ED210 MandalaCompleted by Pamela Horton The whispering Platypus

I consider myself one of the very lucky long term members of Craftsuprint and even though I have had a disaster caused by a badly previously mended 5 times roof resulting in an internal flood, including the drowned linen cupboard and the completely destroyed Christmas cards for posting, I had made and stored for safe keeping in this cupboard.

The luck is due to having purchased the sheets for these items, which is possible to keep once purchased and in this case I can keep and dry out the attached wet beads and I am then able to use the designs and the information, on my home page, as to how to remake them and so quickly revamp each of these items.

I have made the current card shown here and the next 2 currently in progress as Christmas greetings to make up for those I will not be able to save the beads at all.

I have used 170gsm white satin finished card cut at 13cm square and defined the edges with a green permanent pen before marking the design.

I began, using green polyester thread, the stitching in the centre of the design.

Continuing using polyester throughout I completed the circle using red, the fan shapes using a 2 shade darker green, the scalloped circle in brilliant yellow the red bauble shapes in the one shade darker in red and the star shaped mini circles in the same brilliant yellow.

To complete the beading, I have used tiny gold glass seed beads at the base of each of the 8 fan shapes, gold metallic 7mm rice beads around the 8 scallop shapes and attached gold metallic sequins, instead of bead savers, each with a tiny gold glass seed bead in the centre, at the top point of each of the 16 bauble shapes.

I attached this completed topper onto a 12cm square backing sheet using red power tape to secure the stitching and beading and then onto the red 13.5cm square red backing sheet which has the multi coloured Christmas ribbon across the centre and then onto the gold metallic backing sheet cut at 14.5cm wide and 15cm high.

I secured the ribbon at the back and attached this topper to the white 15 x 15.5cm card front. I slipped the single ribbon through the left- hand side horizontal ribbon and tied a single knot securing the tails using red power tape.

I have added peel off gold corners, fine lines, stars and the sentiment as the extra embellishments. The insert is cup830204_1398, Majestic Stag Insert, a design By Ceredwyn Mcrae, which I have used many times. I completed this design using a total of 48 beads comprising of 24 tiny seed beads, 8 rice beads and 16 sequins.

Thank you Emy I love your work. Pamela Horton.

The Whispering Platypus.