Liz Welch at Victoria Stampers

Wow, what a day it was yesterday!  Liz came and took us through some of the basic techniques she teaches and we all had a wonderful time.  Her expertise, wonderful teaching skills and lovely manner was evident all day and I think she captured the hearts of every attendee.

She took us through stamping on Friendly Plastic, her own oozing technique and lace making.  The pace was just right and we all watched a demo of each technique in turn and then went off and made our own pieces.  The time just flew and I could have stayed until late that evening.  I won't show you my pieces as I want to do more with them but I will show you some of the inspiration behind Liz Welch.

This was the cover on one of her journals.  It is a kind of patchwork of many techniques with added embellishments and I just fell in love with it.

These are some tiny tags

showing Liz's lace technique

This is one of many of her

beautiful necklaces

A sampler

You can see so much more of her work on her website and on her blog.  If ever you see that she is doing a workshop in your area you really must try to get on it.

Quite a few years ago I was fortunate enough to go on a workshop with Liz where we made a mask and I have always said I would make another.  Inspired by one of her masks I began making some lace pieces but really needed a skillet to do it justice.  Guess what?

Jayne told us yesterday that the QVC shop had some for £16 and so straight after we had helped Liz load her car seven of us headed off for Birchwood.  We bought up the entire stock!  Yes, there were just seven of them left.  It was so funny, at one time four of us stood there feverishly opening up the boxes to make sure that they were complete.  Our excited chatter alerted a lady to what we were doing and she came over to ask what they were.  She must have thought we were opening something really exciting and a bargain to boot (well it was to us).  We were like little children in a sweet shop.  Luckily when Diane and Alison arrived for their purchases there were just the two left.

A great day and a bargain to boot!

NB be sure to look at Liz's blog and website for true inspiration.

A Quick Birthday Card

Had to make a birthday card tonight for one of the members at the Vicky Stampers who had a birthday on Wednesday of last week.

Made this Z card with the main image embossed and then bleached out in parts.  Decided to bring out my MS punches again so put the lacey border on.

Couldn't tell you who the main image is by but the grasses are Elusive Images using the shadow one in Pearlescent Green and the other image of it in Gamma Green (both Brilliance).

This is a view of it open showing the words, again in Gamma Green.

Tomorrow we have a class with Liz Welch using Friendly Plastic.  Don't know whether any of you have ever been to one of Liz's workshops or not but it will be fun and informative.  She is a whizz with the FP and I know she has fairly recently been to America to work with my friends Jen and Linda using the material.  Wonder if she will bring any of the FP pellets?

Tribute

To a very dear friend who passed away last night.

Audrey and I with 

The Ranger Flag

This is a tribute to a very dear friend, ex Brownie Guider, Trefoil Guild Member, Guiding Singing Circle Member, Lacemaker, Beader, Stitcher, Egg Decorator - in fact a lady who could turn her hand to anything.  She will be sadly missed by so many.

Rest in Peace Audrey.

Following both Helen and Carol's messages - yes, I did get to see her on Monday and although she was sleeping most of the time I am sure she knew I was there.  When we went in her daughter, Karen, told her I was there and Audrey put her hand out for me to take hold of.  Later, when I mentioned my cousin and asked if she remembered her she gave a slight nod, I will treasure those moments along with all my happy memories.

A Very Dear Friend

Got home early evening from our Roast Lamb Lunch (delicious) to find a message on the answerphone to say that a very dear friend of mine was quite poorly in hospital.

Now, Audrey and I go back a long time, way back to the 60's when I first became a Guide Guider again following a break when I had my son.  She was Brown Owl at the Pack in Waterfoot where I was based.  Much later on I took over a Guide Company in Crawshawbooth and when some of my Guides became too old to stay I opened a Ranger Guide Company as well.

We decided we wanted a flag to carry on Church Parades and other occasions so I set about designing one and it was with Audrey's skill that the two of us made the flag for the Unit.  I could not begin to guess at the hours we spent embroidering all the different elements that went into making the flag but I do remember I did the easier embroidery stitches whilst Audrey did the more complicated ones.  At that time I was at Uni in Manchester and travelling on the bus I would be sat there doing some of the embroidery on the various elements that were to make up the flag.

A couple of years ago Audrey was 80 and on one of my visits to her house she showed me some of her beading projects.  Only a couple of weeks later she gave me this which she had sat down and made for me.  It is a little purse made from seed beads, including the "chain".  I was overwhelmed.

