Happy Easter!

I have started making the tail feathers now for Peacock number three, as I am away at my mothers for Easter, I will not be making anymore until next week. The feathers are fms on sheers and then cut out with a soldering iron, surprising how long each feather takes to make. 

Instead of taking my mother an Easter Egg, I have made her a sweet tree with her favourite sweets.

These Lillie's were bought for me by my hubby, when I was signed off for a week because of my chest infection and high blood pressure.  Two weeks later, they have now bloomed and my lounge smells lovely.

Making progress.

I have managed to get the beak ( after several attempts)  and the crest on peacock number 3 (I will have to find a name for him). He has had a coat of paint as well.  He needs a second coat but that will have to wait for another day, as there are too many shadows when painting him in artificial light. 

I have also finished embellishing this pot, keeping to the same colour scheme as my other vessels.

Peacock 3.

 Yesterday was my first day back at work, and I was given this lovely posy of Spring flowers.  The weather might be grim, but these flowers certainly cheered the day up.

Work has been over the last couple of days on my third peacock, standing on his own two feet too!  My plan is to work on his beak tonight.  Photos of progress soon.

Making slow progress.

As you can see the pot has changed a fair bit from my last photo.  I had an idea in the night for changing the shape of the vessel by making mini coils, so at the first chance I had, I had a go, and liked it.  Then I decided it needed a lid with a knob.  It was then ready for colouring, and I decided to paint it rather than dyeing, was far too impatiant.  My intention was that it would have been finished by the beginning of this week BUT, I've had parents evening then reports but what has really stopped the stitching has been a chest infection that I have been fighting for a month.  I gave in and went to the doctors, so now hopefully with this 2nd course of medication, I will soon be back sewing.  I haven't even gone to Ally Pally!
Work on the 3rd peacock has been delayed too, but Easter holidays are coming up, so watch this space.

A creative Saturday.

Today I helped at Young Embroiderers'.   The first time in quite a long while, that I have been able to help out. Various events have clashed with the YE meetings, so  it was nice to be able to get there today.

 They made fabric flowers to give to their Mothers next Sunday.  Here is a little posy in progress, they all did so well and their will be some very happy mums. ( More photos on Chelmsford Embroiderers Guild fb page).

When I got home, I got out my paintbrush and attacked my fabric vessel with it.  I decided not to dye it, but rather to complete it so that I can get on with my peacock, which at the moment looks like a road kill victim.  So while the paint is drying I am going to stuff the bird

Diversity exhibition-part 4. Peacock Shrine.

 This is the biggest piece of 3d mixed media that I have created.  36" high x 24" wide approx.  Obviously I have done bed quilts and wall hangings, and this started off with the idea that it would be a 2d hanging to go on a wall.  I have used lots of different techniques and materials to create the shrine. 

 Briefly cords were stitched to a quilt sandwich, which was then painted with Lumiere paint.  Lots of feathers were fms on to sheer and then zapped and painted.  Body was machine stitched on Evalon.  Wings from lame and Grungepaper. Trans foil was used to colour the Grungepaper and legs. I have used lots of pearls to embellish as they are very symbolic in Indian culture.

This is what inspired me to make it 3d, a little shrine approx 10" I found in a charity shop. My husband made the wooden frame for me, which was sprayed copper, to give a better finish than hand painting it would.  The pelmet was made with moulding paste through a stencil. Pillars were card tubes covered in craft vilene with trellis cut on my Big Shot and coloured with WOW embossing powder.  Flowers cut and embossed with the use of my Big Shot.  The border on the side of the frame was made with a silk screen and yet more WOW embossing powder.  The dome was created with several polystyrene shapes, this was mark 2, as the first dome, re-acted with the spray paint.

As you can see I had lots of fun embellishing the with sequins, gems,beads, washers and yet more pearls.