First day of visitors

I started today with a list of jobs to complete before my visitors arrived. Top of the list was to get Lesson 4 completed so I could spend the rest of the week with them. I had a vase to construct and some clingfilm sandwiches to make, so off I went. The vase was not as complicated as the first one I did some months ago, a simple shape with a fabric made of torn pieces of kitchen paper that had been used to mop up paint, fused and grid-sewn onto a vilene backing. I satin stitched round the pieces, attached them together and put a base on to give the sides some stability. Lastly I added an earring to one of the pointy bits to keep it curved down.

The next task was to make the cling film sandwich. I used threads, peacock tails and bits of silk hanky left over from the previous lesson's vase and scraps to pad the middle then ironed the clingfilm together. We were asked to lay this sandwich onto a coloured backing to show off the threads, but I could not decide which colour was best. I put turquoise and purple felt under and both seemed to do the job so I cut the clingfilm in half and used both colours stitched behind the sandwiches. I am now busy making up bookmarks from the finished samples.

By the time my guests had arrived, I had done my lessons and uploaded the pictures, gone shopping and put a stew on the hob and completed my tasks. We were able to sit out in the sun for a while whilst they relaxed from the journey.

I showed my vases to my mother and lost both. She wanted the red one for her neighbour who was looking after her cat, and wanted the blue one for herself. I'll have to find time to make some more or I'll lose the gist of making them and it gives me an excuse to try out other techniques, doesn't it. I have also signed up for another of Sue Bleiweiss's courses and need to think of a theme...

Well, today it is raining heavily which makes entertaining guests a bit of a creative journey. Mother had brought some plants with her and we had wanted to go and find some nice pots to plant them into, maybe it will lighten up this afternoon and we can get out.