Pretty Crinoline Ladies

Here is a parchment project that I completed over our first two workshops of the year. These are held at The Art of Craft in North Camp.

This is pattern No: 3 - Friends - from a set of 3 patterns called 'Crinolines' by Judith Maslen.  Having done the first one (Swingtime) already,  I just have No: 2 to  complete.

This is a beautiful pattern to do as there is a fair bit of colouring involved.  Good practice for those of us who prefer gridwork and embossing and at least it was using pencils and not felt tips. 

We had a great workshop.  You can spend as long as you like - up to 4 1/2 hours - working or  working and chatting or even working, chatting and shopping. It is a veritable Aladdins Cave of goodies.
Good company and good fun.
Carol xx

Christmas stitch card using a Joy die

I attended a very good and relaxing workshop last evening at  The Art of Craft.  This was run by Linda from The Art of Craft who is the resident stitching guru - alway willing to help and advise.

We made a Christmas card which involved stitching on a template which had been cut and pricked using a Joy die - here.  The stitching on this one although not complicated and smallish in quantity was very fine and I didn't finish all the stitching in the time allocated - so I finished off the card today.
You will see by looking at the link that this is a wedding die but it works just as well as a Christmas card as you can see:

Here is the stitching in more detail:

                                                          

I always enjoy these workshops and there are always a variety of crafts from which to choose. Unfortunately the Quilling one I was hoping to attend last week had to be cancelled but I am looking forward to it being re scheduled.
Carol
xx

Some more Stamping with Woodware

I had another great day yesterday at The Art of Craft at yet another fabulous workshop with Jane Gill.  I have posted before about these workshops that are run by Jane and they are always enlightening as well as fun.  Jane is a designer for Woodware stamps and I love all her designs.  I have said before how much I like using Jane's designs with my parchment.  You can tell which are  Jane's designs as at the back of the pack of stamps there is JG at the front of the design no: and name.

These are the stamps that we used :

Our first project was a concertina card.  I have only ever made a much smaller version of one of this style when I made some Egyptian theatre Atc's and that was all printed out.  This one had us stamping and making everything from scratch. It was a full on morning session and I got very mucky with black ink and glitter but I did enjoy it and here is the first project:

Outside:

Inside:

It wasn't perfect and I must admit to have been careful with my photography but I think it is good enough to give away at Christmas.

The second project is my own favourite:

Here is the third and last:

I think they are all so different and show just what can be achieved with one set of stamps, black and white card and glitter.
So thank you to The Art of Craft and Jane Gill for yet another enjoyable day.
In case you are interested the stamp reference no: is JGS346Winter trees and they had them in stock yesterday.
Carol
xx

p.s. The next workshop that I am attending at the Art of Craft is a day spent Quilling.  That is next week so watch this space.  I have done some Quilling but a long time ago so I hope I can remember some of the techniques.

Zentangle is the buzz word

down here on the Surrey borders at the moment.
On Wednesday it was our monthly parchment lesson and our Tutor - Marilyn Pybus -  had some small animal Zentangles for us to do.  I haven't finished mine yet.  Rather I have finished the elephant but not the presentation as yet:

Here is the example we were working towards:

I expect I will finish mine over the weekend.

Today we had another of our now popular craft days that are organised by our Tutor.  Not just parchment for these occasions.  Last time I ran one of the workshops - Stitched Bookmarks - but today I was just an eager pupil.  We did 3 workshops.  Made a box using the Hougie board and then decorated it, made a very fancy notebook with a cover in parchment (not finished yet) and this wonderful gift bag:

I thoroughly enjoyed doing the Zentangling.  The outlines had already been very expertly stamped for us so we could just get on and have fun.  The bag was provided as well.  I added the parchment butterfly and the other two crinkle cut ones when I got home.  I thought the three matched beautifully with the image.
A couple of close ups of the Zentangling

We have some more small animal images to Zentangle so watch this space.

I hope you enjoy looking at these as much as I enjoyed doing them.  For a whole day I managed to relax and just enjoy crafting and good company.
Carol xx

Bristol Parchment Exhibition

Well I got there and back safely this time but must confess to being tired.  This trip was the furthest I have driven in a year - but I did it.

The Exhibition was wonderful.  After I  had a long wander around  all the stands and gawped at the incredibly beautiful work on show I came to the conclusion that I don't do parchment - I just play at it.  I am not too despondent about that fact as I know I started learning late in life and I really do enjoy the parchment work that I produce - good or bad.

I had a great time with my tutor Marilyn on her stand and met many lovely people.  Not all of the questions we were asked were expected.  Many of the ones I received were about the source of the case that I use to keep my tools in and from where did I get the sparkly vellum I was using for my Christmas flowers.  I was making sparkly flowers and poinsettias - all in parchment for use as card embellishments.  I sold quite a few and was very pleased. 

On the Sunday evening I joined a whole crowd of the Exhibitors at supper (59 of us).  It was a very pleasant evening.

On Monday Marilyn and I joined many others at Linda Williams' workshop.  A rare privilege for me and I did worry that I was 'punching above my weight' parchment wise.  This is what I have managed to do so far - about 25% of the finished project.

This has been scanned in front of a piece of glitter card just so it can be seen.  It will have a background card when it is all finished.  There is so much more work to be done on the hair and the bow in the hair - let alone the rest of the card.  You can just see the little piece of tape that is behind the face holding a white paper mask to show the colouring.  It may need more yet.

