Beautiful Mail!!

Today I received this fantastic canvas from Ruth Kelly over in Canberra. I just love all the inclusions - rusted fabric, the feathers, the stamping, the mica and that beautiful diecut!! Ruth has just started a blog but hasn't gone public yet but I'll share the link as soon as I know it!

Yesterday I received a fabulous ATC sized booklet in a one on one exchange with Carole in New Zealand - my camera is not good enough (nor is the photographer!!) to get a good photo so have a look over here on Carole's blog. (It is worth seeing the booklet all together - it is so textural and full of variety!) These are scans of the individual pages - backs and fronts (I took them all off the ring binder for the scanning). I was late getting my booklet in the mail to Carole so I won't share pictures until she receives it.

And here are some bits of the alcohol inks/iridescent paint and masking fluid backgrounds I have been making lately - such fun!!

PS I'm off to Wiluna (again) for the next few days for work so will be without computer access. See you on Friday!

A Progress Report on the Weekend So Far!

Lutradur & Lace Background -
a technique from the new Fibre & Stitch Zine

Playing around with alcohol ink backgrounds

Well I had great plans for a creative weekend and so far so good! I have however, given up on trying to do something for the Artwords theme of "cupcake" - unfortunately it is just not happening for me so I will have to skip this week's challenge.

My embellisher postcard for Doreen Grey -
based on two colours of panne velvet with ribbon, beading & stitching

I have been working on some alcohol ink backgrounds (using Adirondack inks which I have had for quite a while now but never got around to opening!), doing some cards for a Stamping & Papercraft "With One Stamp" challenge, finishing my first two abstract fibre postcards made with my embellisher and also having a play with the Lutradur & Lace technique from the new Fibre & Stitch Zine. I also made an altered postcard for Joseph for Father's Day - a bit of zany fun really.

My embellisher postcard for Jane P - felt, tulle and organza with ribbon and beading

Family wise - Zach has a bad head cold and throat infection so is rugged up on the couch and is totally engrossed in the first two books of Christopher Paolini's "The Inheritance Trilogy" - I went to the library yesterday morning but they were already out on loan so I went and bought them at the bookshop. Book One was devoured yesterday/last night and Book Two is getting a fair bit of attention today! Seems they are "epic". It is a beautiful day here for the start of spring so Joseph is mowing the lawn and doing some gardening and in between my creative bursts I have been cooking (yummy buckwheat pancakes with berries and bananas for Joseph's Father's Day breakfast in bed!) and doing the rest of the washing. It is so nice to be able to open up all the windows and air the house properly without making us all too cold. I am using my scented oil lamps to infuse the house with the smell of lovely rose geraniums and it never ceases to amaze me how much pleasure nice smells give me!

One of my altered book spreads - "Travel"