Finished Projects

This week, I've completed two books, in between the rushing around, getting ready for a Special Trip tomorrow.

The white silk and purple suede Wedding Guest Book for my friends, who are getting married in Mauritius in a few days' time.  I posted about this on January 12th, when I had got started on the covers etc, but it was finally completed this week, with a label mounted on the front.

The guest book has covers of white dupioni silk hand-lined bookcloth, with purple suede edge and a matching satin ribbon decoration.  The white tassel is hand-tied, using threads from the white silk for the covers, plus a toning purple silk embroidery thread.  Inside there are 40 pages of high-quality white paper, with hand-torn edges and decorative folded section wraps/spacers. 

 

Stitching the binding...

The completed Coptic binding, in purple waxed linen thread.

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I also made a gift for a friend...

Coptic bound sketchbook, with magenta-purple hand made lokta paper covers, embellished with grey suede leather.  Stitching in black linen thread.  Contains 40 pages of quality sketch paper.

The back cover.  Isn't this paper lovely?

Inside the front cover.  As this was lokta paper, rather than fabric, or patterned papers, I lined the covers with the same paper, trimming it so it could be folded over the end of the board and stuck down over the inside too.  I left some of the suede showing though, as I liked it.

When I use silk for the edge detail, I almost always overlap the silk onto the paper, so I can make a decorative frayed edge.  The traditional way is to lay the main cover paper over the quarter binding edges, but I like the decorative appeal of the frayed edges. 

However, this paper is hand made, with a wonderful uneven edge. So I overlapped the edge of the paper onto the suede, to show it off.  I think it looks so interesting.

Because it has a coptic binding, the sketchbook will open flat all the way through.  Great for a sketchbook, as you can sit it on your lap, or lay it on a wall etc, keeping both hands free for your work.  And, of course, you can draw all the way across the double page, if you want to.

I made a matching label, which I printed with the artist's name, before I mounted it permanently.  However, I don't want to show a picture with the name on - the new owner might see this post, before I give them the gift.  I do want it to be a nice surprise!

So the Wedding Guest Book was in the post and should have arrived by now.. I so hope my friends love it!

And... the sketchbook will be finding its new owner very soon.  It's currently on my desk, all nicely gift-wrapped.

* * *

I probably won't be blogging for a while, as I may not have internet access.  Tomorrow morning (at an unfeasibly early hour!) I am off to do some printmaking courses, with the amazing Mariann Johansen-Ellis, at her studios in Spain.  I am just a little bit excited about this!

I'll report back about the printmaking on my return... 

Have a good week.  See you all soon. XX  

Crazy Sock Creatures and Silly Sock Pets - My Saturday

This Saturday I ran a workshop day at the local quilting and sewing shop.  It was "Crazy Sock Creatures and Silly Sock Pets  " and - guess what - we made Sock Creatures!

Jo-Ann made "worms"!

Also a rather adorable dog....

...with a very appealing look in his shiny eyes.

Marie came up with a wonderful pink lady bunny, with loooong eyelashes - very glam!  She also had a go at the 2-sock dog, like Becky.  Hers was quite different, with the big roses splashed over it, googly eyes and sparkly glitter-glue eyebrows. He also had a knotted wool tassel for a tail.

Leah, aged 11, came with her grandma, Chris.  They made a couple of lovely sock rabbits.  This is Leah's, which she made for a baby family member.  She was very careful with her sewing and embroidered the features, so there was nothing dangerous to the baby.   Leah also started a sock Monkey.  It was about half done by the end of the day.

Sadly, Chris didn't want me to photograph any of her items, because she hadn't finished them yet.  She made a baby rabbit too (which still needed its face), and was part-way through a very bright yellow spotted dog. 

June made a great striped cat, then a really funky rabbit.  Although they were obviously made from the same pair of socks, they look so different.  I loved them!

Last, but by no means least...  Becky first made this wonderful leopard-cat.  I love his felty nose and the pattern of the sock on his tummy.

She gave him embroidered eyes, which are so well camouflaged, but work extremely well.

Becky's next project was a dragon, which she found in one of the books I had brought along for reference and ideas.  The one in the book was green...  But Becky had 2 pairs of socks, one pink, one black, so she decided to combine them, to make this truly fabulous creature!  She split the pink sock for his head, so that she could use the black one as a mouth lining. 

