Tempest

This is my latest collage and so far the most complex. Many, many layers later... Please click on it to see a larger version as some of the detail is hard to see in this smaller version.

The dragonfly - a grasshawk - has been handpainted and then been combined with the background.

Here's the dragonfly by itself:


I've used lots of textures this time:
Absynthium Stock Flame Textures
Buzillo Grunge
Fudgegraphics Grunge Nebula
Freaky665 Memories
Princess of Shadows Vintage Grunge
Lordarq Clouds

I have also used several textures of my own, including one of sea glass pebbles and sand, a photograph of the breakers at Southwold, a cloud picture etc. etc.

It was a more difficult picture to work on as the lighting needed to be exactly right to make you feel like you're looking at a storm without all the detail washing out.

Scarflettes - Autumn and Stormy Day

Here are my latest knitting adventures - scarflettes.

Scarflettes are little scarves that keep you just as warm as the big scarves but are more versatile. If you are a cyclist like me, you know what hassle it is when it's a bit windy and the scarf keeps blowing into your face. This is the solution.

The designs are all my own.


Autumn Scarflette

This scarflette has been made with loopy fluffy mohair (80% mohair, 16% acrylic, 4% polyester). The loops in dark red, coral red, pink, magenta, and copper are wound around a black thread core. I love the colour changes and it looks so autumnal to me.


The scarflette goes round your neck and is closed with three flower buttons in red, puple and orange. There is a lot of give in the knit (it has been knitted in ribs for this purpose) and it sits snug with a lovely ruffle at the bottom that keeps the top of your neckline warm (the bit where the coat always seems to let in a draft!). The top cleaves open slightly to flatter your chin line.

Above you can see the lovely flower buttons and the yarn in detail.



Stormy Seas Scarflette

This little number has been knitted from chenille yarn and then been decorated with more chenille and Italian fashion yarn. The chenille is a lovely stormy blue, the Italian yarn is a pale grey with strands and little papery bits sticking out of it, which gives it a feathery luxurious effect.


The construction for this scarflette is slightly different. It still sits snug around your neck but there's an added 'bib' that flows down from your neck in ruffles in pale grey and blue. If your coat doesn't close all the way up to your neck, worry not, this is the perfect scarflette, it will keep that delicate area warm that isn't covered by your coat.

The scarflette is also ideal to be worn over a jumper. Let it flow over your shoulder by moving the buttons to the side or let if ripple over your back and add style to a simple jumper.



For a bit of whimsy I've added three different buttons in a slightly lighter aqua colour.



Here you can see the soft velvetyness of the chenille and the feathery luxury of the Italian yarn.



Both scarflettes will go in my Etsy shop if you don't snap them up now. The chenille scarflette is £18, the mohair scarflette is £15 (plus P&P). Both are totally unique.

Other colours available for the chenille scarf: red, green, cream chenille.

Stormy Sea

This is a lariat style necklace I made for Caroline. Check out her blog here.

It is special, for one, it's been made just for her, secondly because it's so pretty, thirdly, because I used loads of different techniques and different beads, bits of chain and things, and, lastly, because it's a swap. A little dragon made by Caroline's fair hands for my son in exchange for the lariat.

If you ever feel you'd like to swap rather than buy, make me an offer I can't refuse! It has to be handmade though, or something to make something with.... Surprise me!

Here it is in all its glory:

The whole lariat - it will fit twice around your neck or can be worn long like a flapper necklace or it can be hooked together any way you like using the links.



Here's a selection of the beads and different types of chain I've used.



A wrapped bit of smooth sea glass as one of the centre pieces:




The dangle that can be pushed through the puddle shaped wire form (see below) if the necklace is worn as a long lariat with 2 pieces of sea glass (one polished, one not polished) lots of beads, pearls, Magatama and Miyuki drops, and a vintage seahorse charm.


The free form puddle shaped other end of the lariat.


Hope you'll enjoy it Caroline.