Adorn

This is what I've been working on most of today... Quite unlike anything I've ever done but I have to say it's been very enjoyable to play with!

Adorn

Textile Collage

It won't be mounted on black; that's a piece of black foam core board I use as a mobile design wall!!! I have several of them and they are often full on both sides with Works In Progress!

This piece includes all sorts of vintage and found textiles and bits and pieces! There is a piece of upholstery fabric and trim; some of the onion dyed linen and cotton from the other day; some crotched edges from the tiger lily doiley of Flaming Heart fame..., vintage buttons, organza, pink damask (gifted from Lynda), vintage bead set, beaded sari organza, a little onion dyed stuffed flannel heart and the stamped word 'Adorn'- still to be attached. I will mount this either onto a stretched canvas or mat board to frame under glass.

Such fun to make! (Back to work tomorrow-but how lucky am I to have had a full day playing) Dinner guest tonight; so had better get to the kitchen!

Her Heart - and another!

I made a couple more heart hangers over the weekend! I'm definitely addicted -for the moment anyway!

'' Hers'

This one is made of a rusted piece of embroidered linen. I added a little more embroidery, a chiffon rose and some beads I found in my stash that look a little like seed pods or shells of some sort.

Jacobean Heart

The Jacobean Heart is made from an old printed serviette that my SIL gifted me earlier in the year (they had been left in a cupboard in a house she bought!) I added running stitch embroidery, a piece of whitework with some french knots, a Tim Holtz bird stamp and some lovely mother of pearl buttons. The back is plain white; cut from the same serviette.

If I get time today, I hope to add them to my etsy store which has been sitting unused for a while!

...a pair of hearts

I finished the last of the heart hangers in time to drop them off at the gallery on my way to work yesterday. Phew! It's been great to work to a deadline - makes me a little more focused!

Hope and Faith Heart Hangers

These were also made from fabric I painted and then stamped for Alisa Burke's Whimsical Women workshop. I stamped the gothic window stamp I recently carved onto rusted paper and machine stitched them onto the front of the hearts before joining. I love Alisa's 'Grafitti Style' and the black stitching really emphasises it! I added a chiffon rose, text and lazy daisy flowers. The copper stamped flowers are glaring a little in this early morning sunshine lit photo...

Off to do some more gardening! - weeding.... they are out of control after all the rain we've had!

a Haggle of Hearts

I’ve made some sweet little heart hangers (maybe Christmas tree hangers) for the local gallery (Edelweiss Gallery). I had a mini production line going...

These three are finished and are made from the same base fabric

...a haggle of hearts.

3 finished; 2 needing hangers and further embellishment

Left: this one incoroporates some rust dyed paper

and the stamp I made last week

Right: I added further stamping to this fabric and incorporated

a piece of torn vintage doily

I used a mix of the hand painted/printed fabric I made for the online whimsical women workshop I did with Alisa Burke (to which I added more stamping!); vintage doily, commercial and hand dyed fabric and even a small piece of rusted paper!

I loved Alisa's grafitti style so much that I construced these hearts the same way as the art doll I learnt to make, with the seams on the outside!

I’ve embellished the finished ones with a some embroidery; a little chiffon rose; and a vintage button then added a wire hanger. I have 3 more cut out.... I'm on a roll.... (back to work tomorrow!)

Headless Tuesday!

Here’s a quick update on my Whimsical Woman! It seems that a lot of the things I work on are auto-biographical…..(maybe even everything in some context)

This is made from hand painted and then stamped fabric. See last few posts. It also has some textile dye pastel, fabric marker and various fabric scraps. This is inspired by Alisa Burke’s online workshop. I just had to add legs though! The pink and black stripe is a commercially printed cotton which I over printed with a stamp and black acrylic paint (I’ve only ever made one other Art Doll to date – my Gaia Earth Mother)

Now that the body is stuffed I wish I’d put the little fabric collage a little lower.. oh well, I’ll remember for next time! Don’t quite know what I’m doing with her hair yet – I just know that it will be wild (like mine!) Gaia’s hair was ripped fabric – I may do something similar if I can find some suitable locks!

I hope to get this finished today. Art group and visitors for dinner tomorrow and then back to work on Thursday… where does the week go?

I couldn’t upload the photos from my camera as the battery had died...... I’m back after recharging it and now have the head on my WWW (Wild Wee Wiffy) or Wicked Whimsical Woman perhaps?

I’ll attach a few more found objects; cover the neck joint with a scarf and perhaps jewelery and her hair isn’t quite finished yet either………

Whilst I was waiting for those batteries to recharge, I also had a little go at smooshing some violets onto cotton- what a lovely image! I hope they retain some of the colour. Even if it fades or browns off I’m amazed at the detail! (Actually, it was a little more than smooshing; more like smashing!! :) )

of August progress...

Firstly a little something I whipped up one night last week. Inspiration was from something I saw on Alisa Burke's blog (actually. I think it was her website!) I've worn it a couple times already and really love it. The gold colour is hand dyed silk, and the black is cotton. Very quick and fun to wear! Thanks Alisa!

Hand stitched pendant

I’ve just started quilting this after basting it to thin cotton; I’ve now added a hand dyed upcyled fabric piece to the back and it feels soooo nice as I’m quilting. Not sure about adding creeks or rivers now… I’ll see how I feel about it once the quiting is done. Loving those little ripples!

Earth Skin - Hand stitched silk

I did a little stamping onto my hand painted fabric pieces –(destined to become the bodies of my Whimsical Women (dolls). I’ve jumped ahead a little with my online course with Alisa Burke. It’s very enjoyable and it’s making me combine some techniques both new and familiar. Most importantly I’m having fun…. And I think that’s what life’s all about!

Flower Stamp (acrylic paint) on hand painted fabric


Eye stamp (acrylic paint), textile marker and textile dye pastel