A couple of new projects completed in the last few days.  This is a vintage postcard for a swap on MixedMediaATCs.

The background is strips of red ribbon and I used some of the stitches on my sewing machine for the vertical lines.  I printed the photo - an old Christmas postcard free on the net - on computer cotton then applied the lace to the back before sewing it on.  I went for glittery gold ribbon as a finishing touch around the edges.

Also did a couple of layouts at my crop last Saturday.  This is a monthly crop in Sheffield - love going and was a founder member along with my younger daughter over 5 years ago.  Now my elder daughter comes with me, being a recent convert to scrapping.  The layouts use the free papers from this months' Scrapbook Magazine.

This photo was taken in the 70s - I guess the girls would be around 9/10.  I hasten to add that neither they, or the Smurfs, actually drank the alcohol, lol.

This layout features the twig wreath I made for the UKS cybercrop and is scraplifted from the Scrapbook magazine.

It's not my usual style - I normally scrap vintage style.  Using such bright and cute papers really took me out of my comfort zone.  I like this style though, may do more in the future.

My daughter Sam and I have treated ourselves to an embellisher.  It's something we've both wanted for quite a while.  I've been needlefelting by hand for some time and just wanted to take it to the next level.  Sat down yesterday to have my first play.  I was surprised how easy it is to use.  Harder, of course, to become profficient.  I took a piece of felt and some wool tops and made an abstract background - thought it would be easier than trying for a specific scene/pattern first time.  Then wondered what to do with it.  Suddenly came to me that it was just big enough to make a pouch for my mobile phone.  Add a bit of embellishment - ie. felt on some glittery gold ribbon and stitch on a button - and I have a neat little accessory.  Fairly basic, but I'm so pleased to have come up with something useful and decorative for my first attempt.

And now for something completely different.  I finally finished my Sanmyaku top from The Knitter magazine.

I am pleased with it, but would not have started it had I known how much it would cost.  The pattern calls for 3 skeins of Fiberspates 4ply at £15 a skein.  Expensive enough at £45 but I thought, why not, a treat.  Unfortunately, despite being very careful to get my tension right, I ran out of yarn halfway up the front neck, so the final project cost £60.  I wish I'd gone for a more economic yarn, but the Fiberspates is scrumptious and has a lovely sheen thanks to the silk content - it doesn't show up well on the screen.  It's lovely and light and comfy to wear too.  Maybe I should have finished it sooner while it was still warm enough to wear it.  Oh well, roll on next summer.  Maybe I'll have tightened up those bingo wings by then too, lol.