Screen-printing course?

Spring has arrived here, but I'm still having a cold. Tissue time is not over yet. Some time ago I have sewn a set of tissue pouches and one of them is in my handbag all the time. Lovely project for small scraps of fabric. I used my screenprinted constellation fabric. Would you like learn how to screen-print too? The Grafisch Atelier in Den Bosch has some spots available at the crash course (april 16th) and basic course (may 9th, 23rd and 30th) in screen-printing.

Happy holidays!

Christmas cards..., always a last minute project over here. Last week I quickly had to come up with a design because two days later the Grafisch Atelier would close for holidays. I screen-printed dopamine, serotonine and acetylcholine on sturdy craft paper. Later stamped the happiness hormones' names on it. And 'find happiness in yourself' on the back. Some cards will probably reach their destination in time for Christmas, most of them won't. Those recipients will get a new years' card.

Squeezed-in me-time

On FB I saw a workshop in screen printing come across on Thursday. Making your own Warhol Marilyn Monroe-like portrait in one afternoon, on this saturday. I could fit it right in on the, like always, busy saturday thanks to husband (took kids to hockey, horse riding and art class). The workshop was in the Grafisch Atelier in Den Bosch (organized by Wave of Tomorrow, taught by Bianca Tangande). The real work, making the screen, was already done for me when I arrived, so I could start with the fun part right away. I made these portraits, of the daughters, with one screen and cut out templates of paper. Loved the process and will surely try this again. When you live in the neighbourhood, make sure to check out the courses given in the Grafisch Atelier!

Getting ready

In between getting the house ready for the summer-holiday-swap and entertaining the kids, I took some time to make myself a nice large make-up bag. Big enough to also fit regular bottles of shampoo and conditioner. I really need to print another batch of the geo-fabric soon, because these were almost the last pieces. The lining is from Petit Pan, sale item at Van Marieke. The pouch is already waiting between the other holiday stuff for next saturday.

Girls night

N was invited to her first sleepover party. She was very excited. The birthday girl asked earrings. So we bought a set and N made a pair herself. Together we transformed a basic wooden container into a girly jewellery box. Prints on top, paper and felt inside. N enjoyed herself at the party. She has no talent for falling asleep, so you can trust her to keep the company awake (till 2 am! I think I would have intervened)!

A morning of me-time

I've been screen printing in the completely renewed Grafisch Atelier in the Willem II sigarenfabriek today. I printed mermaids, drawn by our youngest, on fabric. All fabrics came out of the 1€-bin in the fabric store. I'm still not sure what I'm going make out of the prints. Maybe small wallets like we made for our eldest. Other suggestions for a quick (we'll have to make 10) project, as party favors for 8/9 year olds?

Het is echt een topdag vandaag

One day I found a little note in the kitchen. Written by our 8-year-old daughter. 'It really is a great day today', it said. On a regular, nothing special, weekday. I got all emotional about it and wanted to do something with this special note. I added an illustration and together we made two-coloured gocco prints. And put one on the wall in our living room, to remind us to live by the moment. Need a reminder too? I have put some prints up for sale on etsy. You'll find them here. Could also be nice sinterklaas or christmas gift.

One of a kind

Everyone can make monoprints. The girls and a friend tried last week and, after some hesitation in the beginning, experimented with various types of paint and paper, different techniques of applying paint and second prints. Each time a surprise when they pulled off the paper from the painted glass. Above my personal favourites. A nice autumn holiday craft: take some flat (plexi)glass (from an old frame fe), let the children (quickly) paint on it and lay a piece paper on the paint. Rub softly and pull off again. And there's a unique piece of art!

Monoprinting

After selecting the books, it was time for the empty frames. So may of them lying around. I kept the good ones and threw away the less beautiful and damaged ones. Except for the glass. The flat glass is perfect for rolling out printing ink. And also for making monoprints. Above some of my test prints, to see if this would be a technique for the kids. It is. Not only for kids. I really liked how the print on the right turned out.

