An Update on Yesterday's Post

After I posted scans of my fabric postcards last night I decided that the first one was a bit bland colour-wise on the flower so I added some more paint. I think it looks better but it is funny how I needed to see it on the computer screen to realise what it needed!

A Couple More Fabric Postcards

Last night I finished up a couple more floral fantasy fabric postcards for the Unique Stitching Red Cross fundraiser. They were fun to make - the first one has a machine-felted background overlaid with angelina fibres and a painted paper towel appliqued fantasy flower. Some foiled squiggles, large hot pink sequins and a gloriously decadent button to finish.

The second one has a blue fabric base with a wispy angelina overlay which I've secured with a grid of gold machine stitching. Another painted paper towel appliqued fantasy flower and this time a gold foiled centre. Both are more sparkly in real life of course!!

And if you want to be in the running for some wonderful blog give-aways check out these great blogs (you need to be quick as they are finishing soon!) -

A special "Oxford Impressions" one at my friend Susie's blog

Tammy's Place

Passion for Crafts

My Cardz

A Little More Marie...

Here is another little Oxford Impressions "Marie" card - I had so much fun working with a different colour combination (well, different for me!) - just loving my Stampin' Up scallop punch. I recycled the gorgeous little rhinestone buckle from a wedding favour and the ribbon from the wrapping on my recent Verdigris Rose purchase. The white lace is adhesive paper lace which is another current favourite of mine. I tend to find I use whatever is left on my desk from a previous project so maybe I should pull out some under-utilised supplies from their drawers and just leave them where I can see them - that way they probably have a better chance of getting used!

On this card I have masked the Marie image and over-stamped the text background which is from the Oxford Impressions "French Script" plate. The other decorative images are from the "Marie Antionette" plate (and there are lots of very versatile elements on that plate as well).

PS Sorry - I have just realised my scan is a bit crooked - the card isn't though!

Another Random Collection!

Such a busy week - I was away with work, first "out bush" and then for a flying visit to Perth so creativity time this week was rather limited. Needless to say I am loving being home, enjoying the glorious sunny autumnal weather (although I am surprised how quickly it is getting chilly here inland) and making the most of the weekend creativity-wise!

I decided it was time to revamp my blog a little bit so I am trying one of those lovely free backgrounds you can get here - I had to go for my favourite rusty autumnal tones. I had a lot of trouble editing my header though to fit the background format - one of these days I will actually spend a bit of time getting more knowledgeable about these things rather than just trying to do it when I have only got ten minutes spare. It isn't perfect but I am "settling" for how it looks at the moment.

The postcard at the top is my latest finished one for the Unique Stitching fundraiser for the Red Cross. This one has a fabric paper background which I have stamped and sprayed liberally with Moon Shadow Glitz in a gold colour to give it a lovely glow (which doesn't really come across that much in a scan). The other three postcards are coming along and I will do a bit more on those today probably.
Yesterday I finished off another two Oxford Impressions samples - the blue one is in the heavily decorated category and the pink one is in the simple and understated category. I even used two of my many but very under-utilised decorative punches. The stamped background on the blue one is a lovely image from the third plate (French Script) in the Oxford Impressions vintage french theme. I enjoyed making these and have several more in various states of development. (My temporary desk - a large trestle table - is covered with them and all the bits and bobs I have pulled out to go with the theme. I had to use the trestle table as my desk was too cluttered from other stuff and I couldn't cope with it!)

And then I have had beautiful mail - look at these gorgeous cards (which I have overlapped and trimmed on my scanner!) that I bought from my friend Julia (Verdigris) Rose over in Melbourne. I first met Julia at the Artistic Journey Art Retreat in Melbourne in 2008 and then got to catch up with her again at the start of the recent Creative Soul Art Retreat. The cards are prints of her gorgeous paintings and I am going to frame some of them so that I can keep them for myself. Julia has started up an Etsy shop and is just the loveliest person. PS I need to clean my scanner as the prints don't have those dots on them!!

My Calendar Girl postcard for April also arrived this week from another lovely lady - Doreen over in Canberra. Once again my scan doesn't do this card justice - there is so much texture and depth in it. I really feel as though I am in the middle of birch forest when I look "into" it. Look here for the picture that was used as the inspiration for this month.

