Acid Toadstools and a Magical Mystery Tour

you knew I meant fabric right?

I made this little toadstool fabric lavender and rice warm bag, and matching pincushion for Katy. Now Katy's birthday was quite awhile ago, and I really meant to send her something but no matter what I made it just never seemed quite imperfectly perfect enough to give as a gift. I here worriedly this morning waiting for Katy to open my bag of goodies. I even had back up lavender and rice bags to substitute if she didn't like this one. Luckily she did so that was a big relief.

In addition to the pincushion and warm bag I gave Katy a bracelet made with onyx, and green jade, with a cute little apple toggle clasp. I stamped her name on a small jute bag, and made a card which I forgot to take photographic evidence of because I'm a total dork. But it doesn't matter as we had a fab day out. Katy drove and I navigated us to a lovely little quilt shop in Darley Dale, followed by lunch at Caudwell's mill and then a mooch round Scarthin Books in Cromford and a cup of tea. It was a fun outing and next time I promise to be more organized and get a few more local crafter's in the mix and convoy ourselves around Derbyshire's pretty (and crafty) places. Chatsworth anyone?

green apple bracelet

Toadstool in Teal

teal toadstool

The last toadstool I did went for a custom order so it dissapeared before I could take a semi-decent picture of it so what's a girl to do? Why paint another one of course. Its really simple but I love it, I only wish I could take a picture to show how pretty these painted pages really are.

Amanita muscaria

Amanita muscaria- toadstool

Yes I have been painting again, I just love painting on books pages, there is something romantic and pretty about it and don't forget that element of recycling. I Have parceled all my storybook pages off with M to the studio to be scanned for future prints, and to sort out some mounts and then with a bit of luck I want to put them in my Etsy shop. I'm not sure how to price them yet, originals or prints, but I'm really proud of them, I look at them and think that they are something that I wouldn't mind in a frame on the wall and I think that's about the best compliment I can give them. I'm not the most confident of people, I'm not very popular I'm not cool, and I have never been one to have much self belief, but I actually think these are pretty good. Would you want? would you buy them even?

M says he likes the Toadstools at the top the best, and wants to keep it, or at least a copy, I do to because of the Tolkien quote about Faerie, all of these paintings were made on the pages from a Tolkien book that I got from a library sale last week, I love Tolkien's writing and because the book was so badly damaged I thought it would be a great way to mix my love of books with my love of painting. There is something so magical about the written word, I have often dreamed of being a writer, but I have always lacked the discipline to get the stories, and characters that swim about in that dark and cluttered recesses of my mind. I do write things, little drabbles, little bits of stories, and dream, and very rarely the odd poem, no body ever reads the poems though, I am a terrible poet, the rest though I sometimes share with the world, or at least the 2 people that have ever visited my drabble blog. And one of those is probably my dad. I don't often add things as I have been so obsessed with jewellery making and painting the last few months. Perhaps sometime soon I will swing back into writing mode, there are a few things that have been swirling around my thoughts for awhile.

But for today I'll stick with painting pictures on words.T hanks for taking the time to read my blog, to look at my art, and jewellery, and cakes too. And thank you to those of you who take the time to leave a comment, they really do me the world to me. Thank you.

Grizelda the Goose

Rapunzel's Tower

Little White House

Butterfly Blue