Of cutting a cat card

I love paper cutting as you know, especially when it's for someone special, actually I only do them for special someone's!
I have known Rhiannon throughout her eighteen years and her family have a penchant for Korat cats, slender, elegant, smokey grey and highly vocal felines. They have four at the moment and so it seemed appropriate that her card should be based on one.
And she loved it!

So if you have a special date coming up and you are struggling with what to give why not commission a unique paper cut?

Initial thoughts and final drawing to final size

Partially cut

Showing the two layers - the design on the white sheet
the cut out in Korat grey

The finished piece - and a first for me I added a second,
spot colour feature for eyes!

Of patchwork cushions and smiles

I recently ran a 'Mid Week Make' at 'Sew Patchwork' in the charming market town of Thame.
Sew Patchwork is a very new shop set up by Judy Zappone.
A friend of mine had alerted me to it's imminent arrival so I went and knocked on the window as fittings and fixtures were going in, and now I'm running classes.
It's a small space so by necessity the groups are small but that means lots of hands on, and one to one advice and help. And I was SO pleased with the results, as were my students - one of whom had never used a sewing machine before! What I love about these workshops is the variety of outcomes, all successful and all personal.
So here are the pics....

Mastering the sewing machine

Sharing ideas

Carefully pinning back to front

That lovely moment when you turn something right sides out

Delighted!

Delighted!

Delighted too!!

Paper cutting delights

Spent a very pleasant and rewarding day at Ardington School of Crafts, with a small group of novice paper cutters. I'm never sure what people expect when they sign up for this course but they always enjoy it, designing and making beautiful cuts and often surprising themselves with what they achieve.

Drawing up design 'in best'

Planning design

Careful cutting through two layers

Removing the smallest elements first

Stage one of cut complete, all the smallest pieces have been cut out

Happily cutting away

Finished piece for someone who lives on a black and red barge,
love the picture details and 'flow' of design, reflecting a canal

Self explanatory - with addition of snail and bee

The bits cut out and discarded are often as interesting as the cut itself 

Charming birthday greetings in pretty 'cloud'