I did it! I did it!

Well I sewed all the tumbling blocks together and now they just need to be blind hem stitched to the background. I tidied up the Russian vine and stopped its attempt at a take over. I had a great lunch. I rinsed out the dyes and the ribbons are all dried. I haven't taken any photos yet or done the website as they need to be ironed. So that's tomorrow's job. And finally I did it! Yes I made not one, but two post cards!

I cut out some pelmet Vilene for the inner support. I then adhered Bondaweb to this on both sides and then removed the paper. I had great fun sorting out a heap of 'interesting' fabrics. Some of my old hand-dyed bits are going to be ideal for this. Then I had a whale of a time stamping. In fact I got quite carried away by this and so enjoyed it that I ended up doing a couple of fat quarters plus some smaller pieces. I've got some lovely small wooden hand carved stamps that were made in India and they are ideal for this. Plus I've got some stamps I made myself with self adhesive rubber. In fact I had forgotten how much I like stamping. This could be the beginnings of a whole new ball game. No, no. I don't have the time to do anything else! Resist, resist you fool! LOL Well I had been side tracked for quite some time when I looked at the clock and realised that if a post card was to be done I had to get on with it. So I then chose some fabric and adhered that to one side of the Vilene. I then cut out a fish for fusing. But before I fused it I stitched some weed onto one side of the card. Then I fused the fish on. More weed sewn on the other side of the fish and some stitching on the fish itself. Looked a bit naked so I drew some smaller fishies with water colour pencils. The back ground fabric was a piece of silk shibori that hadn't been up to scratch but was ideal for water. Then I fused the back piece on. I used shot tafetta for this in a dull green. Satin stitched the edges. I think in future I won't cut to size but will satin stitch to the size I want and then trim and then candle flame the edges to get rid of fray bits. Still felt it needed something so I added some 3D paint in gold to the weeds. And that is it!

So then I thought I'd do another one but not so complicated. Keep it simple stupid! Same format as before only this time I chose as background a piece that I'd used a stamp on already with disperse dyes. This was a spiral shape I'd made myself. It was quite dark. I then cut out a spiral from a lighter fabric and fused it to the middle of the card. Then I randomly stitched round and round and round. You get the picture! Finished the edges as before as at that time I hadn't had my blaze of light about the edging. And then because I was now quite enamoured with the 3D paint I followed the spiral line with it roughly. This one was being done in a hurry so it wasn't being done with any respect for accuracy of line but I like it! It's a bit on the wide side but I don't think that matters. It's 4.5 instead of 4.

These are each completely different approaches and designs. But I now have lots of ideas as to what I can do and what is possible. I'd forgotten how much fun it is to paint, draw and stamp. Usually I only remember that I can do these things when I'm making cards for Christmas. The trouble is I'm a jack of all trades ....... And no time to do half of them.

Well off to read a book now. Glass of wine and a book. Now that's a good way to end off a perfect day!

I'd appreciate some comments so that I'm not living in a fool's paradise thinking these are OK when they arn't up to scratch. TIA