In Print..

....my little French-style sewing tray...

...is in the current issue of STITCH magazine!

This one is my photo of the finished item...

...I really enjoyed making it and can't wait for it to come home so that I can actually use it!!

I hope plenty of lovely folk will decided to have a go and make one for themselves :-D

x C

PS

I have been unable to post any comments on anyone else's blogs for ages now....and it's pee'd me off a lot. But......I discovered today that it's a CHROME thing.....If I use Firefox instead....Yey....I can post comments. So I may not be quite so quiet from now on. :-)

Stitch Magazine Issue 100!!

What an achievement for the lovely Kathy Troup...

...editor extraordinary...

..and great friend!!

I am so sad to see here leave her post...

...but with a new grandchild...

...and lots of ideas to follow...

...she's earned her "rest". Ha!

I have an article included here...

...my punchneedle bag called "Dreamtime".

Design based (loosely) on Aboriginal patterns, hence the name.

Here's a close-up of the punchneedle panel...

It's done with a Cameo Needle Punch...

...available in my shop here.

I used Wonderfil "Razzle" for my sample..

(also available from Cotton Patch)

...but many other threads can be used too.

I'm going to be picking up my punchneedle again soon...

...as I have LOADS of pattern ideas going around in my head!!

Watch this space...

:-)

x C

Playing with Brusho

Many thanks to everyone who left such nice comments on my previous post. They really are much appreciated!

I'm very pleased to be able to tell you that I have ANOTHER project in the next issue of STITCH too :-)

...although it will be the last one for a while...

...as I have other things to do right now.

Including having lots and lots of PLAYTIME!!!

I got a project off to Empress Mills yesterday...

...so keep your eyes peeled for a freebie project/tuto in Charles' Newsletter sometime :-)

It's the first of a little series of three - with a Japanese theme.

To have free access, all you have to do is sign-up HERE ...... and it'll pop into your inbox.

Those of you that already have signed-up will know that I did an article on using BRUSHO on fabric a little while back.

...and you can still access that HERE....

But today, I'm using Brusho Acrylic Shimmer Sprays on high gloss card as I need some die cuts for one of my "Lavender & Lace" projects.

This card behaves differently from standard copy paper...

...the background colour soaks in and colours the card...

...while the mica pigments form a globule/watery pattern on the surface.

I love the effect of Shimmering Purple!

I then used some matt card...

...and a few different sprays...

See the difference?

They all have a place in my workroom, but the stash is getting taller and taller!!

Now, I don't go in for "dissing"...

...and I certainly won't name names....

...but I also used another brand of spray on the gloss card.

It looked lovely just lying there...

...but when I stroked it...

...YES!!! I admit to a little bit of stroking of materials now and again!....

...the mica particles came off on my fingers - you can see the results in the piccie.

By the time I had put it through the Big Shot and poked out all the little bits...

...my hands were covered in mica dust.....and the card was simply....pink.

I'll still use the die-cut....but won't use that particular spray again on gloss card. :-o


(If you're wondering WHY? the difference.....it's because the Brusho brand is an ACRYLIC based product and the acrylic helps to keep the mica on the surface. This is why you can use it on fabric and it's a little more "fast" than simply Brusho powders.)

Here are some of my die-cuts from this morning...

I'm off to have some more fun...

Have some yourselves too!!

x C

Ta Da! African Inspirations Notebook in STITCH magazine :-)

Even after all this time...

...I still feel very proud when I have an article published. :-)

My "African Inspirations" notebook project is on page 20 of the current issue (99) of STITCH.

I used some more of Empress Mills' wonderful Copper metallic thread...

...along with their Klona Cotton (Black) and some other bits too.

(They are SO useful!!)

The Khadi block came from Colourcraft...

...as did the Markal Paintstiks and stencil film.

I also feel privileged to be able to work with Empress and Colourcraft...

...they are both lovely family companies...

...and have warm, beating hearts.


They have both taken me into their folds...

...which is really nice for someone who has no immediate family left.

I'm quite happy to be adopted as a "second Mother" to Laura...

...and a "God-knows-what" to Charles!! :-o

(Something that's black and white and shuffles around in snow???....)


Feeling sentimental today....

x C

African Dancers - final sample for the Summer School!!

Well...

...it's been a bit of a scrabble...

...trying to finish off a "STITCH" article...

