Update.

For the latest news on the Butterfly Effect click on the link
http://twodressesstudio.blogspot.com/2010/10/butterfly-effect-update-8-fragile-hope.html

Tonight......

I have finished cutting around the flowers.  I won't have much to show over the next few days as my mother is coming to stay and we are out and about visiting.  Life should be back to' normal' Monday.

Slow progress.

My evening has been spent cutting away the excess fabric from around my stitched flowers, just on half way, another evening's cutting should see this stage finished.

Sampling continued.

Stitching on this sample panel is now complete, now soaking to dissolve the water soluble fabric. Not a very good photo, due to the length and light.  I hope to start cutting away the surplus fabrics tomorrow night.
Almost forgot to say, if you have time and want to try a new recipe, you need to make Alisa's cinnamom rolls, they are quick and very tasty.

Bargain beads.

After my hospital appointment, I had to go into Basildon to get various bits and pieces for either the home  or my family.  I could have spent a fortune (if I had won the lottery) in Fabric Warehouse.  They had so many wonderful fabrics, I wanted to re-dress all my windows.  I must confess to buying a small piece of sheer here, they had a cherry red colour, just what I needed.
In the town centre, I found the blue beads for 25p in Primark (it's a plaited headband).  The other beads are some necklaces at £1 each- all these beads for £3.25!

 I got up early this morning as my cough was disturbing hubby.  It also meant that I needed to do something quiet while the rest of the household was asleep, so I finished off drawing my pattern onto the water soluble film.

Chores completed once everyone was awake, it was then onto sorting out my sheers into colour groups.  I had to do it on my bedroom floor to have enough space to lay them out.   Seeing all my sheers like this, I am beginning to wonder if I have a bit of a problem - sheeraholic?????

These are the ones that I wont be using for my project.
I then had to stop playing to go to a friends 60th birthday get together.  Lovely to see so many friends and have a good natter, we stayed there alot longer than I had anticipated.

I have managed to get about a quarter of the way down my sample panel.  I want to try and get this panel finished by the next meeting of FET so that Pauline will be able to see the effect that I am trying to create.  A lot of work to do!

Although it is half term this week, it is going to be very busy with three hospital appointments and then Thursday onwards we will driving up and down motorways visiting relatives.

I have not been able to take part in Sunset Sunday this week, as I have been getting out of work too late to see any. :0(

Butterflies.

I had an update this morning on the' Butterfly Effect' being organised by Trudi.  My butterflies have arrived at last, taking them  three weeks to fly to Canada., at least they got there safely.  My butterflies are in the row on the far right, 2nd from top and bottom  Some of the children at my school are going to be particip.ating in this event.  If you want more information on this, please click on the button in my sidebar.

Success!

We managed to find the cooker hood the right size and colour and the tiles for the walls. It is just a case now of waiting for everything to be delivered.  While I was In Chelmsford, I just had to buy just a few more sheers for the box.
I had a lovely evening babysitting my Grandsons, hubby came with me and I can't remember when w have sat together on the couch for so long.

I've got that Friday feeling!!!

Before starting work I popped into Craft Arena to  buy yet more water soluble film and collect the latest Somerset Studio magazine.  As I am babysitting my grandsons tomorrow night and I don't have any hand stitching to take with me, I shall have the time to sit down and  have a leisurely read of it.

The lady whose shorts I repaired was pleased with what I had done for her and bought me this beautiful Chrysanth as a 'thank you'.
Tomorrow we are off to find a cooker hood the right size for my range (it is on order but out of stock at the moment);0(

Flower samples continued.

These are the samples I made yesterday, what a difference taking the picture in daylight makes! 

S'more.

I have finished making another five flower samples.  A completely different colour combination, and it has not photographed well in the artificial light, so I will try and remember to do one early tomorrow morning after I have mounted them into my sketchbook.  I  hope to start making a panel at the weekend  so I can see the overall effect.

A few samples.

I have enjoyed sampling different ideas for my flowers tonight.  I don't like the velvet centre, bottom left, you can't see the stitching and is far too heavy on the sheer flower, I will stick with just sheers, but you don't know until you try!

Why is it.......

That people think that just because you enjoy creating textiles, that you also enjoy mending?
I wish that I could say 'no' as well.  A lady at work who has given me some lovely bits of fabric for me to play with (hence not being able to say no) had ripped her shorts and asked me to mend them by Friday for her holiday to somewhere hot.  Job done :0( 

Jimi Hendrix 2

Started off the evening making a few flowers in sheers so that I can do some more sampling on them.  While they were drying out after being washed to remove the Romeo, I did the hand stitching on Jimi.  He is now soaking.  I hope he wont need botox! 

