Flower.

Thought I'd show you what I made from my piece of flat felt (apart from the leftover bits I used in my collage.)
A lollipop flower brooch.

(In an attempt to aesthetically mirror life's little setbacks, the right-hand leaf has been specially formed to portray a leaf the morning after a snail chomped through it. Okay, no, I am lying. That is the only bit of felt I had left with some green in it.)
Have a flowery day, everyone. I have a battle to fight, so I think I will put on my brooch for some much-needed flower power.

Weave.

Since seeing this on Karin Barbe's blog, I have developed somewhat of an obsession. I made a round one to patch my jeans, and then I kept going ...

Handmade.

Finished this art journal page recently. I used my darning foot to sew on the pieces of flat felt. (I love you, Mr. Darning Foot!)

Embedded are three quotes about hands and/or  handmade stuff - by Rilke, God & Douglas Coupland. Now who could ask for a better combination?
(handmade: art journal page with magazine cutouts, tape, muslin, embroidery backing, handmade felt, paint, ink, stitching)

More presen(t)ce.

I have not yet abandoned my Word of the Year. In fact, I have been merrily buying myself presents - probably to dull the pain of work. Here are two, purchased from informal traders in Simonstown.

The creator of this little fellow sits near Boulders Beach, carving his animals. It is so cute, the head hangs from a small wire hook inside the body, and gently sways when you move it.

A mask from Cameroon. Don't you just love its ears and pout? Snous sometimes talks to it. She thinks it is a dog.

Snous Snoozing.

C'mon now, admit it. You sleep with your teddy too.

Have a relaxing weekend, dear friends!

Birthday Boy.

My most beloved and most beautiful boy turns 70 today.

Happy Birthday, L'Usband!

Transparent.

A useful trick I learnt in my mixed media class - you can print on Vylene by simply cutting it to A4 size, and taping it to the corners of an A4 sheet of paper, with the glue side facing down (to the A4 sheet). Feed through your printer as usual.

 I photocopied my stitched artwork to try it out. Once printed, you can use it in a collage (if you use a thin Vylene, it is kind of transparent), or  you can iron it onto fabric, and use the image in a quilt, for example. Cool, hey!

Flat Felt Friday.

I am feeling a bit flat on this Friday, actually.
But that is not what this post is about.
It is about learning how to make a piece of flat felt.
Although I did not make it on a Friday, but on a Tuesday, in my mixed media class. But I am sure you won't mind.
Seeing that I am posting it on a Friday.
Okay, so that is my heading all explained.

It involves different layers of roving, some bubble wrap, Sunlight dishwashing liquid, boiling water, a tray, and a bamboo mat. Easy, hey? If you want to see real and proper and most amazing felting, look at Linda Sue's blog and shop. I can but dream only. Oh well, I think I will stick with flat for a while.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Patchwork.

I am busy making a small patchwork - again using only scraps of fabric I already have. (For the first time I am using batting, which of course I did have to go out and buy.) 

As you can see I am covering the entire piece with running stitch. Somehow I thought this was my own entirely unique idea, and then a friend told me about kantha. Oh well, nothing new under the sun, I guess.