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.

The pressure

Work is rather manic at the moment, waiting for the big inspection to land. Find this really annoying as I wanted to spend time making. Been invited to have a stall at a school's pamper evening. Wanted to make some cute stuff but now loads of paper work and marking instead. Good news sold another bag through my shop and taken another custom order. Although it does mean I have one less item to sell through the pamper evening.
Must go now and cut out a few bags.

Busy, busy

Since I went back to work last week life has become a bit of a blurr. One of the bags I made over the holidays was chosen by my work colleague. Then other people started seeing it and now I have people wanting to chat about handbag commissions. It is great but so much for trying to get ahead of myself. Been invited to have a stall at a pamper evening next week. Arrggh need to make some new things for that.
Busy busy, no time to write. Will be back for an update soon.

Brooches and more brooches

I am worried I might getting addicted to making these.

I have finished the ones that were in progress. Need to post one in my shop soon as both the ones that were in there have gone. I had a bit of trouble machine stitching round the ones that already had their pins sewn on so I hand stitched them instead whilst watching Back to the Future 3. I love 80s films. Found the handstitching very relaxing think I should do more of it. Mmm now I must decide which one to post on etsy.

Feeling better.

I feel much better today, not sure if it is to do with the retail therapy I experienced yesterday. Thanks to my friend Jo for being a great shopping companion. Finished my new handbag in time to use it.

Oh and, I sold the flower brooch I had listed in my etsy shop. Very pleased that people/someone likes it. I love my new project in felt brooch making. Scrap that I have no sold both the brooches I had listed. May favourite one, the leaf has gone. Had to spend most of today doing boring paper work, planning lessons, as I am back at work soon. Did fit in a bit of time for some card making.

Just had to share this photo of my cat who was enjoying the sunshine:

Trying to make the most of things and a small rant.

I am now half way through my second week off work. Tried to make the most of the time off to make things but I seem to have hit a wall. Felt very depressed yesterday and tired, doesn't help that I am not sleeping well. Want to look back over the 9 days 8 days I have had a feel I have lots to show for them. Not entirely sure why I feel fed up. Had a great day with my husband on Monday, went to see Jose Gonzalez fantastic singer and guitar player. One small rant though why is it when people go to a gig they insist on talking through the main performer. Don't mind so much through the support. At one point I could barely hear the singing because of the talking, go out to the pub if you want a yap. We had to move away from the worst people. And another thing..! People who constantly use their mobiles when out with someone at a gig. Is it not enough that you are out having a good time with a person you like. Stop thinking about what you think you are missing. TURN OFF YOUR PHONE and live for the moment.

I will watch over it for you!






Right on to lighter things:



Made the most of the sun again yesterday and sun dyed some fabric in pink. I used feather and cut out butterflies and flowers this time.





I have also been working on more brooches but in different colours this time. I think I am liking the leaves more than the flowers now.

I am now off to work on a bag for myself for a change.

Trying to design a screen for printing

I have thought and thought about whether to buy a Gocco machine to print on fabric, and thought some more. Then I saw on wonderful lusummers blog about thermofax who print screens for you. So I think I will have a go at this first. Been spending a lot of the last 2 days working on creating the right image and trying to think how it would work. I would welcome people's opinions. The 2 are of a similar image but have come out quite differently. I am not so keen on the bottom one because part of the flower is cut off. What do you think?

Brooches like tutti fruities

I previously made one of these brooches but now I have gone crazy and made a small batch. Then all began life as pieces of loosely hand made pieces of felt.

Then I free machine embroidered them and hand stitched beads on. I love the way the colours have turned out.

Hope to get some in my shop soon.

New items for blog

I have decided it is time I put more effort into my blog. I am going to big up call textile artist I have met through etsy. However I want to do other things aswell. I was thinking maybe about a tutorial for something I make. If anyone has any suggestions feel free to put them in the comments. We have still been having weird weather. Today in our village only (we were driving back from Tescos in the city and saw the change from rain to our village which looked like a bean bag explosion.) we had hail that was like polystyrene balls. 4 hours later, the sun has been out and it stil hasn't melted. Here is our house and garden:

I have uploaded the first of my new shopping/tote bags to my shop now and it is a bright summer fabric. Makes me feel hopeful that the warmer weather will come.