Week Twenty-Three: Rainbow Fish

One of my favourite books when I was a kid was "The Rainbow Fish" by Marcus Pfister, an excellent 'sharing' lesson and a beautiful and entertaining story too. When I was searching my brain for subjects to quill for this year long project this came into my head, and while I didn't want to try and create the actual fish (groovy mirror paper isn't easy to come by anyway), a fishie of some sort sounded good.

But then I kept putting it off. I saw a quilled fish on pinterest that was far better than anything I could do, and then made the mistake of Google image-ing it and seeing a few more that are beyond me, and I slinked back to my corner and hid from the quilled fish idea for a while. But I got over it. I'm here to make my own creations, putting my personal style on things and entertaining all of you and making my customers happy.

I wanted colourful, with a beautiful tail. I got just what I wanted. I chose a deep blue card to set him in the sea (yes, it is a he, I made it so I get to decide these things), and I like how that makes the colours really pop.

When I came to the tail I floundered (oh I can't resist a pun) a bit, not sure what to fill each strand with, but eventually decided that a different pattern in the strand's colour would be the most effective. I got to use my paper crimper as you can see :) the checker-print fin was the hardest, but the red one is my personal favourite.

I really like this chap, and I am quietly glad he didn't sell at the market on the weekend because I'm not ready to part with him. My husband loves this one and suggests I make a framed version.

I am sad to have sold off several cards from the 52 weeks project collection and have ear-marked them to be made again once I've finished the mission. Obviously if they sold they're worth making again!


Next week you'll get to see the end result of that project I was working on at the markets. See you then friends!

xnata

Market Day Tales

Yesterday's market was a grand success, from the cards sold off to new owners, to those who've now tried quilling for the very first time, to the lovely people and the picturesque setting. We had a lovely day and it was really good to be back at a market.

 My goodies all set up on the stall, with the quilling lessons table up the back.

card I worked on while waiting for the doors to open and the eager learners to appear. It's a lot more finished now, but you'll have to wait to see the finished product.

Our whole market table, complete with the creations by Rosey So pretty. Thank you for all that you did Rosey! We make a good team.

The amazing church spire. What an inspiring spire it is. Though it was all fenced off, apparently the church is so old that bits of stone are falling off! An incredible sight nonetheless.

The door to the hall in which our market was held. This stained glass window cast a beautiful green-blue glow over our market stalls towards the end of the day. Very magical.

This was the card design that I taught for the day. I learned a lot from this market, including not assuming that you'll have the space to teach six people at a time, and therefore should have a quicker, simpler project to teach so that more students can have the opportunity. Some were naturals and created lovely pots of tulips, and to some it was best to describe their work as impressionist art... I had written instructions for it, so some stopped when they were about three quarters of the way and took their kits and instructions home to finish.

Now to dream up an easier card design...

Some of these goodies are gone now, and I hope that their new owners just love them. Mr Bunny is still with me, he looks a bit out of place here as the only 3D quilling. I have plans for some friends for him though! He won't be alone at the next market, whenever that is.

I'll be back in the next couple of days with this week's project.

xnata

 

Week Twenty-Two: Balloon House

I love the movie Up, and I know most people who have seen it say the same. I have often thought about the image of the house being lifted by balloons as a great metaphor for so many moments in life, so I decided I would make a house flying by balloons on a card.

I didn't want to copy the house in the movie, I just wanted a simple little cottage-type building that could represent any house.

This image works for so many different occasions that you might give a card, farewell or bon voyage, good luck, thank you ("you lift my spirits" might be something you'd write inside) or even congratulations would work in the right circumstances. It's a versatile image, perfect for card making.

This took a lot of paper. Way more than I expected. The balloon cluster just kept growing, sooo many balloons to make it look 'right' to me.

I like this because it's simple, cheerful and bursting with colour, which is the name of the game for me at the moment. I'm in a colourful mood.


Now if you're in the Brisbane, Australia region and are wanting to learn quilling in a hands on way, or even if you just want to come see my work in person, or love a good craft market, then take a look at this:

I will be selling all the pretties I've made lately, and teaching quilling to those interested in giving it a go! I'd love visitors so if you're in the area stop by for some fun.


Next week's project is very colourful and would be an excellent swimmer...and may already be sold before you even get to see it.

xnata

 

Week Twenty-One: Treble Clef

This week's project was actually a lot harder than I expected!

To make the outline I used berry pins in styrofoam with my design drawn on paper and covered with baking paper, but it was very fiddly, as was adding in filling such as the lines behind the musical notes. It required tweezers, so you know it was serious.

Despite the difficulty I am very happy with the result and I think with practice I would get good at this one.

For colouring I didn't want it all black, or just black and white, so I added in a few shades of grey and one duck egg blue type shade. I think it gives it the softer look I was hoping for that black and white just wouldn't have given it.

Next week we're going Up!

xnata

Week Twenty: Baby Cards

I'm two days late, I know. Do you want to hear my excuses?

I'll tell you anyway. I'm busy is the obvious one, let's just move on, the other is I've been preparing for a potential teaching opportunity, that's right, I'm going to teach quilling at a market at the end of the month! I'm still trying to decide just what the design of the card will be, but I've got the general design planned and colour scheme, and I'm going to be nice to my learners and have all the bits cut to size and everything.

The second reason is something that I'm sure will inspire all my paper crafting readers to wince - I spilled a glass of water on my quilling project. I know, I know. I'm clumsy and a twit. It wasn't good. I've made hundreds of quilled projects and this is the first time I've done it, hopefully the last.

Anyway, on with the show, I've got two posts to do this week.

This is an oldie but a goodie, I've done these many times and it's always a big seller, the baby shoes card!

I've done one for a girl and one for a boy as you see. It's a bit of a 'vintage' image really, because you don't see many babies wearing the old knitted booties anymore do you. I don't anyway. Someone gave me a yellow pair for my son and I think he wore them once and proved he could kick them off in about a minute, so we went to socks and left the knitted ones for the keepsake cupboard.

They are sweet as a card though, don't you think?

I must make a few more of these before I do this market, baby cards are always so popular.

Next week (meaning this week, if you can keep up with my late story) we're on to a musical subject that I really quite like.

xnata