Maxstoke Christmas Tree Festival

It was a cold and wet day for the start of the festival in the Warwickshire church but everyone inside was warm and cheery. The trees were down both sides and decorated in many ways by local groups and charities - of course we 'Shedders' (me, Avril, Maureen and Steph) had to give ourselves a bit of a challenge and make our tree from scratch using bits we had to hand. In this case the 'spiral' was cut from an odd piece of wood and covered in layers of old music, and the centre from an old broom handle. Ornaments were from papier mache, scraps of fabric and sheet music - the 'sputnik on the top was a covered ball with cotton buds. 

The tree behind was decorated in biscuits but unfortunately in the damp church atmosphere the sugar 'glass' inserts had started to melt onto the carpet. Lucky there were no church mice or the ornaments may have disappeared overnight.

The tree from the WI was covered in folded paper angels and underneath there were pieces made from folded paperback books (instructions available on the web for those interested here)

All the ornaments on the Coleshill Stroke Club tree were knitted and the choir had done a tree covered in musical notes along with their mugshots.

There was also a tree done by a couple of Birmingham City Football Club fans - team hat at the top. Had to show my husband this - he is an Aston Villa fan (mind you they haven't got much to celebrate this season).

               

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Jackie Mackay

Proddy Rug Brooches WOYWW 338

Back on the table with fabric this week finishing a brooch. Started these yesterday and intend to make a few more for the craft fair at a local Christmas Tree Festival on the 28th. It's a good way of using up tiny pieces of fabric - in this case cottons and scraps of ribbon (the tartan fabric at the back was once my pyjamas). This technique can be used to make a nice wreath - if you have the time. There is a great tutorial on this link here and she does it how I do it but I use a pencil and an embroidery hoop which works fine on small pieces.

Last week I made some paper/fabric for angel wings - here is the result. The bodies are made from lace overlaid onto heavy vilene.

Our tree for the feastival is finished except for the lights which have to be attached to the central broom handle. It is made from scrap wood cut into a spiral with collaged old sheet music, and the ornaments from 'odds and sods' stuck onto polystyrene balls and cubes.

Off for a hospital check-up now so I will check what everyone else has on their desks later. For folk who do wonder what WOYWW is all about click on the link box in the right-hand column. Have a good week.

Jackie

Collagraph Cards - WOYWW 337

Up and about early this morning getting the Christmas collagraph ready as I am off out to continue working on the tree for the Christmas tree festival with friends in the Artists Shed, Steph, Avril and Maureen. The white oblongs at the top are my samples for making angel wings (for decorations). I have sandwiched gold mesh between 3 different types of tissue - all free with shopping. One will be posh because it has Jaeger printed on and worth at least another 50p - although at the end of the day you won't see it really. 

Chose the simpler of my 2 angel designs, traced it onto carton card and then I cut it out and applied it with PVA glue to a piece of Daler board the size I want my print to be on the card. First coat of glue applied to the whole card as a seal so it will be dry and ready for another when I return.

This a collagraph card (a reject but you get the idea) I did a couple if years ago and made in exactly the same way - notice I forgot the tail but I have now glued a new one on. Well off to get organised all the bits I have prepared for the tree and I will blog about that later in the week.

I will catch up with your desks later.
Jackie

Embroidered Treasures - WOYWW 336

This week my desk is the small table in the conservatory where I like to sit and hand sew whilst listening to music. Here I am making some more little 'caskets' made using the free pattern from a Quilting Daily project - the freebie link here The flowery knitting on the hessian is part of a group project that is slowly being put together and the messy bits on the floor is drawing stuff such as charcoal because it is right next to my standing easel.

Having loads of disperse dyes (heat transfer inks) leftover from my teaching days I decided to make some inked papers to colour man-made fabrics that would  normally probably end up in the trash - scraps of lace and old net curtaining. I then laid some of the coloured fabrics onto a base fabric and stitched them down, using those set patterns on the sewing machine that you very rarely use, and then bonded the result to some heavy vilene.

The pattern for the 'treasure' was cut from some wax coated freezer paper which I ironed onto the fabric (easily peeled off when you're done), cut out the shape and machine zig-zagged the outer edges. Add a bit of couching and beads and your done. I enlarged the pattern to do a few different sizes. I just need to add a bit more stitching and beads to the latest and cut through the button hole opening. Now I'm off to what other folk have been doing.

Jackie

NEC Art & Crafts Fair

Today I went to the National Exhibition Centre primarily to check out  the art materials. Very disappointed. The stands were all very similar but I did manage to buy some new brushes to replace the ones I have ruined (I'm tough on the poor things). Then I went through to the sewing and craft section - loads of stalls dedicated to stamping and card making but not one sold pipe cleaners. Don't ask. I saw that the best bead shop in the UK (in my humble opinion) Spellbound from Lichfield was there - a great place to visit with really knowledgeable friendly staff.

Another stall which drew my attention was Worn and Washed Fabrics. As a keen recycler I love the idea of using used fabrics to make quilts and these are so lovely and soft with a real homely look.

Having become involved with Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday I have seen other desks full of paper crafting things which are new to me - well now I have seen a lot of the stuff folk use and watched a few of the workshops so I will have a better grasp of what folk are talking about.

Jackie

WOYWW #335 Cornwall

Here is my workdesk this week - last week I was out and about in Devon and Cornwall (see blog earlier this week) and managed to fit in some quick sketches in my book - fortunately the rain held off and I didn't use the brolly once. My table has looked like this since Monday afternoon since I didn't have time to do more yesterday. Most sketches were done in Polperro which is so picturesque even I succumbed to the typical views. I am in the midst of working a couple of my favourites up and I think I will elongate the houses even further to make it feel more squashed in which is how I felt when I had to keep standing right in the doorways to let traffic pass. The large drawing is done on painted newspaper and I have added news/magazine papers to the background to loosen it up a bit then sketched rough outlines with charcoal.

Whist there I popped into the Polperro Arts Foundation and chatted to artist Nicola Sweetzer-Sturt about her super collographs (something that I love doing myself) - which reminds me must get cracking on Christmas cards - where does the time go?

Jackie

Eden Project Visit

Last week I had a bit of a break touring Devon and Cornwall and managed to get along to the Eden Project. There were loads of children since it was half-term all getting their faces painted for halloween. This is the fantastic Weee Man sculpture made out of scrap metal and electrical equipment designed by Paul Bonomini. More info here. 

I was looking forward to seeing the smelliest plant in the world - the titan arum. Unfortunately or maybe fortunately the flower was not at it's stinkiest - just the bud and another couple displaying fruits after the reproductive stage.

 

Since my photos do not make the size of the plant apparent below is a video which should give you a better idea.

Jackie