A border collie and a bicycle

Al turned 30 today and I made him a few homemade things to go with the money I was giving him towards a bicycle frame making course in the summer.

Here's a present from Watson - I found a black border collie model and painted him Watson colours with acrylic paints. I made his favourite toys - a ball and a milk carton - out of Fimo and found a suitable stick in the garden. The grass and bush are modelling greenery from 4D model shop.

Watson and all his favourite toys

I also made him a bicycle birthday card with pastels (it's been a while since I used them!);

Turns out bicycles are not that easy to draw with pastels!

Autumnal coloured craftings..

Dad's birthday is in October, and he loves autumnal colours. For a long time he's been hinting after a cushion for room he rents when he is away for work. I used a mixture of coloured felt in browns, oranges, reds and yellows and some printed cotton pieces - the first time I've mixed felt and cotton.

Here's one side;

And here's the other;

I also had another go at using the embroidered letters setting on my machine - this time using the smallest, fanciest stitch. It worked quite well  - except for the 'from' - I don't think I was pulling the material through the machine fast enough.

After I'd sent it, I remembered that last year I made an autumnally coloured gift for Dad too - a card of leaves in pastels;

Homemade cards

I mainly use pastels, with some acrylic and the odd bit of paper folding and cutting. Recently I have been experimenting with cards which include material and patchwork. They're good evening projects to get lost in.

Ape card for Alex on our anniversary (going to Go Ape) - using acrylics.

Peas in a pod for Alex's birthday, using pastels

Snowdrops for Jess birthday, with pastels.

Autumn leaves for Dad, with pastels.

Eric Carle style card for Claire's birthday, newspaper, pipecleaners and glass beads.

Settlers card for Dallas, using pastels

Picture for card for Rhiannon - in pastels

Horse card for Liz Pickup's 60th - acrylics

Mothers day card for mum, material sewed together with a button.

Thank you card for Liz and Mike, in pastels with folded butterfly.

Red oak tree for Liz and Mike's Ruby wedding, paper and acrylics.