Another challenge from the Textile_challenge group was to make a series of "Inchies"--
Similar to a mini ATC
,these Inchies were to be one inch square!
(Give me the ATC format of 2.5 by 3.5 inches ANYDAY!)
Anyway,here's three of the sets completed....
I must go photograph the fourth and fifth sets too!
TURQUOISE
LAVENDER/PINK
RED!
Still to come: Purple and Midnight blue with silver!
I thought that maybe I better show that I am trying to get "something" accomplished with my Janome Xpression.
The Challenge was titled "Oranges and Lemons".......
So far,this is the result:
I first daubed neopaque paints over a nappy liner before using the resulting sheet as foundation.
The individual flower petals need to be needled into position ...I want to have them partially free standing so will need to change to single needle--something I've avoided so far.
Finally, some FME quilting and additional beads and fibres will (probably) be added to complete the work.
Seven a.m. this morning I realised that I hadn't photographed yesterday's results.
This is taken from front of house.....
Lomandra and Zanadu have been planted on the right,and mulched,and gravel has been laid in the area bounded by "the coffin" aka proposed vegetable garden and the dining room.
Behind that is the two surviving paw-paws and the slab for patio extension.
In a day or so,we'll consider laying some pavers in the gravel,and decide whether we like the effect,or not.
The beds have been mulched;
The pavers laid on the gravel;
........and in the lower picture you can see my "problem area"!
The path meanders down........
to a BLANK SPOT!
I'm still trying to find an Asian statue/sculture/plaque of Buddha that I like.
In the front yard outside the dining room,is (to me) a gorgeously serene Buddha..........I want a similar atmosphere in my zen garden.
Nearly all the plants have been planted out.......in the ground,and in the selection of terracotta urns.
The far corner is home to the shade loving plants,and the area closest to camera is for the sun hardy individuals.
Meanwhile on the southern and northern sides of the house,two concrete slabs have been laid:
the one on the southern side to accommodate a rainwater tank(IF we ever get rain!)
and the larger one is to increase our outdoor living area......this will be roofed,hopefully later this month.
A fair amount happened today .........
New topsoil was placed around the pathway;
Weed-mat was laid within the pathshape;
A small layer of pebbles was placed on the weed-mat in the path;
I finished sealing the terra-cotta pots and we placed them in various configurations along the way;
Then we played "musical chairs" with the Draecenas,Cordylines
Crotons,Acanthus,Spathiphyllum,Orchids,ferns,violets and Clivea.........
oh! I forgot the Mondo grass clumps.!!
The lower picture is of the northern side of the house..............the box beyond the pawpaws is my proposed vege garden.
Whilst the rear garden has soft curves,this side of the yard is echoing the geometric shape of the slab ,the air-con and the vegetable garden.
The rear garden is soft,reflective,soothing...............ZEN.
The side is the practical no nonsense area.
.......of the project,would have to be the path running the length if the house.
I couldn't imagine anything worse than a sterile STRAIGHT path............how many straight lines does Nature tolerate?
I hoped to convey a path
,a creek bed wandering through vegetation.
Luckily the Landscape Supply company had green treated pine ,that with the use of stakes we were able to bend into soft curves.
(No,I didn't do the heavy work,a very patient BarryP did that.........and after a couple of attempts we achieved a pleasing shape.........
My idea is to have pebbles and pavers within the frames and varied vegetation grouped on both sides.
In the lower picture is one of the major joys of the yard........a Poiciana(regis?) in our neighbour's yard which helps produce such glorious shade foliage and flowers in Summer.
With Winter just about here it will be interesting to see how the garden copes
After relocating the pot-plants (and stands) to the southern side of the house,and transplanting some herbs to other pots..........
Conan the Barbarian arrived with his Bob-cat!
Most vegetation was earmarked for removal.....except for the citrus tree,the paw-paws and the Golden -cane Palm
s along the back boundary.
The fairly lush Star Jasmine creeper,just on the lower side of the cement slab in the lower photo was "meant" to be untouched...........but wasn't!
Most all the topsoil was removed......down to the Redcliffe clay.
At this stage,I was beginning to think:
"What have I done!"
In mid February,this is how our garden looked'(with the addition of many pot-plants from our previous home.)
For some crazy reason I wished to create a small,lush oasis as a foil against the outside world.
Okay! We're in Drought!
Level FIVE water restrictions apply.........
BUT,having spent most of my married life being "water conscious" due to relying on rainwater tanks for all my house and garden needs,I reckon I can do it.
The first and third pictures show the back (eastern) side of the house.
The middle pic is of the northern side where there 'was' three paw-paw trees,a citrus tree and a very SAD herb garden.
My proposed plan is to not only extend a patio area on the eastern side,but where the herb garden is now,add another outdoor living area.
So..let the "fun" begin!
Well! Messrs Blog and Picasa did not like me yesterday!
I wonder how today's uplift fares!
The predominantly red ATC is "Flora" from Sandra Stewart;
The middle one is painted card from Robin Bell,
and the third,from Kathryn Roberts has an Easter theme
and includes wishes for a wonderful Holiday season.
I'm not sure if it's wool roving or knitting fibre edging the ATC,but I like it!
Back March 17 I blogged my ATC attempts for the "ATCs for a Cure" swap.
Earlier postings today did not upload the pics.
So.............here's three of the ten I received in yesterday's Mail.
First is this hand stitched applique by Jenni Kirkham.
Then there's Mandy Collins golden brown work that reminds me so much of the Australian landscape.
I thought it was time to dust the cobwebs off my Janome Xpressions!
Myfanwy of Nuvo Felt and http://needlefeltchallenge.blogspot.com/ periodically issues a "Challenge" and I'm waaaaay behind in responding.
The current? previous challenge was "Hearts and flowers" and I didnt want M to think I had abandoned her completely,so............
Using a chiffon scarf (courtesy of my friend Catherine) some wool roving,some acrylic felt and some kunin felt,here's my answer.
Being chiffon I've left the petals free standing,anchored in the centre with some Angelina fibres for sparkle.
Wool roving supplied the stems and heart shaped leaves in acrylic felt complete the spray.
I'm wondering if I can make the flowers on a base that can be used to brighten up last Winter's tops---much like a brooch. hmmmmmmmm??
The last mail before Easter,this sweet little lady arrived in my letter box!
My dear friend Belle sent her to me.
Front view shows her winsome little face,and the rear view is to show her wreath of flowers.
Needless to say,my young grand-daughter KJ thought that "Spritie" should go home with her........
Gran had other ideas!
Thank-you Belle!
This past week I've been experimenting!
What I've done may be "old hat" to many readers out there,but,I'm on a steep learning curve when it comes to
new techniques in fibre manipulation.
I started off with a 'slab' of Timtex;
My first mistake was using Quilters (basting) spray instead of some other adhesive---
WHY?? that comes later!
To that layer of adhesive I added some previously made (Sculpy) art doll molds,bits of zig-zag braid,lace motifs,lace and braid.
When these had dried in position,they were then given a cover of (Jacquard) Neopaque paint;and then
Lumiere paint was used as highlight on the doll face molds and some of the braid.
As I was hoping to use these for ATCs (Artist trading cards for the unitiated) the slab was then cut into 2.5 by 3.5 inch pieces,some plain homespun was attached for the reverse side of the card,and then I attempted to finish the edges!
THAT was when I found that Timtex
PLUS quilters' spray
PLUS Neopaque paint and lace,etc........
does not take kindly to machine blanket stitch.......or any other stitch for that matter!
The result..............I had to hand stitch to complete them :-(
Oh well...........learn something new every day
