This Week's Inspiration

Another busy week - Craig & Jacob (husband and 10-yr-old) have gone to Taupo for a rugby weekend representing Kia Toa Club under-10s. We have everything crossed for them. They have trained and fund-raised really hard so deserve to come home with some success.

I am almost completely through my training at the library. It is great to be reunited with the staff, the members of the public, and the skills that seem to be coming back to my finger-tips.

Got some lovely mail from Martha Brown this week - gorgeous tag and handmade card. I have made some wonderful friends through blogging :-)A couple of good reads this week. "The Glass Castle" is a novel written with sensitivity about a childhood of poverty. I really enjoyed it despite the sad subject matter - some of the actions of her parents are just maddening, but the writer didn't give up on her parents as early as I did!

I so enjoyed Kelly Corrigan's book "The Middle Place" that I was excited to read "Lift" - a memoir for her children. It is a short book, and once again, well-written. Not as wonderful as her first, but if you are a mother, there is lots in here that will speak to you (and the cover is just wonderful - have I mentioned I love butterflies?!)

Onto some blog love for the week :
Priscilla Jones was a new discovery for me this week - she produces simply beautiful contemporary mixed media stitched pieces. Click here for her flickr photostream.
Very cool art on a board from Martha Lever this week.
Temptation in the form of a new dvd by Angie Hughes about her beautiful techniques with velvet - YouTube preview available Source for this DVD http://shop.colouricious.com/dvd-s/-inspired-dvd-s with lots of other temptations there....and their blog looks to have lots of inspiration too. Hope you have an inspiration-filled weekend. Talk to you again soon.

Fun with Painted Fusible

I really enjoy using painted fusible web. You need to use a fusible web which has a release paper backing, and I like to use lumiere metallic paint. Take a look at the instructions from Pokey Bolton here. Below is a piece which has been painted and dried overnight - still on the release paper. As you can see it is really nice to use different colours. The metallic sheen is lovely.Once dry, you turn it face-down on your chosen fabric, and iron over the release paper. Once cool, peel off the release paper, and you are left with a lovely layer. You can iron onto a variety of fabrics. This is onto velvet - the purple layer beneath that spiral.This is onto green cotton. Some of it stuck a bit when I tried to release it, but I think that just adds to the lovely textures. And once you sew or embellish over it, you won't notice these small imperfections.This is also onto cotton but I cut the fusible into heart shapes before fusing down.This is onto lutradur (hope to show you this project completed within the next week)And this is onto organza.I did a class with Sandra Meech and she used this same technique, except with ordinary acrylic paint. We painted in deliberate layers so that when we ironed it onto a medium weight interfacing, it is ready to be the base for a landscape creation.As you can see, you can use this technique for many different applications....give it a try & let me know what you come up with.

This week's inspiration

Spring is here - at least it was sunny and gorgeous on 1st September!

I managed to do another fusible applique block (from this quilt pattern). Have decided mine is only going to be a 9 block so this means I am over 1/2 way there for this initial step :-)

I have been without shampoo for about 5 weeks now - thanks to advice contained in this book.

I am embracing my curls more than ever before, and have even done away with straightening my fringe. I have lost the frizz factor, and my hair stays down instead of moving out sideways as the day goes on. Here's proof! This was taken about 4pm this afternoon - after a windy walk, and no extra products added. When my fringe grows out, it will be perfect. I am telling all my curly haired friends (and some strangers who ask!) to switch away from shampoo, to just using a good, silicone-free conditioner.

Okay - onto some blog love for this week :

Did you know that there are lots of free images/textures/

backgrounds to use posted on flickr? Click here. I hadn't thought of that - Thanks to Caatje

Have a look at this bernina promo video for some cool edge techniques - 3 great alternatives for arty quilts or smaller projects.

I really like this Happy Bag - am thinking about how to use this idea for some bags of my own.

Thought I would end today with another YouTube video. These guys are one of my fav groups at the moment - they are kiwis, and this song is so beautiful. Hope you enjoy it and that it inspires you to hear more of "Midnight Youth"