winter rose

This photo was taken on the day of  heavy frost this week.  Beads of moisture covered the petals just as they covered all the outside surfaces.  I opened the front door at 6.45 am to see the water droplets that make the fog drifting past just 50 cm in front of me.

This rose knows it is one of few in the garden and is putting on a show. Although we have had lots of sun it is opening ever so slowly.  To the naked eye it is actually very dark crimson. when its show is over the bush will be pruned and prepared for spring.

all white

During a visit to Chandon Craft last week I was introduced to the new SEI White Elegance range of papers. The paper "white rose" with pearl white foil on matt white and "vows" which has matt white and lots of pearl foil caught my attention.  Along with the white on white layers there is some light embossing of the paper.  These papers inspired me to make another shoe, adding white pearls as the highlight.

 The gauze ribbon bow was made with the Bow-Easy tool using several layers of ribbon in the bow loops

glass slipper

Last week we had the shoe card class: Best Foot Forward.  The inspiration card I took along to show the participants was Cinderella's acetate slipper with rubon decorations and pearls of course!

Photographing the shoe I discovered that it disappears with a bright pink background and looks quite good against a blue one.  Looking at the blue on white combination reminded me that I have the Cricut cartridge "Damask Decor" so some white on blue might go well as the shoe decoration.  Bit of a Wedgwood look. White on this chocolate card might work as well.  That too is a Wedgwood colour combination, uncommon but part of the design collection of Jasperware.

multi tasking

No, not really multi tasking as multi purpose though we are not suppose to move tools back AND forth between the craft room and the kitchen.  Had a bit of a laugh when I saw this photo.

Some of you may have bought the pink handled Martha Stewart fringe scissors.  Haven't got around to opening the packet? Well then this is another use for them.  Pink ones can be bought here.


The green ones can be bought here.

shortest day is coming soon

The cold and wind are shaking the last of the  leaves from the weeping mulberry tree. 

On the other hand the lachenalia bulbs are racing into the light.  I haven't grown these before so it will be interesting to see them develop.

new tool

At the next card class Best Foot Forward we will be using a new bow making tool to make the big blue bow for the shoe.

The Bow-Easy tool makes bow making simple.

Julie at Chandon Craft has ordered in some Bow-Easy templates for us to use.  You might like to reserve one for yourself.  They must be arriving soon as the class date is sneaking up on me and I have shoe templates to sort out.
As you can see from the photos it can be rather addictive.  I wanted to know what each of the ribbon widths and fabrics looked like when made up.

 The black is wired ribbon, narrow grosgrain 10 mm and the wide blue one 38mm

 Hand-cut, custom coloured tulle and gauze ribbons

 Unraveled paper ribbon and paper string

 Torn calico and seam binding bows

My favourite