ROUND ROBIN CHRISTMAS

I have been working on Round 3 of the Round Robin Fabric Book, and in the past month I have had the pleasure of working on Jan's book with a Christmas theme. Jan's challenge/inspiration picture was of some rather cheeky looking shepherds. Jan stressed that she wanted bright, glitzy and cheerful type interpretations, with no subdued country colours. Now I have never been quite sure what "country colours" are, because I have seen all and any sorts of colours worked into country themes - but I can relate to Jan's wish to create a happy little book to have on the coffee table to enhance the mood of celebration at Christmastime.

For my page, I found a piece of silk (not hard in my place, where lots of silk cast-offs find sanctuary). It was a cheerful red colour similar to the red in Jan's picture. I then got out my Shiva oil paintsticks for the first time. I placed the silk over the lid of a carved wood box I have had for ages, and rubbed the gold stick over it to create an "impression". I held my breath - but I was really pleased with the results!

I then decided to create a Christmas wreath. Using some of my silk paper (a medium I am finding increasingly useful) I cut out and applied some background foliage, then delved into my beads for leaves and flowers and berries. I had a couple of years when I fiercely hunted down all sorts of leaf and flower beads. Hope the supply does not run out before I do!

An angel charm was conveniently split in half to provide the 2 angels facing each other at the top.

The finishing touch was a row of my handmade fabric beads along the bottom.

Below is the interpretation done by Jane from Havelock North in NZ. Isn't it beautiful?