The Kings Speech

I went to Burnley to see The Queens Mill. This is featured in the award winning film The Kings Speech.

It is well worth a visit as there is a lot to see especially the Engine Room.

The mill had 1000 working looms in it's hey day. Now there are just 300.

It was very noisy and the weavers soon lear

ned to Me-Maw which consisted of lip reading and hand signs. My grandmother worked in a Mill and she used to tell me stories about life in the mill. I have some fabric that she wove in her younger days. Sadly she died in 1996 aged 96.

Below I am sat at a hand loom. In the 19th century many people had these in their cottages.

The exhaust fell off my car as I drove into Burnley. Expensive day out.

Port Sunlight 14th May

Well the show is over and here are a few photos of the day. It was great to see everyone again. Thanks to all who stopped by. I am shattered with all the packing, setting up taking down and re-packing to come home where everything has to be put back in the studio.

One of my samples was the Tim Holtz configuration box. I used a lot of old game pieces. Great fun to make and I have plans for more of these.

I was using the new Distress Stains and Distress Inkpads for a resist technique on watercolour paper. I gave all the tags away.

Vickie Stampers 7th May

I had a lovely day at Vickie Stampers Stamp Club in Warrington. 2 great projects by our Tutor Jo of Jozart Designs. Jo is a designer for my Stamp Line.

The first project was a lovely decorated folded envy and card. The Hearts interlock making this a lovely gift card.

The other project shown here is a heart shaped gift box. I coloured it with distress stain in Broken China. It is over stamped with Distress ink. The closure is a brad securing 2 decorated punched circles. I need to add a ribbon to finish.

Altered Milk Carton

I have had difficulty getting in my craft room with all the alterations going on but I managed this project. I made a tote from a 6 pint milk carton. After I cut it down I used Ranger's alcohol inks to colour it. Then I started to decorate with bling, lace trimmings chipboard alphabets and other findings. I cut the bird from an offcut of the milk carton from a TH die. I used A.I's to colour it and a gem for the eye. It now holds my Distress Stains.

WOYWW May 4th

I was experimenting with a technique for a swap. We had to oil some copy paper. I used an eco friendly baby oil.

I did try this years ago as it looks like faux parchment.

I stamped it first with memento London Fog ink. The idea is to add paint and crumple, oil again and crumple, oil the reverse and crumple. The result is that you send up with very soft paper that feels like fabric. It can be stitched if you so desire. Below are a couple of samples I played about with. So scroll down to the messy desk where I work in about 6 inches of space then hop over to Julia's and snoop over 140 desks if you have time.