finally post about it here.
The theme was 'My Favourite', which I found really tricky (although, I think maybe that's something I might say about every theme!). I find it difficult to narrow it down to just one favourite in most categories - whether that's food, animal, song, book, film, place etc. Even with something like wild swimming, how could I choose between river and sea? But there is one very clear favourite - Summer is my favourite season.
Next problem though, how to depict Summer in an ATC? There are so many elements of Summer which I love, and most of these might also be around, to a lesser extent, in late Spring or early Autumn. I was finding it hard to come up with one image that specifically said 'Summer' to me. And then one evening in early August, we were walking back through the woods after an evening swim and I 'smelled' Summer. Honeysuckles. It was far too dark to spot them, but it was such a strong, distinct and evocative scent that I didn't need to see them. They grow wild in so many of the hedges around us and I love their smell in isolation, but even more for the associations with happy Summer evenings.
Unfortunately, it's hard to reproduce this in an ATC! But I settled for machine embroidered honeysuckle flowers with a few drops of honeysuckle added to the central layer of the card.
I added a bit more depth of colour to the embroidery with some oil pastels, and the stamens were hand embroidered.
And the gorgeous card I received also had a flower theme - a wild flower meadow.
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| Made by Bekki |
This was a really exquisitely embroidered card - you have to remember these cards are just 2.5 X 3.5 inches, so those stitches are tiny!
So what would you put on a 'My Favourite...' ATC?
Sally.
After getting sucked into the mini mini quilt swapping fervor, I can now really appreciate ATC's in a whole new way! Honeysuckle is a brilliant way to capture summer (also my favorite season). For me it is being able to go out for walks and see the lovely gradient ombre fade of the sky as the sun sets.
ReplyDeletemy goodness those are beautiful
ReplyDeleteThey are both simply stunning! Your machine embroidery blows me away and I'm totally with you on honeysuckle as the smell of summer. It doesn't seem to grow as much in the wild up here so I had to plant lots in our garden to make it right!!
ReplyDeleteWow!! They are both exquisite.
ReplyDeleteSally, these are seriously pretty! So now you have a new friend in Brazil and a beautiful card of your own. Good for you :-)
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Oh, my, that would be a difficult theme to narrow down - but you did a great job of it!
ReplyDeleteBoth cards are fabulous. You swapped treasure for treasure!
Hi Sally, I am visiting you via Amalia's blog. I love your ATC. It would be hard to decide on a subject but you did a great job coming up with your honeysuckle. The card received is lovely too! Amazing sending all the way to Brazil, how lovely!
ReplyDeleteBarbara xx