TIme to clean and make a mess.

Quote: The caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.

I do not know where time goes but I do know that it is racing by and I will soon be back in Uni. I realised I'd not blogged for a while and wondered what on earth I've been doing. Well I did manage to finish my apron quilt for Harrogate which in itself was an achievement. I started to make a wool rabbit from a kit I bought at FOQ but she is taking forever as it is mainly sewn by hand. I have recently spent several days having a big flat clean. Doing housework jobs that I've put off for weeks, like cleaning the oven, the windows, pulling all the furniture out to clean under. I was doing so well until I got to the sewing room and away went the cleaning products and out came the paints. I bought a little note book in Asda a couple of days ago, it only cost £2 and I thought it would make a nice handbag size journal. The paper in the book is not the best so I began by gluing two sheets together, once dried I added a layer of gesso. I had a great day yesterday being totally creative and these are the three pages I achieved. I burnt the midnight oil with the last one so you will see it has today's date on.

FOQ 2014

Indian birds by Gillian Travis

Kyra by Gillian Travis

I have recently returned from three days at the Festival of Quilts in the NEC Birmingham. As always I had a ball. I met up with friends that I have made during the years I have been attending FOQ (hello Linda, Laura and Adriane Kemshall) as well as making some new ones (hello David and Haley, Husqvarna). I have to confess that I took very little photos as my camera has a mark on the lense which is quite off putting and for that reason I am not going to post the photos I did take. As always I came home overloaded with ideas and an impenitence to get straight into the sewing room. Yesterday, once I had loaded the washing machine and put away the goodies I had treated myself to at the show, I jumped straight on to my beloved Bernie and made the three Indian Birds. This was a kit I purchased from Gillian Travis. You may remember that I purchased a kit from her stand last year and from it I fell in love with her work.  This year I bought two and once I had mastered the birds I moved on to Kyra. In the kit you where provided with the background, a wooden stamp, the bondaweb and the instructions. I did not mind as it then gave me the perfect excuse to visit the Silk Route stand where I purchased several pieces of silk fabric to make Kyras beautiful sari. I had a fab Monday sewing to my hearts content whilst loading and unloading the washing machine and tumble dryer of course. After dinner I sat and sewed the binding on to my Kyra wall hanging whilst catching up with a bit of TV.  Today my plan is to crack on with the Harrogate quilt as time is of the essence for it to be finished but you know what happens to best laid plans?!X:)

Addiction.

Latest fabric journal postcard.

This will be the example for the online "how to make a fabric journal postcard" coming soon.

Oh dear! I am addicted to making fabric journal postcards. The thing about them is that they are quick and fun to make. I love being creatively messy making the fabric back grounds and deciding what image and quote will look at home on the finished piece. However, I did have a mini break and went back to making some more ATC's. I have been watching lots of you tube videos and I really like Teesha Moores style of journaling. I tried to purchase a digital collage from her blog but it was having none of it. I decided to make my own by googling images from silent movies and fish. Here is what I came up with.  These four cards where made by layering bits of paper and then adding the images on top. I think they are quite quirky, something completely different from anything I've done before. I now have quite a few ATC's with no one to swap with, so I have decided to use them as very posh business cards.

Day trips with the fambo.

Wednesday, Colin and I met Michaela and Cole in Southport and had a fab afternoon.

Natalie and Paige, saying hi to Grandma giant in St Georges hall.

We also met Alice and the White Rabbit outside the Central Library.

Here is my fourth Journal fabric postcard. Yes I am addicted to making these little works of art.

I have been totally enjoying spending lovely days out with my family. Making the most of the great weather we have been experiencing as of late. On Wednesday, Colin and I caught up with Michaela and Cole and had a lovely afternoon in Southport. Then yesterday Natalie, Paige and I went into Liverpool town centre and visited Giant Grandma in St Georges hall. What a lovely bonus when we met Alice and the White Rabbit, we also met Iron man but that photo is on Natalie's phone. Today I met Heswall Quilters and spoke about my quilts. What a great group of ladies they made me so welcome. Later, Colin took me to Thurston Common for a picnic lunch, it was bliss just looking across at Wales. Then a visit to his sisters, Karen, where we enjoyed sitting in the shade drinking cold drinks in her lovely garden. After a busy day I decided housework could wait so I went into my sewing room and yes you guessed it, made another journal fabric postcard. I scribbled this idea a few days ago and when I began to make it I was not sure it would work but once I added the sketchy stitch to the birds it all fell into place. You see Joan, I told you I was far from finished with them "Funky birds " lol. I hope you to are all enjoying a lovely summer.

Childs play..

Cole's fabric backgrounds.

My fabric backgrounds.

A joint effort.

Doodle for fabric journal postcard,

Finished Journal fabric postcard.

On Friday I had the delightful company of my beautiful Grandson Cole.  We always spend some quality time together painting and drawing in my sewing room. This time I thought we would do something a little different. Adorning our aprons I got our some white cotton fabric and the water colour sprays I recently made from a set of DMT intensive water colour paints and tap water. As well as various size bottle tops, lids, some small rubber stamps, some ink pads and acrylic paints. We set to creating some lovely back grounds with the intention of making some journal fabric post cards. We had a great time, playing with different house hold items, which we tried to stamp using the ink pads and acrylic paints. Once our backgrounds had dried, I ironed them to heat set them. With that said these fabric are not going to be used in any projects that may require washing as I do not know how they would react to water.  Today, I was looking for new inspirational quotes and stumbled across this one" Those who wish to sing will always find a song". I knew straight away it was perfect for a new Journal fabric postcard. I decided to use the background piece that we made together and I think it has worked really well.

Yey it reached it destination.

Now I can share my first journal Soup fabric postcard, which I sent to my very good friend Janet.  I can see myself doing a lot more of theese in the future their addictive.

Money well spent....

I mentioned a few post back that I purchased a on line work shop "Journal Soup"from a lady named Kate Crane. The workshop was £10 and you got a PDF work sheet info that you can down load and print out, if you wanted to, which I did. Also you get access to an hours video tutorial where Kate shows techniques and tips for beginners journeling.  Yesterday I realised I needed to make a fabric post card for the face book swap group I am a member of, I decided to see if I could incorporate some of the techniques I've learnt in Kate's on line work shop. I am pleased to say it was a huge success and now I am hooked.  I know my cards where already original pieces of art works but I feel creating my own backgrounds on white cotton fabric has made them that little bit more unique. I made the first one yesterday but I can not share that at the moment as it is in the post as we speak off to its receiver.  However, I will post a pic once it has arrived at its destination. This is today's card and even though I say so myself, I think its fab. Those who know me will relate to the "Red Shoes" but I doubt even I could walk a thousand miles in them killer heels. X:)