part of the class artwork I am co-ordinating for Rose' class.
Sort of a 3-D shadow box-like sculptural thingy.
All clear on that?
Firstly the children will cover the box shapes made from recycled milk cartons) with paper mache and paint them white .They will then decorate the cubes with drawings, mono-prints and collage and I will build a shadow box to display all of the completed cubes.
Should look good.
(I hope.)
I find myself looking for any way to distract myself in these last few weeks (or possibly days) of pregnancy.
So of course, when I saw the tutorial for this patchwork ball, I started one immediately. ( Many thanks to Lil Birdie for the how to and photos.)
Now what's next?......
(Two weeks to go)
Look what turned up from the generous Ute in Zurich, with a bundle of Marie Claire Idees, chocolate, buttons, ribbons and sweets.....
Chicken eggwarmers! Ute's great aunt, Mamie Jeanne ( who lived to be 99!) taught her how to make them. Mamie Jeanne knitted hers- Ute has adapted the pattern and crocheted them instead. Ute suggested that if you didn't fancy boiled eggs, that they could be used as a finger puppet instead. The girls loved them both with and without egss! With Ute's permission I am planning to try and make a few for stocking stuffers - thanks Ute and of course Mamie Jeanne!
Look what turned up from the generous Ute in Zurich, with a bundle of Marie Claire Idees, chocolate, buttons, ribbons and sweets.....
Chicken eggwarmers! Ute's great aunt, Mamie Jeanne ( who lived to be 99!) taught her how to make them. Mamie Jeanne knitted hers- Ute has adapted the pattern and crocheted them instead. Ute suggested that if you didn't fancy boiled eggs, that they could be used as a finger puppet instead. The girls loved them both with and without egss! With Ute's permission I am planning to try and make a few for stocking stuffers - thanks Ute and of course Mamie Jeanne!
We're really enjoying the spot of fine weather that is with us at the moment. Long ,lazy days spent swimming and just doing nothing ( nothing of course,after you have finished the morning run of washing, cleaning and cooking and before you start doing the afternoon/evening routine of washing,cleaning and cooking!). Love it!
In between times, I have been having a bit of a play with constructing fabric bowls based on a pattern found in this book ISBN4-579-11088-9.( highly recommend this one by the way!)
I felted an old cream baby blanket for one bowl and used a heavy blue linen for the other ( it has been tipped over in the picture below,so you can see the stitched base). Here is the cream bowl at the almost finished stage.
A few french knots and a bit of running stitch and you have a bowl!
I still get emails ( and photos, thank you very much) from people who have made this felt box. I had been planning to make a few more and then came across the fabric bowl pattern. I decided to try those instead. They are a little more wobbly looking than I expected ,but in the end I have decided that I quite like the whole effect.Sort of soft and sculptural looking.....
These bookmarks, also from the same book, are on the to- do list.
In my world, you can never have too many bookmarks and I think that these are particularly appealing.
Thought I'd best get to work on some ideas for tags and things to go with my toys down to Adelaide. It is the first time I have used the Speedball "Speedy- Stamp" - it is much easier to cut than lino but on the downside , the edges crumble quite easily so it can be hard to carve fine sharp lines. I'm not sure if I'll end up using these stamps for my toys but they have proved quite handy for adding into a few little swaps....
I have used some old sheet music ( I find it hard to actually cut into these - it feels a bit not quite "right" cutting up music...) on watercolour paper and manila tags. Of course I forgot to take a pic of my vintage button swap before I wrapped it up - I always do this - the tags had waxed string or coloured cord tied through to finish them off.
I put the apple stamp to work again for the bookmark swap..the other is handmade felt and vintage grosgrain ribbon. Simple and pleasing to make.
I just popped by swap bot to leave some feedback and couldn't resist signing up for this one "a scene in a matchbox".... . I just really like the idea of making little things at present and this should do just nicely!
Despite my little whinge last post about two swaps missing in action, I am still in swap mode.
After all I've been part of some terrific swaps, made contact with some great people and been inspired to start up a swap myself. ( By the way there is now a second make- a -calendar -swap happening and still plenty of time for anyone else out there who wants to get one going...drop me a line if you want to start one up and I'll pass on all the information...go on, just do it!) I think that I'll stick to one on one swaps with people I meet through blog world for more time expensive swaps and use Swap bot for the quick fix swaps!
This is a post card that I have just finished for the name swap .....my first attempt at a sewn card. A bit of handmade felt, some embroidery and applique and a little apple button as my "signature".
