I've got mail!

 This week has briought some interesting and varied Postcards to my mail box:

First up was a (hand) needlefelted card from DebP.For some reason, this card must have travelled the scenic route from Illinios to Queensland because it travelled for hree weeks, instead of the average 10 to 12 days.









The second card, with a Halloween theme came from an Aussie,a new member to PostCardMailArt.
Hard to believe this one one of the first cards that Toni has made. I can't wait to receive MORE from her!








Finally, This card from MaryLou on Canada:
And my first thought on seeing it was "Another Halloween card??"
The theme of MaryLou's card was LABELS, and she kindly shared the story behind the label.
The main body of the card was constructed from a brown paper bag,but I'll share MaryLou's explanation with you:
"The back is a paper bag from our local LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD of ONTARIO.
(yes, all booze is sold through that venue)
The Beer Store sells beer in their stores. Only specialty beers get to the LCBO.
Not too many years ago, one had to sign a slip of paper when purchasing liquor.
We have made progress.NO unning to the corner store as we can do for milk and pop.

Newfie Screech  is only sold in Newfoundland, and mainly  as a tourist trade.It is instant headachebeing made from the dregs of the rum bottles"

Interesting isn't it..to learn about labels!

Desert Rose update

 Taken late afternoon in the golden glow of sunset, the budding Desert Rose.

Desert Rose because of its botanical name

Adenium obesum is sometimes referred to as Fat Boy.
The "obesum" tag refers to its water storing method generally at the base of the stem.
Originating in Africa and the Middle East, Adeniums are related to Alamandas,Oleanders and
Frangipani.
I'm not sure just how tall these plants will grow, but mine, which were purchased as seedlings rather than propagated cuttings three years ago are now over one metre tall.
 I have one growing in a Bonsai pot and this plant in particular shows how the base develops similar to the Baobab tree in its efforts to retain and store water.

One point to remember is that its sap is toxic (like Oleander) so be aware of this if you have children or pets.
It's also a good (safety) practice to wash your hands if you do get sap on them.

Finally: this is my Stephanotis just coming into bloom.
Also known as Bridal veil vine ,and Madagascar Jasmine.
Mine started life as a seedling:(I believe they can be propagated from stem tips of half ripe wood)
The flowering plant is  doing very well in an elevated bed on the northern side of the house.
I have even had two seed pods produced.
They are like a smallish green woody pear. But nothing came from them, because I believe I cut them from the vine too early
Another plant, roughly only four feet away from this one, and in a large pot has produced nothing.
The friend who gave me the seedlings and is really a green thumb gardener, has had no flowers what so ever.
I wonder if she treated them too well!

Anyway, enough of gardening!
I am "auditioning" fabrics for a modern style of Crazy Quilted hanging: to be executed in black/white and red.
I feel a stash enhancement  trip coming on!

Spring update

 The Stephanotis is so slow.....to come to full bloom!
I should not complian, because my dear friend Trish , who gifted me with the seedlings some three years back, has STILL had no blooms on her plants.
This particular plant is readying itself for its second annual display.
Having said that, my other Stephanotis (growing in a pot less than a metre from the blooming one, has yet to show a flower bud.
(Go figure)

Autumn leaves

 Three cards theming "Autumn leaves".
The original leaves were some I filmed and scanned after a visit to Japan a few years ago.
(Japan in Autumn is one fantastic back drop of colours)

The top of these three cards was printed directly onto cotton fabric.

The middle card: A forest area on the way to Mt Fujiama: I printed the abstract colours onto canvas then the scanned leaves were printed on Organza and overlaid on the canvas.

Finally, the leaves printed on Organza,  were laid over  the scanned and printed cotton.

Labels

 PostCardMail Art was organising a postcard swap incorporating labels: and this is my story of how I proceeded!

Using a commercial card I scanned and printed the  contents to some cotton twill PFD fabric.
Unfortunately the colours didn't print as vivdly as I wished, but it still suited my purpose as a background for labels removed from ne of my favourite "drops". Stamp declaring PartyTime and  typical drinkers' messages of good cheer were also incorporated.
 In the card below Buddha, some "Paper fabric" from an earlier project was employed along with appliqued fabric cup plus sachet covers of Twinings "Lady Grey"
.The other two cards feature some tea-pots and cups that have been lurking in my sash for a "few" years-.-I took the liberty of using the teabag tabs to swing from a cup and also a pot.
 For both these cards (featuring labels from  plants purchased recently) I used some of the Gelli Plate prints I made a few months back. I hadn't used any of the samples until now because I felt the colours obtained were "too in your face". Laundering did NOT fade the fabric one iota, but hey!  The flower (tags) used are pretty vivid so I married them together and I think they work together well.

Garden pics

Garden

 I was playing around with photo editor and this was the result!
Sleeping Buddha nestled into Jasmine creeper and Ginger plants in pots below.









"Lemon tree very pretty
and the lemon flower is sweet
But the fruit of the poor lemon is IMPOSSIBLE to eat"

My lemon tree (Variety: Eureka) after having some eight large bagful picked and branches cut back.





