Happy New Year and a Craftpod!

Some of you have noticed that I have not been around for a while. Something went wrong with my computer while we were away over Christmas - the dreaded 'Windows update' I suspect. Anyway, although blog updates were coming through on email I was unable to connect to the internet so I was reading your posts but was unable to comment. But, thanks to our local computer whiz, I am back.

So I wish you all a very Happy 2018!

 

We spent three weeks in UK over Christmas and New Year visiting friends and family and had a lovely time. Not many photographs taken, I have no idea why, but we enjoyed a day out at Watchet in North Somerset and I did take a few there. It was a wet and windy day but it was lovely to be out on the beach and near the sea.

 

 

Before we went away I had read about Craftpods, a quarterly box of seasonal craft ideas in a letterbox friendly box. It sounded like a fun idea and so I ordered the winter box. I collected it in UK but did not open it until this week when I had time to appreciate it and enjoy the contents.

 

 

I opened the box to find a welcoming message from Jo, the originator of the Craftpod.

 

 

And underneath the beautifully wrapped goodies!

 

 

And oh yes, there is chocolate!

 

 

Essential nourishment for any craft project.

 

 

There are two projects in the box - one embroidery, the other a linocut stamping project. Everything that you need is included.

 

 

Three linocut blades, a piece of Mastercut which is a lino substitute and easier to cut, an ink pad and some simple designs to try out.

 

 

The embroidery project is of a pretty winter berries design and comes with a hoop for framing your finished embroidery.

 

 

Also included in the box is a sheet of winter themed stickers and a pretty postcard.

 

 

I have been planning to do more printing this year and so the lino cut project appealed straight away and so I soon made a start on my first print block using the pine cone design supplied.

 

 

In less than an hour I had unpacked my box and made my first prints. The Mastercut was really easy to work in to and the design very effective. I cleaned up my block and then used it with a gold pad to print into the sketchbook I made here

 

 

and love the effect I obtained. Am thinking about applying a wash of colour over the page now.

 

I shall definitely be ordering another Craftpod - a little box of goodies to brighten any day!

 

Friday night is the first FNSI of the year - hope to see you there!

 

 

 

 

 

Time for a change

Towards the end of last week I was starting to feel that I had 'sewing overload' and felt the need to spend some time doing something different. I have not really done any sketchbook work for a while so I was toying with the idea of playing in one of them when along came the DMTV newsletter and I spotted the perfect thing. Handprinted Sketchbooks. So I signed up for the videos and on Monday I made a start.

The idea is that you start off by taking a very large - A1 - sheet of good quality white paper and play around printing and stencilling on to it. Now of course those large sheets of white paper that I put carefully away were nowhere to be found! So instead I laid out 8 sheets of handmade cotton rag paper onto a plastic sheet and printed on to them instead.

My print blocks - that old sandal has been hanging around for a couple of years waiting for just such an occassion.

So I printed over one side of the paper and left it to dry.

Then I turned the pages over and did some more printing.

Once they were dry came the exciting bit - each page is carefully torn in half. Then the half pages are folded in half and put together four at a time to form the book.

And at this point I was so happy as the pages were looking great all together. The next stage was to stitch the pages together and into some covers and hey presto, one new sketchbook!

It was much quicker and easier than I had thought. I have just used mount board for my covers as I intend to make a fabric slip cover for the book so the board will not be on show.

I am so pleased that I used the rag paper as I love the soft edges it gives to the page - now to pluck up courage to go in and start working into some of the pages!!

It's FNwF tomorrow - still time to sign up so if you fancy joining in then sign up here  - hope to see you there.