Winner of my 200th post give away

Is Karen S at A Creative Kick blog.  Congratulations Karen, I will get this book off to you as soon as possible.

I will leave you with this photo of a prayer flag my 7 year old friend made for me.  Thanks, Lauren.

Be Well.

200th Post! Time for a give away

Hello there, my blogging friends!  It took me awhile but I have finally reached my 200th post in this one.  I thought I had better have a give away to celebrate.  Details below.  

For now I am showing you some paper "buttons" I made after reading a tutorial on Kelli Nina Perkins blog.  They looked so pretty and I had everything I needed so why not?  If you click on Kelli's name above, it will take you to the tutorial on her blog.

They were fun and easy to make.

 I used a few on this journal page.  See them in the flowers towards the bottom?

Here is the double page spread.

When I saw these bangle bracelets on the Art Bead Scene blog, I wanted to make some.  So I did.  Click on the blog name and you will see the tutorial.  I had saved some plastic rings from lids off of mayonnaise jars and that is what I used as the bangle part of these bracelets.  Upcyclers Unite!!

Finally, in honor of all my loyal blogging friends I thought I'd give away this fantastic book by Judy Wise and Stephanie Lee.  Plaster Studio.  Mixed media techniques for painting, casting and sculpting.  I love the book but have decided that I'm not going to be making good use of it so would like to pass it on to one of you.  Please leave a comment on this post telling me you want your name in the drawing for it.  I'll draw a name on May 19th.

I found evidence of more upcycling in the natural world when I was cleaning out behind some books on a shelf in my studio.  Beautiful mouse nest!  Luckily I must have caught the mouse before they actually used this nest, it is a constant battle to keep up with the little furry critters.  There are bits of fabric, tissue paper and of course the peacock feathers.

So that is what I have been up to when I'm not outside working in the garden.  Hope you all are having a fine spring.  Don't forget to leave a comment if you want to be in the drawing for the Plaster Studio book.  I'll announce the winner next Sunday.  Till then,
Be well.

Blogger friend gifts and giveaway

(giveaway details at the end of the post) 

Recently I did a trade with Lorna and this is what she sent me in return for the small art quilt I sent her.  Even the package was cool!

Look at this gorgeous bag she made for me!

Here is the back side."Gems may be precious, Friends are Priceless"

Inside the bag were these things.  A card with her work printed on it, a heart pin and a lacy fiber art pin.  Thanks Lorna!  I love it all and have been keeping my art journaling pens in the zipper bag.  Love these colors!

A couple of weeks ago I won a giveaway over at Maddy's blog, Santa and the Mrs.   She sent me this hoppy cuddle of bunnies that she made with her own hand painted fabric.  Aren't they sweet?  I have them on my table right in front of me where they can keep their eyes on me as I compute.   Thanks Maddy!

Over the past couple of years since I have been blogging I have received all these lovely hearts from blogging friends.  I call this my wall of love.

Here is another gorgeous gift I received from my good friend Anne who blogs at El Milagro Studio.  She knit this for me using silk sari yarn.  I was blown away when I opened the package and saw this beautiful item in it.  I've been wearing it a lot and just can't get over the beautiful colors and the design and the fringe.  Oh man!  Thank you once again Anne!!  You are definitely one of my priceless friends!

My friend Lynn at Cranial Purge sent me this spoon.  I had told her about the spoon theory and it made so much sense to her, she wanted to thank me for the link and sent me this spoon.  Now she is on an art journey of making spoon related art.  Thank you Lynn, it means a lot to me that you shared this piece of your inspired work.

This little needlefelted/hand stitched fiber art piece arrived from my friend Martha.  I love those dangly bits!  So fresh and fun, I have it on the wall before me where it helps cheer me on a gloomy rainy day such as today.

Martha also sent this little zipper felt bag.  I've got some bead work inside it to carry around.  Sweet bag, thanks Martha!

I have found my fellow bloggers to be the most generous people around.  I try to return the giving, and in this spirit I want to tell you all about a giveaway that just started on the group blog I am involved in.  Fox On the Run is the name of the blog.  click on the link to get there.  We are giving away 5 weeks worth of stuff.  I hope you will pop on over and take a look and sign up for the giveaways.  No strings attached, just leave a comment and good luck.  Maybe you will consider paying it forward one day.  Until next time,

Be well.

Presents and the Art Show

Corrine at DosFishes  
recently had a give away and I won this from her.  The box it came in is an old Parker Bros game box.  I'm not familiar with this game, PROBE.  I might have guessed it was some sort of medical game but it says on the back that "PROBE is the most provocative game of words since the invention of the modern alphabet".  Imagine that.  I'm sure it was a fine game in its time, but I'm more taken by what came inside the box for me.

