Carved Stamp 3

Well I didn't carve this stamp today, neither of them, the flower or tile. But it was clear that Cinco de Mayo should be something that reminds us of our wonderful neighbor, Mexico.  I have had so many great trips down there that it seemed an appropriate design.  The tile stamp was purposely, not fully impressed when I stamped the pattern.

I love how it came together. And, I really love stamps...and, carving them.

Thanks and remember, stamping makes the world go round and round 

New Banner

I love looking at what other artist and crafters do on their blogs, websites and Etsy, with their banners. Many Etsians even sell banners in their shops. Very Cool. There are so many beautiful, eye-catching banners that are works of art themselves. Whether they are digitally created, photographs, orginal art imagary or a combination of all of the above, most are all unique and interesting to see.

 A few weeks ago I was playing with my carved stamps and stamped out a design with this stamp. I loved how the stamp had different colorations on it from the different inks I had used.  I shot a picture of it to show you its own beauty.

As I was working to create patterned backgrounds,  I came up with  one in my sketchbook, a new very affordable sketchbook, which I got at AC Moore. And let me just say, "I love it" because the paper is super smooth and perfect for stamping. Many sketchbooks have a rough surface  (tooth) which is more suitable for drawing with pencil, charcoal and pen.

I think I was drawn to it because it said Recycled and  then noticed the $5.00 price and when I opened it and felt the paper, I was hooked!  So, as I played around with this stamp I came up with this pattern. Then I scanned it and monkeyed around  in Photoshop with the image and decided to create a banner.   One of these days I am going to upgrade my Photoshop, I use Elements 2.0, it almost sounds laughable.  When I think how old this program is I think about upgrading.  But for now it works for my basic needs and I am grateful to have it.

Peace out.

Beeswax Birds

Well, Christmas has come and gone and here it is, almost the end of January. And the start of a new decade. 2010......Wow! It was hard to post here during the holidays, we were spending our time with each other and cherishing our last days with our beloved Leo. Our beautiful Red Golden Retriever was my loyal friend and constant companion (and I mean constant). He flew away a few days after Christmas. He was diagnosed with bone cancer right after Thanksgiving. He went so fast, and I know that the speed of his departure was a blessing. We miss you Leo-nski, you Big Red Rascal! So here I am to say, I am back in the swing of things. I am getting ready to teach at Ink About It on February 6, in Westford, Mass. Last weekend I dropped off samples of these fun little peeps. I really like the pedestal stand instead of the wire legs. See the other birdies here, (scroll down). We will have the option to make either in class and I will provide one spindle base for each student. Or if you think you can swing two birds, go for it! The beeswax adds such a soft luster finish that you barely see in these images, but when you hold it, you know it is there. They seem to be taking on a life of their own. Oh, and did I mention.......? Their wings are moveable!

There are more Beeswax Birds coming here soon, with more ideas on how to perch them. That is all I am going to say for now. So check back and see what other ideas I have in the works.

Rug Hooked Wall Pocket

Ok, So let me just say that I am, one day, going to learn Photoshop better and become a better photography....but for now, this is my post, and here is my little hooked wall pocket. It was from the burlap that I was utilizing before cutting up.

Wall pockets or door/knob hangers appeal to me, because they are so charming. During our Christmas decoration unpacking, which is while we decorate the tree, there is often an ornament or two that just doesn't belong on the tree and it ends up getting hung on a window latch or some random spot around the house. Wall pockets have that same sort of fun, home decor accent quality that I appreciate. And, yes it is a primitive, homespun feeling.

A rug hooked pocket can be tricky because transforming a hooked piece into something functional......other than a rug, usually requires attaching the hooked piece to a fabric foundation. Now, the reason it is difficult is because on burlap or (more preferred) linen, easily unravels. So, unless, you have pre-stitched (machine) you outer area before hooking, you risk the chance of your hooked design unraveling when you cut it out.

When this design was cut out I sewed a piece of ticking to the top of the piece right sided together and then folded in downward

Hooked Wool Flower Garden

Well, I finally got all of my hooked wool flower brooches loaded on Etsy. Brooch is a funny word, it doesn't seem appropriate for a piece of lovely jewelry, it sounds more like a tool you would use or some kind of vehicle you would drive. Anyway, I am having a SALE on them and wanted to make sure they were all ready to go. I still need to figure out the photography thing. Photography is simply, another one of those things on my list of things to learn. But, for the most part I think they are pretty good pictures. Some of the colors and lighting could be better, but I am just going to roll with it.

Since I was featured in her last book on collage,

Jane Davies has asked me to offer some more pieces for her upcoming book and I need to get some things off in the mail to her by tomorrow.....it will probably end up being Tuesday. With an extra hour this morning, a quiet hour as it seems now, I am headed to my studio. I am working on several things and mornings are great for creating. See you later!

