Bra bag

Well I am very positive today!!!! I am so glad to be able to be in this first proper post for the new year. I went to my usual monthly workshop with Fibrepaperarts, our local workshop group and has a blast with Anne Griffiths a tutor from GlosCAT a college in the south of England. Her workshop was on turning and old bra into a bag and it started out with a revelation. As most bra's are synthetic they are hard to colour, or so I thought. Anne made it EASY!!!! I can't believe I didn't know you can use the transfer dye powders to actually dye synthetics. If you mix it with water, to the desired strength, and then heat it above 80 degrees c, or to a rolling boil, it will dye. All you have to do is rinse and dry then as the high temp fixes the colour, no need to iron. I can not believe that I did not know that!!!!! If you didn't either leave me a comment so I don't feel as thick!!!!

Anyway, I was going to have a great gaudy bright one, but was seduced by a neutral brown, nude one, Now Arlee I know but I am weening myself of the brown!!!!! I just couldn't do it, I was like a junky, didn't take too much convincing I would love to do the brown and turquoise thing! So guided by the fact that this nude bra had the most stunning daisy straps I did. I decided that the bra had grid and lowers I would go with a trellis kind of theme. I brought out some of the gird with stitch and then cabled from the back the flowers. I found some fab turquoise trim and fringe and sequins from my box of lucks. When I got home I added a chocolate brown metallic thread to edge the flowers as they did not stand out enough. I added sequins to the flowers on the strap too. Here it is.....
Nothing is wasted in this idea, the cut off sides are used to gather the opening of the bag, but I confess to taking mine out as I didn't like the way it was laying, Grace my friend grassed me up to Anne!!!!!! The hooks and eye fasteners from the back become the fastener which I love as it is such a clever thing to do.I added the bow from the centre of the bra to the fastener. See nothing wasted.

Chris the organiser had these lovely chocolate dangly beads, and I added these tying in with the outlining of the flowers. The cup edges are lashed together with strong thread, mine didn't matter as I had the fringe to cover it!

Finally I lined the whole with a crinkle polyester taffeta.

It is such a lovely idea, I have already been booked to make a pink and frilly one for Ellie!!!!!

People's choice at Cyber Fyber

More on Cyber Fyber, apparently ther is a people's choice award and you ave to comment on the card you like. So if you like mine, find them here and here, could you leave me a comment? No pressure go visit you might like someone elses better!

Cyber Fybers

Hey look what arrived in my inbox. As part of Susan Lenz Cyber fyber exhibition marketing I got this great advert for the exhibition, and so I was scrolling down and boom! there was my card sitting amongst the others! I got a name check and everything! Mine is the one with the circles and beading, on the top right. I am so chuffed I can't tell you. I just forwarded it to half my family like a 3 year old showing certificates, and I only wish I could go and see it in the flesh. I am sure it is going to be great.

Looking for the positive

Well I have been in a black mood for far too long lately and have found it hard to find anything positive about 2008 and not really looking forward to 2009, all this credit crunch doom and gloom has really got to me. So inspired by others review of the year I am going to look at the positives.

1. I gave my first workshop, and it was fun despite being ill.


2. I had my work in an exhibition in the City Museum.


3. I made 12 arches.


4. I made 12 postcards for the calendar girls swap.


5. I made 12 (I think) ATC's or the lottery on TC.


6. I made at least 7 christmas gifts.


7. I started level 4 C+G


8. I got promoted to Deputy head of faculty ( after 10 years that should maybe be higher on the list!!!)


9. I had my 8 year wedding anniversary.


10. My Daughter turned 5.


11. I embarked on the Soul Journal journey, am temporarily on a hold with this as soo so busy!


12. I had the second year anniversary of blogging and of my group Textile challenges.


13. I completed my first online workshop with Lynda and Carol, which was superb.
14. My class got 100% A-D in Textiles this year.

So a good year really, and I am sure there is loads I can't remember. Hope you all have a great New year and a fab 2009. My resolution is to count my blessings, regularly - here - so that I am not so doom and gloom! What's yours?

Last arch of the year! (Don't look Cathy if you want a suprise)

Well the arch swap is finally drawing to a close on Textile Challenges (My group - in the sidebar if you want to come and play). This is my ast arch and it is for a friend I have made through TC and this swap. Cathy has been through a hurricane this year so I am glad to send her this as she has had a rough ish year! She asked for red and yellow and Interesting view. Luckily on the back of a brida magazine I have been harvesting for a while was this amaing ic o a boat and a sunrise/set. I added a wash of red acrylic to it. The outer is appliqued fabric paper which is sheet music and peacock sequins.
I then added vermicelli cable stitch and more sheet music and flower sequins. It came out quite indian, which was a nice suprise, does your work do that, I didn't know I was going there!

