Mail Art Exchange

I have done a mail art exchange with Su and now it has arrived I can show you the pictures. Our theme was Summer and we decided to mail them this week instead of the 1st day of summer (21st) as we had both finished and were excited to see what each other had come up with. This is the first mail art I have done and I thoroughly enjoyed it...my 1st picture shows the front before it was sent of course.




This picture shows the lining fabric and the back with the envelope flap up and the little summer verse I made up just so there was a surprise when it was opened. I used nice buttons on this as I knew Su would love them.



This picture is just to show a closer view of the verse, I used over dyed threads on this envelope and took my main inspiration from a Shepherds Bush chart I had but I modified and adapted it quite a bit so it would fit. I used smyrna stitches for the flower centres and the little row of purple tiny flowers.



The last picture is a full view of the back including the pink shell button that I used to seal it down ready for its journey in the mail.



I am so pleased that you love it Su...and to know it made your day :-)

My Garden

This is a tiny sampler by my favourite designers Shepherds Bush it is only 2"wide x 3"high and did not take long to stitch at all. It is stitched on 32ct sand linen from the kit with DMC and overdyed thread. Can you see the charm of the little bee buzzing his way through the flowers doing his daily work... It has only one speciality stitch which is Oblong Cross Stitch Variation which you can see done in the gold .

This came with the hand painted by 'Jill Rensel' picture mounts (mats) which really make the picture. I have had a snazzy type of glass put in the frame , it is called 'Water White' and really does not seem as if there is any glass there at all...it is brilliant :-)

Watercolor Heart

This is a Shepherd's Bush design that is stitched on 32ct linen with Au Ver A Soie, Silk Moire and Threadgatherer Hand-painted silk it is a total delight to stitch both the design and using the real silk thread...my favourite...





I finished my original one of these and gave it away as a gift...so I have no picture...but I had enough thread left to do another as it is only tiny...all pictures are my second edition...I had it professionally framed but it looked a bit plain when I got it back without the handpainted mounts (mats)...





So I decided to have a go at painting my own...as you can see on all these pictures...it is not perfect but I was pleased with the result for my first time doing mount (mat) painting and I enjoyed doing it ...





I have tried to do a close up picture so you can see it better but my pictures are not so good at showing the true colours and the beads in the flower centres. I used a small dull gold pansy flower charm on this as I did not have another silver heart...I do like it with it very much as I had this framed in a dull gold frame.

I took more photos today in daylight and they are a bit better so I have changed them all :-)

Heartfelt Flower

I decided I would make this into a needlecase instead of the pin as I thought I would get more use out of it that way :-)

It was really quick to stitch as it is so tiny and the bee on it is just gorgeous! I used a glass bead as the fastener so it didn't detract from the design. I have also used a pretty co-ordinating fabric for the inside although it looks much brighter on this picture than it is.

I have put three little hearts on the back just to give it a little something.... and because I love hearts! I put the cream cording around it as I felt it made the little bee show up a bit more. The fabric is lovely to stitch on and I am pleased that I decided to do a needlecase (my first one) with the design...all good fun and a very nice time doing it...even though it is now really late for me!

Today.....

I am hoping to do one of my 'Essy's Friends'.....this is a really pretty pin from Elegant Stitch called Heartfelt Flower by one of my most favourite designers Shepherd's Bush. It is stitched on 32ct R&R Awareness Pink and uses DMC and overdyed threads. These kits are designed to be a charity donation for Breast Cancer Awareness and I have a few lined up now .....so....I had better get started with them :-) I will post a picture later of the finish as I may make it into something other than a pin.