Emboidery and WOYWW

 I have been embroidering a couple of small panels for card toppers and I'm at the bead sewing stage now, hence the fluffy bead mat on my desk.  I also purchased a couple of skeins of embroidery thread to match some linen I already had - I was very pleased with the colour match considering it was mainly guess work as I purchased it online!  I am feeling the need to move away from neutral colours for a while!

Before mowing the lawn I took the opportunity to pick a few of these pretty weeds that have been springing up all over it -I used them for embroidery inspiration on one of the above panels. 

My last ATC of the swap arrived from Susan in Australia - it's gorgeous and features a string pull background, which is defintiely on my 'to try' list - and a lovely little envelope with it too.  I would have posted about it last week but I thought Thursday was Wednesday! 

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

Embroidered Needlecase and WOYWW

 It's been too hot to work up in my craft room this week, but it's been the perfect weather to sit and sew in a shady spot of the garden - so to be productive I've made myself a needlecase for my beading and tapestry needles!  

This happy mail arrived yesterday from Julia - what a gorgeous ATC and card and such a delight to receive - thank you so much Julia.

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

WOYWW and ATC Swap

 My desk has seen no activity this week, it's been a time for getting out the summer clothes, cleaning out and sorting the wardrobes and tackling the garden.

The sunshine has been so uplifting and it's been wonderful to slowly see the garden turning into a place we can sit and relax without looking at weeds and overgrown hedges that need dealing with!

Sitting on my desk is the most delightful ATC sent by Sylvia and it arrived in perfect time for me to have something to show today!  It's beautiful and I'm so enjoying the happy mail! 

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW

WOYWW ATC Swap

 These are the ATC's that I made for last weeks anniversary ATC swap.

  

But now on to the best bit of the week - sitting on my desk today is an array of gorgeousness, all the little treasues that landed on my doorstep during the week -  I am absolutely thrilled with them. 

    

These are from Annie, Jo, Cindy, Caro, Jan and Zsuzsa...

...and these are from Angela (Felix the Crafty Cat) , Helen, Debbie, Angela (Crafting with Jack), Neet and Lynne.

Thank you all so much for the beautiful work and the little cards and extras that came with them.

 I had problems with one or two blogs last week, I visited and tried to comment on all of them but one or two took several attempts and still didn't look like they had accepted my comments - I don't know what was going on, I'm despairing of blogger sometimes!  

I am linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week.

WOYWW 12th Anniversary

  It's the 12th Anniversay of WOYWW this week - what an amazing achievement, and huge thanks and appreciation to Julia, our host over at the Stamping Ground.   It's still the amazing, friendly and fun group it was when I first joined in 10 years ago.

 Last week I started hand embroidering a couple of ATC's for this week's celebratory swap but it took me so long to make two that I had to forego that idea and re-think the plan.  All ATC's have been re-thought and made - amazingly for me most have been posted - and the embroidered panels are very slowly becoming card toppers!

 

ATC's and New Stash

I've treated myself to some beautiful new hand-dyed felt this week, for no other reason than I was seduced by the colours!  

I also have seed beads and a pile of fabric ATC blanks, edges sewn and ready to work on for the swap.

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

 

 

 

 

 

Embroidery Threads and WOYWW ATCs

 After sorting out my ribbons and laces a few weeks ago I have tackled the last remaining area of utter chaos - my Coton a Broder embroidery threads!  The Sylko's are beautifully wound in their own box but I had a bag of tangled Broder threads that would make a naughty kitten proud of the mess.  Anyway here they are, colour co-ordinated, labelled and very user-friendly!

Along side them is the beginnings of some ATCs and my very old needle case that I made in primary school - I was so disappointed at the time when I asked for cream and got green background cloth - still I did a good job as it's lasted 50 odd years and still going strong!

If anyone would like to swap anniversary ATCs please let me know.

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

Decoupage Shells and WOYWW

I've had some fun this week decorating shells.

 I've been using some Spode patterned paper napkins as I do love blue and white - my previous blue and white shells are here.

I added some moss and artificial succulents to this little one.

I decided to try an oyster shell as I have seen some lovely ring dishes on Pinterest - this one is quite large at 12cm long.  I added some gold leaf liqud to the edges and under side and gloss varnished the napkin side to a very high gloss.   

I don't think this clam shell suits gloss varnish, I'll go over it with a couple of coats of a matte one.  I am going to drill a hole in it, and add ribbon or twine to hang it with.

And here's my desk as it is at the moment - a sheet of white paper for photographing on, plus a clam shell and some paper napkins - I am going to paint the inside of the shell with white paint first so the dark markings don't show through the napkin, then this will become a dish - it's another large shell at about 14cm wide.

And finally some more little shells, using up some old paper napkins.  I have no idea what to do with them but they were fun to make!

  I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW