Heavenly Anarchist

Custom glass brooch

2011-12-13T11:56:00.002Z

A dichroic glass brooch with black enamel fairy made for a customer:

And another (sorry, blogger insists on putting it sideway!):

Glass cabochon with dragonflies

2011-11-30T15:26:00.001Z

Here's a sample of the glass cabochons I've been selling in my Folksy store this month:

Still going strong with those hair accessories

2011-11-29T11:16:00.003Z

Buy British Month on Cloth Nappy Addicts is nearing the end but I still have loads more to do. Here are my latest items:

Custom glass jewellery

2011-11-28T11:27:00.004Z

In between setting resin I've been fusing glass. I've made dozens of cabochons, mosting with black enamel or 22 carat gold decals. Here's some I custom made:

More jewellery :)

2011-11-28T11:22:00.002Z

Still casting resin to make jewellery - my nails are a mess!

Resin cabochons

2011-11-25T12:42:00.006Z

I've just made some cabochons using resin and dyes, and am busy setting them into place as hair accessories etc. I have a lovely selection of moulds :)

They all turned out rather well :)

Dyeing on jersey

2011-10-27T11:55:00.006+01:00

It's Buy British Month on Cloth Nappy Addicts next week so I am frantically
trying to get things ready for that. Last week I did some dyeing on jersey for a change, and decided to create a less blended and more 'frilly' pattern than usual. Not the best pics as today it is dull and overcast and my husband broke the iron last week but here they are anyway. The colours are far deeper and fresher in real life, especially the first which is really aqua and mint! My camera does not like green!

Next week I'm doing some more, I'm aiming for darker and more gothic colours.

CNA Cybercraft - Baking

2011-10-25T20:04:00.005+01:00

As well as sewing and knitting, the mums on Cloth Nappy Addicts do like to bake. So we're baking most days during this week's cybercraft.

Yesterday we did family biscuit baking with Helen. We're going to swap some of these chinese orange blossom biscuits with other children :)

Today I baked a delicious chocolate cake under Kate's guidance. This rather indulgent cake has a chocolate and whipped cream centre and chocolate and butter icing, and is topped with slivers of dark chocolate. This is my first ever big cake as usually I make buns!

We're having great fun :)

CNA CYCBERCRAFT tutorial

2011-10-24T08:49:00.007+01:00

We're having a family cybercraft on CNA this week and I thought I'd do a simple tutorial for making a scarf from an old tee shirt. A small child's tee might make a collar whilst an xlarge adult one might wrap round twice.

Materials needed:
A tee shirt (any size, they all give different results)
A pair of scissors (preferably fabric but kitchen scissors will do)
Optional beads and ribbons etc to decorate

Cut off the hem, sleeves and neck

Trim the armholes to straighten them and then cut inch wide strips through the fabric from the top (don't cut all the way down)

Knot strips and decorate if desired

Wear

Here's another finished item from a cheap vest which has developed holes - here the strips have been cut from the bottom to retain the picture

There are lots of different way to cut up a tee shirt to make a scarf. You could cut through one side so it can be wrapped. You might spiral a cut up the tee to give a long winding length or tie ribbons onto the cuts. Experiment with different widths and length of both tee shirt and cut strips.

Experiment and have fun!

Cloth diary and notebook set

2011-01-12T11:32:00.010Z

We had several Secret Santas on Cloth Nappy Addicts and I can never resist the urge to sew my pressies. I particularly enjoyed making this cloth covered diary and notebook set - the covers are removable so can be re-used and they can be stored in the matching pouch:

I've made a similar one before for a CNA craft swap, diary for mum and bag for a little girl:

And this is my favourite covered journal, sprayed with Colorwash and stamped with Jacquard Lumiere:

There's something very satifying about covered books, even my 6 year old realises this :) In his school Secret Room (a PTA event, children can purchase Christmas pressies for their loved ones at a pound a shot) he chose for me a sari covered journal and told me he chose it because I like fabric. Isn't he sweet?!

Fab giveaway

2010-12-30T00:22:00.000Z

Lin from LB Crafts has a fab Tim Holtz giveaway on her blog http://yoursartfully.blogspot.com/2010/12/tim-holtz-giveaway.html

Quilting for Christmas

2010-12-24T13:32:00.007Z

I promised my husband I would make some quilts for his family so have been busy the last few weeks finishing them. They are both variations of the same design but the colour schemes are very different. The first is a lovely delicate mix, not my usual style but one I'm definitely going to try again as it worked so well. The second quilt is a more neutral palette to suit the tastes of the recipients.

The other recipient is going to receive the clown quilt I blogged about a while ago.

I also made some Christmas placemats for friends.

Now, off to cover a book with some fabric for the last gift I need to make.
Merry Christmas :)

Christmas decoration swaps

2010-12-24T13:24:00.005Z

We've beem having a few swaps on the forums I visit so I thought I'd just show a sample.
Decorations I made for a swap on UKStampers, including the one I sent to a Cloth Nappy Addicts swap:

The CNA swap was interesting as we had to make a quality decoration ourselves, and then let our children make some decorations. These are the lovely goodies I received:

The Altered Element - Art metal reindeer decorations

2010-11-18T09:29:00.004Z

Art metal is fabulous for making Christmas decorations for your tree, exquisate charms can be made quickly and with great effect.
Here I have taken some silver-coloured aluminium from The Altered Element, backed it with foam for stability (card would work too) and then die cut 2 reindeer in my Big Shot. Then they are run through again in a cuttlebug embossing folder. Using a hand punch, I fixed fancy embroidery thread to dangle them from a tree. Simple but effective.
If you wanted a more grungey look you could apply acrylic paint and wipe off again to age it but I prefer mine shiny :)
The Altered Element has a wide range of art metals suitable for this project.

The Altered Element - Artchix Angels

2010-11-12T13:52:00.003Z

Sometimes the prettiest of things can be quite simple to make. These Christmas Tree Angels are made from Artchix images, backed with patterned card for stability. The skirts are made from chiffon, a running stitch is used to gather the top which is then sandwiched between the image and another piece of card. The edges of the skirts were themn dipped in Decofix, and glass glitter applied to one, mother of pearl flakes to the other. Ties were created from metallic emboidery floss. This idea would also make a great angel for the top of the tree, or even table accessories.
All the commponents for these angels are available from The Altered Element, which also has lots more goodies suitable for your arty Christmas decorations.

OBV facial pads restocked

2010-10-04T10:32:00.001+01:00

I have just restocked the obv facial pads available in my Folksy store. These are my best selling item and always sell out.
These gorgeously cuddly and colourful facial pads are ideal for use with cleansing creams. The outers are soft organic bamboo velour (70% bamboo, 28% organic cotton and 2% polyester) and inside is a layer of organic hemp/cotton (55% hemp, 45% organic cotton). These are hand dyed with procion mx and colours will vary. You will receive a set of 4 tied with a co-ordinating ribbon. £5 plus 50p postage.

The Altered Element - Motherhood Diptych

2010-10-01T13:07:00.002+01:00

I recently received this superb wooden diptych from The Altered Element and knew straight away that I wanted it to be decorated in a tribute to motherhood. The base was gesso'd then painted with several light layers of cream acrylic and reed Decoupaint Antik. The edges were given a light brush of old gold Decoupaint Patina. I gently dyed some vintage pages on an old 'Book of Common Prayer' in tea, these pages were from the Service for Churching (a medieval service used when mothers returned to church after giving birth) and Child Baptism. These were then carefully sewn to ripped white butter muslin (cheescloth) in a red feathered straight stitch. They were adhered to the base using collage medium, creating a slight tranparency to the fragile pages. Lastly I addded images by Artchix and some vintage buttons.

