Felted Bowls and Forgotten Design

Thought you might want to see how the "Saturday In The Shop" wet felted vessel came out! Took it home to dry in front of the woodstove Saturday night, and on Sunday afternoon, picked and played a bit with the mohair & wool yarn (from Ozark Handspun) I'd used in the construction. Got it a bit fuzzy and ... well, I'm quite proud of it. Calling it "Fuzzy Plums"!

And .. I remembered in time to actually order one for me .. the chart I'd seen on the Needlework Show ... from Ladybug Designs and entitled "Want Some Milk" .. it's the stitch version of one of my framed art posters by Steinlin.  (mine, mine .. it'll be all mine!)

Added a couple more items to my etsy store this late afternoon too.  We'll see what happens there.

Dead day at the shop today, customer wise .. but that was ok!  Shorthanded today AND had to stay chained to the computer in the back (dungeon) most of the day while I sorted, compiled, and placed orders with The Needlework Show.  Tomorrow will be quite a bit busier .. shipments to get out!

Hey .. does anyone know how to spell check on blogger now?  The text box has changed and I can't find a way to do it at all!  (as you may have noticed)

Saturday in the shop ...

... doesn't feel like the 4th of July!

Sloooooow day today.  Hope it's because everyone is shopping The Online Needlework Show and making their selections to send to us before the show ends at midnight Sunday/tomorrow night.  I know I've found several new designs that the shop CANNOT live without having .. and one that I must do .. now (yeah, like that's going to happen).  I collect the poster art prints of Theophile-Alexandre-Steinlen and found one of my larger framed posters converted into cross stitch!  Now if I could ONLY remember WHO it's by!!  I'll have to cruise the entire show designer listing again to find it (note to self .. should have written it down.  where's the paper?  what happened to my pen?  what was I doing??)

Did get creative though.  I had some wool batting here and .. showed LouAnn how to create a wet felted vessel - bowl - container - whatever.  It's drying in the bathroom right now.  Didn't have my steamer with me but managed to 'create' some defination to the sides without it.

it's quite plumy-purple and is shown here "upside down" while drying out.

I also decided to open an Etsy store (today) with some of my felted sculptures, pincushions and vessels.  Just a few things in there right now, but more will be added as they're created. 
I have such second thoughts about an Etsy store ... it makes ME think that by doing so, I "think" I'm really good, and I don't feel that way about me at all.  Don't know .. maybe this will bring some extra monies into the shop, maybe not.  We'll see.  My store name is   Deb Felt It   and the address is http://www.etsy.com/shop/DebFeltIt

Felting Fla-looza Weekend ...

... is over .. so I'm back to the real world of cross stitch.

Finished up Blackbird Designs' Cardinal from their "Joyeux Noel" booklet and measured it yesterday for framing.  Going to order a double frame from Eastside Mouldings ... Valentine Red for the outer frame and Chalk White for the inner frame .. will really make the 'writing' and snowflakes pop!
Saturday night started All Through The Night's "Blackbirds" using the fabric and fiber they did.  My first time stitching with Valdani floss and I'm not sure I like it .. seems to knot/tangle quite a bit along the 2-ply 18" lengtht I'm using. I like the color effect .. just not sure 'yet' about the actual fiber.  So far, the verse is complete and about 1/8th of the border .. so further stitching time will tell.

Had the time of my life at my felting weekend with Sharon Costello at Raven Oaks Farm in Howel.  I'd like to take this moment to Introduce You To ..... Gunter!  Day One we did the head and face, built the body and started dressing him. Day Two we did the hands and feet, finished dressing and put on the hat and hair/eyebrows.  I absolutely LOVE him .. he looks like he's in the best mood after going to Market and either selling OR buying Wool!

Day 3 our class was entitled "Go Felt A Fish".  And that's what we did .. we made fantasy fish.  But what the class ACTUALLY taught was 'how' to make a 3-dimensional figure or bag that has NO SEAMS!  We also learned how to work with other fabrics and fibers and glass beads to 'decorate' our 'fish' without sewing, all during the Wet Felting process.  I now understand 'how' to make purses or bags or whatever else, and embellish with traditional and totally non-traditional materials. 

MY "go-felt-a-fish" was embellished with 'locks' of wool, so I'm thinking of Felting a Bagel for him to 'swim' on ... that way I'll have a  ... get ready .... a  ... gofeltafish with lox on a bagel!