Tantalising textures and fun with transfer paint

Wow the girls at Fibre and Stitch have put out some wonderful stuff in their first edition of the e zine. First the Lutradur and Lace and now I have been playing with pelmet vilene and lace painted and gilded and free motion stitched and then yesterday i played with some transfer paints I have had for ever and not got around to using, it is such a surprise when they actually transfer from the paper to fabric. I think I need to get a finer polycotton as the only one I could find is a bit soft. They didnt scan very well either as they are brighter than this, but I am on a roll now and have paper and paint all over the floor using the different techniques.
No walk this morning, still blowing a gale, another foal born this morning too, a poor little scrawny colt who will need a few days of mothers milk to straighten out.
We are also off to lunch so I am getting this up a bit early.

TAST 39

I have finished my banded buttonhole stitch and I had fun playing with this one. I would like to thank Sharon for finding all these variations on stitched. I didnt think I would last the distance but so far so good.
A lovely sunny morning that has deteriorated into a cold and windy afternoon.
I have been painting transfer dyes onto paper, now to see if they actually come out when I iron them onto material. I wasnt madly happy with the colours I have but we will see what they look like perhaps tomorrow. They are not dry yet.
I have also been painting some lace over pelmet vylene, not sure I like it but I will use it for something.

Trying FME

I have been not doing a great deal or at least not things I am happy with but I decided that I needed some practice in FME so fused these petals down and had a play with it. I really wasnt madly happy with this side but when I turned it over i really liked the outlines I had so perhaps it isnt as bad as I thought.
We had another foal born last night, a very sweet filly and all ok even though she had to come into the stables as we had such a rough and wild night. Still high winds and rain but probably all blowing away.
We had to go to a dinner last night put on by our dairy company we supply. I wasnt madly happy with the way things seem to be going, a few too many stuff ups in my opinion. The meal was just ok, but we left before the sweets arrived as they were getting so late and both John and I were tired.

Playing and yesterdays walk

The top scan is of a little bit I put together while fiddling with the piece of paper fabric I had out the other day. two small pieces of silk and a couple of bird shapes. I have been getting together a few small bits and pieces as samples, painting, seeing what happens when you iron 2 pieces of cellophane from around the flowers I got for my mother with treads in between, what happens if I iron 2 pieces of lutradur, they bonded together but didnt distort with the iron.
The second photo I took yesterday when we walked up behind Clifton in the Adelaide foothills, some lovely reflections.
It is blowing a gale and I feel absolutely wretched with hay fever.

fractured square exercise

This was something Jane Dunnewald did in a Quilting arts this year and Wendy and I tried it out, this is mine, hers was far more complicated but it was fun to do. A square 5 ins of black paper and cut out a design from along each side leaving the corners. flip what you had cut out and stick to white paper scan and cut out (smaller) and stick corner to corner and see what you have designed.
Great fun.
Adelaide today, my mother was a lot better and we went for a drive, but what with one thing and another a very long and tiring day.

Cot blanket finished

Here is the cot blanket for the new grand child to be. I have finally finished it and bound it and am pretty pleased with the way it looks.
Off playing with my friend Wendy today, doing some interesting exercises from the book Finding your own visual language. It was great fun, we cut out shapes from black paper and then cut and re cut I will try to get some up on the scanner tomorrow, although tomorrow is Adelaide and seeing my mother so probably not a lot will get done.
Very hot today, they promise rain, I do hope so.

TAST 38 Knotted buttonhole chain

Here is my knotted buttonhole chain, I had a lot of trouble trying to work out how the second step went but when I finally sat down quietly last night I think I worked it out, then I had problems doing the other side! You cant say I dont try but sometimes I wonder about my ability to do these things. Probably a B for persistence and an E for wonky lines.
I am enjoying the challenge but I dont think I will ever do half of them again.
I must get cracking on getting more of them into my book.

