My journal challenge glimpses inside

The frontispiece of the journal and the center showing 3d butterflies and stitching.

My challenge entry

I made a journal using the picture.

Aged the photo and collaged the cover with lace, paper scraps, stamping and trims.

The pages are made from watercolor paper, stained on the edges, each has a small vintage motif added.

I created a sewn binding and tied my journal with vintage ribbon accented with glitter.

Thanks to Beachys Cape Cod Cupboard for this. I did enjoy the challenge.

Nostalgia

Remember when we had time to crochet?

I can still see the ladies in my farm area tatting and doing fancywork.

So excited to see the doily article in Country Living.

Basket is some of my collection.

Bloomin, Saturday and bananas

Right outside my door,

Capturing the colors.

Doll and a box

The doll is called a half doll and is a pincushion. I created this for my oldest daughter. I also painted the half doll. Bought it from a lady in Australia.

Box one of many I make, this one is from a class I taught.

Also in Oz. Judith and Kathryn were the hosts.

Lahaina in Maui

This old Pirates' Lair is quaint with history, fishing and good food.

Shopping not too bad either.

Some purses and a doll

The purses are sold but are for your perusal.

I usually have a theme in mind when I make some art.

La vie en rose, was inspired by the movie of Edith Piaf's life.

Loved it.

The lace purse was a Marie picture captured on silk, that I bought in NZ. Used old laces, it was used as a Bridal bag.

The doll is a Parlor doll, the idea came from Australia where I taught some classes and we created dolls and purses.

She sits on a sofa or bed, is large, about 24" long.

She was made for Flights of Fancy.

art

I like to decorate bottles.

This is tiny and cute.

A postcard from me

Such things,

dreams are made of.

Running away to a deserted Island

Living on coconuts and sun

Imagine!

Picture off a card found at Crabtree and Evelyn.

Up country Maui

A visit to the Lavender farm.

Don't you love

the matching bench?

Phoebe and Marie

Playing with some collage.

These are 6X6" book boards.

I was doing some doodling on the projects to set a mood.

I hoped anyway that would be the result.

I like color if that is not apparent by now.

Clean art and no uglies, that is my style.

From the Islands

Little birdie sitting by the sea.

Very friendly, the whole family were together.

Some of our Island baskets I thought looked Artsy and fibrous.

I do appreciate the handwork in these, the colors and patterns are so warm.

Hope Easter week was a good one for all

Had a very nice week with family.

Missed everyone.

Will try to update as the week unfolds.

Meantime here is an Easter tree spotted at a local chocolate shop.

Yum!

Making some Postcard pouches for evening theatre trips

I enjoy silk and use it almost always for stitchery.

The best I find is Dupionni silk, love the shimmer and the slubs. You can dye it, fray it for ruffles and crinkle it up. Lots more.

The ruffle edge on the valentine is frayed silk.

These pouches are still being created so there is a way to go yet. Anyway here they are so far.

One uses my crinkle technique. The dark green one.

Here is the way I do it. Wet the silk and twist it tightly. Undo it carefully and put on an old sheet and press with a hot iron till dry. Keep wrinkled. Then iron onto some woven interfacing.

Words are used a lot in my work as you may notice.

I like the way they set a feeling or mood.

Birds gone.

They left today and I removed the old nest. Did not actually see them leave.

Time to water the plant and move on.

Picture in NZ, on beach where the movie The Piano was filmed.

Fabric delights

Bolts of fabric de Provence.

Such exotic colors influenced by India and the Spice trade.

I wanted some but took only photos.

I feel like flowers today

Pretty blossoms everywhere.

They signal Spring.

These I took in France

Chinese influence in Hawaii

Downtown Honolulu has a very intriguing chinatown.

Displayed here are herbs and food gleaned from different stalls.

Such an explosion of smells and color.

Good food and cheap eats.

Love
the paper bag 'pots'

The three doves today

Here is proud mother and babes.

They were cooing and flapping their wings a lot today. Be off soon.

Downtown Honolulu

We do have a very lovely array

of buildings and trees in the city.

The Iolani palace is the only true one in America, the royals are long gone.

Friday at noon the Royal Hawaiian band plays for an hour under the trees on the lawn and we can take a lunch and listen and enjoy some beautiful Hula.

It is one of the beautiful things about Hawaii.

One of three spice bags from Morrocco

I have 3 of these bags as a feature in Somerset Haute handbags so watch for them out soon I think.

I took 3 differing shapes and collaged fabrics and trims on top. Then I embroidered them in an exotic fashion and added lots of beads and shoulder cords to tie and put on your camel's saddle or tie on your own waist.

They are fairly small so could double for cell phones too.

Fragrant cushion

Filled with Lavender, a special scent for me.

So easy, just a small pillow with a doily wrapped around and sewn in place. The I added pink tulle threaded through a buckle and tucked an old postcard under it.

I have seen these used as a brooch cushion too.

Little bird update

They are much bigger now.

Have stripes, don't know how that happened. Not on the mother. Expect they will fly soon. Saw the Mum feeding them, so much fun to watch.

Books and boxes

Some old books I like and two boxes I created.

The heart box is from Sandra Evertson's book. I did say I really like that one.

Cottage bread recipe

Lilla’s Bread cottage style. Picture below.

Bread flour 3 cups
1 tsp. salt
1 Tablespoon yeast
½ stick soft marg.
1 cup or more tepid water.
Put it all in a large bowl and mix well, add more water if needed to make a softish dough.
Knead 5 mins. Replace in bowl, cover and rise till double.
Oven 400
Cookie sheet with parchment lining it.
Flatten dough on floured surface.
Divide into 1/3 and 2/3
Put bigger piece on cookie pan, make dent in center and add smaller piece dough. They should be both in a round shape.
Dust with flour.
Dust fingers well and poke a hole in bread till you reach bottom of dough.
Slash the sides of the loaf cutting all way to the pan. It will start to spread out so put into the oven at once and bake for 30 mins.
Cool on wire rack, you know how to eat it right? Pull it into chunks and slather with butter. Yumm.

Pink rose for Mum

Another easy craft. Love this flower. A bunch look pretty in a vase for Mother's day giving.

Spray with her favorite scent.

Bias silky fabric cut 3 x 20". Fold it in half and gather on the machine again.

No need to pull up too tightly.

Wrap around a stamen stitching as you go. Add a velvet leaf on a wire for a bit of elegance.

The wire part of the stamen can be re-inforced with more florists wire and then wrapped with something green. I used seam binding.

Make a little ruff of more binding to glue around the top of the wire to cover everything neatly.

Quick and pretty , don't you think?

Another organza version, No leaf.

These look great on a tote or hair clip, or even a brooch.

Just sew a brooch finding to the back.

Funky flower lesson.

I love making all kinds of flowers.

Thought I could show you how I do a couple of ideas.

Both involve ruching, I do it by machine so it is easy.

Gather a strip of organza, 3 x 12". Pull threads tightly.

It will become a flower shape.

Add a circle of felt sewn to the back and a center of some sort.

Center ruff, I wrapped a 1" curtain ring with threads. Sewed the center to hold it together. Cut around edge and popped it out.

Add beads or buttons inside the circle.

For the version here I added silk leaves and I cut into the ruffle for petals.