I am now officially a student again! I have just started BA(Hons) Degree in Textiles with the OCA!

I am so excited about starting this journey, it has been one I have been waiting to take since I decided not to go to university when I was 18.

I have never regretted not going at that time as I have achieved so many other things in my life including running my own business, but the main achievement will always be my now 15 year old daughter who is so wonderful I would never be without her. I am now 37 and at last have the chance to follow my dream of academic fulfillment so here goes.

I am spending this week getting everything together so I can make a start on the first project at the weekend – wish me luck!

Julie

Out and about at Blackmoor monthly market

I will be attending the Blackmoor monthly market, held on the 1st Sunday of the month from August onwards. I will be selling some of my textile pieces at the fair and taking along some of the July Textiles range of craft supplies for you to buy. I will also be demonstrating a craft technique each month.


The Blackmoor Village Hall, originally the school, was designed 1872 by Alfred Waterhouse (architect of the Natural History Museum in London) as part of a Victorian estate village. The Village Hall is next to St Matthew's Church in the centre of the village. The village is now a conservation area located within the South Down National Park. http://www.blackmoorvillagehall.btck.co.uk/News


Nearby is the famous Blackmoor apple shop open from September to April for more info please see: http://www.blackmoorestate.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=7

40th project completed - A 'filigree brooch'

40th Project completed - A' filigree brooch'

Well another busy day over and done with. I spent the morning replacing numerous bolts in the Locomotive - Jerry M that we are overhauling at Hollycombe. A bit of an unusual way to spend a Saturday morning I'll admit but there you go!


Well what am I making with the bottle tops I found?

39th project completed - A zip flower

39th Project completed - a zip flower

What a warm day! It has been about 28 degrees out today -  really warm especially for October! They do say that it will break all the records for an October day in the UK today, I wouldn't be at all surprised!!!!


It has been far too warm this week to do much heated craft work but this one is nice and simple and should appeal to most of you, as you can use them however you like whether it be as a topping for cards, as embellishments for sewing projects such as bags or as I have, as hair accessories.


So what are they?

Zip flowers!!!

38th project completed - a floral gift box

38th Project completed - a gift box

Welcome to the 38th completed project in the challenge. Firstly I must apologise for being a few hours late with this one, I had completed 3/4 of the project and had put it to one side when the pup decided she required a snack and decided that it looked good enough to eat! So I had to begin all over again!!!!!

Anyway here it is, a paper mache gift box.

37th project completed - a metalwork pendant

37th Project completed - A metal work pendant

Hello again!


Wow this week has past quickly, last time I looked it was Sunday evening and now it is Saturday already. As you will know from the previous post, I decided to play about with an old metal paste tube. 


I knew that as the metal was nice and soft it could be easily embroidered on a machine but I must admit to never having tried it myself. I have discovered that I love it. It was so much fun to do! So here it is a metal work pendant made from a purée tube! 

36th project completed - A felted mobile phone shop

36th project completed! A felted mobile phone sock

Last week's project started me thinking about the stuffing left over from the pillow. A saw no reason why the filling couldn't be used as a backing for needle-felting and with embellishing machines as a ground to work on. I have been meaning to use one of my favourite photos of my daughter when she was little in a project, so I had a play and came up with this. A felted mobile phone sock for her to keep her phone safe.


it is a reasonably quick project and one for those of you who are looking for an excuse to experiment.