Subway Art and Birthday Banners

Just back after a wonderful month away in South West France, where the roses were perhaps the best ever ( do I say that every year?) and we enjoyed sunshine and rain in equal measure. One nearby village was completely flooded out, thankfully it passed us by.  

Shrub roses in their hundreds growing around the archway.

Beautiful shaded footpath, lined with roses. 

Back home now, here are the projects that I took with me...

Making a point... SUBWAY ART. 

Confession time... I treated my self to a Cameo Silhouette plotter last year, and I am ashamed to say that for the first 6 months it sat its box, reproaching me for not using it. This year, resolute to use it, I came across some great Subway Art tutorials by Debbie over at the Painted Therapy blog, and gave it a go. I followed her instructions, but I couldn't find printed contrast sheet here, so I used a highlighter pen to colour the clear plastic instead. The most difficult bit was getting the levels right, but I am quite happy with the result. 

 
It was made for a friend, a memory board of all her favourite places. 

The Cameo is so flexible it can cut paper and fabric as well, and I am thinking of many more ways to use it   (they didn't pay me to say that!). 

Birthday Banner

Next, my Friend Jo made this Birthday banner for me made from paper and cardboard using her machine.

  
Can't resist including a photo of Maggie the little Cocker and my stash of vintage French linen, oh yes, and more roses in the background.

Heading for the Hills

 
I found this lovely woodcut at the local charity flea market. I like the stark quality of woodcuts, just showing the shapes necessary.  In this I know so well the simple bamboo chair that sits empty in the garden, the kind that you see in loads of vintage shops. I wonder who is going to join her? The artist?  The artist is local, so I am guessing that the scene must be local as in Swedish, but the house looks very French I think, and that's why I just had to have it.
Also, I have to admit that this is how I would like to see myself over the next few weeks, sitting in a sunny flower filled garden, needle in hand working on something, and I can just make out her mouth asking for a glass of Pimms to someone in the house. Well we can all dream can't we? We plan to be digging terraces so that a fiercely steep garden can at last be tamed, so perhaps less Pimms and more spade work.  

The lino-cut or wood cut put me in mind of the lovely lino-cut work by Mark Hearld that you can find at St Jude's print store. 

All of this is a round about way to mention that as Summer gets underway posting here may be a less frequent until July. In the meantime, Frank will enjoy forays around the garden, chasing anything that moves before taking a rest in the shade of the garden bush ..... 

 
And the Little Cocker is prepared with the addition of an Amber necklace that people here believe keeps those horrible tics at bay... Let's hope that it doesn't get lost in the bushes.

          Looking forward to enjoying this late and slow early summer....