Apples

As you can see, I am into still life at the moment. This is less successful, I think, but a way to use this transfer print of a fern leaf. There are real leaves embedded in this, which have lasted a few years without deteriorating.

I combined sewing machine patterns with some hand stitching.

Autumn Still Life

http://www.flickr.com/groups/echoesjournal/

I've just joined this interesting mixed media group on Flickr and added this 'still life' as my first contribution.

At last a use for all the piles of stitch and dye samples. The background is a piece of brown paper, stitched and painted with bits of old tights for texture. The produce is all down to my husband.

Felt

Last weekend I visited the Brewery Art Centre in Cirencester. I understand it has recently been refurbished and is certainly worth a visit. There you can see a small book making workshop and an exhibition in the gallery. There is some beautiful woven fabric; I could have bought a unique and extremely expensive outfit. There were woven hangings which incorporated strips of digital photographs. I haven’t seen that idea before. I didn’t have long to look round so I can’t give you any artists’ names other than the felt maker Sarah Brooker.

The lovely felt there gave me the push to get out the bamboo blind and have a go at felting again.These little chaps were supposed to be beaded but I kind of like them as they are.
They seem like a little family just about to flee the cave and start life in the big world beyond. The idea for the photo was partly inspired by the header on this interesting blog, which always has some links worth following up.

Photo Journal

http://photojojo.com/content/diy/make-your-own-photo-notebook-journal/

This is a great link to a tutorial on how to make a Photo Journal. I made mine using two photos of our local fields during the recent harvest. I also used up a stack of old envelopes which I had been collecting. It works well. The only mistakes I made were not to measure the brown paper for the spine nicely and if you put writing on your photos remember that the spine could cover part of your title. Think that out first - wish I had done.

I was asked for a ‘how to’ on the cover material I used on the Coptic Book – I worked out that I made the material about ten years ago. I did look up the reference which is Lis Mann, ‘Faux Par Excellence’ March 1997 and May 1997 in ‘The World of Embroidery’. They are basically painting techniques used on cotton pillow ticking which works like a canvas.

Mosaic Monday

Mosaic Monday
Originally uploaded by Feltbug

A nice surprise on a really dark wet Tuesday to find my work in Feltbug's Mosaic. She finds some interesting work, so its always worth having a look.