Blogging award- who me?

How lovely! A dear friend many, many miles away has sent me an award for my creations...

Carmina is a great talent so it is even more special that she has chosen my work for this award. You can find Carmina's blog here.

Thankyou!!

I now get to choose 4 blogs that I feel deserve a viewing and recognition for their wonderful work, so here are my choices;

Sonja's work is varied an amazing, from weaving to journals and mixed media art, find her work at Art from my soul

Louise's work is both unusual and stunning, see her work at River Girl Art

Robin is an absolute inspiration for bead work, so many gorgeous pieces and styles, check out her website and blog

Fourthly, if you want some inspiration for some really funky fun, you cannot do better than visit Gas Art's blog

 I'm sure you'll enjoy your visits!

Rainbows and Dreamcatchers

My word, it's happened again- 2 weeks gone by without a post... shame on me! As a means of excuse I have been busy though, completing Etsy orders and a few from our Tuesday marketplace. Here's a few peeks at finished work as a catch up...

 

 A textile covered journal in my favourite colour combo wending it's way to the US as I type....

Another rainbow journal commissioned as a child's memory book... so sweet! 

I've enjoyed making a rainbow so much I think I'm going to make myself one for my Large Moleskine, yummy!

Isn't it funny how things run in groups? Two orders for rainbow coloued journals, and  two orders for two-tone dreamcatchers ...

Purple and silver, lots of amethyst, my favourite combo- not keen on the gold... This one was great fun to make as I played with the wire in a different way... no two are ever the same, that's what I love about making One Of A Kinds, no duplicates. I'm going to start adding wire names to my wedding dreamcatchers... I'm already doing names on my beaded flower memorial frames so why not...

and what about this cute little dreamcatcher for a girl's room... pink and green, with unakite, pink howlite and rose quartz

That's not all I've been up to, but I'll leave that for another post...

From Black & Red to Red & Black

Well, that was another quick make...  only this one was more reds than black, and I found a lovely slinky fabric to feature on the flap and pocket. It doesn't fray so I couldn't use it in the main patchwork... but nevermind, the contrast makes it better.

I think two is my limit for the time being on the Skull theme as I have some rather gorgeous butterfly and Volkswagon fabrics... I shan't be mixing them together.. two bags are coming! I am wondering about whether the try a messenger style bag using my patchwork, what do you think?  I'm building up to making I-pad cases with the leftover patchwork from each bag, too... 

I've just managed to get my Etsy listings up to date and this one is on as well, and this month we're running a FREE UK postage if you type in FREEMARCH13 at the checkout.

Rucksack heaven...

I spent last week, on and off, creating another quilted backpack. My skull fabric arrived and I spent the weekend sewing and fraying the squares... then Monday and Wednesday were spent making the bag. Much as it takes a while, the fraying is one of my fave bits, it's kind of meditative really! Plus I end up with a pile of threads that can be used in later projects...

Here's the finished bag, 

 

I finished this one differently- I used D-rings and a long strap for the  closure. After making a key-fob for the Coffee bag I've decided to do that for all of them, assuming I can scrape enough fabric together. I do like how it's turned out, and will be making another one very soon with more red and a different skull fabric...

I haven't got a great pic yet so I've not listed it on Etsy yet, but it will be there soon! 

Mum's the word...

It's almost here... Mother's Day in the UK- isn't the US on a different date? Much as I love my mum she can be a pain to gift! She's an accomplished seamstress, has everything she wants, and has been given countless portraits, cases, books and accessories made by me over the years... every year gets harder to find something that will fit her needs and taste... nevertheless, I still would rather make something personal than buy a bunch of flowers!

While at the Bluebird Market this Tuesday I took some aida to start working on... drew "Mum" on it and began working in cross stitch. Once I got going it opened up the possibilities to how I'd complete it... the rectangle could be framed and the square could be turned into a heart.

So today I finished them both...

The question is which one do I give her? 

I decided Saturday morning when I wrapped the heart... thought it the better piece... so what shall I do with the other?

B & CQ JP Butterfly- March block

It's March 1st, where's time gone? Woosh...

I'd been looking forward to making this month's block and I made the base up ready last night... January and February's blocks are reds and orange, this month is orange and yellow so that the whole piece will eventually be rainbow coloured.

I've used a wide range of fabrics, including the sample piece that Spoonflower send, well, it fitted the theme!

For the full pic and an ongoing summary visit the B & CJ JP page .