Crafty stuff from this year part 4

Hi All - Well here is my final blog entry for 2011 - a New Year is right around the corner - (13 hours and 10 minutes time LOL) so here are a few more pics of Crafty things from this year - Firstly 5 of the Christmas ATC's I made - 4 were attached to cards and swapped with the Australian online Lace Group that I belong to. Then a pic of teh 2 "Russian" doll needle cases I made as Christmas gifts- The purple/blu one has gone to live at my friend Ros's house here in Perth but the greeny/salmon one is more of a traveller and she has gone to reside in the UK with my friend Pat.
The next pic shows the Christmas decorations that my Stitchety Grubs Embroidery group made and exchanged - clockwise from top left is red and gold bird made by April and now owned by Carol-Lee, Huckaback Embroidered "diamond" decoration made by Ros and now owned by me! :D, Hand made Bedfordhire bobbin lace Angel made by Colleen and now owned by Ros, Cross stitched Koala by Carol-Lee now owned by April, Cross stitched heart made by Maureen and now owned by Colleen and finally in the centre - a Christmas tree made by me and now owned by Maureen. The final photo is of my Aquatone crayon/pencils which I bought in Derwent at the pencil factory in the middle of this year when Hubby and I were in Cumbria (I also bought Inktense blocks as well as various other pencils :D) but these - I took on my Sydney/Tasmania trip - I LOVE them! - so yummy to use! mm mm :D

Crafty stuff from this year part 3

The 18th Birthday card I made for my son's Girlfriend - the dog is painted onto water colour paper - a piece of cardboard was covered with glitter Lycra material then all glued to a base card (they have a Dachshund who has just had 2 puppies -awwww too cute!).....and the "Wild Woman" brooch I made for the ATASDA (Australian Textile Art and Surface Design Association) Christmas swap... yes it is the same material as the Christmas Tree decoration earlier - as I hadn't gotten around to putting it away when I had to start the brooch LOL! :D

Crafty stuff from this year part 2

2 necklaces that I made early in the year for my travels (nice and lightweight in the luggage!) The first is a beaded zip necklace in the black, red, white, gold and silver theme - this is the 4th one I have made over the years - and at my embroidery group this year we decided to have a go at "Goldwork" and as I usually bite of more than I can chew - I wised up this time and designed a smaller piece than I would normally have done LOL! :D - as the theme for the AGM in New Zealand in April (at which I was a tutor) was "Butterflies" I decided to make a pendant that could go on a Kumihimo cord - I have worn it many times and had lots of comments on it.

Crafty stuff from this year part 1

Hi All - For last few days of the year I am going to post some of the pics from this year that I hadn't gotten around to putting on here yet... back in May I made the 2 "scrappy flower" brooches for my daughter to give the young lass next door to us - she had admired some others earlier in the year in my studio and the purple brooch can be pinned onto the Kumihimo braid that I made - it was a gift to my mate for her Birthday back in April :D
There is also a pic here of a wooden Needle case which I was commissioned to paint for a UK lace tutor who was out here doing workshops back in September ... it has our (Western Australian) State Floral emblem on it - the "Mangles' Kangaroo Paw" :)

Christmas Tree decoration

Hi All - Here is a pic of the little Christmas tree decoration that I made a couple of weeks ago - I couldn't put the pic up until today as it was for my Embroidery Group Christmas exchange. It has gone to live at my friend Maureen's house :-)
It's made of glitter Lycra (a friend gave me lots of offcuts from another friend who makes dance costumes) and I embellished it with Tatted "flower" rings a little bit of chain stitch "tinsel" and sequins :D

Xmas decorations for 2011

Hi All - I have been busy in the studio making little Xmas decorations - every year I make one each for my 2 kids and me and son's girlfriend and whilst I was at it - I made a few extra. I hand felted some wool tops to some orange felt and then decorated them with beads and sequins and added a "dangly" at the bottom and hanging loop at the top. They look fab on the tree which is covered in the various hand made decorations I have made over the year's as well as some beautiful hand made ones from friends. I will try and take some pics and post them of the tree all dressed! :-)