Calorie free!

My daughter popped in very briefly this morning to deliver a belated card and present from one of our friends.  On opening the box, I found this lovely handmade pincushion-too good to use!

I had to take my son to Chelmsford yesterday as he is unable to drive and needed to pop into the office before starting sick leave. That gave me a chance to pop to Moulsham Street to collect a few more sheers for my next project.
This morning I have been finishing typing up the minutes of last nights AGM and sorting out other EG work.  Now I'm off to work.

Inspired by Lynda Monk.

Tonight at our Embroiderers' Guild meeting, we had our AGM.  Once all the necessary business was over, one of our members gave a brief talk on her work.  She showed us the most beautiful cobweb felt scarves she had made and I think, no, I know, we will be asking her to do a workshop for us.  It was then 'show 'n' tell'.  We had a member, on her visit back to her home country of Denmark, find some vintage dance costume and  Nickie was  willing to  model the socks!

I won this glass cup for a piece of work inspired by a workshop.
 I expect you can guess that it was the workshop that I did with Lynda Monk.  While surfing the net I came across the artist Benita Murray.  She makes sculptures in different metals.  On finding a piece of her work that looked like a metal collage, I knew just what I wanted to try and make for my entry.

 Still working on my 60's theme as you can see by the Quant flowers.

I used two types of xpandaprint to create the different textures in my piece.  I enjoyed experimenting to create this piece.

Not even 1 stitch!

Admiring again my Mail Art  this morning, on turning it over, I took more notice of the stamps.  The clock one would look lovely in a mixed media collage I think

My Grandsons came round to celebrate my birthday today.  What with  my altered working hours and their early bedtimes we could not get together on the actual day.   So just like the Queen I celebrated twice.
Alan and I have worked all day and into the evening and now my kitchen has been restored to order.  The cooker is going to be ordered tomorrow.
It is our AGM tomorrow at EG, and several weeks ago a kind lady donated some books and equipment for our YE group.  I sorted through them and selected suitable books to keep for the YE library.  The remaining books are going to be sold at tomorrows meeting to raise funds for our YE, so, tonight I have been on Amazon, checking book prices.  All the books are now priced and packed, just hope I can fit everything in my car.
Managed to get a few of the tender plants in the greenhouse but alas, nothing creative today!

Sunset Sunday

I took this photo last night for the weekly Sunset Sunday photo. If you click on the image you  will get a  better look at  the birds coming into roost- pure luck!

Sunny Sunday

The sun is shining and I want to be in the garden getting my tender plants in the greenhouse , but I am back to sorting out the kitchen.

Cottenham

 A busy day at Cottenham, catching up with everyone's news, painting fabrics to make a pad folio and discussing our next project and exhibition.

Here is the pad folio under construction.
I have got the go ahead to make my 12 panels, so on the way home, I did a rather large detour to go to the Cheap Shop at Tiptree to see what sheers they had in stock.  I got there at 5.15 to find they shut half an hour early on a Saturday:0(  I will try and get there on my next free Saturday, not sure when that is at the moment.

There was a beautiful sunset for my drive, so decided to head to the local reservoir to take a photo of it there.  The sun had set by the time I got there, but loved the colours of the foliage on the trees.

I have spent the evening sorting out and de-cluttering my kitchen cupboards ready for when my new cooker comes.  As it will be larger than the one I have got now, Hubby has been playing kitchen fitter today. 

More sorting to do tomorrow:0(

Kezzy has had a good day at the stables, her riding instuctor thinks she is a natural at jumping.  'Thank you' that lady for giving Kezzy's self esteem a much needed boost.

Mail art

This beautiful piece of mail art arrived from the USA today while I was at FET.  It was only posted Tuesday, I cant believe how quickly it got here.Even Hubby passed comment on how lovely it was.  Thank you! Cynthia. 

Just a quickie

Only embellished this sample as it is the one I prefer of the two I made.  My bags are packed ready for an early start tomorrow.  Nickie can't make the FET meeting as she has family commitments.  It is going to be a very quiet journey to Cottenham!
Rhodri has come home tonight on crutches.  He played football last night and had an accident, not that he told me.  He went to work this morning but was sent home.  After being sent to the hospital by our doctor, spending several hours in the A&E and threats of an op', it has was decided he has only torn his quad and not ruptured it. :0)

Samples almost finished.

The excess fabric has been cut away and additional flowers stitched on top.  Tomorrow I shall embellish my samples.  If Pauline gives the go ahead on Saturday, for this piece of work, there will be twelve panels and the length of each panel will be 68'' long. (the flowers have not photographed in their true colour in the artificial light)
Jimi Two is nearly finished, I have got my two sewing machines set up so that I can jump from one project to the next without having to change, needles, thread, bobbins and tension.

