While I was on my couple of days off I did another page in my junk journal. This one started with a set of stickers with flamingos and pineapples that I was sent by one of my American penpals (they're from the Reflections range by Michaels and the USA).
Originally, I was aiming for a 1950s-style Miami theme, but I didn't have what I needed in my stash nor could I find it on Pinterest, so I decided to do this collage of four different, but linked, images instead. The design on the background of the flamingos on their tropical island and the two Florida pieces were found on Pinterest. I already had the cocktail shaker one, though that probably came from Pinterest too.
Once I'd decided on this layout it didn't take me long to finish, with the orange and pink jewels being the last elements I added. Again, it didn't finish how I first thought it would, but I do like the way it came out in the end.
I quite often get a bit of ephemera or some stickers in my letters from my penpals, and so that I can remember who they came from, I like to use the ones from each penpal separately, plus they quite often take me in a style direction that I wouldn't have normally followed. I have some space-themed postage stamps and a card from Nasa in one letter I received recently, so my next page will have a space theme to it that I wouldn't have chosen without having those starting pieces.
I'll be back again on Sunday.
TTFN
Louise
I do have a beautiful workroom (I'll add a link below to my post for the 2016 Where Bloggers Create blog hop), but some days in just too tired to walk up that extra flight of stairs or work day up at a desk, so my bed becomes my desk.
To save having to get stuff out of my stash from upstairs (and defeating the purpose of working on my bed!) I keep a couple of boxes of fabric and vintage lace/linens under my bedside table. I'd probably end up wth more if my other half wasn't too keen for my side of the bed area to look like a jumble sale!
In the fabric box, I keep my favourite background fabrics - plain linens, striped cottons - and a selection of patterned fabric scraps. The linens etc box has some whole and cut linens and a few bits of lace. Both boxes have enough for starting something new or for an item I'm working
The tin in the last photo is my Christmas tin and it has whatever I'm using for my Christmas makes in it and whatever I'm currently working on.
The two plastic containers in the fifth photo have a selection of beads and sequins, bits of bling and other embellishments. These are much more portable than all of the jars and containers in my workroom. They're a handy size to travel with to if I take my stitching anywhere. I do find these little plastic containers useful.
I hope you're having a good weekend. It's my birthday next week so I'm taking a few days off, so my next blog post will be in Friday, 28th October.
TTFN
Louise
The link to my Where bloggers create post http://elsiemayandbertha.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/where-bloggers-create-2016.html
A few Christmasy bits have added themselves to my worktable. The last photo is of fabric hearts and stars, all in snowflake fabrics. The others are for Christmas trees. The large and medium ones will have a dowel and a base added so that they'll stand up. The small ones will be for hanging up.
The pink stripy one is nearly finished. It just needs its bottom sewing up and mounting on the dowel etc. The rest are in various stages from just being cut out, to adding decoration before stuffing.
Hopefully, these should all be finished and added to my Etsy store soon.
I'll be back on Saturday.
TTFN
Louise
This was another of the items in my last wip post that I've managed to finish. It's made from a cotton fabric that I've decorated with a bit of tape lace and a crocheted lace. I stitched 'needles' onto a piece of edging from a vintage linen tablecloth and attached it to the front of the needlecase with french knots. I made a loop out of vintage cord and it wraps over a vintage plastic button in the shape of a flower.
This little case has wended its way over into my Etsy shop.
I hope your week is going well and I'll be back on Thursday.
TTFN
Louise
These Halloween cards are for two of my American penpals, like my first one was. As I've mentioned before, I don't intend to make any Halloween bits and pieces available for sale this year, but I may do some market research for next year to see if people would be interested. What about you, dear Reader, would you? I'd be interest in your thoughts. My readers are mainly a mix of British and American, so one side of the pond may have different ideas than the other. The only problem posting something like a card to the States can be quite expensive (once you get past the different types of the lower postal charges, the amount you can send as a parcel makes it more value for money).
Anyway, back to these cards, there's a gothic one and a more orange pumpkin, less scary-type one. Both are on grey card and have a grey paper background. All of the images on the gothic one were found on Pinterest. The other is a mixture of Pinterest and stuff I had in my stash.
Each card has a tag and, on the inside, a couple bits of ephemera with a triangular paperclip.
I need to get these in the post sharpish so they arrive in time (how is it we're half-way through October already?!).
I hope your weekend is going well (I'm busy making Christmas decorations myself) and I'll be back on Tuesday.
TTFN
Louise
I've made this lavender pillow from two different cranberry coloured and patterned linen fabrics and backed it with plain beige linen. I've decorated the top of the pillow with a mixture of vintage lace and tatting, along with a stitched linen bow with a cranberry button. It's filled with dried lavender and hypoallergenic stuffing.
If you'd like to buy this lavender pillow, or see the others available in my Etsy store, you can find it by following this link - A cranberry lace and bow lavender pillow.
I'll be back on Sunday and I hope you have a good weekend.
TTFN
Louise
I have so many things nearly finished, but these two are the only actually finished items, hence you're seeing a birthday card and a christmas card.
These cards are A6 in size and are decorated with french knots, and the pink reindeer has a few beads too.
Both the pink reindeer christmas card (now sold) and the dapper gent birthday card are now available in my Etsy store.
I'll be back on Friday.
TTFN
Louise