...and my final sample tri-fold book for the Summer School.

But it has been done!!!

Just a sneak peak...

...so that you can see how much FUN I've been having :-)

(I'll post a few more piccies when I get back home again.)

x C

Last post of 2014 (probably!).....

I've been VERY tardy with blog posts this year...

...but time has done it's wierdy stuff again and left me scrabbling on more occasions than I care to mention!

I promise to TRY to do better next year :-o

For now though....

...I'm taking a break...

...but will leave you with my final bit of publication in 2014.

Some of you may have had this already...

...but for those that haven't...

...my "Sketch to Stitch" article, plus "Earth Spirit" project is in the current issue of STITCH magazine.

I had SO much positive feedback at Harrogate...

...which made me very happy because I wasn't too sure if it would be a bit too "strange" for some folk!

But, it seems that I needn't have worried, and I'd like to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of those who came to my stand and were so kind!! :-)

Some piccies for those who don't have the mag (yet!)

...and my little book got a mention and a review too!

We have been inundated with book orders since the magazine came out :-)))))

Thanks to everyone who has bought one!

I have had a very busy, but amazing year....

...meeting loads of wonderful people....

...and doing what I love!

I hope that you can say as much.

I'd like to wish all of you a great Festive Season...

...and a creative, productive, but most of all happy and healthy 2015.

Lots of love...

x C

Back again.....again! French report Part 1

We arrived home at 7 am. Wednesday after almost 24 hours of travelling (on & off)....

...completely kn***ered AND now nursing a damned bug!!!

My nose is sore from all the blowing, and the sneezing is driving me up the wall...

...but....

...I'm STILL a VERY HAPPY BUNNY after a great Carrefour du Patchwork, and a wonderful holiday in a beautiful area of my beloved France. :-)))

I managed to take another load of photos....

...high-resolution ones this time...

...for a "very special project" .....

Here are the first few....

...from Strasbourg...

Oh Yes!

...she's going to be having SUCH fun!

x C

(Psst. ....have a look at the new "Stitch" magazine out now....

...there's another one of my projects and a "Few of my Favourite Things" in this issue :-)

.....just a peek.....

The new issue of STITCH magazine is out now...

...and have a look at what's coming up in the next issue....

....recognize that little red fella  (click click) anyone? :-))

Damned computers!!

As I said in the previous post....

...the STITCH magazine article is out...

...and the new shop on line Wednesday evening....


Well, the best laid plans of mice and men of course.....


My poor Bloke, who's worked like a little (well maybe not so little) Trojan over the last god-knows-how-many months to get the website and shop up and running....

...despite having to go through a load of chemotherapy...

...various nasty surgical procedures....

..including being separated from his big toenails (ouch!!)...



...THEN discovered that the shop had a few "technical hitches"...

...for him to sort out...

...just when he thought it was done and dusted :-O !!!


It never ceases to amaze me how the absence of a single letter "s" can throw Internet Explorer into conniption fits....

...and that if you want something to be £15, you have to set a threshold four decimal places to the left ...(or is it right?)

Anyway, after all his hair grew back, he's now been tearing it out again....

...but it looks like it's sorted. Phew!

DAMNED COMPUTERS!!!


Anyway, while he's been doing that...

...I've been doing this...




..making tracks with the final "Tribal Cloth" sample in salmon/pink/grey.

As you can see, I'm on the beading, which is going to take me quite a few hours, but is well worth the effort as it makes the piece look sumptuous!

I've also been fiddling with a few more of these little ones...



..and will have a little pile of them to put together fairly soon.


I've almost finished the first little Breton house too....

...will post that as soon as the stuffing's done :-)

...Tribal.....STITCH....

For those of you that subscribe....

...you will have seen my little "Tribal Cloth" project in the Feb/Mar issue of "Stitch" magazine.


The original has a deep red colour central panel....

...quite a bit of hand-stitching...



...and lots and lots of beads!

There is a "Project Pack" available over in the shop....

...along with some others that follow the same stitch-plan......

...but are done in a green/yellow colour combo....



...and in purple too.



I'm working on another one.....in salmon/pink/grey, but it'll be next week before that's done!

I had such a good time working these pieces....

...I hope everyone else does too! :-)


(ps the shop URL will be changing tomorrow evening. From then on, it will be part of www.mabonarts.co.uk, rather than BigCartel. Service will be just the same though :-))))