Isn't that a work of art

and done by an 80 year old!

Well, today we are off to see her in hospital, whether she will know me or not I do not know until I get there. Her daughter explained, last night when I rang her, that sometimes her mother is asleep and misses seeing her visitors.

Nonetheless I have made her a little card so that if she is asleep, when she wakes she will know that I have been.

Just a simple little "thinking of you" card, coloured with Twinkling H2o's which I am sure  she will like.

I must find one of the newspaper photographs which shows Audrey and I holding the flag just before its dedication.  Maybe I will upload it and tell you about the non-dedication we had that week and the actual dedication which took place in Blackburn Cathedral.

A Card from a Friend

Alison sent me this RAK (random act of kindness) and as it has not been on her blog I thought I would upload it to mine as it is a lovely card.  Her blog is well worth a visit.

As you can see it is an Easel Card

Yesterday I directed you to Dot's blog so you could see the lovely RAK she sent to me - hope you enjoyed her blog there's some smashing stuff on there.

Oh Johnny

Made this card for my dil who is crazy about Johnny Depp (well who wouldn't be?).  As you can see I used pre-printed images in a collage for the main part of the card, one of my MS punches for the side decoration and a paper tissue rose.  The rose is like the one I made at the ArtsyCrafty weekend but this one has a shrink plastic clock as the centre but it does have two metal leaves on it.

It is actually on a pale blue shaded card but it does not show up in the photograph.  Couldn't scan it as I would have flattened the rose.

The reason it is a Thank You card is that they are treating us to a roast lamb lunch on Sunday and, although I expect Andy is making it, I thought I would make Sam a card.  Hope she likes it as she is not that into my handmade cards.  Boo Hoo!

I am off to Paddy's now as I have to start my sample for her crafting weekend when I am doing some claywork and as I have to make 40 beads to swap for a Polyclay weekend I am attending in June I doubt I will have much time for cardmaking.  Ah well, out comes the pasta machine.

ps I have a Thank You of my own to make - to Dot.  Thank you for the lovely card you sent to me.  If you want to see it you will have to visit her blog (23 May) - it is the top blue card with the shaving foam technique background and the birds on it.

Japanese Tea House (Origami Tag Book)

As promised here are the instructions for the Japanese Tea House (and especially for Gayle).

This was first taught to me by Lenna Young Andrews she in turn having been taught by Chris Peden.  I have Lenna's original class notes but she asked that I do not repeat them per se so these are my own notes.  I would ask that if you teach this you also make up your own notes and acknowledge the source.  (See other pictures 3rd April blog)

Now to begin:

Cover - 2 pieces mountboard 3 1/4" square and 2 pieces paper to cover (4 1/4" square).
Stick the board pieces in the centre of the paper, cut the corners and fold over sticking well down.  Set to one side.

Tags - make 14 small tags, stamping on both sides - attach approx 18" yarn by doubling thread and looping through to each one.  (You can have more tags but I think this is a nice number to work with.)  Set to one side.

Book - 7 pieces of thin cardstock 5 3/4" square
Stamp an overall design on one side only - this will be the roof.  (You could use fairly substantial scrapbook paper and use the design on it for your roof.)

Do an Origami Flower Fold on each one, open out and stamp on the triangular pieces for the inside.
(Origami Flower Fold:  Fold square in half with roof side to the table, open out and fold again in half, open out and fold corner to corner ONCE  with the roof side inside.  See pictures below)

Fold in half

turn and fold again

 

Flip cardstock over and fold diagonally

Stamp on the two flat sides (inside) and the two triangular pieces which you can see I am holding.

Like this

The photograph below shows the placement of the stamps when opened out.

Poke a hole through the top where all folds meet and put yarn/tags through - two per hole.  Put one tag either side of the triangular piece.

Attach all seven pieces together on the flat side.

Attach covers to the back and front remembering to add ribbon for closure and hanging loop before sticking down.

NB there are different ways you can finish this:

Gently pull each tag out of the pocket page so it hangs just below the pages then make an overhand knot with your yarn right above the top of the pages.
OR
Attach a bead to the top end of each double set of fibres.

I hope you can follow these instructions - not easy to do without physically showing you and I chickened out of doing a video because I don't know how to upload one.