A walk round the City (part one)

 I was watching an art journal workshop the other day and the teacher said that they made their own collage papers from photographs they took in their home town of things like wires, architecture etc.  This prompted me to take a walk around the city and look for interesting patterns, architecture or anything which caught my eye.  I thought I would share some of the photos I took.

This is just outside in the street. I like all the lines. 

Here it is in black and white. I can also crop the images further if I want just a small part of the image.

The decorated arch from a medieval building on the High Street.

Lovely statues on an arch in the High Street.

I think they represent the Annunciation.

Looking up is important and I noticed the columns on the window surround.

Another doorway on an ancient building.

Looking down resulted in some interesting patterns too.

I like the different patterns made by the different materials.

A very beautiful timber framed building.

The Cathedral to finish this part.  The front has been cleaned over the last few years and it does look very beautiful in the honey-coloured stone. There are patterns galore here! 

The rest of the walk to follow in the next post.

Creative things...and learning important lessons

As I have amassed rather a huge papercrafting stash, including papers, stamps, dies, die cutting machines and various other tools to accompany the aforesaid things, I decided that the time had come to experiment and actually use some of the stash.  I had noted down a few ideas and so had a go in my sketchbooks.  Above are watercolour backgrounds with stamped images.  They worked pretty well, though I did need to stamp twice as the paper was textured. 

I then had a go at stamping and colouring with watercolour pencils, which was surprisingly effective and reasonably quick to do too.

 Here is my favourite stamp set from Altenew - Folksy Florals.  I like the Scandinavian retro feel to these simple flowers and enjoyed building up the colours and patterns.  I have now got the corresponding die set too so will be able to cut out the flowers and leaves accurately.  They are just so cheerful.

At the top of the page is an Altenew Stencil which gives a lovely  watercolour effect using inks.  At the bottom of the page is an embossed leaf stamp which I coloured with watercolour paints.

It was my sister's birthday, so I made her a card using hydrangea stamps and the large image in the centre is embossed and watercoloured too.  One of the great things about stamps is that you can decorate the envelope too. 

I have plans to create some cards with positive sentiments to have on my wall at work, so they will be the next project.

In other news, you may remember that I was going to make the tunic dresses featured above.  I made a toile first as I knew that the shoulders would probably need altering.  I had also read on other blogs that the pattern on the left was not designed for curvy figures and the ties were too high up and hit a fuller bust in the wrong place.  Armed with this knowledge, I brought them down to waist level.  I also thought the pockets were a bit too big, so used a pocket from another pattern.  So, I worked away, making the necessary alternations as I went and happily sewing.  Here's the finished product. 

(It does need an iron, which I really should have done before taking a photo.)

Here's the back.  So, I was very pleased with myself and tried the finished garment on.  There was just one problem...I didn't like it, not at all, not one bit.  I looked like I was wearing a sack - not flattering at all. 
So, what could I do?  Well, I could donate it, or alter it again.  I measured it against the tunic dress pattern I have made before and it would work, so I unpicked it all and have started re-making it. I will post a photo once I have finished.  So, lesson learned - some styles just don't suit me, so I should stick to the things which do.  I am going to make the other pattern up next though and I have made a toile and tried it on.  It's a simple shape with a tie belt and I think it will work nicely - let's hope it does...

Trying something new - Zentangle

 I have always enjoyed doodling - just drawing patterns on scraps of paper, letting my mind wander.  I have given in and tried Zentangle, which is the next stage on to just doodling. Zentangle is a way of filling in shapes with repeating patterns, but the patterns can be as simple or complex as you like and the whole process is supposed to be relaxing and meditative.

 Each of the patterns has a name and there are hundreds and probably thousands to choose from.  I started by following a book, but the internet has a plethora of information on there.

 I do like the organic patterns, but I also enjoy building up a simple pattern into something which looks incredibly complicated.  However, when the patterns are broken down into steps, they seem relatively easy to do.

It is a relaxing process and there is no right or wrong (however, me being a bit of a perfectionist, had to re-do a pattern which didn't fit well into the space I had put it and I was much happier with a second attempt).  The other good thing is that you begin with a square, then split it into shapes and then fill each shape, so you are not greeted with a huge sheet of white paper, which can be a little off-putting.  It is also something that can be done in a spare minute, without lots of equipment - paper, a smooth gel pen, and a ruler and pencil.  Are you tempted yet?

New Polymer Clay equipment

I was going to call this a new 'toy', but actually, it is equipment (although it is a lot of fun!)It is a polymer clay screen printing kit and with it, fabulous surface patterns can be applied to polymer clay, using acrylic paint.

 The kit has four sheets of patterns, paint and squeegee and instructions and I found it really easy to use, once you gauge how much paint is needed.  I made some round pendants as there are two sheets of round patterns, but there are also two sheets of full sheet patterns as well. The sheet is placed onto the rolled out clay, then a squirt of paint is applied just above the top of the pattern and is squeegeed down across the pattern.  It has to be left to dry before baking and the sheets need to be put into warm water as soon as the pattern has been printed as they can't be rubbed to clean them in case the pattern came off.  The sheet needs to be left to dry before using again, so time is needed.

 Here are some of my pendants, nearly ready to wear.  The patterns came out clearly and look lovely against the skinner blend blue background.

 This flower pattern looks a bit japanese-inspired to me.

 Even the tiny dots in this design can be seen.

This back was a happy accident.  I like to make the backs of the pendants interesting, but I hadn't realised that I had made a landscape, or perhaps seascape, with this one.

To use some of the scrap clay I had, I also created some kaleidoscope canes and made a few more pendants.  It's always fascinating to create new patterns. I think I'll be experimenting much more with the silk screen and the kaleidoscope canes.