Prompted recently by wonderful DesignMatters TV programmes, I treated myself to a few hours this weekend playing with some of my sketchbooks.  Seven of them to be exact!

Leaves are some of my favourite things so they feature frequently   on my sketchbook pages.  I collected these from alongside the Canal du Midi in Salleles d'Aude on a visit to the European Patchwork Centre before it closed down recently.
I used decorator's caulk to achieve the texture in the background.  
It's quite thick and so needs plenty of time to dry!

I've used oil pastel with a wash for the bottle shapes above and below.  

Today was a lovely sunny day so I took these sketchbooks outside into the safty of the fresh air to give them a spray of lacquer to enhance the colours.

I applied paint directly to the feather then carefully pressed it onto the page for the print above.

I used a dried and pressed leaf to print the motif on the right page and then gave it a painterly touch with inktense pencils.
Then I treated the actual leaf itself to a rubbing of Treasure Gold for a bit of sparkle - left page.

For the background of this delicate leaf print I used some of my leftover hair dye.  Waste not, want not!  What a lovely fragrance!

 The poppy seedhead print below is made using DesignMatters 'magic' compressed sponge.  The edges of the pages are stitched with hand-dyed thread and then given a touch of colour for added interest.

This gorgeous bottle selection is taken from the design on a paper bag printed at Blists Hill Victorian Town for the pharmacy in the main street there.  The printer's shop is a little further down the street and is well worth a visit.