. I went to Waterperry to see the gardens and craft gallery. Where I took lots of photographs of the gardens, mainly lines of trees many of them apple.

Here is some of the apple blossom.

This tree was cordoned off as it was being used to graft new stock, hence all the labels.

These are of the formal part of the garden.

Notebook sixteen is a Moleskine one with one of the dress images from last year.

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter.

Notebooks Fourteen and Fifteen

2011-04-14T20:06:00.007+01:00

Thank you all for your kind comments. Been in the wars again with my neck and shoulder, so not been able to do much computing or driving. So please forgive me for not responding to comments or leaving any. Do hope you are all thriving. This is mainly a visual post.

Notebook fourteen is a very simple zig-zag notebook with French themed covers.

Notebook fifteen is also a simple one, made from watercolour paper with splashes of colour added.

I had a wonderful surprise this week a box of pieces of felted fabric from Cameron along with some gorgeous vintage lace. Cameron you are so very generous. I will show you what I make with it as time goes on.

Two more notebooks in different colours and with added quotes.

Small bags made from vintage Laura Ashley Fabric with copies of vintage lables copied onto fabric and appliqued.

I will leave you with a picture of Molly, the figure my nephew carved for Mother's day for my sister. Taken on a phone so a small picture.

Wishing you all a very enjoyable weekend

Notebook Thirteen

2011-03-31T16:21:00.006+01:00

I know two posts from me in as many days might be a bit of a shock. I wanted to increase the number of blog posts. I am not keeping up this year with other years. Also I have this week's notebook. I have used some of the work I prepared when I made the postcard for Emma last June. It is 3" x 2" and has cartridge paper pages. The inside cover has been lined with vintage Laura Ashley fabric.

I have made some collage cards using my own silk paper and machined strips of fabric paper over the top.

Then I wanted to tell you about something that I spent some time; making last week. A shoe. When CPS arrived I thought this time I really must try and make something. There were some wonderful mixed media shoes by Gail Walker. It all started with buying a large plastic Easter egg so that I could make the toes of the shoes out of paper mache. These are cut from a portion of half of the paper mache egg shape. I used a serviette to cover the toe cap. I decided to use some commercial paper for the sides so that I could work on the basic construction. Basic it is not, it takes a lot of care and time. I lined the insole with green gingham fabric and used a vintage stamp, where one would normally find the makers name. I really enjoyed making the shoe and will try being more creative with the nest one.

Wishing you all a happy weekend.

Notebook Twelve

2011-03-30T19:39:00.009+01:00

I am trying to make use of some of the different things that I have made or part made over the years. This time it is some handmade paper from about 7 years ago. I used it in this small notebook. Which is number twelve. The cover is fabric that I printed using part of a design from a serviette. I lined the inside with green gingham fabric.

Then I made some gift tags. Something that I know I make a lot of. This time I printed the fabric using a design from some fine silk fabric. The process has muted the colours.

Using some more of the felted fabric Cameron sent to me I have made two needle cases. I have added additional fibres to this one using the embellisher then embellished with machine and hand embroidery as well as seed beads.

This one has strips of sari fabric embellished onto it. Then machine and hand embroidery.

Good to have some rain today, I will still look forward to the return of the sun. Hope that you are all having a good week.

Notebook Eleven and Giveaway Results

2011-03-17T16:01:00.010Z

Before I tell you the names a friend pulled out of the hat; a little of what I have made this week. Encouraged by Corrine of dosfishes using up materials on her desk. I have been making collages with paper, paint, tape and glue. all fixed onto card from a cereal box. Gift tags and Postcards

Notebook eleven which I made several weeks ago is one that could be used for photographs. I have used thick water colour paper for the pages. I sent some buttons to Julia at Materialised when she was looking for some last autumn and in return I was lucky to receive the silk used for this cover along with other pieces of trim and fabric. I torn the silk into strips wove it and then hand stitched it together with running stitches. The coloured oblongs are cut from a piece of fabric paper. I have used free machined embroidery heart shapes to secure the fabric paper and repeated this in in some other squares. The tie is sari ribbon.

This is a notebook that I made Sarah my niece, it was her birthday recently. I used vintage linen for the front and added buttons, yarn, silk gauze, stamps and hand embroidery.

The names that were drawn from the hat are: Suztats, Cameron and DesigNeAl. If I could have your addresses I will get the parcels of to you all. Thank you to all, it's really good having such a lovely collection of blog friends.

Hope that you have enjoyed a good St. Patrick's day. I know one person who will have, one of my sisters is fifty today. Happy Birthday to a very special person. We are all getting together at the weekend to celebrate.

