Every Inchie Monday - Time

For the last inchie of the year on Every Inchie Monday, the theme is Time. I have chosen Tea Time, as I seem to spend a lot of time drinking tea. The background is coloured with distress inks, stamped the clocks next, and then made the words and tea cup with shrink plastic.

Book of the sea 2014

My main project for 2014 is to make a fabric book of the sea. I have started off by using two pieces that I had made previously. One was a stitched seahorse that I made on an on-line course called Sumptuous surfaces. The second was a felted and  fabric postcard that I have stitched onto the backing fabric for the book, and carried the theme onto that. The third was from scratch and is mainly felted wool and silk. I have hand sewn lots of french knots, and sparkly thread on to the sea and wave edge. The pebbles at the bottom are balls of silk, sewn down with French knots. The sand is calico, cut and left raw edged.

Every Inchie Monday -- Food

Food is the theme on Every Inchie Monday, so I have made a Christmas cake. As I am trying to make my husband loose weight, I have made it out of felt, and embroidered the decorations. he won't get very fat on that.

Every Inchie Monday - Joy

On Every Inchie Monday the word is Joy. Not the easiest of things to show on an inch square. As we have a new baby in the family, my first thought was a baby. My second which is the one I went with is the rhyme of 1 for sorrow 2 for joy etc. So 2 for joy it is. I inked and shrank three images and stuck them on to  the base which is watercoloured.

Every Inchie Monday -- Found

.On Every Inchie Monday, the word this week is found. The first thing that came to mind was "I found a pin and picked it up" So I stuck a pin in a fabric inchie. I think the actual saying is 'See a pin and pick it up, and all the day you'll have good luck'.

Every Inchie Monday -- Jacket

I am away at the moment as my daughter has just had a 7lb 6 oz baby girl, Eleanor, a sister for Max and Harry. There were some complications, so I am away from home, until Claire gets out of hospital.

For my inchie this week, on Every Inchie Monday, I have made a small jacket from felt, with French knot buttons, and some couched thread to decorate.
Although I made this last weekend, I was unable to put it on my blog until we came home. The lighting in my daughters house leaves a lot to be desired, so it would have been neater if I'd been at home

Tag Tuesday -- Black and white

This week on Tag Tuesday, it's Black and white. Not a combination I work in very often, but I enjoyed doing these. I used a black tag and a white one. On the black, I stamped and embossed the leaves and word, and stamped and embossed the fungi on white card. The white one was stamped with the script, and then put through an embossing folder. I ran a lightly inked foam over the top. The poppies are cut out of black card.

Every Inchie Monday - Rope

This week it was rope on Every Inchie Monday, and apart from just sticking a piece of rope on a card, I was a bit stumped. So I made a minute rope ladder only fit for an ant to climb up. I think the ant could probably climb the tree without the rope ladder, but I do like to be helpful.

TIOT -- White on white

On Try It On Tuesday, the theme is white on white. I have made a couple of fabric postcard for this challenge, as I think it works well in fabric. It is a mixture of yarns, fabric flowers, beads, and stitching.

Every Inchie Monday -- Old

I was spoilt for choice today on Every Inchie Monday. The theme is 'Old', which gives us many different ideas to work from, I wonder how many different ones the others come up with.
I decided to go for ancient Egypt, and coloured the background with distress ink, stamped the pyramids, and then stamped some shrink plastic with a stone fragment with Hieroglyphics on.

Anything but a card -- Fall into fall

On Anything but a card it's an Autumn theme. I have made an Autumn leaf fabric postcard. The base is pelmet vilene painted in orange, then orange organza and fabric leaves on top, that I machined on top of. I then used the heat gun to melt some of the organza. I added some beads to the ends of the leaves.

Tag Tuesday -- All stitched up

On Tag Tuesday, it's another opportunity to make another fabric tag. This time I made a pocket at the bottom, and tucked in two smaller tags. The smaller ones have samples of some of the stitches on my sewing machine. I added an Autumn fabric ATC at the top, and stitched on two leaves at the bottom.

Every Inchie Monday -- Mouth

This weeks subject on Every Inchie Monday gave me a few problems, as I didn't want to draw a human mouth. So I went for a watercolour of a  mouth of a river, and a mouth of a frog. Two completely different ones. Struggled with the river, as I just couldn't get it right, and the frog just looks plain miserable. Mind you, I don't know if I have ever seem a very happy one either, especially if one of the cats has brought one in, and it's hiding under the Welsh dresser.

Tag Tuesday - Proverbs

Proverbs on Tag Tuesday, gave me another excuse to make a fabric tag. I started off with calico which I ironed on to iron on vilene to give it  some strength for machining. I cut out some printed sewing fabric and machined them onto the tag. I stamped some fabric with the 'A stitch in time saves nine' and added that.
 I finished the tag off with a dress form out of pelmet vilene, and added some buttons and ric-rac braid.

