I haven't picked up a needle in days

-apart from the knitting variety [ another baby-soon-to-be-toddler cardigan]. I have lots of ideas for embroidery but somehow can't get started.

I have had a good throw out, mostly of stuff I printed from the net and now cannot imagine why. This was inspired by Wensleydale who has celebrated the end of his stint as chair of governors by making the shredder earn its keep. Pity it's too cold to make paper out of the shredded paper [something I do outside].

I have also been doodling in the altered book. Despite colouring the pages with black and grey Brusho, it has ended up very blue - and these mournful looking women keep appearing in the pages.

Or trees. I used the lovely Inktense pencils Wensleydale gave me for my birthday to bring out the lines - dipped in water, they work well on the textured surface of the pages.

As my mind has been running on goddesses - because of the book I'm reading - I added a few goddesses for them to pray to.

This is Venus [by Titian, I think, I've lost the little note I made].

According to Clare Gibson's book, one of Venus' symbols is the rose - so I added a rose. I decided after I'd stencilled it that it was too bright so covered it with a smear of gold ink pad. Then it seemed to disappear completely so I drew round it in gold pen [love those metallic pens]. It's still not right, so I shall have to think about what to do with it next.

Although Mary isn't a goddess, according to Gibson she acquired many characteristics of goddesses, so she is in there. This is based on a carving by Eric Gill.

At the other extreme - here is Kali.

And this must be Bastet, the Egyptian moon goddess. It is one of my favourite stencils. Pity Quality Control never looks this elegant!

I'm quite enjoying pottering around in the book, just trying out ideas - and if it doesn't work I can always paint over it ...

A stellar display

I mentioned a while ago that I had joined the group 'Around the World in 20 Quilts' [or ATWI20Q' for short]. We have been working on the theme 'stellar' and all the finished A4 quiltlets were revealed on Nov 30th. There is a link to the group blog in the sidebar [under all the pictures of Babybel] if you want lots of ideas and lots of inspiration.

I have finished [?] the second not-landscape. It has changed a bit since you last saw it - the brown has gone. I think the kantha-ish quilting works and I may add some to the first not-landscape. You will notice that some bead and French knot encrustation did creep in after all...

I spent the weekend working on an altered book for Maggie Grey's online class. This used to be a copy of an Enid Blyton story - I decided it was worthy of altering when I realised that the girls in the story had a governess and the threshing machine was run by a traction engine. As it wasn't a first edition I decided it was probably of limited interest to 21st century children and proceeded to attack it.

Here it is drying on the radiator. Some pages were removed, then I glued a variety of papers [newspaper, paper towels, tissue, pages from a completed crossword book and an old phone book, and paper doyleys from the pound shop] to some of the remaining ones. All were brushed with gesso and sprayed with black and grey Brusho. I think it looks wonderfully tatty. When it is dry I will have to decide what else to do to it. At the moment, still thinking about mark making, I am pondering on runes ...

Having taken the plunge with altering a book - I am tempted to do it again. I think, apart from my reluctance to deface books, i have always been put off by the style of the altered books I have seen. Maggie's, of course, are different, and much more to my taste.

The quilt is temporarily on hold as Wensleydale is administrating on the dining room table, which is where I layer my quilts. He has promised it will be clear by tomorrow, so I can get the three layers assembled and pinned - I hope to tackle the quilting on Thursday.

On a completely different topic - as this blog has been a bit doggy recently - here is Quality Control testing the printer. Notice that blank sheet of paper emerging? That is what happens if you tread on the buttons on your way up. She is looking alert because she has just heard the fridge door opening two rooms away ...