WOW - AN AWARD

I feel truly honoured that Belinda,of Metalic Dreams in Tasmania, would even consider me for an award, but i am very grateful to her.

Here are the rules -

1. 5 people are allowed to receive this award.

2. four dedicated followers of your blog.

3. one is to be new to your blog and live in another part of the world.

4. please link back to the person who gave you this award.


Now for the hard bit, choosing 5 people out of the hundreds of brilliant artists that i know.
so here goes


Nancy First is my new found friend, who means a lot to me. (another part of the world)
Jan a truly great friend, who i hope one day to meet.

Genie who never fails to comment on my work, thankyou.
Tanyamac the cheekyurchin, who certainly lives up to her name lol.
for the 5th i choose
Cindy and Cindy, and Maureen and John(who puts up with a lot of stick from us women lol) Sherry and last but not least Ange

Cheeky I know, but i couldn't leave them out lol.

FRIENDSHIP

Last month i told you about my 35th wedding anniversary, and how on the Flickr group MAMMA that i run, i chose the theme matrimony.

Unbeknown to me, my dear dear friends on Mamma, hatched a plan behind my back. They decided each and everyone of them, to send me the ATC's that they had made for that weeks swap.

I cannot tell you in words how much this means to me. People who i have never met , in fact i have only met my dear friend Ange out of all of them. Yet they went to all this trouble just for me, and boy did the tears flow. I must admit i am a bit of a weeper, in fact little tears are forming now just thinking about it all, especially as in the past few weeks, my dear husband has been very ill.

SO DEAR DEAR FRIENDS, I wish to show the world how pleased how I am to have such sweet people in my life.
Thankyou to each and everyone of you.

CLICK TO ENLARGE


LTLBLONDE, H@NES, BOWLINGBELLE
BARTY(JAN), RIA UK, BARTY(JAN)
BOWLINGBELLE, BARTY(JAN)


JOHN DYHOUSE, JOHN DYHOUSE
CINDY HAMLIN, SHELL-SHELL (SHERRY)
RENEE STIEN, CINDY HAMLIN


JOHN DYHOUSE, DONNABELLE, DONNABELLE,
CINDY HAMLIN, DONNABELLE, RENEE STIEN
NANCY TORSEN, CHATTY530, TALUULA2TWO

pchickki, Hattieheart


ANGES THE RED (ANGE), CASHPLANT (CINDY)
WHEN CLOSED


AGNESTHERED (ANGE)
CASHPLANT (CINDY)
WHEN OPENED


my own

You may be wondering how come i didn't send my own ATC off in the draw. That's because whenever there is an odd number of entries, i withdraw mine, so that nobody else misses out. They must have plotted between them to make sure it was an odd number of entries that week roflol.

Here is the photo album that i keep them all in, opened up to show the front and back of the album.

Such a precious momento to keep, not only of our 35 years of marriage, but to show how strong friendship can be.

I AM SUCH A LUCKY LADY TO BE ABLE TO COUNT THESE PEOPLE AS MY FRIENDS.
Right i'm off, cos i'm crying again. xxxxxx

MARIE ANTOINETTE - 2

I was going to make a third piece to send off for submission for publication, in the shape of a fan, like the ones i put in the tutorials on here.

BUT, my printer died a death, and it made it impossible for me to achieve this.

Sooo, i made one from fabric, and i'm fairly pleased with it.

The picture is paper, but the rest is fabric and lace. The browny peach lace, with the eyelets running through, near the bottom, is actual antique lace from France.

I had an accident with one of the other pieces, but managed to restore it, but with slight differentions.

See previous post to see the original piece before the accident.

Marie Antoinette meets Frida Kahlo

Here are two of the items i may send off as submissions for publication

The first one is one that i had already made, but i added further embellishments to.

A lot of the detail is hard to see, such as the handsewn tiny pearls on the silk ribbon roses. I'm not sure if this is an improvement or not, its just that Marie Antoinette was known for extravagant tastes, and i've tried to depict this.

