Books, books and more

Whilst I have been away, I have been reading a lot.  I have read quite a few Dickens books and a few Jane Austen books and a Bill Bryson, just for a bit of humour, and of course in the last few days I have been working on a lace bookmark.  I love making these, because they are easy, although they never get used, because I read digitally on my android.
Usually they become christmas or birthday gifts.

Here is where I was the other day.

And the finished article.  It hasn't been ironed yet, so is a bit wobbly, but has turned out OK, although of course I can see a few mistakes!

I also finished this piece and it is framed, and I am really quite happy with it.
Not much else to talk about, but am working on getting myself out of my rut and hope to get more done from now on.

Happy Creating!

Butterfly magic

A few weeks ago  I made a tiny little doily, by using free machine embroidery on water soluble stabiliser, here.
This week I have been working on a larger piece that is a butterfly and I have finally finished it.

This is it in the hoop, before I dissolved the solvy. You can see I just outlined the wings and didn't add any details with marker before I stitched it - you can also see that I changed my mind about the lines as I went along as well (The lilac is my stitching, the brown are my guide lines)

Here it is after I had rinsed away the plastic stabiliser and dried it.  i put my hand in to show how lacy it is and how big it is.

and here's a close up to show the wings more clearly.  You can see my stitching isn't perfect, but if you know me, you know that is not an issue.  I like my work to look hand made.

i am looking forward to putting this on my crazy quilt in the new year!  I may dye it or paint it, depending on where it goes.

Happy creating

A little bit of everything

OK, I might be back at work, but not quite blogging.  Time to get back into it.
I have had a few very busy weeks, organising classes for this term at the community house.  Not really finished, yet, but getting there.
My studio is organised and lots of things are getting done bit by bit.
Yesterday at quilt group, I was given a lovely gift!

some yummy rayon embroidery threads.  Very shiny and perfect for the magpie in me.

Of course I just had to have a go with them, so here is a little thread painted leaf on felt.  Yum.

I am also still making butterflies on chiffon and organza.  This one used a multicoloured thread, and still needs a little more before I finish stitching.

A small postcard sized thread painting on watersoluble.

The beginning of a needlefelted landscape.

A skeleton leaf I have been working on for EVER!

A set of 12 in collage blocks that are on their way to becomming a quilt.

A large black sandwich which I quilting very randomly in green to make a new vest for my hubby.

My quilt sample from beyond basic machine quilting on craftsy.  I have used satin for my fabric and added some reverse applique with painted sheers.

And that's all there is, at present

Be creative!

Languishing

So I am back.  I have had a bit of a break from my textile work, doing things that I never have time for, which is lucky, because it is very hot here and when it is hot I am not at my best.
I made some little bags for the ladies in my family for christmas

I made six of these in different colours, from recycled fabric and braids, The inspiration was a felt bag in quilting arts episode 1010, by Rebecca Kemp Brent, which used the sole plate of an iron for a pattern!  However, I made lined bags and did not embellish the panels.

I spent a lot of time with my puppy, Ruby, who is growing up fast, but has not stopped chewing everything as you can see from the arm of the chair she is sitting on, lol

I made a few pieces of jewellery.

I made some free motion butterfly wings on organza

and some more

and some dragonfly wings.

I have been working on a quilt as part of a Craftsy Course - Beyond Basic Machine Quilting.
I have altered my piece slightly, I did reverse applique with painted organza for the feather flowers and I used satin as my foundation. It made it slightly more difficult but I like it.  As you can see at the moment, I am slowly filling in the background.
I have also been doing stupendous stitching and stitch and slash with Carol Ann Waugh at craftsy, but nothing to show there yet.

I have been working on my Blue Piece for Tangled Textiles, which is due in a week.  Above are some of my blue bits and pieces - just a peek.  I am not happy with how it is going, and wish I had stuck to my first idea, but of course there is no time to change now.

I have also been reading a lot - something I hardly ever do (stories, that is, I read text books a lot).  I started reading Robert Jordan's "wheel of time" series twenty years ago and the final book was released earlier this year and I got it on my birthday, but I decided that I needed to reread all of the books from the beginning so that it is all fresh in my mind when I start the last one.  There are 14 books altogether and none of them is short, hardly any less than 500 pages and most are more, so that is going to take me a while - lol.

