Stamp and stencil workshop

I will be holding a hand carved stamp and stencil workshop at home on May the 8th, if you would like to attend please email me for details. We we be carving lots of stamps and making stencils and masks.

These are the types of stamps we will be carving.

These are typical stencils.

And these are the types of masks we will create.

I've been busy assembling more journals, here's another one I've just added to my Etsy store.

The cover.

These are all typical pages in the journal, you can write or draw in it, use it for photos or a diary, for poetry or affirmations, whatever takes your fancy.

I'd also like to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for your birthday wishes and for your concerns over my father, again I haven't had time to thank you all personally but your comments are so very much appreciated. My dad is still in hospital and will be there for quite a few weeks. They are hoping to rehabilitate him so that he can still live at home as long as he accepts outside help. He's doing quite well considering his age.

As a thank you for all of your kind comments and for taking the time to visit my blog I'm having a give away. The package consists of some of my decorated papers, fabrics, buttons and beads, prints of my art and other odds and ends. To enter the draw just leave me a comment and I will draw a name out of the hat next week.

The giveaway.

Best birthday

I had the most wonderful birthday last week. My darling husband had arranged, un be known to me, for me to have the day off work.  He took me out to breakfast and then what a surprise, he gave me this magnificent Bernina 440 sewing machine AND a flex shaft drill. I'd dropped a few hints about the drill after the Creative Soul retreat, but never ever expected the sewing machine. I've longed to own one but thought I'd be waiting awhile.

To top it off he had arranged for me to have a two hour private lesson with Olga Walters, an amazing textile artist. Her work is fabulous and she's a wonderful teacher, if ever you get the chance to take a class with her, I'd certainly recommend it, she's a lovely lady. Another amazing coincidence is her sister is named Ro Bruhn, she lives overseas I think.

This is the wonderful machine.

This is an example of Olga's fabulous work, she very kindly gave me this piece.

After such a fabulous birthday I was brought back to earth with a terrible shock. My father was rushed off to hospital with a suspected heart attack and renal failure. Since my mother passed away last month he's been slowly deteriorating, he refuses to have outside help, including family and it finally reached a peak. He hasn't been taking in anywhere near enough fluid and it led to his kidneys drying out. They also think he may have had a mild heart attack. They are doing tests and think he might be OK. He's eating well which is a good start. They've told him he can't stay on his own anymore so we are in for quite a battle when hopefully he returns home. Only time will tell.

At the other end of the scale, I think I've finished the Princess wall. The Princess actually moved into her new room over the weekend and is very happy.

The finished wall.

I'm intending to have a giveaway next week, I just have to put it together. Should have it posted soon.

Fabric pages

I'm still making journals, this time with some fabric pages added. This will be another large journal with my  decorated papers, blank papers and fabric.
I spent today with two of my grand children teaching them how to make their own decorated papers, it was lovely to see how they took what I showed them and then did it their way, no inhibitions, pure freedom, if only they don't get it knocked out of them at school.

Class jewellery

I've finally finished the bracelet I made in Susan Lenart Kazmer's workshop, it was four days of pure bliss, we covered riveting, resins and mould making, enameling and lots of cold connections.

This is the bracelet. I made and soldered the chain and used some of my fabric beads. I made all of the charms except the two long pointy ones, I bought these from Susan's fabulous shop, Objects and Elements. I made the blue key from resin. The bells are hand shaped copper, then enameled.

This was a brass element that I added coloured ice resin too. When this was set I poured some resin into a glass watch face added some very old glitter, then carefully dropped in the brass element.

This is another journal I've added to my Etsy store

The hand painted canvas cover is lined with fabric.

One of the hand painted pages with hand made paper attached.

A hand painted page

Can you tell I like elephants?

This is the inside cover lined with fabric.

Finally I love the faded shades of this lovely yellow rose it almost turns pink.