Texture Ingredients swap

I'm back! What a busy weekend we had moving my Dad. Yesterday evening after work I had planned to start catching up with all my internet groups and reading some blogs but I was too shattered to do anything so today the catch up begins. I think it will take me a few days to get caught up with all the blogs I like to look at.

I thought I shouldn't neglect my blog for too long either so here is a postcard that I have made for Joanna, as part of the FAF textured ingredients swap. These are the ingredients she sent.And this is what I came up with. Joanna sent so many wonderful ingredients I hardly scratched the surface. I hope she likes the card when it arrives!
Joanna was keen for me to use a particular fabric that she sent which was a piece of silk scarf. It had an abstract design which I used to build layers of texture on top. I think it came out quite celestial which wasn't necessarily my intention more like a happy accident.

Creating texture with raw seam edges

I have been working on yet more postcards for swaps and am at the point of having two or three sets at the almost finished stage so hopefully will have a few things to share over the coming days.

Here is something that I did get finished. For the FAF texture challenge I decided to experiment with trying to create textured fabric using raw seams. I took some of the fabric that I dyed the other day and this is what I ended up with.I cut lots of 3/4" strips from the fabric and rejoined them, Leaving all of the seams showing I then layered on a couple of pieces of tulle, some beads, ribbon, sequins and a few french knots.

I ended up with two very similar postcards which I have decided to call 'Springtime I & II' as the colours just remind me so much of spring.

More textured backgrounds

Here are the pictures of the other cheesecloth ATCs that I made the other day. Being at home today has meant that I can take some pictures in the daylight which show up what is going on on these little white cards.The idea behind this one was to try and create some texture using just flat embellishments. I'm not sure if I've quite achieved the effect that I was after but it almost works. I covered a piece of Timtex with some cheesecloth and then added two different types of flower embellishments. The flowers down the side are almost a lace type trim and the bunch of flowers in the middle are cut from a long piece of satin trim. I think you can just about make out the different textures in this picture. To add a little bit of dimension I gathered a couple of the flower centres with some running stitch to make some of the petals stand up from the background a bit. I have been itching to add some beads or something just to finish it off but that wouldn't fit in with the whole idea of using using flat things.
This second study in white uses just a cheesecloth background with some fluffy yarn couched over the top. In some weird optical illusion I think that the yarn looks like it is sinking into the cheesecloth but in reality it is sat on top. I really like this card but to me the reality doesn't look anything like the picture. As it is at the moment even though I like it I think it's just a bit too simple to be a finished piece so I might add a few beads or maybe even some more yarn perhaps in a different colour. I'll have a play and see what takes my fancy.

Textured backgrounds

I just got back from a weekend at Dad's it was nice to catch up with everyone. I also got to see the dress that my sister has in mind for us bridesmaid's to wear and it's not as bad as I imagined it might be.

My sewing machine came back on Friday and touch wood it seems to be fixed. Apparently there was a problem with the switch. As I have been away I haven't had much of a chance to test it out properly but this evening I stitched the edges of a few more heart charms and it seems to be ok.

I haven't had much of a chance to get creative this weekend but I have made a sort of start on the Fiber Art Friends February challenge which is creating texture. I decided to play with making some textured backgrounds using layered cheesecloth. I've made 3 ATCs altogether but can only show one for the time being as the other two are white and are not getting picked up well on my scanner so I will have to wait until it is light enough for me to try taking some photos instead.
Yes another cat. I seem to have refound my love for all things feline, and this motif was from another scrap that I just couldn't bring myself to throw away. Basically I layered some cheesecloth on top of my ATC size piece of timtex and fused the cat over this background. Usually I satin stitch the edges of my ATcs just as I would a postcard but I like the organic look that this has ended up with so will leave it as is.

Inspired by Alma

This last week I received a copy of 'Odd Ball Charm' a wonderful zine created by Alma Stoller. I came across Alm's blog one day while blog jumping and have been back many times since to admire all the beautiful work there.

She handmakes all of the covers for her zines and this is what I received.Inside there are lots of inspirational ideas and also some fabric, some lovely inspirational paper images and some of the wonderful clay beads that Alma makes. The one thing that immediately caught my attention though was an article about paper applique. I thought immediately that it would fit very well with the Fiber Art Friends January challenge of combining paper and fabric. I haven't had much of a chance to experiment yet and already the monthe is nearly gone. Here is a postcard I made using Alma's idea for a paper applique flower. I cut the petal shapes from pages in a magazine and stitched them down. Adding some free stitched flowers to the background.
Although I love the colours in the first one I think overall I like this second one better. Personally I like the text on the outside of the petals better and I think the stitched background has turned out better too. I have signed up for an open theme swap over at FAI which is due at the end of this month so I will use these cards for that I think.

Vintage Valentine

The January challenge for the FiberArtFriends is to think about ways in which to combine paper and fabric. I have been itching to get some time to play with all the ideas running round in my head but thought I would start with something simple.

Here are the cards I've made for the FAT vintage valentine ATC swap. Fabric backgrounds and paper hearts. I was looking through all my bits and pieces for some inspiration for this swap and came across some toppers that I bought in a bulk lot for card making a couple of years back. I hadn't got round to using them as when they arrived they were actually too busy for my liking but I dismantled a few and used the paper heart elements and also some paper roses for these cards. I like the way they turned out and the handmade paper was lovely to stitch on. I have loads of the toppers left so I might have a go at making a few postcards too.

I have decided to trade all four of these cards in the FAT swap. The Be Mine card that I made the other day I am going to keep for a while as it's been sitting on my desk charming me for the last few days and I'm not ready to let it go yet. No doubt it will get traded at a later date though when the charm wears off for me, lol!