APRIL - FINAL

Done it!  Finished on time, lets hope I am able to keep this up. 

Mixed feelings about the out come.   I think I should have had less background to the mushroom and brought the tyvek at the top down a bit and had the mushroom overlapping - would have improved my depth.  Truth being I ran out of painted tyvek and was too lazy to make up some more!  Could change later if it continues to bother me.

In place

Stitched and fused in place.  Taking shape!

The bronze paint is a bit strong for my liking so will knock that back a bit.   The rest will be the beads and maybe some loose thread.  The mushrooms sprang up amongst the dropped bird seed so I need a lot more texture behind.  I need some shading on the mushrooms as well.  Tomorrow!

Materials all sorted!

This could be a first, although I should not tempt fate.

As you an see I have got all my materials prepared .... painted applique paper, painted and heat zapped Tyvek and painted local batting , Loomtex.

This also confirms the picture I have chosen ...... the 'mushrooms'.   The paint is still wet on the batting and the tyvek, added some more after heating.  I am using a black piece of cloth as the 'background' and have ironed the painted applique paper in place.  Because of the materials there will be very little stitching on this piece. Shape will be portrait.

april possibilities

The Three ........  Fungi appeals to me,  my garden ornament could be a challenge and the Iris beautiful but is almost too predictable for me so I think it is going to be the Fungi ! 

march - finished

Overall quite happy.   Probably went to town on the water droplets but I am sure some will drop off in time as they are only stuck on.  Will still keep my eyes open for something a tad better than the 'jewels' I have used. I have also dabbed a bit of glue on top of the jewels as they had too much bling to them...... gives them a slightly matt look which is better.

Back to portrait position in the end as well.

Stitched but now the water droplets ?

Stitched and quite happy with the effect especially the 'furry' edges of the leaves.  I did go back in with my favourite fabric oil paints to tweak here and there.

Now the big dilemma ..... the water droplets!   The perfect answer is clear glass beads but as you will see from the pic they are too clumsy for the small piece and I am finding it difficult to get different sizes and the clear white colour.  My next best option is to use different size stitch on glass 'jewels', much smaller but overall much more effective.

 
Decision made!

Next step - finally!

This year is not turning out the way I intended and once again I am weeks behind, however, progress has been made and it is all in place ready for stitching!

I have photographed it landscape and not portrait as it seemed to be happier that way but time will tell.  Once stitched I will definitely be adding more paint, shadows etc.  Not sure how I am going to get the water droplets.  Need to do some experiments.