Diddly Free Motion Broaches

Think I am going to see if there is a market for these little broaches. £5 each? 

Free motion fun!

I've been practicing with my new (to me) Janome sewing machine and have loved making these little pieces. Think they will become broaches, I just need to sew a pin on the back. I'm finding that free motion embroidery is really a case of practise, practise and more practise! Loving the results now though!

Cards- the revolution!

I've never much been interested in making cards, but I've come to realise they are just little pieces of art! Here are a few that I have LOVED making the last few days. Think I might see if they sell, although it will be hard to say goodbye!

Productive weeks!

I have had a very productive few weeks, and art has become a regular part of my daily life, finally! I have also sussed this blogging from the iPad (woohoo) so expect to hear more from me! This piccy is a little tin that I have filled witha cute dress I made recently. I made the little coat hanger with craft wire. I can see me doing much more of this. The apron is made from a page from a very old Jane Austen book. Gives it more meaning somehow.

Precious photos, precious lives.

This is my grandmother, Ivy Johnson when she was in her late teens or early twenties. I had thought no photos of her survived after my aunt lost all the family photos on a train during the 2nd world war.. The only ones I had were of her as an old lady. I contacted a great Aunt (wonderful lady! Story for another day) and she gave me several photos of my grandmother, including this one.. I can't begin to tell you how excited I was to see her like this! It has energised me into re-visiting her life story that I put together many years ago. I'm now going to use Serif Craft Artist to make a digital version of it and to include lots of photos this time. I will put some of them on here. I was just appreciating the wonders of modern technology and how it can impact our family history. A blessing indeed!

Hand made book

I have been making this little book that I thought you might like to see. It's for a friends 90th birthday. I learned how to make them at a workshop at Unit 12 in Stafford which was really enjoyable. There are lots of posibillities. I was thinking a little one each for the grandchildren for Christmas might be nice. The name was made from thin wire that I shaped by hand, and stitched to the heart before attaching it with PVA to the book cover.

I've been ill this last few days, and have had plenty of time to rest and think and get creative. I had a play with the Tim Holtz Kraft resist paper that I bought ages ago. I wiped it with Gesso and it came up beautifully. A bit of machine and hand stitching and a few buttons finished the embellishments. I added this gorgeous photo of 2 of my grandchildren taken by my clever son Matt. I wiped Gesso on the edges of the photo too, to make it a bit more rustic looking. I have a gorgeous new granddaughter Lola now, so lots more layouts coming :-)