Well I have got back into things again, our looming Miss Johnson's Vintage and Handmade Market next Friday has a lot to do with that. Nothing like a deadline to get you moving. As I wanted to make something new for our market I have pulled out the sewing machine, as finding things is still an issue, have decided to not stress and just go with what I can find. These little dresses are my inspiration for a range of products that I think suit vintage as I use vintage materials and I think they have a romantic shabby chic look. I am in the process of making small heart cushions and wall hangers to go with them. The photo above is the dresses before I wash them

These are after I have soaked them in boiling water, then screwing them real tight to take the water out, I then hang them on the line to dry. All this does is take out the dressing in the fabric and give it a nice wrinkly look which I like, think it gives it an old look. When they are dry they are also quite stiff.This is a close up look of the detail on the pocket. I still need to sew some beads on and do a little bit of embroidery. Make a wire coat hanger and make a pocket parcel to package when sold. I was inspired by Ruth Rae's book 'layered, tattered & stitched' on fabric art. I have tried to add my own slant on her designs.

I have just learnt a knew trick with my point and shoot digital camera, there is a little flower symbol which when pressed down gives a cool macro lens for close up photo's, this is my photo I took using that symbol, pretty cool aye, bit scarey too, can you see all that dust on the tray grhhh.... just because I am working from home, housework has to take a back seat to deadlines. I have been looking a SLR digital camera's, now I have a SLR camera that we bought about 30 years ago with all these cool lenses by Tokina at considerable expense. I haven't used it since I got my digital point and shoot, I have looked into the possibility of buying a case only digital SLR that I could use the Tokina lens attached, unfortunately it is not recommended as technology has moved tremendously in 30 years, and the cases of a digital SLR may not be compatible. So decision has been made that as the my point and shoot does take good photo's I am going to take my SLR in to make sure batteries etc still working and enquire if film is still available and just go back to taking special photo's with film. I am thinking that possibly rather than having the photo's developed and printed, that I may be able to get them on a disk that I can manipulate etc on the computer and print only the photo's I like. Anyone out there still using SLR camera's and film?

Have a wonderful weekend full of fun and enjoyment, after all that is what weekends are for.

Jacky