Doesn't time fly

When you are enjoying yourself, well I think I have been.  I've done very little since the wedding and as the official photos won't be  picked up until next week when they come back from honeymoon its going to be a little while before I can show you any more.

I've done two workshops in the last 8 days, not finished anything I started on either of them.  The first was one of our Plus4 day workshops on transfer paint and seeing what happens when you apply it to various surfaces.  Got a lot of blue lace, I seem to have used more blue paint than anything else.  Think I must have the next four 'blue' CQ journal page challenge on my mind.  I must admit my mind is blank at the moment but hopefully one or some of the transfer painted pieces will inspire me.

The second workshop was with Jenny Burns doing something much more traditional - Hardanger.  I enjoy doing the more traditional stuff now and again.  However, counting threads all day has really made my eyes tired.   It will take me a night or two to finish it and then I'll post a photo.

I have however finished my last chunky book page for the Surface Design group.  This one was "The Beauty of Nature".  I thought about this a lot while doing the daily chores.  I like the idea of a rainbow and started pulling bits and pieces out to create one.  Then I picked up a packet of seeds and thought seed pods are beautiful so here it is.

It started out with a photo of  a poppy seed head, this is all that is left of my garden poppies.   I created several layers in PSP, blended several layers using different blend modes.  I flattened the image and applied a couple of special effects.   Before I flattened the image I added a rainbow gradient to the background layer.  

I printed out the original piece but thought it too dark so I took off some saturation and printed it out for the background of the page.   I've used lager cans for the seed pods and added other types of seed pods with stitches and flower stitched rings.  The lace is metallic paper.

Wedding Day

Didn't have time or opportunity to take many photos but here are a couple.  Once we get the 'official' photos I might post more.   The wedding day was beautiful with smiles from everyone all day long.  Julie and Sy looked so happy, I think once it was over they looked even happier!!

 From the left, Marc, bestman and brother, Sy, Julie and Matthew grandson

 I really don't like my outfit, I thought it looked okay in the shop but that hat looks like something red had landed and died.   The other three look okay though, Keith at the end.

Sy and Flynn, Flynn had a morning suit on as well but you can't see it for the huge bib.  You can see the family resemblance, Sy proud of his 3 month old grandson.

Two more days

It's getting closer and the nerves are just beginning to show but the excitement is also there.   Julie's Dad made her a box for guests to put their wedding cards in.  I've just finished making the bunting to go on the front of it.

I digitised them and cut them out using a Sizzix die.  I wish I had discovered that Sizzix Big Shot machines can be used to cut fabric, they are now bringing out a line of quilting dies.   It's a lot cheaper than my Accuquilt Go and the dies are cheaper too.  Having said that I do love my Accuquilt.  Not sure I'd buy one just to cut pieces made by straight cuts, ie strips, diamonds, triangles etc, I can do that well enough with a ruler and a rotary cutter.  They are however invaluable for cutting fiddly shapes.

I at last bought shoes for the wedding, I know its last minute but that just me I hate shopping for shoes.  One thing that will not get finished unless a miracle happens is the necklace I was making to go with my dress.

I got the medallion thingy finished and started on the chain but it glitters so much I can only do a small amount at a time before it makes my eyes ache.   Guess it will get finished by Christmas.

Went to get my scan results yesterday, I'm one of those people who has a PIP implant.  I had breast reconstruction following a mastectomy for cancer and have had no bother until 3 years ago when it ruptured.  Just after they replaced the implant I found out it was one of the French PIP ones and couldn't make up my mind whether or not to have it replaced.   After discussion with my GP, consultant and a radiologist it appears that my biopsy results show that the strange lumps appearing in my breast are silicon.  I now have to go for an MRI scan to see whether its from the PIP or something left over from the original one that ruptured.  Life is never straight forwad sometimes is it.

Mystery over

Our mystery trip was not really exciting as we went to many of the places that we go on day trips.  We did however stop in a very nice hotel where the room service and food were excellent. The other people on the mystery trip were also very friendly so we actually rather enjoyed ourselves.  We went to Skipton, Matlock Bath, Bakewell where we enjoyed one of the famous bakewell puddings and ended up in the Lake District in the rain. 

Canal view of Skipton, in the rain of course.

The sun came out when we arrived in Bakewell for our bakewell pud.

Chatwell from the road.  The sun was still out and the place was teaming with people.  I've been round Chatwell before (in the rain) and its well worth a visit the grounds and gardens are lovely.

Nobody wanted a ride in the boats, except perhaps the gulls, wonder why?

We went to the National Quilt Show in Harrogate today.  There were some wonderful quilts, far too many to photgraph even if I could get close to them.   These two are by Heather Beattie, similar in style but the photos don't do justice to the quilting.

Gail Lawler was teaching and talking at the show this is one of her pieces from her Glimpses of England series which is in her new book.

Close up of part of the hanging.

I Bought Gail's books Glimpses of England and Glimpses of New Zealand, which were on special offer if you bought both.   I also bought these two books.

Alison Holt's Machine Embrodered Seascapes and June Barnes Exploring dimension in quilt art.  I've only had time to skim through each book but I know I'm really going to enjoy reading them and will get lots of hints on how to do things.

Big wedding next week, we've got a full rehersal tomorrow and the men are picking up their top hat and tails tomorrow and checking if there is any last minute alterations to be done.  I'm going to entertain my dil and my dil to be while the suits are being sorted.

Where as the time gone...

My excuse is that we've been decorating and I had to put my sewing away for a while.  It's Sy and Julies wedding in two weeks time and we needed to spruce up the house a bit.  It's tidy for once, and clean just hope it lasts until after the wedding.   We're off for a short break tomorrow.  We're going on a mystery tour for our birthday.  Keith and I share a birthday and we had absolutely no idea what to buy each other so thought we'd go away for a couple of days instead.  We couldn't agree where to go hence the 'mystery tour'.

