WOYWW update and thanks to Jozart...

I know it's not a brilliant photo but I'm sure you can see the difference the red inner mount makes.....I love it.

Thanks so much to JoZart for the brilliant idea too.  I have carefully mitred the corners on pieces of card in the perfect colour and this really lifts the poppies in the picture.  The main mount is a properly cut picture mount so it just needed a little colour added to the centre.  I'm thrilled with the result Jo so thatnks very much for the idea....why didn't I think of that?  :-)

WOYWW...

Happy Wednesday to all my WOYWW friends.  It's just a quick post from me this week cos I have two little special friends here for an extra day with Nanny Annie today.

On my desk today is...

The, nearly finished, latest poppy picture.  I have now machine embroidered it and added black beads to the poppies.  I have put it under the mount here but want to buy a red inner mount to fit it because I feel that would set it off better.....if anyone knows of a good on line site that sells picture mounts could you please let me know.

I've just enlarged part of it for you to see it in more detail.

Here is Lexi modelling a pair of slippers her Great Aunty Jo made for her....they are really warm and cosy but she refuses to keep anything on her feet....we are now looking for little slipper socks to see if those will work.....she is only a size 2 1/2 so it is really hard to find anything small enough.

A quick peep into my knitting basket....I'm knitting a scarf to match a pair of Lexi's mittens.

 I have started  working on an idea I've got for my Christmas cards.....I've ironed Vylene to the back of some gorgeous dyed green fabric I bought at the quilt exhibition on Sunday to stiffen it [my last post shows some pics I took there].  I then machine embroidered it, cut it up into Christmas tree shapes and have then hand embroidered some stars on it with some of the fab random dyed thread I bought at the exhibition too [......actually this is the thread Jo bought for me as part of an early birthday present....thanks Jo I love it].

Well folks that's it from me for today.  If you leave me a comment I will do my best to pay you a return visit in between nappy changing, playing, feeding etc etc

Hugs,
Annie x

WOYWW....

Happy Wednesday to one and all.  It's another of those 'I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours' days for the WOYWW gang.
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It's been a week of dumfing for me in between my sewing jobs....I've started a new large poppy picture  :-)

This is where I've been creating.....sat at my craft table dumfing with all my yummy wools, threads and fabrics around me.

This is who was sat across the table from me on Monday!.....me, with my dumfer, and Jo with her sewing machine this week.

This is the chaos organised work space across the other side of my room with all a few of my machines.  My 'to do' rail filled on Monday while we were having fun  and, as I had the twins yesterday, there will be steam coming out of the top of these machines while I plough my way through my sewing mountain today.  The frame on the floor is the one I hope to be filling with my new poppy picture.

This is the stage I have got to with my poppy picture.....  A wet felted background mounted onto a pre felt base with more wool rovings and threads dumfed into it.  I will be machine embroidering details and will probably add hand embroidery and a few beads to it too.....watch this space!

If only you could smell this you would all be round for tea tonight.  :-)  It's a sign of autumn and colder days I guess when we get out the slow cookers but I do love the aromas in the house while they are cooking.....beef casserole in here today......yum yum







Well folks that's it from me today.  If you'd like to leave me a little hello message I will do my best to pay you a return visit in between my jobs.  Thanks for calling by.  Have a great week.
Hugs,
Annie x

p.s. for those wondering how the little wounded soldier is now....I don't think he even notices the plaster on his leg now thankfully.  We had a great day of fun and giggles on Tuesday.  :-)

Dumfing fun....

Jo and I have been having more Monday fun today.  I've had a steady flow of customers but in between I've beaded up my latest batch of dumflings and Jo has been busy making broiderie anglaise pinnies for my little Granddaughters to cover their flower girl dresses for the up and  coming family wedding.....I'm sure she will do a show and tell when those are finished.

Here are my latest dumflings that you can now buy over in the blog shop.....

Wahooo I came second....

The voting for Christmas draw is now finished over at Craft Blog UK and I came second. The winner was a little owl made by stupidcats.  Huge congrats to her.  She makes some really fab felties so pop over to check them out.

