A French Themed Swap

A few weeks ago Shane Pollard at

www.roseslaceandbrocante.blogspot.com

and I decided we would create a swap with each other as

Shane was preparing a book of collages

from some of her blogging friends

and 

she wanted to include some of my artwork too

which was so very sweet of her.

We agreed on two single pages with a French theme

so I searched for some lovely French Vintage

women that I could create as

focal pieces.

I used a variety of vintage upholstery and chiffon

fabrics, vintage, knitting yarn and newer laces as well as

  some

machine embroidery

stitching.

The second page here shows a stamped fleur-de-lis pattern
on plain Dupion silk.

Now Shane has the option of including

these as single pages

or  

 placing them back to back.

I have collaged both of these pages

onto burlap for firm support.

And in just the last couple of days
came this gorgeous package

all wrapped up in this most beautiful

French gift wrapping paper

and inside

the sweetest pages created by Shane.

Isn't this just the prettiest image?

Not to mention this beautiful second page

collaged with the most beautiful

little flower girl - basket and all!

There is a real earthiness in this little girl

surrounded by these lovely vintage laces!

And on the back of this page Shane
created an organza and lace pocket

 which contained these two vintage cards -
one was a French stamped postcard and 
the other displaying some pretty lavender.

Also in the parcel was a selection of
these pretty fabrics and laces

which Shane knows I will so love to create with!

Thank you dear friend - it has been a pleasure
working on these pages with you and I
hope I get to see the whole
completed book
in the near or distant future!!!

♥♥♥

Thank you to all of my dear followers for always popping in to
see what I have been up to and for leaving such
precious comments here!
You know how to put a smile on one woman's face!

With love, Suzy xxx♥

Creating in Pink for Vicki's Scarf Project

Welcome dear friends to my post today! 

I wanted to share a very important post about a new project set up

by an amazingly generous woman - Vicki at 2Bagsfull Blog

where friends wishing to support women with breast cancer

can donate a wonderful gift of either a bought pink scarf or a

hand knitted, crocheted or sewn pink scarf or wrap.

Now you can read all about this project by clicking on the pink

button on my sidebar on the right hand side.

This is a year long project so you have 12 months in which

to create a scarf at the end of which time these will all be offered

to women who are suffering from breast cancer.

What a wonderful opportunity to show how much you care

in offering just a little of your time and energy

to this cause!

Some of you may not know that firstly we have a small flock of

Angora goats and so this is where my story begins.

 

Secondly, I love to spin wool (not that I have done much of that over

the last two years) and it just so happens that I had some

beautiful scenes of mohair already spun

so what better excuse did I have than to

get out the cast iron dying pot and start boiling up

those avocardo skins that I had been collecting

for a project such as this. 

As I had a large quantity of mohair in 3 scenes

I knew I needed to add more colour so I decided to add

some small quantities of wool dye "Heath" as

well as a few drops of black and gold

silk dyes

and I have to say that I was so very happy with the

muted pink colour I was aiming to achieve.

Wow I really love the fluffiness of this stuff and, to me,

the colour is perfect - it's all about experimentation!

I brought it into the bathroom (of all places!) to photograph

the mohair with a few other pink creations on this antique

dressing table.

I've decided to create a loosely knitted wrap

on these large wooden needles - I have made one in the past

so I just may use the same pattern which is stored in my

head!

Oh! and I just couldn't resist showing you some of our

very first Spring roses - it's a climber -

"Pierre de Ronsard".

I am sure all of you rose lovers know this one -

it has such a pretty green tinge to the petals when it first comes out.

And a few pieces of china in pink - one of my favourite colours!

A little Pink Depression glass basket!

A little pink tapestry petit point purse from the 1920s.

The mohair taken in my studio shows a slightly different shade

but I think the previous images are more accurate.

I can't tell you what a beautiful sheen this wool has and I can't

wait to get started!

Vicki has also created a beautiful woollen and fibre nest for this cause as well as a beautifully knitted and beaded wrap as a Giveaway for you to enter and win so if you

would like to become involved in  this project and 

support our dear friend in

her most worthwhile quest then you have a whole

year to join in and make a beautiful creation that will lift the

heart of just one extra woman in need of some

extra love and support!

Wishing for you another wonderful week 

full of creativity and joy!

Love and hugs 

Suzy xxx

A Vintage Style Pincushion

I very recently acquired this sweet little silver plated

sugar bowl at a flea market and decided

 to embellish it for using

as a pincushion

I modelled it on one I recently saw on Julia's blog

www.vintagewithlaces.blogspot.com

(thank you dear Julia for that inspiration!!)

I also added some braid as well as some

beautiful fringing which I had

purchased from Liz's Etsy shop

www.lacroixrosion.etsy.com

where Liz sells French brocante and English antique

and vintage pieces.

I thought it might complement a couple of other

little pincushions

which I had made recently

like this one

and the one on the left of this picture.

I just used some burlap, french themed cotton,

beaded and embroidered cotton with

some vintage lace pieces

and to finish off I added some fancy embroidered machine

stitching.

 The little silver plated pot was just too sweet

not to use on a daily basis creating

in my studio.

Some of life's simple pleasures and treasures!

I am so very thankful for all of your most gracious

comments left on my posts and to

every new follower  - I hope you have a very inspiring

and creative week ahead!

Love and thanks, Suzy oxo

Wisteria In the Home and in the Garden

And so Spring begins with Wisteria, Bird Song,

 Birds Nests and the many fragrant perfumes with this

"Cecil Brunner" rose in the background just leafing up!

Welcome everyone to this splash of these most

gorgeous shades of mauve and purple!

Isn't this Double Wisteria a most spectacular display

cascading over this solid timber pergola outside

 our Sunroom window?

It is this Wisteria which is one of the first

displays heralding the opening of Spring

here where I live on the South-East Coast of Australia.

Wisterias are commonly comprised of a single flower

but this double variety seems to have more

shades of purple with its density!

I picked a piece to display on a kitchen vignette

as I thought the beautiful purple shades blend 

so beautifully with the whites and

the tarnished silvers.

Sitting above this narrow Oregan timber table

is a vintage Railway Station clock

displaying a collage just completed by moi.

There are almost shades of blue in there too!

How could you not fall in love with such beauty?

A tarnished silver plated tea set!

=

A few odd vintage time worn spoons and cake forks!

A couple of old mixing bowls

And a few gifts from nature in the form of

gum leaves, seeds, pods and a few

shells, driftwood etc.

I even remember my grandmother mixing cake 

in these very similar bowls -

don't you?

One of the greatest joys of all would have to be

the view from my studio window

 where there is creativity of a different sort!

Only in the past few days a Willy Wagtail

decided to build a nest

on this climbing rose stem.

I have never seen such a solid nest

as this and there she sits in 

all her glory

patting down the sides to firm it up.

What a gift she is sharing with us all!

I had to be quick to even catch 

this one!

(Sorry for the blur!!!).

To all my Blogging friends - I thank you for the gifts you bring

too in the way of comments, inspiration and appreciation.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend

whether you are in Spring or Autumn or

in-between!

Sending love and hugs, 

Suzy xxx