Sneak preview

When I called the workshop, where I do my screen printing, two days ago to set a date for printing my holiday cards, they told me that the atelier would close for two months for a re-location. Starting next weekend! My only opportunity to print was yesterday. Stress! I didn't have a design yet. A drawing of our little one saved me. For the first time I did a two colour screen print. Not perfect, but I still love the result. I'm starting to get addicted to screen printing.

Presents

Bag-in-bag, pencil case, make-up pouch? It is what you want it to be. My handprinted geo fabric on the outside and a silver quilted fabric (thanks, Yvonne) on the inside. I found it hard to part with them, but they're both given away already.

Simple solution

All wrapped up, the invites are finally in the mail. I meant to buy pretty envelopes, but being ill kept me at home. So I started to experiment with my inkjet printer on in stock brown envelopes. Never tried it before, but it's really easy to do. And the results are pretty nice. Envelope problem solved.

Party preparations

Still wobbly on my legs, I went to the atelier to print invitations. Invites for our feast in november. A while ago our youngest had calculated that we're now 99 years old with the four of us. The first birthday (mine) will make us 100! A good reason for a party, don't you think? The girls made festive drawings which I combined into this screen print. Printed on pieces of fabric. Almost ready to be send.

Fluo

These and these pillow cases are now replaced by the ones above. They are the first products made from my recently screen printed fabric. I really love how the cases turned out, with the duo coloured background and piping around. The pictures are not showing them off very well. They colours are better in real life. Here's a tutorial for sewing a pillow case with piping.

Many projects to come

Last week I have been screen printing in Het Grafisch Atelier. How to make a photographic screen completely left my mind, so I needed more help than expected. But talented designer Lara de Greef showed me one more time how to do it. I printed two rounds on cotton cloth. One with tomato red, the other in fluo pink. The last one worked really well with the geometric design. The first project with my new fabric is already under construction.

Pretty patterns

I'm a newsletter fan. It pops in your e-mailbox, you have a quick look and often discover the nicest opportunities. That way I came across a screen printing workshop at the Textiel Museum. Just a sunday afternoon, I probably would have filled with ironing otherwise, spent very well. Basic printing with a screen, tape and stencils. I tried to make a DNA profile-like print (genetics is one of my favourite subjects). The workshop was taught by Veronica Vaes, a good and practical teacher. I found you some diy-screen printing tutorials to try it yourself: printing with a stencil, screen made from a pantyhose or with curtain sheer.

Avoiding work

Anne is my second name. Nice neutral name for a doll. I screen printed a lot of doll-pattern-panels with Helmi some time ago, but never came to put one together till now. Not that I have enough time, but sometimes one has to divert the mind. I will place some panels in my etsy-shop soon.

Party favours

On friday she had her real birthday and treats at school. On saturday she treated her hockey team. Sunday she had her party for the family. And tomorrow she will have her party-party for friends. Pfff, mama is pretty tired, because there are so many things to do besides all the party preparations. For the key ring wallets I used this fine tutorial. All wallets have different prints. All from one A3-sheet of constellation fabric. But my complete stock of coloured zippers is gone. She will hand these out after the party filled with Mars and Milky Way, to stick to the theme.

Pens and pencils

A pencil case for Cato. Happy birthday! Made from the screen printed star fabric, in yellow and grey. I didn't follow a tutorial. Just 2 outer and 2 inner pieces of fabric. Each 22 cm wide on top, 26 cm wide in the bottom and 15 cm high. The extra width below is for making a small box bottom. I use this technique to put in the zipper and sew the pieces together.

For my mother

Presents for the best mom there is. She celebrated her birthday yesterday. We bought her a necklace I had my eye on for a while. Ordered at Tas-ka, designed by Studio MHL. Of course we also gave her something hand made. I used my screen printed constellation fabric to sew a pocketbook. Perfect for carrying passports and other travel related documents to their other home in France. And I brought her a Anne-doll panel of which some guests said that I had made a simplified self portrait. I hadn't meant to do so, but there's some resemblance.