Thank you so much to each and every one of you that voted for me.

Hugs,

Annie x

Poppies all the way...

I thought you might like to see the latest Poppy pictures I've been dumfing.....if you are one of the few who still don't know what dumfing is then please check out the link on the right for a full explanation  :-) 

The first picture I took in full sunlight and what a difference it makes.....roll on sunny days eh? 

This first one will be finding it's way into the shop soon with hopefully a few more if I can find some more canvasses to mount some on.  I love poppies and so it seems do many others as these seem to fly off the shelves pretty quickly.

The last four have already gone on their travels and should all now be with their new owners.

A good Dumfing Funday Monday...

I have spent my free hours this week dumfing my latest Poppy picture and yesterday being Funday Monday, when Twiglet joins me for creative fun and laughter, I dumfed and beaded and have now mounted it.  Having sold my biggest [and favourite] one that I have used for the header picture in the blog shop I felt the need to replace it with something similar.  This one is mounted in a black frame and of course has now become my new favourite and rekindled my love for dumfing [please check out the link on the right if you are one of the few who still don't know what we call dumfing].

As you can see here Twiglet and I sit facing each other with our dumfing machines and creativity flows between us [as well as several cups of coffee :-)  ].

I start by painting the background with fabric dyes [it's nicer to work on a slightly coloured background]  then I 'paint' the background with wool rovings.  The wool rovings are pulled out finely and dumfed into the fabric.

Next I work with threads and fabrics for the foliage.  Each strand of wool or fabric is dumfed into place.  I love how each stage develops.

Here I have dumfed in the gorgeous red fabrics for the poppies.  I always layer up the different fabrics and use different colours and textures....after all no two flowers in nature are identical and it really brings them to life.

I have finished off the flowers here with beads [not sure you can see them cos the lighting is poor sorry].  All it needs now is a tidy up and to remove all the loose threads and then I frame it.

Ta da.  Sorry about the flash on the glass but thought you would want to see the finished picture in it's new black frame.  This has to be my new favourite picture.  I love it in the black frame....what do you think?  It's all ready for sale now but as it has glass I tend to see these ones to folk who can collect instead of posting for obvious reasons.

WOYWW....

Firstly I want to say a huge 'sorry' to all my fellow WOYWWers for not managing to visit any one of you last week.  I felt so poorly and miserable and my head just wouldn't allow the time on the computer.

This week?.....cough is certainly improving but this week it's sciatica for me so sitting here at the computer is rather painful to say the least.  I do promise to do my best to get round a few blogs but please forgive me if I fail hopelessly again......I am trying honest.

I started back to work yesterday but thankfully I wasn't overloaded with sewing to do....... or just maybe it took me so long to get to the door they gave up waiting  :-)

What's on my work desk today?.....

I'm planning a new poppy picture because my biggest [and my favourite one] has sold........wahooooooo   I had taken it to the Montgomery craft fair before Christmas and it was greatly admired and had a phone call just before Christmas to check I still had it for sale.  The man asked me to mark it up as sold and he intends to pop over soon to collect it.  :-)  

I've bought a new frame [this time black instead of white] and am just sorting out wools, fabrics and materials to make  my new poppy picture with.  I'm having to work in limited sessions because my sciatica is making sitting and movement difficult but it is giving me something to occupy my thoughts.

Thank you for dropping by and leaving such lovely comments.  I hope you will all pop over to Julia's blog and join in the WOYWW fun.

Now, my blogging friends, we would love you to join in our fun.  Please pop over to our blog shop and join us in celebrating our 1st Birthday.  There are some seriously good bargains for a while......don't miss out.

I have a quick update for you....

I have just had my first customer of the New Year needing 2 pair of trousers shortening so I need to get moving with that and I have also had an order for a special something via an email and have Carmen to thank for that.  I have sorted out fabrics ready.

....can you tell what it is yet?  Here is a link to help remind you :-)   I made one for Carmen's daughter Ruby and made another for my eldest granddaughter last November.  Exciting times eh?  I just need to be pain free to get moving on it all.