Spring

2011-03-12T15:57:00.013Z

I was lucky enough to be able to sit in my garden enjoying a cup of coffee and then lunch. I can not stop thinking about how different it is across the other side of the world. EDIT: I wrote most of this post this afternoon. Having just seen the news, my life seems so very easy. I feel so sad for all of those affected and the effect it will have on their lives for ever.

This week I have made a few more journals, using up work that had already been started. The first is a felt covered journal. I recently acquired a book on felt making. It inspired me to get the half made piece out and finish it off then embellish with machine embroidery.

This is how it looked before I worked on it.

And a view of the insides. I have used vintage silk and a serviette that I was lucky enough to receive from a friend.

Using sari ribbons and a few strips of fabric from my Anna Belinda fabric I created these two. The first one is a fat 3' square notebook designed to fit snugly into the box. It has watercolour paper that I have aged with coffee and decorated with vintage silk fabric and used a paper serviette with cheery tree blossom.

This notebook is slightly bigger than the one above and I have used various snippets of Liberty prints on the pages

I had a surprise parcel this week and in it was this beautiful notebook along with some other goodies from Linda. Thank you so much.

Finally notebook ten approximately 2" x 3". Made from vintage table linen given to me by a good friend. The pages are plain and printed papers.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and the coming week.

Notebook Nine and Giveaway

2011-03-05T13:16:00.012Z

Tenth May 2007 was the date that I started this blog. It felt odd. I am so glad that I did. I have made some great contacts and enjoy reading about your creative work. I promised to have a giveaway with this post. I have been looking back at the work that I have blogged about I decided that for the first item it would be this fabric brooch.

Then a heart pendant that is on a simple commercial cord. This was one of the earliest items I made using the embellisher. I am still not sure about that piece of equipment. I used it again this week for the first time in ages. More of that another time.

And a collection of items for mixed media work or collage. There are postcards, stamps and franked mail items.

If you would like to be included in the giveaway please leave a comment and I will make the draw on St. Patrick's day, March 17th. If you have a preference for any of the three items do say so.

Notebook nine is made from vintage table linen with mixed papers inside. It measures approximately 4" x 5".

Happy weekend.

Number Eight

2011-02-27T12:39:00.009Z

Another small notebook for this week. I have used some of the fabrics that I got from Annabelinda.

I thought that I would show you some of the other items I have made with the fabric I posted about in my last entry. Some cuffs with added embellishments of seed beads, wire mesh and lace.

Brooches with embellishments from snippets of fabric, yarn, seed beads, hand embroidery and wire mesh. The first photograph shows the base fabric I created for the brooches and pendants

Pendants embellished in a similar way to the brooches.

I still have some pieces of fabric to use, the tiny snippets of fabric I have used to make cards.

My sister came to stay for a few days. We visited the Ashmolean to enjoy a cup of coffee at the roof top cafe and then spent some time admiring the many beautiful Impressionists paintings that are on permanent display. Watched three films, made some cards and enjoyed watching the rugby.

This is my 299th post and I now have 99 followers. So next time I will have a giveaway.

Wishing you all a good week.

Notebook Seven and a Challenge

2011-02-21T15:45:00.008Z

Notebook seven is a lose leaf notebook in as much I have made three signatures from commercial paper that will be tied in, allowing for replacement pages at some point in the future. The cover is a piece of vintage linen with flowers made from some of the fabric Jill gave to me as well as the lace.

The challenge is another one I set myself whilst unable to use the computer. I got three packs of patchwork pieces in the sale from the amazing Oxford dress designer Annabelinda I want to see what I can make with all the different pieces. Here they are:

Photographed in wintry conditions, that is today. Some corsages number two and three have pieces of lace from Jill.

Wishing you all a happy and creative week.

Heart Notebbok

2011-02-14T16:20:00.009Z

A short post with a few more simple notebooks. Week four is a soft covered pink notebook. I have hand stitched heart shapes onto the three panels.

Notebook five is a tiny orange embellished felt one. The tie is a piece of sari ribbon.

Notebook six.

It was so spring like on Saturday and again today. When I went for my walk this afternoon, the birds were signing away happily and the daffodils on the grass verges are ready to burst open. It will be so lovely to get out in the garden again. We have just had a hail storm, perfect reminder that winter is still here.

I have not been able to use the computer much for the last three weeks..........had the best nights sleep for a very long time but managed to trap a nerve. I have been sewing and will do another post soon with that work. I am sorry not to be able to visit all your lovely blogs, hope to soon.

Notebook Three

2011-01-23T14:04:00.007Z

I decided to have a go at making a notebook following the technique of making paper fabric backgrounds by Jill A Kennedy having read about the process on Emma and Jill's blogs.

I realize that what I have made is very simple as I have only added some texture from another piece of paper used free machined stitches and applied treasures gold around the edge.

