Etsy Open!

I have been intending to reopen my Etsy shop and finally have done so.  I will have to put a link on my side bar if I can figure out how, but until then, you can find it here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Laughingdogarts
I hope that link works.

This piece I am showing today is not in my Etsy, I am not sure if it is finished or not.  I have wanted to create some art pieces inspired by lyrics to songs by Greg Brown and this is the first one that I am satisfied enough with to show you.  The song is titled Sleeper, you can Google the lyrics if you want to know more.  The lyric on this piece reads: "You move through my dreams like a trout moves through a pool"

Here it is earlier in the process.  It measures about  12"X8".

Snowing here today.  I hope you all are keeping cozy and warm.

Be well.

Gifts and Give Aways

 I want to let you all know that the creativity group I am in is having a give away on our blog, Fox On the Run Meanderings.  Check it out here http://foxontherunarts.blogspot.com/2011/02/our-first-give-away.html  I hope you will enter, one member of the group is giving away a beautiful altered book as our first gift.  Go!  Sign up!  I will wait for you...............................
are you back now?  Good.

Needle felted heart by Maggi 

Maggi at To Dream to Stitch 
recently sent me this most gorgeous package containing a stunningly beautiful needle felted heart in my favorite colors.  She had heard that I got a needle felting machine and sent me all sorts of beautiful usable items.  The heart was supposed to be a Christmas gift but was lost in the mail for a couple of months.  I'm so glad it finally arrived.

I just love the subtle blending of the elements, and these luscious beads she attached.

This is the back side.  Of course the photos don't do it justice, it is so much more lovely in person.  She has some glittery metallic elements that you can just make out if you click on the picture.  What an inspiration for the possibilities of this machine.

Above are the rest of the things she sent to help me on my new journey with the machine.  There is a great book, Surface Tension by Dale Rollerson that explains many techniques for the machine.  Some orangy organdy, Oliver Twist silk roving, some sari silk ribbons, and some gorgeous Maggi dyed wool locks in beautiful autumn colors.  I have already used a bit of some of these elements and will be using more in the future, real soon.  Thank you Maggi!  You are so generous and thoughtful, I love each and every one of these gifts.

 Lorna at Artymess
As if that wasn't enough for one striving artist to absorb, I also received this stunning heart made by Lorna.  We did a heart trade but she is obviously way better at this than I am because I don't think my fabric hearts stand up in comparison to Lorna's or Maggi's.   But this isn't a contest, just a trade between friends.  I think I'm the winner though;-)  Lorna used lots of sari silk strips and all sorts of embellishments including those cute dangling balls around the edge.

Here is the back side, it is a luscious royal purple velvet.

Plus she included all these extra ribbons and lacy bits.  I need to get busy and make some more fiber hearts, I have lots of wonderful new supplies to work with thanks to these blogging friends. 

 Corrine at dosfishes
Somehow Corrine heard how much I admired her embellished bottles (probably because I gushed about them so much every time she posted about them) and surprised me with one of my own!  Wow, people are so talented and generous and Corrine is no exception.  I love my bottle!

  Look at this marvelous texture!  This is so cool!  I love all the colors and fibers and the waxy drips.

I am rather overwhelmed by the generosity and talent of all the bloggers out there that I have been fortunate enough to become acquainted with.  It never ceases to amaze me.  I could sit and gaze at these lovely gifts for hours but instead I need to get my lazy winter behind in gear and get busy in my studio!  Thank you so much my friends, I will treasure these gifts for ever.

Don't forget to keep watching the Fox on the Run blog where we are having give aways all through the month of March.  March Madness!  Sign up!  I'll be giving away one of my Dooleybobbers there later.

I hope you are all surviving the winter and keeping healthy and warm.

P.S. It is Maggi's birthday today, Feb. 21, stop by her blog and say hello.

Be well.

Meet Grace

I picked up a new llama last week.  She is one year old and her name is Grace.  My long term readers might remember my talking about my old (81) friend Joan, affectionately known as the Llama Lady.  She has had a bad few months and can no longer live out here alone, taking care of all her animals.  She has finally come face to face with this and has had to re-home all her animals and move into an apartment in the city.  To help her out I decided I could fit one more llama into my herd.

