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.

Trees with my gocco - step by step

I have been playing with my new gocco and as I love trees so much I decided to create a screen from a photograph I had taken. Here is a photo of the results:

I thought I would share with you how I got to the final stage.

Step 1: Find a suitable photo which using a programme such as photoshop elements can be converted into black and white.

Step 2: I decided to reverse it and make it small emough to fit on my Gocco screen when I photocopied.

Step 3: Flash a screen with your gocco bulbs and then begin to print. I used a high mesh screen and fabric inks.

New ideas

I have been thinking of ways to get work onto canvas. I thought I would show you how I achieved this piece:

Step 1 - Find a butterfly that will hold still!!

Step 2: Using a photo editing software add a frame (great groups on flickr for this)

Step 3: Using a piece of text from an old family postcard add a layer of text

Step 4: Make the picture the size of the canvas

Finally I stuck a piece of ribbon around the edge of the canvas.

Restful weekend

We went to Bristol for the weekend to see De La Soul. They have been around 20 years and still great, they were one of the best groups I have seen in a while, got really involved with the crowd.


Saw this great gallery called Snap just the kind of thing I would love to be part of. Bought some fabric in Ikea,

Can't wait to make some bags from it. Bought 2 fab books: The sew it kit by amy butler and Last minute fabric gifts.

They are both gorgeous and I can't wait to make things from them. I would definately recoment the amy butler kit as a gift for someone.

Haven't had a sale on my shop for a while. Can only think I haven't been uploading enough new stuff, last 2 months were bang on with how much I wanted to sell and then this month, oh dear! I even had a special offer on, they are obviously not worth it. Well good news is I have some custom orders so at least I have time to get on with them. Hey ho.

I have returned.

Well that was a weird week. The strangest inspection I have had. Felt very strange the day after, like they may just come back. Now i feel relaxed. I can get back to making and doing the things I had to put on stand-by.

Went to Tescos this morning and they had a clothes sale on, bought several plain t-shirts to try Gocco printing on.

Finally got the photos of my camera from the Pamper evening that I had a stall at. Sorry they are a bit hard to see by they were in a school hall and I used my old camera.

Must just show you all this photo of 2 damselflies that flew into my house the other day. They landed on the curtain net, managed to get them out through the window.

One last things - Special offer - Spend $10 or more (£5) and get a free

brooch of your choice on my etsy shop - Sequin Girlie. Come along and have a look.

It has finally arrived - the inspection.

On wednesday the school I work at will be inspected. We are doing a good job I believe but it is still stressful. I feel nervous about what I might be asked. Fairly sure I know the answers but that doesn't stop me worrying. So roll on Wednesday evening. Slept really badly last night. Fell asleep fine but couldn't stay asleep for long. Spent the afternoon laying on the sofa watching films, What's eating gilbert grape and Hero. Love both of them. Doubt I will blog much this week.

I just want to sleep properly. Think I might have a play with my Gocco, how i love it.

Whooh

Got an order for a fabric journal for somebodies daughter's 21st birthday. Luckily it is not till August so I have time to make it. It will be one similar to this one

Must finish the 2 bags I am working on for commission at the moment. The weather is fab and so I have been down the allotment instead.

Must share this photo that I was able to take whilst out in the garden at the weekend. I often have trouble with butterflies as they are just so flighty!!

my new bags using my gocco printer.

Went down well

These are my first set of cards created with my new gocco printer. Oh how much I love it.

The pamper evening I attended at a local school was a success. I sold my poppy picture, which was a bit of a wrench, 3 bags and 2 brooches. Couldn't have hopped for better.

On a completely random subject, went to see the new russell brand film, forgetting sarah marshall, it is very funny but rude, wasn't ready for a full male frontal!!

Soooo tired

Why can't I sleep properly. I can get to sleep but come the early hours thats it, I am aawake. Trouble is I feel so tired but I don't want to sit still, I want to be making things, I have so many ideas buzzing round my head. I have so much I want to do in the day, I love my life I don't want to waste it sat still resting.

Managed to find the time - even though I would love a time slowing down machine.

Wow, feel almost ready for the big inspection at work and also for the pamper evening that I am having a stall at.

Thank goodness for the Bank holiday, making it a three day weekend!!!

Managed to make and finish several bags and made a new batch of brooches. Completely different from before. They were inspired by a bag I made using some Liberty fabric.