Tissue paper fabric

Hi All- Sorry for the lack of posts - November was yet again a busy month - culminating in our West Aussie Cattern's Day Fair last Saturday so it was a month filled with bobbin painting! Then last week I had a few orders as a result of the Fair and also emailed orders and then 2 Xmas Lunches - so busy busy busy! :-)
I have just put up my Christmas tree - and 90% of the decorations on it are handmade - mainly by me over the years but some by other crafty/lacey friends - and it took me twice as long as I stopped to reminisce ( my Son's Girlfriend helped so I was telling her the little stories behind them hehe!)
The pics here were done a while ago - some machine embroidery on Tissue paper Fabric - haven't actually gone any further and made anything out of it yet - maybe in the New Year. I don't have quite so many travels planned over the next 12 months as I have had the last 24 months - which is good as I hope to get other things done now in the studio! :-)

Final pics of Textile Vessel

Hi All - Once again back from my travels - that's it for quite a while and I am looking forward to some months of spending time in my studio doing "fun stuff" as well as busy bits!
Here are the pics of the complete vessel as promised a little while ago - Although I got back from my trip a couple of weeks ago - I have been flat tack painting up bobbin orders and getting stock ready for the annual West Australian Lace Guild Branch "Cattern's Day Fair" where I will once again have a stall.

More Textile vessel

Hi ALL- more pics of the vessel - now cut into segments ready for sewing together :-) 3 sides and a base...
It's 4 sleeps until I head to Sydney - really looking forward to it - hope the weather is good to us - but as it's "Sydney" who knows LOL!
I am also looking forward to visiting some craft shops over there - I know for sure I will be going to Feeling Inspired beads at Mona Vale on the day off of the AGM week (the 5th Oct) as a Tasmanian mate has "wheels" all week and is driving there - I am gonna be a "bum" on a seat and go along too hehe:-)

Flower Stitcher

Hi All - just a quick post - soooo busy at the moment - only 11 sleeps until I head to Sydney and still lots to do in the meantime - but I did get a goodie a few days ago - I finally got around to buying a flower stitcher foot for my sewing machine - The Thread Studio had a special on in their latest newsletter and I got the foot and Dale's book on using it and a pack of 4 yummy threads for a fantastic price - sooo pleased except that I don't have time to play with it :-( - something to look forward to in mid October when I get back though hehe! Yay! :-)

Tall Textile Vessel

Hi All - Well it's the last day of Winter here in Australia today beginning of Spring tomorrow - yay!
Here are some pics of my "Tall Vessel" which I made before my UK trip - but as it was on display whilst I was away I waited off posting the pics.
The first pic shows a grotty green piece of felt I got in a craft shop bargain bin with a nappy liner stuck to it (The nappy liner had been painted with Dye-n-flow and Lumiere paints then "hit with a heat gun") ... didn't look like much and it was kicking around in the studio for several months before I decided to make a vessel from it - the second pic shows machine embroidery added - starting to look more interesting - the third pic shows more embellishment added - the techniques I learned for my previous post of a "Sea Urchin Vessel" in the workshop I did last year in November - (pics on the December 3, 7 and 16th entries) (with the very creative Elizabeth Morley)... in the last pic if you look carefully you can see that I have cut it into "panels" more pics to come... :-)

More Medieval Banner

Hi All - more pics of the Medieval Banner - close up shots of the "painted tin foil" shield with the hand embroidered eagle on painted felt which was appliqued in the centre ... you can also see my initials B and yes that is an F - that's how I've always done them hehe and along the bottom edge is a beaded needle lace edging. It's alot brighter in reality than these pics - the colours are a bit iffy here! LOL :-)

Medieval Banner

Hi All - here are a couple of pics of my Medieval banner which was done for a competition and display on the ATASDA (Australian Textile Art and Surface Design Association) stall at the recent Perth Craft fair - I didn't win anything but enjoyed making the piece back in June anyway the "shield" part is scrunched aluminium foil - painted with black acrylic paint and Lumiere's (Duh of course - you know I love them haha) ... By the by I am attending a 2 day workshop next weekend (not tomorrow.. it's the following weekend) .. .ATASDA are bringing out Sherrill Kahn from USA to teach - really looking forward to it - will try and remember to take lots of pics :-)

Hi Everyone

Hi All - just a quick message to say we are back in Australia - got back last Saturday -been very busy this week and haven't as yet had a chance to load pics on the computer - am already frantically working and preparing for Sydney AGM and my Workshops I'll be teaching in Tasmania straight after - as I leave in 6 weeks and 2 days time eeeek!

