Tags

Tags for my swap at MixedMediaUK. I have again been practicing with the daisy maker its very unpredictable I haven't yet been able to get the neat patterns one inside the other. I did try with twin needles but broke them after a couple of tries so haven't been back there again the needles are not cheap. Maybe a drawing pin would have done the job just as well. Please leave a comment if you have any tips

Card

I made this card at my local craft group the mask was stamped on acetate and glittered on the back. I haven't made many cards lately I have been sewing. We shall be trying lace making next I will let you know how I get on.

First Snowdrops

Here they are found in my garden today but the weather is still cold and grey with rain forecast for the rest of the week.

Remembering Summer

I can almost smell the perfume from the rose and sweet peas picked from my garden last summer.

I am fed up with all this cold today is damp drizzly and cold. I do not like to think how much my heating bill will be for this winter. I seem to feel the cold more than most people I often have three or four layers on and I'm wearing a vest which I haven't done since a child, it must be old age.

I have been reading on the blogs that USA have also been having a lot of snow and cold.

The only good thing is that there is plenty of time for sewing and being arty.

I am keeping my eye on the snowdrops, only the shoots so far.

Stuffed Striped Cats

I have been looking at Becky's Blog artofzinkibaru she has a delightful book she has painted with the story of two cats going on holiday to France and wait for it the cats are gay. I was so taken by Becky's painting of the cats I had to start making them.

This is how they came to life.

I first made a pattern cut it out in a course calico sewed up and stuffed them forgot to take that photo.

The first one I taped up and painted the blue and red stripes but when I took the tape off they didn't always come together. I dont seem to be able to think things through from the start but learn as I go along.

By the time I came to paint the next cat I had realised the better way would be to paint the cat all over first and then tape and paint the second colour for the stripes.

I used acrylic to paint them with here they are all tidied up waiting for their faces. The painting of the stripes took me twice as long as the sewing and stuffing. The tails are just tubes of calico with one of those arty pipe cleaners in and hand sewn on.

Cats for Becky

Having painted the faces I didn't want to part with them I shall have to make myself a cat but it wont have stripes maybe I will stamp some flowers on mine.

I did learn one or two things from making these cats mainly from Becky's Blog the word anthropomorphic which I had to look up means with human like characteristics and I found the lovely cats of Rosina Wachjmeister I might just buy a print or poster to put up on the wall. If you don't know her just put her name in search. Also the hearts of Jim Dine the American pop artist The names of the cats are Molly and Rosie and if you click on the title at the start of these postings it will take you to their very own book.