I have been finding it hard to get back to work, but hopefully getting back to blogging will help put a bit of discipline into my days!

Be creative every day

more fusing fun

Now that I am back on the mend again, I have been doing some more work with my silhouette, which I am getting pretty proficient at I must say.
Yesterday at quilting group (where I was NOT quilting, but crochetting - as you do), I was leafing through a magazine and saw some pansies.  I thought they might make a pretty table runner for our stall, so I sketched up a few of them, then put them into my silhouette (Digital cutter) and cut out lots.

I made three different ones, just for variety.  I had lots of scraps left over....

And I am sure I will find a use for all of these, lol.
I started a little journal quilt from the tiniest scraps.

I will probably just do some hand embroidery over these strips, but they were so colourful, I just had to do it.

Here is how the little flowers go together.  I put some little yellow bead in the centre just to see how it looked.  These are just laid out, not fused yet, because I can't decide what background to use.

What do you think?  I do like the top left, but perhaps it is a little low contrast, perhaps the bottom right?
I have also been working in my journals, mostly just putting background layers down to add to later.

This one is just a bit of paint on gesso, then had glad wrap (Saran) scrunched over whilst still wet.  It makes a nice texture.

This one is just a few greens dry brushed on (a great way to ruin your brushes, too)

This one is just a bit of left over paint brushed on.

And this one was just playing with a few colours in squares.  The copper is a metallic paint.

These samples are from a while ago, I was playing with different textures and coloured gesso.  I used forks, sticks and laying pages together and peeling off on the first one, stencilling, stamping and tape in the second one.  A comb and a pencil on the third one.

And these two are on fabric, with some stitching.

These are fabric paper samples, with sprayed, dripped and blotted inks.

 these are playing with watercolour on wet paper

These are playing with all types of circles collected around the house.
As you can see, I recycle everything.  Some of the samples are on old flashcards from my teaching days, lol

And just for interest, here is another butterfly

This one was a rubbing over a stencil with soft chalk pastels.
I wonder, is a butterfly a new beginning?

I saw this quote in the quote of the day at the top of my blog (wednesday, it changes each day), and had to make a new digi inspiration!

butterflies on my mind

Yes, Butterflies and what they represent are on my mind.  Mostly because I am doing Your living canvas, with Christy Tomlinson, which is about exploring change in your life with your art.
And since I was making free motion butterflies for my journal, I thought I might as well make an ATC as well.  I hummed and hahed about painting or adding to it, but you know, when you are working on change, you need to keep it simple, lol.

Here are a few of the butterflies I made.

Last one first, lol. I like this one best so far.

And a couple more.  Basically I put organza very tightly in a little hoop, then drew them freehand with free motion.  I cut them out with the soldering iron so that the edges are sealed.  The pictures do not do them justice, They are absolutely gorgeous, if I do say so myself.
I experimented with other colours of organza, but I haven't cut them out yet.  As you can see, I forgot the antennae on some, but hey they are still cute.
I have finished my swap page and will post it when it is recieved by the person it's sent to and I am just embellishing my tangled textiles 'green' piece prior to reveal day in four days, I think.

And here is my digi inspiration, in keeping with my theme today.

just a butterfly

Just a very little post today

Butterfly made from satin and chiffon, reverse appliqued, then couched with gold thread.  Haven't quite got to the body yet.
This an idea from a new book I have been reading: The Art and Embroidery of Jane Hall: Reflections of Nature         
Her butterflies and insect are amazing and you can see her work here. 
I did change her method a little bit, using synthetics and glue to stabilise edges as well as no wire, but I think I have a few machine adaptations as well as some other easier ways to make these gorgeous things.


No ATC, although I have made one today.  Hubby and I have been working on organising and slight renovations all weekend and I am very tired, but looking forward to getting into my studio tomorrow.  YES!

I had also forgotten to post my choices for the  liebster award.  I shall do that tomorrow too, sorry


Have a good week all.