Viva Las Vegas

Good Morning everyone,
Well this will be my last post for a couple of weeks as were going to Vegas.
I'm very excited I love it there it's an adult playground!
I've researched some embroidery shops too that ill be going to. I am of course taking a project with me so ill show you when I retun.
Well must dash still got a few bits to pack!
jayne

Scissor case for Margaret

Good morning,
I've just managed to finish this little scissor case for my freinds birthday.
I bought her some lovely purple scissors for her embroidery from the RSN when I went last week.
I had to make a nice case as well and I've tried to make in a crewel work style as my freind likes that style.

Here's the piccys.

Wrapped beads

Good Morning all,
I'm at the day job today with only two days to go before my holidays to Vegas! I've researched and there's a couple of fabric and craft shops I want to visit . You wouldn't expect to find,them in Vegas would you?
Just goes to show Vegas has everything!,,
I've been playing making wrapped beads as shown below its a great way to use up bits of fabric.I'm going to make a bracelet from them I think.
It's easy to do you just stick One end of fabric strip (1/4 " wide) with tacky glue as I have done then thread fabric through holes till all covered and then glue the end into the inside hole. I used a darning needle to thread fabric through as hole gets small.then leave to dry on a cocktail stick
Enjoynyour day hope you get time to stitch!

Sort out.

Morning everyone , well today I am feeling rather smug ( and vey tired!) as I sorted out my hand embroidery cupboard , it took me 6 hours and I had to throw away some things as I had no space so I made firm  decision to throw anything away that I hadn't or wouldn't use .
Here's my before and after pictures . I know to the viewer it may not look different but it is ! I also realised I don't need threads!

Before

 Shown below is after.

Royal school of needlework outing

I forgot to tell you all about my wonderful day out on Friiday I organised a day out with the ladies from the Embroidery guild and we went to the embroidery guild headquarters where we saw some of the collections. there was so much to see and some of the embroiderys are hundreds of years old.
We then went to Hampton court Palace to visit the RSN where we saw some lovely samples in their collection one was done by a 7 year old girl in the Victorian times.
I learnt alot about samples and we all came away with some serious inspiration!
I also learnt alot about the history of samplers they were used in Victorian times and before by young girls to show employers that they could stitch and embroider the names of the household into clothes.
And where needs be they could mend and shorten clothes.
It was a lovely day and the ladies at HQ and Royal school of Needlework were fab!

Ladybugs have landed.

Im so excited I've put the lady bugs on the tree bark and half mounted it all on background.
It's still got more work to do but even so it's looking fab!
I'm not normally so excited about non abstract work I do as I always think it looks a bit twee but this looks. Hope you like it.
Feedback is always welcome.
Enjoy your day. Ill be stitching most of it ....have to feed hubby in between I suppose...and dogs.LOL

Day off

Today is my rest day and I shall be resting with my dogs , hoping it doesn't rain!
I have been busy doing my bark peice but I don't want to show it until Ive finished it!
So I shall go now and get on with my preparation for the holiday next weekend. I've still so much to do!

Hope you have a lovely day.

Monday morning

Good morning all,
Well it's the day job today and I feel like I've done so much this weekend not much sewing but I had a good clear out . I feel quite smug as I've regained such space!
I am in  the process of a few projects at the moement so although no piccys to show yet they will be coming soon!
So keep an eye out !
Have a lovely day

Sleepy Sunday

Good morning,
I'm having an easy day today ....I'm up early sitting on my garden with a cuppa watching the birds on the bird tables scramble for the crumbs!
It's 7 am and so peaceful no ones up yet only me and I am enjoying the peace.
I had a lovely day yesterday at guild with all the. Ladies but wow am I tired today it's hard work as well as fun!
So toady will be a day of stitching. For me as  I. Have a few practical projects to do like finish off making the skirt for my hols in Vegas in two weeks.
So ill go now the birds are getting noisy I'm sure my neighbours love the fact I always feed them this early !
Have a good day.

Handmade book sample

Ive made a little book from the sample I made from the fabric I decorated using the new transfer dyes  I bought  recently. They are wonderfully rich colours.
The fabric is a new fabric called Evelon it's fab! It takes colour so well and you can stitch into it as well as its pretty strong.

I'm taking it to the Embroiderers guild today as I think the ladies will like it as its a new fabric . I always look forward to the guild I see all my freinds as well.
Hope you all have a good day and find time to stitch.