Parsons Beach

a magic morning this morning, we walked along Parsons Beach which is one of our favorite surf beaches, a long climb down and up but worth it the third photo is taken about 1/3 of the way down. There was a dead seal on the beach which is the middle photo. We then went for a coffee at Whalers and looked across the bay, and came home to champagne for lunch with home grown eggs (hardboiled) asparagus, and lettuce with not home grown proscuito and shaved Romano from the local cheesery. Not only that but we sat outside and enjoyed the garden and the birds. We live well.

Playing and visitors

I had fun with some left over bits and pieces. the base is fabric paper made using fabric as a base and then watered down pva glue and scraps of old wrapping paper then covered with tissue and then painted and finally spritzed with moonshadow mists. the next is a piece of made fabric using fabric scraps and then loads of stitches from the machine oh and I thinks some organza in there, so long since I did it, and the heart is again a collection of scraps this time a thread sandwich I think on felt. I embellished that onto the blue and sewed the blue to the fabric paper. I think it might get some punched out flowers but that will happen a bit later. Of course you would think I could get it straight but I didnt.
We had a delightful day yesterday as Robin and Bill McWhinney (I hope that is the right spelling!!) from McKay came for lunch. Robin is doing Playways with me. We sat and talked for ages and ages, looked at my stuff, just nice to chat and meet someone else from Playways.
We had fish, and and a green salad and a new potato salad I was trying out which was delicious. Followed by fruit and cheese and a coffee finally to send them on their way. Of course no photos taken and I forgot about the visitors book. Probably too much chat and wine and food for that.

from our bedroom door

When we first extended the house we had a path to the bedroom door so that I could take the baby out in the pram, things have changed considerably since then, the pine tree I used to put her under has long gone and other plantings have happened. I rather like this view these days. That baby will be 40 in a few weeks. Incredible how time flies.
It has been hot here today, as we have visitors for lunch tomorrow I have been trying to make things look a bit more presentable. I have even had a few hoses on, I wish I didnt have to but it is amazing how dry things are.
John went to a meeting on the water crisis last night and came home with some very worrying stories about how bad the Murray and lakes are and it makes me worry about how much water we will have by the end of summer. Heavens and we have really only just started spring.

Lutradur lace, scrim paint and burn

This doesnt look all that good in the scan but it had the works thrown at it.
I dont quite know what I would do with it but it was fun to do and I learnt I could use vliesofix on it to put it on the felt and that I could embellish on it with the machine as that is how I put the scrim and lace and other bits on it.
I found that my local craft store had rainbow spun which when I got home I compared to the lutradur and it seems the same as the thin one, this was a piece of the gold.
Adelaide all day yesterday, tiring, but I did see my mother and she seems alright, although complaining no one had been to see her.

Back to bags.

I have finished these two bags and I have cut up fabric for another but I dont have the net to go over it so I will try to get some tomorrow while I am in Adelaide.
The house had a thorough cleaning today and John helped with the vacuuming which is lovely.
I am about to go for a walk with the dogs.

TAST Rice stitch and Dendrobium speciosum

The first photo is of the magnificent Dendrobium Speciosum (which has probably had another name change!!) flowering in a pot in a tree outside my kitchen window. It doesnt seem to like our harsher climate than the one it grew up in, on the east coast of Australia, and this year we had quite a few frosts so I think it must be just high enough and with the house and tank behind to stay warmer.
The other is my TAST challenge for this week, rice stitch and as I am not much of a fan of cross stitch, probably because I cant see the threads to count them I was surprised that I quite liked doing this one.
I notice I left a needle in it when I scanned it.