A rusty bustle skirt - Alter It Monthly entry

2010-09-27T15:45:00.010+01:00

When I saw that September's theme at http://alteritmonthly.blogspot.com was rust I just couldn't resist having a go. You see, I've been boring my family silly for months with rust dyeing. It started when dh found a bowl of rusty nails while building our new chicken shed. Since then I have used it to dye calico, muslin, bamboo velour (going to make a lovely hoody from that) and there's some silk in there at the mo. So I thought I'd create a rusty bustle skirt for this month's entry - maybe I should call it a rustle skirt.

I used a rust dyed Sanderson curtain with rust dyed calico for the main skirt. The pocket is a rust dyed cluny lace table mat which has been sewn on in a feathered straight stitch.

I used some rust dyed vintage cluny lace for the waist decoration, machine stitched the word 'rust' then accented it with some rusty discs from the dyeing bowl.

The waist ties are made with rust coloured bias binding and have a clock face and key dangling from the ends.

I think it has quite a steampunk feel.

UKStampers mail art swap

2010-09-27T15:41:00.004+01:00

I recently received this beautifully stamped card as part of a mail art swap on UKStampers :)

Thank you LME, it is lovely and the colours are very me.

Simple strip quilt

2010-09-21T11:46:00.004+01:00

This quilt is a basic strip quilt using a Bar Harbor scrap bag for the strips and a pair of vintage Sanderson floral curtains with oriental bird design for sashing and backing. The batting is organic cotton and it is quilted 'in the ditch' around the strips. This quilt is destined for our bedroom once it is re-decorated.

Altered Element DT - Dainty apron

2010-09-15T10:55:00.004+01:00

In the August DT pack I had a lino cutting kit which I used to design a greek horse stamp. I decided to experiment further with the stamp using Jacquard Lumiere, my favourite fabric paint with it's great texture and slight shimmer. The greek horse seemed to lend itself well to a vintage nursery theme so I set out to evoke a bygone era with a dainty apron.
This apron, made to my own design in heavy unbleached loomstate calico, has been stamped with Jacquard Lumiere which has then been heat set with an iron. Accents are provide by stitched framing, muslin layering and a variety of machine stitching in red. It is finished with red tulle ties. Being wearable art, it is designed to be worn and can be washed gently at a low temperature. Pretty but practical.

Bark - nuno felted scarf

2010-09-09T13:24:00.003+01:00

My play with procion mx dyes and scrim/cheesecloth produced some colourful pieces of fabric ideal for nuno felting (felting wool onto fabric). To do this the fabric needs to be fine and loosely woven, making scrim ideal. Methods of felting do vary and I don't stick religiously to any one method.

I took a piece of dyed scrim and cut it to the required length - the felting process will shrink it by 20-30%. I decided not to finish the edges as I wanted a more organic, unstructured look. On my table were towels and bubble wrap, which I laid the fabric onto. I layered wool roving in random directions, overlapping yet leaving some areas free from wool, adding a touch of wensleydale fibres to the edges. I layered quite thickly as I wanted a bark-like effect but a finer scarf would need much less wool. I then covered the area with net and sprayed with cool soapy water. I did not use warm water yet as I wanted the fibres to start to adhere to the fabric before felting.

I then rubbed soap over the net and rubbed the fabric until the fibres had travelled through the fabric, initially patting down, then using circular movements. Occasionally I had to lift the net as the fibres were attaching to that.
Once the fibres were adhered and no longer moved around I removed the net, placed bubble wrap on top and rolled the scarf around a piece of swimming noodle, securing it with elastic bands. I rolled it 100 hundred times from each end, then rinsed in hot water and repeated this several times. It is important to change sides and direction for even felting.
I then removed the scarf from the noodle, stretching it into shape. I submerged it in hot water and it was the folded into a parcel and thrown onto the floor 25 times, opened and refolded and repeated - this was done several times. Finally it was rinsed in cold water and dried.

The places without wool have developed delightful puckers and gathers, with great texture. A lovely autumnal scarf.

Cotton scrim, procion mx, wool roving and fibres are all available from The Altered Element.

Altered Element DT tutorial - bag dyeing with Procion MX

2010-09-02T10:31:00.004+01:00

I do a lot of dyeing when producing clothing for my store, most commonly using the low water immersion technique on organic bamboo velour, a delightfully strokable fabric. But there are many different ways to apply Procion MX and today I thought I'd show you how to dye in a polythene bag. The measurements given are based on those by Ruth Issett in her book 'Colour on Cloth', though I tend to be flexible in how I stick to these. This recipe makes approx 6 bags of fabric.

Firstly, make up your chemical bases and label and store in airtight containers:

Chemical water:
140g urea
1 tsp Calgon
1 litre warm water

Soda ash solution:
20g soda ash
1 litre very hot water

Select your dyes. If dyeing is new to you, try starting with the 6 basics: lemon, golden yellow, scarlet, magenta, turquoise and ultramarine. For each colour mix a teaspoon with 25mls of warm water, not too hot, stirring well to dissolve all lumps. Add 100mls of chemical water to each pot.

Select your pre-washed fabrics. If you want to experiment on different types of natural fabrics then cut 5-6 squares of fabric per bag, approx 15 by 30 cms each. If you want to dye larger amounts then increase the proportions of mixtures added to suit. I wanted to dye some craft muslin/scrim for a project so chose to cut narrow lengths of this instead.

Add 25mls of dye solution to a bag and squeeze the bag to ensure that the dye reaches all areas of the fabric. Add more dye mix if needed. This can be a different colour if preferred, which can give interesting results if carefully handled, but do be aware that if you use a mix of 3 primary colours it may turn muddy brown if mixed too vigorously. Tie the bag and leave for 10 mins. Repeat for all 6 bags. I made my 3 bags with orange, golden yellow, green and brown dyes, which I used in combination.
After 10 mins add 25 mls of soda solution (more if more dye mixture was added) and squeeze to ensure absorption.

Tie up the bags and leave overnight. Next days, rinse in cold water then wash with a cleaning solution such as Synthrapol or Colsperse. Rinse until clear. I do all this in a washing machine but I'm lazy and often have large amount of fabrics to finish :) For craft purposes. soaking and rinsing by hand may give a deeper colour.

Check back over the coming weeks to see what I did with my dyed scrim ;)

Goodies received from CNA craft swap

2010-09-02T10:23:00.002+01:00

Recently on Cloth Nappy Addicts I took part in a craft swap, using stash to make anonymous goodies for a partner. Yersterday I received my swap and I love it!
I received a gorgeous and roomy messenger bag in William Morris' Blackthorn (gren colourway) and purple trims. It is just what I need as I've been meaning to make myself a large bag for ages. And it was accompanied by a matching chipstone bracelet in just the right colours, sitting on a square of the same fabric.
Thank you swapee, they are lovely :)

Bunting and mail art 2 swaps

2010-08-25T14:19:00.006+01:00

Lots of busy swaps on UKStampers at the mo!
Firstly, the bunting swap. For this one we all had to make a single piece of bunting, sized 5 by 8 inches, for each of the group according to their colour theme. I decided to make mine from calico, spraying Ranger colorwash and/or Cosmic Shimmer mists through a Tim Holtz clock mask. Over this I machine stitched a meandering trail. I then hand dyed/painted pieces of cotton cluny lace with various mists and Jacquard Lumiere paints and stitched this on with a wide zigzag. Various images from Artchix and Utkupilli were sewn on and inked captions added. These captions were taken from an index page of a first world war song sheet and were quite random!
Minxy is kindly stitching the bunting into strings. I'm looking forward to seeing my completed bunting :)

We've also been signing up for another mail art swap. My postcard is again on a calico base, dabbed with Jacquard Lumiere, which gives a lovely subtle shimmer. Painted cluny lace is stitched on to appear as waves and an Artchix mermaid is stitched on with another of those song sheet titles - Sandy Hook sounded irresistible as the name of a mermaid! Thinner white cluny lace is stitched on as an accent, representing sea foam. My postcard will be sent naked through the post. I hope the recipient likes it.