I only used copy paper having read the information on Jill's blog. All coloured to start with; pale and dark pink as well as mauve. Cheap wax crayons, markal paint sticks, oil pastels and iridescent oil pastels. To finish with I used watered down watercolour paint. I liked the oil pastels and iridescent oil pastels best of all.

Here are a few more sheets ready to be used. I hope to be a bit more adventurous with these. I am taking one of Kim Klassen's courses at the moment so not so much time to make things.

Hope that you all had a good weekend and wishing you a good week too.

Recycle

2011-01-15T14:16:00.007Z

Notebook two has been made using one of the Christmas cards that I received. I used some pink Japanese tape to cover up the words and the stitching on the spine. The pages are made from tissue paper, Indian rag paper and some copy paper that I have painted.

I have been thinking a lot about all the challenges many in different parts of our world have been facing due to nature. I hope that things will soon calm down so people can continue with some semblance of a normal life.

The next two collages are mounted on some table linen that I have owned for many years, probably decades and not really used. The photograph is of maternal Grandmother, Eva. I recently found that I had a handwritten list of all the schools Eva had attended. I have used this text printed onto silk in the collages. The silk is some of the sari ribbon and the lace from a family member.

Wishing you all a good weekend.

New Year New Project

2011-01-07T16:16:00.009Z

After setting myself the challenge to make[or try to make] a heart a week last year I have decided that this year I am going to make a notebook a week. Here is a tiny one that I made two years ago, it is 2 inches by 1 inch.

I was very lucky to win the fabric pack that Jill of Third Age Musings offered in her recent giveaway. Thank you so much, I shall enjoy making a notebook from some of the contents.

Talking of being lucky for Christmas my niece gave me the Cas Holmes book and my sister some lovely vintage lace.

I am not a knitter but somehow last summer I got some wool, needles and a pattern for socks. It took me quite a while to make them but I do feel a sense of achievement and here they are. They are too big! next time I will see if I can make some to fit.

Finally here is the first notebook. It has been made with some fabric that was given to me recently. The flower has been part made for moths using some of my own fabric and the rest along with the wool from Cameron. There are three signatures of plain watercolour paper inside.

Wishing you all a very healthy, happy and creative year.

P.S. When I say make a notebook a week, I should have said that this might include decorating one.

Hearts

2010-12-31T12:38:00.007Z

With a few hours to spare and help from others I have the last three hearts. Heart fifty is a christmas card produced by a local charity. I love the simplicity of it.

Heart fifty-one is another christmas card that came in a swap that I did with a fellow blogger. Two hearts in one this time.

Heart fifty-two had to be made by me. I collected a few pieces from the drawer that contains items for mixed media. It includes pieces of commercial papers, the back of an envelope that a friend sent to me, part of an invoice from one of my favourite cafes in Bridport, a piece of an old map that my sister gave me to use, it is paper on linen and some lace also from my sister. I machined a heart from the back once all the other pieces had been machined together.

Finally a picture of all 52 hearts.

Wishing you all a very happy, peaceful and creative year.

Nature.....

2010-12-22T15:07:00.009Z

......has had an effect on many a travel plan in recent days. I hope that you all get to where ever you wish to go. I am lucky that my brother who has a land rover managed to get to me yesterday and brought a lovely christmas tree with him. I was beginning to think how I could decorate a wicker wigwam.

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and a good new year.

This is my latest journal which is now packed up as a gift.

Two more hearts for weeks 48 and 49. I have used mainly sari silk ribbons and a little hand stitching along with beads. I need to get busy and make the last three.

When we were young my sister and I both had fairies for the christmas tree and had to take it in turn to have ours at the top. Mine which you can see is very 1960's and only has one leg, the other lost decades ago.

My sisters was a more tradition one rather like the one my grandparents had. When my grandmother died I had her fairy which still has it's original box. British made and the price was 4 shillings and 9 pence.

Wishing you all a peaceful and happy time.

10/12/10

2010-12-10T16:41:00.004Z

Here are a few photographs that I took on Tuesday of the lake and the meadow.

Wishing you all a happy weekend.

Heart 47

2010-12-06T21:28:00.008Z

Heart 47 is a cuff that has been made using some of the felt from Cameron as a base. I have free machined pieces of sari silk and other fabrics. The back is sari silk and finished of with a purple heart shaped button.

I have been experimenting with PSE after taking the free course that Kim Klassen offered. It has been very helpful, I know I have a lot more to learn. Here are a few images that I have created with my own photographs and the texture images from Boccacino, and Kim Klassen

This one uses a free texture from D J Pettitt as the base with a list of schools that one of my family members attended in the early 1900's and then a photograph of vintage lace.

This last one uses images from Boccacino and D J Pettitt as well as one of my photographs of roses.

Catching Up

2010-11-29T14:47:00.008Z

November has passed far too quickly. I have a few more hearts. This first one for week 44 is a lavender heart made by my sister with lavender from our Father's garden.

