back at last

These past two weeks have been so busy making waistcoats, as I had so many orders that I had to work weekends to make them in time. However, this week I had no orders at all, so it has evened out somewhat. This will give me time to catch up with what has been going on challenge-wise and blog-wise. I did manage to finish a few projects and to download my magazine from http://www.workshopontheweb.com/ and found so many new techniques I want to try them all. Also my online http://quiltingarts.com/ magazine has inspired me to try out their workshops too. I hope to transfer all this learning into making journals as a reference library. Here are two I made earlier:

This one was made using aquarelle paint sticks on the background and then stencilled and stamped before adding papers to the inside and a few embellishments to the flap. I got the pocket in the wrong place and had to improvise but at least it is now unique.

This one was more stitch based as I had received a copy of Victoria MacLeod's DIY embroidery booklet. I raided the nearest DIY store and used some of the findings in an embroidery collage then cut and stitched it to the front of some hand-dyed fabric. This time I got the pocket in the right place!

I also finished Lily, my fifth doll and she is more ladylike in her dress and attitude. I'm waiting for a pattern I found, quite by accident, from the USA where the doll is made from scrunchies and a drinks can - all about recycling - and I'm quite excited about it.

Apart from all this that has been going on, Bert was here for a week and he is bouncing now. He seems to have got over his operations and the subsequent chemotherapy and taking more interest in life. He insisted on buying paving blocks and starting to lay them up the side of the workshop and will finish on his next visit by laying them on the path outside the kitchen. Once we have laid flags on the lower patio the garden will be finished and we can rest from our labours. I say 'we' because he lays the grounding and I lay the blocks on top; we have always worked well together except when I query what he is doing - he's not used to explaining why he does things, but he is getting there.