Julie's Shoes

Those super duper red clogs belonged to no other than Miss Julie Arkell.  Julie was teaching at hopeandelvis.com and on Saturday I attended in the guise of Louise's helper.  Tee Hee.  As usual it was lovely to see Julie again who brought with her beautiful artwork.  Some of which I had seen befoe but some new.  All beautiful. 

This was Julie's own collection which were beautifully displayed on a vintage French baby blouse still in its original box.

Make a Scene.

Flippy floppy flowers with dingly dangly stalks.

Suffolk puff bracelents and tic toc watches

Julie uses the most interesting trinkets in her work.

Buzz

I love toadstools.

Make a Scene - my Mum used to say this to be when I was little.  As in 'do no't have a trantrum/strop.

Old hat boxes of beautiful stuff and yes you can use anything you like on one of Louise's workshops - no limits - really.  Once described as a craft buffet where you can help yourself to a little of everything.

More goodies all beautifully displayed.  See the Queens Silver Jubilee Tin I sourced that for Louise on one of my shopping trips along with a china Corgi.  Louise just loves the Queen. 

Oh I Spy a roundie that I made - I also made the Cathedral Window cushion which although quite small took me a loooooong time.  It was worth it though and a great learning curve.  I made it wth the instructions from the CK Patch book and did find a few flaws in the instructions. 

Fabric daisy chain which actually links together just like the real thing.  To wear in your hair or around your neck.  It must have taken Julie hours.  Lots of hand stitched button holes.

Oh look inbetween making tea/coffee, cleaning the iron, chatting, washing drying the pots I managed to sneek in a little making.

This brooch was inspired by the old watch face I found.  I was going to stitch a cat but when I started sewing the eyes I thought they looked like eyebrows and then this little man appeared.  He made me laugh.  I would have liked to have stitched 'watch it kid' as this is what Dad used to say to us if we were about to get in  trouble but that would have taken too long so I stitched Hi underneath the watch.

Daisy Moon did lots of super stitching.  She made a scene.  She bought the creature fron Julie which says 'leaving Wales' on her pinny and Daisy stitched the rest.  Really lovely. 

All in all a super day at work. 

Julie Arkell Day

My day was just as I predicted it would be - Perfect.  It was indeed a day at Hope and Elvis on a course run by Julie Arkell.  Not only is Julie a talented artist but she is a really kind, warm, friendly person too.  I was lucky to be able to attend as someone had cancelled so Louise invited me along.  Yeah.  Happy times.  I went along to last years course run by Julie so I knew it was going to be good.  Lots if photos are you ready?

A vintage child's swim suit with Julie's suffolk puff brooches - this is what we were going to make

A creature brooch

Julie's brooches inspired by a brooch seen in the Imperial War Museum - I made one of these last year

The brooches we could make in the afternoon another variation on the suffolk puff

Tic toc watches guaranteed the right time twice a day

A collection of charm bracelets

My version of the tic toc watch

Spot the NOT deliberate mistake - I am officially a numpty with numbers - I actually laughed out loud when I realised what I had done but decided that actually tea and tiffin time twice a day is actually a really good idea so I left it as it was.  Julie had a chuckle too.

I embroidered and quilted my watch at home - straight away -so it didnt get put on a pile and left to languish I am so glad that I did because I am really pleased with the finished result.  I think I am going to put it in a frame       or make it into a wall hanging with more references to time rather than wear it as it is just a little bit too big for me to wear.  I am not a skinny chic by any means but I can brag that the only skinny part of my body is my wrists - wish it was my cankles (definition of cankles when ones calves and ankles merge into one).

My version of the suffolk puff brooch.  Again accidentially I got my stitches mixed up but decided that if I carried on it would turn the puff into a little flower and it did.   I made a few and then placed them into a rough  flower shape and stitched them together.  I didn't use the red felt as Julie had for the centre but I knotted a piece of tapestry wool and sewed it to the centre of the flower.  I was very pleased with the result.

The back of my watch - gingham and old embroidered tray cloth.  

My finished pieces - I was a very happy bunny.

It was lovely to sit and chat and sew with like minded people.  Some people had travelled quite some way to attend, one from Milton Keynes another from Bath we all had one or two things in common though.  We all agreed it was an excellent way to spend a day.  Bliss.