Then a very simple drawing for week 45. I know time is running away with me again.

Recently the council have made yet another change to the day and the combination of what rubbish goes out on that day. I forgot the first week to put my bin out. I found a warning notice left for me. So this has been chopped up and turned into heart 46.

I received this lovely card from Miek who had a giveaway on her blog.

Two brooches that I made with some of the sari ribbons that I got recently and the lace that Cameron sent to me.

I picked these rose buds on November 20th which I think is amazing.

Stay warm and safe.

101110

2010-11-10T15:00:00.004Z

Just realized that it is another good date today and thought I best get on with a post. I have caught up on a few hearts need to do more. The first one my sister created, it was my birthday card a few weeks ago. This is heart 41.

Then there is the stone heart shaped window I photographed when I went to Daylesford last time, making it heart 42.

This is heart 43, look closely and you will see that I have used heart shaped sequin waste. More on what I have been doing with this dress form follows.

I have enjoyed seeing the dresses that have been made as a part of "The Dress Up 2010" project on Alice and Camilla. I wanted to see what I could do with the basic shape as a design tool. I cut out a dress shape and then covered it with my printed paper towels and some glitter. This background is a free texture from Boccacino which I found on Linda's blog. The wonderful information that is shared so generously by users of Flickr and those who blog never ceases to amaze me. This first sample shows several dresses on the text background.

I then printed this out onto tissue paper so that I can use it for gift wrap.

Here is a gift box. The image has been sprayed with inks and embellished with oil pastels.

Then fabric.

A drawstring bag with another image on fabric I have used lace and sari ribbons.

Finally some mail art with the image included.

I feel sure I should be more adventurous. Hope that you are all safe from the cold and wind.

011110

2010-11-01T15:23:00.004Z

Well, besides being another great date today I have had a visit from the lovely Emma of A Little Bit of Everything. Emma has been visiting family locally and suggested we meet up. We just chattered away like we had known one another for ages. This is the bundle of goodies that Emma gave me.

A few more brooches, a corsage have been made along with some pendants.

I need to catch up once again on my hearts. Will be back once I have done that.

Wishing you all a good week.

Life

2010-10-27T19:49:00.006+01:00

It was the most amazing day here today, bright blue skies and 60f or 16c so rather warm. I just had to have lunch in the garden and enjoy the warmth of the sun. I noticed that my neighbours creeper planted on their north facing fence was enjoying the sun on my south facing fence. The colours of the leaves was jewel like in the sun.

I have made a few more brooches with the felted fabric from Cameron. There are some more part made which I will show you another day. When I set this blog up I just wanted to show you some of my creative endeavors. I want to explain why I have not been good at posting or responding to comments recently. The reason is because I had a small operation. I really do appreciate your comments which mean a lot to me and I thank you all.

As to the title we all have moments in our lives when things change forever and twenty years ago this week Jean, my wonderful Mother died and I just wanted to mark it. I know you will have seen this photograph before, it is one I love.

Lace and Chickens

2010-10-26T15:12:00.005+01:00

Just a quick post about things that others are doing. More on what I have been doing another day. My sister has been knitting chickens, I saw the body of the first one without all it's attachments. So meet Trudy at home in the kitchen.

Then there is Henrietta who has been photographed with Trudy in candle light.

Two blog friends have items on lace. Gina is working on a project using snippets of lace collected from others It all looks very interesting. So do have a look and see if you might have a piece of lace to spare with some history or meaning.

Vintage Bunty has set up a new on line shop selling her own creative digital downloads along with vintage lace and fabric either as creative packs, single one off items and made up pieces. Go and take a look as there is a great giveaway.

101010

2010-10-10T16:07:00.003+01:00

It is now 121010 taken a while to get this post done. The sari fabrics I posted about here were from two different suppliers on ETSY if you would like to know a bit more about them do email me. The whole ones came from that other well known online place beginning with "E".

I have put together a mosaic of the first 36 hearts [maximum allowed]

1. Heart One 2010 with Tag, 2. Heart Two 2010, 3. Heart Three 2010, 4. Heart Four 2010, 5. Heart Six 2010, 6. Heart Five 2010, 7. Heart Seven 2010, 8. Heart Eight 2010, 9. Heart Nine 2010, 10. Heart Ten 2010, 11. Heart Eleven 2010, 12. Heart Twelve 2010, 13. Heart Thirteen 2010, 14. Heart Fourteen 2010, 15. Heart Fifteen 2010, 16. Heart Sixteen 2010, 17. Heart Seventeen 2010, 18. Heart Eighteen 2010, 19. Heart Nineteen 2010, 20. Heart Twenty 2010, 21. Heart Twenty-One 2010, 22. Heart Twenty-Two 2010, 23. Heart Twenty-Three 2010, 24. Heart Twenty-Four 2010, 25. Heart Twenty-Five 2010, 26. Heart Twenty-Six 2010, 27. Heart Twenty-Seven 2010, 28. Heart Twenty-Eight 2010, 29. Heart Twenty-Nine 2010, 30. Heart Thirty 2010, 31. Heart Thirty- One 2010, 32. Heart Thirty-Two 2010, 33. Heart Thirty-Three 2010, 34. Heart Thirty-Four 2010, 35. Heart Thirty-Five 2010, 36. Heart Thirty-Six 2010

I will come back once I have been creative. Thank you all again for your kind comments. I enjoy reading your blogs though I do not always leave a comment.