Stamping with Woodware

I have quite a few Woodware stamps. I love the clean bold lines because I can use them for stamping and tracing in parchment work. Remember the lovely Snowman I did for CD Sunday.
Today I spent a full day at The Art Of Craft attending a workshop run by Jane Gill who designs for Woodware.  We were stamping and water colouring three of her flower designs.   Below are my efforts.  I wasn't over the moon with my painting.  Three full cards is quite a lot to make in 4 hours of the class (we had to eat and drink as well) and I would have liked a little longer.  I rushed through the second one especially and the leaves of the Violets should have had a great deal more shading etc but I just slapped on the paint I am afraid.

Jane is a very good teacher - pity about the pupil.  A lovely fun day though.  Always is at The Art of Craft.
Carol x

Lilies - Workshop Project

This is my finished project that was set by Dorothy Holness at our recent Parchment Festival.  I have called them Lilies because they look like them to me and they were unamed.  I learned so much about colouring properly on parchment from Dorothy and of course from the other experts we were lucky to have over that weekend.

I loved doing this and have enjoyed this afternoon just adding a little here and a little there to finish it to what I hope would be acceptable to Dorothy. An incredible teacher and you just want to please her.

I still have to mount this -  but I may just keep it in my portfolio as is.

Report on the Parchment Festival

Now that I have recovered from our fabulous festival I can write this little report.
I have had the most exhilerating and fun 3 days that I have had for some time.
Debs arrived on Thursday, late afternoon. Plenty of time for chat and a leisurely supper before we checked and rechecked everything we needed for the workshops on Friday. Our first workshop was with Kanny using colour pencils on black parchment. We learned how to use transfer paper and how to use white pencil as the base before going on to use layers of colour to create the most beautiful flowers. Orchids on this occasion. Kanny is soooooo talented. Her work is awesome and she is such a delightful person as well.
The afternoon session was with Dorothy Holness. I have had the privilege of having lessons with Dorothy before and I knew that I was going to enjoy every moment. Our project was to trace the image (flowers) with pen and ink and then colour using polychromos pencils on the back and the front. Then to emboss parts of the flowers to show shading and then bring it all to life. I have nearly finished this project and will post it when I have completed it. I must admit to being pleased with what I have done so far on this one and felt more at home with this kind of project. We don't all like the same disciplines and this was more in my comfort zone.

The Festival itself was on Saturday and we had a ball. I can't remember when I last talked so much about anything and everything parchment and other stuff. I met so many lovely people and we talked about how to do crosses, use a star tool, make flowers, removing greasy marks from parchment and even down to exactly which hand cream I use which doesn't mark the paper and where I get my tool stands from. So much I can't remember it all. Many of the show goers were ladies (and gentlemen) that I have met at previous shows and it was like seeing old friends again.

The second day of workshops was on Sunday. The first was with Tina Cox and she was as enthusiastic and as bubbly as ever. We learned so much abouting painting techniques on parchment using mostly felt tip pens and a very fine brush. My picture is almost finished but then there is a gorgeous grid border frame to be done before it is all finished and that may take me some time.
The last workshop was taken by Dorothy again who was standing in for Linda Williams who sadly couldn't make it at the last minute. Dorothy did a magnificent job of teaching someone elses designs and project which just goes to show how talented our designers are.
This project was awesome and I really - for the first time - felt that I was getting somewhere with my colouring on parchment. I am including a scan of the image at it's current stage but there is so much more to do. You really do learn patience in this craft along with all the other techniques.

There are several more stages to go through on this including adjusting the colouring on the face, and this is before attempting the border and finishing touches. The work is still attached to the pattern.

The Swans - have been framed

Not a great photo I am afraid but anything any closer just reflected me in the glass - and no-one would want that. All ready for the Parchment Festival now and if this hasn't put you off please come along. Details at the top of the side bar. (Over til next year)

This was the closer view before framing.

THE SWANS

I feel in need of a trumpet fanfare or a drum roll at the very least as today I have finally finished my contribution to the showpieces for our soon to be Parchment Festival. (See side bar) (Over til next year)

Our Tutor decided on this picture of a pair of Swans floating serenely on the lake under the boughs of Wisteria, amongst the water lilies. I believe 18 of us started on this long journey of learning quite a while ago now but some fell by the wayside and eleven of us have finished against all the odds. We have had workshops and extra workshops but all in all a lot of chatter and fun as well as continuing to learn new skills from our very talented Tutor.
My picture below is now ready to go to the framers. The photo I have taken isn't brilliant but I am too excited about it to wait until daylight. I might change it later.

(New photo)

Parchment Project - The Swans

This scan is of a project that we are doing in our parchment group. Our tutor has started an annual one day Parchment Festival and we as her pupils are given a project - to display at the festival. The Festival is in April (more about that in a later posting) and our pictures have to be finished, mounted and framed by the middle of March. Last year we did an A4 picture of a Japanese Lady in a kimono with fans etc. This year it is an A3 size picture (including the two borders and mount) of two swans on the lake. Still to do is the second much larger border and add the flowers to the trees and then perhaps more colour or more embossing - to personal taste.

Punching fun

I had a couple of fun hours last night at The Art of Craft - my local Aladdin's Cave. They do some great workshops there and it was Martha Stewart punches last night. We made this easel card and a couple of others that aren't quite finished. Needless to say I purchased some punches - esp to try out on parchment. I didn't buy this edge punch that we used but I did buy the 'Embroidered Floral' as you can thread ribbon through the punching which appeals to me.

Magic Dots

I am lucky enough to have The Art of Craft store almost on my doorstep. This is where I go for my Parchment Lessons and Workshops and most of my 'goodies'. Jane and her staff are a great group of ladies who between them run many other workshops . This one I went to during the week was for Magic Dots. The cards above were two of the ones I made. It was interesting, and even more so was the fact that this can also be be done on parchment. I didn't manage to do one in the time.
I can't see that I will be doing a lot of this but it is a new 'style' to use in one of my classes.