I've found a new addiction!

Toadstools!!!  Via another new addiction 'Pinterest.com'.  This is full of yummy arty pictures to look at and opens up a whole new world of blogs and websites!

I came across these fabulous terrariums whilst looking for images for a Mad Hatter's Tea party at The Bean & Brush.   How great is the use of those zips!  

And I also spotted these, from LucyKateCrafts.  Whilst visiting Amy's blog, I discovered she's written a book, with some amazing softie designs in it...

.. and with Sophie's birthday just around the corner I ordered one (it's a fab, fab book) and promptly spent the morning of her birthday making a toadstool.

There was a fair bit of dumfing going on in the making of this piece (that's use of the embellishing machine!).  I also added some free machining to the top of the toadstool.

I was really pleased with how the base of my toadstool worked out (although when it goes in the terrarium it'll never be seen).  I used a coloured baby wipe (from my journalling activities) and felted it to some plain green felt.

I can see me getting some more of these made...although the garden called me today and I'm working tomorrow so not sure when!  Sophie had a Mad Hatter's tea party for her birthday so as part of her birthday present I made her a charm bracelet, similar to one I'd seen online:

I was really pleased with how this turned out too.  I want one!!!

What's on your workdesk Wednesday...errr Friday!

This was my workdesk on Wednesday, it's just taken me 'til now to post it!!!

I've been itching to play with some clay at work so went in early to have a go.

Helen, one of my talented ceramicist colleagues had been telling me about the wobbly pots they made at Uni which I was very keen to have a go at.

I smoothed it off a bit more after this shot, and the fun part will be glazing it after it's first firing...can't wait :)  I was even dreaming about clay last night!  [I have to say that the night before's dream featuring Robbie Williams was more entertaining lol]

Later, on Wednesday evening, I taught my second workshop at The Bean & Brush.  These are proving really popular and we've had to put an extra date in for the third workshop at the end of the month :)

a box of curiosities

I taught this workshop at The Cubby Hole on Saturday.  It was a 'cheap and cheerful' workshop in the sense that many of the materials we used were mainly recycled.  I just couldn't resist framing these photos of the materials in this way:

cans, broken china and an old calculator!

no I'm not reading Jackie Collins, it was cheap at the library!

my scraps jar, a squashed coke can....

What a lot of junk!  But the work we produced certainly wasn't!  The project was based on an old cardboard box...

...with the inside lined with book pages and filled with a variety of 'curiosities', including felted stones, weathered shells, steampunk goodies and a handmade pebble...

...along with a book made from a cardboard box, envelopes and bits n pieces collected on my walks around town...

I know I've said this before, but one of the things I love about teaching workshops is seeing how others apply my idea to their own colour choices and, in this case, themes too.  Nigel's piece is so 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and 'Dead Man's Chest'....

...whereas Christine went for a more delicate approach...

Wendy loves words and conversational 'witticisms' so based hers on the fact that the box had contained ceramic pieces entitled 'Hootie the Blowfish' [no prizes for guessing where the boxes were from lol]

Little Sue's love of purple quickly shone through her piece...

I really have had the most amazing weekend...the opening night of my art exhibition on Friday...workshop on Saturday...and Take That yesterday!!!  So FaNTaSTiC!

opening night of 'The Art of Moodling' exhibition

I'd like to say a huge THaNKYou to everyone who attended the opening night of my exhibition, and a very special thankyou to Carol and Danielle for providing the wonderful cheese and wine.  It was a fabulous evening and everyone got stuck in to making their own mark on a huge canvas, even those who thought they weren't creative :)

I made my first video!  It's just from my phone so no sound or anything but hopefully it'll give you a feel for the exhibition  :)

I was back at The Cubby Hole again today teaching a workshop.  We made boxes of 'Curiosities'.  I particularly liked the tiny felted pebbles!  Will post pics tomorrow, before I go to the Take That concert ...so, so, so excited! :)

happily dumfing :)

I just LoVe that word!  It's what Twiglet and Wipso call needle embellishing as it is the noise the machine makes.  

I have spent such a happy evening with my sewing machine and embellisher side by side, working on pieces for my exhibition.

I've since added a few seed beads and the piece is framed and waiting to be displayed :)

eeek...a radio broadcast and an art exhibition launch

I'm nervously looking forward to being on local radio later!  Chorlton FM is broadcasting daily from the 16th-29th May across South Manchester and online.  They include coverage of the 2011 Chorlton Arts Festival, for which I did a workshop last Sunday.  I'm being interviewed at about 6pm, which I'm sure will involve lots of giggling on my part ;)

I'm also busy prepping for my first solo art exhibition at The Cubby Hole, Crewe in June.  

I've been really enjoying 'moodling' with some paint and canvases!

With the odd bit of paper and glue thrown in ;)

Still lots of pieces to get finished ...  I'm always on the last minute with these things - just the way I work best I guess!

PDCC83 a sweet farewell EDITED

...although a rather sad one!  I've not been able to play along in the Play Date Cafe for a few weeks now, since starting my new job, so the time has come to step down and say goodbye.  

I LoVe this image that Julie chose for my last week.  We've been in this together right from the start so it's not an easy goodbye to say but it's been a ball, and I'm hoping I can call in every now and again and play along!

I was going to do a journal page but when I saw these tiny birdhouses in Dunelm Mill I decided I just had to have one (well, five to be honest!).    As it's colour splash week I chose to use black and white on the birdhouse and use the bird as the splash of colour.

I used my favourite punches to decorate the birdhouse...

...and the tiny bird is made from felt :)

I am honoured to have been part of such a fabulously talented team over at The Play Date Cafe and know that the friendships we've built will continue for a long time to come.

EDIT: Now the girls surprised me with both a blog hop (which ends here so welcome blog hoppers!!!) and their choice of their favourite piece from my time at the PDCC.   What a wonderful, wonderful design team.  You made me cry, but thanks everyone!!  There's no way I could choose a favourite PDCC project, there are so many I LoVe.  The PDCC has challenged me to stretch my creativity in many different directions, and it is one of the many things I love about this challenge - I could make whatever I felt like, even cakes!!!  But Colour Splashes are my very favourite :)