Some time ago I spent a while drawing architectural features and loved some of the rococo shapes I found there. I went back through my sketchbook afterwards and painted over with some koh i noor paints, just choosing the colours I like.

Then I tried to reproduce the left hand page using sheers and water soluble paper. I burnt back the sheers with a hot air gun and dissolved some but not all of the water soluble paper using the same koh i noor paints. I have to admit it didn't really work and it sat on my desk for ages until I unearthed it again last weekend during my big clear up.

This time I put it on black felt and did some machine couching and hand stitching around and I'm quite pleased with the finished effect.

Here's a close up

Half term! Actually it's going quite well, no big fall outs (yet). I managed to spend the afternoon in my workroom on Sunday while husband and no 2 child went to play rehersal. I'm so pleased with the results of my tidying up - 3 hours of it! - that I might just post a picture.

Had a lovely parcel arrive yesterday from Fibrecrafts. I only ordered this on Sunday! Daughter rubbed her hands with glee and announced she would be using my embellisher this week! I really want her to love embroidery and textiles as I do so I will probably let her.

Also managed a few hours yesterday evening when everyone was out/busy. I painted some brown paper (I use those acrilyic tester pots from DIY shops) a few weeks ago and have spent some time tearing it and laying it here and there and finally sat down to sew on it yesterday. I'm quite pleased with the results although I lay awake for a few hours last night with ideas for

improving it niggling at me.

Heard from Lenna today that my white quilties have finally arrived, and she does say some nice things about them on her website! I'm sure I'll be swapping with her again.

A beautiful day, maybe spring is just around the corner although it was this time last year that we had all that snow! No 1 child at home today not at his best poor boy.

I've had a lovely day today getting up to date with a few things. The sun was shining (for once) and I really should have been out getting to grips with some gardening but I put the radio on and settled down to some art. First out was the wherewithal to make some more sketchbooks/journals with some papers I did the other day.

Then I thought about the artwork I need to do for Oxfordshire Artweeks. I'm exhibiting with a friend here in the village in her lovely garden studio. She does beautiful mosaics and I'm working hard not to let her down too much with my exhibits. One of the things Oxfordshire Artweeks sent us recently was an empty CD case with the request that all artists exhibiting this year decorate the CD case (not a CD) with some art which will be exhibited at the Said Business School here in Oxford. Debbie's done her side and I've been rattling my brains trying to complement her work. Think I've managed and I'll post a copy when I'm really sure it's as finished as it's going to be.

A week or so back I got a lovely box from Chris of the UK Embellisher Group. Obviously I hadn't done my box to swap back with her, but I finally got around to it today. Hope she won't be too disappointed. (NB Hers is the lovely pink/blue one at the top).

I haven't done much 'art' today except make some cards - a quick 20 minutes while the children were happy and before I made more pancakes. But I did get the chance to look at some blogs when I should have been working this morning. I do think the blogging world is great; there are women out there of all ages, nationalities, backgrounds, all creating art in some form or another. Just as women have been doing for generations. So even though we're told that textiles are not popular (ie not for school lessons anyway) it's all rubbish - it's as popular as ever! And our blogs prove it!

Since starting a blog and reading others I find myself often, as I sit sewing away in my room, wondering who else is sewing at the same time and what they're busy doing? When I quilt, which isn't often although I find the hand quilting very therapeutic, I think of the Amish quilts I saw when I was in the US a few years ago and those women sitting sewing by lamplight.

So I will persevere in teaching my daughter to sew. It's so important that future generations carry this on. Although I really can't believe this form of art will ever die out.

Two lovely surprises have dropped through my letterbox in the past few days. The lovely fuchsia ATC card was from Sue who swaps with two groups I belong to - the UK Mixed Media ATC group and the UK Embellisher group. Is this what is known as an RAK? Whatever - I was thrilled.

The other button girl is from Jean who is taking part in the cross stitch swap for the UK Mixed Media ATC group which I am hosting. I must have a go at making one of these. I know we're only just out of the Christmas season but I can see these as small angels on the tree. My daughter will love it. I really enjoy hosting swaps, it's such fun to see what everyone is doing.