A Couple of Arches

You may remember that the year long swap on Textile Challenges is on textile arches. The arches measure approximately 8ins x 4ins.

The first arch here is my May arch for Arleee.
When I made this I was doing Terri Stegmiller's Paper Quilt Explorations course and it definitely influenced this arch.

Arlee said she liked "funky" Baroque" and "hot colours"
Well these are cool colours, but there is a touch of baroque in the centre jewel and I think it is very funky.
Arlee liked it and that's what matters ;0)








The second arch was my June arch for Kate.
She said she likes autumn colours and vintage people (dressed or not!)
Well vintage nudes are just my thing.
I had some lovely autumnal fabrics and added a little touch of lace.
The one thing I think it lacked was a feather.
So I am now on the hunt for some lovely feathers.

Oh yes, Kate liked it ;0)

A little Altered Board Book

Over the years I have done quite a few altered books.
I found it really hard to get started with them.
I tried, I really did, to see them as being recycled from an unloved object to a loved one.
I tried not to feel guilty as I "defaced" a book.

All these things add up for someone with a unconditional love of books. I love them in any state you see.
New and smelling of print ink. Old and smelling musty. With pictures in them. With just words in them. Fiction, non-fiction, scientific.
Pages intact. Pages dropping out. Leather bound or paper back. Just any book really.

Being married to a book collector is wonderful to me. My family despair of us and our books.

So I thought that somewhere along the line I would understand why so many people want to alter books. And I think they look fantastic.
Don't get me wrong, I love what you all do with them. I love to see the finished artwork.
But I get palpitations each time I take a paintbrush to one myself.
Roger has encouraged me and brought books home for me that he thinks are just right to be recycled. But I fall in love with that silly book and
just can't hurt it.

So facing the truth I find that I just cannot alter books. I came to this conclusion just after I signed up for an altered mini board book swap. The pictures here are probably my last attempt at an altered book.

I was happy with the finished results even though it turned out darker than I expected and not my usual colours at all.


It did remind me that I do like to use rubber stamps and that I really do love to make embellishments like the one on the front made from a piece of mica tile.

You never know I may give it another go in the future but for now the only books I will be "altering" are sketch books and note books.

Here Kitty Kitty!

Well the wedding of the year (at least in our family) is in 10 days time.
I am dashing round getting things together for the Orders of Service and the Guest Book. Things have dropped so far behind.

On a brighter note as you can see my little kitty bag is finished.
I love him, he is so bright and such fun to use.
My favourite part is his head, I just love his big beady eyes and brightly coloured cheeks.
I gave him a hooked over tail as all the cats we have had have walked with their up like this. We call it trolley bussing! LOL

I haven't got my bag for the wedding yet. It would give everyone a big smile if I used this don't you think!!

Start of the Cat

I am doing Michelle Verbeeck's Cat Sack Class.
This is a wonderful, colourful and funky project.

These are the colours I started out thinking I would use.
As you can see by the layout one 2 of them changed.
I was really excited about it when I saw all the pieces pinned together awaiting quilting.

There is a lot of quilting in this project and it took quite a while but the class isn't rushed and I had plenty of time to keep up.

Once quilted it takes on a character of it's own. It becomes a sturdy piece of fabric and the texture is great.
I used threads for the quilting that matched quite closely but, it would change the look and colour if contrasting thread was used. Next sack forming in my mind.


I love the little points on the front and back. It gives the cat a little tiger feel.

The head was next so watch for that ;0)