Last but certainly not least do go and take a look at Cameron's blog, she has a great giveaway and some lovely pictures of her recent work .

Autumn

2010-10-01T17:05:00.006+01:00

I have had a busy few days going off to see the Reality Craft at The New Brewery Arts Center in Cirencester. Then to Wantage and surrounding area near the downs. To Burford garden centre which has so much more than garden plants. I have celebrated another birthday.

A while ago I thought it would be interesting to see how well synthetic lace took silk dye. The first batch was a bit murky for my liking, but I have a project that I will be able to use it for. I have been trying to use up the dyes that I have before buying more. I think mixing different types of dyes did not help. I heard popping noises coming out of the microwave. I now have a different edge to some of the lace as it burnt.

Heart forty is a collage of photographs. It includes one of the pictures that Linda kindly said we could use. Two backgrounds from my painted papers and a photograph taken in New College gardens.

Thank you all for your kind comments on my last post. I know I have some questions to answer and will do soon.

Summer

2010-09-30T20:43:00.004+01:00

There are still a few roses in bloom in my garden along with bright pink dahlias and Japanese anemones. Here are a few pictures taken when it really was summer weather.

I had to go to Banbury yesterday so took the opportunity to visit the "Precious" exhibition that is on at the museum. All the items in the exhibition have been crafted from items that many would consider waste. Amazing dresses created using a grid pattern machined onto magazine pages.

Wishing you all a good weekend.

Fabric and Paper

2010-09-26T17:00:00.010+01:00

I have decided that summer is almost over which I feel a bit sad about. I like bright clear autumn days but not murky grey days. Have been cutting back hollyhocks, putting garden furniture away and then summer clothes. Resisting putting the heating on but that will not be long now.

This is heart thirty-nine. I used some of the felted fabric from Cameron and applied gathered up fabric scraps. The back is space dyed felt. It is a rather large brooch, one would need to feel in the right mood to wear it, I think.

I have been gathering together some small pieces of sari fabric to use this autumn for journals and textile work. The packaging has been fascinating. One lot came in it's own little fabric sack. The envelope of another was fabric lined.

Then I got two whole saris, not sure what to use them for yet. Maybe some clothing. They are old and in excellent condition and fantastic value.

Having seen mail art on several blogs I wanted to have a go. Instead of buying a folder I have reused a thick brown envelope and then a jiffy bag. They are collages rather than mail art. Need to try that another time. It was great fun selected the various papers. Some taken from local advertising leaflets others commercial papers plain and or embellished by me. Then some of the papers I decorated when I did my C&G course. On the first one I have used an altered photograph taken in Italy years ago. And on the second one some altered pieces of postcards. I think I need to add some oil pastels and paint to this one as I have to the first one.

Then for this second one I have gone for the countryside.

Wishing you all an enjoyable week.

Wheelbarrows, Mixed Media and Hearts

2010-09-22T19:32:00.008+01:00

I love bright colours and when I was at the local country store a few weeks ago I spied these wheelbarrows.

Not much sewing has been done. I have been having a good time painting and printing various papers. I am using the cardboard from cereal boxes and other such items as the base. They have been used for heart thirty-seven

and heart thirty-eight.

Then this afternoon I sat in the glorious sunshine making up these pieces ready to be made into cards.

A close up of the one I like the best.

Three other pieces made over a period of time.

Hope you are all having a good week and thank you for your kind comments left on my last post.

Oxford

2010-09-15T19:36:00.007+01:00

I had a lovely time visiting Merton and New College over the weekend all part of the Open Doors event. When I got the brochure I thought I've been there or I needed to book and had left it too late. How wrong I was. There is a big difference being a tourist.

Merton and the fellows garden was the first place, followed by the chapel.

Then New where there are still part of the town walls. An amazing chapel and cloisters.

Here is a part of the ceiling in The Divinity School.

I hope you are all having a good week.

An Interesting Week

2010-09-05T11:55:00.011+01:00

It started on Monday with a walk into the flower bed to look at my artichoke flower, which resulted in an injury to my leg. I always garden in my wellies, so I need to remember that.

Another artichoke about to flower.

