almost gone....

Made a quick trip to town today and visited one of my favorite places, "Just Folk". I'll leave you with some fun photos of their wonderful folk art. Enjoy!

and More toadstools...

Can't seem to stop making toadstools...couldn't resist the spotted wool and made these for my Artfest housemates. Leaving early tomorrow morning so will be gone for about 10 days!
Have a great week and go make stuff!!!

Getting ready for Artfest!

Title page for my Bird Book...used old linens and embroidered pieces...
Linen and felted wool mushroom pin cushions...

I've been busy this week getting ready for Artfest. Colleen and I will be driving up so we'll leave on Sunday to give us enough time for browsing on the way up. So fun to take a "girl trip"!!!
I made another Gnome for the Gallery because Gnome no. 1 is going to live with Gail in Washington! I know he will be very happy up there in her cozy home.
Also I've been trying to finish up "trades" for Artfest and gifts for housemates and Teesha, too..Not sure if these little pin cushions are "done" yet but I hope to make a few more before "take off".
I need to finish up my fabric Bird Book for the ARt From Scrap show..due on Friday..tomorrow! I think I will be sewing, stitching, or hooking until the moment we leave.

Classes I'm taking at Artfest:
1. Michael Jon Peterson...?
2. Judy Wise .. Waxy layers
3. Nina Bagley .. Stone soup
I'll be learning NEW things and meeting new friends! I'm a happy girl....

New stuff...

I got a few things done over the weekend....a quick set of ATC's for Artfest and a little Flying Bird pillow filled with lavender. Now I want to make a few housemate gifts for my pals in the Officer's housing....I am thinking pin cushions..?/??

Wishing you a Happy Easter!

My newest Gnome wishes you a Happy Springtime and Easter!

Sara Lechner and I did a swap and I received this wonderful fiber embellished piece. It took a month to arrive and I was hoping it wasn't lost in the mail. But it finally came this week and I just LOVE it and all of her work. Everything she makes seems to have a Magical quality to it!
If I can work things out I may go for a summer visit to her studio in Austria! My son will be in Europe this summer and I want to go too!

Twin kitties and a bunny

I got a call from a sweet woman who had bought a couple of my softie cats here in town and wondered if I could make an identical black cat for her twin sister for Easter. We had a meeting and she also ordered a bunny too, just for fun. I took her cat back home and made a "twin" as close as I could and an angora bunny. I think they came out pretty close. It is so nice to make a personal connection with folks who enjoy what you create! Thanks, Jennifer!

Forest Girl...

Just finished up this hooked piece, "Forest Girl"...had to re-do the face 3 times trying to get the right flesh color. Still not sure if I am happy with it, but will let it rest for awhile.
Started on a Gnome last night and have an order for a soft kitty and a bunny to get to work on. Getting excited about going to Artfest soon.

And a Happy St. Patrick's Day to You!!!

Took a quick photo to celebrate the day....those 2 little See's chocolate leprechauns are for my boys...I had them hidden in my sock drawer and almost forgot them!
The wonderful red and white toadstool wall piece was my birthday present from Syd....found at the amazing store in Berkeley, "Castle in the Air"....can't wait to go there on our way to Artfest!

Busy week!

Elena and friends sing acappella in the beautiful outdoors.
New Fiberarts issue....
My little fiber post card...on right, in the middle~
Chris' wonderful basket....
My pals, Pia and Chris....

Things got busy at the end of the week. My friends that I've known for over 30 years invited me to come to their daughter Elena's, acappella group performance in their garden over in Paradise! That's where they live...about 20 minutes away from where I am and next to the Santa Ynez River. I brought my friend Pia who is a wonderful fiber artist and always makes me laugh...we both have 2 boys, four years apart and although her boys are a bit older, she always has funny stories to share. She also gave me the coolest crocheted pot holders for a late birthday present..(will post later..)
Anyway, Elena goes to college on the East coast in New Jersey and her singing group is on Spring break and is giving performances here on the West coast, much to our delight. The girls formed a semi-circle and sang beautifully, each one giving a solo . They were so Good! I felt so lucky to be able to be a part of such a special day. And Elena's mother, Chris had invited me to her home birth many years ago, so it was great to be there and see her all grown up and beautiful with her friends.
Chris and Michael the proud parents are incredible Fiber Clay artists and sell their work at the ACC Shows, Smithsonian and Philidelphia Craft shows. Chris makes beautiful baskets from naturally collected materials and her work is in many galleries and private collections. Michael, a gifted musician, makes sagger fired clay pieces in his studio and then Chris weaves the top with fibers. They live an artful life and have raised 2 talented and beautiful daughters.
The day after the garden party I received my copy of Fiberarts magazine and there on page 12 is a picture of one of Chris' baskets! She was given the Award of Excellence in Fiber at the Washington Craft show! And...much to my surprise a few pages later (page 31) I found my own little fiber post card in color!!!! I have always wanted to be in Fiberarts magazine so this is very exciting for me! So just a reminder to you all...Send those things IN! You never know and it is so fun to be in a national magazine. My boys said...."Way to go, Mom!" after they heard me hooting from the other room. And the fun thing was that Chris and I got to be in the same issue.
And there are lots of other really neat things in this issue...Charla Khanna's art dolls just make me Swoon! I love her work....her embroidery ...just incredible! Go take a look.
Then on Saturday I helped out at our booth at the Home and Garden Show at the Ventura Fairgrounds. I had to kind of fake it with my limited knowledge of plumbing but I handed out lots of brochures and tried to look like I knew what I was doing. Will drive back down later today to pack up the Jacuzzi, sinks, and fixture displays with my husband...hope to get in a beach walk too.