UKstampers is currently signing up for a Christmas decoration swap. Do pop in and have a look on the forum, lots to do there.

Child's patchwork quilt - clowns

2010-08-25T14:09:00.005+01:00

I've recently started making patchwork quilts. With the exception of my recent William Morris patchwork top, I haven't done any patchwork for about 15 years and those early attempts weren't quilted or bound properly. So I thought I'd start with some simple designs.
This patchwork is a simple log cabin of my own design with pink and blue sides adjacent to beige and green, arranged in a zigzag formation. The top was made from a strip roll (and a half) by Fabric Freedom called Nature's Tones - Pastel and the back is vintage Laura Ashley cotton. The quilting is a simple square design stitched in the ditch. It is approximately 150cm square.

I've now started on a strip quilt of my own design using Moda Bar Harbor scraps and vintage sashing.

The Altered Element DT tutorial - lino carved stamps

2010-08-12T13:47:00.012+01:00

I was very excited to receive a new challenge from The Altered Element this month - a lino carving kit! I've never tried making my own stamps before so this was great fun. I thought I'd write a tutorial to show you just how easy it is to make your own stamps.
The lino was Softcut so easy to carve and had a helpful white surface to draw the design on. I decided to draw a stylized greek horse.

This was cut out using sharp craft scissors (the edges were neatened later with a lino cutting blade).

I carved inside the horse using mostly a size 1 blade. The correct angle to carve at is about 25 degrees, this way the blade glides through the surface. Carve away from yourself slowly, carefully avoiding your other hand.

To ink your stamp, pour printing ink onto a tile and load on to a brayer evenly. Apply the ink to your stamp using the brayer. Place your paper onto the stamp and gently brayer over it to impress the design. My layer is slightly thick, printing ink is not my usual medium! I'll know to add less ink next time.

Here is the first print, with another print taking directly afterwards without re-inking. I wanted to show my first attempts to demonstrate that lino carving is not difficult and gives great opportunities for original designs.

I've got plenty of plans for this stamp now and want to play some more, will be trying it out with other inks and paints - can't wait to try Jacquard Lumiere with this. Watch this space.
Lino carving tools will be available soon at The Altered Element.

Mail Art - fabric postcards

2010-08-12T11:37:00.005+01:00

On UKStampers we've been having a mail art swap. I couldn't resist making mine from fabric :)
Here's my one for Sid, made with calico, Ranger Colorwash, and stampers by PaperArtsy, Purple Onion and Stampers Anonymous.

Loved doing this so much, I had to make another to send to Lynne from The Altered Element. This one is stamped vintage fabric, painted bondaweb, PaperArtsy image and random haberdashery.

I may have to do more, it's a lovely size to work with.

Altered Element DT - stamped and quilted journal cover

2010-07-21T14:12:00.012+01:00

I was delighted to receive this sewing themed stamp set by Creative Expressions and a journal from The Altered Element as this month's design team project. The stamp set is delicious and will have a multitude of uses and the journal is just right for recording colour themes and tips from classes. The stamps were calling out for fabric so I decided to create a stamped cover for the journal.

First I cut a piece of calico for the cover, adding an inch each way for seam allowances. This was sprayed with Ranger Colourwash (available from The Altered Element). The more observant of you may note that I didn't iron the calico first! I prefer the marbled look caused by spraying crumpled fabric.

After drying, I ironed the fabric and then stamped repeatedly with Jacquard Lumiere paints (available from The Altered Element) to give background interest.

After stamping I quilted the centre piece (the area forming the front and back covers, not the inners) using a piece of recycled blanket as backing.

I then stamped some accent pieces and sewed them to the front of the journal. Further accents were sewn.

When this was completed I folded the covers inside out and sewed them down. The cover was turned and slipped on. I created slits for the metal closures, which were tied with a co-ordinating ribbon. Lastly a tiny wooden cotton reel (available from The Altered Element) was tied to the page ribbon to complete the look.

Altered Element DT - recycled jigsaw magnets

2010-06-30T14:12:00.004+01:00

Following on from my last post using the jigsaw pieces as masks, I decided to collage some of the wooden jigsaw pieces. I layered acrylic paints, sprayed on Cosmic Shimmer mists and the inked and collages some Tim Holtz papers. Lastly I die cut some of the aluminium metal from this month'd DT pack using a Sizzix ' bug' die in a Big Shot, inked these with alcohol inks and adhered them to the collages to create some delightful fridge magnets. These could just as easily be brooches, pendants, toppers...........the list is endless. Which is just as well as I still have 27 pieces left :)

Altered Element DT - Recycled jigsaw

2010-06-29T09:56:00.005+01:00

For my recycling project this month I received a colourful wooden jigsaw:

Endless possibilities for this! But before I started collaging the pieces, it seemed a shame not to use them on some fabric ;)
I cut a remnant of stretch denim into the pieces for a child's hoody and placed the jigsaw pieces over the fabric to create masks. Jacquard Lumiere 'Crimson' was diluted with 50% water, decanted into a spray bottle and applied to the fabric. This was dried and heatset with an iron before sewing up. After sewing I highlighted half of the jigsaw shapes with red thread embroidery to co-ordinate with the red zigzag contract stitching on the garment edges. Now my little boy has a new and unique top.

Altered Element DT Project - Ornate baby bonnet

2010-06-24T11:11:00.007+01:00

The day the June DT pack arrived I was making traditional calico baby bonnets. So finding the combination of some floral baroque style stamps by Artemesio and some very fine loomstate calico in my box made the decision irresistable - a very fine bonnet was required.
First I cut out my pieces for the bonnets, including a lovely piece of Liberty fabric for the inside rim, and then I built up layers of stamping using the Artemesio stamps with Jacquard Lumiere and Sorbets. This was dried and then heat set with an iron. The first picture includes fabric for ties but these were not used as I decided ribbons would look even better.

The pieces were then sewn together to create this beautiful bonnet, for a very special baby.

Stamps, fine calico and Jacquard Lumiere fabric paints are all available from The Altered Element.

