Photofest!

You can tell it’s been a while – prepare yourselves for loads of photos in this post. :)

Visited friends in Aldeburgh at the weekend. Such a lovely day decided to go to Southwold and have a cream tea on the pier – wonderful.
Wonderful views too. In one direction these:
In another direction this:Unfortunately, in the distance this:Sizewell Nuclear Power Station.

Popped in to the shop which sells Cath Kidston merchandise and couldn’t resist buying this. Love the whole range but thought this was just that little bit different.Will be ideal for my Ally Pally purchases, which will need to be plentiful as I wasn’t able to make it to FOQ to stock up on supplies. Missed a good exhibition too by the sounds of it.

In the post recently I received my swap for the ALQS3. Made by Jovita from Lithuania
and is brilliant – it’s as if she made it especially for me.A close up of the great little buttons she has used.Still on the rust theme have been working on some more ‘rusty’ surfaces using the technique from the ‘Stitching the Textured Surface’ book and the ‘Encrusted Blades’ article in WOW.Also used the same technique for a metallic surface – doesn’t show up too well in the photo though.On the subject of metallics, am still trying to develop the fabric I used for the bodice shown in the last blog post. I’m getting there. :)More detail on this technique when I can get it exactly how I want it.

Also in the post I received the Calendar Girls postcard for August from Val.
The calendar page was actually chosen by Val this month and she has captured it perfectly.My August card is for Doreen and I’m afraid I’m a bit behind. No real excuse, just been suffering for a couple of weeks from a debilitating virus called ‘Lazyitis’. *LOL*
I know I haven’t done the card justice. If I recall, its called ‘Shower of hearts’ or something similar, so I have taken the hearts and worked on them.
I used a small heart stencil and also made a thermofax screen using the same stencil. They are not finished yet, some need stitching, zapping or maybe even a touch of Treasure Gold :)
Brief descriptions follow - if anyone would like more, please ask.
Gesso was used on duck cotton then again through the thermofax. Ink sprayed on and salt sprinkled on the surface. Same as above but gesso pulled through a stencil. Red and black ink sprayed on the surface before sprinkling with salt. Swore I wouldn't do rust but couldn't resist it. Gesso on Lutradur this time. Red and black ink.
Look at the other wonderful patterns made on the Lutradur with ink and salt. Gesso on Lutradur again, sprayed with ink, stitched then zapped. Light spray of diluted silk paints then applied. More of the same, before zapping. Xpandaprint through a thermofax screen on Lutradur sprayed with red and black ink. Even the back of this one looks pretty good. Xpandaprint, Lutradur, zapped and sprayed with diluted silk paints. Same again, different colourway. Gesso on Lutradur sprayed with diluted silk paints.
Molding paste on Lutradur, diluted silk paints and Crafty Notions Creative Sprays. As above. And the back. One of these will be finished and in the post to you very shortly Doreen - then I will start on the September card.