details for Kath

Kath I'm working on your flowers. The front is done, have to add the backing.

I'm making all fronts first and add all backs at once. I've been working so hard with the embroidery that I now have blisters.

Tree Page from Ann

 I received this wonderful tree page from Ann yesterday. Isn't it gorgeous? Ann used machine stitching for the details and made a sandwich of water soluble fleece, green wool and small bits of fabric and then stitched it all together for the leaves. The background fabric is a deep blue velvety fabric.

 I love the textures she achieved with this method.

Here's the back. Thanks so much Ann! It makes another wonderful addition to my book.

Check in

Hello ladies I hope you all had a lovely Christmas.
I have been going through my pages and it seems I am still awaiting a few. Can I ask please Elizabeth and Cobi if you have sent any pages out up to Christmas. Also it seems I can not trace a page from debi, I have mailed her seperately as well. I tried trawling through the messages but there are just too many.
Hugs
Juliette

leaves

Here I've made my base for the leaves page. By now the front is finished and I have to sew it into a page.

Liz's page for Cobi

This gorgeous page arrived at my place through lots of snow. I absolutely love this page. Thank you Liz, you've done a wonderful job. The top of the building is real metal and there's lots of stitching on the page. The back gives a view of the elevator doors. Beautiful.

December Page for Debi

 I got confirmation that Debi received her page so I thought I'd show you what I sent to her. I decided to make the shabby chic look white on white with the theme of snowflakes. We're having lots of snow here in Montana and I thought it would fit with the season. I nuno felted the background with several kinds of wool, lace, silk noil and ribbons. I then machine stitched rows of  "snowflakes" along one edge.

 I then hand stitched a snowflake with wool embroidery thread.

 I added a few snowflake "buttons".

The back is a photo of icicles that I took on commercial fabric. I used a machined cord around the edges. I hope you like it Debi!

Sneak Peak for Debi

Here's a little peak of Debi's page that I sent off earlier this week. Hope you like it, Debi!

I did hear from Debi that she had received all her pages through the one that Mandy sent so if any of you have sent your pages, Debi has received them and you can show us here on the blog. She had to pack them all away for the moment and can't take any photos.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!

Some trees due to depart soon.

Sorry my page is rather late. I shall be posting my tree page to Ruth tomorrow.
There are no pictures this time, I'm afraid, but I hope it arrives quickly.

I love mail day!

So, I go to my mail box this morning expecting it to be empty as per usual.  It isn't.  Not one, but two envelopes are inside.  One from Crete and one from India.  So thank you Maya and Kath.

This page is from Kath.  Thank you so much Kath, it's lovely.  I studied Crete in Ancient History in high school, and it is one place that I would love to visit in the future, so to learn more about it in your letter was wonderful.  Leo is an interesting star sign.  Mine is Taurus, the bull.  The bull is also associated with Crete in the form of the Minotaur.  It is interesting to note that the planet that is associated with Taurus is Venus, named after the Goddess of Love.  So us Taureans have two opposing forces within us, the bull which is very masculine, and the Goddess Venus, which is very feminine.  And people wonder why I'm confused!  lol.

Maya's page is based on the goddess Lakshmi, who is the goddess of wealth.  She is represented by footsteps leading into the home.  I love some of the festivals to the Gods and Goddesses of India.  They are always so colourful.  Just as I love Indian textiles, they are also so very colourful.  (I also love Indian food!)  Maya has done a traditional design of footsteps in traditional embroidery for me.  I love it so much.  Thank you very much.

I am really enjoying this project this year.  It has been a real challenge to work to some of the themes.  I think I have the hardest one left till last.  But I already have ideas.

Here's hoping that everyone has a wonderful and safe Christmas.

Tree Preview

Today I finished the main work on the tree page for Ruth. Hope I can post it tomorrow or latest on Monday.

A Door from Johoanna

Today's post brought this lovely package from Australia.  I just loooove getting packages from Australia - especially if they contain something as gorgeous as this:

Isn't that fabric wonderful?  Thank you, Johoanna.  It's great!

