Showcase/Photography

Trying to promote my shop today, mine is the flower in the bottom right hand box.
Here is a link to an interesting photography site where the talented photographer is willing to share fun actions to use on your own photos .

Treasury

Kindly featured in this Etsy treasury by DonataFelt:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=57622

Red Coptic Bind

This is the second of the two books I have made recently using Coptic Bind. I have been motivated to get on and complete them because my son said he would ‘commission’ me to make them and reimburse me for the cost of the paper – that won’t happen but it was worth it for the motivation. As you can see I stencilled flowers on the inside of the cover in silver acrylic to co-ordinate with the lettering on the cover.

The bind on this second book was not as successful; I had some problems getting the front cover on firmly. I do like it though because of the embossed flower and the nice shade of red. I was lucky to be given a pack of paper samples at my drawing class which had just the right colour for the spine. The date inscribed inside is ‘99’ which I am sure must be 1899. I am on the look out for more interesting covers now; I have a couple on the shelf waiting for me to work on them.

Embroidered buttons

So what else can you do on a Bank Holiday Monday? Make some bread,done that; do some cleaning, don't think so; why not make some buttons,I've been fancying that for some time, for no apparent reason.

The colours were determined by the May button swap and the French Knots by the fact that I am practising for the next workshop.The fabric is a nice piece of linen which I found in a Charity Shop. Took me ages to remember how to set a pattern on my old embroidery unit, but its all good for the grey matter.

French Knots

The next workshop at Doodles, Tadley (0118 981 1238) will be on the 13th May. We will be making marks on fabric with bubblewrap and then stitching using variations on the French Knot.

veins and hearts exposed

veins and hearts exposed
Originally uploaded by Robes of Earth

Pleased to have been included in this lovely Mosaic.

Book Binding

At last I think that I have understood Coptic Bind, this has taken some time ,not through lack of studying Keith Smith’s intricate and sometimes confusing diagrams – his books are fascinating but I think it is one of those things that is hard to explain other than by hands on teaching.

The break through came when I decided I was so dissatisfied with my last attempt that I took it out and redid it twice – practise definitely makes better if not perfect.I added a paper spine which I think makes the book handle better, without the gap between pages.

I also used a lot of beeswax on my thread which helps. Now I can go on to try one of the eight or so versions he has of this bind, or perhaps I’ll just stick to the basics. Even if it isn’t perfect I can now say that I understand what I am doing.

If you are interested in a custom made sewing cradle, so useful, you can contact DBO on Flickr; see my links list.

'As Fernando fled his right hand laid hold upon the long flowing robes of his opponent'.

oh so pretty

oh so pretty
Originally uploaded by DaCraftyLady

Button swap

Cross Stitch

Wednesday 22nd April is the date for the next Doodles textile workshop. We are going to play with basic cross stitch and see how the stitch can be varied with different weights and types of thread.Adding beads and wrapping the stitch.

I searched through my files to find examples of how cross stitch can be used, for instance working on waste canvas on top of non-even weave material and withdrawing the threads after working. These are some examples. I made a whole bag once following Palestinian symbols and colour scheme but I don’t have it anymore; shame it would have made a good sample.

Another idea is to use even weave on top of a coloured or stamped background. Here I used a piece of blue tack to make the marks.

Some other examples were stitched after looking at European embroidery and using grids; my current banner is one of the pieces. Some examples make me feel I could do better now, which is a good thing, whilst others amaze me at what patience I had at the time.

page from button phobic book

page from button phobic book
Originally uploaded by pennyleavergreen

Buttons and more.

I am just beginning to realize that there is a lot more that can be done with monoprinting than I have tried before. I thought it was wonderful using a press with monoprinting and found what I could do at home a bit second best, but after using it at City Lit for sketch book work and in my drawing class I am inspired to have another go.

My sketch book theme relates to Mexican art which I saw on a group sketching trip at The British Museum.Recently I was lucky enough to acquire a box of all white buttons, some of them quite old, so I have worked on combining the two themes.I have also used some paper which I made and pages from old books.

There are numerous groups on Flickr related to buttons of all types and descriptions. I can’t work out what the fascination is other than nostalgia as most of us probably had a family button box when growing up; ours was a red oxo tin.

'A story for very Little Girls'

Finally got round to using this book cover to make a book using a selection of papers, including some nice thick watercolour paper.

