Bill & Ben [Mythical Mail Book]

Does anyone remember the Watch with Mother Series - Bill & Ben? [I'm thinking of the first black & white series which ran in the 1950/60's, yes, I know, I'm showing my age admitting that!]

For those that don't know it - the characters were string puppets set in a garden behind the potting shed & 'Weed' grew between the two large flower pots in which lived the flower pot men, Bill & Ben. Their language was a bit odd with words sounding like loblob, flobberpop, and weed replied with a long weeeeeeeeeed sound. Each episode ended with the lines "... and I think the little house knew something about it, don't you?

Time for Tea

Another picture from the 'Layers' exhibition.

A vintage tablecloth was used for the background which was painted in some areas. The table, chairs etc were painted & outlined with coloured watercolour pencil. Individual cakes etc - paint & hand embroidery, mini buttons, beads. The items were applied to the background. Wadding & backing fabric applied. Quilting/stitching around all items & on wc pencil line. The 'wallpaper' on background was hand quilted. Wrapped around a frame. Size 50x70cm

This one was even harder to stitch in places than the canvas one posted a few days ago [Early Bird] as there were more layers to go through. I had to use pliers in one or two places it was so stiff but my fingers have recovered!

Click here for close up pictures

This is the original doodle that inspired the above

2 more pages from the Altered Flower Book

painted with dyes, flower stencil, the card with the white flowers is a friends business card and has a picture of some of her lovely work - cut paper, layerd

collage using pictures from magazines, the butterfly is made from a picture of tomatoes

Mythical Mail - Cinders

The early bird catches the worm

Painted canvas, lots & lots of hand embroidery [quite hard to do on painted canvas!]

Painted background canvas. Embroidered canvas applied to background in layers.

61x61cm

for more images & close ups click here

This picture is part of the 'Layers' exhibition with Vervey at Stockton

my website

Mythical Mail - Goosey, Goosey Gander & Illustration Friday Challenge - Dip

 Illustration Friday Challenge - Dip

Altered mini newspaper & tag

the relevant article reads:

"Religious Intolerance once again shows it's ugly head says Goosey Goosey Gander"

"An old man was thrown down the stairs yesterday for refusing to say his prayers. He was a non beleiver and refused to say any prayers in the old people's home. Goosey says religion  should be banned to stop this kind of thing happening again".

Mythical Mail - Jack & the bean stalk

A lot of the words are hidden behind the beanstalk which lifts up partly, but not so that I could scan properly so I have copied it:

The envelope is addressed to

Jack Bean, Pulse Farm, Pea Lane, Stalkton, Nutshire

and the letter is from Stalkton Council, Nutshire and reads

Dear Mr Bean

We have received complaints about the size of your beanstalk as it is obstructing the view. Are you aware that you need to obtain planning permission for a plant of these dimensions?

yours faithfully

Mr Builder, Planning Regulations Department

{this is page 20 of the Mythical Mail book which includes recycled stamps}

Altered Flower Book (p16) Butterflies

painted page, collaged buttereflies - some from magazines etc, one made from paper, a metal one

Altered Flower Book [p15] & Illustration Friday Challenge - Rescue

Painted & collaged with bits found in a magazine

Illustration Friday Challenge - Rescue

Which would you rescue? The bird from the fox or the worm from the bird?

[Felt tips]

More from the Altered Flower Book - Dog Daisy

no collage on this page, I liked how the paint effect looked

Mythical Mail - Nemo

Mythical Mail - Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall

Hupty Dumpty had a great fall

All the King's horses and all the King's men

Couldn't put Humpty together again

Mythical Mail (Hansel & Gretal) & Alpacas in Scotland

I've been to Scotland for a couple of days & saw lots of sheep, quite a few rabbits and these black alpacas

 

Mythical Mail (p16) Dougal & Illustration Friday

Recycled postage stamp

below - illustration friday challenge - expired

pen/felt tips

the owl is live & kicking but the mole ........

Altered Flower Book (p11,12)

Leaf stencils & a leaf made from a car wash cloth, painted [imitation leather look]

Altered Flower Book (p9,10) & Foam Stamps

The large bluebells are made from fabrics, the one on the right has been stitched, both hand & machine, (paper stalks/leaves) the smaller flowers are playing card foam stamps.

The picture with spade is a watercolour with outlines stitched. The stamps (all over pattern on background) has been made from a foam playing card [as seen in yesterday's post]. The design has been drawn on with a black Sharpie pen [some other pens work too] & ink pads for colour. Sometimes the print leaves a black outline, sometimes it looks white like batik, sometimes a bit of both. And you can stamp more than once, the colours & marks last for ages! Various samples are shown below including some on fabrics. The larger bits were done on fun foam, these can be left floppy or they can be glued down with doublesided sticky tape onto something firm like flat polystyrene or wood.

Altered Flower Book (p7,8) & leaf stamps

Different kinds of leaves,  stamped, stencilled, screen printed fabric, painted fabric including metallic paints, leaf from an artificial flower. Pen & watercolour robins.

One of the stamps was made from a kiddies foam playing card as shown below.

Two foam cards were used to make the flower stamp below. The flowers were cut from one & stuck to the other. You could also use fun foam if you don't have playing cards.

Altered Flower Book (p5,6)

the white flowers above are actually sleeves/parts of clothes from a fashion magazine

 fabric flowers, dyed fabrics & one with a shisha mirror centre

Altered Flower Book (p.3&4)

Flowers on left made from layered fabrics, stitched in the centre, covered string for the stalk

a handmade stamp was used on the left

Thought I'd have a rest from the mythical mail for a few days, but it will be back - there is lots more to come.

Mythical Mail - Page 15, Old King Cole

 Old King Cole was a merry old soul,

And a merry old soul was he;

He called for his pipe,

And he called for his bowl,

And he called for his fiddlers three.

Ev'ry fiddler had a fiddle,

And a very fine fiddle had he.

Tweedle dee, tweedle dee,

Tweedle dee, tweedle dee,

Tweedle dee, tweedle dee,

Went the fiddlers three,

Oh there's none so rare

As can compare,

With King Cole and his fiddlers three.

Mythical Mail - Page 14, Sleeping Beauty

Mythical Mail - Page 13, Dumbo

Mythical Mail - page 12, Jungle Book

I have to thank Helen for the gorgeous recycled stamps here.

I had a fright the other day. I was straightening the bed covers when I saw a creature scurrying across the bed behind the pillows next to the headboard. What the hell was that? Was it a giant cockcroach or a small mouse? Well I was going out & I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep later knowing there was something lurking, so I thought I'd better be brave & investigate. I moved the pillow & there the creature was. Bet you can't guess what it was, so I'll tell you. It was the round replacement sponge from my headphones! The headphones were hanging around the post on the headboard & one of the sponges must have sprung off & rolled off across the bed. What a relief & a laugh.

Mythical Mail - Page 11, Ba Ba Black Sheep

Mythical Mail - Page 10, Watership Down

Click on the image for a bigger picture, if you can't read it let me know.

I'm a member of Vervey & we put up our new exhibition today at Arc, Stockton called Layers.

Mythical Mail - page 9 - There was an Old Woman

[collage, recycled postage stamp]

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe

She had so many children she didn't know what to do

So she gave them some broth without any bread

and she whipped them all soundly & sent them to bed

Click here for Illustration Friday Challenge - Brave

Ice Cube Bags

Want to do something different with ice cube bags?

Squeeze different coloured paints [I used acrylics] in them, allow to dry. Using freehand machine stitching attach to backing fabric [I used an old sheet] then embroider on top [I've done running stitches & French knots].