Yesterday.

I had a lovely birthday yesterday and felt quite spoilt.  I managed to stitch two small samples last night and hope to do some more work on them tonight. All being well I will have some idea of where I am going by the time Saturdays FET meeting on Saturday.

Sample time.

Here is my first sample towards my next piece, hopefully.  Having drawn my pattern out, I have traced a small section onto tissue paper and cut it out.  As I am wanting to use sheers again, tissue paper gives a similar idea as to how it will look in sheer fabric  The idea that I am thinking of, is to do long thin panels in a single colour.  Too late to start on  my next sample, so off to do a bit to Jimi Two.

Light bulb moment????????Not sure

We have our EG Branch AGM next Monday, so I have been trying to get all the paperwork sorted  early, just in case I have overlooked something.
Jimi is on the back burner temporarily as I have our FET meeting on Saturday.
We have been asked by Pauline to go with our sketchbooks with ideas for our next project ready for our next exhibition at AVG.  I would like my next piece to relate to my previous work of either the black and white vessel or my flower panel and I couldn't decide how I was going to do this. I have had several trains of thought, but nothing that felt right.  This evening I had an idea, so I have been busy drawing up  pattern ready to stitch tomorrow evening. At least I might now have a sample to show in Saturday.  I will show photo's as soon as I have completed my sample.
Rhodri, my son has just been in to my playroom to see me.  He wants ME to make him a piece of textile art!!!!  I cant believe it!!

Mail Art

I have just had an email from Cynthia St. Charles telling me that my name has been dawn to win a piece of her art.
I am sooooo chuffed!!!!  I will post a picture of it when it arrives

A little taster.

A good journey meant that we arrived at Ally Pally with time for a coffee and Danish before the doors opened. It also gave us a chance to go through the catalogue and plan our day.

As soon as we were through the door we bumped into Christina of small Chat, so that is where we started.  I loved Christina's books and we were hoping that she could bring them to our Show ' n' Tell at our next meeting but the exhibition will be onto it's next venue.  So hopefully she will bring them next year, to show our members.  The it was onto Clyde Olliver.  We first saw his work at the NEC a couple of years ago.  I loved these three pieces, and he kindly let us take photo's and posed for us .

Deirdre Hawkins had created some wonderfully calorie free desserts, so many to choose from, it is hard to believe they are not real.

 We bought Maggie's new book and watched her demo Collagraphy.  Lots of wonderful work to look at too!

 This is just part of a paper cut installation.  I reckon it must have been 12' tall and there were separate hanging layers of beautifully cut foliage. 

 Checked out the Embroiderers' Guild stand, such a pity they don't let anyone take photo's.
 I am sure bloggers will recognise the lovely brooches above, that were on the 'Stitch' stand.

 There was an exhibition of Julia Caprara's work, such an amazing use of colour!. Lots of students in here drawing and taking pictures.

 We have been on  two courses at Missendon with Sheelagh Stevens, and she omitted to mention that she would be exhibiting at AP as a member of Bolt.  It was lovely to see her and catch up on all her news.  Nickie and I are hoping to meet up with her when she is back in London.  
There was lots more to see but as there were exhibitions stands that didn't allow photo's, I cant show you any of their work.

 No visit to AP would be the same without an ice cream before the journey home.

Here is Nickie staggering back to the car with all her buys.  We were lucky to be given some tubes, so now we can create more vessels ala Lynda Monk.  Awful journey home, the roads around AP were like a car park!
A great day, it is lovely to have this exhibition quite close to hand, as we get to meet and talk to so many people that we know, otherwise we might have ended up spending more money.  LOL

I have come home and not spent over my budget.  My best buys of the day was at Empress Mills.  4 bundles of Egyptian cotton for £5, they weigh half a kilo each. The other was, Maderia Rayon 40 threads, £1 reel.

Jimi Two

Not a very productive day!
First of all I had to go into school, as it was Open Day.  Then when that was finished, off to Basildon to look at cookers!  I have been saving for a new cooker for some time now, but have put off getting it as I can't face the upheaval, that getting a new one involves.  With time running out,(we want to get it before VAT goes up) today was the day. I need a range for cooking family meals, it has to be gas, not dual fuel, I don't need 8 burners, I don't want the grill in the big oven and last of all it has to be in my budget range- not a lot to ask for.  Can I find the right cooker? We have done Comet and Curry's  and we have been searching the Internet.  Found the right one, but I think there is a mistake in the info as I have never heard of a fan assisted gas oven. wouldn't it blow the flame out?  We will be ringing the company tomorrow to clarify this. 
So eventually I got to go to my playroom and having attacked Jimi with the iron, he is in need of a touch of botox.  So I am trying again, I hope this one is wrinkle free!
Ally Pally tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!

