Being random was just too random for me at all so this week we started with another joint project.
Now I have worked on something similar before but it is a new experience for my BFF.
I will let her tell you more and just leave a picture of my progress this evening.
I did that extra little green bit so that next week I will have options for what colour to use and where to jump off from.
CLICK HERE for her much more interesting update.
An the answer in part to that ?
that might have stayed that way but for a spurt of sorting.
The thought that had been in my head relates to the a-little-finish-bff-4 and what else might find its way onto the window sill.
Little books, I like books so that was a pleasing thought. I had been checking out the toy sections in the charity shops and the bric-a-brak in the hopes of spotting something of the right size to buy but as usual once you are looking for something in particular there is nothing there.
I did consider making a little pile of books from DAS but I was not convinced that the result would look right.
Then I was doing a bit of sorting and came across my 2018 mini diary (LOL no its not that mini that it could be used) and I decided to pull it apart so the paper components could go into the recycling bin.
As I did the cover peeled away in one piece and set me thinking.
It was quite soft, flexible and already had a fold for the spine. And the colour would pick up the pinks in the cross stitch. Hmmm. Mulled a bit and then thought might be able to make two.
Initially I was thinking closed books, well a bit of cardboard wrapped with the diary cover that would look like books to put on my little window sill.
However, whilst I was contemplating that I got to Deborahizing (as my BFF calls making things more complicated or embellished or time consuming than you have to) and wondering could I make proper little books with pages. Nah! well maybe ? Ok lets give it a go!
First step cut out the covers so I know what size I am going to be working to.
I could have made more than two from the stuff available but settled on the two. And whilst my intention was to have then the same size as usual my measuring is not a strength and they turned out slightly unique!
Next step see if the edges would turn down and would double sided sticky tape be strong enough to hold them down?
So the pages, I have some very thin paper. Copy paper in fact. The kind you used in a typewriter with a sheet of carbon paper so you could produce a copy of your letter as you typed it. So it is quite old.
So cutting rectangles, I have a sliding blade paper cutter so I used that (although trimming later was done with scissors)
Rectangles cut, and then folded. Put together in sets sewn together and then sew the sets.
More double sided sticky tape and in go the pages.
and I have two little books.
to pop on my windowsill . Of course as with their much bigger cousin BFF SAL 3 the problem now becomes what do I write in them!
And of course my BFF has many an idea for other windowsill items and so far she is out Deborahizing even me with those suggestions.
click here to see how my BFF framed her version of this piece.
My BFF was filling in bits here and there of various characters having completed the BIG onion, which I decided was not for me.
I managed to fit in my two hours of dispensation time and worked on my plan to fill in the onion space. Directional single strand half stitches in shades of blue.
Another one of my random variegated threads it took some time to get the stitches to be shading in as I wanted them and be sort of random at the same time. Random is very tricky.
I am not sure how much I like the straight line bits but I don't dislike them enough to take them out and perhaps the next step of the star will settle my mind on that score.
Once the sky was done I moved on to the shepherd's crook. The pattern has it as backstitch in three strands and was a bit fancier and curlier than my mental image of a useful work a day crook. So mine is three strands couched and a simpler shape.
So I am all set to do the "new" and fancy bit, the star. However, as you will see if you pop over to my BFF's blog she has done the onion which took time so she is not expecting to be ready for the stars by out next session so I am going to paus till she is. And maybe do some other crafting instead.
CLICK HERE to see my BFF's progress and that BIG onion.
you may recall (and if not then click here) the SAL my BFF and I worked on where we each ended up with a different cropped section of the image.
I had cropped mine into an arch reflective of the original full sized design. That arch shape from the outset made me think of an arched window Especially given the arched windows in the design itself.
Then I remembered having a rather deep frame , in a grey that would complement the shades in the design.
The deep section was before the glass not behind and that sent me thinking some more. Of what would be on the windowsill of my view through the arched window. (Yes I am old enough for that turn of phrase to make me think of Playschool )
Flower pots?
Out with the DAZ..which amazingly is the same block that I used to finish off my nativity in 2015 and it is still good.
Plant pots made, painted and varnished, I had thought to make a mini topiary out of some green stuff.(you know the kind you use to scrub pans) But then I recalled some flower bits in the loft. A double win as they were an OK size I did not have to make something and something else came out of the loft.(the first being the grey frame)
So after all that explanatory waffle here is the result.
For something that is so different from the initial starting point I am rather pleased with the final finish and with the chance to do something a bit different for me.
I can move the flowers if I like and I guess there is also the option, in the future should I be suitably inspired, for other things to take a turn on my windowsill.
You may have been expecting an update on BFF 5. We had both had a bit of a stressful day on our normal SAL day and we ended up with a brief chat and no sewing. Given the subject matter of BFF5 and the speeding up of the timeframe we are allowing ourselves 2 hours out of Skype time and will either post as we finish those hours or next week with the normal posting.
A small update..click here to see how my BFF framed hers.