T stands for sTiTched coffee cups

Hi Everybody!

The first week of the new year is already over, where did the time go?

I still haven't cleared my work-desk, I'm afraid I spent my time reading and dreaming again, but I did enjoy it!

Our challenge at Tag Tuesday - new beginnings -  still has a week to run, and I made a new tag with some new coffee cups, which is also meant for Elizabeth's T stands for Tuesday. So here a warm welcome to all the nice ladies of the T Gang. My tag was made from a piece of designer paper, sewn onto some coloured card with my crazy stitching. Someone asked last week if it was really necessary to sew everything. Of course not, I just enjoy it. But is it really necessary to ask such stupid questions? The cups were cut out free hand from scraps, and I sewed patterns onto them, just for fun. The milk-foam on the cappuccino was made with scraps from a lace doily:

The weather has been grey and cloudy, I took these photos mostly with my cell-phone as I left my camera at home- strange!

Have a great day, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

New Challenge at More Mixed Media

Hi Everybody!

Hope your week has been good. 

Our challenges at More Mixed Media blog always start on the 5th of each month. All challenges are anything goes, this time with optional blue. There is always a prize of lovely digital papers for the winner. 

I made a large tag (11"), made from recycled bits and bobs. The background was a piece of spare card which I gave a colour wash of light blue water-colours. Then I added a hand-painted strip of paper left over from an old project. I used blue washi tapes to add more interest to the background. The feathers tag is one which I made some time back and which has been recycled to make this one. Lots of sewing and some blue feathers completed my mixed media tag. I am also linking to my challenge at Tag Tuesday, new beginnings - here a new start for some old pieces. Hope to see YOU joining in both challenges:

This week has been mostly grey and chilly, but we did have a few sunny moments which I was able to catch:

Waiting for breakfast:

This gull looked very indignant:

These 2 were busy cleaning their feathers:

The ducks at Schloss (castle) Kalkum:

 And I treated myself to some tulips to remind myself that spring will come sooner or later:

Have a great day, take care,

and thanks for coming by!

New Beginnings and 2nd on the 2nd

Hi Everybody!

I hope you all enjoyed your new year celebrations, and are now fit and ready to tackle the year ahead. I spent the evening reading - I re-read 'A Tale of Two Cities', which I always enjoy, and then binged on some more Agatha Christie films,  such fun. The first day of the year here was dull, mild and cloudy, just like yesterday was, so it was good weather to do some crafting. I was planning on clearing off my work-table, but I need more energy for that. I have not made any resolutions, as I either forget them or don't keep them, or perhaps a bit of both, and as we all know, the slippery slope to hell is paved with good intentions....

For my 'new beginnings' challenge at Tag Tuesday, I made a tag using my beloved Mr Umbrella Man. The 2 cards used for the background were recycled from old envelopes. I stamped the top one with some old Paper Artsy stamps, I am not so fond of the ones they are producing these days. I used peacock-feather distress oxide. To make Mr U.M. something new I let it rain  -  not men, but flowers . The sentiment is also from my new packet of quotes. I stitched it all together, having fun racing the machine around the tag.

Today is also Elizabeth's 2nd on the 2nd challenge, where we re-show works made in the past. These are both A3 mixed media and very textured pieces made in 2014. I wasn't very happy with them, so didn't try it again:

  

I am linking to Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristin.

The photos are also from the beginning of January 2014 - my fascination with skies and birds has not changed:

 This is one of the Rhine-ravens - a big colony of them live in the castle ruins and go fishing in the river to find food - clever!

The seagulls are always very active and cooperative when I have some food for them in my pocket:

And the ducks were hungry, too:

Have a great day, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!