Artful Times Challenge & Twisted Threads

Well, I didn't get chance to put my card I made for the Artful Times Challenge on Friday here which was to make something in Lilac, Silver and using a Wintry Image.  The reason?  I was away at Twisted Threads in Harrogate with a friend who had come along to enjoy the experience with me.

We went last year but just for the day so this time we decided to stay over and enjoy the delights of Harrogate as well.  Anyway, first of all here is the card I made for my challenge piece

The image is by Impression Obsession which I stamped in black then went over the snowy bits with Liquid Applique and then when dry with some glitter.  The Poinsettia is by Spellbinders and the Holly is a Cheery Lynn die - both cut out in silver mirri card.  All available from Oyster Stamps.  Background coloured with Distress Ink.

Sorry I am so late in showing you!

The reason is we had visitors, now I am not blaming them, please understand, but I just forgot I had to upload the card to my own blog. I have just been so busy of late but it is all coming to an end and relaxation time is close by.

Friends came on the Wednesday, stayed overnight and then we went on to Harrogate for the Twisted Threads Show where we unloaded our cash laden purses in short order.  Cannot begin to list what I bought as I have put it all away and have forgotten (deliberately) but I bought some of that beautiful enamel jewellery from Janna Hodgson.  If you are a fan of her work please get some now as she may be stopping making it - if not - why not?  Investigate please, she has the most beautiful work for sale and she is such a lovely lady to talk to.

Here are one or two samples of the delightful work on show

And what about these collars?

 On to some work by students

Ascot anyone?

and the great concert hall in the building

all set out for everyone to sit and eat lunch.  Nobody could complain there was not enough seating.  A splendid venue, a splendid show.

Finishing off The Textiles

Hadn't realised that I only had a few to upload - should have finished them all off yesterday but wait until you see these beauties:

I love this handbag by Stef Francis.  I would love a larger bag but with the same technique and those gorgeous cocoons hanging from it. Didn't dare ask how much this tiny one cost.

and look at this necklace - isn't that sweet?  I really like how she does these cocoons.  Now I want a workshop on how to do them.

Here's a closeup

Just had to include this as I love it.   For some reason I am always drawn to green and I just love the different shades used in this embroidery.

Here's a closeup with a bit about the lady who embroidered it

Oh, WOW!

Finally Linda Monk's workshop that my friend Wendy went to - and yes, Wendy made one of these.  If only I could get her to upload her work to her blog.

Love this rusty looking shrine (sorry about the photo being dark). Hard to believe it is fabric.

Hope you enjoyed this snapshot of the show.

WOYWW 182 and More on Textile Show

Hope the newbies could follow my instructions last week to get to WOYWW and upload their desks/rooms etc.  It's great to make friends this way and Ms Dunnit is a legend who has brought so many people together and is responsible for so many internet friendships.  Last week Julia herself put notes up about it so pop back to 181 if you are still unsure how to join in.

Just a quick peek into my shambles of a room.  Busy reorganising everything.  Disaster!  Remember the bookshelves I had made - well the shelves are starting to split with all the weight so I am frantically trying to move things around - without much success - to distribute weight a bit more.  Why oh why did I not just go to Ikea!!  Why oh why do I have so much stuff!!  Billy, where are you?

The sagging shelves now rehashed with a change of stuff on them

Some of the books had to be moved to here so now the shelves don't look as streamlined as before.  Notice though that they have still not been painted!  I am not a happy bunny with my sagging shelves that now match my sagging body  :(  

as an aside: Can anyone tell me the name of the company that sell these shaving brushes please?

To stop the boredom of you looking at my room I am continuing uploading some of the gorgeous work that was on view at the Knit and Stitch Show in Harrogate at weekend.  Ready?  (if you missed the first bit it is on the post before this one)

Just look at this study of Agapanthus.  Beautiful embroidery and beautifully displayed.  Some folks are so talented.

There were a series of these next and I cannot explain them but they were fab.  They had an additional strip of fabric put on them which is pretty evident in this photograph.  A bit like a "spotlight" technique that we do in papercrafting.

Just love these landscapes

 I'll finish off today, will upload the remainder tomorrow, with some silk cocoon works by Stef Francis which I fell in love with.  

Over to Textiles

OH EM GEE!!!

I went to Harrogate on Saturday with my friend Wendy and I was blown away.  Not with the wind I might add but by the array of stands and work on display at the Knitting and Stitching Show.  Five halls (I think, but don't quote me on this) of vendors and exhibitions of work.

We set off from home a little later than we anticipated but on nearing Harrogate we ended up in a bit of a traffic jam.  If we thought that was bad our experience at trying to park was even even worse.  Unfortunately Harrogate had a Christmas Market on, and it was a Saturday.  Having been  stuck, and I mean stuck, in traffic on various streets and hills in the town centre we finally found somewhere to park for three hours.  By the side of the exhibition centre too.  I won't go into details about poor Wendy having to go out twice to move the car but I was grateful for the closeness of the car to the exit at the end.

We only had about four hours to walk round but at the end of it we were both suffering with our feet and backs but certainly not our minds.  I'll share some photos (permission gained to photograph) so you know what I mean:

These two massive embroidered canvases hit us as soon as we walked in.  Incredible work and the size of them was enormous.  And look at this needlefelted waistcoat.

Moving On

We stayed and chatted to the lady on this stand for quite a while as we were blown away with her book covers.  What a fabulous product she was selling and what fun you could have with it.  Below are some more.