In the meantime I've received two lovely chunky book pages, both from Sonya Anderson.

The first is 'trees' - when I first picked this up off the mat I thought of Jack and the Beanstalk, which is how I've photographed it.  But Sonya tells me its a branch.  Either way I think it works, what do you think.

Her next page is 'water' and she's depicted a scene from her coastline.

Sonya tells me its of coastal Maine, of salty marsh grasses that grow in and near the sand dunes.

I love it as its not unlike parts of our NE coastline.

Off to pack for the bank holiday weekend mystery tour, will tell you where we ended up when we get back.

July and August Journal Pages

I've finally finished my August JP for the 2012 Contemporary Quilt Challenge and because its one of a pair haven't shown you the July one before now.  But here they are.  I used recycled jelly roll pieces for the background, part of a quilt I'd started and didn't like.  The flowers are from recycled lager cans.  The colours in the photo are slightly lighter than in the flesh.

July has added background stitching and some tiny butterflies made from shrink plastic.  I've used more of the transfer dyed sateen pieces to make the prairie points.   I had to join two pieces of metal to make the long stork as they just don't make lager cans long enough!!

I've used a Sizzix die on this one to add the weed at the bottom.  The center of the flower was rolled through a crimpler in both directions as I wanted it to have a seedhead feel to it.   My leaves aren't quite sunflower shaped but then neither is the one in our garden which is what I used for a model.  Our sunflower is also only 18" high, not sure what we did but the poor thing just isn't growing.  I blame the weather.

Both JP's are hand quilted in running stitch.

And now for my August Chunky Book Page a Surface Design group challenge.  This month it was "water" I thought I'd use one of the photos I'd taken of wash from our ferry crossing the Bospherus as I loved the colours. 

However it proved illusive and in the end my piece didn't look anything like I'd planned.   In fact it looked more like Monet's 'Water Lily' painting so this is what it ended up being.



I printed the photo onto fabric and layered it with sheer fabrics and iris film.  By this time of course I couldn't actually see the photo so I stitched 'water flow' marks and finally burned back the sheers.   As I said it looked more like Monet that ferry wake so I added a few lily pads, flower and beads.  All in all though I think I prefer this version.

We're just about to start redecorating the living room and staircase so guess it could be a few days before I post again.  I hate decorating and can only do a bit before I feel the need to put my feet up.  Keith has started clearing out books and magazines so I guess I had better do my bit too.

Swapping again

It seems ages since I swapped anything but this is the latest arrivals.

First Inchies swapped with members of the Surface Design Group:

The last three rows of inchies are purple backgrounds Pauline, yellow/green background Norma and finally the last row are from Kim for whom this is her first swap.

Next swap has been going on for around six months but I came in half way through, so here goes:

 The last theme for the book pages was Butterflies.  The pink silk one is from Deb Johnson and its beautiful I think I am going to keep this for something special.

 Deb also send me a silk flower as an extra present.  It has a buttonhole loop on the back so you can pin it to your clothing or accessories.

Finally this beautiful page from Norma Rheim.  At first I thought she had sewn cross stitches in gold thread but it is gold mesh held down with lines of machine stitching which gives it that affect.

I've now finished my August Journal Page.  I deliberately have not shown my July one becaue July and August form a set.  I'll post them tomorrow, got to go now and watch Midsommer Murders.  Glad I don't live in Midsommer.

Been having a lazy time

Haven't done a great deal over the past week, lots of Kindle reading, catching up with friends etc but as for sewing this is all I've done:

My owl family.   I found the pattern in this months Popular Patchwork and made one (the large one).  Then I decided to reduce the pattern by an inch and baby was born.  There was such a disparity between the two sizes that I reduced the original by half an inch and mummy owl appeared.   I now have my own little owl famil of bean bags.  

Flynn update and Metal and Stitch Day

First an update on Flynn's progress, he's now five weeks old and beginning to 'talk' to you.

He's saying don't blame me for the silly suit, grandpa Sy bought it  and daddy made me wear it.....

Thank goodness the Metal and Stitch workshop went well and most people made at least one chunky book page.

We had a full house for the workshop and I believe everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves, which was a great relief to me.   I took along my Big Shot and alcohol inks and we all played well together.  There were one or two dyed fingers by the end of the day but as you can see from the photos lots of stitching too. Some great pieces of work were produced and I was asked if I was going to take this metal and stitch theme a bit further.  I agreed to do so but need to think and play a bit more and will come up with an advanced workshop later.  Watch this space.

Workshop with Gillian Travis

Last Saturday I spent the day with the ladies of Richmond and Leyburn EG group doing a 'Applique Houses' workshop led by Gillian Travis.  I arrived there with everything I needed except the one essential - my source photos!!  Luckily I had taken my camera and having been in Whitby the day before used one of the photos on my camera.  Has anyone tried drawing from a photo on their camera that repeatedly goes into standby mode due to inactivity?  Well its not easy but it can be done.

This was the photo I used, or rather the 8 houses on the cliff path before you head out to sea.  And this is what I ended up with after the weekend, still lot

Sorry but Blogger has turned the photo and I've tried several times to put it the right way up.   If you are wondering where the Abby is - I left it out.  The colours, well Gillian's requirement list said 'fabrics of similar colours'  Mine were yellows.   I still have a lot of stitching to do on it.  

This is what the others did, all have work to finish on them, you never get a project finished do you.

This house is taken from a drawing done by Judy's granddaughter.

Blogger has, once again,  turned several of the above the boat photo was taken portrait orientation.  You can see that there is a lot of variety in the houses.   I have several more photos of the day but I'm going to give up for the day, maybe tomorrow Blogger will behave better.