WIP - Fabric Beads

Kristal Wick's lovely book 'fabulous fabric beads' arrived this morning and after a quick look through I had to try the basic rectangles - my first attempt at bead making.
They are easy to roll and glue over a drinking straw and tomorrow I'll know how substantial they are when the fabric is completely dry.



I took out the straw but I think light fabrics and ribbon will need a straw stiffener inserted.
Maybe I'll varnish them if I decide to carry on with these colours to make a chunky necklace. Mostly I craft for the pleasure of 'doing' so may not make anything.
Next I'll try triangles and then round beads - they will challenge me I'm sure...
Anyway, I'm more motivated than I was yesterday!

Mosaics

I can't believe that March is nearly over - and not a blog from me!
No blog, no stitching, not a lot on Flickr - well I have been reading and watching TV
(that's sad!)
I have made a few on line mosaics, manipulating photos with GIMP, like this version of a Dahlia, and making several photo collages in Picasa, like the one below.






A couple of sunny days made me think of Spring, but it's cold and dull again today -
maybe I'll feel better in April, Spring will really arrive and I'll get into a more positive mood - I hope so!

GIMP week 2 - 'Spring'

I'm enjoying Sharon b's course 'GIMP for Textile Artists'.
It's challenging me but I manage to practice, albeit with my own slant on some things!
This was good practice - enhancing colour, layers, selecting the oval tool, and lots of copy and paste.
The original embroidery was a fabric ATC from a photo taken in our local park, printed on fabric and over stitched mostly with French Knots.
I'm not doing embroidery just now - giving my arthritic arm a rest, but later I may print this on fabric and add even more knots!

GIMP Week 2

'Squinting In The Sun"
I managed the first task - setting an old fashioned look colourized photo into an oval with blurred edges, though I'm not sure I really want to look older than I am! LOL.
Next is intro to using layers in graphics - with a few do and undo attempts I managed to do two layers. It took me a time and at the end of it all I didn't like the colour I chose for the background layer and I had difficulty in saving in GIMP so I saved as JPEG as I always do.
Then I changed the background in Publisher as I can do this quickly.
As I'm a picnik frame addict I added a pretend frame too.
I musn't sit any longer or I'll 'lock' all my joints, so I'll go into GIMP, change the background there, and continue the lesson another time.
I'm enjoying the lessons - time flies and I only hope I can remember what I'm doing for another time!

Learning Curve ...

My learning curve has taken a new direction, after receiving an email from our son Neil, who works in the travel industry.
He is in Cambodia - impressed, and knew I would like to see and read about the amazing ancient temples, Angkhor Wat & Angkor Thom, dating back to 802AD.
Yes, I loved browsing pictures and info, via Google, and wish we were able to jump on a plane and get to see them!
I try to 'learn something new each day' - today I have, and I've sent for a book about Cambodia, a place I knew nothing about yesterday.

Even when we get a bit housebound there's plenty to enjoy!

Therapy .....

As I'm getting more immobile, with frequent pain from arthritis, and it seems unlikely that things will improve despite many hospital visits last year and more future appointments,I have decided to up my self help programme with different therapy techniques,

eg losing weight(very difficult!),relaxation (nice one!),SMILE(great but sometimes a challenge!),distraction (it often works!) ... and ... making sure my brain keeps going (doesn't always work!).
Last year I enjoyed the challenge of Take A Stitch Tuesday - TAST, and I have just received the Week I lesson of sharon b's GIMP for Textile Artists course.
I know using GIMP will challenge me, I have read and started practising things, some applications I knew, others are new to me.
The edited Alcohol Ink Abstract is my first print out.
I'm looking forward to moving on and applying GIMP to textile design.
I'm not a quilter but will hopefully design small pieces to develop as textile art. Whatever the results I'll be thoroughly absorbed - I am excited about this project.
Even thinking about it all has helped me forget those nagging pains!

Fabric & Grape Stalks ....

For several weeks I have been noticing the lovely Winter tree silhouettes everywhere.
This morning at breakfast - there was one when I ate the last few grapes!
I can't sew much at the moment - that arthritis again - so I made this layered collage design. I'll print it onto a linen Jet Ink fabric and hopefully add hand stitching soon.
I love picnic frames, so added one.