Calico beads

hi Everyone,
Been a while since I posted, life's been busy at the day job .....however I managed to make some calico beads samples only at this stage.
I'm going to make the beads in the 99 names of Allah for my exhibition.then make a handmade box to put them in.
Need to give thought as to how I can stitch on them as they will be so small,
Here's the samples.
This shows how I made them initially , I wrapped them around the stick after soaking the tiny peices in watered down PVA glue.
Loads of people ask me how to make this type of bead , I do this with paper too. Works a treat
 

Packing

Good Morning everyone,
Well it's the day job for me today. I had a busy weekend I managed to sort out even more clothes for charities and I did my packing for Vegas ....only 3 weeks to go !
We love Vegas so much fun and always something to do or not to do whatever you feel at the time.
There's no clocks in Vegas in the casino so one never really knows what the time is,,! We love it there. There,is fabric shops too and my favourite place is a haberdashery shop called Williams but its a vegas style shop with more bling than you can imagine! It's for the people who dress up as  character s like Elvis so there's fancy button s , sequins etc.Fab place to go.
But for today it's the day job so I mustn't get too excited yet!
Enjoy your day.
jayne

Holiday project

Good Morning everyone,
Well at last Ive prepared the project I'm taking on the plane when I go. On hols in a couple of weeks to Vegas .
They let me take a needle on but no scissors so I have a funny little circle thing that hangs on my neck which cuts thread and this project only requires one thread type which is a variegated cotton so not too much to mess about with on plane. It's a technique I learnt fro a talented lady called Sylvia Critcher and its a mix of Trampunto and normal quilting and it  is quite easy I think and so effective.
Here's. couple of photos to give you an idea of what I'm doing. It's for my exhibition in a year or so and the patterns based on an Islamic tile from the 1800 s.

Raining

Good Mornig everyone,
Today is raining here ...... I hate rain it makes everywhere so dark which hinders my playing!
Im going to the Embroiderers Guild afternoon today and am looking forward to see all my freinds , I should hopfully have some time to do some stitching this morning....if I don't do housework!

Well I hope you all have a lovely day I know I shall!
jayne

Bark update

Good morning , well I'm at the day job today as I was yesterday and wow was I busy!
No time really to be creative till Friday when I'm off.
I have done some more work on the Bark so I thought I'd post piccy of it to show what a difference a bit of stitch can make!

Still got more stitching to do but this gives you the idea I hope!
Enjoy your day.

Gesso backgrounds

Good Morning everyone. Well I had a lovely play day yesterday was lovely In the garden so I went outside to enjoy the fresh air, and I done some interesting backgrounds to use a s base for some embroidered books.I used stencils and gesso among other things . Then I painted them using some luminaire paints and also some fabric paints.
I'm hoping to do some book covers with the fabrics once I've stitched into it and added some beads.

Black clutch purse

good morning everyone.
Another glorious morning here .... I'm supposed to be helping hubby in garden but I have an ulterior motive as I want to do some printing and painting in garden!
I have some fab print blocks I bought recently and some lovely paints to use so im hoping that he does garden lawn quick so I can get my table out !
I've also posted a picky of the sample bag I did with the group on Saturday so you can see it finished . It was to be a pressie for my freind but I like it alot so I may keep it for my hols as I'm going to Vegas in JUne . Ill have to make her another one !
So hope you all have a nice day I shall as I'm playing hopefully .

Students bags

 Well I had a lovely day yesterday, met some lovely ladies and we had a busy fun day.
They all managed to complete their bags  and were pleased with them.
I enjoyed the day and I think they all did as well.
Here's the bags they did.

I'm having an easy day today I shall manage a bit of creative time I hope!

The weather is nice so ill try to get into the garden to do some embroidery I think ! dogs at my feet with a cuppa on the go bliss...
Enjoy your day.

Purse workshops

Good Morning.
Well I've woke up to a lovely spring morning , fresh and sunny which is the best weather for me as it doesn't inflame my MS so I'm happy as I have a busy day today as I am going to Craft Arena in Barleylands to do the purse workshop. I've been looking forward to it for a while as i ll meet new people which is always fun.
 So I hope you all have a nice day and manage to get time to do something creative!

Bark update

I've played around with my design on the bark peice , I didn't like the original composition so here's the updated version . I'm much happier with this its more pleasing to the eye.
I am going to shape the bark into a bit 3 d dome style but I need to stitch into it first!
And add on my little. Ladybugs crawling out of the hole in the centre area,

It's on a hand dyed silk noil background As well to add interest , I'm. Rather pleased with the effect of the lutrador lace so I must be careful not to over do stitching to hide it.

Got a busy day today so must dash . I'm teaching a bag workshop  tomorrow at Craft Arena so ill take some photos of the work if ladies let me!