Altered Element DT - Stampbord

2010-06-11T09:53:00.004+01:00

This month's DT pack consisted of some wonderful floral stamps by Artemio and a whole host of surfaces to stamp on! I decided to start first with the Stampbord dominos. Stampbord is a clay coated chipboard surface which takes ink really well. I thought I'd try out a few techniques to see how the worked.
The first one was 'aged' slightly with antique linen and vintage photo distress inks. I then stamped a floral image using Timber brown StazOn. I liked the simplicity of this so married it up with a fabric rose made from stamped fine calico sewn in the style of a grungepaper rose. These two charms were attached to a handmade knitted silk choker.
The second domino was coatedf with lilac alcohol ink then a floral flourish stamped in silver metallic StazOn and I tinted the edges with Crafty Notion glaze to add some colour. An Itkupilli image was adhered to the front and Glossy Accents formed the deep glazed coating. The charn was then attached to a homemade rosette with a brooch clasp.
Lastly, I randomly stamped a Stampbord domino with alcohol inks and stamped a trailing vine over the top in green StazOn. This was highlighted with a Gelly Roll pen and glazed with Glossy acents. A tulle accent and brooch clasp was added.
Lots more surfaces to play with - the fine loomstate calico provided is crying out for some heritage styling :)

Altered Element DT - Pentecost Shrine

2010-06-01T11:42:00.005+01:00

In my DT box this month I received a fabulous shadow box - excellent quality and a lovely size, just right for showing off ATCs. I also received some Decoupaint Antik in a soft green called reed. the colour and texture of the paint made me think of angels, and my younger son's obsession with the Weeping Angels (Dr who fans will know this one!). But the box also had Decoupaint Patina in Old Gold which was very opulent and suggested more a Renaissance feel. I love gold paint and this one is fantastic, it is a lovely texture and colour and has a nozzle to direct the flow. A shrine called out to me and, being Pentecost, I settled on the traditional style of South American Catholic shrines.
I made the lower section of the box, coating the inner in the gold patina, outer in the reed paint. I felt the inner needed a rich surface so used some hand dyed organic bamboo velour, stamped in the gold patina using the Karantha stamp from my box - for added depth I then sprayed with Cosmic Shimmer mist through a Crafters Workshop template.
I painted a cabouchon with more reed paint, then gold. An Artchix image (a wonderful Pentecost find, a South American style Christ with the Holy Spirit as a dove) was adhered and then glazed with glossy accents. From this dangles a red glass bead and angel charm. Underneath this is a few lines from a Psalm, dyed and crumpled in tea and edged with Vintage photo Distress Ink and a little more gold paint :)
Then I painted the back of the shrine frame in gold, attached it to the box and painted the front in reed paint. I pressed sections of the Karantha stamp into the paint to add texture. Lastly I edged the frame in gold and lightly brushed gold highlights on with my finger tip.
This shrine is destined for a friend in need of some love and support.

Upcycled scarf tops

2010-05-28T15:28:00.004+01:00

I've been busy upcycling vintage scarves into tops :) Great as beach cover-ups, with jeans, or even dressed up for a night out:

Now available in my Folksy store (though I saved one for me!)

Marie Antoinette bib necklace

2010-05-28T10:56:00.004+01:00

I still had 4 pieces of filigree left from my Altered Element upcycling project so thought I would turn them into a bib necklace to match the gothic cuff.
Firstly I cut a bib shape from some thick black felt and did some random free motion stitching. I couched some metal chain from my previous creative textile pack (from Altered Element and such a bargain!) around the edges, and finished the top with black satin ribbon to form ties.
For the central filigree square, I prepared it in the same way as the previous mermaid, flattening it with a chasing hammer, then adhering and glazing the image (which is an Itkupilli image, see my side bar).
The remaining 3 filigree squares needed decorations to fill their spaces since I had removed their acrylic gems. I found the perfect solution in Crafty Notions Glazes, available from Altered Element. I used mauve and black. A couple of layers were needed as the surface was irregular due to the glue from the gems but the end result was beautiful enamel-like colour. My filgree squares were then stitched to the bib and a little black ribbon bow completed the look.
Perfect for a stately occasion :)

Yesterday's dyeing

2010-05-27T10:43:00.003+01:00

I love how these have turned out, especially the girly one :)

And a cute pink nappy

Altered Element - upcycled mermaid bracelet

2010-05-27T09:32:00.005+01:00

My upcycling package from Altered Element contained a huge wooden beaded necklace and a chunky filigree ex-bracelet with garish pink acrylic crystals - neither of which are to my taste, in colour or style! My immediate thought with the beads was to attempt to dye them black so I threw them into some procion mx dye I was using for another project where they entirely failed to dye. But the experiment was not in vain, as I discovered that instead their own colour was washing out. Several kettles of water later and I had some washed out blue beads just perfect for a seaside theme.
I took the filigree bracelet sections and started to remove the ghastly gems. I managed to prise a few off with pliers but resorted to sticking them in the oven to melt the remaining ones (warning: smells very nasty, you might want to take safety precautions).
Then I took one section of filigree and flattened it with a chasing hammer. This created a flat frame for an image of a mermaid (Artchix Studios, Altered Element sells a variety of Artchix images for collage). I adhered it using glossy accents and filled in the back for security. When dry, I glossed over the mermaid image.
The faded beads and filigree frame were threaded on black elastic to create a summery accessory, just right for the bank holiday.

Fabulous Artsycrafts weekend

2010-05-24T13:04:00.003+01:00

Spent a wonderful weekend at Artsycrafts, run by Leandra of PaperArtsy and Lin of LB Crafts - lovely time playing with inks, paints and metal. I will upload my pics later but here's a peak at one of mine borrowed from the PaperArtsy twitter feed:

Thank you to everyone for making it all such a learning experience and so much fun.

Altered Element Design Team - Antiqued cuff

2010-05-14T16:27:00.006+01:00

My Altered Element Design Team parcel came yesterday, containing the usual 2 packages - craft supplies and upcycling supplies.
My craft supples were:
Decoupaint Antik - reed
Decoupaint Patina - old gold
Craftynotions Puff Paint
Karantha stamp - floral texture no1
Twiddleybitz - small shadow box

My upcycling supplies were:
Chunky wooden necklace
5 large filigree links with pink acrylic gems
5 crystal flowers on a chain

Lots to work with there!
I decided to use the puff paint separately from the rest of it's parcel. I still had plenty of fabric and lace/ribbons from last month's upcycling project so thought I'd team them up.
Firstly, I applied puff paint to a strip of upholstery fabric through a crafter's Workshop Template 'Mini Flower Frenzy' (available from Altered Element) and heated it with a heat gun to puff it up.I decided it was too starkly white so 'aged' it with a touch of the Decoupaint.. I sewed the painted fabric , layered with ribbons, onto a piece of William Morris fabric. The cuff needed some embellishments so I added the crytal flowers, carefully cutting them from their chain links. Lastly, I added a calico backing and button closure.
I'm enjoying these cuff variations :)

Nappies!

2010-05-12T18:23:00.003+01:00

Made 18 hand dyed organic bamboo velour nappies yesterday and spent the best part of this afternoon putting resin snaps on. These are being sold as part of Buy British Month on Cloth Nappy Addicts and will be in my Folksy store tonight.

Buy British Month on CNA

2010-05-03T20:45:00.003+01:00

This month is Buy British months on Cloth Nappy addicts, the forum I'm a moderate on. It's a chance to showcase the products of the work at home mothers who frequent the board. Do feel free to come and have a look around.
http://clothnappyaddicts.co.uk/forum/index.php

Altered Element DT - Distressed cuff

2010-04-22T20:04:00.006+01:00

In my April project pack I received a whole host of delightful goodies - black lutradur, a silver textiles pack and a yummy pot of Cosmic Shimmers Arctic Black embossing powder. Lots of ideas came to mind, especially for jewellery, but in the end I decided that I was just in the mood for a gothic style cuff.

Firstly, I cut identical rectangular pieces from some black felt, plum polyester satin and the lutradur. I cut them approx 8 inches by 2 inches, you need to make sure it fits around your wrist and add up to an inch for heat shrinkage. I layered the felt on the bottom, then satin, then lutradur on top. I then zigzagged around the edge to secure. Next I randomly machine quilted the layers. A heat gun was then used to distress the top two layers.
I took a generous pinch of Lametta hair from the textiles pack and adhered this to one half of the cuff with random machine stitching. On top of this I couched some medium boullion wire into a double spiral.
Using a Big Shot, I cut a bird shape from the Aluminium from the pack, then embossed it using a Cuttlebug folder. I brushed an embossing pad over the raised surface, applied the embossing powder and heat embossed this twice to add extra texture and interest. Lastly I adhered some craft foam to the back for stability and sewed it onto the cuff. Silver coloured fastenings complete the item.
An accessory fit for a gothic princess.

