Enjoying Embroidery

 I've been enjoying the Olympics while stitching - especially now, as anything going on in the Velodrome is by far my favourite and I shall be barely moving from the living room for the next few days!

I have turned a couple of the embroideries into cards and my mini mobile desk is getting more untidy by the day!

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

Snapshots of a Winter Garden

Each month I've been choosing a piece of unused stash to try out with a view to keeping it or moving it on, and for March I've picked the Sizzix Filmstrip Frames die.

This is one of the first dies I purchased and I think I was swept along with all the amazing shapes I could cut out with my new machine!  

I think this is definitely one to move along rather than keep - I've struggled to find a way of fitting it in to my style of working.  However, I've enjoyed making this page and fitting the die into my winter garden theme - this is my farewell to it!

I used cream card for the filmstrip die and inked it with Black Soot and Walnut distress inks to give it a softer, more aged look.

I am linking up with Julia over at What's On Your Work Desk Wednesday.
 Thank you Julia for your dedication and hard work in getting this wonderful group together each week- I know Jan will do a first class job taking over the helm as and when needed over the coming months - sending love and hugs your way.  

Night Garden Sketchbook Pages

Not much on my desk this week, some printing onto the silk I eco dyed a few weeks ago, and some more pages from my sketchbook.

Thermofax printing - supposed to be the night garden in the moonlight but looks more like frost and snow!  Will have to re-think that one!

 The lighting somehow turned the black butterfly and lace into shades of brown - but I rather like it anyway!

I'm linking up with What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday.

Eco Printing on Paper and Silk

 My sister's neighbour very kindly let me take some of her Eucalyptus leaves for eco-printing and I am really pleased with the results .  I steamed two lots of papers, and added a bundle of rolled up silk to each pan.  
One lot of silk and papers are darker and a soft brownish mauve - just perfect for my night garden theme...

...and the second lot of silk and papers are a more delicate yellowy gold with a soft pale lilac and beige - perhaps it was the Crocosmia in this bundle that made it more yellow. 

I am linking up with Julia over at What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - why not pop over and see what other people have on their desks this week!

The Emergence of Spring

For WOYWW this week - four little teabags depicting the emergence of Spring.

I used some of the eco-printed papers I made and also a selection of printed fabric, sari silk, beads and lace.

Eco Printing and WOYWW #304

This week, for WOYWW, I've been eco printing the last of my 'get well' flowers - it seemed such a shame to just chuck them in the bin while they still had a little life left!  

Here are a few of my results and some instructions if anyone is interested.

I have been printing and dyeing with foliage on a very simple level for years - I love it and I always feel so excited at the moment the prints are revealed!  The last time I did it I used a brick to add weight and hold down the layers of plants.  However I recently came across a slightly different method of printing, using tiles and elastic bands when I visited the beautiful Interlaced-Textile Arts blog.  Here is my version of printing using Marilyn's method (she can also be found on Facebook here and I can assure you that this extremely talented lady is well worth a visit!)

Firstly, soak some thick papers or card in warm water or white vinegar.

Lay a wall tile smooth side up and place the first sheet of card/paper on it. 

Build up layers of card/papers with a variety of foliage in between the sheets.

Place a second wall tile on the pile, with the smooth side down and then firmly bind together with several elastic bands.

Place in a steamer and steam for one or two hours.

I picked up a very cheap steamer with two steaming pans and my husband cut out the bottom of the top one so the tiles would fit in it, which you can see in the picture below - I have to be very careful of the sharp edge.  There are other ways without vandalising a perfectly good steamer!  As I mentioned before you can use a brick or heavy stones to weigh down the pile of papers in the bottom of the pan, or use a matching sized saucepan as a makeshift lid, as Marilyn did, to cover the extra height of the tiles if the steamer is too shallow.