Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

Some art work from 2018 - Wilma Simmons  Reflecting on 2018, I would like to thank everyone who supported and encouraged me and assisted and taught me during the last year. I think it was a really wonderful year - I enjoyed teaching in new places like the Grampians (Victoria)  and the Central Coast as well as in Sydney, Canberra and locally.  I  learnt so much in  workshops with wonderful artists from overseas and within Australia like Jette Clover, Sophie Munns, Gaye Nieuwenhof, Patti Culea  and Bobbi Oliver.  I  was privileged to exhibit at the Embroiderers Guild of NSW and Timeless Textiles Gallery. I have also had  so much fun participating and contributing to groups like NCEATA and Gumnut Dollies in Newcastle and online with Art Dolls Only and Tag Tuesday.  Sometimes, the creative process looks like this for me, but with the support of family and so many talented friends, it all works out well in the end! Best wishes for a...

Red and Green Ribbon Christmas tree   Advent Blog Day 22 - Ribbons and Lace Yesterday it was the bizarre, today's nothing but pretty! Today's Christmas tree ideas are for all my sewing friends and family who I know have lots of bits of  ribbons and lace in their stashes.  All these ideas are easy to assemble, so there's still time to create one before next Tuesday. Many of the links in the photo captions are "how to" files.  Black and White Christmas Tree These folded ribbon trees make beautiful table trees and are so simple to make. Ribbon Christmas Tree in progress  Other very easy to make ribbon trees are wrapped around a cone shape. Lights and beaded embellishments add some sparkle to the simplicity of design. Wrapped with ribbon and lights  Horizontal wraps  Small Christmas tree ornaments are a great way to use very short lengths of ribbon. Hanging Ribbon Trees  Scrap Ribbon Tree  ...

Fussy cut  pattern on a text background, with hand stitching-  WS  The current theme at Tag Tuesday   is TIME/CLOCKS, nominated by design team member, Joan who prepared some great tags as inspiration. Sometime ago, I cut very carefully these white rabbits  out of a piece of paper... I loved the  pattern design of the shared ears being part of the central chessboard. This seemed a good time to find it in my stash and create a round tag for this challenge. I continued with the Wonderland theme, and remembered the Mad Hatter announcing "It's always tea time!" so here is another tag inspired by that saying... watercolour and ink drawing with photo transfers and text an fabric. Watercolour pencil and ink drawing ( Alice) , photo transfer ( trees and quote)  onto text background paper, with fabric. WS  Please visit Tag Tuesday for  contributions from other tag artists who have interpreted this theme.

 I have been using old Christmas stamps in my collages for Christmas cards. Finding  amusing stamps  like the one above of Santa Clause riding the waves in a classic Australian summer scene,  I began to wonder when the first Christmas stamp was issued?  I didn’t know that in asking that question I was to become engaged in one of the serious debates in philatelic circles. The contenders for the claim of  first Christmas stamp are : 1.   1898:Canada - a map stamp with the lettering “Xmas 1898” 2.     1935: British Troops in Egypt were issued with a stamp  to send their mail back to the UK - marked Xmas 1935 * 3.       1937:  Austria - Rose and Signs of the Zodiac stamps ** 4.      1939: Brazil - Three Wise Men and Star of Bethlehem  semi postal or charity stamp *** 5.       1943: Hungary - Message to the Shepherds, Nativity ...

Eco Print art tags # Wilma Simmons  “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature -- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”  ―  Rachel Carson ,  Silent Spring Can you hear the songs of spring ?   ( Click here to see more eco prints) Eco Prints  stitched -#Wilma Simmons  Eco print tag -#Wilma Simmons