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!

I Had The BEST Day!!

Went antiquing .. all by myself .. and had the absolutely best time!
I started out at Yesterday's Treasures right here in Fenton (I had some extra time before I had to be at Mom's to take her grocery shopping).  I'd not been in there in 'ages' and ... it was such a treat.  I'll tell ya, if you're looking for vintage jewelry for wearing or for making into other items, THIS is the place!!  Drawers and cabinets full!  I was paying more attention to ceramics but there was this antique beaded and stitched bag that was calling my name .. I forced myself to ignore it!   (fingers in ears lalalalala I can't hear you)

Then over to mom's ... did a quick run through with her at the Goodwill store, she wanted to see what that was all about .. then groceries .. then back to her apartment.  Chatted for awhile and I was on my way.

Decided it was such an beautiful sunny day that I didn't want to go home yet.  So pointed my VUE-hicle towards Holly and the Holly Water Tower Antiques Mall.  That place is a gem!  You can get lost in there .. and I spent several hours browsing through the ceramics again.  The owner eventually stated 'following me around' as she began to see that everytime she saw me, I had my hands full of tiny toothpick holders, salt cellars, and egg cups.  She rescued them from me (or rather, potentially rescued me from myself) and took them up front to wrap up while I wandered some more. I'd not been in there in ages either.  (The last time I purchased a McCoy Dog Cookie Jar for my BFF Sharon as a Christmas present.  The exact same McCoy Dog Cookie Jar I'd already given her TWO other times!! I am now forbidden to buy cookie jars for her collection ... it was REALLY Cute .. HONEST!!!)
I figured eventually that I'd done enough damage to my bank account and decided to get a pizza and go home.  There are other antique stores in Holly, but .. I'd had MY day!

I've been happily felting pincushions since late this afternoon and only managed to drive a needle through my finger once.  Well, not exactly THROUGH, but really gave it a jab.  Funny thing .. this was the first time I've ever had a finger go 'numb' from a felting incident.  After about 15 minutes, I had feeling back AND the beginnings of an incredible bruise!
I must be taking after Padme!

State Of The Needlearts

TO: Needleartists Everywhere!!

SUBJECT: Needlearts expertise, survey, GIFT CERTIFICATES

PLEASE complete the 2010 NeedleArts survey at www.NeedleArts2010.net . The needlearts community needs YOUR advice and opinions, whether you are a beginner or an expert! This survey is only conducted every few years. Your input is VERY important and will be included in a published national report.

Your answers are anonymous. No one will use your survey responses to market to you.

In return for your participation, you will receive valuable benefits:
· Gain a chance to win one of five $100 needlearts GIFT CERTIFICATES.
· Ensure stores and suppliers provide what you want.
· Explore your needlearts interests.

Your valuable input will help the needlearts community, too:
· Advocate for more programs to support the needlearts, such as Helping Hands Needlearts Mentoring, Stitch N’ Pitch, and Stitching for Literacy.
· Help independent retailers and family-owned suppliers succeed by giving them the customer feedback they need.

As a thank-you for completing the survey, The National NeedleArts Association (TNNA) is offering the chance to win one of five $100 needlearts store gift certificates. To enter the sweepstakes simply fill out the survey at www.NeedleArts2010.net and then click on “Sweepstakes Entry” on the page you see after submitting the survey.

The 10-minute survey asks about your experiences with the needlearts you enjoy: crocheting, cross-stitch, embroidery, knitting, or needlepoint. Let us know which types of projects you prefer, the kinds of new products you want, and what you’d like to see needlearts shops do better.

The survey is sponsored by The National NeedleArts Association, a business organization dedicated to supporting the needlearts community. Hart Business Research is conducting this survey for TNNA and compiling the results into a major national report, The State of Specialty Needlearts 2010. Please complete the survey right away at www.NeedleArts2010.net .
Survey closes April 19, 2010.

Sunday!!!!

I've got a full load at home tomorrow!
(1) Do online banking against my checkbook and then write bills -- that should take care of an easy 2-3 hours.
(2) Do the finishing needed on Just Nan's "Needle Tweet" .. stitching is done, but the rest is cutting out and ironing on and stuff that's basically like 'Latin' to me! Maybe 2 hours?????
(3) Re-Do a felted scarf. I did one on Thursday and I knew when I was doing it that it was way too thin and needed more wool, but did I stop and take care of that? Noooooooooooo! So, when it was felted and finished, it was like gauze and has holes. So .. maybe 3 hours total with layout patching and then the felting.
(4) Finish the stuffing of the Camp goodie bags .. have 3 more items to put in and all is now here, so that can be done and crossed off my list. Probably an easy half hour.

Been laughing about the $100-million lawsuit Lindsay Lohan filed against E-Trade for their 'milkaholic Lindsay' baby commercial. She says it's based on her; that you can look at the baby and see the marked resemblance to her; that HER NAME is the same as Oprah or Madonna ... all you need to do is say "Lindsay" and the world knows who you're speaking about.
I don't know about you, but when I hear "Lindsay", I immediately think of my niece Lindsay Koch. Actually, unless you put Lindsay together with Lohan I would have no idea who you were talking about, nor could I pick her out of a lineup! Me thinks she needs to go back into rehab so the press can have something to say about her .. some people! And then she says, if the commercial wasn't meant to be 'all about her', why didn't they use the name "Susan"? sheesh, then someone Susan would have to sue???
My people are going to follow Lindsay around for awhile ... she had better not use the name "Deb" or "Stitches N Things" or there will be a lawsuit to put her $100 mill to shame!! LOL

I almost did have a lawsuit once...quite a while ago. Another cross stitch shop used "my shop name" in print instead of using their own. The ad read ..... in smaller print we have new and then in very LARGE print Stitches N Things and again in smaller print in the stock. The Stitches N Things was the only large print and their shop name was no where in the ad, just their address and phone number.
I had a call from a customer who had just seen their ad (in a newspaper that is state-wide) and called to congratulate me on 'branching out' and opening a new store site!
I went up about 13 feet in the air and came down dialing my atty's number. She was served with a cease & desist, the paper she was advertising in refused to run any more print jobs for her, and I spent the next 3 days hitting the court offices of every county surrounding my county and the state of Michigan offices filing DBA's so this couldn't happen again in the future.
What got to me the most about that? Not her advertising that she was 'me' but that she had come to me for advice and information on starting her own business and I gave her all the help I could. What a pay back! Oh .. she's no longer in business.

Blather .. Blather ... Blather ...

Attempted assault by squirrel in garage foiled! News at 11~!

Traffic on quiet country road disrupted by herd of 9 deer standing & staring at approaching car!

Life taken in own hands by woman driving home with gas tank registering empty .. and driving back into town to find fuel!

Dog refuses to go outside unless toy drying out in front of wood stove is given to him!

Cat throws itself against window in attempt to catch squirrel on window ledge outside!

Unusually large possum tries to get into house through kitchen deck door; stares down dog and 1 cat nose to nose through glass; refuses to run or even scurry away when woman approaches it through snow on foot. Video at noon.

it's a zoo .. I live in a zoo