Still playing with fabric and fibres.

Back Home

Returned from a lovely weekends caravanning near Peterboro',the weather was good and we had great evening entertainment, last night we saw the 'Ivy League' a band from the sixties- of course I barely remember them!! I have put up a photo of the ATC I returned home to from Aileen in Scotland, also a photo of me squinting into the sun this morning.

I have finished my three book pages today so allowed myself some 'fabric time' and used up a sample, I had made on the embellisher, to make an atc. Looking around me I think a tidy up is definitely needed.

Tassle

Surprise from Oz

Postie brought these two beautiful fabric atcs today from Doreen in Australia and also a fantastic autumn coloured fibre tassle decorated with lace,a flower and leaves - ( I am having trouble uploading the photo of the tassle but will keep on trying) It is great to receive these from such a talented lady thank you so much Doreen.

Photo Shoot

This photo shows a pre breakfast visit to the craft room, not one of my best I must say.

Finished !

Have finished the embroidery on the Seascape - only a small amount but I think it gives the beach some interest (i hope) so pleased with it I have framed and hung it so to speak. The photo does not do it justice so have added a close up of the beach, the crab may not be the correct size for the proportions of the picture but I'm sure somewhere in the world Giant Crabs exist!

Just made this for a swap but really must put the embellisher away and start my book pages, trouble is I just want to carry on felting, am back in fabric mode again.

This machine embellished ATC is going to Aileen in Scotland, a lady who does beautiful felting work.

This and That

I have been doing all sorts of things these last few days, papercraft and fabric work, trouble is I enjoy both, sometimes I wish I only worked in one medium then things would be simpler and my room would be tidier ( I think).I have a stick doll to make for my groups monthly doll challenge and three book pages for the swap with Jan and Wendy -must get on with them! But in the meanwhile I've made a few ATCS - embellished and paper/fabric. The 'Learn to Sew one is for the April Lottery on a Mixed Media ATC group.

Collection of Crafters

Under the palm tree at Ally Pally

Embellished ATCs

These two cards were made using embellished wool tops for the background and the flower and the seahorse are wool tops that have been machine felted then cut out with sizzix dyes.

Thank you Margaret

Arte y pico Award

So thrilled today to be given this award by my friend and fellow group member Jan and then also by Jinny and Angie, friendsI have not yet met but who do lovely work,so I'm like a child in a toy shop as I've never had an award before. I now have to nominate 5 people who I think deserve this award also and those 5 people are asked to do the following.
1)You have to pick 5 blogs who deserve this award for their creativity,design,interesting material and contribution to the blogging community no matter what language.
2)Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to the blog to be visited by everyone.
3)Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and the link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
4)Award winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of arte y picoblog Llinked in my title) so everyone will know the origin of this award (cut and paste the info into your blog to make things easier)
It is not easy to bpick these five people as there is so much wonderful work and inspiration out there in blogland but here goes :-
Allie - alliesinstitches.blogspot.com/ a lady whose work inspires me to try out things I previously only thought about.
Cat - baumcat.blogspot.com/ I look forward to checking out her blog and seeing her colourful new work with its inspirational words.
Frieda - friedaquilter.blogspot.com/
a wonderful teacher who accompanies the photo's of her work with full details of how she accomplished the piece.
Cramzy(emmy)- emmyschoonbeek.blogspot.com/ When I look at the work on her blog it really excites me, her use of colour and fabric/fibres is exceptional.
Jo - nzjo.blogspot.com/ The embroidery on Jo's work is an absolute garden of delight.

Using up samples

Have turned my embellisher samples into atcs, rather dark but I like the effect. Must make some atcs tonight as I may get the chance to swap some at the Stamping show at Alexander Palace next saturday.Tomorrow a friend is going to show me some embroidery stitches that I can use on the beach area of my seascape,hope I'm up to it.

Morning Visitor.

Roy was concerned that this garden visitor had come for a fish breakfast but then we wondered if it was looking for a mate and had taken a fancy to our replica Heron which had been put by the pond to discourage real Herons or so we had been told.

Better Picture

I think this may be a better picture

Seascape

Inspired by Allie (in stitches) I had a go at a seascape. I started by laying down a blue shaded silk and covering it with a white organza and then blues pinks and white in Merino wool topps for the sky, I found a blue organza to cover the silk on the sea area and added wool topps and various white fibres for the waves. The beach stumped me so in the end I used a sandy coloured cotton, embellished it lightly and added fibres for seaweed and drift wood etc , also some beads for shells.The horizon I originally stitched in but it cut the picture in half so I put a fine watercolour line in. I am pleased with the result and feel that it looks better from a distance. - might even frame it.

Delivery

The Postie has just delivered my Heart Swap from Connie,she writes that she enjoyed doing the embroidery and embellishing but not the actual patchwork, whatever, it is a lovely heart and i must find a special place for it.

Swapped Hearts

This is the 2nd crazy patchwork heart,I am swapping it with Connie and it should hopefully be delivered to her today. I was so excited to send the pink heart and the CP atcs to Doreen in Australia,I do hope 'I am worthy'. Had a change round in my room yesterday so that my embellisher bits were easily on hand, made a dreadful mess but it worked out ok in the end and should cut down on the mess when I am working (it should!).