Sketchbook Work

I've done some more sketchbook work and I've been enjoying it.

Following Gina's example for using a stencil  I combined two and used a metallic oil pastel in purple. It's very difficult to see that it's metallic from the picture but it looks very striking over the white card.

Much more subtle against the red page.

Here I used a white oil pastel and mixed purple and red Kohi-I-Noor colours together to fill in the poppies and then I cut away some of the page to reveal part of the underlying page.

I worked some more on the combined stencils page adding some texture. The top of the seed head is covered in the tiniest dark purple beads and I added a few words using my stamps.

This is the page that lies underneath the cut away page.

I took this picture so that you could see the beads on the surface.

This is my favourite page. I used water soluble crayons in various shades of red, orange, yellow and a dark purple mixing them all together. It made such a nice smooth surface to work on that I was reluctant to use it but I did. I'll show you the results in my next post I'm waiting for it to finish drying.

The tumbling block quilt is finished and has recieved lots of nice comments.

I've made a start on putting the pink and green star blocks together for Anthony and Nicki's quilt. I'm hoping to get the top put together today.

The purple and green log cabin hanging is coming along nicely and I've ordered the perspex rod for displaying it.

I must go and get on with the stars now.

Round Two

I have started another sketchbook the first two pages are the same as before, well almost I did make another stencil. Looking back at the two colours I've decided to stick with red. I know that will make it the same as Gina's but red and poppies have been my favourites for some time now and you just can't change things like that. I'm clearly not finished with poppies and I already have another project in mind but on a large scale.

Here I've added some words but it doesn't show very well. On the green page I used some stamps that I've had for a while which came in a very cute box but I can't remember where from. The letters used on the red page came from the local newspaper. I really enjoyed doing this. So much so that I have already made another stencil for the next page. 

This is the cute stencil box, just incase you wanted to see it.

Now for a real treat. Look what I made all by myself and probably never again. It's social stitching today so I made cakes to go with the tea.

I hope there's enough.

A Bag For Ellie

I've finished the big bag and I have to say it's very nice. Baby now has a name, Ellie- until they change their minds again!

I have started on my sketchbook and I'm still working with poppies, they are so pretty. My drawing skills are still lacking.

But I think you can see which two I chose to draw.

I did this step last night, when I'd finished I thought it wasn't very positive and I had doubts but now it's had a chance to dry properly I am quite pleased with it.

The work was done in the sketchbook that I started last year but I've decided to start another one so I'm back to square one.

See this old lady she's been sitting on my window sill for quite a few years now and I think it's time for a change. She is very old fashioned looking and fading quite badly but I'm not going to throw her out I'm just going to make a few alterations maybe something in red and black. Any suggestions?

Coincidence

How about this for a coincidence? I started this bag a couple of months ago (I'd had the fabric for quite a while as you can imagine) so I cut it into 5" squares and set about the making and that's as far as it got.

On Sunday evening I was looking throught the new issue of Australian Homespun which happens to be the Christmas issue and is full of great ideas for gifts and decorations. Anyway I digress, but look at what I found. The bag I'm making, it looks very similar even if it isn't the same one. I obviously have good taste.

Think I'd better go and do some work now.

Finished

I finished the quilt last night and I'm very happy with it. Can't imagine why I didn't finish it sooner!

Here's a close up of the binding and quilting. 

So pretty.

I have at last made a decision about how to finish the edges of my Wonky Log Cabin. You can see on this sample that I've tried binding in both colourways. I did consider the orange-but not for long,  I'm going to bind them in the accent colour used in the block. I think this helps to give each block a strong and positive finish. It feels as though the hanging is really starting to come together now and I may have decided how to join the blocks together, just need to do another sample to try out my idea.

Today I'm hoping to do a little more quilting on this.

I'm hoping to get to Gina's on Sunday for the Open Artists Studios . Hope you all enjoy your weekend.

