Tree Decorations Tutorial

To make the tree decorations you will need some metal bangles and some small square scraps of fabric - a piece to go each side of the bangle. Pin it all round, then stitch it all round, some I have stitched both sides of the bangle. You can put the hanging tag around before you stitch or after as I have on most of them. Trim around when the stitching is finished, being careful not to trim the hanging thread if you did put it on before stitching.

The bangle below is made using a 'see thru fabric', this one has a sparkly sheen to it [organza] Before stitching I put some gold snowflakes, stars and a red star between the fabrics. I also stitched across the circle several times as I didn't want all the sequins to go to the bottom.

This one has bits of organza in different colours and some metallic scraps and was stitched across randomly. The organza looks good next to the window where you can see through them. you could try other things in the centre.

This one is just a textured metallic silver fabric

For this one [each side is different] I did the embroidery first [actually they were recycled scraps from another projects]

The blue one is from some old embroidered clothing 

Gingham for the country kitchen look - background is large checks & the stitched scraps are smaller squares.

They could be made really neatly if you have the inclination & time.

The snowman was also made from a bangle. Bend it to shape, then cover it with tissue & pva glue. Let it dry, then paint white. Stick on beads for eyes etc. The hat & buttons were made from faux leather scraps, you could use felt instead. Before sticking the hat, put a small hole thru the top of the head and thread thru a hanging wire. Finish off with a bit of ribbon for a scarf.

TAST 38

Take a Stitch Tuesday - the stich for week 38 is Picot Chain Stitch and it is the line stitched in the darkest pink on my sample. It looks very untidy compared to the other stitches which were done a few years ago. {I did have my glasses on!} If you want to join in or see how to do the stitch click here.

I also entered the Illustration Friday challenge - sneaky - but I sneakily used a drawing from my Sketchbook Project - which you see on another page on this blog [see top right]. The drawing I used was the top one & I thought maybe either the fisherman or the shark was the the sneaky one, but there have been suggestions that it should be the bird?

People Book [33,34]

My plan was to show you some other tree decorations I had made, but the photos were awful & blurry so I will need another attempt at doing them [3rd time lucky?]. in the meantime here are some more pages from my People Book, which is an altered book & a place for me to practice people drawing. [although I have just collaged on the above pages, no actual drawing there]

Hand Made Bead Tree Decorations

I had a bag of junk, sorry I mean treasure from a friend who had had a clearout [I'm the junk magnet!(well you never know when some of it will come in handy)] and amongst the items were lots of those thin metal bangles and strings of beads. So I've combined the two to make some decorations. Just wrap the string of beads round and round the bangle until the ends meet, then twist the end bead round the other end bead to keep it in place. The red one is a thicker plastic bangle and the string of beads were not as long as the others, so they are kept in place with ribbon. The gold ones were longer, so a hanging loop was made with the extra length. The others can be hung from a tree as they are or you could attach a hanging loop with ribbon or thread.

People Book [32]

Altered book, I also use the book to draw people in different styles.

The rows of queens you see in the background on the left page are collaged parts of business cards, the design on them was for a digitally printed fabric which I did when I was at college. There is another collaged peice on the right page of another fabric design, this one is not very clear so I've another picture of it below. They were both inspired by playing cards.

The Sketchbook Project [38-41]

The Sketchbook Project spread over 4 pages

Below the surface ..... of the forest floor

the top two pages are the leaves, some collaged, the bottom of the right page is cut around some of the leaves and under the leaves on the next two pages are the insects, creepy crawlies, snails, ants etc

Paints [gesso, watercolours, acrylics], pens, brush pens, felt pens

People Book [31]

Altered Book

Snake Fabric & Illustration Friday

 A digitally printed fabric I designed & printed when I was at college. It was inspired by a snakes & ladders games board, although I just used snakes and no ladders.

This is my drawing for this week's Illustration Friday challenge - Burning

People Book [29,30]

Altered book for art practice - people drawing

TAST week 37

Take a Stitch Tuesday for week 37 is Kiko's Flower Stitch. Sharon of Pin Tangle says the stitch was shown to her by a lady from Japan. I've sewn my sample on plain fabric then stitched it to the lace, I cut the lace in the centre to insert my scrap rather than stitching it to the top.

Sketchbook Project [34,35,36,37]

'Below the surface' ..... of the pie crust.

How many blackbirds in the pie? The nursery rhyme says 24, but that is not the answer.

Altered Book - precious

This is part of the first

altered book I ever did, the back page. Lots of pages were glued together and a rectangular section in the centre was cut out for an altered photograph of my 'precious' - my children. Plus a rose, lace, jewels,a coin & a poem.

People Book [26,27,28]

Altered book, and more people drawing practice

People Book [23,24,25]

an altered book which I use to practice my figure drawing

The Sketchbook Project [6,7], Swans, Illustration Friday

The Sketchbook Project 'Below the Surface'

I saw these swans today at Saltwell park, Gateshead

below is for the Illustration Friday challenge 'Afterwards'

Firework Night & Sketchbook Project [32,33]

These are photos of fireworks from Nov 5th 2005, taken near the Millenium Bridge, London.

I've darkened them a little & cropped the top one, but that is all.

The Sketchbook Project - page 32,33

Below the surface  .... of the skin 

I've opened up a new blogger page for all the sketchbook project pages, link near top right

TAST week 36

Aren't the weeks flying by? Week 36 for Take a Stitch Tuesday already!

The stitch is called Turkman Stitch, also known as double chain stitch. When I first looked at the instructions I thought it was going to be tricky, but it was a very simple stitch to do. Join in by clicking on the link above.

The Sketchbook Project [8,9]

"Below the surface"

This one is an underwater village where the sea people live [there are 6 of them in the picture]

Gesso base because of the thin paper, pen, brush pens, watercolours

Green Embroidered Cushion

 A friend was having a sort out and gave me some leftover hand dyed fabric, it was actually a woolen scarf. I have already made a pincushion with this fabric which I posted in May [link], so the remainder I have made into a cushion. I had to cut bits & bobs to make it into a square and I have trimmed the tassels as they were rather long. Everything has been hand stitched with a pearl cotton [blanket stitch] including round the edge and incorporating the fabric on the back of the cushion [which is not the wool.] The big problem now is, how do I get the creases out, they are being very stubborn.

The Sketchbook Project 30-31 & Rats

Another couple of pages for The Sketchbook Project - my theme is 'below the surface'

These bats are below the surface of the cave. I used a black pen for the outline and brush pens for colouring in [I think the background looks a bit messy] The bat in front facing the other way is glued on, although his wings are not stuck down.

I must be still in halloween mode, say hello to my new pet, Ratty. Isn't he cute?