Monday, December 5, 2011

Show in NC during Thanksgiving weekend

This was my last show of the season. It was in the NC mountains and I went by myself so that was a new experience and I found out I am stronger than I think. I sold enough to pay for my entry but not much more. It was a great show and I bought some Christmas presents too. The first night it snowed and I was so excited. The roads were dry but the trees and grass were wonderful. I even played in it. Next day the temps went into the 60's. Strange weather.
Now I have one more class to teach and I am finished for the year. Finally some rest!

OPEN- BNS - Gets U 3 SALES /YOUR OUT ! -10strike /sale -TO DATE = 793 STRIKES

I am trying something new on Etsy. I am buying into an Etsy showcase. Have never done this before so hope I am doing it right! Please check out these wonderful buys. Might even find a great Christmas present!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/ODI3NzI0OXwxNDA3NzkwNzkx/open-bns-gets-u-3-sales-your-out

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Evergreen

As the leaves are spiraling down in my yard, all the dark green pines, spruce and cedars are showing thru. The air smells so crisp and clean. I love this time of year. Frost in the morning and warm enough for me to felt when I get home. I have a class this weekend, a show the next and the last show of the season on Thanksgiving weekend, Black Friday. Anyway getting into the spirit of the coming winter, I made an Etsy Treasury called Evergreen.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MzgxMnwxMDU2NTc0NDk5/evergreen

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Etsy Treasuries

I have been having so much fun making treasuries on Etsy. I didn't do it for along time because it seemed so hard but I either figured it out or Etsy has changed it and it is now easier. It has turned out to be a great way to advertize too. You don't put any of your own items in the treasury but lots of people check out my site and some that I put in the treasury blog about me so that is great. If you haven't checked it out yet, here is my latest one.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

At SAFF

Here I am at Saff. Already taken both classes. Met some really nice women. Both teachers were good. I learned some in each class but they are going t0 have to offer more advanced classes next. I did really good with my money too. Spent around $100 Got some beautiful wool/silk blends. Got some nebs to play around with. New small gertie ball and that is it.
The cabin we rented is really nice. It is right on a lake with rocking chairs on the Porch. More later when I can get to my bigger keyboard



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Thursday, October 20, 2011

SAFF again

It is time for the Southeastern Animal Fiber Festival in NC mountains. We are headed up to a nice cabin this afternoon. My first class is at 1pm Friday so we can sleep in a bit then ride around and look at the leaves. The class is Wild Wooly Felted Flowers and is a teacher I haven't taken classes from before. On Sat. I am taking Cuddly Collars and Loops from Geri Forkner who does wonderful nuno work. I have been looking forward to getting away for a long time. Work has been tedious lately and I come home too tired to do anything. Guess I will get going and I hope to have new work to show you when I return.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

http://www.etsy.com/listing/80212064//forest-elf-nuno-silk-and-wool-scarf

I am back

I have almost finished my shows for this year, have 2 more biggies to do. Hope I can now catch up on my blog, it is almost like starting over. I have done better in most of my shows this year. That feels good after 3 years of losing or just breaking even. I seem to finally be getting noticed by the local show circuit.
I finally and getting comfortable with nuno felting and have made several very nice pieces. During my down time during the winter, I hope to make some big pieces of felt and make vests. I know it can be done in one piece but I don't have the room to stretch out like that. Have made a deal with a local Alpaca store where I teach who will let me rent a big room with 3 tables so that I can expand.
How has this summer been for everyone else? Have you learned any new techniques that you want to share. I can post your pictures too if you like. Also be thinking if you and your work would like to be featured here in my blog. May give you some more exposure.
Feels good to be back!

Monday, July 18, 2011

all about nuno

my DH, SS and MIL all left yesterday for the beach leaving me and the dogs at home. I need to work and can't afford a dog sitter so here we are. The very upside of all of this is I have an entire week to create with no one needing me to do something else.
Yesterday I started a nuno scarf. Took about 3 hours to lay out and I have been rolling on it for 2 hours now. Took a break and figure I need at least one more hour of rolling. How do people make money with this? I can't possibly charge my labor and materials then expect this to be in a price range to sell. So far the piece is looking really good, hope it holds together thru the fulling. Only wish I had dyed the silk so will be doing some of that this week. Hope you all are getting some art done if it isn't too hot to play with wool.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

away a long time


Sorry I have been away so long. Work has been crazy and I come home too tired to do much other than feed everyone. So I am back. I was in a show at Sautee Natcoochee, in the Ga mountains and it was a good show for me. We broke even which included where we stayed so I was happy about that. The house we stayed in was haunted by Lidia but Phil never heard her, I did though. She was a young girl what was loved to play pranks. Ask me if you want to know about it. Slowly I am getting noticed, I was asked to 2 more festivals at this one. Anyone who stopped by my booth seemed over whelmed by all the color. I hope I can sell all those pictures and concentrate totally on fibers. Of course I would still make wall hangings. We backed out of a show that was going to be yesterday and today. It was going to be on black aspalt and I knew I couldn't do it plus it would be my first show I would do alone. I can't even put of the tent by myself.
It is too hot here to be outside felting or dyeing. The dogs just want to lay on the linoleum (sp) to stay cool. I don't want to do much either. Is anyone out there getting any felting done? If so, what are you making?

