The Girls Have Arrived

One of the most challenging projects for me to needlefelt is gnome women.  They don't have beards to hide their faces, so much time is spent on details.  I love the way their faces are all different.  Up until today, I have only made three gnomey-ones of the female persuasion......

This is Jehn, she was my first girl.

She was followed by Lark.....

and Willow.....

I think you will agree they will be a hard act to follow.  All three were made in the fall of 2007.

Sooooo, today I have decided that there will be two more ladies from under the stump.

Starting out is fairly easy.  I am using some nice white short fiber wool.  Then, I am adding a thin layer of flesh-tone.

Noses and cheeks are on and I can already see the different characters.

Eyes of black wool yarn, mouth of red wool

Maine gnome females have nice rounded bodies

All of the gnomes I have known have had gray hair.  I don't know if the younger ones are not allowed to socialize, or if gray is the color from birth.

 

This is Garnet.....

.

...and this is Honey.

 

Local Gnomefolk.  >M<

Holiday Cards

This is the first year Ihave been organized enough to print cards to sell in my Etsy shop.  It sounds pretty straightforward....

I bought a new photo printer last spring, and was thinking about card and calendar production the whole time. 

I made calendars for family and close friends last year, and was quite happy with the result.  I printed them on some great cotton paper. 
When I went to print cards to sell last week, however, the pre-cut and sized cards I had purchased seemed to wick up the printer ink, and the colors came out dull.  It seemed the same on regular cardstock, which is what I usually have printed on.
I had some high quality matte presemntation paper that the colors came out positively glowing, but it isn't stiff enough for cards.

I did some research, and saw that some artists are printing their cards on linen textured cover stock -- I guess a trip to Staples is in order!!!

Meanwhile, I printed some small versions of my seasonal artwork, and have them in my shop.....

Busy week

I have been productive.....
One wooly ratty was shipped this week, and there are five other "small ones" waiting to go.
I don't like to coop them up in the plastic box, but if I don't they may run around and get dirty or lost!

I have one more mouse left to finish, ....

 

The de-constructed mouse

No eyes, ears or whiskers yet....

I am making two batches of rolls this morning for a benefit supper for a friend tonight, so I think the whiskers will wait.

Mouse and Ratty

New Messenger Rodents....

Mr. Fieldmouse will be on his way to New Hampshire tomorrow to play with a little boy!!

This morning's sunshine on their whiskers!

The distinguished Mr. Ratty

Is Yellow too radical?

It is always fun to imagine what somebody might write for a message.....

This last image was taken with my new OTT light last night...I am very pleased with the way it came out......

First Mouse of the Season

I got up and decided that today was the day to start needle felting. 

A mouse seemed in order.......

He turned out to be quite a handsome fellow, with a white underbelly, beady eyes and a nice, long tail.

I decided it is still a while to Solstice, so I made him a messenger mouse.  It took me a while to remember how i made the messenger bags.

When he was finished we went outside to take photos.

I put him in my Etsy shop, and now I need to make someone else.....:)

He is ready to embark on a journey to deliver an important bit of truth!!!

This is so much fun!!

Wynona

Work Space

It is time to start doing creative indoor things.  It is getting too cold to go out in the gardens, and I feel the pull of needing to CREATE.  Every year it seems to be the same dilemma -- all of my materials come out to the dining room table, and then they STAY there, creating a very messy atmosphere.  I am trying to make a place just for working on my artwork.... There isn't a spare room for a studio, so I have taken over half of the living room.

  This is the organized part of my spot, 

But THIS is what it really looks like right now!

I went today to a local second hand store called "Scavengers" and found a great worktable! I was looking for something that would fit my space that was washable and very sturdy.   It has a porcelain or enamel top on heavy metal, with two "leaves" that can pull out from either side to increase the space.  It was $65.00.

 

I wish I could stay home from work tomorrow and play in my space!

Massive organizing needed!!!  How many plastic bins can a person have??!!