Recycling Packaging Ribbon

I had a quiet weekend as a result of a killer headache on Thursday - decided to be gentle on myself and it was a good move - I feel much better for it! It did mean however, that I didn't get much art or craft done except for some ATCs for a small group trade.

Annie decided the "theme" this month and she required that we use some "ribbons" that her husband brought home to her after finding them as packaging material in some boxes he was unpacking! The ribbons are synthetic and quite firm so I decided (after a couple of abortive attempts at other things!) to weave them together as the base for my ATCs.

Here is a photo of the weaving underway - I used various pins to hold the ribbons in place on two sides as I did the weaving. The base was a piece of cork covered with paper-backed fusible adhesive. Once the weaving was completed I ironed the whole sandwich (well, minus the cork!) and then backed it with green fabric so that there was some colour showing in between the ribbons. I backed this with Pelmet Vilene Plus and then used a couple of decorative stitches on my Janome to add a bit of interest. I backed them again with fabric and cut them into ATC sizes. After finishing the edges I added painted and stamped paper flowers with some adhesive "jewels" but then I decided the ATCs still needed "something". So I got out my wood-burning tool and melted little holes in the ribbons - I think it adds some texture!

PS The scan of the ATCs at the top is not really accurate colour-wise - the photo of the weaving is much closer to reality.

Foliage Fabric ATCs

Just a quick post (again!) - these are a set of fabric ATCs I made last night for an exchange I am in with Annie Laing and Cait Gordon. The theme is foliage. I have stamped text on commercial leaf patterned fabric which I have embellished with glitter dimensional paint, moon shadow sprays and Rust Tintz.

Tomorrow I am heading off to Wiluna with my work but I'll be back by Wednesday night. See you then...

Fibre Postcards & ATCs

(This is for a trade with Sharon and is another Shiva Oil Stick experiment on a black fabric. It has a deep copper organza fused on top and then it has been machine stitched with metallic and black threads and has some tiny sequins stitched on. The sequins are from Dale at The Thread Studio.)

Today I have had a day's recreation leave to do some personal paperwork that I have been putting off for ages. I have "rewarded" myself by doing it fast and efficiently so that I could also have time to do some creative playing! So far I have finished off some ATCs and had a go at doing some fabric sun prints. They were quite successful for a first attempt so I will take some photos later.

(This is for Andrea and is based on a Lutradur, scrim and lace experiment that I put through the embellisher machine and then painted with umpteen different colours trying to get the right effect! It has tiny holeless beads glued on freeform).

Here are the rest of the ATCs that I have finished today - they are mostly experiments in texture although the one below is using up a piece of the Shiva Stick experiment that I did as a background for a recent postcard exchange.

One of the Lutradur and Lace ATCs (below) is available for trade if anyone is interested???

This is the postcard that I have just received from Sharon - it arrived today and is just beautiful - so delicate and such interesting layers!

I had a great mail day as I also received the first of the "Oh Baby" fabric postcards today - this gorgeous one is from Sue Smith down in Albany. The photo is of her brand new beautiful nephew! It hasn't scanned very well because of all the yummy sparkly bits! Wish you would start a blog Sue!! Once again, I am still working on the finishing touches on my postcards for this exchange but they are nearly done.