She gave him toes on his feet and fingers on his paws.  Her plan was to make big teeth from white felt, plus claws for the fingers and toes.  I hope she finished it at home - it would have looked amazing!

I think the day was a success.  Everyone seemed fairly happy with their sock creatures and all had more than one project to take away with them.  They all seemed to think they would have another go at home too.  I hope they enjoyed it - I certainly enjoyed seeing the wonderful variety of creatures they came up with!

* * *

Oh, a commenter has reminded me that there are two tutorials here, on my blog, for making your own Sock Creatures!  Look here: for a cute little one-sock Bunny Rabbit and here: for instructions to make a traditional Sock Monkey.  Have fun!  

Knuston Idea and Opinions Wanted

Hello again everyone.

Well, it looks as if the Pass the Page blog hop has been a success - thank you Julie, it was a great idea! 

Knuston

I'm posting again today, to see if anyone is interested in my Knuston crafting idea - see the previous post here, for more information.  I would like to sort it out reasonably quickly, so if you do want to come along - or you might do - please give me a shout.

It's not an "official" Bloggers' crafting trip or anything, just a little holiday for anyone who fancies some crafting and company in a really nice, relaxing setting.  Knuston is tucked away in a small village and is surrounded by fields, plus its own gardens, so it's a lovely and peaceful spot. 

I'm happy to make the initial booking, which will reserve the craft room for us.  But there is no point going all on my own - I may as well stay home and craft here (in between doing the laundry etc!).  If two or three friends care to join me, then it'll be worth making the booking at Knuston - I'm sure we'd all have an enjoyable break.

Bloggers' Scrapping Weekend No. 2

On the subject of Bloggers going away to do crafts...  I did promise that we'd try and organise another Weekend, particularly for those who couldn't make it in November.
The original dates that were (tentatively) mentioned, were weekends at the start of March.

I wonder how you all feel about one of the weekends at the beginning of March, or else the end of April or 2nd weekend in May?
Whenever we decide we want to go, we need to get our skates on to find a venue and make bookings.  Jo has very kindly started some enquiries for suitable venues, but I thought it would be a good idea to check who might be interested - and when.  That would help us when enquiring for availability and prices. 

Sooooo..  Who might like to go to a Second Bloggers' Scrapping Weekend? 
March - 1st or 2nd weekend - 2nd-4th or 9th-11th March?
April - 3rd or 4th weekend - 20th-22nd or 27th-29th April?
May - 2nd weekend - 11th-13th May?

Any opinions please?

Pass The Page Blog Hop

Hello all Blog Friends,

The fabulous Julie, of Letting The Days Roll By (who I was lucky enough to meet at our Bloggers' Crafting Weekend last November!), came up with a really clever idea for a blog hop,  waaaaay back in September, to celebrate her up-coming birthday.  She thought it would be fun to have a game of "Pass the Page", so asked for people to sign up and join in.

Three months later, here we are, at the end of our list...  Everyone has had their starting-point picture (the previous person's page) and has created their own scrap page, using the photo as inspiration.  It seems ages since I did mine....

Here's a full list of people who are participating (Helen of Beacon Crafts doesn't have a blog yet, so she is a Guest on my post today!) :

Candace: wannabescrapbookaddict

Lea: finallyscrappin

Helen at Beacon Crafts in Sedgley
Lizzie: lizziemade (you're here now!)

Sian: fromhighinthesky

Clair: obstinatepursuit

Helen: craftimperfect

Alison: llife in the slow lane

Ginger: gingerslifeofspice

Jemma: Just-Jimjams

Lisa-Jane: Inside My Head

Deb Clark: Debisjoy

Alexa: trimming the sails

If you get lost - or if you've come in at my blog and want to follow from the beginning - go back to Julie's blog, or use the list above to find your place.

I have heard rumours of a prize draw, for those who have managed to complete the whole "Hop", leaving a comment at each page, so it's worth doing the thing properly!

If you are following the Blog Hop, you should have arrived here from Lea's blog. 

* * *

Helen's Page

I loved the bright colours on Lea's page, it was quite a busy design - not my style at all but none the less I liked it! 

 

I loved the flowers and bunting on Lea's so I decided to go with that.

I used one of my favourite photos which I had been meaning to scrap for ages !