Hi from London

Hi All - just had first 6 days of our UK holiday - in London - not too much of the crafty stuff as yet - Did admire jewels at the Tower of London last Thursday. On Friday we met my crafty blog mate Pat (Hi Pat) at the V&A and did get to have a look at some of the jewellery there - Went to Portobello Markets on Saturday - and bought an antique wooden "Transferware" egg - with tiny thread holder/needlecase inside (no thimble but I have a silver one I can pop in it when I get home) and also from same stall I got an antique carved bone needle case and at a different stall 2 antique bone bobbins :-) In the afternoon we went to the British Museum and went around the Egyptian rooms - you know I am a sucker for all things Ancient Egyptian... LOL and also saw jewellery rooms and bought a fab book for 20 pounds ($30 Aus ) called 7000 years of Jewellery with info and photos of the jewellery we had seen at the museum - great day out LOL :-) Will be great for inspiration...This afternoon we travel by train up to Carlisle where we collect a car and drive down to Windermere in the Lake District for 6 nights- hope to find plenty of crafty stuff there including a trip to Farfield Mill at Sedburgh where there are artists in residence - then up to Scotland for 3 nights in Edinburgh - will let you know if I find any yummy crafty stuff hehe :-)

Sample book

Here are some pics of my Sample book cover being made - it's to put various samples that I do at the ATASDA (Australian textile Art and Surface Design Association) meetings that I go to each month (or even any I do at home! :-D).... The background is "Tissue paper fabric" (Tissue paper ironed with Vliesofix onto navy blue felt then painted), then bits of Tea bags that were painted with Lumiere paints machine appliqued onto it and embellished with "paper string", hand made wire bobbin lace pieces and sequins... hmm I had thought that I had taken a pic of it finished but can't seem to find it - so when I get back from my UK trip (am leaving Tuesday) I will have to take one and pop it on here :-)

Scarab pages Egyptian Journal

Hi All - here are the pics of the "Scarab" pages in my Egyptian Journal - pyramids are painted textured "wallpapers", velvet, heat gunned and painted potato crisp packet!

Egyptian Journal - Ra Pages

Hi All - Here are the pics of the "Ra" pages in my Egyptian Journal - the blank book had this circular pop up in it - more pics of pages in previous posts -do scroll down if you haven't seen them yet :-)

Egyptian Journal - God's pages

Hi All -Here are some more pics of my Egyptian Journal ... these show the stages of the "God's pages - Lumiere paint borders.... glued on painted card pieces..... fabric and "ribbon" pyramids and pictures ... then the Hieroglyphs and writing ... :-) (scroll down a few entries to March 15th to see the Nefertiti pages)

Wire Lace pendant and Donut necklace

Hi All - here's a pic of me looking somewhat wind blown and cold in Auckland New Zealand a few weeks ago in Mid April - the next pic shows my "Donut" pendant (the instructions/pattern were in the UK "Stitch" Magazine a few months ago) and as there were a couple of "foam" rings "kicking" about near my computer (from the centre of a CD stack!!!) I used that as my "base" - it was covered with a thin torn strip of calico then a torn strip of red cotton material- beads were threaded onto wire and wrapped around too then I made a bead "chain" on which to hang it! and of course earrings to match :-) as you can see in the 3rd pic - the last pic is one of my designs (actually an earring) made up into a pendant and it now resides in Auckland at my friend Lynnette's house (Hi Lynnette :-D!!) - a little gift for her for "putting up with me " LOL! :-D more pics to come nut with my UK trip looming in less than 4 weeks not sure how much time I will have to pop blog entries on here - no peace for the wicked bwahahahahahaa :-)