WOYWW #207

Some of you may vaguely recognise the printers tray in this weeks post - it was on my desk about a year ago, as a project that I was in the middle of.  Well, it has been on my desk ever since - pushed to the back with things piled on it! I finally got round to completing it and putting it on my new (or rather not so new) bathroom wall this week.  

And on my actual desk this week is a fab article and some beautiful ribbon sent to me by Lynn from One I Made Earlier Today.  A huge thank you Lynn, and I love the postcard of your beautiful embroidery. 

 I am linking up with Julia over at WOYWW - where we all have a good nose at other peoples work desks!

WOYWW and Red Coral Embroidery

If you saw my previous post you'll know that I am in the middle of a wonderful embroidery course by Karen Ruane and I am having great fun.  This week I have been working on a piece of free machine embroidery based on the theme of red coral.  On my work desk is the first page of a sketch book I started a while ago on this coral idea, a selection of red threads and felt beads and a gorgeous piece of silk sari strip that I was desperate to use but it just didn't work with this!

I free machine embroidered the background on dyed cotton scrim, I wove red ribbon through it and then started the hand embroidery - I don't have much more to do but I do want to embroider the felt dome and possibly add another one.

 The design for the little flower was taken directly from the torn out coral picture on my desk - I was going to do several but I wasn't happy with how it turned out so I decided not to.

I am linking up with WOYWW, where people get to nosy about at other people's work desks - it's great fun, why not go and have a peep!

Embroidering like Crazy!

I have been so enjoying the two week course I joined, run by Karen Ruane.  I have always enjoyed free machine embroidery but have not done much hand embroidery, so I felt this course might offer some new ideas and inspiration - and I wasn't wrong!

This is my first piece of work - I have been totally immersed in it to the detriment of the laundry, house-work and all those other mundane jobs!  I even sat through my book club having unsociable thoughts that the evening might be better spent embroidering!

  I tend to usually work with slightly thicker silks and cottons, so using delicate antique laces and very fine silks has been a learning curve!

The finished sample and close-up detail

WOYWW - Butterflies, Bulbs and Bags!

This week I finally finished a project that has been in the 'idea' stage for a long time - it is on the windowsill right next to my work desk - hope that counts, as I'm linking up for WOYWW this week! 

 I fitted an antique light bulb into an old oak candlestick and attached vellum butterflies and moths to it with little glue dots.  Not my own original idea I'm afraid - there are thousands of art pieces combining light bulbs and moths around, and I know I've seen very similar to this on several occasions,  but I  am very pleased with the end result and would like to give credit where it's due to all those people who have given me the idea!

I also had a wonderful surprise today when Lunch Lady Jan sent me the most gorgeous tote bag in Union Jack fabric -isn't it just fabulous, and it's so beautifully made too - it was a swap for a print I sent her - I think I got the better deal! 

 A huge, huge THANK YOU Jan!  

 I think it's going to be for my knitting - it will look so smart taking my knitting and crochet around in it, although I'm also seeing it at the beach with our picnic in - although that might be wishful thinking because we had a few hours of sunshine at the weekend! 

WOYWW - Still Gelli Printing!

I have been continuing working on my gelli prints and have been developing the theme of gardens and enclosures.  I have always had an interest in the history of gardens and I love the idea of them changing from practical enclosures for planting food and keeping animals into areas for pleasure and relaxation. 

The stencil/mask is taken from an image of a Sumerian pictogram on a clay tablet dating from 3000BC.  It's an extremely early representation of a garden with a tree planted in the middle of a triangular enclosure.   

'Beyond the Enclosure'

If any one else is interested in this subject I have found some wonderful information and inspiration from two particular books - Penelope Hobhouse's 'Gardening Through the Ages' and 'The Invention of the Western Garden' by Vercelloni and Vercelloni.

I am linking up with WOYWW - why not nip over and see what's on other people's work desks this Wednesday!