On past the vendors who were  exhibiting their beautiful work and one I must mention is the lady who did the butterflies.  Wendy bought her book and got it signed.  Her work was exquisite.  Her embroidered butterflies unbelievable.  At first glance we thought they were made from paper but when realisation took hold it was pure embroidery.  These are absolutely fantastic and you could use a magnifying glass to pick out the stitching because the naked eye could not see stitches.

Around the corner we then came to exhibition areas

I loved the texture on this canvas and really want to make something now.  Yes, hopefully my mojo has returned.  Thank you Twisted Threads.

I'll leave you for now with these embroideries which have beautiful pencil work extensions to them.  They really did stand out and I'll continue with some more pictures tomorrow.

Sewing Has Come To A Full Stop

Last night I was carrying on with my sewing, wanting to get my pages to a more completed stage when my machine jammed.  I thought it was an empty spool/bobbin but when I looked there was still a little on it and  it was something else.  The metal arm that goes up and down (don't believe it, now I cannot find my manual either so don't know the names of these things - update, found the manual - the cotton is jammed somewhere around the "thread take up lever") has some cotton well and truly jammed in it - there was a bit of wire came out when I was fiddling but I think that was from wired ribbon I was sewing close to, hope so and that it is not part of my machine.   Doh!

Today the shop is closed so cannot even get to there to see if Wendy can fix it for me and don't want to unscrew a panel at the back in case I invalidate the warranty.

So my book remains unfinished, but not to worry as I loved doing it and want to do more.  I am making more pages and then I can sew them back to back.  On my way back from the hospital I called at Abakahn to match some fabrics up that I had been using over the weekend - closed - and no opening times displayed.  I gave up!  Now I have decided it is NOT MY DAY so I am showing you Four of the pages I have done so far - will show you the others tomorrow - it may be that there will be more stitched on at a later date or it may just be more pages - I will blog them as I get on and blog the whole thing when (IF with the luck I am having) it is finished.

 

Image transfer (Church window)

  

Padded Heart

  

Painted Fabric (Lynn Perralla stamp)

(pinned and waiting to be sewn)

  

Soldered Fabric (sheer over image)

(pinned and waiting to be sewn)

Hope you enjoyed looking as much as I enjoyed making - it really has got my creative juices flowing - I just loved doing this and cannot wait for my sewing machine to get repaired and ready - in fact my mum's old Singer might just have to come out for a bit of straight stitching until this one is repaired.

Aintree with Jo

Before I begin can I just say Welcome to my newest Followers.  I'll be along to visit you shortly.  Thanks for following me, it means a lot.

Well, I was not going to go to the Aintree Show but a conversation "wi' mi' mate Jo" the night previous and I set off in the pouring down (read torrential) rain on Thursday for Aintree and one of the 'ichf shows'.  It took far longer to make the journey as the rush hour traffic had obviously slowed down and so the rush hour went on until well past 10 am.

First stop was obviously to see the Oyster Stamp Family and it was lovely to see Tom and Liam there - two young guys who always make me feel warm and fuzzy because they are so lovely.  Then it was Tracey, busy demonstrating and sporting a new hair cut which really does suit her, and Graham, her lovely other half.  /a bit later I saw Barbara, whom I always enjoy working with so much, she was doing continual workshops in another part of the hall - well worth doing if you are going there today.  I gave Tracey my Design pieces (one on here yesterday and the other below) and then, because it was so busy dashed off to see what I could find.

This is another of the Jewelled Goddess diecuts from Oyster Stamps and this time I decided to make it into one of those mannekins that have been so popular but this time with coloured sheets of paper rather than a magazine as usual.  I have Annette to thank for showing me how to do these and there is another one partly done but more of that another day.

I only had a look on one stand and when I turned around there was Jo talking to Wendy from Cardio.  I went over and made some comment about her not being on time for the "meet" if she didn't stop chatting and after saying "hi" to Wendy we made our way to see who else was going to turn up.  

When we got to the eating area we found Carol and her daughter Becky (see Jo's blog) so managed to grab two seats next to them.  Later we were joined by Ann and her daughter Wendy (below).  Ann was telling me she is being laced into an Elizabethan costume next weekend for a Fayre she is attending.  She was most distressed as she cannot show her purple hair off!  I didn't get a photograph but we did meet up with Jacqui and Carmel too.

Spent very little apart from the things from Oyster Stamps so will show you the textile photos that, I hope, are different to those Jo uploaded.

I love masks and I think this was  by someone from Merseyside Embroiderers' Guild

as was this flower from a Fascinator

and these tiny pictures

The Guild are having an Exhibition in the Concert Room, Liverpool Cathedral, St James' Mount.  On Saturday, 9th June at 3 pm Kathryn Thompson will be the speaker - "Dolls with Attitude".  Sounds good.

Don't think Jo had this one - it's Victorian Mourning Wear

More beautiful work

Bob in his wooden hat

Love this waistcoat on the Soluble Film Company's stand

Finally -  Paverpol (I want...)

This is the husband of Shirley who had a stand showing her Paverpol creations.  These can actually be put outside!  He was a very interesting man to talk to and I intended going back and then didn't make it.  Not to worry, I learned a lot from him and now would love to dabble in it.  Must find out more about the lady who does these.

Hope you have enjoyed my brief, but heavy on pictures, blog today.  The show was worth going to for the exhibits - and don't forget, there was Downton Abbey there too.

(some of the exhibits you were not allowed to photograph, one lady explained that they could not give permission to photo work by some of the ladies exhibiting as they had not had permission from those persons.  Others clearly had a sign on them so maybe they were destined for another show with merits being given - who knows?)