Sunday morning walk

It was wild and windy and eventually very squally with high winds and rain. we managed our walk around the base of the Bluff and I took some photos of the sea and the sky and people trying to fish, I know you can get squid here but all I could see was their lines going straight under the little jetty and I know from my diving days there is not much under that jetty..
And what Victor looked like from where we were.
An enjoyable coffee before the rain hit and then I was stuck in Woolworths until it stopped.
We had a bout 4 mm out of it.
Another foal yesterday born in the middle of the day, a palomino colt. All well.
We went over to McLaren Vale see our grand daughter Celina play in her netball grand final. they lost by one goal but she played well.
Called in to get some plants at the Willunga farmers market and met a friend there so quite a social morning, but we both came home tired!
I made an interesting fish curry last night which impressed John, he may get it again as the sweep he had caught went well in it and now I know how to do it it was relatively easy.

Silage making

I thought it was about time I did a change from bags. This was silage making the other evening, I think if you click on the first one you will possible see it a bit clearer. This shows them windrowing the cut material and the second one the bulldozer making the stack.
All over now and the stack is covered in plastic. It all happens so fast.
We had 6 mm of rain overnight after another day of high winds, I think the moisture levels are just keeping up.
I am still making little bags, they are rather addictive and it is fun seeing them emerge.

very small quilt

It didnt quite fit in the scanner so the edges have been cut off. I started this several years ago when I did an on line class with Angela Jarecki and found it while I was going through a few bits and pieces so decided to finish it. Lots of hand stitching and I love the way the fabric isnt smooth but a bit wrinkled and runkled up.
I am not a quilter but i quite like doing things like this.
I have spent most of the day on another bag, I think they might make good Christmas presents and my two 15 year old grand daughters have given the seal of approval so that is hopeful.
We have had drying winds all day and now suddenly it has rained and got cool and thundery.

Another bag

I knew I had painted these faces for a reason, bags had come to mind but these bags are such fun to make and relatively easy and quick. I have loads of scrap silk so a few more will be made I am sure.
I was supposed to go to Adelaide today to see my mother but my nose had other ideas, very red and uncomfortable this morning and I also sneezed about 4 times and it started bleeding again. the 3 hour round trip did not appeal at all so it will have to be later.

My fun bag

While Patti was here I admired her bag and when she left, to lighten her load she gave me some scraps and fabric and so here is my version of Patti's bag. Not really finished yetI did this this afternoon. cut up fabric, mostly silk, threads, lace and my face, put on some cotton for the lining light wedding veiling over the top, pinned and then fme over it all.
It was such fun to do. Of course Patti's had more lace and loads of beaded flowers on it, when I have time I will bead some flowers.My nose looks awful but I suppose it will get better, I didnt sleep terribly well last night but have kept myself busy today.

Fiona the flat fairy

I am having a skin cancer surgically removed from my nose later this afternoon so I am posting this early.
This is Patti Culea's flat fairy that I went to do in Adelaide over a week ago and I sat and finished her off yesterday, she was fun to do but instead of doing proper wings I used the Angelina I had left over from her top as wings and then had some left so ut them on her shoes and a bit around the top of the tyvek on her skirt, so she is all sparkly and fun.
We had a few showers this morning and the temperature is a more respectable early Spring Temperature although we had a lot of wind in the night.
I have cut out the hearts for the little cot quilt I am attempting to make, but that is as far as I have got. I want to hand sew the hearts on so it will take me a while to get around 14 hearts.
I am also trying to finish the embroidery on the cot blanket, that still has a way to go, so what with the big doll of Patti's I would like to get on to I am busy. I did dye some lace today wanting a tiny bit of colour but there is a lot of beading to get done and that will take me a while and other things are a bit more important.

TAST 36 & this mornings walk

This week our stitch challenge was cable chain stitch. I do lots of chain stitch but I had never done cable chain before and it was a lot of fun. I whipped one and added beads to another.
We walked along the beach this morning and this is looking back towards the causeway and Victor from near where about 48 years ago a beached whale was found, actually it may have even been before we were married. I remember what a sensation it caused.
Very warm and a lovely morning for a walk, a smooth and oily looking sea still very warm but the wind hadnt come up then, it has now.
We had a coffee and a quick look at the market before John got back to accounts and I brought 2 wheelbarrow loads of stable manure up our steep track from the stables to put on the garden. I am not sure how many more of those I will manage.

