Here, There and Africa

Embroidery Library a brilliant source for machine embroidery designs had a sale of African inspired designs last week, so I thought I’d treat myself to a Zebra, some Meerkats and half an Elephant.  I had some thick cream coloured canvas (which is a dream to embroider) and added the designs to a piece of it. I then found a lovely piece of Zebra print cotton (you see, sales are never cheap. When you have an idea you usually have to buy something else to complete it).

A bit of cutting and tutting later and sewing on my brilliant little Elna Sew Fun machine and voila a Safari bag has been born!






As we’ve just had confirmation in the UK that all plastic bags in shops will cost 5p each from next year, this is my answer to shopping without plastic. Not so much a Bag for Life but more a Bag for Wildlife.

Thinking of shops and stuff, how many of you fellow crafters out there with your own little shops are starting to gear up to make your Christmas stock soon? I think there’s something slightly rebellious about working on Christmas designs when the sun is shining down and the waves on the beach are lapping at your feet (Australians, you must be expert at this). I’m about to start on Rudolph Tea Cosy.



I only make one of these each year as there’s so much work involved in making the embellishments. Poor old Rudy, he’ll never get a friend at this rate.

I did my usual Sunday visit to PAWS Animal Sanctuary last Sunday. Dear little Button a black and white stray who was thought to have Feline infectious peritonitis has got the all clear.


(On the right one up from the bottom) picture by PAWS

The vet thinks he has just got an intolerance to certain types of food. A while back he could hardly raise his head from his bed but now he gets out of his bed and does his best to head butt your knees. I hope he gets a good home, he has struggled for so long he deserves one.
Stacey also took in one cat who was dumped by the side of a road in a cat basket and one who was dumped in a box. Both were starving and in an unkempt condition.


Dumped by the side of the road - picture by PAWS


Dumped in a cat basket – picture by PAWS

I am constantly amazed by the fact that most animals no matter how badly treated they are by us are still capable of giving us affection. I was there when the longhaired cat above came in and I spent some time petting it. The dear little thing purred and purred in between frequent trips to his food bowl. Again they both deserve some love in their lives and they’ve both definitely landed on their paws by being in Stacey’s care.

Slàinte Mhath xxx

Origins

Do you ever pick up a secondhand book and find an inscription inside and wonder about the first owner of the book? I came across this book the other day



with this inscription inside



It’s dated 1979 which is the year of publication of the book, so it must have been a brand new book bought for Colin for Christmas. Did Colin grow up to be an artist? Who were Denis and Lindsay? Why was Colin’s book in a charity shop? Did he donate it or did someone else donate it. Maybe it has done the rounds and I’m the fourth or fifth owner even! Hopefully Colin did have a happy Christmas and Denis and Lindsay’s gift was put to good use. I love reading things like this and imagining all sorts about the owner and although I love ebooks, you can’t add a piece of history like this to a downloaded book. BTW the book itself is wonderful, the bird sketches are breathtaking. I always envy artists who with a just few strokes of a pen or pencil can create life on paper.  Note to self – Keep practicing!

Now remember my new found love for machine applique? I had so much fun with my Flamingo design that I made it into a little zippered pouch.


and added the flamingo fabric as a lining. I might put a couple of embroidered pouches in my shop. There are so many gorgeous/cute/funny/clever embroidery designs available these days that I could spend the rest of my days sewing them or at least until my machine wears out.


I’ve also been making a few of these. Can you guess what it is yet?


No prizes but my recent addictions should give you the answer!

Slàinte Mhath xxx

Pen and Ink

This is a picture of three of my favourite things – a bottle of coloured ink, a beautiful fountain pen and a sheet of writing paper.



I also have bottles of orange, fuchsia, lavender and green ink! Alas I don’t have a fountain pen for each ink colour, but it puts me in a happy place when I write with any of these colours. Sad that not many people use fountain pens these days and the only ink colours you seem to be able to buy in the shops are blue or black or even blue/black! I buy my inks from The Writing Desk. I’m like a kid in a sweet shop when I go onto this site. You can even get scented ink – reminds me of handwritten love notes sly exchanged by Jane Austen’s characters. I never buy Fountain pens over the net as I think they are something you have to try in person, a bit like shoes!

While on the subject of ink, here is a rubber stamp I carved at the weekend.




I’m rather pleased with this one as I’ve just started learning how to handcarve stamps. I also have this brilliant book on how to make your own stamps.


The author Geninne D. Zlatkis has also posted a video tutorial on her blog on how she carves stamps. Very talented lady.
More makes -
 
I’m getting a bit addicted to machine applique now I’ve figured out how to use the files. I downloaded this design from Cherry Stitch Design as a single Flamingo and then using SewArt software I copied it, pasted and flipped the copy and merged it with the original one to make a pair of Flamingos. Hours of fun!

Also over the weekend i had to feed my addiction for crocheted Birdies. This is the newly hatched Patriotic Birdie!!





I’m resting from Birdie crocheting at the moment – well at least until I can think up another colour combination! Most of the crocheting was done while watching the wonderful birdie and animal web cams that the rather wonderful Simon King has put up around his home. Well worth a look. Along with hundreds of others I’ve spent the last few weeks watching a Bluetit family grow up and was almost tearful as the last one left the nest this morning. I hope they have a wonderful life.

Slàinte Mhath xxx

PS Simon King has found a second Blue Tit family for us all to watch over

Universe

My interpretation of ‘Universe’ for this week’s Illustration Friday.



Also as well as chucking paint around I’ve been feeding my addiction for crocheting Birdies. This is Lemon Birdie making friends with my Bluebird of ‘Appiness.



I also knitted a toadstool to act as a prop for when I photographed Harry Hedgehog Tea Cosy.



I hired a stylist for the shoot!





This is what happens when you attempt machine applique for the first time without a clue what you’re doing.



And this is what you get when the penny drops!



Slàinte Mhath xxx

Back in Harness

I didn’t realise I'd been away from my blog for so long. I did feel down after my Uncle's passing in January. He was the last member of the family on my dad's side, so I was also grieving for that as well.
Anyway on to better and happier things. I have been busy and these are a few of the things I’ve been making. I got this pattern from Heidi Bears.



It was so much fun to make that I crocheted another little friend for her. As you can see they have become the very best of friends!



Although the warmer days have finally arrived here I felt compelled to make myself a hot water bottle cover. So I made one knitted on 4 needles (pic to come later). I like knitting on 4 needles and really don’t do enough of it. Maybe I should start now and make some Christmas socks for pressies.
I've been trawling around the charity shops as usual an last week I found a brown and badly stained bamboo table. It had a lovely ornate base, so I took it home and sprayed it white. It now serves as an art table and holds all my brushes, paints and paper. I think it originally had 2 chairs to go with it, but they were nowhere to be seen in the shop, but my little white bamboo stool works well with it.



What about this for a bargain! I found this beautiful pristine book in Oxfam.



The illustrations are fabulous. So much colour and detail.





The foreword is written by Sir David Attenborough, one of my all time heroes. It's going to get a place of honour in my birdie library.
Getting back to makes, I made this tote bag for my friend`s birthday.




She's into Egyptology so I thought this design of Isis mother of Horus would look great embroidered on the bag. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out, I hope she likes it.
I also embroidered the back of a denim waistcoat (for me) with a Surf Bird. Every time I look at this it just makes me smile!





A short post this time as I’m just getting back into blogging with baby steps at the moment!

Slàinte Mhath xxx