Floral Painting of a By Gone Era

Needle Felted Painting

If you have been following the last week or so I talked about the give-away in my etsy shop.The prize was yarn of course and Debra from deebs on Etsy was the 1500 sale winner.  I did show some of  her work previously but today she sent me this photo of one of her new florals using the yarn she won from MyMixMix and it is so beautiful I just had to show it to you.

It does have special meaning for me because, as a little girl (quite some time ago), I used to watch my grandmother paint florals both on fabric and on watercolor paper.  Painting florals was a popular pass time of ladies from her era and really required quite a skill.  She is gone now, as are all the ladies who painted florals, so this is a little memorial to all of them.

Gooney Bird

Sunday morning is my time for a little self indulgence.  In the winter in the cold country that is my home, a hot soak in the bath is first on the list.  Then, I like to browse the blogs that are on my reading list.  I don't usually have time during a busy week to hit all of them.  Recently, while catching up, I landed on one of my favorites I Didn't Real Eyes.  If you like an innovative and fresh approach to artistic endeavors you will want to take a look at Bobbie's blog.  Of course, I love the inclusion of yarn in this mixed media piece.

Gooney Bird #1

Winner of the 1500th Sale

One of Deebs pieces

Debra Poth of Deebs was the winner. Take a look at her Etsy Shop.  Debra has been creating needle felted art pieces for sometime and obviously has mastered her medium.  I love the subtle detail in her work.

CONGRATULATION DEBRA!

Of course I'm hoping to see my Poquito Skein in one of her pieces.

Will You be the Winner?

I am fast approaching  1,500 sales in my etsy shop.  So what better way of celebrating than a Give-Away.  I am very grateful to my loyal friends who have bought from me and in return I will be offering a gift to the person who hits the 1,500 mark.

• Free Gift of one Poquito Skein between 7 and 12 yards in colors of your choice.
• I will notify the winner by email.
• I am at 1,493 at this moment, so only 7 sales to go.

In case you don't already know here is a little recap on exactly what a "Poquito Skein" is:

A versatile little (poquito) skein of handspun yarn. They come in varying yardage and styles. These small skeins have so much going on in terms of detail and technique which creates unexpected surprises and layers of color and texture.
USES:
Scarf Trim
Doll Making
Jewelry Making
Embellishment
Wall Art
Collage
Home Decor
Glove Trim
Hat Trim
Mixed Media Art
Rug Hooking

OR just to sample some of my handspun

So stay alert, watch the numbers and GOOD LUCK!

I Am Awed!

Notice that I did not use the word "awesome".  That word is one of my pet peeves, but that is another story and since this blog is about fiber not linguistics, I'll stick to my subject.

The more I research, talk to artists, surf the web and generally poke around the more awed I am to find fiber and handspun, in particular, being used in so many nonfunctional ways.  A major trend at the moment seems to be fiber jewelry.

Necklace by EarthWhim

Bracelet by EarthWhim

The above work was created by EarthWhim.  She is a jewelry maker who also uses other more conventional and beautiful materials.  I applaud her creativeness.

A Colorful Day of Hard Work

Yesterday was Sunday and as my mother used to say "there is no rest for the wicked"!  Shelley and I spent our day in the dye studio.  Shelley is my daughter and owner of Headleygrange a fiber source for exciting hand dyed raw wools.

We often dye together.  It's good to have the support as well as each others color input and best of all makes the day go quicker.  Dyeing is hardwork but also very rewarding.  Here is a pic of the fruits of our labor.

Freshly Dyed Wool on the Drying Racks

Here's the Next One

Another String Saver Yarn

As I mentioned in the last post, I've been busy creating patterns for my String Saver Yarns.

As much as I love spinning these yarns, I love working with them even more.  Every stitch is a new adventure....no boring knitting or crochet with these.  These yarns are definitely one of a kind and I have to say that each and every stitch is OOAK.  I guess you could say I have become a bit obsessive.  I can't wait to get to a new stitch or a whole new skein.  I have to get a grip or I won't have any new yarns to list for sale.

Carmen Miranda?

This evening I will be listing this hat pattern in my Etsy Store along with the String Savers in just the right amount of yardage.  Although I am calling this hat "A String Saver Hat" it really reminds me of a Carmen Miranda hat, with tons of luscious fruit piled on the top of her head.  Am I dating myself or this there anyone out there that remembers her?