Pre-loved

I popped into the local charity shop at the weekend and came back with this embroidery. I have quite backlog of things that need framing and displaying and this doesn't really go with anything else we have, but I couldn't resist. 

It's a wool embroidery on some kind of canvas. Does this type of work have a name?

There was also a companion piece which I didn't like as much, but I hope someone does and gives it a good home.

I love the colours and the stitching - very long straight stitches. I've realised that, like many pictures that appeal to me, it is made of of several coloured bands - the grass, the water and the sky. The only part I don't like is the colour of the frame.

It's clear that someone put a lot of time and effort making this and I'd love to know it's history. Who made it, when and for whom? Is it from a pattern or did they design it themself? How did it end up at a charity shop? I have a feeling that the answer to that last question is going to be a sad story.

***

Someone has been having a clearout as there were five books on embroidery for sale that I'd not seen there before. I bought three and am tempted to go back and buy the others. 

Matchbox Swap part 3

Well, the Craftster matchbox Swap Round 4 is over so I thought I'd post some of my favourites. I'm amazed at how people took such a simple theme and came up with such imaginative creations.

jennieingram created this fabulous Tardis matchbox for spidermom:



I loved this sewing themed one for jennieingram by spidermom ( the swap co-organiser). I particularly like the charms and the postage stamp.



fibreartist4life's one for Sonjaboo (who was also my partner) is so creative. The matchbox is the basement of the house.



This treasure chest for loves2experiment by BennuBird is totally brilliant and cleverly constructed with a false bottom.


avocadoeldorado's monster matchbox for Fosca is so much fun:




and this toaster by SaraD for camelama made me laugh a lot.


Check our the entire gallery here.  Round 5 is open already.

(All images are by the recipient or artist. Click on the image to see the original thread)

The Rain in Spain...

...occurs mainly when I visit. We're back from a few days in Barcelona which consisted of visiting great art and architecture, eating well and getting rather wet!



We visited several Gaudi sights and found that they've finished the interior of La Sagrada Familia since I last visited. I loved the stained glass.



My favourite part was wandering the streets of the Barri Gotic which are a pedestrianised labyrinth of lanes and squares . You can't go more than a few shops before coming across another colourful branch of Desigual or Custo Barcelona.

Lots of shops of wonderful had window displays - here's a few of my favourites.

A hardware shop:


A plumber's / electrician's:




Gaudi-esque Coke in a cafe window:


Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of the shop window of a curtain shop which had made a large scale catenery model like Gaudi's and used it to showcase their tassels.

As a handmade souvenir, I bought MrMango an apron for his upcoming birthday upcycled from a vinyl banner from Vaho. They specialise in funky 'Trashion' bags.

Having had so much inspiration, I now need to get down to some making!