I finished another sketch book a month or so ago, I shall call it my Tag Book. The book is made with one of those Zutter binders [makes holes at the side & attaches the metal thingy] which I bought last year [& havent used much]. The papers in it are all recycled - envelopes, envelopes inside out [nice patterns on these], packing papers, wrapping paper, card - all things to do with packaging. On each page I have doodled a pattern or drawn a picture, added a tag or two and some collage which includes quite a lot of vintage postcards. On the pictures above, the first image shows what it looked like after I had put the book together but before I started decorating it, the lower image after decorating, plus an image of the tag. Three more pages below, showing before and after views.
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Mexican Birds Mixed Media
These birds were inspired by the ancient drawings of Mexican birds.
The backgound is watercolour paper and I've used handmade rolling stamps to make the pattern with acrylic paints and dyes. Dots were added with the end of a paint brush. The birds have been made and then appliqued onto the backgound.
The bird directly below is made up of faux velvet and the brown parts [they are actually brown with a red print] are a recycled coin purse. [thought I should use some of the 'stash' I have]. He also has a sequin and bead for an eye.
This one is made from suede leather [some dyed] and faux leather.
And this one is made from inkjet prints - paper and lutradur, gold metal and he has a metal button eye.
I made this for the FAMM challenge - 'For the birds'
scroll down the main page on the FAMM site to read about
Monday, 17 May 2010
Sunday, 16 May 2010
Saturday, 15 May 2010
Altered Flower Book p 44, Mail Book - Punch and Judy, Dandelions
This is the last page of the altered flower book. On the left are prints using kiddies foam playing cards, sharpie pens for the flower outline and various paints.
There are a lot of dandelions around here at the moment - a lot of them are in my lawn! They look lovely in flower when there are masses of them together [a host of golden dandelions] They remind me of mini dahlias.
Friday, 14 May 2010
Illustration Friday - Equipment, Mail Book - Robin Redbreast, Altered Flower Book p43
The Illustration Friday Challenge this week is - Equipment
[equipment required at tea time]
Below Mythical Mail Book - Nursery Rhyme
Little Robin Redbreast
Sat upon a tree
Up went pussy cat
down came he
click on the image to enlarge
the flower above is made of dyed honesty seeds, dyed tissue, beads, the leaf is from a bought flower
the orange flower on the left is cut from a crocheted doily, has a large sequin and a bead in the shape of a flower, with another bead on top.
Only one more page to go of the Altered Flower Book
Thursday, 13 May 2010
Altered Flower Book [p 41,42] Mail Book - Buzz Lightyear
fabric flower above, real leaves below
left - painted paper flowers, foxglove - inkjet fabric print
textured paper planets, recycled stamp
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
TAST week 11, Altered Flower Book p40, Mail Book - Wheels
TAST challenge week 11 - Bullion Buttonhole
My sample is a bit messy and I think it is because I used the wrong type of needle. I used a thick thread, cotton pearl 5 and a needle with a very big eye. I will have to get some of the straw or milliners needles that Sharon recommends. Click here for this weeks Tast challenge
Altered Flower Book
Painted pages and recycled snippets from Indian style embroidered clothes

Mythical Mail Book - The wheels of the bus go round and round...
recycled postage stamp
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Altered Flower Book [p39], Mail Book [Pussy Cat], Felt Brooches
the flowers on the left are made from paper and painted [close up below], the one on the right is both fabric an paper, machine stitching, wrapped string [stem], string centre
I took the photo of the wild mouse below, it was eating from a coconut shell in my garden. It looks big below but it was really a tiny cute little thing.
click to enlarge
I thought I would try my hand at making a brooch from felt, then I tried making one in leather [left]
Monday, 10 May 2010
Altered Flower Book [p38] and Mail Book - Dracula
on the right - made flower from dyed fabrics, papers, stitching, string [in the stalk], painted skeleton leaf, on the left - paper flowers, painted with acrylics, pen centres
painted paper and aged with distress ink [click on picture to enlarge]
Sunday, 9 May 2010
Altered Flower Book [p36,37]
flower made from painted papers, organza, machine stitching and string
the poppies on the left are an inkjet print on fabric with machine embroidery
Friday, 7 May 2010
Scissors Keeper, Illustration Friday, Mail x 3, New Rolling Stamps
I quite often doodle while I'm watching TV, but last night I thought I would doodle with a needle & thread instead. I didn't have a pattern, it just developed & I just used a running stitch o keep it simple.
Below is my offering for the Illustration Friday challenge - Fearless. I put two of my doodles together for this. Is the rabbit fearless or just stupid?
Another one - which is the more fearless, the rabbit or the sheep?
Mail - Beauty & the Beast
Peter Pan & Captain Hook
Teddy Bears Picnic
These are 2 new rolling stamps I tried out today - just textured wallpaper on a tube, I cut around the flower
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Take a Stitch Tuesday and Crazy Patchwork Hand Bound Book
This weeks stitch for the Take a Stitch Tuesday challenge is Cloud Filling.
A friend showed me how to book bind last week, which I enjoyed and will do again. I finished the book ends by wrapping the boards with some crazy patchwork and hand embroidery. The book is quite floppy, but it is my first attempt and I now know to do it a lot tighter. [It is easy to open though which is handy for sketching etc] It is also my first attempt at hand embroidered crazy patchwork, although I have done machined crazy patchwork.
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