:0) It's Friday!!!!!!!!

Jimi seems to have survived the wash, I now need to attack him with my iron, but not tonight.  Denise asked what I though he might be doing if he was still alive.  He would be drawing a pension for one thing, as he would now be 68!

Tonight, Hubby has given me my birthday present early so I can spend it at Ally Pally on Sunday:0)  He is after Brownie points as he bought me 'boys toys'  last Christmas! He bought me Mazda mud flaps,a Mazda car Aeriel, Mazda baseball hat and key ring and a sat nav (we already had one)  It was nearly a divorce I can tell you.  I did threaten to buy him nice threads and beads for  this Christmas. LOL
My shopping list for Sunday is getting longer by the day!

Jimi

After at least twelve hours of machine stitching, Jimi is now in soak to dissolve the water soluble film away.  Fingers crossed, that all the machine stitching hasn't distorted the fabric too much.  I'll find out later, won't I?

Think I need to do some weeding!!

Wall hanging and Jimi

Completed painting and embellishing my wall hanging today.  I can now wrap this up ready to give to my cousin. 

I need to spend time on the computer, manipulating the photo's for the journal, but to be honest, as I am a novice with photoshop, I would rather be stitching.  I will have to talk to my son Rhodri very nicely I think.

As you can see Jimi is progressing, I can't wait to see how Artymess is doing her  Jimi Hendrix piece. 

You need to make this.

Yesterday, I made  Healthy Banana loaf that was posted here on Alisa's blog.  It was a 'thank you' for the staff at work for covering my 3 weeks of absence. An easy recipe, and everyone loved it, you should give it a try.

I had a call from the hospital this week, to ask why I hadn't gone for my heart scan.  The reason- they didn't send me my appointment.

If I hurry up and get my chores done,  might get a little bit of stitching done before work.

Can you guess who it is yet??

As Rolf Harris would say!  I have finally found some machine needles in my day class bag, that the fabric and thread like.  So have managed to stitch quite a bit tonight.  One of my colleagues at work has been asking me to make a Jimi Hendrix embroidery, since Easter, (she also wants me to make a guitar !)   

The binding's are on my hanging now, and before doing some work on Jimi, I finished painting the foreground.  Tomorrow night I will work on the sky.

So frustrating!!

All being well, I should finish my Hundertwasser style wall hanging tomorrow.  I didn't get much stitching done at work today because my glasses went AWOL.  After scouring the staffroom and classroom they turned up under the painting rack.  I don't know how they got there!
I have tried to start a picture for a member of staff tonight, but tried both sewing machines and every size machine needle in my collection, tension up, tension down,  and the thread still kept breaking! Time to call it a night!

6 sleeps to go.

Nickie and I are going to Ally Pally for the Knitting and Stitching show on Sunday.  I have started writing my list of all the things I NEED to buy.  If I stick to only what is on my list, I will have a very healthy bank  account. The thing is you always see so much that isn't on your list and just cant live without!

Having had such a busy weekend, I have not been able to do much work on my wall hanging.  As it is hubby's birthday, I am going to sit downstairs with him (for a change) and stitch the bindings down.
The news from my brother who filming the Commonwealth Games in India is, that when they had a rehearsal at the Stadium on Friday, the electrics were wrong and the electricians were having to re-do it.  I hope they get all sorted for the opening Ceremony.  

Cottenham

Nickie and I were in Cottenham today for the Embroiderers' Guild Regional A.G.M.  Anthea Godfrey came and told us about her work to increase the profile of our Guild.  We shall be able to see this for ourselves when it is unveiled at K&S on Thursday.
After the A.G.M., we had a slide show presentation by Sarah Brownie, daughter of Valerie Campbell-Harding.  It was all about how to use Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.  She talked us through photo manipulation and demonstrating on her lap top, a lot of us wanted to join the CDTG there and then.

Our Regional Chairman had set  challenge for Guild and Y.E members.  The tittle was 'Simply Gardens'.  Our Y.E.'s made their gardens yesterday with paint, fabric, stitch and embellishments.  Our Y.E's were the only group to enter the challenge, so we came home with all three prizes ( one prize for each age group).  These 'gardens' were made in just over 3 hours.  The tree in the bottom row, centre, was made by a young lady who had to leave early, she was frantically trying to make and stitch more apples on her tree before she left, but ran out of time.

For those of you who don't know, Y.E., is the children's version of Embroiderers' Guild.  Our Branch gives them 6 workshops a year.