I've loved taking part in pass the page and I can't wait to see all the finished results!

* * *

Lizzie's Page (that's me!)

The photo is my baby great niece, who was 7 months old. 

I made myself a "Scrapping Kit" from various papers and cardstock, which went with two die-cut circles that I had. Then I found this photo in my recent set from Photobox.

It just seemed to go well with the die cut and papers - and I already had the 2 crochet flowers, so I made this!

I am so pleased with it - it was very hard not to publish it on my blog for months!! I had to send a photo to my niece, with strict instructions to not publish it anywhere. 
  

The Materials:

Brown Cardstock - Do-Crafts, Die-Cut Circle "Truffles & Trees" - MLS, card for photo mat & patterned paper - K & Co., lettering - Sassafrass and Jenni Bowlin.
Concertina flower and crochet flowers - home-made, vintage buttons from my collection.

* * *

Thanks for visiting to see Helen's and My pages.  Your next stop is Sian, who makes such fabulous pages - I'm sure you are in for a treat and can't wait to see what she did with her photo of my page!

Invitation to Friends - 3 days of crafting, anyone?

Okay, so this is a quick post, as I'm supposed to be Working Hard!

I have been trying - in between book binding and workshop writing - to find a venue for a second Bloggers' Weekend...  No luck so far, but I will try again next week. 

However, it occurred to me that Knuston Hall might be able to help.  They had e-mailed subscribers (that means me!), to say that a course was cancelled, so some rooms were available etc.  I thought perhaps they might have a long weekend with no courses, in the Spring (a bit of a long shot, but worth a try).  So I rang them. 

They only have free weekend spaces in February.  No good, as far too soon and I'll be in Spain!  But, but but...  From Wednesday 11th to Friday 13th April, there are rooms available.  On a special deal...  And Mr LizzieMade says he would take time off work to be at home for J.  How lucky am I?!

If anyone is interested in joining me (but we might need to be quick!), we could go to Knuston Hall for 2 nights and they would allow us to use the Practical Room for crafting (a large classroom/studio where I did my bookbinding and printmaking courses). 
For the bargain price of £188 for a Single Room, or £164 for a Shared Room, full board. 

That seems amazing value to me.  Their normal rate would be over £200 for a shared room.  The meals they serve are fantastic.  Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner - all cooked and with choices. All really yummy.  Clean and tidy bedrooms, all en-suite.  Comfortable and clean public rooms.  All very nice.

Knuston Hall, by the way, is in Northamptonshire.  It's close to Wellingborough - which is on the main rail line to /from Kings Cross, also close to Rushden and about 15 miles from Bedford (to the south) and Northampton (to the west).  Bedford is on the main Thameslink/ St Pancras line and Northampton is on the Kings Cross line.

So, if you might fancy it, do get in touch.  My e-mail is "Lizziemade (at) aol (dot) com".  I need to know soon though, as the availability might vanish...

* * *

19/1/12 4pm - Update to clarify a few things / more info

I called Knuston to ask a few questions and clarify a couple of things. 

Current availability is good, because they had a cancelled course.  There are still quite a few single rooms available, as well as shared rooms. 
The initial payment would be a Deposit of £40 on booking, with the balance due a month before - ie. by 11th March.
The £188 / £164 would include 2 nights' accommodation - Wednesday and Thursday - with all meals, starting with lunch on Wednesday and ending with lunch on Friday, after which we'd all pack up and go home.

If you're interested, contact me first, so I can confirm that it's going ahead etc.  You'd then make your booking and payment direct with Knuston.

19/1/12 - 10pm

A Further Update to Clarify something!

Some people have commented that they can't come because it is school holidays etc...  There seems to be a belief that this is "The Second Official Bloggers' Weekend".  It's not!!  A second "proper" weekend is currently under investigation - perhaps for March (if it's not too soon), late April, maybe May...  the closer we get to summer, the trickier it may be to organise it cheaply, but we'll see.

This invitation is just from me, to my blog friends (old or new!), who may fancy a couple of days away, with your crafting kit, yummy food that you don't need to cook, a nice room to yourself (or you and a friend), a lovely venue and some other crafters for company.  If two or three folks want to come along, then I'll book myself a bed, reserve us a craft room and confirm that I'm going, so you can also make your own bookings! 

I hope that is clear (as mud...).
XX
Lizzie