A Painted Birthday Card

After trying out some ideas and getting some water colour practice in,  I have at last finished a birthday card for my sister.  I'm pleased to have finally turned out a card that doesn't have any unintended splodges, smudges or finger prints on it!  That's why I don't do CAS cards! 

 

 I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week.

Autumn Watercolours and WOYWW

 I've been trying out some water colour ideas for a special birthday card this week.

  I was rather hoping to have finished it by now,

but coming up with something I'm completely happy with is proving to be quite elusive - fingers crossed I have something finished by next week!

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week

Start of the Birthday Card Season!

 It's that time of year again - most of my family and friends have birthdays in October, so here is the first one I made for my nephew who has just turned 18.

He's keen on Dungeons and Dragons so I made a fancy dice to hold the

 rolled up money he was being given.  

As it turned out the dice looked ridiculously big on the card so I chopped the top off it and just used that! 

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week.

A Bag for a Flower Press and WOYWW

  My microwave flower press has been sitting on a shelf in it's original cardboard box for years, the box is not only falling to pieces but is also rather unattractive in colour and design, so in my quest to 'pretty up' the book shelves I decided to make a little padded bag for it. 

Oh my goodness, I really could have done with Lunch Lady Jan on hand  - I thought it would be straight forward but what a complicated business!

I made the entire padded shape beautifully, got ready to turn it inside out and realised the wadding would be on the outside!  That was discarded and I started all over again.  This time I made it successfully but when I folded it up to make the bag shape I realised if I stitched the sides together and turned it inside out I'd lose width, and the fold over flap would be too wide and ruckle up.  So I hand stitched it down each edge and although it's not very neat, I can live with it!

Oh and I used up more scraps of fabric so extra points awarded for stash busting!

 

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week.

A Summer Tag and WOYWW

The mojo is still going (just!) and I made a tag this week.

Well, I made the background for the tag last year, I pressed the Mombretia flowers earlier this year, then this week I glued one to the other, added enamel dots and a ribbon and Hey Presto - creativity at it's minimum!

However, having had raging toothache and a course of strong antibiotics I feel pleased that I achieved anything at all!  

It is still sitting on my desk like this as I haven't had the impetus to tidy up yet and put things away - maybe that will come later, you can't rush these things!

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week.

Lace Bobbin Painting

I've finally been doing a little bit of arty stuff after quite a long break from it.  The mojo went, life got in the way and some good and not so good things needed most of my attention!

However, at last I've picked up a paint brush and been creative - I've painted a few lace bobbins and here they are sitting on my desk in an old teacup while waiting for the varnish to dry on their little heads.   

For anyone interested I posted about bobbin painting a few weeks ago here.

I'm linking up with WOYWW this week.

Flower Casting

After a couple of not so good weeks I'm on the up 
and have been doing a little more flower casting to try and lift the spirits 

and improve my techniques!  

You can see my first attempts here.

 Brambles, Angelica, Chives and Heuchera.

   

Freesias and Heuchera  

A little Welsh Poppy.

  

A coat of grey paint, but I think I preferred it white!

The dining room table has been my desk during lock down, and here are some more castings waiting to be sanded, sealed and in some cases have a little colour added if they need a little more definition.  

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week.

The Most Beautiful Little Painting and WOYWW

I am thrilled to show you what is on my desk this week -

a most beautiful water colour sea urchin by the incredibly talented Sandra De, plus a card and some little stamps and sea urchin spines.

I sent her one of my Victorian cabinet card collages and she kindly sent me this - how lucky am I!  I love her work and I'm always in awe of her amazing ability to paint with such delicateness, reality and beauty.  I can't wait to get this framed and up on my wall.

The beautiful leaf card is also going to be framed and the stamps and tiny sea urchin spines are just delightful and filling me with inspiration.

A huge thank you to you Sandra.

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week.