Rattling On...

Let the swapping commence...

What festive swap is complete without a scarf? Not this one in any case. This is the first thing for my swap-partner Heike in Tracey and Emma's Snail Mail Holiday Swap. The essence of it is to do a handmade holiday parcel and mine went into the post last night after work.

Everything is packed inside this stocking (details of the projects will be on Ravelry in a few days) for that authentic Christmas feel. The girls saw me knitting this and have both requested one, these are now underway.

And this is why I wanted to perfect Kirstie's papercut bauble technique! These two are cut from duck egg blue card (Heike said she liked that colour) and dare I say I'm very pleased with them. I think if I'd started with manageable card in the first place I wouldn't have mashed my fingers.

A bit of fairisle is also festive. The pictures do no justice to what I made, but it's dark all day and I am not good at photos in artificial light. You'll have to take it from me that this hanger is actually quite bright!

I sneaked in a couple of other things as well, not handmade but for Heike to use in her crafting. She is the most amazing knitter. 

It feels so good to post off things, it has an authentic feel to it. Does that make sense? You know, the making, the wrapping and queuing to send it off in style in brown paper and with string tied round. Not for practicality (they invented sticky tape for that) but for a bit of retro appeal! I read somewhere that the greeting card market has shrunk as 'Everyone' is texting or e-mailing their felicitations these days. Not in this house. You can't beat a hand written card, even if the post is a bit hit and miss with its timings. I absolutely love getting Real Letters through the letterbox, not that it happens a lot these days, but it's a thrill when it does. And getting a parcel, well, that's just fantastic...

Paper cuts...

Of course I had to get a copy of Kirstie's book. Me being the sort of person who watches her on Tv and all. (And I created a Category for her just to spite the school counsellor) It's got some good projects in it and I decided to take the plunge with the papercut bauble.

Only first I had to get some equipment. Turns out the cutting mat was a mere £4 and a scalpel £1.20. Then there was the paper...

I'd seen some examples of woodblock printing at a recent craft fair, the paper was lovely and thick and sort of spongy. I wanted me some of that, so went to the local art shop and got some decent cartridge paper, not quite what I wanted, and some watercolour paper. Exactement.

Out with the mat and the scalpel, tracing paper at the ready. Image onto spongy paper, knife in hand and off I went.

A short time later and I wondered what the strange sensation in my fingers was. Pain. My hand had crept down the handle to get a better grip and more control, resulting in the blade making unwanted contact with skin.

Points to note: Watercolour paper is very thick and difficult to plough through, especially for the novice. Scalpels are very sharp and should be held at all times by the handle provided for that very purpose.

All that considered it wasn't a really shabby first go (don't anyone dare contradict that) and from a distance is presentable. It's hanging on the ivy whatsit I bought a bit ago. The one that was in the dining room, but the cat has mauled it so many times it's had to be put on the mantelpiece.

I had further attempts, all much better, with considerably thinner card. I will show those later as they are for the upcoming swap. The watercolour paper hasn't been discounted, I just have to order a heavy duty blade. I will conquer it.