Then on Wednesday I was using the sewing machine. I had just checked how much thread was left in the bobbin when the needle broke and I trapped my right thumb. Luckily my Father was visiting so he helped me free my thumb and poured a glass of brandy. I have been sewing for decades and have never managed to do that before. Have banged my head on a cupboard door today, so that is three things now.

My heart this week is a photograph my sister took in her garden and sent to me for my heart project.

I have been using some of the lovely felt that Cameron sent to me. Two soft backed journals. The first one is made from wool that had already been felted onto fabric and I have edged it on the embellisher then added seed beads, wire mesh and decorative cords. The inside has three signatures of water colour paper.

Then for this one I used a piece of the fabric and some red and pink wool roving that came in the parcel. Used the embellisher to fuse it all together. Lots of hand stitching, seed beads and wire mesh have been used to embellish the cover. Again there are three signatures of watercolour paper.

A variation on the lotus flower books that I made before. I had painted and printed some papers using various paints, sequin waste, lace and carpet canvas. The pages were decorated on both sides. I wanted to be able to see both sides of the paper so I kept on folding the paper until I had created a smaller size that would open up. This pictures shows the size of when it is closed and the open book.

This one is a traditional lotus flower book and I have used artist tracing paper on alternate pages. Quotes about happiness are written around the edge of the decorated pages.

I hope you have all had a good weekend with at least one day of sunshine.

Reasons to be Cheerful.........

2010-08-27T12:09:00.010+01:00

I started to write this post on Friday morning. Then the Internet gremlins paid me a visit, have been without an internet connection for more than 24 hrs. I thought oh well have a break from it, but by lunchtime today I was getting withdrawal symptoms. So there is an extra reason to be cheerful as well as the ones below.

Heard that my Goddaughter had done really well in her A levels and will be going off to college in Cornwall to study. When I was in Oxford recently I discovered that Paperchase® had opened up a whole shop. I tend to avoid Oxford in the summer months too full of others enjoying the beautiful city. So, to be there on the day that the new store opened was great. I got some lovely tissue paper.

Heart for week thirty-four is paper bunting made from commercial paper with hearts cut from the tissue paper.

Heart for week thirty-Five is a mini quilt from Laura Ashley and Liberty fabric with a pink check border and back.

On Wednesday this wonderful parcel of felt, fabric and felted fabric arrived.

and on Thursday this one of lace.

They both came from Cameron a wonderful blog friend. Thank you so much Cameron for your kindness.

My local Library started a sale yesterday I was lucky enough to get quite a few books all at 20p each. Some will be used for journals and others are reference books, two on painting, two on photography and a Laura Ashley as well as a seashore furnishing style book. Then I went to the bread shop to see if I could buy some fresh yeast and they gave me a small pot full.

I hope that you all have a really enjoyable weekend what ever you are planning on doing or end up doing.

Not Much Happening

2010-08-17T19:37:00.009+01:00

I've been doing all sorts of things not much creativity but I have managed to make hearts for weeks thirty-two and thirty-three. Thought I would share with you some photographs I took of my sisters garden when I went to stay. My garden has gone to ruin this year so I have started to cut back lots of plants.

This is the pottery that I bought from Lucy when we visited her studio.

Heart thirty-two is a card and I have used flowers I cut from commercial papers.

Three gift tags made from water colour paper. The fabric has been machined stitched and each one has a free machined heart motif. More flowers this time using my own papers.

An Amazing Ceramics Artist

2010-08-03T16:14:00.008+01:00

I have spent the last few days visiting my sister who lives in Somerset. It was lovely to go back to Somerset, I had not been there for a while. While I was there we visited a friend of my nephew and niece, Lucy Brown who is a very talented ceramic artist. Lucy will be taking part in Somerset Art Weeks which takes place between September 18th and October 3rd. We took some photographs of a few of the large jugs Lucy makes.....

The link to Lucy's web site shows a good range of her work, which includes, bowls, mugs, jugs and lamps. I came home with a bowl, jug and mug. If you happen to be in the Cheddar area when Art Weeks is taking place I certainly recommend that you go and visit Lucy. Here is her studio, inside and outside.

Here is Lucy in her studio.

Heart and Embroidery

2010-07-29T17:03:00.005+01:00

When I made the paper pouches a while ago I also made this larger one out of a piece of sheet music. Inside is a small collage made using painted text and my own coloured papers. It is heart thirty-one, another reminder of how quickly the year is flying by.

I made some gift tags with the same coloured papers adding some contrasting coloured kitchen roll. This time I have used a cereal box as the base. I am quite pleased with the results, in as much they stay flat, well almost. On a practical note I found it pays to hole punch the tags before applying the paper, then do one side at a time as you work. The whole thickness was too much for the hole punch tool.