Every Inchie Monday -- Danger notice

I was a bit stumped for ideas for the subject on Every Inchie Monday this week. Danger notice seemed to bring road signs to mind, so I did 'Danger falling rock'. The background is watercoloured and the rocks are actually bits of rock.

Illuminated letter

On a recent course with Angie Hughes we delved into the fabric version of illuminated letters. Angie had some lovely samples to show us as well as a selection of letters to choose from. I thought a W was a bit ambitious for a first attempt, so used an E, my second initial, or the second letter in my name. All depends on how many more I make. The fabric is felt, with foil added, and then stitched. It measures approx 5" x 5". There is a lot of hand stitching in these, so as long as the first stage is done they are ideal to take away, and do on visits to family etc. I am entering this in One little Word  challenge, which is 'colour'

Artful Times. Challenge 41 - Spooktacular

Spooktacular is the theme for Artful Times, and I decide to use the washed sardine tin that has been sitting on a shelf for ages.
I painted it with black gesso, and sprayed it with orange and purple. The skull and cross bones inside is grunge board painted with white crackle paint, and there is a metal rib cage charm hanging inside. I stuck some tatty purple yarn inside, put up a bit of fencing, and sat a shrink plastic crow on it. I stuck on some Autumn leaves and a pumpkin, and draped a bit of purple web material on one side, with a spider crawling over it. The top is a Tim Holtz handle, with some skull beads each side. there are a few skulls behind the fence. The stand is a cotton reel. I had great fun making this.

Tag Tuesday -- Halloween

On Tag Tuesday, it's Halloween, and I seem to have gone a bit mad on it this year.
I have made two tags, both starting off with distress ink backgrounds. On one I used Tim's new shattered stencil, and on the other I stamped a web. I used my two Halloween twinchies on one with a painted mesh at the bottom and a spider crawling over it. There is a stamped web at the top with a bat, and 31 in grungeboard.
On the other one, embossed wording in black glitter powder, a shrink plastic crow, and a witches hat were added. The inevitable spider adorns the web at the top. I hasten to add I hate spiders, too many legs and they move too fast.

Every Inchie Monday--Thunder storm. Anything but a card -- Mini

This week on Every Inchie Monday it's thunder storm. I have painted two inchies with watercolour paint, and then drew in the lightning with a silver pen. One scene is of the mountains and the other a city These also fit in with the challenge 'Mini', on Anything but a card so  I have entered them in there as well.

Show us your twinchies - Halloween

On Show Us Your Twinchies the subject is of course Halloween. For mine, I used Distress inks on the background, and the shatter stencil on the raven one, Both images are embossed with a black glitter powder from WOW.

Try it on Tuesday -- Halloween

The theme on TIOT this time is Halloween, and as I have just finished my Halloween printers tray, I thought I would put that on. I painted the tray and the small boxes with black gesso, and then sprayed some of the exposed back, and some boxes with a purple mica spray, and some with orange.
In some of the boxes I cut out some backgrounds, before adding all the bits and pieces. The two skeletons are resting on glittery, cobweb fabric., and one is trying to get out of his box.
Having filled all the boxes, I then cut out some of the Halloween Tim Holtz paper and made a title for the top.

Tag Tuesday - Autumn

On Tag  Tuesday the theme is Autumn. With the wonderful Autumn colours now appearing, making a tag was straight forward. I love the colours of Autumn, just not keen on the weather,.
I coloured the background with distress inks, stamped and embossed with copper the ears of corn, and stamped some bronze fern leaves. The other leaves are a mixture of card, metal, and fabric. The writing is stamped onto separate card and stuck on.

Every Inchie Monday -- Storm

On Every Inchie Monday 'Storm' is this weeks subject. I have painted a storm at sea with watercolour paints. Having been in a yacht in a storm, I am far happier painting it than experiencing it.

Artful Times - Feeling Distressed

The theme on Artful Times is Feeling Distressed. As our internet has been terrible I am feeling distressed, but putting a photo of me on the site would not be a good idea.
It's a tag again, this time combining fabric with the card. The background is distress inks, sprayed with water, and drops of water. The ink that went onto the magazine I was using, I tore up and glued that on. The leaf I used distress crackle paint, and distress paint on. The side strip is distressed lutradur, and the bottom purple bit is distressed tyvek, both zapped with a heat gun, after painting.. The butterflies are made from lutradur.
I would have liked to spend more time on this, but I am doing this in a hurry, before we loose our internet, and before I go off on a three day course in a few hours.

Tag Tuesday - Shoes

On Tag Tuesday it's Shoes.  Not really my thing, although I do have quite a selection in my wardrobe.
I was surprised to find shoe stamps in my hoard---where did they come from ???  I covered the shoe shape with bits of pink papers, and then stamped and embossed the shoes on a separate piece of card. I stuck them on, and added a flower. The white one has a dictionary definition of the word shoe. I finished off with a pink tie.

