Times Tables and Tattoos

At bookmaking class last week, Anna brought in a beautiful book made by Lesley that she'd won in a giveaway. It was very much admired all round and after I'd finished admiring, I tried to work out how it was made.

I could see that it was a version of a flag book with little folded envelopes but I couldn't quite work out the envelope construction. A quick email converstion with Lesley pointed me in the direction of Alisa Golden... and Lesley wondered how long it would take me to make one...

Not long!

Also in class last week we were making a folded cover from a strip of paper that was eight times longer than it was wide. There was much fun and games as various different measurements were considered and Ann in particular really seemed to have a blind spot in trying to calculate eight times two inches! We laughed and there was some good natured teasing so I knew Ann wouldn't mind if I made her a times table book. The little tags pull out and each one has an eight times table question with the answer on the back!

I think Ann saw the funny side and has forgiven me because this is what she has made me this week.

We are both involved in a postcard swap and Ann has made me a stunning lace postcard with four little detatchable lace books containing needles and safety pins...

buttons and pins... for my theme of Revelation and Concealment. It is gorgeous!

And I couldn't do a book post without the latest matchbox book...

Another blizzard book construction containing pages printed with tatto hearts.

encased inside a leather bound matchbox decorated with a tattoo heart button.

Can you see who this one is for?

Someone who rather likes hearts, who is a genuine rock chick... and only a little bit vintage!

A special little book for a special friend.

Taking Flight

When I had to create a postcard for Lesley in our postcard swap I referred back to my summer sketchbook from last year and knew that this butterfly image would be the perfect starting point for Lesley's theme of Taking Flight

I played with several ideas but in the end I opted for a free machined version of the butterfly drawing stitched onto a paper background.

But given both mine and Lesley's love of hand made books I didn't stop there. As I was still in the middle of potato printing for this year's sketchbook I set about printing some suitable book pages.

Which were then given an all over wash of green ink to make the concertina pages of a book containing a butterly taking flight.

A postcard book...

That managed to contain my love of printing, paper cuts, books and embroidery!

This weekend sees the final round of postcard swaps. As I'm not around at the weekend, I have already received my card from Cathy and have posted about it here, and you can see all the other cards sent and receieved by checking the Postman's Knock blog over the weekend. I really has been brilliant fun so thank you Cathy and Lesley for organising it.

As for me,  I'm taking flight for a week too and we're off to sunnier climes. The freezer is fit to bursting with pizza and oven chips, the cupboards full of tins of spaghetti hoops and baked beans so I don't think the boys will starve while I'm gone.

See you when I get back!

Postcard Update

I'm aware that I've not put pictures of the past three (possibly four?) postcard swaps on this blog.

Four weeks ago I received this mysterious card from Jill.

Inside a rather tasteful card of Michalangelo's David... with a tempting little tag! 

 Well, I had to, didn't I?

A perfect interpretation of my Revealment/Concealment theme!

Then two weeks ago another mysterious package, this time from Penny.

Wrapped up in a reproduction poster from the film "Gaslight" was a beautifully made card that served as a warning... not everyone might be whom they seem to be! Secret identities might be concealed.

And then this weekend came not one, but two cards from Jane that were based on childhood puzzles. The first was a clever structure of two sheets of acetate stuck together forming windows, with foliage on both sides. Between the two windows little beetles move about, hiding in the foliage.

The second card is a painted tiger in a cage... but when you pull the tag...

The tiger is concealed and the lion is revealed. So clever! As always some ingenious interpretations of my theme.

The postcards I have sent have been this one below to Jo, whose theme is "Yee ha! Ride 'em Cowboy"

A very textured piece of machine stitching on canvas for Jane whose theme is "Coast/Seaside"

And finally this weekend I sent the card below to Sue whose theme is "Rust." A few people have wondered how I acheived the surface on this card and I can claim no credit. The idea has come from Lynda Monk's article in the last edition of Workshop on the Web. It is a combination of pelmet vilene, dyes, foils, and tissue... but you'll have to see the article or attend one of Lynda's classes to find out how it's put together. The beetle is a Rust Red Flour Beetle.

There are only two more swaps left in our postcard swap and it has been great way of meeting some new bloggers... some even in person at my Open Studios recently when Jill, Jane and Chrissie came to visit.

You can see all the postcards that have been exchanged to date on the Postman's Knock blog

I'll be back tomorrow with a winner and possibly another sketchbook post!

Staying Positive

Thank you so much for your support, encouragement, kind words etc. I've been overwhelmed by the kindness of blog comments, emails and text messages and I'm gradually trying to reply where possible. No news yet about the degree but some reassuring emails from the Associate Dean at the Middlesex School of Arts & Education so I'm staying positive and my fingers are crossed!

Meanwhile I have spent a brilliant day at Missenden Abbey promoting my courses and peddling some wares and thanks must go to Jamie of Colouricious for organising such a fabulous event to coincide with the Abbey's Open Day. We were busy all day with lots of interest in my courses - the first one is a summer school from 31st July to 5th August - "Razzle Dazzle Machine Embroidery" A week of colour, texture and machine stitching for all abilities. Details on the Abbey website.

I also sold a fair bit of "stuff" and met lots of people - some old friends I'd not seen for a long time, ex-students, some blog friends, some blog readers... lovely to see you all! One friend in particular Kim, has been a student on a couple of my courses in the past and we also met on holiday in Italy a couple of years ago quite by chance when we discovered we had rented ajoining apartments... that was a surreal moment when we both walked out on the patio at the same time and did a double take. Anyway, Kim had read about the bad news this week and decided that as I'm always making cakes for other people she would make a cake for me... how kind was that!

It is the most delicious apricot fruit loaf I have ever tasted which I am sharing very reluctantly! Thank you Kim.

And of course it is also another Postman's Knock swap weekend and I came home to this intriguing card from Joanna... complete with lots of little doors...

which when opened reveal concealed messages about what might be hiding!

As we are half way through the postcard swap this means we have received cards from the same person we have sent them to this week and this is the card I sent to Joanna whose theme is "Collections." You can see more of the postcard swap on the Postman's Knock blog.

So as you can see, there are lots of good things happening too.

Tyvek and Treasure

Today I've driven all the way up through the Fens to Snettisham in Norfolk to teach a Tyvek workshop to a quilting group called "Flying Geese". There were flowers and seed pods and even some beads although somehow I've only photographed the flowers... and not all of them either. Sorry if I've missed out yours...

One of the members of Flying Geese happens to be Linda... who is Gill's little sister (Gill was also there as my able assistant... making me tea and lunch!) When I arrived Linda presented me with this box and said she'd made something for me... intriguing!

Linda doesn't blog but she does read and comment and she has been following the Postman's Knock postcard swap. And although she is not one of the twelve of us involved in the swap she thought she would like to make me an extra postcard for my theme... so inside the box I found this...

A postcard closed with a chain and padlock... with it's own little key...

A very special 3D postcard that looks like a treasure chest (every single one of those rivets on the chest is a colonnial knot)

And when the padlock is unlocked... The treasure is revealed!

Linda was concerned that I might mind that she had made an extra card when she wasn't part of the swap... How could I mind? It's absolutely stunning and I'm bowled away by her kindness and generosity... of course bribing me with that wonderful cake helped too! Thank you Linda, I love it!