Indian Goddess

Here's a sneak peek for Johoanna of the page I've created for her.

It will be in the mail in the next day or two. I hope you like it.

All the Way from India to Montana

 Look at this wonderful page I received from India from Maya. She based it on the coconut palm that is used widely in her community. She says that each and every part of the coconut palm is used in daily life. She used pieces of  "plastic foil from snack packs" for the blue and green and brown paper for the trunks of the trees. She then added embroidery to add detail.

 Here's the back of the page that is all embroidered.

Here's a close up. Another wonderful page for my book. Thanks Maya!

Maya and Kath

Hi Ladies just to let you both know I am working on these pages this weekend then I am done I hope to get them posted on Monday. I just wanted to let you know.It seems to have gone so quickly and has been a challenge but one i am so glad I took part in, now to consider the cover.
hugs
Juliette

Johoanna

Hi Johanna, I am sorry but I did not take a picture of your page, I was so anxious to get it off to you as I was late I didn't take one. Glad you liked it though.

how I made the unicorn

I found this drawing in a book by Eileen Campbell called "Creative Designs for Applique". I enlarged the unicorn to the size I needed. I used shiny off white synthetic satin. Because the background fabric is dark and I didn't want it to shine through I ironed a thick vlieseline to the back. Then I ironed vliesofix ( fusible webbing) to the back so that I can iron it onto the background. To prevent fraying I didn't cut the unicorn but melted the outline with a sharp pointed soldering iron.

After that I ironed the unicorn to the background. For the embroidery I used rayon floss only. For the figure lines I used a dark beige and stem stitch. For the hoofs buttonhole stitch in beige. For the manes 2 colors purple in chainstitch. The eye is a reddish purple lazy daisy. When you read Terry Pratchett, you know unicorns have red eyes.

I hope this answers your question? Otherwise send me an email.

Unicorn by Cobi

This is the page Cobi made for me. Cobi didn't choose one fairy tale but a fairy creature. I love the page.

On the back of the page is a pocked in which she but goodies. Thank you Cobi for the page and the goodies.

Ruth, I Love It!

My page from Ruth arrived yesterday and I can't get over the amazing job she did.  Those saloon doors look so real.  It's a wonderful representative of Montana.  I have more pictures on my blog if you're interested.

Thank you Mandy and Ann!

I was out of town for a week or so, and when I returned I had two beautiful pages awaiting me.
Mandy's lovely Lion and Mouse page with a retelling of the tale, and Ann's beautiful Owl at Night. I'm having a bit of scanner difficulty, but will post pictures as soon as I figure out what the problem is. Many thanks to both of you!!!!! They are just awesome.
Gayle

Sneak Peak for Liz

Here's a sneak peak for Liz. It's your November door page that is on it's way to you. I mailed it this morning. Hope you'll like it!

Mail Received from Juliette

Well, it's been a long time between receiving pages in my mail box.  I received my page from Juliette yesterday.  It's lovely.  There is a beautiful image of a classic styled lady.  It's wonderful.  I love it.  Thanks so much.  Could you please post a photo Juliette?  My camera is almost dead and I still don't have my computer here.  Thanks so much.

I haven't sent my October page off yet.  Sorry, I can't remember who it's for, my notebook is at home and I'm at the library.  I have almost finished my November page, which is for Debi.  I'm very happy with how it is turning out.

Many blessings to you all.
Johoanna

Tree Page from Cobi

 I'm always so excited when I get an envelope in the mail and look at the bounty when I opened the one from Cobi.

 Here's a picture of the page itself. Cobi made the tree from puff paint through a stencil. Isn't it wonderful?

 Here's a close up of the tree and it is such wonderful texture.

And here's the back with a pocket to keep the postcard and song that Cobi has written out on the sheets in the first photo. Thanks Cobi!