Finaly I added a lovely cord sent to me by someone, sorry I forget now who, in my secret santa swap.

I am pleased with it, and I only have to get my head round the C+G coursework now and I am gold!

Sue has another!

Sue also had another. Open the 6th folder in your pictures and find the 6th photo and post! So here goes:

Ha! This is mad, I did this completely blind, and the folder happens to be one my Mum uploaded from Shrewsbury flower show. Of all the pics on my pc or it to be one I have not seen, was nothing to do with me, bonkers!!!!!

Closest book to you!

Saw this on Morning dove's blog, which lead me to Sue's book challenge. This lead me to open the nearest book to me, Angie Hughes' "Stitch, cloth paper and paint" and turn to page 56 and find the 5th sentance and post it here. So here goes :



Wrap the thread around the whole book two or three times, passing it under the embellishment, and let it hang down. "



There we go, fun!!!. So grab the nearest book to you and find page 56, find the 5th sentance and post it! Tickled me!!! Let me know if you do!

Merry Christmas everybody

Just wanted to say Happy Christmas to you all and a happy chanukah to Cathy in particular. Hope you all have a lovely day tomorrow and a great New year. I wil be glad to see the back of 2008 and hope 2009 kicks ass!

My clever sister

I haven't mentioned here yet my little sis has set up her shop. She is now seling all over the world hats and visors and all sorts of other lovelinesses, including amazing crochet jewellery. She designs and makes especially for skiers and snowboarders (she is a boarder) Here are some examples of what she does.

If you would like to have a look closer, her prices are mega reasonable, check her out here at Snowhats.co.uk

NOTE - Her web host has cocked up her site and are trying to fix it asap. I wil repost whe it is up and going again.

Finished class sample and calendar girls last card of the year

Here is my last card of the year for Calendar girls, I have steered away from the flower theme this time, being a bit fed up of them!I used my class left overs to make this card with a pocket in and lovely glass beads with holly, wreath and snowflake on them. I added a tree of fabric paper metal repair tape and gesso. Hope Deb likes this.
I finished my class sample from the workshop I took last week and it is all made up into a cone.I am sending this one to a friend and can't say too much as it is a secret! Here are some details:

And the final thing!

I made some softie's and a pyjama bag for a friend's chld for christmas, of course I had to make another for Ellie too! I wil take a pic and show it later in the week. Chat soon!!!

Blue hare - New blog to check out

My friend Deb has been someone I have mentioned lots of times here, she sells her fab hand painted and hand dyed fabrics on Etsy and Ebay, and girls they are lovely! Well she inally bit the bullet and got a blog so go see her, tell her I sent you and wish her luck. This is a bad shot of her piece from Saturday. She has better on her blog. HERE

What I did on Saturday

On Saturday I gave my very first workshop. It was very nerve wracking as the group are much accomplished and I had a case of raging flu and was to be honest barely conscious at times!!!! These were my class samples. They were based on Fabric cones, like Ruth Rae did in QA, but with a Carol spin on things. I think everyone had fun despite me being a bit below par. Still off work today but starting to feel a little better. Ellie has her school concert today so I better be a little better!!!!!

LOOK LOOK LOOK

I sold my Daring dove painting!!!!! My first sale! A good friend of mine Deb bought it I am so pleased as I can't think of a nicer person to have it, not that that's a criteria!!!! I am so chuffed!!!!!

Back on the horse... and then some!

Well when I get my groove back i do not argue with it and have been sewing like a nutter this weekend. I have been working on some class samples for my workshop on Saturday - it is a scary prospect to be leading these talented and amazing ladies, but I am hoping they will just be up for some fun and christmas frivolity! I am doing mixed media and making fabric cones, more on them later this week.
In the mean time I have been making softie monsters for christmas presents. I made 2 for a friends children, Ellie's best friend in fact, and of course what ever Rhiannon get's so must Ellie so the second red one is in the sticky mitts of my daughter, who admittedly deserves a treat after having 6 teeth out. To all of you who have to see your children go under anaesthetic for more serious things my hat is of to you, I did not enjoy seeing her fight the anaesthetic, she was remarkably fantastic however and is pretty much back to normal.
I also made and apron to wear at my workshop. I found this mega fabric in my ocal Dunelm mill, it was a reduced to £2 shower curtain so ideal for an apron, and don't you love that print. I added these heart decorations to the pocket.

My inspiration was from one I saw Ruth Rae had made. I made up the pattern myself having bought one not so long ago and it stil not accomodating my ample bosom! I just drafted it straight off onto me! The top includes darts, and the whole is fully lined. The strap over my neck is some Hawaian nuts i sent for and adore! I added 2 padded hearts to the join of the string.

Love the jama's!!!!
Finally my finished card for calendar girls is done, and when I work out for sure who it is for i will send it!!!!!