A pink floribunda rose in the front garden.
Apologies for the weed on the gravel.














Mr Lincoln: A deep red and wonderfully perfumed rose: my favourite!















A view along the of th back of the house: Mirror on the far fence is to give more depth to the pocket handkerchief sized garden.
And YES a chore still requiring action is the pressure hose the paving blocks back to their creamy  colour.









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Manic bookmarks

 Long time followers of KenMaursCorner will recognise the crazy cats which have appeared over the years.....
and here they are again.
I love the "in your face" bright colours.....!
I have a feeling that maybe some crazy patch cats might complete the series.

Anyway, I have  already twelve bookmarks constructed......maybe it's time to move on: Autumn leaves
                                         and
                                               Labels
are waiting patiently in the wings for their turn.

I have a few ideas,particularly for the Autumn leaves, but whether I have sufficient time to try my ideas........

watch this space.

Bookmark mania

 The past week I have added yet more bookmarks to my collection.
I wanted to work within a two inch by
six or seven inch format before I decided which five bookmarks I would send to my swap partner, Melody.
My first attempts  resulted in rather bulky pieces in my opinion, so I gave myself permission to play.

My friends know that I don't like patchwork, because I find it difficult to match points and keep squares "square".

1...The turquoise piece is a sunprinted piece where sprigs of  Haresfoot fern were used in the process.
The reverse side features fussy-cut flowers appliqued to a dark green fabric.

2..Features fussy cur flowers again appliqued to a lavendar fabric.

3 and 4.. Gum leaves and gum nuts (or if you prefer Eucalyptus leaves and nuts

 on a greem Homespun.
Reverse sides also feature appliqued leaves.

5... Again you see appliqued flowers and leaves.

There are four or so other book marks which will appear in my next posting.














             5

Wordclouds

 Because Vivian left comment and a query regarding
WORD CLOUD, I just had to renew my thoughts on the subject!
Using  Wordle.net I played for a while, initially using words referring to my "battles" learning to become proficient with the EMBIRD software , computers and embroidery machine.
Then I realized that my printer need  new ink supplies!

The first photo shows LOW lacking in ink supplies my Printer was.
So.....something I should have done weeks ago: I visited "Cartridge World" and got supplies.

Photo two and three shows two wordclouds printed on ExtravOrganza and laid over black chintz in the first card, and sky printed fabric in the second.
 For some reason, the Organza didn't print "squarely" and the  resultant cards are slightly skewiff.

Over on PostmarkdArt, a while back, Maureen Callahan wrote an excellent article about wordclouds, and she mentioned Tagxedo

But, being a bear of little brain (myself) so far I have not had satisfactory results.

So, try the links, and have some fun!

Bring on the books!

 As a slight change, I've been "playing" with fabric bookmarks for a swap over on PCMA.

Funny, isn't it! You think "How difficult can it be, making a bookmark!"

My first attempt, trying to keep within a parameter of two inches maximum width, by a maximum of eight inches, was a Gumleaf--- :I used Florist's wire as the central vein to add stiffness to the fabrics that had been fused together  with Vlisoflex.

The next card
  featured a machine embroidered Aussie wildflower and some very basic crazy patchwork .

Unfortunately, this book mark "blew out" to 3.5 inch width because of the size of the m/e flower. I may go back and prune the length to a more manageable size.










Finding some black and white cat print in my stash, I played with the rough outline of a cat. On both sides of the bookmark I employed the cat fabric.
















More to follow with the next upload of scans.

Recycled Clothing: Kimonos

 The brief was to produce fabric postcards from recycled clothing.
As I have quite a collection of both "de-constructed" Kimonos, as well as entire kimonos and Haori coats I decided to use mainly  silk fabrics and a kimono theme.


Initially, I had planned on making mini kimonos and displaying them on crazy pieced backgrounds.
However, the first, and only "mini kimono" was too bulky for use on a postcard, so I rethought my strategy and decided to combine western attire with Japanese.
Firstly, using a sheet of Lutradur, I printed some pattern pieces from an old VOGUE pattern that I had used years ago.
These I cut to shape and super- imposed over the silks I had stitched to form the back ground.
In two instances, using some Kaiser Kraft "wooden flourishes" of dressmaker's mannequins , I fashioned "western style" gowns and stitched them to the foundation fabric.
Other cards again featured the silk fabrics as foundation, and Origami paper dolls  and more Lutradur pattern pieces.

Finally, trying to "think outside the square" I remembered hand bags I made some years back from old Jeans: So I decided to PLAY.
Using a remnant originally planned for conversion to another tote bag, I made a coin purse, and decorated it with a button cluster.
I have used double sided tape to secure it to a card backing.
However, IF I send it on, it will need to travel in an envelope or padded bag, as it certainly exceeds the quarter inch thickness that Postal Services will accept.

I must admit that I did enjoy trying to fit the proverbial square peg in a round hole.
(In this case, a purse as a Postcard)
What do you think?