And finally but in no way least, here is the last of the little houses from the Creative Soul Retreat Exchange. The wonderfully talented Annette was not able to come to the Retreat but participated in the exchange and her gorgeous little "glass house" arrived here this week. This will be joining all the others in my collection here next week. I couldn't resist using a house shape for the scan!So I am going to try and stay away from the computer as much as I can today as I have lots of plans for baking (the requests so far include chocolate chip muffins and a cinnamon apple cake) and sewing and painting and stamping and reading, oh and of course some sudoku and if I have any time left, a fast walk on the treadmill!

A Random Collection - What I have Been Making!

Stamps by Oxford Impressions - from the new Marie Antionette & French Script plates

Exactly as per the blog post title - this is a rather random collection of things I have been working on and actually finished plus a couple of lovely ATCs that I received this week.

A little quilted hanger for a good friend (featuring fabrics and lace from a lovely bundle she gifted to me!)

The first of my Red Cross Fundraising "Floral Fantasy" fabric postcards - this one has a stamped silk background, silk paper and a flower made of painted vliesofix on script printed fabric. It has a beaded centre and I finally christened my "bejeweller" and used some hotfix rhinestones!

Another quilted hanger - similar to the other smaller one above - for my Art of the Month partner, Kasha. It was too big to fit properly on my scanner and it really is a bit wonky. Don't the buttons look like smiles!!

Technique ATC from Rosaland Hannibal - uses painted Misty Fuse and other delicious little bits!

And a gorgeous Autumn ATC from Carole - love the leaf print!

I am away from home this week with work so I am packing a whole pile of little projects I can work on at night! Hopefully I will have something finished by the time I get back Friday night. Wishing you all a wonderful week.

And The Blog Give-Away Winner Is...

Thanks to Random Org we have a winner - number 38 of the 41 comments and emails I received:

Hilary Metcalf

AND the funny thing is that Hilary has said she is getting ready for a house move and is cleaning out her supplies so she has gifted her prize to Doreen - such a nice thing to do!

And I just know how much Doreen loves napkins/serviettes so I will definitely be sending some of my collection with the stamps!

Thanks to everyone that entered - I wish I had more of those stamps to give away as I know you all loved them. It has also made me want to do more give-aways - it was fun and I loved finding new blogs to read as a result!

I'll save my arty post for later today - I have a few things I need to finish off first! Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.

Some Days You Just Have to Get Dressed & Go to Work!

(Dressing Warm by Jessie Wilcox Smith - thanks to Karin!)

Easter was so lovely - what a great four days - full of relaxation, (including some overdue blog-reading and You Tube watching), celebration (Joseph's birthday), love, some creativity (lots of cooking too) and some reorganization (of my sewing room mainly) as well! But today the working week was a reality and I had to get dressed and go out there!

(Red Cross Fundraiser Fabric Postcards under way)

Despite the best of intentions I didn't actually finish much of what I was making over Easter - I have two small fabric collage type quilts for friends underway, at least five postcards started for the Red Cross fundraiser and several Oxford Impressions cards in the making.

I played around colouring tags (using Distress Inks and Moon Shadow sprays) and also experimented with my new Tim Holtz and Heidi Swapp mini masks. So far I am not overly impressed - the HS one that I tried (damask) is OK I guess but the TH flourish is too big for anything I am making or likely to make. Of course I could just use a portion of it. The other two packets I bought (borderline and timeworks) will be more practical I think. I loved the Tim Holtz video using the masks so I probably had/have very high expectations!

I also bought the Decorative Corners Glimmer Screens from Tattered Angels and used them at the Art Retreat on my Art Journal Covers. They are just gorgeous and I think I should have invested in the complete pack - they are more like a stencil and quite a firm plastic. I can see myself using them a lot! I am off to work some more on my postcards so that I can do some hand work on them at Annie's tomorrow night.

PS If you haven't already joined in my blog give-away - see here for details! I am really enjoying blog hopping as a result of the links I am finding from this (something else I did a lot of over the weekend).