POSTCARDS, POSTCARDS

I recently joined two fiber art groups. I wanted to combine my love of PSP (Paint Shop Pro), fabric and yarn. In one group Fiber Art Traders, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FiberArtTraders/, they have several exchanges going on at the same time like making dolls, transforming Altoid Tins, ATC's (Artist Trading Cards), and fabric postcards. Someone comes up with a theme and gives a deadline. You sign up before the close date and post your trade. Once the trade closes, the exchange hostess/host will then assign the person that you will send your item.

The first exchange I have tried is the fairytale fabric postcard. You could either send it naked (not in a clear envelope), or you can put it in an envelope. I decided to send them without an envelope. This is my submission for the fairy tale postcard exchange

Yes, Jack and Jill are not fairytales but I found this embroidery and wanted to use it.

The next exchange that I joined is called Art2Mail (www.art2mail.com). In this exchange, there is no theme, 25 people send cards to each other for birthdays, and just because. We will send until April. I am quite behind on my birthday cards and will send out some belated ones. This is an international exchange. We have members from the U.S. as well as the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Norway and Germany.

This is my first PC which I am calling "Baby It's Cold Outside". I have 6 more to do and I am finished with the first batch. The cards have cost me a 39 cent stamp because I have not got the weight right yet. When I took the fairytale postcards to the post office the lady charged me an extra fee for hand cancellation. The postage I had to buy was 52 cents. Yesterday when I took my Art2Mail cards, it only cost me 39 cent. In fact, the postmaster was looking for snowflake stamps because he thought they would look better. So that I did not spend the day in the post office, I had to assure him that I liked the quilt stamps because most of the people that would be receiving the cards were quilters. I have a bunch to take today and we will see what happens.

The coat on the lady is made with a fringe technique. I have purchased some great fringe embroidery from www.emblibrary.com. If you are looking for inexpensive embroidery designs, this is the place.

To get the fabric so that the printer ink will adher, I first soak the fabric for 5 minutes in Bubble Jet Set 2000. Once the fabric dries, you iron it to freezer paper and cut to fit your printer. This is the same paper you find at the grocery or you can buy precut sheets and the solution from http://www.cjenkinscompany.com/. If you plan on washing the fabric, it is suggested that you use Bubble Jet Rinse. As you can see, the colors are very rich. I did not buy the fabric rinse because I had no plans of washing it. A lot cheaper than buying those sheets from Joann's or Michaels.

That's it for today. I have been spinning and trying to get some weaving done. When I went to the ACC (American Craft Council show, I really got inspired to weave a room divider. More about that later, I have a germ of an idea and I am still working on it. Also, I have purchased or made lots of purses over the years, a lady at the show told me how to display them. I want to work on that this week. Somewhere in there, I promised to make something to put in my daughter Eatsy's shop, make a large apron for my niece that is dressing up as a bunny for Easter to entertain some children at her church, as well as finishing the purses for the International Purse Exchange and the Knitted Purse Exchange.

I really will get everything done...Really! Oh NO, I have a quilting class on Saturday. Can someone loan me a couple extra days for this week, please!!!!!!!

Exchanges and a Gift

This year brings a lot of new things for me to try and experimentation. I am in a spinning exchange (going to try to dye my handspun, wish me luck), as well as two knitted purse exchanges.

While working in New Orleans, the owner of a small but well stocked yarn shop, Bette Bornside Company (www.bornsideyarns.com), gave me a purse pattern that she had created based on a cashmere purse she had seen in a magazine for $1500. I decided to make the purse for both of my purse swaps but will change the color of the lining (in the picture I have the hot pink for one of my secret pals, the other likes yellow and I have not purchased it yet). The accessories that I am making will match. Because the purse is see through, there will be two linings, one is a cream color that will be next to the purse so you will not see the colored lining.

I am using Cabana yarn in a off white color which feels a little like suede. Cabana is made by Reynolds. I have not decided what to do about the strap. The pattern calls for an I-cord. I saw a purse in a magazine that looked similar and it had a leather strap. We will see. I am finished with one purse and half way through with the other one. Once I have them both finished, then I have to block, put together, and fill with goodies for my secret purse pals.


I have also joined two fiber exchange groups. One group is called Fiber Art Traders where someone comes up with a theme for fabric postcards, decorating Altoid tins, making dolls, etc.
I have joined the exchange for fairy tale postcards and making a coffee cozy. No more paper coffee cuffs for me again. When I drink my take out coffee, I want a cuff that will make me feel like royalty. Okay, I just want to be different.
This the cuff/cozy that I have made to exchange. I first put together the cafe scene with friends in Paint Shop Pro then printed it out on fabric. I was able to find fabric that had all kinds of names of coffee for the inside of the cuff. Now I am waiting to hear who I am trading with. Hope they like it.

I am really excited about the Valentine gift I received from my friend Vicki. I can hardly wait to show her around the Maryland Sheep and Wool, this will be her first time. I can remember for first time....all I can say is overwhelmed.

Vicki told me that she had a book to send me so I was a little shocked to get a box.
The box was full of goodies.
I bet that gorgeous yarn is from her stash. She must have some collection. I like to read before I go to bed and had finished my last book last night. Now I have two books to read. This was perfect timing. The socks match the fleece top I made to wear with my sweat pants in this chilly weather. I love chocolate covered nuts of all kinds so the Dove's won't last long. The sticks tied with ribbon is chocolate covered peppermint sticks, will have to hide them. The valentine box is from Russell Stover's, yum yum.

This was a great day, don't you think. I am off to drink my sugar-free peanut butter hot chocolate, eat chocolate covered peppermint sticks and chocolate covered nuts. Diet can wait until tomorrow.