A Little Bit of Crafting

A week of crafting!  Sounds bliss to all you crafters out there.  No cooking either (unless you had drawn the short straw and had to provide a meal).  Actually three cooked last year so the other three cooked this year and I was one of them.  Luckily I did Monday and took it ready and the other two, Mary and Liz, took theirs for freezing so there was no major cook out at all.

The theme for the week was "Trash to Treasure" so a bit of recycling was called for and Monday evening we did some cutting up of old t-shirts.  I won't embarrass the ladies by showing you the poses we did but I am hoping these two will forgive me for putting this one on my blog.  I just had to include it as they are laughing so much:

All the t-shirts looked great after being cut and woven, or whatever

Next day was Mary showing us how to make a patchwork bag from an old cotton shirt.

The squares are from different parts of the shirts, the pocket is the actual pocket, the decorative panel down the front is the button bit cut off and the handles are made from the neckbands with the collars removed.  Is Mary clever or what?  (It's all fully lined too)

In the afternoon and the following morning Wendy led a two part session making books from Lutrador but as mine is not yet completed I don't have a photograph for you.

Then we used Paverpol the next day with Liz and made faces from Cloud Clay to decorate these pots.  It was great fun making the faces and I think we could have carried on into the night enjoyilng ourselves.

Close up of the faces

Mary did hands too

Love this one

The next day we did some clay tiles but I didn't make any but in the afternoon I played with Adrienne's Gelliplate and made some backgrounds.  

Then she showed us a technique to turn card into something that looked totally different.  I loved this but didn't finish it.  Bought some translucent paints on Saturday so hopefully will get it finished later.

Back, Happy and Tired

Well, I am now back from my trip with girl friends.  Tired but with a head full of memories of a happy time spent in Worcester with ... me ... sewing!!"  Shock Horror!  Not quite as bad as it seems as I used to make my own clothes and also am well known for making my son a suit when he was tiny.  'Well known' because to this day he still tells people I left a pin in the short pants which pricked his leg and that his mum would not believe him.  Talk about bearing grudges - must be something he inherited from me as I remember things like that if someone hurts me.  I also made the swags and tails in our lounge (two pairs - back and front) from very very expensive material which we bought from the company who made our suite.   Took me a while to put scissors to the material I can tell you.  Anyway, this is the sewing we did, not straight up and down which I could manage but going round and wiggly and all over the place - loved it.

the back of my book cover made with Wendy

the front (spot the butterfly and flowers)

Still need to bead the butterfly - oops!

I so enjoyed this session as it was my first journey into sewing 'haphazardly' and catching lots of bits and bobs (snippets) onto the background.

Then we made silk paper with Annie and this cover feels so good

I just love the stamping on it

My sample book (when I get a machine)

Wednesday morning saw us working with Mary.  This is when I did something I have always wanted to do - burn holes in fabric.  This is the front of my book with my fabulous cord I made from Vilene and threads.

Increasing my stash I am now on the lookout for lots of bits and bobs to call "my snippets" so that I too can have colour co-ordinated packs of fabric and fibres.  Now which room can I take over in our bungalow?

Next we did etching with Adrienne but I am afraid mine did not work out as we first used Stazon and it did not etch.   You can see some peel off ones that Liz made because they came out really really good on her blog.

Then it was my session on Thursday morning when we made beads from Polymer Clay.  I taught them a Skinner blend and Mica Shift but Liz took to it so much that she produced some lovely canes as well.  You can see them on the next photographs.  I was so busy I never thought to take photographs.

Finally we made little Friendly Plastic Books with Liz.  I only finished one because I so wanted to make a particular fastening but I did bring covers home for a second (green this time) one ready to make another corner for.

sorry about the glare on the glaze

Here's the happy bunch

L to R Annie, Liz, Me, Wendy, Mary and Adrienne

This is a photo of our essential supplies

Lots went back home, honestly

Adrienne, Wendy and Liz contemplating sewing

Adrienne could always be found in this little corner

Now what is Wendy thinking?

Mary busy sewing away

and some lovely work

Showcasing Liz's lovely caning which she had off to a T - note the Mica Shift Buttons

Mary made buttons with her Mica Shift

All in all a great time and most of us will meet up again soon for another few days of laughter and play.

Today was also my birthday so here is a bird's eye view of my birthday cards sitting in the window sill (family ones are on the tv so not shown)

I'll try to upload them one by one at a later date but for now I am going to bed.  Thank you to all the wonderful family and friends who sent me cards today and made it so special for me.