More Hooked Wool

Since I had a large piece of burlap that I was hooking random pieces on I wanted to finish as much of the surface area I could before cutting up the individual elements. The reason is, once I cut into the burlap foundation it will not longer fit on my hooking frame. I was still able to save enough of the burlap to use on my frame later, but I was ready to finish these pieces. As well as a bunch of hooked flowers to put in my Etsy shop. The Crow was finished months ago and posted on The Welcome Mat. I knew I wanted to make more wool covers for my finished Moleskine journals, so I got busy.

Man, it's tough to shoot these picture and have the color come out right. I have been playing the the white balance, but unsure of what exactly I am doing. Just sort of pushing buttons. Similar to what I do in Photoshop!

I really love natural backgrounds when hooking. Many Hookers I know, (yes, that is what we call ourselves) can hook designs with dark backgrounds and add the colors without them getting lost or losing contrast.

This Crow Under the Stars was hooked almost too large to fit on a Moleskine cover. And of course, on my journals you can see many paint splotches. I never worry about getting things on the outside of my journals, it just adds to the story. Besides I usually embellish the cover after the journal is filled. It is easier to work in that way, especially when adding bulky hooked elements. I adhere them with Fabric-Tac. It grips so well and stays for ever. I am not worried about archival, but if you are, you can use Gel Medium (regular or heavy). I have used that also, but it is a good idea to rest a heavy book on top of the piece while it is drying.

Watch my Etsy shop for more wool flowers blooming!

Sweater Books

Ok, so I was inspired to create some more wool ideas I had rolling around in my head. I love my little hooked flowers but wanted to do more with them. Not everyone wants to wear flower pins, so I decided how about a journal? I love journals, making them, looking at them, holding them, writing/art journaling in them and have I a good collection....many, many are filled and of course some partially filled. I decided a long time ago that partially filled books were absolutely fine. Why stress about filling them up, especially in a linear fashion? No doubt I have many journals filled. I also keep little sketch books of ideas and illustrations I collect along the way. Blah, blah, blah.....

So back to my inspired day, yesterday. I wanted to do something with some old sweaters I had grabbed from the Salvation Army last year, which I felted and then stashed on my fabric shelf. I knew these flowers needed a fabric background if they were to be used on a book cover. I came up with the coziest little Sweater Journals, which I adore. I used blank index cards for the pages and recycled boards from old legal pads, etc. (yes, I save them) for the book board. I had to paint the edge of the board to match the sweater and choose a inside wool for lining. Then needle felted the stems from my stash of wool roving, that I bought from a fellow Etsian PrimnProper, it was a huge bag of roving filled with many colors that I got on sale for under $10.00! I then punched out my book board and index cards using the Bind-it-All machine by Zutter, and sewed my sweaters onto the boards, just around the edges. Then I trimmed the edges and bound the book and adhered my cute wool flowers. And yes there are imperfections in the sewing.....more wonk, like I do so well. Well let's just say 'perfectly imperfect'.

So, get out your old abandoned wool sweaters, felt them and make Sweater Books.

I've Been Rug Hooking!

Well, ok nothing major, but the weather has me in the mood for some hooked projects. Hooking in the summer doesn't really feel right to me, I am usually working in my journal and carving stamps....or maybe making a quilted book or two.

I have a little set up of some bamboo boxes (filled with wool and supplies) next to a chair in a corner in my living room so I can get in a few minutes of hooking here and there, when we are busy living our family life. Since I am not really working on any big pieces right now, (or more accurately avoiding the long runner I started years ago from a pattern by Primitive Spirit, which sits rolled ontop of my wool bin...)I am making some more flowers for pins and some more small patches that I will make into door hangers or adhere to my some my filled Moleskine journals that need some fiber on the cover. These these little hooked pretties are on burlap which isn't my favorite support to hook on, but I am using what I had. Watch my Etsy shop for these pieces becoming sellable products. Holidays are coming....and I have a new idea for the flowers.

Anyway, here is a picture of my corner,.........complete with my faithful Golden Retirever (Red Golden), Leo. We adopted him accidently from the MSPCA several years ago on my son's birthday. We had gone out for breakfast and decided to drop by on the way home, and register our name for a future adoption. We ended up leaving with Leo. He was a year and a half and perfectly trained. We scored! Anyway, he is constantly at my side. My daughter says he pouts when I am gone and my husband says, I am Leo's Goddess. Well, at least someone gives me the god-like respect I so deserve. And yes, there are piles, bags and boxes of wool strips. You can imagine the lint, fuzz, and miscellaneous fiber that accumulates in this little corner of the my world. But who has time to clean when there is time to create!