I'm still here

I know I have not posted for a while but that's life!!

I have had a great weekend with a fantastic group of people - MEG (Machine Embroidery Group) at Urchfont.

We spent the weekend playing with wax resist on tissue - thanks to Anne - and also working on our own 'stuff'. I came away with loads of suggestions and ideas for getting my three UFO's under way again. . I also came away with ideas for several other projects but I must consolidate my thoughts and come up with a proper theme.

In the meantime I have collected two packets from the post office:

The first is this beautiful ATC from Jean (her blog is Here) - we did a swap recently.

The second packet was from Linda (see her brilliant blog HERE) - I entered the draw and was lucky enough to be one of two winners. When I opened the jiffy bag out came this lovely pile of goodies: In more detail....... a packet of Christmas brads (too cute to use!!), some chocolate (I will use the papers once I have enjoyed the chocs!), some lovely little cherubs in a bag, a shelf shrine - need to find out how to decorate this - looks lovely. Then in the two tissue packets there were these beautiful creations. The one of the left is tiny wooden block so delicately embellished and the one on the right has a hole to hang it but I am going to stand this on my bedside table. Then in a lovely paper napkin (which I will also use for something) these two delightful heart ornaments. They are gorgeous. THANK you so much Linda.

Apologies - Art received

I must apologise - I have been so caught up in my personal stuff that I forgot to show you these lovely pieces I have received following swaps.
The first is from Cheryl (Scrappy Cat) from her Paper Quilt series. It is really delightful and has given me several ideas! The second item is a bookmark from the Soul Journal Bookmark swap organised by Sarah Whitmire. This bookmark was made by Mary Hunt and was delivered together with a lovely heart from Sarah. There are better pics here (you can also see the one I sent in to the swap).

THANKS TO BOTH!

ATC-athon

Last night I started a bit of a textile ATC-athon. I made 15 and there are more in various stages of production. If anyone fancies a swap let me know. Not sure why I keep making them - I know ATC are for trading but is there somewhere where they sell? - Would anyone buy them?

Paused on the red but look at this.....

You know sometimes when you start a project the idea grows in your mind and then you get stuck - well that is where I am with red bodice of last weekend. So that is on the mannequin whilst I work on this...... can you guess what this will be? I have 6 more panels to make before I put it together!!

I must say thanks for recent post - mail that is. I'm sorry I have not been good at thanking people so here goes: Thanks to Suzanne for the slice of felt 'pizza' - see her blog here to understand. Personally when I saw it on Suzanne blog I did think of my peperoni but now it is mine I see something else - I need to do some work on it yet before I show you. Next is an ATC from Kate - another swap see here - I need to make mine to send again have ideas. Then the bookmark swap - when I opened the envelope from Doreen I found this card. Opening it to find the ribbons are actually from the bookmarks (clever idea!) - this textural one and I love the antique one - the lady is so familiar and so pretty? Doreen who is she?

Soul Journal Bookmarks and a swap

Following my earlier blog post re Soul Journalling. The bookmark we are going to swap via Sarah is meant to be made using a photocopy/collage of your pages. When I printed out the scan of my pages the colour was very very blue so I went back into PSP and used the negative colour - the difference is awesome - look........ I just love the colours now. Here Here and here. So I started making my book marks. I am going to keep two they are firstly this one - where I just glued a strip of my fav page to some card stock and added threads at the top. The next one I am keeping is this jewel like page book mark. This was made using my two inchie pages with some stitching across the middle. The one I am sending to Sarah is made using strips of a couple of these pages with some flower brads spaced up the middle. Then I made 4 more using various pieces of paper simply stitched on the machine. I am offering these four to any of you who fancy a swap. If you would like one of these bookmarks leave a comment - the first 4 will be able to swap. I need some more usable bookmarks myself.

Head still hurts - let's swap!!