Finishing and Wishing

Tuesday was a day for a special cake. It's the birthday of one our regular customers on Sunday but she comes in every Tuesday with a group of ladies so to celebrate we had a Sainsburys special (any excuse) and it was very nice.

There has also been new fabric and they are gorgeous. It's a linen and is wider than the normal bolt of fabric.

I can't wait to make a bag using these fabrics.

More linen.

This is what I'm finishing. I made this quilt last year and it was my first try at free motion quilting but I wasn't happy with it so it just got left in a dark corner somewhere. On Sunday Neil and I tidied up the store room and this was one of the things that we found. Looked at with a fresh set of eyes I realised that actually the quilting wasn't that bad and I should stop being a drama queen and just get it finished. Of course there is another reason to finish it now that there is a granddaughter on the way.

I love the crochet trim I used on it.

So the binding was made and is now been stitched, all we need now is the grandaughter but there's a little while to go yet.

I'm hopeful the quilt will be finished today, I'm going to go and do some stitching now whilst I've got a few minutes of free time.

Not Much

There hasn't been much creativity going on since my last post. Last week Neil and I went to Wales for a few days. Unusually I said it wasn't long enough - normally I can't wait to get back!. Unfortunately before we went I'd been ill with an awful cold and throat infection that made me lose my voice for two days. Neil was happy though. But I was so tired and just getting over being poorly that I wasn't able to appreciate the break.

All I've managed in the last three weeks is 20 star blocks. I wouldn't have managed these if it hadn't been for Barbara. I think I may have driven her mad, I was having trouble concentrating but we got there in the end.

I am so far behind with everything including all the blogs I usually read, there must be a lot for me to catch up  on, I'm hoping to read a few blogs today so I'm off to start now.

My Lovely Husband

Bought me this book and it's earnt him a lot brownie points. It's a beautiful book full of wonderful pictures and lots of inspiration. Looking through it made me wish even more that I could draw. This is the sort of book that you never tire of looking through. I'm hoping to go to the gallery in a few weeks.

Here's a few snapshots of a couple of pages.

Today there is cake for social stitching. I'm going to enjoy a slice of this! yum yum.

An Enjoyable Weekend

I hope you all enjoyed the weekend. Neil and I went to Easton Walled Gardens again. It's so nice there even though it's right on the A1. The changes in the garden were clearly visible and the Sweet Peas were just coming into flower, we must go back in a couple of weeks to see them in full bloom. 

Saturday evening we went to Pam's for a barbecue. Pam had made two moussakas (one with potato) and it was lovely. So nice there wasn't any left and that's the best kind of compliment to pay the chef. Caroline (Pam's daughter) was there with her fiance whom we hadn't met before so it was nice to meet him and the rest of his family.

I've finished the green square.

The bag got finished yesterday. I like it now,once I started to quilt the fabric it seemed to bring it all together and I think it's turned out to be a nice fun bag. Unfortunately the picture doesn't show it at its best the colours are much brighter.

Don't think I'll have much time to be creative today but I'm going to try.

Getting Ahead

When Spectrum has its next meeting I will be on holiday, Gina said the colour for next time would be green so I'm been very good and I've started my green square. I'm trying to get ahead instead of been behind do you think I'll get a gold star from teacher?

I've been messing around with the cut and come again technique. I'm not sure I like this one as much, I didn't do any curved seams but I did do a diagonal one. Anyway I'm hoping to turn it into a bag today so I'll decide when I have a finished bag.

As promised a picture of Vanessa's Bargello quilt.

I'm now going to go and make the bag.

A Good Day

Yesterday was Spectrum's monthly meeting. I had a great day beause Gina's challenge for this month was to make a yellow square and I got mine done during the day and I'd made a ginger cake so for once I was a good girl.

I think this may be the start of something with dasies.

Now I have three squares.

Just in case I do get a fixation with dasies when I got home I rushed outside and took some pictures before the lawn was cut and the daisies were no more.

Then I spied some buttercups and took pictures of those because you never know.