Little Grace easily fit into my van.  Here she is, getting her first look at her new home. 

Here are my Diva's, getting their first glimpse of the new girl.

I removed Grace's halter and she soon hopped out of the van on her own.  

 The Diva's came running over to check her out.  Grace was brave and stood her ground.

 Here comes big boy Indie, to do his own checking out.

 After everyone had a good sniff they began to move away from Grace, who pursued them.  I was surprised that all my llamas seemed almost to be afraid of Grace and they ran away fast through the woods, heading for home, leaving poor Grace behind.  She seemed to be afraid to go through the woods.  I checked on her frequently and brought her hay out in the field.  Next day it was the same, my old llamas wanted nothing to do with this young upstart and left her alone in the field.  Finally I went out with a pan of grain, stood near her until she would approach me which took an hour of standing still, but once she started eating the grain I was able to lead her down the lane and home.  I closed the gates so all the llamas are stuck in the fields near the house for now until they adjust to Grace, and she to them.  She seems to be quite at her ease, but the others are having more trouble.  I notice she has green slime on her ears, evidence of being spit upon.  But she is doing great.  Everyone will adjust in time.

Indie and Grace

I hope you all are doing fine too.  Spring is right around the corner, already the daffodils are showing their green heads and my snow drops are blooming, the birds are singing their wild songs.  Won't be long now.  

Oh, I almost forgot, Happy Valentines Day to you all.  I♥ you.

Be well.

 

Sheer hearts

"Sheer Hearts"  10"X16"

I have the new needle felting machine and what do I work on?  A little piece using fabric paper, some sheers and little hearts.  Not a bit of needle felting on this piece but I guess we follow the muse, wherever he leads us.  He?  She?  Whatever.  I think this piece started as an experiment with some molding paste I recently purchased.

Do you see the "AND" sign there?  The ampersand?  I have some brass letter stencils I picked up at a garage sale and have wanted to use them.  The new molding paste was also waiting to be used so I put the two together on this piece of fabric paper.  After it dried I painted the ampersand.  I found some old friendly plastic and heated that up and used some rubber stamp leafs on it to make the shiny green bits.  Added fabric beads and sequined hearts.

The same technique using molding paste with the "J" down in the right hand bottom corner.  That is a painted domino next to the J and I glued a key onto it. 

Added a tag where a hole showed up between the fabric and the paper.  I hammered a piece of copper wire and stitched it to the top to serve as a hanging thingy.  Also used more keys, painted dryer sheets, ribbons and stencils.  This was a fun little piece, must be inspired by Valentines day coming up.  Or then again, maybe not.  I will put it in my Etsy shop after I reopen it which I have not done yet.

Hope you all are staying safe and warm.  Be well.

Home again

"Portals"  20"X20" (Sold!)

I finally got in to pick up my fiber art pieces that had been on display/for sale in the cafe.  They left them up for a couple of months but now they are doing some remodeling and didn't want my work to get dusty.  After I got them all home again I decided to put these three up on the wall in my house.  This first one is titled "Portals".

Close up showing rusted scrim used in the garment, and the painted paper clay molded face.

I stamped the sun image and did additional painting on it.  The greenish clouds are made with painted and heat distressed tyvek.

The background is a hand painted old linen napkin.  Now that I think about it, this was really the beginning of my hand stitching direction I seem to be mostly sticking with these days.  This piece is entirely hand stitched.

"The Fire Within"   14"X16"

This second piece also uses a bit of heat distressed painted tyvek, and various fabric bits and couched fibers and beads.  Again, entirely hand stitched.

"Layers"  13"X13"(Sold!)

  This piece has lots of couched strips of dyed scrim and plenty of beads and bits of stone and shell stitched down.  Hand embroidery holds the layers together.

That is my little gallery of fiber arts in the prime showcase area in my house for now.  I like to rotate things, usually I put my most recently finished pieces there if they fit.  I hope you enjoyed this viewing of some of my older pieces.  They are all for sale if anyone is interested.

I'm concerned for all of you who have been hit by the big storm that is passing through.  I pray that you are all safe and waiting out the storm until things can get back to normal.  You all take care and be well.