Having created the 8 postcards - I still have loads of fabric from the hanging but my head hurts from this idea now - I am going to leave the remainder for another day when I get stuck on assessment pieces!!!!

Just to finish off my productive few hours I have created 6 ATC's and if you fancy a swap please leave me a comment. OK back to the assessment piece - or at least my sketchbook!

Back Now and Fantastic Post

I'm sorry I've not been around for a while but I took my daughter over to Germany to visit my son. He is currently living in Erfurt - It is the most beautiful capital city of the Thuringia region . It is most famous as the place where Martin Luther studied and also for the fact that it has a catholic cathedral and large catholic church side by side -the Mariendom and the Severikirche -this photo is a composite of two to get the buildings in. Whilst we were there, you can see, there was the end of the Easter Funfair in the Dom platzErfurt also boasts a lovely medieval city center, the oldest inhabited bridge in Europe (the Krämerbrucke) which also has a church at each end!! We had the most amazing time and felt really comfortable although very very few tourists go to Erfurt.
Before we went away I did send off my March Arch for Judy (part of the Textile Challenges Yahoo group) - it is based on leaves - I hope it has reached her safely.

We I arrived home I found a wonderful collection of envelopes and packets. To start with was a parcel from Sue Bleiweiss - I had entered her draw and been lucky enough to win this packet (the photo is not too good but shows a tissue paper packet held together with rick rack braid) which contained some of Sue's beautiful dyed lace pieces and a lovely purple piece of dyed velvet (unfortunately blogger did not want to accept the other photo) .... Thank you Sue - I have some ideas brewing already. Next to be opened was a parcel containing a carton from Donna as part of the Art in a Carton Swap - Inside the lovely purple covered carton I found a great heap of delights.. including hand made beads, some stamps, a teddy some large 'inchies' and a beautiful postcard. Thanks Donna! Then I started to open the envelopes..... The first was from Sue D who took part in my Button/Washer Challenge - with a lovely ATC. Gorgeous colours ! Thanks Sue. Next an envelope containing two pieces from GuzzieSue - a lovely ATC (the photo does not show the metallic thread so well) and a beautiful button broach ! This is such a great idea and will look lovely on my jacket lapel. Thanks Sue!!Next was an envelope stuffed full from Julie Y also in response to my challenge - this is her very first ATC -which she has named 'saucy lady'- I am so honoured as it is stunning and the 'recipe' included to describe how Julie made is so interesting. Julie very kindly included some silk 'paper' pieces - the photos do not do the pieces justice as they have such a lovely glimmer! Together with some lovely fibres and a small packet of lovely bits and pieces - I look forward to using all these in some of my work - Thanks Julie. The next envelope came from Neki in Spain with two lovely ATC's - the texture is truly lovely. (I'm sorry but blogger has not allowed me to upload the second photo) Thanks Neki !!Another envelope - this time from Elizabeth. These two ATC's - they have lovely poems tucked in the back of the packet - both of the poems seem to have meaning to me and I am not sure why - Thanks Elizabeth. The next envelope contained a really delicate first ATC from Stephanie. Again I feel honoured that it is a first. It is absolutely beautiful ! Thanks Stephanie. The last envelope in this pile came from Annie N and contained an ATC called 'Washers R Us' with a note saying I could 'fluff' up the wire - the washers stand off the ATC - it is just so clever! So thanks to all the above ladies - I feel so much better - these have cheered me up so much - as you know things have been rough (esp with my mum) and are not getting better but I am not going to bore you with my problems any more. I would like to thank you all for your support with my problems over the last few months.I think it's time to get back to that which makes me happy (textile art) rather than moaning about that which makes me sad.

I also want to say thanks very much to those of you who have named me as writing a blog that you find inspirational and I need to nominate 10 blogs which inspire me. Well how can you prune a list of 104 down to 10 ?????? I can't without difficulty - so I would like to nominate all textile, fibre art and mixed media art blogs as you all inspire me!!!!!