Brighton Turret : Stamp 28

Sussex Frame : Stamp 27

Poplar Cottage from Washington, Sussex. Now located at Weald & Downland Open Air Museum, Singleton, Chichester, West Sussex, England.

Cup 27/02/09

Cup 27/02/09

Nearly forgotten after a frantic day at work (and forgetting the camera phone doesn't help). Now on that very red sofa.

Stamp #10 on watercolour.

Craft-along+pocket organizer = excuse to go to new IKEA

This months craft-along with Finny & Donk provided me with yet another excuse to get my overlocker out AND to visit the new IKEA. One of the experiences was fine and trouble free the other was tiring and my own silly fault. I think you can guess which was which. The choices this month were to craft a fabric bowl which I was tempted by - I have admired this technique ever since I first saw it written about by Helen Deighan in the second of her fab. books on dyeing. She later dedicated an entire book on fabric coil pots and baskets. Anyway as I could envisage breaking needles and other things I decided on having a go at this pocket organizer.

After a trip and a bit to IKEA, I returned with the following fabric.
I then had an unplanned tidy up of my battings, interfacing and other assorted stuff. Which was a neat piece of procrastination as I was having trouble with a language barrier. I really wasn't totally sure of the equivalents of Pellon in the Vilene universe. So I guessed and substituted the backing stabiliser for some (I think) Timtex which I still had kicking around from a previous project. Anyway, its still in one piece and came out quite well so can't be worried too much about it. The hanging mechanism is currently a pair of safety pins. When I decide on its final purpose and position I may either choose the original grommet option or maybe slip stitch a quilt sleeve to the back.

Hampshire Poppy: Stamp 26

Cup 26/02/09

Cup 26/02/09

Stamp 13 on watercolour. Still a bit spaced out from yesterday's migraine.

Kentish Wendy House : Stamp 25

I spotted this cute little Wendy house on a solo bike ride round Ightam, Kent last year. It wasn't without a little misadventure and discovering the house was one of the rewards for getting lost.

Cup 25/02/09 : MIA

Due to a migraine there was no cup of the day today

Viennese Owl: Stamp 24

Cup 24/2/09

Cup 24/2/09

Stamp 9 on watercolour

Tuscan Bridge : Stamp 23

This photo of Ponte del Diavolo was taken when we had a holiday in Tuscany. The bridge crosses the river Serchio just north of Lucca. Ponte del Diavolo translates as Bridge of the Devil, but the bridge is also called the Ponte della Maddalena or Bridge of Mary Magdalene. The former name comes from an old legend that the devil promised to build the bridge for the people of Borgo a Mozzano in return for the first soul to cross the bridge. As soon as the bridge was completed the townsfolk outwitted the devil and sent a dog across, spoiling the devils plans.

Cup 23/02/09

Cup 23/02/09

screenprint over watercolour

Welsh House : Stamp 22

In a spirit of "use what you have", I have decided to look back at the past few years of my escapades out and about. Today I decided to start with this photo of houses taken whilst crossing over to Barmouth, Gwynedd, Wales when I cycled with M and Mr. T last Easter on a ride we took from Dolgellau.

So, I came up with this.

I think I need to gently tinker with it and add a few windows.

Japanese Fabric : Stamp #21

Japanese Fabric : Stamp #20

Cup 20/2/09

Cup 20/2/09

Cup of the day contained blueberry smoothie today as I had surprise breakfast visitors and was able to make a large pot with a lovely new coffee that G got me from Union Hand Roasted - Arabian Mocha Java. Good job I was intending to work at home today as instead of finding me in my PJs like the rest of the days this week I would have been en-route to work.

Watercolour and stamp #8.

Japanese Fabric : Stamp #19

Cup 19/02/09

Cup 19/02/09

Ink stamp with stamp 12 over watercolour

Japanese Fabric : Stamp #18

Cup 18/02/09

Cup 18/02/09

ink stamped over watercolour with stamp 14

Japanese Fabric : Stamp #17

Cup 17/02/09

Cup 17/02/09

Aquacolor crayons, with stamp 11 used to stamp over orange, red and metallic copper ink.

Japanese Fabric : Stamp #16

Cup 16/2/09

Cup 16/2/09

Monoprint of acrylic paint in green and flourescent green. I used a OHP acetate slide as my monoprint surface and it gave a funny texture. I recently revisted monoprinting in my contemporary textile workshops. Although I struggled in the lesson I had more successful results with a couple of ceramic tiles in my studio at home.

Japanese Fabric stamping studies

I found some all sketching from the C&G days - I think it was done in a class when our teacher wanted some peace and quiet - and thought some of them may be interesting made into stamps. I have found another source of reasonable value erasers to carve from WHSmith. They do have a slight texture to them but they give a wood-like grain texture.

White banister : Stamp #14

Valentines Day

Erm, no I am not going to get slushy on you. To me, Valentines day is like most commercialised holidays.....a reason for me to play with my food (and that of my poor unsuspecting husband who is banned from buying me flowers today)

Happy Valentines everybody and may it be filled with chocolate.

Green Fridge : Stamp # 13 aka a goodbye to a faithfull fridge

A few weeks ago I arrived home to prepare myself and my beloved a midday toastie to find that the contents of our fridge were not particularly cold. Our freezer was still fine, but we knew it was the end of our 10 year old, 50 quid, twice painted, secondhand purchase. I was sad to see it go especially after the last paint job M gave it - a gorgeous green.
I was a little cheesy and took a snap of it before it got carted off to the recycler in the sky. It seemed a good thing to make stamp out of when I started this weeks series of stamps:

Cup 13/02/09

Cup 13/02/09
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Acrylic paint and gloss texture gel

Yellow basket : Stamp #12

When we redecorated our bedroom a few years ago we bought various bits of vintage furniture and this Lloyd Loom Chest was one of the purchases.
It still had the original upholstery and although it was slightly stained we decided to keep it.

I love the art nouveau design and was surprised I hadn't used the pattern before: