It's been a while!

It's been quite a while since I updated my blog as I just sort of lost my creative mojo!  We have all been there, you know you should pick up those half finished projects or start making your Christmas cards (it's going to end up being last minute again), but life gets in the way.

My daughter Jessie has had a bad few weeks and been up most nights and when she sleeps the dog doesn't!  He was 13 a couple of weeks ago and is wanting to go in and out all night, he has already had two tumours removed and has several more that the vet says should just be left at his age.  So it's medicate the dog, make sure Jessie has hers and then take mine on an evening, we all rattle!  So the crafting bits just got left as I am absolutely KNACKERED....

I have managed to do some bits for our adult education class, although we haven't been for a couple of weeks as Jessie hasn't wanted to leave the house.  I managed to get her to join slimming last week, but her dad had to sit in the car while we went in.  I told him we would be ages, but he said he would wait in case she panicked.  An hour and a half later we came out!  This week he's dropping us off and coming back to pick us up, I did warn him.  Makes up for forgetting to pick me up from the train station the other week, isn't Karma great.

Yesterday Carolyn was moving stock from her old shop on South Elmsall  Market into her new one.  It's much bigger, although she still has more stuff than space.  I don't know how she fit it all in the little one she had before.  It looks lovely and is in a great spot, across from the cafe just as you come on to the market from the car park.  Call in and say hello this Tuesday, Friday or Saturday.

Another reason I haven't written much lately is because I started this blog because Carolyn asked me to do one for her shop, Make Me Fabrics.  I thought she would do some sewing pieces to contribute to it, but she doesn't like writing and I cannot persuade her otherwise.  So I didn't know what to put on if I hadn't made anything.  But I decided to just keep writing as I have been and put things on for her when there is something (I hope she reads this).  So I'm afraid it'll be more of me just waffling on and little craft projects in between.

This week for our class piece we had to use Bondaweb and make a sandwich with it.  You do this by painting the Bondaweb on the glue side and then cutting and attaching it to a fabric back.  You can stitch into this or add embellishments.  Then remove the paper backing from the Bondaweb and laying a piece of voile or organza over the top, something transparent. Then you iron this and stitch into it some more, you can then use a soldering iron to cut into the top layer.  This is a technique I have fallen in love with and I will when I get a chance make some more pieces.  I have put some photos at the bottom of the page of the piece so far.

Well off to see to my kids, dog and husband, as apparently nobody can make a decision over tea.   Carvery sounds good, no cooking or washing up!

Hopefully we talk a bit more regularly from now on,

See you soon, 

Love Louise xx

This is a template I created for a water colour technique

A black and white doodle we had to create for a stitched piece.

This is the first piece we did, it is based on the doodle we had to create in black and white.  It had to contain non traditional materials and the was hand dyed.

This is a piece based on a image of excitement, it's made with transfer paints and non traditional materials again.

An alternate colour wheel.  It comprise applique, reverse applique, hand dyed fabrics and free stitch embroidery.  As well as non traditional items again, screws, coloured with alcohol ink.

This is the Bondaweb piece, although without it's top layer yet.  The Bondaweb still has it's paper attached at the moment.  The fabric is hand painted again and also has acrylic ink, glitter paint and india ink over the top .  The stitching is free machine embroidery with colours layered on top of each other.