TIF Challenge done

The TIF Challenge for May was for me quite a difficult one - How do we see ourselves. I am, like many others, many things some of more importance than others depending upon what's happening. From a sewing perspective I've always thought of myself as an embroiderer who quilts but that's not really true. Embroidery will always be my first love but I find I'm doing more and more mixed media pieces these days so for my TIF I 've used a couple of the colour pallet for May to represent myself. I see myself as stretching towards something but I have not yet got there, still got lots to learn and look forward to stetching my horizons. These days I rarely use a pattern but create from within myself so I'm also beginning to see myself as a textile artist rather than an embroiderer who quilts. Others, of course may disagree strongly and I'm happy with that. This piece is paper fabric, beading, sequins, paint and stitch.



The postman has called again and left me with two very different but exciting pieces. Jan Lewis made this arch for me as part of the Textile Challenge Arch swap. Jan has used twin needle stitching and has painted fabric and paper and used them together with co-ordinating thread wrapped cords tomake beads of different sizes. There is a little pocket in the arch together with a small scroll wrapped in threads. Jan also made a tag to go with the arch. I'

Alis Parkinson made be these two atc's as part of the Surface Design shape lottery, her shape for me was oval. Alis is also doing Terri Stegmiller's Paper Quilting Exploration course and has used what she's learned there to create these miniature art works.
Had a fairly quiet day today trying to catch up with work in the garden, washing etc. I've enjoyed it, its been a change from the frantic tooing and froing I've been doing recently. Keith and Sy managed to get my Chilean Potato Tree up against the wall again. Quite a lot of damage had been done to it when it fell but all is not lost, it'll live to flower another year. The snails and slugs have had a go at my hostas and the birds have pulled up my bedding plants. Keith cut the grass and generally tidied the garden up and its now beginning to look more cared for.

Mil has now got a rash which is being treated with antihistamines but apart from that she's well. Wonder how long the calm will last this time.

I started to make some more tea cosies for the Air Ambulance exhibition but then re-read the application form and they don't need them until September so I've put them to one side. I've got two finished and one half finished I'll take photos before I send them.