I have loads left in my textiles pack so lots more to play with - I fancy a bib necklace to match. The packs are a real bargain - I've bought 2 more in other colours.

Altered Element Upcycling Project - Vintage apron

2010-03-30T09:25:00.010+01:00

I was DELIGHTED when my Upcycling Project Pack arrived from the Altered Element. Inside was this:

A delightful piece of vintage cotton fabric which is very familiar to me. It is a Sanderson print of William Morris' 'Chrysanthemum'. Sanderson bought a lot of William Morris designs from his estate and faithfully reproduced them for years. This is one of my favourites and I already have it in 2 other colourways.
I felt the fabric cried out for further vintage adornments and that it was ideal for an apron:

Here's a few details:

I tea-dyed a doily, then stamped images in various colours of Jacquard Lumiere. This was the first time I had used these paints and they worked very well, I was very impressed. The stamps were Artemio and Inkadinkado. Then I embellished using vintage fabric, Cluny lace, decorative stitching and buttons. I machine sewed the quote.
I then set about making my apron base, cutting a basic rectangle to the required size, heming it and attaching a waistband and ties. I adhered the doily pocket using a large zigzag stitch in a contrasting colour.
The result: an adorable apron perfect for crafting in.

Jacquard Lumiere is available from the Altered Element, along with Artemio stamps and a hold host of goodies for your textile and mixed media art.

Not been around.........

2010-03-29T11:50:00.001+01:00

I've had flu and tonsillis for the past week. But I'm feeling better today so I'm hoping to get a few of my projects up here this afternoon. Now, where's the camera.............

Bubble printing on jeans

2010-03-12T09:18:00.018Z

Old jeans make a fun, cheap and sturdy canvas for printing on, and give the great benefit of allowing you to wear your art. In this tutorial I will show you a very simple technique to brighten a pair of old jeans, ideal for wearable art novices.

Supplies:
Plastic bin bag or cover for your table top
Old jeans
Newspaper
Fabric paint
Brayer and ceramic tile
Bubble Wrap

Firstly, cover your table for protection. Insert folded newspapers inside your jeans so that no paint soaks through and lie them on the table.
Pour a small amount of paint on the tile and roll the brayer backwards and forward to create an even coating.

Apply the paint evenly to the surface of the bubble wrap. How much your apply will affect the outcome - experiment and be prepared for an eclectic result!

Place the bubble wrap on your jeans and gently but firmly apply pressure. Do not squash it down as that will cause the paint to pool in the crevices of the bubble wrap (unless you want that look, of course). Carefully lift off the bubble wrap and the print should look like this:

Then work your way up the jeans, stamping paint in layers. Don't forget the edges of the jeans - do check that the pattern reaches all the way round. You could also choose to just print on some areas of the jeans - it's entirely your call. I starting applying brown shades at the bottom, working my way up to greens at the top. Do the same with the other leg. You can see in my photograph where I added a heavier layer of orange paint on the lower legs, the pattern is brighter there.

Now to do the back. If your paint is quite thick, or you are concerned about smudging your pattern, you can leave the front to dry for a few hours before turning over. But I am an impatient crafter and started on mine straight away :)
When you have finished, let your painted jeans dry and then iron to set the paint according to the manufacturer's instructions. Feel free to add any embellishment now, perhaps some random embroidery on the edges or pockets - I've added a dyed and painted doily to the pocket, with a few vintage buttons, and brayered excess fabric paint on the seams and hem of the garment.

Now you have a fabulous pair of jeans to wear, totally individual and all your own work. Experiment with using other objects to stamp on jeans; jar lids, corks, corrugated card, old toys..............

More ideas for stamping onto jeans coming soon.

Fabric paints are available from http://www.alteredelement.co.uk

Cocktail dress, sound of music style.

2010-03-11T12:29:00.006Z

I love this dress, the fabric is pretty with a slight sheen and the style is smart yet flirty. It was made using a gorgeous vintage cotton sateen curtain, with the original sateen curtain lining as it's own lining. Modelling was a bit awkward, as the dress is size 16-18 whilst my mannequin, Valerie, is only a 12 and doesn't really have the bust for it :):

The back is laced with gold ribbon:

And the co-ordinating necklace is vintage braid with a yellow chandelier drop:

Goodies arrived!

2010-03-11T12:23:00.003Z

I indulged myself at The Altered Element to celebrate being chosen for the design team:

All 8 UTEE Brightz - aren't they fab! And Jacquard Lumiere - I've been wanting to try these out for ages. Not in the pic is my fusible film and new Cosmic shimmer mists. I'm so excited, I need some play time ............hears distant beckoning call of her studies................

Yet more napkins........

2010-03-10T13:40:00.004Z

What is it about napkins, I can't resist them! Popped into Waitrose to get some yummies as we have a 9 year old guest for tea and succumbed to 4 packs of napkins! But they are lovely - I adore the Union Jack one. Will collage them onto some calico later today, ready to make some special accessories.

Exciting times ahead!

2010-03-08T00:46:00.001Z

I am delighted (and astonished!) to announce that I am now a member of The Altered Element Design Team. I was particularly drawn to apply for the team because the store has such a fantastic range of goodies for the textile and mixed media artist - I originally found it on a hunt for fine metal mesh, an elusive item which I am pleased to have finally tracked down. I love their product range and am unbelievably excited to be part of the team.
For a look at the wonderful things on offer, please visit http://www.alteredelement.co.uk

Finished my bird charms

2010-03-05T12:50:00.000Z

This is one of 14 charms made for a charm swap on UKStampers. It was made from pearl polymer clay which had been conditioned, stamped and then cut with a cookie cutter. An attachment hole was added before baking. Afterwards I layered pastel shades of acrylic paints to 'age' it. I used brass wire to attach a pearlised bead and form a loop, and added a split ring to attach.
Looking forward to seeing the others in the swap :)

I have a new toy :)

2010-03-05T12:35:00.000Z

I'd been thinking about getting a Fuseworks microwave kiln for a while and read up some reviews. On face value, the forum reviews seem mostly negative. But delving deeper, you find that most of the comments come from people who haven't used it (but are convinced it would catch fire), sellers of bigger, more expensive kilns and jewellery designers who think small kilns would be unprofessional. The reviews I found from ordinary crafters who have bought one generally were more 'Wow! This is great fun!'. So I indulged myself and bought one off ebay for £69.
Here's my first effort, using the millefiori glass pieces they supplied so it's rather unoriginal in it's design (but cute anyway):

Apologies for a dark pic, night time photo.The edges of the glass need filing but it did work really well and nothing caught fire ;) It was a doddle to use. I'll contiinue playing and perhaps try fusing some recycled glass.

But the real reason I wanted a Fuseworks is to fire Precious Metal Clay, as I'm too much of a wimp with the blow torch.............

My comments!

2010-03-03T10:33:00.000Z

My comments appear to have disappeared from most of my blog! Where did they go?! They were there last week.
A cyber mystery.
Annie
Edited to add - it seems to be a wider Blogger problem and lots of people have reported it. So not just me being a non-tech wizard then!

