8 cards bringing warmth on dull winter days

February 13, 2024

When I received the cards in my most recent card subscription box from the CardBoys I thought they were from a spring box and I’d missed a box somewhere along the way, as I was pretty sure the last set had arrived in autumn. And they had, but actually it’s no bad thing that the February box has a spring-like feel as I think it’s something we all need after what seems a long, wet and windy winter, which I’m sure isn’t over just yet however nice it is to see the days starting to extend slowly but surely again.

As ever I have mixed feelings about these cards, as I can’t wait to use them but also don’t want to use them either as I want to keep them all too! Keeping them all isn’t an option though, and having a stash of cards in the house is really handy, especially now that we’re a lot more rural than we were in London.

The cards in this box evoke warmth with their colours and decor, and that’s much needed on those dull days. Even though the sun has been out, and it’s oh so good to feel its warmth, it’s still pretty chilly isn’t it? Earlier this week I finally took down my winter wreath and while I’d timed it well avoiding the rain, I still needed a sweatshirt on as I stood at the bins pulling as much of the greenery out as I could, recycling it in our brown/garden bin.

I don’t think there’s a card which didn’t make me smile in this box, though I think I’ll have to choose the recipient of the card above carefully - as a thank you card it works, perhaps not so much as a birthday card or note.

And don’t you just want to climb those stairs in the card below, hopefully a thirst quenching drink would be waiting for us at the top.

There’s a few artists in this collection that have a couple of cards, and it’s easy to spot these through their style and the colours they’ve used isn’t it?

It’s amazing how a piece of art - as let’s face it, these are mini works of art - can influence your feelings, from the calming coffee scene above to the tumbling rainbow person below.

My favourite card this month probably isn’t a surprise - but it’s the daisies below, it just something that speaks to me, so this is one that I’ll probably be hanging onto for a while, until the perfect opportunity to share arises.

This box really was a box of warmth, which arrived in the post box. I can’t wait for spring-proper to arrive!

Gelli printing using stencils and shapes

February 12, 2024

In my first post on Getting started with Gelli Plate Printing I shared the basic equipment needed and my first prints using single and two colours, here I’m going to share how using stencils and masks can bring even more texture and interest. These bring another dimension to the prints, and endless possibilities.

I already have a number of stencils, which I’m keen to try out in this new craft that’s quickly becoming one I can’t see stopping anytime soon. I’ve purchased my own gelli plate and brayer online as this is a craft that has so much potential, and is fun to do and thankfully isn’t that messy either (which is always a bonus).

Using stencils

The possibilities are endless, as are the colour combinations. It’s also easy to get two prints from the same stencil and paint application, as long as you work relatively quickly and don’t let the paint dry. I chose to use a thin plastic reusable stencil with a flowery pattern. The first two images below show the first and second prints using a single paint application, and how they differ; the third image shows a final feint print to remove the paint that remained on the gelli plate.

The third print using the residue of the paint on the gelli plate produces a very pale and ghost-like print

In some ways the second print is my favourite, but I know that all of them will be useful - and used - in my future papercraft crafts.

I also tried an alphabet and number stencil. I didn’t reverse this as partly this was a test of the process, but also it’s not text that needs to be read, however if that wasn’t the case the stencil will need to be reversed to avoid the mirror effect. Again I pulled two prints from a single paint application, and the softer second print is definitely my favourite of the two.

Using a number and lettering stencil with orange paint on a yellow background

The second print using the letter/number stencil on an orange and pink background

Using masks

Another technique that we tried on the course was cutting out shapes to mask areas. I cut simple blob-like circles and leaf type shapes for this. I liked the results of this less than the stencils above, but I think my choice of shapes and colours also contributed to that.

Unlike using stencils the second pull using the same paint application didn’t really add anything, the outline shape was too feint to keep. But all was not lost as the beauty of gelli plate printing is that you can reuse prints that don’t quite work out.

Using other items

This is where your imagination can run riot. In the image below the hearts are made from a squished toilet roll - and I think they work pretty well. On the right hand side of the hearts I used a plastic glue spreader to make swirls in the paint (care: do this gently to avoid damaging the gelli plate), I think this has potential and it’s something I want to try again but perhaps with more advance thought on what shapes to try.

I also want to try using bubble wrap, scrunched up foil and paper and especially leaves. I don’t know how successful these will be, but half the fun will be experimenting. I’m sure there are many more things I can try - perhaps some lace too - and many that I haven’t thought of yet, but are no doubt lurking in my craft room somewhere!

The worst that can happen is that I’ll end up with textured papers that I can use in collages and in card making. How can that be a bad thing?

More quilts and more variety at the Newark Quilt Show

February 1, 2024

In this final post from the Newark Quilt Show I’m sharing many more of the fabulous quilts on display, and I think they’re somewhere in between Alicia Merrett’s modern quilts and Carolyn Forster’s traditionally scrappy quilts, but still just as amazing and beautiful in their own right.

Many, like the Jubilee quilt below, are made from scraps collected over many years - so that brings me some solace!

The bold quilt below is by Australian artist Brenda Wood and reflects her love of colour and shapes in her local environment, and as the blurb said truly does take an ‘in-depth and close up look at shape, colour and texture.’ For me it’s the attention to detail, even on the binding - it’s not just plain black, but some has that barcode pattern which brings further interest.

The quilts by Gillian Travis were full of colour and full of memories from her travels - both of which looked amazing!

Evolve, Mexican Red by Gillian Travis shows blocks of individual items/travel memories sewn together to create a colourful travel memory quilt — BURANO WINDOWS, GILLIAN TRAVIS

There were also quilts by the Pearoom Quilters based in Lincolnshire who responded to the challenge to produce a piece reflecting time in any way, using the log cabin block as their starting point. Unsurprisingly when you ask creative people to approach something like this, there were many interpretations - here are some of my favourites:

There were so many in this part of the exhibition I could have chosen to share though, and narrowing it down to four quilts was hard enough.

But that wasn’t all, there’s another quilt that is absolutely stunning coming up…

Helen made this as a wedding gift for her mathematician godson and his wife of Indian heritage - who have generously lent it back again according to the card alongside it. I do wonder just how much they’ve seen of it as I’m sure this one is in demand from all the quilt shows!

One of the things I took from the quilts on display is that a quilt can be anything you want it to be - bold, bright, modern, traditional or anything in between. Whichever it is it’s most certainly made with love, and by someone who loves to create.

So often we focus on the small detail forgetting the bigger picture - I’m sure there’s a life lesson in there too!