Every Inchie Monday -- Vietnam

This week, not such an easy one, it's Vietnam. Having been around during the Vietnam war and the boat people leaving the country in their thousands, it's hard to think of anything else. It's a beautiful country and one I would like to visit. I can't see that happening, but one can dream.
For the sewn one I have attempted to layer some felt to look like the terraced rice fields, and for the card one a very small painting of the huge towers of rocks and the typical boats that sail in the waters.
All this very difficult on one inch.

Life Book Week three

This was a lesson from Ivy Newport entitled two hands one heart.
I struggled with this one, as we were to use part of a photo of our face, preferably the eyes and then paint the rest over a collaged background.I managed the collage and then messed up the face. I ended up painting over my eyes as well, and it doesn't look anything like me.  It's a face, so that's progress as far as I am concerned.

Thursday Journal with Neet

This week Neet has chosen vintage photo and spiced marmalade for the two colours and dots for the theme. I have completely forgotten to add a third colour, so I'll pick the green of her legs.
I used the distress inks with the same colour oxides for the background and my favourite dotty stencil to go over the top with. I was then stuck, so found a figure with a few dots on and some fungi, also with dots on. Then I was stuck again, which serves me right as I thought this one was going to be easy. The words were the first thing that came to mind. I am not happy with it.

Every Inchie Monday -- India.

This week we are off to India. I think of India as a country full of colour, elephants the Taj Mahal. embroidery and street markets selling spices and materials. Ghana, Mother Teresa, curries and lots more.
When we went to Australia we spent five days in India on our way back to see some friends,. We kept the economy going by buying bedspreads, wall hangings, cushion covers and additions to my small box collection. I loved it, but hubby wasn't so keen. I would love to go again, as I now use far more embroidery techniques and silk fabrics than I did all those years ago. I would of course need an empty suitcase to cry it all home in. I didn't use wooden Indian blocks then, so they would fill another suitcase.
We also rode bare back on an elephant, and that I wouldn't do again. Hubby lost his balance and as we were both on together decided to cling on to me and take me with him. Luckily the guys handing the huge male elephant saw the problem and made the elephant kneel down. I didn't care that he had been in nine films, I was so pleased to get off. I was terrified.

For my card one I have used shrink plastic on the flag background, and the embroidery one has a silk background with a shisha mirror, some Kantha stitches, beads and sequins.

A Life Book lesson

This year I have joined Life Book, and am determined to get further than March, which is where I gave up last year. I will try to do some of the old lessons, but don't hold your breath.
This is one of Tam's who runs the course and it is in the first week. Just in case you didn't guess, she supposed to be a garden fairy. No I do not have elephants in my garden

Thursday Journal with Neet

My choice this week, and it's grey and pink with Window as the subject. My second colour is green.
The background is Dylusion pain with the use of a stencil to make it look like wallpaper.
I cut out a picture from my gardening magazine and some brown for the window. The two figures are Dylusions and I coloured them with watercolour pens and pencils.

Tag Tuesday -- Anything goes

This fortnight on Tag Tuesday it is Valerie's turn to choose the theme, which is Anything goes.
I have chosen to do a textured tag with no particular focal point. I have used various ways of making texture such as Plasterers tape, texture paste through stencils, scraps of torn paper and buttons. I also included a topper from my stash which I am trying to use up.

Every Inchie Monday -- France

This week on Every Inchie Monday we are back in Europe, and it is the turn of France. As soon as I think of France my mind goes to Paris and all it's famous buildings, wine, the Alps, the Loire valley,
the famous caves of Lascaux, and others too numerous to list here.
For my sewn one I have sewn the Eiffel tower with sewing cotton, and for the card one I have drawn the Arc de Troimphe.

3D embroidery no 8

This time I have used brown and gold and really enjoyed doing this one. After the green it's my favourite. The scanner has made the colours go a bit blue though.

Thursday Journal with Neet

Neet's choice this week with Hearts and flowers and the colours funky fuchsia and slate grey. I added some yellow with mine for the bull dog whose name is Butch.
I used the two main colours on the background and a stencil of flowers with the same colours on the top. The figures are all Dylusions.

Tag Tuesday -- New beginnings

For Wilma's theme on Tag Tuesday I have chosen Bird eggs as a new start in the Spring for the birds. I am away for a while, but will try to do another one when I get back. I seem to be chasing my tail at the moment.

Another 3D embroidery

This is my 7th of these and I am running out of oak to put them on, might have to go begging to the place we had our windows made. I'll make them one and then ask for the offcuts.
This one is in pink and I had trouble finding enough in that colour to finish this. I am not a pink girl.

Every Inchie Monday -- USA

This week we are off to the USA and I have used shrink plastic for the card one and hand sewn the eagle onto a coloured background of part of the US flag.

Fabric page for Annie

This our third fabric page which measures 8" x 6" and this month it is in the style of Wendy Dolan. Wendy puts down layers of white fabric and after sewing them down paints them in the colours She then adds sewing and other bits to finish off.

Thursday Journal with Neet

My choice this time with the colours of Blue and Rust, I have added some green to mine. The word is Door.
I have struggled all day with my computer as it decided not to open Word or my photoshop. Photoshop had definitely gone AWOL and in the end had to use a new programme that I have never used before. After much frustration I managed to finish off my page that I started two days ago.
The picture at the bottom is when the door is open.

Every Inchie Monday -- The Netherlands

The Inchie challenge has been taken over by two of the ladies who entered the challenge last year. So instead of it finishing, it's off we go again. The subject this year is : Countries, the first one being the Netherlands where the two ladies are from. When I was 16,  I had a Dutch friend who I met in Switzerland, and visited him and his family the following year, he lived in Zwolle. He came to the UK the next year and after that we just wrote letters. I lost touch when I went to collage, and haven't been to the Netherlands since, that's  54 years. Not very good is it !!!.
 I will try to do my usual two. this time one on card and the other sewn. I have run out of stampbord so back to card again.
I have drawn a windmill with rows of tulips in front and have sewn some tulips. It's hard to believe that in the early days of hybrid tulips they cost as much as a mans weekly wage for just one.