A recycled frame

I don't really do much in the way of teaching workshops these days as I found them far too stressful. Generally I am happy to let my crafting take me on a more gentle journey and away from pressure and routines to enjoyment and relaxation. However, occasionally I like to do things as a volunteer when I feel I can help other people enjoy some of that relaxation. Recently a friend asked me if I would run a session for the Women's Group at her church and that is coming up in March. I have started making the samples and this is the first to share. (Excuse my thumb in the pic!!!).

The workshop will focus on layered stamping with plant images, using lovely words and lots of ink shading. This sample is done with Distress Inks (except the sentiment which was stamped in Memento Luxe ink and embossed). From memory, my colours were Tumbled Glass and Cracked Pistachio for the base layer shading, Bundled Sage for some background text stamping and some plant images and Cracked Pistachio, Evergreen Bough and Chipped Sapphire for the rest of the plant stamping. The edges are shaded with some Evergreen Bough, Peacock Feathers and Chipped Sapphire. The sentiment stamp is from Darkroom Door - an old set I have had ages which is in one of their lovely tins. The test stamp and larger plant image are both Woodware clear stamps and the main image is from an Inkadinkado set.

I was lucky to pick up this Ikea Ribba frame in a charity shop for 50p. It had been pre-used and as a result the stand on the back is very battered, but it also meant it had a pre-cut card mount which I was able to reuse to frame my image. I am really pleased with the result and I hope my workshop ladies will be too.

On the crochet front, I have just finished one major project to be shared in due course after delivery and I have started something new.  This is going to be a Twiddle Muff, you can find out a bit more here . The idea is to make a muff, usually knitted or crocheted with all sorts of texture and added items that can be touched and experienced and they are designed to meet the needs of people with dementia. Apparently they can help calm anxiety and restlessness.

This one is destined for my SIL who sadly has early onset dementia and faces many challenges. I am really enjoying making up a design that I think she will enjoy. I am using lots of shades of purple as that is her favourite colour, plus shades of red, yellow and orange which I was told are good colours for people with quite advanced dementia, which apparently can even affect colour recognition. This is just the start of my design, but I have included things that will be as safe as possible while adding interest so, this far I have included glitter and pom pom yarns and ribbon into my rows. I am off out today to explore a quirky local haberdashery shop that might offer some extra features. I will share the finished result in due course, but I think this is really a lovely idea and I hope it will bring her some comfort.

Whatever you are up to, enjoy your week and I hope you escaped unscathed from Storm Imogen. We did, but locally winds reached storm force 11 and 96 mph so I was glad when the storm had passed over last night.

Elaine