Every Inchie Monday -- Dispute

Not an easy one this week on Every Inchie Monday. One of the things I could think of is the dispute that neighbours have with the height of hedges that cut out the sunlight and general light from the garden. I have done my best to draw this.
One neighbour has a chain saw, while the other one just stands ther with his hands on his hips.

Tag Tuesday - Tattered and torn. Try it on Tuesday - Texture

I am very late with this, as our internet went down (again). We are not blessed with good broadband in this part of Wales.
On Tag Tuesday, and on Try it on Tuesday, I was able to do another fabric tag, as the theme was 'Tattered and torn', and textures.
I printed the image onto fabric, and layered it with various pieces of torn and tattered fabrics. The bottom of the image is ripped up fabric that I had coloured for another project. There is also ripped lace and scrim. The butterfly which is an image transfer is sewn down with beads.. The tatty bits at the bottom of the tag are the threads I pulled out from around the tag.

Every Inchie Monday -- Foot

On Every Inchie Monday, Foot is the key word. No way was I going to draw a foot. Not only that, I had completely forgotten it was Monday. What happened to the weekend ?
My brain went into overdrive, and I came up with sewing machine foot, so that is what I drew.

Not very inventive or complicated, but I'm tired, and it is nearly Tuesday. I must go and see what everyone else has done before I go to bed.

Tag Tuesday Beads, buttons and bows

On Tag Tuesday this week it's beads, buttons and bows, which was a good excuse for me to do another fabric one. I made myself get out of my usual vintage mode, and use pink. Pink is not a colour I am at home with so I struggled a bit.
My first image that I had transferred to fabric went walkabout, so had to start again. The scan doesn't show up the beads very well, but the lace,  butterfly and bows have beads on them.

Every Inchie Monday - Bag

On Every Inchie Monday the theme this week is bag. I was away for the weekend, so took my sewing kit and made a tiny bag out of some scraps I had. I was careful not to let anyone see what I was doing, in case they thought I had finally lost the plot.

Tag Tuesday -- Egypt

On Tag Tuesday this week, it's Egypt. I can't remember when I last used my Egyptian stamps, probably years. So out they came, dusted off, and used for this weeks tags. I coloured the backgrounds with distress inks and stamped with black, brown, and rust colours. I embossed the one of  King Tutankhamun on gold mirror card, with a bright blue. I had previously tried to emboss in gold and colour in the blue. Hopeless, so out came the gold card, which seems to have a greenish hue when scanned.. To one of the tags I added gems, and to the other some charms. 

Every Inchie Monday -- Gate

This week on Every Inchie Monday, the word is gate. Running short of time as usual, I painted the background, drew in the fence and stuck on a hinged gate. It is open, so you can see into the garden The scanner even gave me a shadow at the bottom of the gate.

Artful times Challenge 38 - Scrap art

On Artful times, we were challenged to use up our scraps. So, rather than go pull up some weeds in the garden, I tackled an 8" x 8" canvas that has been lurking in my craft room since 2008 when I did a class at Ally Pally. I hated the canvas and ripped all the stuff off it. I decided to use up all the bits left over from the class with Finnabair, and this time use a photograph of my mum. I would have taken it to the class if I'd been organised enough. I glued on all the strips of canvas and lace first, and added some cogs and numbers. I cut out the photo and placed it in position. All the chunky bits were then added and the whole thing painted with gesso. I spayed on the colours, and when dry dry brushed some more gesso to dull the colours a bit. Finally I rubbed on some copper Treasure gold. That just about finished up all the bits I had left over.

Show us your twinchies - Autumn and Autumn colours

I haven't been on the Show us your Twinchies challenge for ages, and am still trying to catch up with everything. I don't know where the time goes, but go it does.
I decided to do a fabric one, using up some scraps of fabric made on a Lynda Monk course. It's lutradur, foiled and bonded on to felt. I cut out some simple leaves, and machine stitched them on. The picture does not really show up the golden foil on the leaves.

Tag Tuesday -- Wings

This week, on Tag Tuesday, ( I'm very late with this) the subject is Wings. I was going to do butterflies, but decided bees would be fun. I am going to make a whole tag book on the subject, now I have started.
The backgrounds were coloured with distress inks, and on one I made some honeycomb with air dry clay, using a stamp, and then stamped some bees, and a small tag. The other one I used a honeycomb embossing folder and again stamped the bees on separate card, and stuck them on. I hung bee charms on the bottom of both tags.

Layers and layers

On a course with the wonderful Finnabair we made three projects.
My favourite was the book , then the canvas, and last of all the 12" x 12" layout on some of the gorgeous paper.

The secret of this was layers, not only with paper, but with gesso, paint, and embellishments. I don't normally work with all the multi-layering of embellishments, but really enjoyed making all three of these. We were given loads of stuff to work with, and Anna's teaching was brilliant.