I would've cleaned the house but ...

 

I was going to do some cleaning.  No, really!  I was.  But the vacuum cleaner's decided to give up on life.  I've tried resuscitation.  Switching it off and on again.  Also swearing at it.  But it won't work, and I've yet to buy a replacement.  I'm debating whether to buy a cheap 'n' cheerful model for about £60 or so, or splurge on a Henry at a more substantial £140.  The Henry looks like it'll last longer and be robust, so I suppose I'll end up getting that.  Anyway, being cleaner-less gave me an excuse to spend time on craftiness.  First up was this bag.  I'd decided that it needed an inside pocket.  

So I dug out this denim pocket harvested from an old pair of jeans.  A simple task to sew it to the bag's lining.  A nifty bit of upcycling, I hope you'll agree.  

Also completed is another zokin.  I went off-piste with the sashiko stitching and for some reason added circles.  

It'll be interesting to see if the zokin's noticeably less hard-wearing than the other two I've made.  They were covered completely in stitching, whereas this has areas left unsewn.  

I was messing about with making another doll as well, and finished sewing her by adding a pair of fairy wings.  The doll's made of painted fabric, then embroidered and beads added.  The face is white felt, as are the backs of the cotton material wings.  

I'm still trying to find the ideal shape for these dolls.  Haven't cracked it yet.  

I had the gell plate and paints out today.  Painting more fabric, but also making prints on paper.  As well as my hand!  

What a mucky puppy!  It does look like I've got some horrible disease like a character off a sci-fi or fantasy film, doesn't it?  But it was all good fun, and I've ended up with a stack of A4 sized prints.  If you're wondering what I do with them all - 

I finished these two art journals today.  They only needed their covers glued on.  The one of the left's full of gell prints made on standard copier paper.  

The other book has pages made from sketchbook paper, and they are less densely coloured.  

Well, that's all for now.  I need to do more online comparisons for vacuum cleaners - oh the glamour of my rock 'n' roll lifestyle - and it must be at least half an hour since I had a cuppa so I'm gasping ... thanks for stopping by my blog, and maybe wander back again sometime?  Though I'm not promising the place will be any tidier ...