Folksy shop reductions

Hia all just to say I have made some reductions on my Folksy shop, check them out if you like my Doves, they are a bargain. Love carol t

Back from the wilderness

Hia all, I am back from the wilderness, I have been in the wilds of my own brain for a while. When she was up she was up and when she was down she was deep deep down! Anyway nuff said! Here are what have pulled me out of my cavern! This halloween treat is late but will be on the way to Cathy soon.
This ATC is for Marga and was part of the motif lottery on Textile challenges. It is a background of wrapping paper fabric paper and gold lurex. Marga's motif was a moon, so I went for a festive feel.

This arch is for Hannah and was made by laying down lace and then painting with emulsion and then acrylic and highlighted with bronze acrylic. I love it!!!!!

I am behind with my calendar girls postcard but getting there slowly This needs to be made into a postcard but will be my offering. I used Carol Mcfee's technique of using wallpaper and moulding paste. I then painted over with acrylic and highlighted again with bronze.

I messed with this one on PS elements I love the contrast and would love to play with this more when I get 5!!!!

Hope you are all well and would love to hear from you, my self imposed exile is over come on let me have it, how are things in your world???????

Hia all

Hia all, I just wanted to say I am so sorry for not being around lately, I have been so so busy in the real world. I hate this time of year and feel a little like I am going to be puled limb from limb lately. I have the school show on at the mo, I am planning a day course which I am giving for my local group, more on that later in another post. I also have college work to complete, not to mention marking and all the other teacher and family things! I have then to sit down occasionally and take a few deep breaths as living life at 500 miles per hour is hard going. Ah well - what do they say about idle hands and the devil!!!!!

I thought I would show you my proudest achievement for the show. We have two absolute diamonds in the show, Brandon is Joseph and secretly one of my favourite kids in school! (I know I am not supposed to have any but some just worm their way into your heart and this one is a smasher and was in my form!) and Corey is in year 8 and so tiny I can model and fit on Ellie, he is the Elvis Pharaoh! (Spelling) :)

So here are their headdresses. Boy these have given me some headaches! I made them off two alice bands, and I think they have come out well. I am going to edge Brandon's, the gold, with buttons to weight it a little.I am so proud of the tutun Karmun one, it was really hard with all that lame!

Don't you love my improvised head, a mixing bowl and a bottle of orange squash!!!!

Anyway enough drivel, I have to remind you all about my group Textile challenges new year sign up - it is going to be a by-monthly swap of house fronts and the girls are fast coming up with amazing themes for their houses to swap. We will then in each non swapping complete a challenge which could be a house front of your own to keep and make as part of your final book, display, whatever you have planned! I think it is going to a lot of fun. The link to the group is in my sidebar so if your not a member come join us and have some fun!

Chat soon, love Carol T

Christine Benson day school

What a lovely day I had today. I went on a course with Christine Benson, and if you ever get the chance GO!!! She is so lovely, one of the most supportive tutors i have ever had I think. I was so chuffed she remembered me from an hour long class at the NEC last year, and was very complimentary about my work. I am not going to give too much away but the course utilised all those precious things we hoard, labels, packaging etc. I decided to use the lovely thank you cards I got from my lovely class last year when they left. Every year I hold on to them re-read them to hold me through har days when kids are mental, but eventually as time moves on I end up throwing them away. I was so glad to make them into just gorgeous reminders of such special children. The first includes a Vogue postcard one gave me as a thank you card, and the word thank you at the bottom, bled unfortunately, but I wil stitch to bring it back.

This one was a thank you card and some bits of writting from a girl called bethan, it reads - Thanks for the advice i did not always want to hear, but sometimes needed to hear. Such a lovely course and I can't wait to get these finished to put in class. Others in the class made some amazing things with such wonderful heirlooms, a mothers glove, a mothers diary page, allsorts of lovelyness! Agreat day -I am enthused about sewing again!

New Folksy shop

I have decided to open a folksy shop, the idea being that I might make some dosh to fund my art. I decided to start with some collage/paintngs. So here are Darling Dove 1 and 2. If you want to take a look try here. Thanks for looking. PS, you won't get a hard sell here from me!

Bad blogger and halloween fun!

Hia all I thought I would bore you with more proud Mummy pics! Here is my littly ready to go out and scare the neighbourhood!

This is supposed to be a wink!

Here is my spider card for the lottery swap on my group this month, it escapes me who was my partner now!

I have been a bad blogger of late, very behind with a halloween party for the Soul Journal group, so my deepest apologise. the mother in law has really screwed up my usual catch up time in the hols. Here is my attempt to carve a pumpkin!

I have something to announce too, My group Textiles Challenges are just formulating the new challenge/ swap for next year. They is going to be a challenge/swap accross the whole year for house fronts, to take over from the arches we have one this year. If you would be interested in taking part please come over and sign up!!!