My muse

2010-03-01T12:51:00.001Z

My husband has bought a better computer (so he and the boys can play more PC games!) so my usual one is now in the spare room. Spare room is a somewhat loose term, as it contains no bed, just a small desk, my embroidery machine and paraphernalia, several shelves of books (from quantum physics to nursing to art, noting the diverse pursuits of the household) and a mindboggling amount of fabric for my business and pleasure. From this new vantage spot I can see a trinket made long ago for an altering challenge - my muse :)
Yes, she really was a spark plug. Her arms are made from brass wire twisted round her body, her head is a fabric covered button, her dread-like hair is yarn, and her eyes tiny beads. Her dress is a beautiful batik cotton, which suits her colouring wonderfully. She is friendly and pretty and it is lovely to have her beside me.

Anyone seen this on it's travels?

2010-02-27T21:42:00.000Z

I made this angel deco journal a couple of years ago as part of a roving swap on UKScrappers. The idea was that you sent the journal off to someone and it was then passed on to someone unknown, travelling along on an unchartered route until it eventually (hopefully!) returned to it's owner. My journal was sent with my board name and email address written inside and I eagerly awaited it's completion.
Alas, to no avail. I received smaller, less ornate, decos back but this fine one remains elusive, wandering the world.
The journal was made with 2 wooden hearts donated by a fellow scrapper. It was collaged with paper, an angel image was adhered and mini scrabble letters, and it was coated a sepia glaze. I adorned with ribbons and a collaged perspex angel.
I presume she is still occupied and hope she is guarding someone well.

Remember this dress?

2010-02-27T21:34:00.000Z

I blogged about this dress several months ago but wasn't sure then how I'd finish the adornments off. Well, I thought I'd post an update:

The Romance tea dress was made using upholstery fabric and lined using an identical dress in vintage cotton sateen curtain lining. These 2 were sewn together with external, frayed seams on the surface, overlocked seams within. I then randomly tore strips up both layers of skirts, of different widths and lengths. These strips were then frayed by hand and with a wire brush, loose threads were left to hang down. The back opening had eyelets applied and was laced with red chiffon ribbon which looks very effective against the paler fabric. The shoulder was given a vintage accent with the use of layers of tulle, cotton velvet and cotton doily, pleated to the curve of the bodice. A textile flower with bottle top brooch completed the vignette. The resulting dress is pretty and original, yet also practical as it is machine washable when the brooch is detached.
I think she's finished now :)

2010-02-26T08:07:00.000Z

Following on from my last post..........
My mother died a year ago today. A widow who had been disabled for much of her adult life, she was nevertheless a cheerful and stoical woman. She loved 'nick nacks' and her small apartment was crammed with fluffy cushions, decorative plates, thimble racks and cases full of ornaments.
I have several of her thimble racks (and a multitude of thimbles!) and had been meaning to play with them for a while. It seemed fitting to make a case dedicated to her.
The dark teak rack was cleaned and a light layer of cream acrylic paint was applied to give it some tooth. Further layers of acrylics were applied and lastly stencilled through a heart shaped paper doily. Edges were 'antiqued' with Distress ink in Vintage Photo.
When I started out I was unclear as to the contents of the shelves. But as the colour developed I knew I wanted a feeling of the the romantic Edwardian era, the Belle Epoque. This led to the inclusion of vintage images of women and children. The objects I included were chosen to this theme but also related to my mother - the tea pot which was constantly full, the food she loved, jewellery, and I even included some lingerie lace as she loved pretty things. These were layered in Ranger Glossy Accents.
I love the result and know she would have loved to see it hanging on her wall.

The Faerie within......

2010-02-25T21:45:00.000Z

Today I finished a piece of work I've been meaning to do for a while. It is in memory of my mother, who died a year ago tomorrow. But while I was making it I became distracted by the need for a 'prop' for it's photo and remembered that I never did get round to altering that small dress form........
My theme was the faerie within. It comprises several layers of Indian newspaper and flowered tissue paper, collaged with a image of a faerie and music sheets then coated with washes of dilute acrylic paint. It was then highlighted with Crackle Paint, stamped with flourishes in StazOn, and 'antiqued' with Distress ink pads. A final sheen is added with pale gold shimmer glaze purchased from a hardware store and a tiny pair of wings attached to her back.

I'll post the rest of the project up tomorrow.

Just found these!

2010-02-25T11:13:00.000Z

I'd forgotten about these :) A friend send me a package of random ephemera which contained, amongst other things, a keyhole. I've been addicted ever since!

Here's Josephine Baker:

And a fairy:

And I found some lovely chandelier pendants in my album:

Must stop browsing my albums and do some work!

Dominoes

2010-02-25T10:48:00.000Z

I have the urge to play with dominoes today :) Dominoes are so adaptable and forgiveable. I think these were the first ones I ever altered, for a UKS swap:

Closely followed by:

Made for a friend, to the theme of morning frost:

A charm swap:

And my favourite, for a themed swap:

These days it tends to be inked and collaged though:

But occasionally stamped:

Hm, I think inks and collage is the way to go today :)

Fabric books

2010-02-24T09:48:00.000Z

I've been having a look through some past projects, trying to get some inspiration, and found some fabric book covers I made several years ago.
This is the cover of the first CJ I ever made, when I had only just heard of scrapbooking - a friend had invited me to join a group. The fabric is an early 1970's Laura Ashley called Sweet Alyssum. It has a slightly wonky frame but is a promising start:

Later I joined a CJ for faith journals, this cover is very stroke-able:

I thought I'd try my hand at something new with a FaithscrappersUK journal, my theme was Protestify (ie speaking out against injustice) and I used a calico base to layer paints and stamp. It is great to handle, very textured:

I never did finish the cloth 'file' I made in just one hour during a cyber crop event:

However, that journal does at least contain one of my favourite pieces:

The above page was created by printing part of 'The Annunciation' on an ordinary piece of calico in an inkjet printer. I then created a frame from upholstery fabric but instead of removing all the inner fabric I just removed the horizontal ones, creating a curtain effect in front of the angel. This represented the secrecy of the visit. I decorated with various yarns and handmade sari beads and mounted the scene on brocade. This was one of my first adventures into textile pages and I still have a soft spot for it.

2010-02-23T14:33:00.000Z

Thought I'd share some bird charms I recently made. These were made from polymer clay which was conditioned, stamped and then cut with cookie cutters. An attachment hole was added before baking. Afterwards I layered pastel shades of acrylic paints to 'age' them. These are for a project for my shop but I have another similar group I'm embellishing for a charm swap.

Tumbling free.......

2010-02-23T14:15:00.000Z

Thought I'd show the results of my tumbling experiments.
Firstly, my first tumbling, some basic rough rock mix, tumbled over 3 weeks with decreasing grit grades. These will be drilled and used to form jewellery.

Then I smashed up a cheap Willow Pattern plate and tumbled that. It took far less time to tumble than the rock and I love the results, some of which will be wire wrapped as pendants and some drilled for other jewellery.

So I threw in some smashed up china..........

....hmm, not so good, took ages to tumble and the decoration eroded! But it has potential for stamping:

I now have plans to tackle some larger pottery and perhaps see if I can erode some of mum's old china thimbles.

Busy, busy, busy!

2009-11-09T10:27:00.000Z

BBM is always a hectic time, not least when it's start coincides with my being on holiday and a huge pile of marking on my return. I've been busy sewing, crafting and dyeing all week. Yesterday had a little mermaid themes (which isn't yey finished ;)) I made a lovely bustle skirt and a bookmark, which sold immediately.

