Its been a great month so far

April is my birthday month and it started off well with these wonderful ATC's that started arriving at the beginning of the month.I am part of Kate Norths ATC Birthday Swap, there are about 30 of us and we send to whoever has a birthday each month, its great fun especially being on the receiving end.

I have spread them over the hearth along with some of the cards that came with them a wonderful variety.





Thursday my friend Jenny came over with this beautiful scarf that she had made for me, she makes the most beautiful felt, she doesn't blog much these days, hint hint but you can still see lots of her wonderful work on her blog HERE





Below is this wonderful book made by my eldest sons girlfriend, my son made the box to put it in, if you go HERE and scroll down to 'Regency Mini Album' there are pictures and a video of each page.



Friday was the big day, DH brought home this huge cake, it was delicious,I could have eaten the whole thing by myself, luckily the family helped me out.



He also bought me the Sizzix Big Shot, I had my eye on one for a while and I am looking forward to having a good play



I had some Tim Holtz cutting dies and Sizzix embossing folders I haven't had time to have a good play but did try the Lutradur and coke can metal, they worked great



There were lots more goodies my other son and daughter in law bought me Silver/Amber earrings, some wonderful African type beads, a hand made book and my favourite style of purse/wallet, how did DIL know I needed one. I also had a video/slideshow of pictures of my little grandson from birth to now two and a half, and he is singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and at the end says Happy Birthday Nan, aaah brought a tear to my eye :)
Now I have to work out what to spend my birthday money on, don't think I will have too much trouble with that.

I had a laid back day, talked to friends and family far away on the phone, friends visited and a Skype from my little GS, finished off with a take away and a bottle of wine, out for lunch Saturday and a family Christening on the Sunday finished the weekend off perfectly.

Exciting New Workshop From Fibre In-Form

Creative Surfaces

‘Simply Salt’

‘Simply Salt’ is the first in a series of ‘Creative Surfaces’ workshops from Fibre in-Form allowing you to pick and choose which techniques you would like to explore and take further.
We all know how life can sometimes get in the way of our creative endeavours so these workshops have been designed to enable you to start and finish them at your leisure.
‘Simply Salt’ will take you through the process of creating an amazing surface on a background of Lutradur using gesso, ink, silk paints and salt.
This surface can then be embellished further using machine or hand stitch, beading or other embellishments but is equally decorative enough to use on its own to create vessels, book covers, bags etc.
The workshop includes five chapters with 77 colour illustrations.

Please make your way to Fibre In-Form

Lutradur

A few days ago I posted HERE about my play with Starburst Stains Inks, and mentioned the Lutradur I painted, with them, this is the Black Orchid/Silver, it is a lovely slate grey with silver sparkles, I stamped onto it with silver acrylic and stitched around the stamp with Madeira metallic thread, then scribbled with free machine inside, I didn't stitch too heavily as I wasn't sure it would work how I wanted and didn't want to waste my favourite thread.
I then zapped with a heat gun,

Birthday Postcards,

I finished my August/Sep birthday postcards for the FAF group, I am very late, but after my machine had chewed a couple I finally caught up

New Layer

Here is a close up of the next layer of the painted lace, I over painted with maroon fabric paint and a dark green acrylic, once it was dry, I tried spritzing it with some Moonglow spray. it doesn't show up on screen but there is a lovely glimmer to the raised areas.
I found the white background was still showing through as the silk paint disperses unevenly on the heavier Lutradur, a nice effect, but not what I was after for this work, and so yesterday before I went out, I turned it, and put a wash of burnt umber acrylic over the back, hoping it would not saturate through and make mud.
It was good job I was going out as I would have been poking and prodding at it all day.
I liked the effect it created, below is a really bad picture of the full length,the close up shows the colours and texture just as they are.
I have now dry brushed a layer of copper paint, and just waiting for it to dry.
and for SueB, Francoise, Lynda and Carol, sorry for obliterating the colour you liked so much, they are the colours I used for Sara's page,I will be using them again I think.

Back in the swing

I feel as if I am back in the swing, and have been playing around with some heavy weight Lutradur,Lace and Scrim, remember the Doors project a few posts ago, I wanted to create a texture similar, but not on the Pelmet Vilene as I am finding it difficult to hand stitch into lately,so here is the first layer of colour I used silk paints and it has taken well., I won't be able to put the next layer until Wednesday, isn't it typical, when I know I haven't the time, that's when I am in the mood.Watc this space.