When I was in Dorset I managed to get some lovely old table linen [photographs to follow]. I washed a place mat while I was away and set to with a few items I had packed at the last minute. I will use these for cards or a larger collage at some point.

Wishing you all an enjoyable weekend.

Heart, Art in Action and Journal

2010-07-27T20:11:00.009+01:00

Heart for week thirty is approximately 12" in length and is woven from off cuts of papers that I have recently painted.

I had not been to Art in Action for a couple of years which was probably a good thing. Makes one all the more keen to see as much as possible. The first tent was for bee keeping, good to see. Then onto paintings where I loved the work by Jenny Wheatley it was so vibrant. The marquee with "Best in Show" exhibition was a good starting point to spot work that I wished to see. It included this amazing felted jacket by an artist who's name I do not have. Cameron, I thought about your work when I saw this jacket.

The textile work of Jill Flower was wonderful. I took this picture,

though it does not do it justice as there were many people around and the works of art and they were quite close together.

I thought that all the work and thought that had gone into this piece was incredible. I am afraid I do not have the name of this artist either. The words have been hand stitched.

As you can probably tell I am hooked on journal making and here is the latest one.

Dorset, Hearts and Journal

2010-07-20T20:19:00.008+01:00

Thank you for all your messages left on my last post, I really do appreciate them. I know that I did not get to answer them all. I have had a trapped nerve in my arm and using the computer has not been easy. I have also managed to get away to Dorset for several days. While I was there I did a little family research for a good friend who's family once farmed in the valleys around Bridport. This is Powerstock church

and one of the village.

I had to catch up on hearts again. Hearts for weeks twenty-eight

and twenty-nine.

I have finished my journal. I have had such fun making this journal, many hours of work have gone into it. I am just going to keep it as it is and make some more to write in.

Heart Twenty-Seven

2010-07-01T19:58:00.008+01:00

I made this background ages ago and have been waiting to find a use for it. I have used commercial papers on very thick water color paper and then used orange and pink acrylic paints along with some gel pen doddle's.

Here it is, there are 27 pieces of paper with 27 hearts made from various papers.

I went to the local antique market this morning and while looking through a shoe box that contained packets of stamps, envelopes, postcards all suitable for mixed media work. The man selling them said have the lot for £3 so I did [there were lots, at least 10 packets on sale at 50p each].

Here are a few of the best finds so far. The luggage labels are so thick, wish they made them like that now days. I am intrigued by the War & Navy Departments envelope. A fine of $300 for improper use in 1944 was a huge amount of money.

Finally I will leave you with a picture of Comte de Chambord rose which is bursting with blooms at the moment.

Wishing you all an enjoyable weekend.

It Pays to Read the Instructions.

2010-06-29T18:44:00.012+01:00

My attitude towards information that comes with all sorts of things varies hugely. I usually skim read dressmaking pattern instructions. With manuals for pieces of electrical equipment, I go straight to the short version and only to the lengthy description if required. Medication; I read the whole sheet and think It seems dangerous to take it. Well, for the journal making class I watched all the videos, read the instructions and most of the comments. But having seen about making another type of journal I thought I've got the water colour paper and will just get on with decorating it. Trouble is mine is 140lbs and I should have used 90lbs as listed. No wonder it all seems rather thick and the pages are having trouble staying shut. This has not taken away from the great fun I am having making them. Yes, I've got two almost done and a third with painted and torn pages ready to go. The first one is based on the garden at the moment with all the roses out.

This image has been transferred using ink-jet transfer paper. I am not sure about it, it is the plastic finish that I feel looks out of place. I much prefer tissue paper, ordinary paper and of course inkAid treated fabric.

I have been making tags to use within the journal too. Would be delighted to know if anyone knows where I might be able to buy some decent weight manila luggage tags. They seem to be heavy weight paper these days and my search has not be fruitful.

Here are a few photographs of the second journal.

On Sunday I spent some time sitting in the garden painting text pages. I just like to have some ready to use. Made a few tags with some.

Journal

2010-06-24T14:08:00.006+01:00

Last weekend I signed up to take Carole's online "Open Your Door" journal course. As the course was already underway I had some catching up to do. I am really enjoying the work. Here are a few pictures of some of the pages that I have been working on.

Heart twenty-six is a card made with a photograph of a close up picture of one of my textile brooches. I have used wire mesh on it and yes, it is in a heart shape.

Heart and Kindness

2010-06-18T19:19:00.008+01:00

This is this weeks heart made from scraps of vintage LA fabric with machine and hand embroidery in a paper pouch.

I was the very lucky recipient of some beautiful gifts from Linda

Thank you very much. I shall enjoy wearing the flower brooch and admire the lotus flower book and icon.

Still on the paper theme I have made some gift tags using various paints and a selection of yarns for the ties.