The second one, an ATC, is similar to one that i have already made, but different lol.

Again, you cannot see the tiny seed pearls that i have hand sewn all along the bottom lace, and also the stuck on diamond gems along the frame of the picture.

I'm humming and haaaa'ing about whether to continue to make the third item, a fan, or not.
In fact i've given myself until Thursday to make my mind up about sending them off.

I also finished today another felt pin, this time a circular shape, with a picture of Frida Kahlo done with the acrylic gel transfer onto fabric method.

Funky Felt Pins Stage 2

Here are the first 4 felt pins (brooches) that i've managed to finish so far. Not sure how they will go down as xmas pressies though lol.

I've really enjoyed doing these. I just loooove beading with the tiny seed beads. NEVER have i had patience whilst doing my work, til i started sewing these little beauties. I love the look of them, i just love sewing with them, i love the sound they make when you lay the finished piece on the table. I think i must be cracking up lol.


I would like to take this opportunity to say a BIG thankyou to everyone who voted for me in the Mind Wide Open challenge. I was sooo lucky to be a runner up. Can you believe it, cos i can't. With all those beauuuuuutiful pieces of work, i really shouldn't have stood a chance, except for you precious guys out there voted for me. I BOW DOWN IN GRATITUDE. . thankyou.

i've already received my prize, as i elected to go for the Digital download collage sheet. That way i can use it over and over again. I Got to choose from the FABULOUS Shabby Cottage Studio
Thankyou to Gail who sets this monthly challenge. I'm not sure if i have the nerve to enter again, as much as i did enjoy the challenge. Maybe just now and again lol.

Couple of pieces to show you sometime over the weekend, that i MIGHT send off to Stampington & Co, to be considered for the New Marie Antoinette magazine they are publishing next year. I'm so unsure of myself, and feel that i may be bragging, by entering these kinda things. It's just now and again I have a little confidence and think 'yeeeah why not', and sooo regret having entered afterwards.

Still onwards and upwards as the Bishop said to the actress.

A FANTASTIC GIVEAWAY HERE IN BEAUTIFUL SUNNY MEXICO.
Please head on over and leave a Pattie a comment, she'll sure make you welcome.

TAGGED 3 TIMES

This week i've been tagged 3 times. No, not electronically tagged or given an ABSO (Anti-Social Behaviour Order) roflol
Once by john (Artyfax), then MAM, then Tanyamac

All in all they wish to know 7 things about me so here goes.

1. Waited 32 years to do a Fine Art Degree, only to be disappointed. I had such high expectations of University, but found that i learnt much more from College, (Chesterfield Art College).

2.My favourite artists are JMW Turner, Paul Klee, Rauchenberg, Rachel Whiteread, Sarah Lucas (my kinda humour lol).the list goes on and on lol.

3. Artists i don't like are, Damien Hirst (watched a programme, where he doesn't do ANY of the work, just tells his assistants, oh blob a bit of paint here, a bit of yellow there darling, aaaarrrgggh), and Tracy Emin, who tells porkies about her past life, to try and enhance her artwork.

4. I would walk on fire for my daughter and Grandson who are the light of my life. I couldn't live without them, literally.

5. Which do i prefer Fine Art or Crafts? Crafts everytime, people are sooooo much nicer, friendlier, are there to lend a shoulder to cry on, more talented, i could go on and on, whereas Fine Art are............... (what can i say without being too rude....... )

6. I can only work in a mess. Tidyness restricts my creativity. But i do have to tidy up several times a week, cos i am soooooo messy. but i love it. Plus, i can only do a painting standing up. REALLY cannot paint sitting down, so the older i get the less i can paint, cos the legs eleven can't take it.

6. Went to John Howard Grammar School for Girls, but i'm afraid the bit about learning to be a lady didn't quite work out. roflol. We were taught how to sit properly, talk nicely, eat your peas in a correct ladlylike way, walk with a book on our head? where did it all go wrong hahahaha

7. I like white wine, but then again most of my friends know that. Ahhh but do they know i only like DRY white wine hahahahahahhahahaha. May partake of a bit of rose now and then, 0h and of course i love a lager. oh dear sounding a bit like a lager lout here.