Small jumper

I was really cross as I ran out of wool on the last sleeve so had to finish in the red. I had tried to get some more wool but none was available. It will have to do for home.
Any way it is finished so another one for a baby in what looks like becoming a hot dry summer!
Very warm here today although they are forecasting rain. I hope so.
I am a little tired today as we went to Wendy's 50th party last night, and I tied for first place with my head gear so that was fun, added another bottle of bubbly to what we had, a bit of a fuzzy head this morning.
Lots of our native orchids are out in the shade house, I must take some photos and they smell delightful.
Talking to someone today about the horse flu and the affect it is having, no shows with horses at all, all the local agricultural shows are going to be affected as well as out South Australian All Welsh show, normally held in early November we are trying to re schedule it for January but are not really sure if we can have it at all at the moment. It is causing us to lose sales of ponies. Luckily so far the flu itself does not seem to be in this state.

Lutradur and Lace

There has been a challenge on the fibre and stitch yahoo site doing something with Lutradur and Lace and it just so happened that I had painted a piece of lutradur over the week end so it was just a matter of finding some lace and painting again and then again and adding some ink on the last layer. I dont think the colour is quite right on the photo a scan may have been better.
I think it may need some beads and stitching but will go in my book of samples.
I have finally found Annie who has left comments on my blog, she is in the fibre and stitch group and I had no idea who she was as I couldnt trace her back through my blog lines and thank her for her comments. Great to catch up Annie.

Creative head gear

We are invited to a 50th birthday party tomorrow night and the requirement was for creative head gear so this is it.
the old viking head gear came out of the shed and had some new paper over the old, a horn found and glued in and all painted. I think I may glue some fake fur around the horns tomorrow.I think we made it at least 40 years ago!!
My tiara, made by me and used for various things has had a miniature champagne bottle and a glass added to it. I hope it stays on my head as it is a bit heavy.
A lovely day today but dry, I watered the pots outside, a bit of a worry as we are going into this summer with less rain than we had last.

Cloth dolls at the Doll Club meeting

I think I am back from looking after Patti, put her on the plane for Melbourne this morning and saw my mother and have come home more tired than I like to think. These dolls were part of the display in Adelaide we had for Patti when she did her flat doll day. I used the new camera and I dont like the way they look so fuzzy,could be my photography too though.
The one in the middle of the group photo holding a stick is mine, not sure who did the others and Shirley Shaw did the magnificent samurai figure.
I hope life gets back to normal in a day or two.
I loved having Patti with me, Wendy came for lunch yesterday and we had a ball catching up on 'stuff'. John also found some kangaroos for Patti to see and she was fascinated in my peacocks and all the bird life around.
At least I now have the computer back as that went off with John to Adelaide, I felt lost without it.

Patti on the Goolwa Beach

I have been busy and not getting on to the net a lot but yesterday i took Patti Culea across to Goolwa and we looked at what should have been the Murray river mouth but I dont think they are dredging and it looked rather as if it was all closed off but then again maybe they ave moved further south.
Any way we then went back to the surf beach at Goolwa and Patti had her photo taken clutching a stone and the odd roly poly sea weed balls we get.
We had a lovely day looking at the sights and hading lunch and then home tired but happy.

TAST Shisa stitch

I had one of those days in which cleaning seemed to dominate.
Anyway with not much else happening and tired by the time floors were washed and vacuumed and I had taken Harry in to work and walked out the back, this I did manage to do, sort of.
I had never done it before, thought I had shisa morroror and couldnt find them so used these flat backed cut glass things I had in my stash, not that easy to hold in place and the red one fell out so it is glued in! I learnt from that and put in more crosses of thread to make them higher.
Any way it is done now and another of Sharon's stitch challenge off the list.