This and That.

I am still in the doldrums when it comes to creating something original but thank goodness for people like Janet Edmonds and her book 'Embroidered Boxes'. I made something similar for our eldest daughter when she was 50 a couple of years ago. This one is for our daughter-in-law who is like another daughter to us, and her 50th birthday is later this year. I have only to sew up the sides and make a fastening of some kind and the box is done. It doesn't look much like a box yet - the plain section is the base; the far section is the front; the two 'arms' are the sides, and the bit nearest the front will become the back and lid. The texture comes from small pieces of lace oddments embedded into vilene with gesso, then sprayed with inks. I did 'scribble' all over the lace pieces with the sewing machine to make sure they were all safely fixed. I couldn't get the colour I was aiming for so overpainted with Stewart Gill metallic copper paint.

This is a close up of the lid section. I may rub a little gilding wax over the surface to finish it. I can't give someone an empty box so am fitting it out as a sewing box. Below is the top section of the pin cushion - thank goodness for Sue Hawkins too. This is being made from her instructions in issue No.60 of Stitch magazine - Aug.Sept.2009. It is a biscornu pincushion which has a fascinating irregular shape achieved by joining the corners of the top square to the centres of the bottom one. I'll post a pic. when I've done it.

Ignore the blue canvas - I found this piece left over from another project and it was just the right size. None of the blue will be visible when the pincushion is completed. I should have put the canvas into a frame to work it but as it is such a small design it should be fine with a gentle pressing on the wrong side and pulling into shape. I will also be making a needlecase and scissors case.

As Easter is fast approaching I thought I would at last do something with the bag of polystyrene eggs I have had for years. I covered each one with scrunched up tissue paper then painted them with Stewart Gill metallic paints. (I've had those for ages too and some were in danger of drying out so I thought I'd use them before it was too late). I decorated them with flower shapes cut with a paper punch, then added sequins to the centres. Finally I added dots of Stickles which are little squeezy pots of twinkly colour - I had a selection for my birthday and wanted to try them out. Do they need a narrow organza ribbon hanging loop?

I could have made a better arrangement of my eggs but was too impatient to wait for the Stickles to dry - they take ages, probably overnight - and I didn't dare try to move them. I don't think Faberge will be taking me to court, but making them was good fun.