The main things in my life are my immediate family, my art, and my online friends. oh and spending money at the craft shops, and ebay, and etsy, and...........

Funky Felt Pins

This past week, i've been busy making felt brooches on the online course at Joggles with Susan Sorrell.

I've made 17 so far, but still need to do stage 2, which the embroidery and beading stage. This i received today, so will be busy next week, trying to get them done. I probably won't succeed doing all 17 this week, but intend to finish them, as they are going to be xmas pressies for art friends. Just hope they like em.

So here they are, in an unfinished state

I can't wait to get some detail onto them, and next week, i'll show you the end results.

Also this week, i've decided to give myself a challenge. Stampington & Co. are releasing new magazines next year, and one of them is Marie Antoinette. As she has become a favourite of mine lately, i've decided to make some art to put forward to the magazine. Fingers crossed they like my work.
Again i will show you them, before i send them off to USA.


I would also like to say a big thankyou for those who voted for me. it really means a lot to me.
I'm happy knowing that some people care, and I'm really not bothered about winning, in fact i know i don't deserve to win. Like I've said there are some truly amazing pieces of work being displayed, my favourite is the work of Lilla le Vine. This is a truly beautiful piece of art, and i really really really love it. She also makes amazing gypsy purses, which i first found out about on art-e-zine. In fact she has inspired me to have a go at making my own handbags (purses). Just getting together some fabrics and trimmings so that i can make a start.

Right must dash, i still havn't made my ATC for this weeks MAMMA's swap, the theme being 'Home Sweet Home".

Feeling really unwell, I seem to be in more pain now, after having the 2 teeth removed, than i was before. We should have been going out for a meal tonight, but i have had to postpone it, because i'm really struggling to eat, and feeling lightheaded, tired and in pain.

Hey ho, next week will be better. lol
xxx

MIND WIDE OPEN

No it's not the Presidential election roflol, but WEDNESDAY 8TH OCTOBER the voting begins on Mind Wide Open.

Here is my humble effort, not sure how it will go down amongst the 'experts' that enter this monthly competition.

But i would be eternally grateful, grovel, grovel, if just one person voted for me, it would give me a bit of confidence, which i so lack.

So here it is ............

Altered Matchbox
"All Dressed Up"


with contents

I have had sooo much trouble trying to take a photo of this. it is a dreary windy day, and at one stage it ended up scattered on the lawn, (some of the beads and sequins fell off), so ended up having to cut the matchbox up so that i could scan it.

I am going to have to invest in a lightbox methinks, as the British weather is NOT very accomodating to photography

So to vote, and to see some amazing work by other artists, go here
FROM WEDNESDAY 8TH OCTOBER THE VOTING BEGINS

VOTING IS NOW OPEN. TO LEAVE A VOTE, JUST LEAVE A COMMENT ON WHO YOU ARE VOTING FOR. THERE ARE SOME REALLY GREAT PIECES OF WORK TO BE SEEN.

My House

A number of my online friends have been entering the weekly challenge set on
dansmamaison

So this week i decided to go for the challenge and this week the theme is Femme (woman).

Here is my attempt.

click to enlarge

I have a thing for Marie Antoinette at the moment, and pink, and shabby chic, so decided to go the whole hog.

I'm also attempting another challenge, which has to be in by Tuesday, over on Mind Wide Open.
There are some truly illustrious ladies on there, Viola and Sanja amongst them (see their links on the right). So i know i don't stand a chance, but have welcomed the challenge.

I'll post it before Tuesday, and after that i hope people will vote for me PLEEEEEEEASE. Says she down on her hands and knees roflol.
Those with the most votes win a shopping voucher, oooooooooooh yummy.

Back in a couple of days to show you what i've done.