I have yards of freshly dyed organic bamboo velour around the house, waiting for new projects.

Black pixie hood

2009-11-05T14:35:00.000Z

I sold this beautiful hoody on folksy today:

It is matte black cotton velvet, with a pixie hood and cute fairy machine embroidery - and was snapped up straight away!

Leather and embossed metal wristlets

2009-11-05T14:29:00.001Z

Been making some more wristlets, but this time embossed metal and leather, as well as velvet.

The bottom one is mine, the rest are for my folksy store, along with some others. I think my sewing machine will need a service now!

2009-11-03T21:43:00.000Z

Just got back from hols (will update on pics from that later) and landed in BBM. What's BBM you may well ask. Well on Cloth Nappy Addicts we are having Buy British Month, a celebration of wahms.
So I have spent the last 2 days making embossed and sewn metal wristlets and I listed my first Folksy items today. Here's an example of a brass and cotton damask one:

I also listed some other fabric wristlets and resin candy jewellery left over from festivals:

So, very busy and I still have loads of other resin jewellery to list and a huge pile of sewing to do.

Rose tinted

2009-10-22T20:03:00.000+01:00

Thought I'd post up some pics of the gorgeous reversible swing dress and PUL nappy covers I made the other day. The photos were taken before poppers were added to the wraps. I think this is one of the prettiest sets I've made.

She'll be wearing pink pyjamas.....

2009-10-22T19:59:00.000+01:00

Today I made two pairs of ladies hooded pyjamas from two of the fabrics I dyed the other day (apologies for blurry pics again, my camera doesn't like evenings). The waists are yoga bands this time:

Hoodies and PJS

2009-10-21T19:26:00.000+01:00

I spent a very busy day making up some garments from 3 of the fabrics I dyed on Monday (and also another piece I dyed previously). Excuse the poor pics, it was getting dark when I photographed them.

Firstly, there are hoodies for my 2 boys:

Then there are 2 pairs of pjs for them:

I've been sewing these all day! They wanted different hood styles so I had to improvise and I nearly didn't have enough length of fabric for my eldest's pants. But they've all turned out well and I have scrap fabric to play with.
Tonight I'll be cutting up the other 2 large pieces to make ladies' pjs to sew tomorrow. Then I can take a week's break from sewing! Hooray!

Kitschy Coo has candy too! ooh and it rhymes!

2009-10-20T22:19:00.000+01:00

http://kitschycoo.blogspot.com/2009/10/giveaway-bigger-girls-asymmetrical.html

Happy Daze has blog candy!

2009-10-20T22:12:00.000+01:00

http://happydazedesignteam.blogspot.com//

A rainbow of colour (mostly on my hands ;) )

2009-10-20T11:56:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I did a bulk load of dyeing on organic bamboo velour, one of the most beautiful fabrics around. It's a mix of bamboo (prepared using the viscose process) and organic cotton and is very soft and cuddle yet not bulky. It is a velour knit so nice and stretchy, making it ideal for casual wear or anywhere you'd use a jersey knit. I used procion mx to dye, using the low water immersion technique (the green and blue middle ones were bucket dyed first to give an overall colour).

These first two are custom dyed to make into two pairs of pyjamas for a customer (will show you the end result in the next few days):

These are to make into hoodies for a customer's little boy and for my eldest son:

And the last two fabrics will be turned into pjs for both my boys, they chose the colours, their tastes are very different!

Lots of sewing to do!

Taking the pressure off

2009-10-20T11:01:00.000+01:00

On friday I was feeling snowed under with customer orders and needed time out for myself. But what to make instead? The boys have a list of things they want me to make but it's all too similar to my customer list. Time for something different. So I made the top of a double patchwork quilt:

I'm rather pleased with it, it took about 5-6 hours to sew and I used precut 'jelly roll' fabric strips from Fabric Freedom in William Morris colourway. I don't usually do patchwork, I made 3 poorly sewn quilts in my twenties one of which never got finished so this is a novelty. Need to buy some backing fabric.....

Linda's got candy ;)

2009-10-16T09:30:00.001+01:00

Thanks Linda http://www.acraftingjourney.blogspot.com/

Apron swap

2009-10-08T09:36:00.001+01:00

At I've been hosting an apron swap as part of a drive to get more people sewing. I asked for a craft apron with lots of pockets and have just received this beauty:

The carroty fabric underneath is my skirt, not more of the apron!
Isn't it lovely? Thank you to my swappee - I know who you are!

More hoodies.....

2009-10-08T09:28:00.000+01:00

These are a couple more of the hoodies I've been making:

Looking at the pics now, it is interesting to see the effect of having an appropriate mannequin to demonstrate clothes on. This mannequin is age 4 size. The chocolate dress is age 2 and consequently fits snugly, stretchy at the chest and shortening the drape. The candy pink dress is age 6 so hangs loosely, appearing elongated.
i wonder if I have space for a bigger child mannequin.......

Nurture a songbird

2009-10-07T09:43:00.001+01:00

I had to alter a CD as part of a swap on UKStampers. Here is my entry and customary poor pic:

I cut an oval, representing an egg, from the CD using my Bigshot and then coloured it using Ranger alcohol inks in stream and meadow. It was stamped in StazOn with a Klimt image of mother and child from Cherry Pie Art stamps. The Tim Holtz grungeboard bird shape was inked in the same colours and the repeated image stamped, edges of both were then inked in blue. A piece of hand dyed bamboo velour was added at the bottom to add texture and depth and lastly a tiny gem became the bird's eye.
I'm not sure if this should be a brooch or magnet so I've left the fastenings off the back.

Pretty in Pink

2009-10-07T09:37:00.000+01:00

Here is a sample of a hoody dress adapted from the Olivia pattern. I've made it in a gorgeous deep candy pink needlecord and accented it with berry quilting cotton.

I've been making several of these in the last week, they are always popular with customers, though I have to admit it is not my favourite pattern to work with, hence my need to adapt it. The finished product is lovely though.

Face pads and bracelets

2009-09-25T09:31:00.000+01:00

I try to make something every day, it keeps my creative processes going. This week I have been doing some dyeing of organic bamboo velour using the low water immersion technique and procion mx dyes. The resulting fabric was used to make facial cleansing pads for a wholesale customer:

Pretty aren't they?

I've also been meaning to make some leather and sheet metal bracelets for a while, and once again an article from Belle Armoire gave me a good kick to go and do it. Here's the result (apologies for poor pic):

Firstly I bonded my brass sheet with craft foam and then ran it through my sizzix to cut a rectangular shape. This was then put through again inside a cuttlebug embossing folder. The resultant image was then randomly inked with Ranger alcohol inks. Leather was cut to create the bracelet, 2 holes punched in the brass and the brass sewn to the leather. Bird images were then stamped in StazOn on the brown one (not on the green, the suede on this is much darker than shown in the photo and I might add some beads to it). Ribbons were attached and threaded through further holes as fastenings. The brown bracelet is for the monthly art raffle swap, the green is for me (and I'm wearing it at this moment).
I loved the end effect but find the ribbon fiddly to tie. I will probably try making them with resin poppers to fasten next time.

