Due to a variety of reasons – family issues, appointments, and . . . oh yeah! Christmas! – I will be suspending the Silly Sunday posts for a couple of weeks. Maybe Wednesday WOW, too – haven’t decided yet.
Never fear, though. I will return after the holidays and we will get back on schedule. In the meantime, here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a happy Happy New Year!
I’ve been really disorganized lately, with half-a-dozen projects in progress but not making much headway.
That’s why I was really pleased to finish two postcards today! I joined a birthday postcard exchange for 2012, so these are for next month and it feels pretty good to be ahead of the game for a change. Of course, there are all those half-finished projects . . . still waiting!
Before I talk about this week’s technique, here is the finished page from last week’s wool and silk experiments:
I didn’t add a lot of beads . . . just enough!
Today the topic was sparkly fibers known as “angelina.”
These fibers come in a variety of colors and when you apply heat – as with an iron – they melt and bond to each other. This material comes in sheets as well as some larger fibers than I had today.
After I pressed these between two sheets of parchment, they formed a sheet that can be folded, stitched, and generally used like a piece of fabric.
One of the interesting things with angelina is that you can combine colors to make a new one. The color doesn’t really change, but when you mix and blend the individual fibers, your eye sees a new color.
This sample has a crinkle cut to it. It makes the same kind of fused fabric, but it seemed to hold onto the sparkle a bit better. I did discover that angelina will start to lose sparkle if it is ironed too much. It’s still pretty, though!
I also had some “fantasy film” which is kind of like cellophane. When heat is applied to this material, it also bonds to itself, plus some interesting colors form. The piece on the far left has angelina fused between two layers of the film. It makes wonderful fairy wings!
I’ve used angelina as a flat embellishment many times, so today I decided to try using it as a 3-dimensional embellishment. I folded a piece of the salmon pink longwise and stitched a gathering stitch on the long edges, stuck a wisp of darker in the center, and stitched them to a background.
I cut the green piece into triangles and shaped them by rolling each piece against the table edge. It worked sort of like curling ribbon. Those were my leaves.
And here is the finished piece. I will be combining it with some of the other “chapters” to make a full page later on.
By the way, that background? Used color catchers from my laundry. I just knew there would be a way to use some of them!
Oh boy, I almost forgot to post this! Took the picture – check. Upload pictures to computer – check. Compose post – uuuh, no. Must have gotten distracted. What an airhead!
Now that I’m finished beating myself up, here is what I worked on today.
Yeah, I know. Doesn’t look like much yet. I can’t remember the last time I did any cross-stitch either. Well, not quite true . . .
I finished this piece almost two years ago. I really like it. Some day I’ll even put it in a frame and hang it somewhere!
I didn’t have much studio time after a day of errands, so I decided a little cross-stitch would help me relax and it’s a project with no deadline or pressure. A bit rare this time of year!
Another Sunday, another embellishing technique. Today I worked with wool beads and silk cocoons and mulberry paper flowers.
First I prepared the background for the embellishments. I used the fabric from last week’s needle felting and pieced it with a blue batik and practiced a couple different styles of quilting.
Then it was time to play! First I stitched wool balls/beads down in a (lopsided) circle. I added some beads (which you can barely see) and I will be doing more beadwork on this. There’s only so much time in a day!
Then I used flower petals made of mulberry (I think) paper. The directions called for individual petals, but I cut them from a flower I had. Of course, then I stitched them back together as a flower. Now that made sense! This one has some sequins in the petals, but will probably get some more beading, too.
For the needle-felted corner, I couched down a bow in gold cord I had threaded through the beads – also from last week. I think you can guess what’s next . . . I want to add beads here, too!
This one is my favorite. I cut a couple of silk cocoons and flattened them out and stitched three large beads. I soaked one cocoon in water first, but it did not seem to make much difference in how the material cuts and stitches. Then I took a fourth bead and cupped it with the end piece of a cocoon. With those four bugle beads, I think this one is perfect like it is. Surprised you, didn’t I?
And here is the full piece. Yup, definitely needs more beads! While I’m not in love with the wool beads, I would like to experiment with some smaller sizes and combine them with glass beads or sequins. I will definitely play some more with the silk cocoons. They have been showing up everywhere lately, but this was my first experience with them.
The flower petals? I don’t know. Maybe I should just keep the flower in one piece and use it that way. Sure would be quicker. LOL!
Those who know me probably know that I am a serious Chocoholic. That is why I was quite disturbed to find this in my cupboard.
Over the years there have been mice, gnats, ants, even scorpions (ugh!) that have invaded my living and/or working quarters. I can generally cope fairly well (unless it’s a spider, of course!) and just move on.
But to go after my chocolate! This is NOT acceptable!!!!!
Little mousie, your days are numbered. This means war!
Bah, humbug . . . and all that stuff. I’m not there yet, but here is a little vignette that may help:
Aren’t they sweet? This is one of the Holiday downloads from Lisa at Ten Two Studios. This is the sixth year she has provided great clips like this as a countdown to Christmas. I subscribe to Lisa’s Monthly Muse newsletter and it is always packed with crafty ideas.
OK. Maybe I’ll get into the Christmas spirit after all!!
