Sunday 22 August 2010

How to Marble Paper

Gather together a deep dish that paper will fit into laying flat, or cut paper to fit. Lots of different things for making the swirls, we had cocktail sticks,chop stick, whisk, crochet hook, pencil plastic fork and the best one the barbeque fork.
Fill the dish with water.

Then add some drops of colour (first shaking the jars of colour to make sure they are well mixed.)
make some swirls by dragging the cocktail stick gently along the surface of the water. (we found there was only a minute or so to do this before it started setting.)
Grab anything to hand to experiment with different swirls and patterns ;) Then you lay the paper gently on the surface and lift it up, all the oil paint will have stuck to it. we found thicker paper worked best. there is a little residue left which if you lay thin paper down on and lift it up as above, you will have clean water to start again.
Then all that remains is to clear up the colourful mess.
We were very pleased with how the paper turned out and started experimenting with other things. The Jam jars would make good night lights with a candle in, and I'll probably wrap some wool or ribbons around the top.

Tuesday 3 August 2010

A fab week.

I put all my buttons out in the shop last week, to make jewellery and button hearts and to demonstrate how to make them. Customers could also have a go and make a button heart for £5.00, which proved really popular.
I poured out my jar of Mother of Pearl buttons (for me and not to share ;) I made two necklaces that I really like, inspired by the sea. I am going to do a beach window and these will look perfect alongside a couple of my beach paintings and a window full of pebbles.
I also made some tiny mother of pearl hearts also for the window, I sold a couple on Sunday so will have to make some more :) I will be leaving the buttons out this week and adding a few big beads and some hemp to make crochet necklaces.
In Wincanton we are very lucky to have Jenny who runs Divine Wines, not only does she have excellent taste in wine but is also an amazing cook. Part of the Wine shop is a cafe and outside is beautiful..if you like to get that 'holiday moment' this is the place to visit.
On Friday night Jenny ran a Greek evening, a five course delicious meal, (I could hardly move afterwards!) everyone sat on the long tables and though we didn't know anyone to start with we soon relaxed and enjoyed the company around us. It was an amazing evening and we could walk home ya! The wall art was gorgeous and I'm sorry to say I have forgotton the artists name, the picture are weather proof, a brilliant idea for the winter.
On Sunday I did the monthly Artisan Market at Catherine hill in Frome, I did not have any help so didn't get much chance to go around the market, I managed to take a couple of pictures of the fab shops that can be found on Catherines Hill.
and this stall of Sunflowers from a farm in Codford (which I would like to get to before the seasons out), they sold out in a few hours.
I was in my usual place at the bottom of the hill, I couldn't believe how much stock I had made over the last month, which means being in the new shop is starting to work. My next job will be to find some galleries and shops to supply with my scumble collection and brooches.
I loved Laura Merritt's work, unfortunatly I could only afford a couple of her cards but would really like one of her embroidered fabric canvases for my kitchen.
Monday we went for a picnic to Stourhead.
With My Mum and Sister in Law, was great to get the cousins together.
A really relaxed picnic in an amazing spot, probably spoiled a few photographs lol

Think Mum was pleased to see us altogether, Arthur actually took this pic with my camera with the zoom lens attached.
I have also been enjoying flowers from my garden, it has been great to walk down the garden and come back armed with beautiful flowers to brighten up the house :)
Hope you all have a fab week x