Experimenting.

I have had a lovely time this morning playing with air dry clay.  I've never used it before but wondered if I could make my own trims and embellishments with it.  I need some tiny flower shapes for something I am working on - you can just see them at the top of this photo, and found some little metal cutters (meant for cake icing I think) among my bits and pieces.  I also found wooden printing blocks quite good too.

The ivy leaves here are made with another cake icing tool which came in a set of three different sizes.

This is one of my favourite molding mats.  I apoligise for not having everything on a better background to give a clearer view, but the clay takes 24 hours to dry and everything was still very soft so I didn't dare to move it.   I did remember to poke tiny holes in each piece so that I could attach them with a couple of stitches to whatever I want to add them.

These are just a few 'tools of the trade'.   I liked the results from a thinner layer of clay but I suppose those will be more brittle.  It wouldn't really matter too much if some of the items were broken as I love trying to make pieces look aged and the odd bit snapped off would add to the effect. 

I am keen to make more pieces but must rein myself in and wait to see whether these are successful.  I shall now prowl round the flat to see what else I can press into clay, for my next session!

My 'One of your five a day' book - a work in progress.

I haven't been able to draw the inside view as it isn't ready for eating yet!

I have drawn the inside view of this persimmon but for some reason I just can't persuade the image to upload.  I had never eaten persimmon before and found it to be quite pleasant.  I imagine the flavour would be much stronger if it hadn't had to travel so many miles to get here.

There are still a few pages left to be filled so it is a very healthy project as I need the subject in front of me in order to draw it.  Then, having been cut in half, it must be eaten before it goes to waste.

Work in Progress.

First of all, I thought you might like to meet my four-legged granddaughter Boudi.  She is named after Boudicca because when my daughter and son-in-law first took her on she was very feisty.  After receiving nothing but love, patience and gentle training for just over a year, she has become utterly adorable and very affectionate, and at last is able to enjoy life.

I am part way through working on this book which contains snippets of poetry relating to Autumn and drawings in similar vein.  I will post a few pages next time when I am satisfied with them.

This little book has just been bound with ribbon and a piece of stick found on walk.  It too will probably have drawings in it, though of what I have not yet decided.  Not the best day for photos, it is rather dull though still warm.

This one is a fabric book whose cover I have not made yet, and again, I haven't decided on the theme.

I learned years ago that it makes sense to have two or three different projects on the go, but until now have never tried it.  It will certainly be good for me and might stop me from rushing in with more enthusiasm than skill.  When I get stuck with one I can go to work on another.

This is my collage book, made from Khadi paper which is very strong, and bound with the screws I took from a fabric sample display book found in a charity shop.  The front cover is a collagraph which I made ages ago, quite liked but didn't know what to do with.  Collographs fascinate me and I can see all sorts of things in them, though of course there is no detail there at all.

I am new to collage and though I have dabbled with it occasionally I have never set out to compile a little book of different ones.

One day I look at them and think they are complete, and the next I want to alter something or start again.

It is very tricky getting the balance just right.

That dark bit on the left looks too heavy now.

I am enjoying playing with all my bits and pieces, but find that although the method is a simple one, in actual fact it is much harder to select just the right sized and shaped pieces for inclusion.

This is the back cover of the book, another section of a collograph.

I am very pleased to have sorted out the camera (goodness knows what setting it was on last time) and hope my laptop will keep going a bit longer.  I have a feeling that it might die on me soon and will have to replaced.   Oh dear! the possibility of new technology to be conquered is daunting.