ATC day

Made up a bunch of ATC's for today's trading session. Went with the St. Patrick's day theme...lucky! Carved the shamrock out of an eraser for the cards and stamped it on black and green stamp pads.
If there are any left overs, I will trade with you if you send me one of yours!

A walk on the wild side...

not really...just some photos of my daily walk up here in the mountains....I love all the little wild flowers that are popping up daily...reminders that Spring is here!

Book ARts..

A few photos of some of the books I've made. All very different!The first one is a fiber book on Birds. Inside are fabric pages with bird images from old fabrics stitched onto each page.
The second one is from a class with Traci Bautista. We used recycled paper and paper towels and painted, stitched and stenciled and made 3 signatures to be sewn together..
Last one is an artists journal that I made following Teesha Moore's directions. I then made a rug hooked cover for the journal.

new hooking project and little chicks!

Had a great time at our Art From Scrap workshop yesterday. Parents and kids all got busy on the banner and it is almost complete. Lots of other creations were made....the boys seemed to be into Volcanoes with red plastic lava coming out of the top. Girls made some great nests with little hand drawn birds and eggs. Fun necklaces and charming drawings of pets - all done in 2 hours on a Saturday morning.
After the workshop I hopped over to Imagine, my favorite store for a peek...I couldn't resist these tiny chicks! I really don't need more Easter decorations with my boys now teenagers and all, but I guess these are for me!
Just started a new rug hooking project. This one is called "Forest Girl".....I'm a little nervous about hooking the face, as usual. But I'll give it a try tonight.
Got the little felt moo card holders sewn up. I think I will put a ribbon through the top loop and it will be a sort of necklace.
Also working on some new ATC's for our Wed. meeting and one fabric one for our Fiber ATC trade. I carved a shamrock to use on both of these...and I want to put "lucky" on there somehow.

More Moo

Made these little mushroom Moo card holders...well, almost. Still have to sew them up. For the tiny white dots I used seed beads and on some I got lazy and did French knots.
Off to teach at ARt From Scrap today!

Little Mushroom House

Just finished up this little hooked "Mushroom House"...may take it to Artfest for the Gallery...think I'll make a Gnome if I have time....

Newest hooked doll...

One of my newest hooked dolls...the one on the right...got sent off to Sara L. in Austria last week. I wanted to use softer colors that reminded me of Sara's incredible felt work. She already had a peek at my photos so I don't think I am ruining her surprise. Back of doll is shown too...

Making little Moo card holders

For these tiny stamps I cut an eraser in half, drew the image and cut away. They still need a little cleaning up.
Some of my finished Moo card holders made from felt and I put an eyelet in the top so it could be attached to our name tags and "ready" for trading! See the Moo cards peeking out?
I stamped some of the images on cotton knit..hard to sew onto the felt, but I liked the colors. I also stamped on some linen. These still need to be sewn up and have the eyelets put in.


Among other things last week I cut out a bunch of little rubber stamps in the "Forest" theme. These are for Artfest trades to stamp on fabric for my felt Moo card holders. I am still sewing these up and hope to make about 50 or so. The stamps would be fun to use for ATC's too...so I will make some of those too for trading. Got started on some new rug hooking projects for the Artfest Gallery...forest theme again.

Art From Scrap

Had a great workshop at ARt From Scrap today. We worked on the Global Art for Peace banner and will finish up next Sat. It was fun working in the Gallery space surrounded by the Collaborative art show "three". Our 3 bird collages titled "Round Robin" made by Penny, Coleen, and myself are on the wall behind the girls. One of my favorite pieces by Laurie Pincus and friends is in the first photo. Last Saturday we had the opening night reception and it was packed. Penny introduced me to several local artists whose work I've always admired but never had the chance to meet. I think she knows all the artists in Santa Barbara! Thanks, Penny for including me in this fun show.