I Painted.

I signed up for a swap themed, 'I Believe in Fairies'.  They have to be mailed out this week.  For the Self-Portrait swap last month, I did hands because I didn't want to do faces.  For the 'Year of the Dragon' theme, I did dragon eggs instead.  So for this one, instead of making actual fairies, I thought it would be cool to make a fairy ring!  It's a ring of mushrooms, and if you see one, jumping in cause you to be whisked away to fairy land.  So here are my cards.  Instead of using oilbars or shiva sticks, I just took out the craft acrylics that I used on my daughter's walls.

I painted red caps in a circle, and put in some highlights and stems with white.

It dried nice & quick, and I took them over the my Horizon to free motion stitch them.  I had this variegated thread I bought a long time ago on clearance.  It runs red - orange - grey.  I do not know WHY I bought such an odd spool.  This is the first time I fell in love with it.  It was perfect for this project!

Jump!

Seriously - if you ask me, the best thing about sewing on this machine is that I can stop & start anywhere without having to pull the threads out and old the tails and then stitch and pull it all out to clip with scissors.  On a quilt I might have to pull up the bobbin thread, but with my art I just sew the spiral, and push the 'clip thread' button.   Done!  Plus with the stiff postcard stabilizer, I don't need to engage the needle plate.  I added some decorative stitches and even clipped some edges with scissors.  Check it out.

Borders add the finishing touches.  "I Believe in Fairies" swap at PostCard Cottage

I only needed to make three, but there is a very special little girl in my life who studies mushrooms as a hobby.  Her birthday is next week.  I was her dayhome mom for a couple of years and she holds a very special place in my heart.  I think she will LOVE this as a birthday card from me over an email anyday!  : )

~Monika