Saturday, May 28, 2011

beautiful giveaway

check out a beautiful felted spring belt on this beautiful website http://www.viltalakim.com/blog/2011/05/vitalakim-give-away/

Monday, April 11, 2011

felting without a right index finger



I seem to be more accident prone this spring than usual. Last Weds. I almost sliced the entire top of my index finger off while I was at work. It really bled but didn't hurt as I had sliced some nerves too. Off to the clinic I go for 3 stitches across the tip of my finger. Well you would think I was some sort of invalid, they definitely bandaged it to look that way. So this weekend was not very productive so I can only show you last weeks work. I finally felted that scarf that I had placed out during the winter, it is beautiful.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

things happen

I hurt my shoulder at work and have not been allowed to use that arm for almost a month now. I tried to felt with only one hand but that is really hard to do, I couldn't keep the roll going in one direction and just got irritated with it. So I have been reading magazines and marking what I want to try this weekend. My favorite book so far is the 3rd volume of apronology. I rarely make aprons but I can see how I could convert those aprons into dresses and have get fun decorating them with all my old crochet etc. I have also been spending more time than usual on Etsy just checking out what people are doing and how much they are charging for some of the things that I do. In many of them I just can not believe the high prices. Many of these people have sold way more than I have which is great for them but hard for me to figure out. Oh, I had my first show of the season last week. These people asked me if I would like to be in their show which I said yes to, it was a store I have wanted to get into for years. I was going to set up my tent in the front yard and had filled up my car and the truck with the tent etc. When I woke up the next day it was raining and the forecast was 80% rain for the entire day. I called them to let them know I couldn't bring all my felt out in that moisture but that if they did it again, I would love to work with them. They never called or emailed me back. I wonder if I did the right thing but in my heart I know I did. How many customers would stop in the pouring rain to see an art sale. Oh well, till next time. Hope you are all doing well.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

My muse may be back

Well it is Sunday the 13th and I finally decided to work in the studio. First I tried to clean up some so I did some re-arranging. Then I decided I wanted to make a pocket pixey belt so I pulled out lots of fabric, ribbon and thread. I worked till the bobbin ran out and I almost have it finished. It is very funky, nothing I would wear but I am sure I can find a kid would will love it. Pictures coming. Next I decided to nuno felt. I am determined to get that process down. I did a bit better today but put some mohair in it with the wool and that stuff must take a ton of elbow grease to felted really well. Any way the piece will be usable esp if I use my embellishing machine.
As you can see from the photo above, I have been playing around with PhotoShop Elements. I got some books to really learn the program so that too is another project.
Leisa Reisler has put out a challenge where you buy a $25 kit from her and try to make something with it using as much of the bag of goodies as you can, you will win some sort of prize. This sounds like a good way to get into making something and not worrying if it will sell. Maybe that is what my muses problem has been, I haven't been making stuff just for the joy of it.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Still looking for that muse...

I just had my first "difficult" person on Etsy. A woman asked if my sale was still on, she wanted to buy a necklace. I had stated in the descriptions that the sale was good until Jan.1 but I had forgotten to take it down so I gave her the 10% off and changed the paypal amount. She sent me the money thru paypal immediately so I sent the necklace off to her. She mentioned she was a fiber artist too. She emailed me when she got it, said it was lovely and sent me good feedback. 2 days later she wore it to work and the beads started to fall off. I couldn't see how this could have happened as the wired beads were crimped to the clasps and the bead caps were glued on and tied on I but told her I would refund her necklace price and pay her return shipping if she would send it back. She said it was a piece of trash so she had thrown it in the trash. I showed her my policy that there was no refund if the item was not returned. She sent it back to me, both clasps were in it but both crimps and the wire was missing. The fibers had been cut and unraveled. I think she took it apart to see how it was made and then threw a minor fit to get her money back. I am so disappointed in this. I trust people but she took a small bite out of that. I returned all her money and her shipping. Then she said she wanted a hand made custom felted scarf. Hmmmm, no way in h*ll!
What would you have done if this had happened to you? Has something similar ever happened to you? Would love to hear your answers.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

snow days coming?

Well if you can believe the weather people, looks like we are in for several inches of snow before we have several inches of ice. Now I love a good snow day off work as much as the kids do out of school but the ice worries me. I live at the very end of a dirt road and one of the generators is in my front yard. We are not high priority on having power turned back on and our house is totally electric. We are blessed to have a fireplace and a good bit of wood. Also for Christmas Phil got a solar lamp that runs lots of hours. As you can imagine, I am looking for projects to try. Felting is out of the question as no hot water but I just got in a new bundle of wools that I found on sale. I have never made a cowl but I have knitting directions for a very funky one. I also have a vest that I need to make one more panel for and then crochet the panels together and it will be finished so I have plenty that I can do. Maybe a few days of total quiet and forced knitting will be just the rest I need from the holidays.
If any of you are snowed or iced in, please try to stay warm and catch up on a few of those projects that have just been sitting around. Lots post completed projects when we get power back on, I would love to see what others are doing!