Cocoons in the conifer and Kate's cans



Leaf prints on tissue bonded to felt background

My crippled state since Monday morning has meant I got to spend the last two days in the studio ... working on Module 2 of Dale Rollerson's Playways on the Net. It's a multi-module arrangement available online via The Thread Studio. Module 1 intake appears closed at present - but thankfully modules 2 and beyond are alive and well.  I am having such a creative time sewing and stitching  my way through the workbook exercises - there's plenty of instruction to get started, but not enough that there's any danger of everyone turning out the same "stuff". I find it a place where I can get lost, very quickly, in experimentation.

Kate's stitchable tins

My efforts yesterday included the use of tissue paper, bonding agents, paint, felt, lino cuts, scanning, bay leaves, cocoons, copying, printing, cutting, enlarging, ironing and pressing, scrunching, burning, playing with netting, free motion stitching   ... and that was just one part of one exercise. Thanks to the WMBM for putting my lino cuts onto blocks for easier printing.
Kate came to visit last evening - and we spent much of the time just talking ... art quilts, sewing and stitching. After a short while the WMBM retreated to another part of the house and left us to discuss Kate's new tool being put to unusual use - the creme bru-thingy blowtorch that has been applied to empty Pepsi-max cans. I am yet to learn whether or not the brand is significant. For now I have been gifted a few sheets of soft and stitchable metal from which I can create something. You can see Kate's fun on her blog site.


Cocoon in the conifer

I found some cocoons in one of our conifers last year and watched them for many days and weeks. They were ten or so in number and would vibrate if disturbed. A rather large spider resided in adjacent fernery but I was unable to confirm whether there was any connection between them. The now empty cases remain in the tree, each cocoon bearing a tiny hole or two - for what reason or purpose I still don't know. I am quite taken with them. One has found its way to my journal and will be the basis of some design work.
Crippled state = danced too much on Sunday night at the wedding. Have not been able to move without significant and painful reminders that I'm not as good as I once was; but on Sunday night I was as good once as I ever was!!!  [Apologies to Toby Keith]