I am in love

I am in love with my Gocco printer. Spent several very happy hours this afternoon printing on fabric and paper with my Gocco. I created 2 new images with the special pens to print with, plus I revived one that been wrapped up in the fridge for about a month. Tried one of the master screens to use with fabric like a screen print rather than the machine. Was a little sceptical to begin with but actually gives a great deal of flexibility. The peacock I drew is my new favourite image and I have printed it on a range of fabrics ready for many hours of sewing.

Really love using embossing powder on the greeting cards whilst the ink is still wet, gives such a fantastic effect.

Been making for almost the entire weekend and I can only seem to work well in a mess.

Rush job

Wow, must be getting better at making bags, was able to do a rush order for someone. We had a memeber of staff retire on Friday and on Wednesday I was asked to make her a bag to remind her of Devon when she moved to Spain. Good luck in Spain Stephanie. I managed it, got nothing else done though for 2 evenings but I feel pleased with the results.

Wow, time goes past again so fast

FInally finished the commissioned bag I was making for someone on the theme of Dartmoor.

I am very pleased with how it has turned out. I was hoping work was going to quiten down so i could spend more time making but this does not seem to be happening. ONly 4 weeks till the end of term now. Running a stall at a local summer fair in 2 weeks, need to pull my finger out and finish the things I have been making. Less talk and more action I thinks. Any way here is the finished product:

New Books

Today I am going to blog about some new books I have recently got, I am rarely disappointed by books, I could live in a library, however these ones are particularly good.

The first one is: The Creative License: Giving Yourself Permission to Be the Artist You Truly Are.

I agree the title does make it sound a little corny however it has been very reassuring and encouraging. It contains little mini tasks to do, to get the juices flowing. I found this at just the right time, feeling fed up that nothing has sold in my shop for a month, even though I have had lots of private orders. It is helping to keep me focused on doing things because I love them not to sell. I shall share the results as soon as I have some. Bought a new sketch book yesterday especially.

Book 2: Painted Quilt: Paint and Print Techniques for Colour on Quilts

Wow, it is so imspiring. I have no other books quite like this one. Lots of ideas and quite hard core quilts, no chintz in sight. It really spoke to me. Simple things like applying colour after working on the fabric. Really recommend this to anyone who likes working on fabric and feels like moving their direction.

Book 3: Altered Photo Artistry

Another massive, wow. If you have photoshop or photoshop elements there is loads of really sound advice in here on things to do with it. Within 5 minutes of owning the book I was on the computer and doing a new thing with my pictures and I thought I knew quite a bit already. If you don't have these programmes, good news the book comes with a CD that contains a trial version. I would describe it as a step by step book, but I would say it takes you through the whole process of using your photos on fabric with stitching. Already planning a project using the ideas. Another book with ideas in I have not come across before.

I am a going to be busy playing with all the new ideas I have read over the week end. No more books for a while now so that I can really get into these. Off to finish a commissioned bag inspired by Dartmoor, pictures coming soon.

New bag

I have finished one of the bags that I had been commissioned to make. It uses an altered image of honeysuckle, which can be seen here. I am very pleased with how it turned out as it is a different shape from what I have made before and the longest handle so far. Very pleased with the slider bars I bought from meowcraft, she is a great seller I would recommend her highly.

Almost run out of this material and as it was from a Laura Ashley curtain it has been difficult to get more, have tried. Managed to find something similar though. Hope to make another similar to this for my shop.