Finally a corsage from Linton Tweeds.

Wishing you all a very enjoyable weekend.

Just Photographs

2010-06-13T18:20:00.004+01:00

I have Joe to thank for helping me solve the stumbling block I had with photoshop elements®. Here are a few simple images that I have created using this programme. The background photograph was taken by a friend I have added the text and more rocks.

Garden, old peeling paint and roses for this one.

These two have been created using the photograph of the paeony.

Various flower pictures and peeling paint.

Thank you for all your kind comments on my last post. Wishing you all a very good week.

Paper

2010-06-11T13:44:00.006+01:00

This week I have made two things that others have kindly blogged about and given instructions for. First of all; are these pockets from old text.

I saw them on Alice and Camilla. Then I made some of the lotus flower books which Linda from Blue Eyed Girl blogged about recently.
The first three books were made with commercial papers. I wanted to experiment to make sure I got things right. Good job as I forgot to paste in the ribbon for the first one.

Then I have used various oddments of modern and vintage fabric with lace to make up this larger book. It measures 6.5 x 6.5 inches and has a heart appliqued to the cover. I have used cream coloured cartridge paper with gold treasures gold applied to the edges for the pages. Making it heart 24. Almost half way through the year which I find a bit scary.

Wishing you all a good weekend.

Roses and Hearts

2010-06-06T10:49:00.008+01:00

With a perfect blue sky yesterday showing the roses off to their best it was hard to resist taking lots of photographs. Here they are.........

Two more hearts to get me up to date. Number 22 is a mini quilt made from vintage and modern fabrics with a crochet heart that has been embellished with seed beads.

Number 23 is a textile card. The heart has been made from layers of sheer fabrics machined together then embellished with seed beads.

I have several paeonies in the garden and this one has flowered for the first time. I love the pink and strong yellow/orange contrast.

Took myself off this morning to the car boot sale in the next village. No finds for me, there were lots of families with young children and many stalls selling toys, an ideal combination.

Hearts

2010-06-04T19:38:00.009+01:00

I have been trying to catch up on my "heart a week" only to discover that when I was a week ahead I forgot to count that heart and to post a picture on Flickr. Then there was the giveaway with the first drawn name being someone who had expressed an interest in owning one of my hearts. To sort out the hearts no. 17 is now
and the one originally posted as no. 17 has begun it's journey across the ocean. The other items from my giveaway were sent off to those who had expressed an interest in the item having been drawn in the giveaway.

Heart eighteen is a small patchwork piece.

Heart nineteen is a felted heart with french knots. I might make this into a notebook or brooch.

Heart twenty is an odd shaped heart that I have knitted [I am not a knitter] that I have machined stitched the edge. Not sure if this will just be an odd heart or will be turned into something else.

Heart twenty one is another felted piece that could become a brooch or notebook cover, this time I have stitched seed beads into it.

I still need to make two more hearts to get up todate, there is one part made and I hope to do more over the weekend. When I set myself this challenge it seemed so easy, but there are always so many other things to do.

Wishing you all an enjoyable weekend.

Art Weeks

2010-05-31T20:48:00.003+01:00

Art Weeks has come to an end for another year. I have been to see a few more artists this weekend. The work of Gunilla Treen fascinates me as I like old maps and the countryside something that she combines together so well. I also saw paintings, silver jewellery, textiles, raku pots and photographs. It was lovely driving around the beautiful countryside. Visited The National Herb Centre for the first time too.

Photograph of an artichoke digitally altered. I just needed to do something when I got home from visiting other exhibitions.

Wishing you all a good week.

Giveaway

2010-05-26T18:41:00.003+01:00

Thank you so much for your kind comments. For the draw I wrote each name onto a piece of paper, folded it up, then randomly added a number. Dice were used to gather the winning numbers. I decided that I would do the drawer three times as some had expressed an interest in one particular item.

First draw winner is Cameron.

Second draw winner is Emma, who had expressed interest in the last brooch and that will be dispatched with the postcard I have almost made.

Third draw winner is artymess.

I decided to just pull a name out of the bowl for the earrings and that name is Linda.

I will get in touch with you all to make arrangements to send the items.

Buttercups and more Buttercups

2010-05-26T12:52:00.004+01:00

It was such a beautiful afternoon yesterday to walk on the meadow, it is buttercup season and it is literally covered in them. It was lovely to see the cattle where I was walking, they are often up the other end so not visible. The meadow is at least 400 acres and runs along beside the Thames for some way.

These photographs were taken without using a filter.

Then these two were taken with the use of a filter.

Art Weeks is coming to a close. I hope to see a few more this weekend. I saw Sue Rangeley's exhibition at the beginning of the week. It was a very tastefully arranged display of the work for her book.

The draw for my giveaway will take place this evening, so please do leave a comment if you would like to here.