Corrine knows I have recently been using my new needle felting machine so she has gifted me with all these luscious fabrics that I may be able to use in this regard.

 

There is a huge blue wool scarf with dabs of color in it, looks needle felted already.  Also a big silk sleeve with a print of Egyptian design on it.  Ribbons, fibers, a small fabric rice bag and some upholstery type fabrics.  Very enticing!  I can hardly wait to dig into these and start playing with them, see what I can come up with.  But, I am busy getting ready for the art show I am participating in on Saturday, the 7th.  That is tomorrow as I write this.

Corrine also gave me the idea to make some business cards using some of my felting.  I printed info out on fabric and attached it to pieces of felting that I made.  I have been adding a bit of embellishment by hand to these fiber cards.  I also made some regular business cards on card stock.  I can hand out the embellished ones to special people.  If you come to the show, I will give you one.  All my readers are special!

This is my display board.  I was told I will not be able to pin anything to the walls so I came up with this.  It will sit on a painting easel I have.  I will bring  a few of my larger pieces also but am not sure if I will be able to display them.  I will have my camera and hope to blog about the show next week.   It is in Clatskanie, in case any of my readers can make it, from 10 till 4pm.  Just Saturday.

I hope you all have a fine Mother's Day weekend, what ever you might do.

Be well.

Keeping Secrets

 My latest piece is mostly finished.  This one is like Sheer Hearts, built on fabric paper, using sheers, painted dryer sheets, dyed lace, dyed batting strips, paper, beads and other bits and pieces. 

 Keeping Secrets
9"X 14"

I found a feather in the yard so I added it.

 

I think Susan might have given me this little bird print.   I colored it a bit with pencils.

Dyed doily from my recent dyeing experience.

I still need to put a backing on it and sign and label it.  Anyone want it?  I think I'll give it away, in honor of having 93 followers and 148 posts.  I'll pick a winner out of comments.  I wonder if I will hit 100 followers by years end?

Listening to Greg Brown.  A friend recently sent me a stack of live recorded shows that will take me awhile to get through.  I will give you a copy of one of these shows too.  Just ask.

Be Well.

Meet Tonka

It has happened again. We have taken in another old dog who needed a home. This is Tonka, a fifteen year old Border Collie. Tonka had been living with an old couple and when the man recently passed away, this energetic dog was too much for the elderly woman. So now I have three geriatric dogs. Tonka is very energetic for his age. Anyone might guess he is the youngest of this bunch instead of the oldest.

As you can see, he and Sadie get along just fine, resting here on the futon together. Rocky doesn't care one bit either, they all get along like old friends. We had a fun, although a wet walk today. Tonka got to meet the llamas. He has been around livestock all his life but never llamas before. He was curious, no more so than they were about him. I haven't seen poor Charlie cat since Tonka arrived. I better go out and call him. It took a month before he began to accept Sadie when she came, I hope it doesn't take that long this time.

Before I forget, jump on over to my group blog, Fox on the Run, to enter for the chance to win the great package of items in the photo above.

I hope those above photos show up today since they didn't the first time I posted.  

Be well.

Still here, dooleybobber #12

Dooleybobber #13 or Waiting for Spring

11"X11"

I'm still here.  Been playing with the embellisher, the needle felting machine.  Here is a new Dooleybobber I just finished, I also call it Waiting For Spring, because I am.  Aren't we all?  Well, maybe not those friends in Australia.  Here in Oregon we have had a rather mild winter, nothing too drastic as so many others have been experiencing.  I'll take this mild NW winter any day over the extreme winters so many of you others have had.

This piece is so light in weight, I love how the fibers bond to the scrim on the back.  It is hard to anchor a thread in it to stitch the beads and things down. 

I put black felt on the back to give it a bit more substance and to frame the needle felted work. 

I'm enjoying the hand stitching these days.  It helps clear my mind.  I try to just go with the flow, not think too much about what I am doing.

Here is a new piece I have started.  It is machine needle felted to a scrim background, with a fleece piece behind that I will be stitching to.  I was inspired by some denim bits I have to make this.  I'm going to make some denim beads to put on it.  You will see.

Don't forget to check out my creativity group blog, http://foxontherunarts.blogspot.com/.  We are having give aways all month, you still have time to get in on this one that we pick a winner for on the 8th: http://foxontherunarts.blogspot.com/2011/02/second-give-away.html.  Hurry!  You must leave a comment on the original posts to be entered in the give away.  I will be giving one of my dooleybobbers away later this month over there, so be watching for it if you are interested.

Been infatuated with Mumford and Sons lately.  I have to listen to Sigh No More every day or my day isn't complete.  Do you ever get that way with some music?  I'm loving it.  Also the Avett Bros are in my radar. Those guys get so enthusiastic about their music it is contagious.  Love these young groups.  Give them a listen.  

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.