I can't wait to start on my calendar page - that is pages ,as I signed up for Paula's ( just couldn't resist...) and I have one or two other swaps with talented crafty types planned for a little later in the year, which I'm really looking forward to.
I have been doing some work on my tiny small things and becoming quite obsessed with them. So tiny, so small, so not my submission for Morphe II ! ( I have actually made quite good progress with those - they'll be ready on time, never fear!)
I'm still not quite finished with them - and when I've done embroidering and decorating , they'll need names and life stories.......
And for those aspiring felt makers out there, what happens to a perfectly lovely piece of felt if you throw it in the washing machine for a final bit of "fulling" but forget to put it in the washing bag/pillow case.......
Lovely in an artsy creative holey way but definitely of no use for making felt softies......guess what I'll be doing this weekend?
No rain today, I've had a fantastic weekend of fine food, champagne and five star hotels ( is there such thing as a ten year and one week anniversary....surely there is..if not I think I might need to invent one!) and ....drum roll..I finished the scarf!!!! Only took me three attempts but I assure you well worth it in the end. See?
I love the colours, the shape is exactly what I wanted , the vintage button is perfect and it is fully functional ie it actually keeps my neck warm! The advantage of making three attempts at it, is that I can now make this scarf in my sleep and , in fact number #2 is almost finished. Steph's wisdom teeth scarf has been missing in action for a few weeks , lost at a BBQ, so she is in need of another to keep her warm and toasty - I enjoyed finishing mine so much that I launched straight into one for her and I have not had to undo one single stitch. And then I'm thinking of one as a birthday surprise ( not such a surprise if she reads this post!) for Michele......once you're following the right pattern, such an enjoyment to make! Rose has put her order in for a mini one as well as requesting one for Charlotte so "that we can be twinnies" . How cute. All of us wearing exactly the same type of scarf. Hmmm, must think about that one ( although it really would be perfect for a child - easy on and off but doesn't fall off, can't get tight around the neck, no dangly bits to get caught in the car door )
Speaking of Rose, she was in artist mode today, complete with beret ( an old one of mine that now lives in the dress up box) and painting away busily so that she could have an exhibition.....above is from her red phase.... below is her yellow/orange phase
A lot of her girlies at the moment seem to sport rather large chests - she often comments on the size of women's chests usually along the lines of " she's got awfully big bosoms, mama, why?"
Why indeed? Is this a phase all little ones go through?
She has already informed me that when she grows up into a "bigger girl" she is going to have nice big bosoms like Grandma...hmmm, if you take after your mama, kiddo, you're in for a bit of a let down in that department. I'm trying to convince her that my build ( let's just call it sporty and be nice about it!) is much more aerodynamic especially if you want to be a "Rose, Queen of the trampoline"
With any luck she'll forget about boobs and just want something achievable like blue eyes or blonde hair.....
I have been playing with a few ideas for my submission for Morphe II . What to do with the little bits and pieces? - why make them into a pincushion of course!
Inspired by the violets from my mood board...just love the vibrant colour and overall girly - ness of this one! I think I'll try another version or two with a different flower - I mean , you can always use a pincushion, right? Once I have enough for my own use, perhaps I'll put one up as part of a swap..... I still don't think I'm quite ready to tackle a shop yet but that might happen somewhere down the road.
Details: handmade felt base and flowers with french knots.
I also managed to do some felting today - Rose and Charlotte thought it was great fun, helping to wet the wool tops down and then roll the blind. I had forgotten how hard on the arms it can be ..oh well, no danger of tuckshop arms for me this summer.
laying down the wool tops....
the wet felt on the blind, halfway through the process of rolling....
hanging out to dry on a rather conveniently placed and photogenic magnolia tree.....
Tomorrow, I'll press it and start cutting - just a bit excited about what I'm going to make. Lots of beautiful felt, glorious colour and handstitching . I almost decided to do a neutral textural kind of story but I couldn't resist the amazing colours that the merino wool tops are available in now - and the handmade felt is just lovely to work with and handle.
And how proud am I!
Rose decided that she wanted to sew, so I gave her a piece of felt and a needle and thread and away she went! A very successful first effort- "it's a blanket, mama"
I definitely think a little sewing basket filled with goodies is on the list for her upcoming 5th birthday. I bought one of those plastic cane padded ones (that used to be made in Japan and now all come form China) when she was about 2 from a second hand store in Newtown. The satin lining is fine - I'll just replace the padded fabric top and it will be perfect for a first sewing basket. Sigh! All grown up already!
