Some New and Older Works

Tatted a new ginko leaf, but does it looks like one?

The light bulb design looks cute, I tried to do 1 myself and thought some tatted flowers would add some interest.

I have problem drawing realistically and on the other end, doing abstract. These are some attempts on 4"x6" cards.

These 3 are done with alcohol ink marbling for the base colours, topped with spreading distress ink using baby wipe, accented with dimensional pearl paints and coloured glues. Titles: (From left to right) Junctions, Receiving, Want to Dance.

Another attempt.  Again, I used alcohol ink with water for a marbling effect as the base, added some fabric scraps, used coloured glue sticks and textured paste (DecoArt Paper Perfect).  Titles: (From left to right) Unveiling, Possibilities, Shimmering.

Although I am quite pleased with all these, I don't think they qualify to be called abstract art, do they?

Kristine did the polymer clay charms all on her own, including those for Teachers' Day presents. Baymax of Big Hero 6 is about 3 cm tall.

Found more of Kristine's drawings.

After so many failed attempts on her own ...

I decided to accompany her to a class, ...

and finally, some decent macarons baked by Kristine!  Italian method does work better than French method.

 

Yet to Show Some Old Swaps

Pam Colosimo's (Canada) spring tag book is finally here, the one she graciously re-sent after the original one went missing in the mail.

We had a bookmark exchange in May over at NeedlesnCrafts. Swapped with Diane L. Merlock (USA). I sent tatted bookmarks.

Sweet hardanger bookmarks Diane sewed for me and tatting threads she enclosed.

My finished butterfly ATCS for the Futterby Butterfly swap which Nikki hosted over at Paper Traders.  Remember these stencilled-printed butterflies with stryofoam? I added die-cut flowers and a quote about butterfly.

ATCs received from (from left going clockwise) Sandra Dewling, Pam Prosser and Barb Adams.

I joined my first swap at Mini-books. Jill Filey (USA) sent me a spring theme mini book 5"×5". 

My first attempt at explosion books. It's done but I haven't heard from Michelle whom I'm supposed to send to. 

Appreciating Little Pieces of Works

Swaps are moving slow and recently taking a long time to arrive - 1 returned to sender (me) after 5 weeks and another took more than 2 months to come!  Still waiting for another 2, hope they will eventually arrive.

First the Chinese New Year ATC swap organised by MaryAnn. I can't thank the artists properly as I couldn't quite made out the hand-written names... MaryAnn, Janis Graham and ?

Then there was the Bowl of Hearts swap by the Surface Design group. The hearts as done by (top left going clockwise) Aynsley McKay, Carole Hanson, Cathy Vigor and Jan Lewis. Aynsley's heart was needle-felted by hand; Carole's heart coloured by transperse dyes; Cathy's heart was nuno felting and Jan's heart was coloured with numerous methods including Pebro Setacolors and acid reduction dyes.

Here's the jointed ATC doll from (left) Eileen Kiban (USA) and (right) Linda Edkins Wyatt (USA).  Linda's doll took 2 plus months to reach me, but definitely worth the wait. Isn't it amazing how big the doll can get and it still rotate back to the size of a ATC!

Still waiting for the replacement ATC doll from Linda after we thought the original one went astray. 

I did some spring tags and binded 4 in accordion fold to form a tag book. A set each went to Mel Dunkley (UK) and Nikki Smith (USA), who is also the host of this swap. I made good use of the CNY red packets! And I added butterflies cut from aluminum drink cans. They were sharp and kept curling up and I did get some small cuts on my hands.

Received this from Beckie. So different from my style, soothing earth tones with a good mix of sharper colours and a tight flow in and between the tags. 

Pam C's tag book is still somewhere out there, hope it  turn up soon. 

A little while ago, Holly asked about my tatted alphabets/words. Actually I started many years ago with wires. And I recently did a name in wire, so here it is, a gift for my ex-colleague.