Gothic Arch - Fall/Autumn ( & A Long Week But A Long Weekend!!

(Photo)

Considering I had a day off on Monday, the four day working week seemed to take forever to get to the weekend again! But at least it is here and we have a public holiday on Monday over here in the west so I am determined to make the most of it.

(Scan)

I have just finished this week's Gothic Arch challenge of "Fall/Autumn". It was a bit weird doing an autumn theme when we have just burst into spring in the southern hemisphere but I love autumn colours so it wasn't THAT hard to do!

For the background I used a piece of paper towel that had been used originally to mop up excess colourful paint and ink from some canvases. I love the texture the towelling provides. I have added some autumnal leaf shapes cut from decorator napkins (not very visible in the finished product!), sealed it with Mod Podge, sprayed it with Moon Shadow Mist in a gold shade and then stamped (swirls and text) on it. The swirls were highlighted with gold gel ink and I used a favourite vintage image of a woman and, for a bit of fun, I used gold leaf charms to provide her with a bikini top. After darkening the arch edges with ink, it was finished off with some German scrap pieces (rubbed with black ink) and a couple of paper flowers and a brad.

(Paper Towel Background)

I have included both a photo and a scan of the arch because the scan is more accurate colouring-wise but it is a bit blurry because of the thick charms. The photo has too much shine and dulls the colours.

(Eva Nyberg's ATC)

Yesterday I received a wonderful fibre ATC trade from Eva in Sweden and today I received Natalie's wonderful pieces in the Jigsaw swap. You can see all of Natalie's puzzle here - just fantastic Nat!!

(Natalie Briney's Jigsaw Pieces)

I could tell you a very long and involved story about my jigsaw pieces for this swap but suffice it to say that although these are "giant" pieces they are relatively small when one decides to go missing in one very cluttered craft room. They can take HOURS to find. Not productive use of one's leisure time I can tell you! And in case anyone is interested the piece was eventually found, lightly adhered (surface friction?), to the back of one of my heavy books in the book case. Needless to say the books are often used to weigh down (flatten) my pieces while they dry. By the time of discovery I had however moved an enormous amount of stuff out of the room.

The latest Quilting Arts arrived yesterday and once again it looks like a fantastic issue - my bedtime reading for tonight!