Just For A Change

Much as I enjoy my card making, which I've been doing for over 30 years now, I do like to pursue other crafts as well. The silver lining in the lockdown cloud has been having more spare time to revisit some of my old favourites and also to try new ones. I've been needle felting for quite some time, but it was only recently that I attempted my very first wet felted picture. I used one of my photos for reference. The scene is Criffel (the hill) viewed from Newbie Barns, on the Solway Firth. 

And here is my felted interpretation of the photo. Had to use a bit of artistic licence for the oystercatchers - there are several in the photo, but you'd need a magnifying glass to see them!

It was a steep learning curve, but I was quite pleased with my first effort. I've also become a big fan of Mum's Makery needle felting templates (designed and produced by the wonderfully talented Samantha Loughlin, owner of Mum's Makery), which make it so easy to produce beautiful felted flowers and other items which are 3D rather than flat pictures. These are a few of my makes with the templates.

The templates can also be used for 2D felting, as with the mushroom in the next picture. The conkers, acorn and berries were made freehand, and the small leaves with mini sugarcraft templates.

The beauty of the templates is that they enable consistency in shape and size of the felted pieces.

I returned to 2D felting for a birthday card which featured a detachable bookmark, with the addition of some hand and machine embroidery over the felting. Having made the bookmark, I used coloured pencils to extend the picture on to the base card.

For anyone who would like to take up a new creative hobby which is easy to learn and doesn't require a lot of expensive materials to get started with, I can definitely recommend needle felting. Check out the Mum's Makery YouTube channel  for loads of brilliant tutorials, and also the fabulous and very supportive Mum's Makery Facebook Group to see what it's all about. As well as deriving great satisfaction from being able to produce the finished articles, I also find the process very therapeutic. Must be all that stabbing..........! 😉
 

Summer's End, and September Challenge At Stamping Sensations

 I don't know about where you are, but up here it is definitely beginning to feel like the end of summer. The temperature has dropped, leaves are beginning to turn, blackberries are ripening, the barley field opposite our house has been harvested, ploughed and resown (the local gulls have been very interested!), and the new crop is already sprouting. Over the last couple of weeks we have had just about every type of weather except snow, and including much more rain and wind than is usual for this time of year. I am hoping, though, that there will still be a good few fine days for being outside in the fresh air, whether it be on a walk or just in the garden, before the winter starts to close in.

Which brings me nicely to our theme for this month's Stamping Sensations Challenge, which is 

* * * * * THE GREAT OUTDOORS * * * * *

As the title suggests, we want to see outdoor scenes - countryside, mountains, hills, valleys, lakes, rivers etc. Our usual challenge rules apply, in particular the main element of your project must represent the theme, and must be hand stamped, or a hand coloured digital image. 

Our September winner will receive two A4 stamp sheets from the Rare Earth Illuminated Florals Collection, a prize well worth entering for. Full details are on the Stamping Sensations Challenge Blog.

My Great Outdoors scene uses the majestic stag which is part of the Stag & Hare set from Hobby Art.

I stamped and masked the stag, made the background by sponging pigment inks over hand cut hill and valley stencils, and stamped various other images to complete the scene. All stamps are by Hobby Art.

The inspiration for my card was the beautiful scenery around where I live, though I've taken a bit of artistic licence! We don't have far to travel to be out on the moors and hills. We are sometimes lucky enough to see foxes and roe deer in our immediate vicinity, but we would have to go a bit further afield to see a big red deer stag with its magnificent antlers, such as this one! 

Should you need any inspiration for your Great Outdoors projects, my teamies have plenty of stunning vistas to show you over on the Challenge Blog. We look forward to seeing your entries.

I'll leave you with a few photos that I've taken in or from my garden this week.

"You needn't bother tiptoeing, I'm just resting my eyes."

"Three wings? They're just showing off!"

"Oy, you lot, don't forget your masks!"

"It's ok, lads, I think we've got this social distancing lark sorted."