Moonlight croft

 Moonlight croft was inspired by a late August evening last year, The photos I took then create even now such strong memories of the scent of meadowsweet heady in the still warm air. There were not many still warm evenings last summer but this was one of them. Perhaps because of the very wet weather last summer there were an abundance of wild flowers.

I like digitally messing around with my photos to give me ideas around colour and composition and this is exactly how moonlight croft began.

Other new bits and pieces are on the go this week. More little croft houses stretched on wood panels. Made from sewn paper.

And other smaller pieces... mini crofts!!
Perhaps wee homes for fairies!

Other news, I have finally float framed my Buttercup hare, It was In the gallery for a wee while but I thought It really needed a frame, so I sent it to the framers and.... Ta dah!

Much better!

Spring croft houses

spring croft

More pieces from my pieces of Skye exhibition. I was emailed this week by a lovely lady called Jen who came to visit me during my open studio day . Last summer her niece visited the Island on holiday and saw my work in one of the islands Galleries, my work is available Skyeworks gallery, The old pier gallery and the Glenview gallery, she pondered over it but didn't buy anything, got home and wished she had bought a piece. So when she heard her Aunt was holidaying on the Island told her to try and find a piece of mine to take back to her. The pieces in the gallery were all new and Jen did not know what to choose, but in the end she chose this framed piece 'croft in spring'. It is made from paper sewn onto a calico backing, little houses played a big part in my pieces of Skye exhibition. Well it seems her niece is delighted, and I am thrilled she has a little piece of Skye to remind her of her holiday.

my textile pieces in skyeworks

little croft houses fill the mirrored shelves

This piece is a combination of sewn paper and acrylic paint

 The houses in the north west highlands have a distinctive feel to them. They seem to nestle down into the hillside, their walls sparkling white, I never tire of painting them or photographing them.

little house at Elgol

As a PS I have finally succumbed to pressure ( Being a staunch Luddite and technophobe) and am now on Facebook as Morag Archer Mixed Media... feel free to drop by, the link is at the top of my side bar. I doubt I will be the most prolific social media devote but I will aim to try harder. :) 

Beautiful Bernina

Let me introduce my new swiss companion...
Bernina!!!

Last week I took my digital Janome machine to be serviced. I'm pretty rough on my sewing machine and it was in need of a bit of attention. Well the shop had several used reconditioned machines, one being this wonderful Bernina. For the sewing savy Bernina machines are known as the Rolls-Royce of the sewing world. The best things to come out of Switzerland, Bernina and Toblerone!
I have aLWAYS wanted one but didn't think I could afford one, until now.
well maybe this one isn't new, but my goodness she is wonderful! I think I was meant to find her!

 Started with a bit of playing about to see what she could do. Thought I would make some Daffodils as I have photographed them recently.

 She is so quiet and sews so easily.

Then onto making some wee cottages on papercloth.

working on larger pieces of papercloth, creating texture..
Having fun seeing what is possible!

Wild sewn cards

One of the the things about working in collage is that you end up with a lot of 'bits'
'Bits' of paper, 'bits' of papercloth, 'bits of organza..... 'bits in general!
I don't like waste and kept all my bits in a box, the box was getting fuller so I decided to make some cards with some of the scrap pieces.

Wild sewn cards...
All different, all unique...

Iv'e been on a mission and made loads!!

Sewing-scapes

Busy sewing...

Three more wild sewing-scapes to add to the collection. I'm not sure 'sewing-scape' is a word, but it fits, so I'm using it!

detail

Wild sewing is more than a little addictive, watching the machine needle whiz around the papercloth fills me with happiness!

I had a query  about how the reverse of the panel was finished,
So .....

Backed with felt and neatly blanket stitched. The embroidered papercloth is stretched over pre-cut MDF panels.

Just need to add a picture hook so it's ready to hang.

Linking to  paint party friday

Island hideaways; papercloth sewing

 I have been working on more little Island hideaways pieces, sewn and embroidered on papercloth.
You may remember I did a series of 'wee houses' collaged onto small wooden panels a little while back.

wee houses series

well I loved the idea of working on a new 'wee house' series but instead of just collaging with paper and paint I wanted to use stitch and papercloth. Often ideas grow from ideas!

I painted the houses onto some collaged papercloth ( muslin covered in torn paper fragments)
Then I machine stitched the paper cloth with silk and metalic thread.

I also used some iridescent spray inks  stencilled onto areas of the papercloth.

I think you can just about make out the stencilled circles.

To photograph I spread out all three pieces together on a picnic blanket....

 somebody decided the blanket was a good place to sleep......

not impressed when asked to get off!

linking to paint party friday

Wilderness Sewing in progress!

I thought I would share a little of what I am working on at the moment.
More 'wild sewing' and I have been using buckets of this wonderful metallic thread!
I love it... it makes the seascapes shimmer even more. It is a little tricky to sew with on paper cloth but practice makes perfect. ;)
What is paper cloth?
Well....

This is paper cloth, these three sheets are laid out on my floor at the moment drying. Muslin is covered in  watered down pva glue and then collaged with paper fragments.
I then use ink sprays to decorate the surface.

 The paper cloth pieces are cut and sewn in an appliqué type way to a backing cloth.

Slowly the landscape comes to life.

The free stitching makes scratchy grass like lines.

This one is more muted in tone.

For this one I wanted to create a craggy coastline in an almost abstract way.

So, another busy week.  I am so happy at all the positive feedback on my 'wild sewing series' Thanks so much to everyone who has commented.
 For me it encompasses all the mediums and subject matter I love best.

 Paper, collage, paint, ink, thread, fabric, foil, hills, sea, Skye.

This weeks wild sewing selection

Thanks for dropping in,
Hope to see you soon,

Linking to WOYWW and paint party friday