MORE FROLICS AND FANCIES

I have not posted for a few days. My mouse died, and I have been having a difficult time - at the computer. Now it had been giving a few warning signs, temporary lapses, stubbornly refusing to move at times, and I should have done something about it before now. I am struggling on with a tiny model, with a very short cord, that is probably designed for a laptops. It is a nifty little thing, but but does not respond to my touch like my old friend, who has been at my fingertips for many a year!

Never mind, I thought I would show you some more of what I have been doing lately.

BEADS

When I need a large-ish bead to thread with a cord and dangle from something, it is often difficult to find one with a hole that is big enough. The answer is to make your own.

All you need are strips of paper or fabric. You roll these around a straw or skewer, seal the ends, decorate in some way, and voila, you have your own custom-made creation.

Here are some of the ones I have been making. Most are from strips of fabric-hand-dyed cotton and silk, wrapped around lengths of drinking straw. They are then embellished with fancy threads, glitter or foil. (The foil is applied with heat to the fabric before starting.)

The bright green ones are actually made from Tyvek, which is a builders paper. After tying them with gold thread, I used the herat gun to crackle and seal them. Quick, easy and effective!!

ATC'S

Another batch of ATC's were produced as gifts for the participants in the 2008 Fabric Book Round Robin. For these, I started with a photo of a cut paw-paw.

Because I needed nine copies, one for each of the participants, including myself, I printed them out on prepared fabric in "wallet sized" prints.

Now these were just a little too small for the regular 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" Artist Trading Card size. But I had just enough room in the surrounding white space to extend them out, using acrylic paints. I used the right shade of blue to fill in the surrounds, and touched up the fruit themselves with orange and yellow.

Next I went to my sewing machine and stitched a black outline around the key shapes.

Finally I rummaged through my beads, and found 2 or 3 types in a variety of sizes to represent the seeds.

I think only one of the recipients lives in a tropical area, so I hope they enjoy them!

BOOK COVERS

The recent Quilting Arts publicatiuon "GIFTS" had an idea for book covers. I adapted the idea to producing covers for our local phone book(which is still reasonably modest in size.)

This was a good opportunity to use some the ready-vliesofixed fabric I was given last year, a leftover from a Quilting Workshop held here last year for visiting quilters. I also have large quantities of felt - another gift from a fellow craftsperson - which I have been able to use as a base.

When I scanned the first one, I accidentally left one of my fabric beads on the scanner bed!

I cannot show you the front side of the one in the brown/black/neutrals, because it is a surprise birthday gift for someone, and it would give the game away. I have included a relevant photo and section of the phone book on the front.

This has been a good project, but I do need to plan my layouts better. I hate planning or working to pre-determined patterns and layouts and usually go with projects where I make it up as I go along. Nevertheless, they have worked out well, and the phone book fits neatly into them. They will make good gifts.