My fabric CJ returns home

2009-09-21T09:58:00.000+01:00

I took part in a fabric circle journal on UKScrappers and it has now returned home. The quality and artistry is stunning! I provided the base pages, made from random vintage fabrics and calico and gave the participants free rein to do as they please. Here is the result:

Descriptions in a clockwise direction:
1)I love the sign in page, like a collage of different styles.
2)First is mine, beading on a camouflaged bird.
Quinnan's has a pretty, intricate little fairy charm which is so sweet.
Wisher's is pretty and has my favourite - lace.
Rainbowjoy's - oh my! The embroidery and the jewel-like colours!
3)Love Sarah's very cute bird which can be hidden in the pocket. I will be using this idea in my next piece of work.
Efemera's has a gorgeous flower, lovely choice of colours and great stitching.
Flo's alien is one of my favourites - so cool and very original.
Irboo's piece is so pretty and textural.
4)Lou's is striking and her stitching is so neat!
Magpie did a very beautiful rose with fabulous stitching. A lovely piece I could frame.
new2this' piece has lovely beading and stitching work.
MandyNio included amazing beads and embellishments, a very beautiful piece in my favourite colours. And I've photographed it upside down!
Thank you all so much, they are all stunning and will make a fabulous wall hanging.

Romance tea dress

2009-09-18T16:12:00.000+01:00

For a while I've wanting to make a dress using upholstery fabric that has been distressed. I've had this fabric for years and have previously used some to make a beautiful 50s dance dress which I showcase on my mannequin at festivals. But I wanted to make a dress with a lighter, more distressed feel. A recent article in Altered Couture spurred me on to do this project.
The Romance tea dress was made using uphlostery fabric and lined using an identical dress in vintage cotton sateen curtain lining. These 2 were sewn together with external, frayed seams. I then randomly tore strips up both layers of skirts, of different widths and lengths. These strips the were then frayed by hand and with a wire brush. Loose threads were left to hand down. A fabric rose was made and sewn to the neckline. The back opening had eyelets applied and was laced with red chiffon ribbon which looks very effective against the paler fabric (I did this after photographing it, will take another pic at some point). I'm very please with the result, very pretty and romantic, but I feel she might acquire more decoration.

Grungepaper and recycled cans

2009-09-18T15:48:00.000+01:00

Grungepaper flowers are all the rage on blogs at the mo and UKStampers has hosted a swap of a single flower. This was my first go at using grungepaper and, to be honest, I didn't like the effect of distress inks on it - I don't think it's going to be my favourite medium. I altered the colour with distress inks in spiced marmalade and vintage photograph, stamped a medallion and made the rose using the instructions on the Studio 490 blog. I then highlighted with some orange stickles. Not really very adventurous, and I think it has the touch of a maiden aunt about it!
The other swap I'm involved in is a recycled packaging one. For this, I adhered some foam to a piece of can, cut a bird shape with my sizzix dies and then embossed it with a birds and swirls folder. I inked it with StazOn then adhered a brooch pin to the back. I hope my swappee likes it.

Fabric CJ pages

2009-09-18T15:27:00.000+01:00

For the past year I have been taking part in a fabric CJ and I've seen some phenomenal work. I've just opened my returned complete CJ and it is really beautiful - I'll post up some pics next week.
I thought I'd share the last 2 entries I made to other peoples' CJs.
The first is made by applying patterned tissue paper to muslin to creat a fabric paper - this is sewn on to a co-ordinating upholstery background. I then appliqued a tree made from hand dyed organic bamboo velour, cut with a sizzix. The edges are left rough for a distressed effect.
For the second, I was inspired by a trip to Greenbelt. where my youngest son fell in love with the bubble store. I hand dyed organic bamboo velour in shades of pink and purple, then cut them into a variety of circles and appliqued to the navy base with freeform spirals of variegated yarn. Further stitching surrounds the bubbles and beads were applied randomly to accent the design. It's called Bubble Candy.
I greatly enjoyed being involved in the CJ, I learnt so much from all the artwork I saw during its progress.

Bird matchbox

2009-04-02T14:36:00.000+01:00

Well, yesterday I finally got a chance to finish an altered matchbox for a swap. The theme was bird or birds.
I used Distress ink to coat the matchbox, stamped in StazOn all over and again in Opalite on the sides (which in places had a weird white reaction with the other inks!) and added Diamond Glaze to coat the top. Inside was also stamped and coloured all over and I added a nest stamp to the inner. Below this I created a little nest of yarns (very fiddly getting this to stick to itself not me). Lastly some milky beads were attached in the nest and some sticks at the sides. I'm rather pleased with the result.

Works in progress

2009-03-31T17:11:00.000+01:00

I have done some work recently, honest! A little while ago I made the above super-cute brooches (I make 'hairy' versions too :)). I made the pendant below for a friend, it was very hard to give away:

Last week I made a 'house' picture from collaged art images and crackle paint, with lace, button and patina'd chipboard for embellishments. It's for a swap on UKScrappers - my return swap is winging it's way back here this minute.

Today I sewed the most gorgeous dungarees with oriental trims, I'll take and upload photos tomorrow.

I have 2 other swap things on my 'to do' list - an altered matchbox using the theme of 'bird' and 9 pieces of jigsaw with individual themes for different people. Stamping WILL feature. Watch this space.

My current mission is to do more stamping, hence joining UKStampers (and getting a sub to Craft Stamper, oops!). I want to incorporate stamping into my fabric work and jewellery. I also want to experiment more with masks and stencils, and do more fabric dyeing.

Other stuff

2009-03-31T16:39:00.000+01:00

I've not just been sewing, I've managed to make a few trinkets too. A few are works in progress. I've also been customising the bottle tops and keyholes with people's own images. Josephine Baker is a favourite but I also like the green domino.

After the interval...

2009-03-31T16:23:00.001+01:00

Haven't been here for 6 months! Eek! However, I've decided to kick start my creativity again by joining a few swaps on UKScrappers and I've just signed up to UKStampers.
So what have I been doing this past few months? well, sewing mostly. Aren't the velvet ones lovely? I love working with cotton velvet, it has a lovely hand and looks sumptious. I've made adult hoodies too.

These cotton dresses are mine, I have a taste for hippy William Morris.

Birds

2008-09-18T21:14:00.000+01:00

Well, after a week of sewing (loads of orders this week) and an unwell child, I finally completed my entry for the art raffle. The theme was flights of fancy and I decided to do a fabric page called evolution - pastel, in practice for a fabric CJ I'm about to get involved in. I made a page as a base using curtain fabric backed with calico. I then picked out the flowers in fabric paints, crazy quilted around them and then appliqued a bird in the same fabric, highlighted in chalks.

I liked the colours of this and the layering of 2 of the same fabrics but was less happy with the paint. So the next one 'Evolve' had subtler glitter highlighters on lighter tones, and beadwork to the tail. This will be the first page in my CJ. Excuse the poor photo - it's dark in my workroom now.

Today I've been busying myself with making san pro for a couple of customers. Before you all recoil in horror, here's a picture of some of my beautiful san pro:

Pretty floral backing, soft soy jersey top and absorbant hemp inner, with a hidden waterproof layer and popper fastenings. Pretty, comfortable, eco and reliable, and not in the least bit scary.

A new beginning....

2008-09-08T13:13:00.000+01:00

Today is the first day of my new artistic life. So, what devices have come up with, what wonders have I achieved? Well, it turns out several of my customers decided they'd like some custom sewing this weekend so I now have a pile of work instead of projects. But that's not all bad - the first item to make was one of my favourites, a prairie bonnet.
I like making bonnets. The initial assessment looks straightforward but the design has enough potential for quirky mistakes to keep me interested. And the results are always pretty and often funky, especially adult retro ones.
So here it is, a pretty bonnet for a little girl who adores Laura Ingalls Wilder. I hope she likes it. The cute girl modelling is actually a boy!

Now, off to make some nappies...

......and here's a sample of a few I made:

I made some chokers too, perhaps I'll get round to finishing them.