As you see, I attempted Coptic binding again, not perfect but not too bad. One of the kettle stitches is not right; it is one of those things you can only practise by doing and that takes a lot of paper, not to speak of patience.
The cover was cleaned and the picture given a coat of acrylic wax. In a moment of serendipity I used some baby talc on the leather and it seemed to bring it up nicely.

Photos and more.

There are some nice things to do with your photographs now. I had a gift token for Blurb for Christmas but haven't decided what sort of book to make with my photographs as yet. The picture of the onions with my stitching in the background was a present from one of my sons for Christmas; you can see the link under Photos to Canvas.

The address book has one of my photos on the back and front, it is printed onto a lovely silky material. The link to the supplier is under 'gift ideas'.
Thanks for the comments about the exhibition. I don't have many photographs of the work as it was very crowded and also because we were all given a CD of all the work shown. It was extremley well organized.

Cruel Britannia @ T&P Gallery, Philadelphia May 2009

Cruel Britannia @ T&P Gallery, Philadelphia May 2009
Originally uploaded by DBO PONDERS

Little Women

LITTLE WOMEN!

the 13th Women's Work

Exhibition

The Fairground Craft & Design Centre

Weyhill, Andover, Hampshire SP11 0QN

11th March to Sunday 22 March 2009

(Closed Mondays & Tuesdays)

10am to 4pm

This is an exhibition well worth the visit if you live anywhere near. The works had to be small enough to be displayed in a CD case or to meet certain size restrictions if 3D.
There is a huge variety of styles. We bought two small prints, as everything is reasonably priced and it is nice to have an original artwork.

One of my pieces was selected and is an artist’s book with the title ‘World Stability is Hanging by a Thread’, which is a headline I found in the newspaper. I like it because it feels so nice being made from handmade paper into which I laminated lots of thread.Unfortunately you don't get to touch it.

Felt and Print

I have been making a few new items for Etsy, mainly because I just wanted to make some felt and also try out the idea of printing with fruit and vegetables.

This small felt purse is made of merino wool with silk tops and some pieces of dip-dyed Wensleydale Fleece (this has a lovely kink but I find I have to separate it out to get it to felt into the surface). The inside is nice as it has a first layer of blended purple and white merino
The part of the purse which I like best is the edging of tiny felt balls with small beads. Fun to make. There is no sense of scale here but the purse is about 13cms high and the felt balls only a cm..
I decided not to fasten the flap down as I think it would spoil the purse but I suppose it makes it less practical, but then you can hardly say it’s a practical item.

This is a piece of the cotton printed with fabric paint and then washed over with Dyna Flow. It looked drab until I overprinted with two shades of gold acrylic which I think lifted the fabric. The lining is silk dupion.

Textile Doodles

On March 11th I will be giving a two hour workshop at Doodles the new craft shop in Franklin Avenue, Tadley, Hampshire. They are arranging a number of two hour starter sessions in crafts such as mosaics, glass painting and basket weaving.

I have organized two now which I have really enjoyed and I think the participants have as well. This time I am planning black and white printing with found objects, as the past two were very bright and colourful.

We are going to make a small fold book of samples.

This is an interesting blog with lots of ideas for stamping. I was taken with the idea of stamping/printing onto pleated material and of course I had to have a go using a sliced apple and a piece of onion.

Printing Blocks

This was a Christmas present to myself. I bid on Ebay but didn't succeed so I sourced them on Etsy from Angiepea, whose shop I would recommend. They were in a lovely polished condition when they arrived but as you will notice I have been using them since.

Fashioned Pages

I have started going to a drawing class locally, unfortunately it was closed last week so I started to play with some of the charcoal sketches from the previous two weeks. I am realistic about my current standard of drawing but I do feel that the Access Course has made me far more confident and improved my work. The drawing sessions on the course were sometimes really dispiriting as the standard was mostly so high.

I scanned parts of the drawings and used layers and ‘colour match’ from a photo of a flower.

I transferred the images using a gel medium onto white felt and cotton.This is fun to do and I suppose the next step would be to manipulate the photos of the stitched pieces on the computer. Well, you could just keep on playing really.

More Snow

Yes, Gunnel I do like the snow, mainly because I don't now have to juggle work with closed schools and slippery roads. I feel for all the parents trying to manage mixed committments in the present weather. For me it can now be just be a pretty picture.

This is a piece I made for an exhibition to go with the previous one following City & Guilds. There was also a hanging , silk organza ,which I embroidered with words from a poem about returning home to a white house by a Welsh poet. It seemed appropriate to get it out in the present weather.