Just so ...

The latest Fearless Four get together resulted in each of doing something different for a change, as usually we decide on a project and all have a go at the same thing.

During my recent visit to the RA Summer Exhibition I was inspired by a poodle covered in costume jewellery (see here).

As I have quite a lot of broken costume jewellery, button boxes (my own, plus my mother's and others), and also beads, I thought it would be fun to use some of it.

I die-cut some butterflies from grey board - 4 as I decided to double up to make the base stronger. I then gave them a coat of gesso and gold paint. I spent most of the time fixing all the bits and bobs onto the butterfly bases.  They are quite heavy, so they are mounted onto a wood canvas which I had pre-prepared with some crackle paste and painted a strong turquoise.

And what did the others get up to?

Monica wanted to do the peacock the rest of us did at a workshop earlier this year (see here), so we talked her through the steps.

Lin did an owl. This is a Powertex kit, with a few added embellishments.

Linda did some journal covers using some tissue/rice papers, paste and stamping.


















I also had another good day last week when we did a trip to Bateman's, home of Rudyard Kipling (1865 - 1936).

The house was build in 1634 and is very Jacobean, with lots of dark paneling.

Kipling moved there in 1902, the same year he wrote the Just So stories.

Kipling's study -

"I always kept certain gadgets on my work table, which was ten feet long from North to South and badly congested ..."

Beautiful gardens -

In 1907 Kipling was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature, the first English-speaking author to win this accolade. With the prize he was awarded £7,700 which he used to create the lily pond and rose garden ...

... with lots of fish!

We were also treated to a talk by Kipling himself!

At two o'clock in the morning, if you open your window and listen,

You will hear the feet of the wind that is going to call the sun.

And the trees in the shadow rustle and the trees in the moonlight glisten,

And though it is deep, dark night, you feel that the night is done.

Rudyard Kipling