Ali Baba by Juliette

Today I had a soft letter in my mailbox. It was the fabric book page made by Juliette. Juliette choose the fairy tale Ali Baba and the forty thieves. The pages shows the cave full of treasure after he said Open Sesame.

Juliette wrote how she made the page: She dyed the background, lace, ribbon, museline all in rich oranges. Then she added some gold and bronze bits, ribbons and beads.

Have a look at the photo - isn't it great. The real page is even better.

Thank you Juliette for this nice page.

Page for Ruth

I should say page for Ruth is finally done! Extremely sorry Ruth for the delay but your page will be in the mail tomorrow morning.

This was meant to be made and sent out in September. I'm still grappling with tight schedules and travel but I think I'll have things under control by the end of this month so Johanna and Ann please don't despair I'll be working on your pages this month.

Sneek of November page

Hi Gayle,
your November page will start it's travel tomorrow. Hope it will arrive soon.
Trillian

A new page - the Sea.

My page from Juliette arrived yesterday. Sadly, I arrived home too late in the day for a decent photograph, hence the delay in posting.
It is a really subtle treatment of "Sea" with a delightful arrangement of dyed fabrics representing the movement of the waves. There are a number of different fabrics here with some lovely texture variations.



The back has a lovely piece of dyed fabric too.



I have never tried stippling or dry brushing fabrics - but must try this for myself.

One (perhaps I should alter this to read "several") of the nicest things I have been finding about the challenge of completing pages for other people, and, in turn receiving them, is the wealth of different techniques I have seen and have been able to try out for myself. Without this group, I think there are many techniques I really would not have considered trying for myself. There is a lot to be said for pushing boundaries and trying things outside what might be considered a "comfort zone".

Arrival of Debi's page.

I am delighted to be able to say that my October page for Debi - Shabby Chic Vintage has finally arrived. Does anyone else feel nervous waiting for the arrival of their pages?

This is the back of my page. The two strips are vintage sari fabric. I got these years ago in an embroidery pack. The larger of the scraps can be seen as part of the front.

My letter details the items used to construct the page. For the first time, I made the whole page quite quickly. I had all the pieces I needed in my stash.

These are some of the beads from the bracelet I took to pieces. It was a really fussy thing which I would never have worn, but what a wonderful hoard, just right for this page.

Oh yes, the bouquet of flowers shown on the paper used for the letter is a photograph of flowers given to me some time ago. It was such an extraordinary collection of blooms......

The leaflets mentioned were these:

Yes, I am fortunate to have Knutsford just a few miles away from my home. Its an interesting place to visit too, with some fascinating architecture. Home for some years to the author Elizabeth Gaskell, and said to be the inspiration for "Cranford". Tatton is the large Hall and grounds alongside the small town of Knutsford.

Window Page From Johanna!!

I must apologize to Johanna for being so late in posting this page!! It arrived several weeks ago and got put into the wrong pile!!! Well here it is! I do love it Johanna and I am thrilled that the window is cobalt blue- a favorite color!! The theme of the open window is set by a lovely OWL!!
Both my daughter and I are fascintaed by owlos at the moment , so we were both delighted to see Johanna's work! Above the owl is a stitched mirror, that does not show up as a mirror in this shot. There is also a darling little face charm peeking out from the branch on the left.
HEre is an even closer shot!!!! Thank you so much Johanna for this wonderful addition to my Windows book!!

Stained Glass Window By Ruth

Last week I recieved this glorious page from Ruth!!! This photo was taken with the page taped to a window so you can see the glorious color that Ruth achieved by painting on Lutradur. Simply brilliant color idea and execution, Ruth!!! The perimeter of the page is black felt.>This shot was taken with the page placed over a white piece of paper. This is a shot of the back of the page. I am so excited about all of the pages in my book. Thank you Ruth for another beautiful addition!!!!

Castle for Halloween

Carmen has let me know that the October page has arrived.  So, while she is busily working on pages for the rest of us, I will let you see what I sent.

I just posted more photos and a "discussion" of how it came to be on my blog. From The Basement.  Come visit me there!