Tomorrow it is more sculpting and more more more tassels on howtomaketassels.com.
Cheers!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
OOAK Fairy and Egg Art - the Fairy is in Her Environment
At long last, I am finished with my little rose fairy, her swan, and her goose egg. The egg is trimmed with glitter, ribbon embroidery, and Swarovski crystals in antuque rose. This was an incredible journey in bringing together some of my favorite art forms. Enjoy! 
Tomorrow it is more sculpting and more more more tassels on howtomaketassels.com.
Cheers!
Tomorrow it is more sculpting and more more more tassels on howtomaketassels.com.
Cheers!
Monday, March 26, 2012
OOAK Fairy Environment in the Works
What a beautiful weekend! And a great weekend to work on the environment for my little OOAK polymer clay fairy. This little sleeping fairy princess has rose petal wings and dainty hands and feet. She is equivalent to about a 5" high sculpt. I am pretty new to this, in fact she is my first completed OOAK fairy. I am working on my second, but put her on hold to finish the egg art to go with this little gal's environment. A little more tweaking and it will be all finished!
Back to work! Cheers!
Back to work! Cheers!
Friday, March 23, 2012
Busy Day of Crafting
Today was a day for creativity. I have been wanting to finish the environment for this fairy for the longest time. I just haven't been in the mood to fire up the air compressor to carve the goose egg. However, like most things artsy I am instantly addicted again. I can't wait to start on another egg, and I have in mind exactly what I want to do so stay tuned! I think I will start it next week. Like I did with the last one...hmmm. HA! I also may become distracted by my latest needlepoint purchase, a small version of the Circus Horse by Melissa Shirley. I have been working on a monkey like it for a while now and plan to make matching pillows out of these pieces. There are also some interesting happenings in the garden...
Now it is time to let the glues dry, and tomorrow the insides of the egg will be filled with modelling paste to finish hiding the ribbon ends. The scene is soon to be complete!
Cheers!
Now it is time to let the glues dry, and tomorrow the insides of the egg will be filled with modelling paste to finish hiding the ribbon ends. The scene is soon to be complete!
Cheers!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
No spring for us
It looks like this year there will be a much abbreviated spring. Those pictures from a few days ago? Here is the same scene just two weeks later.
Already this week we had over 80 degree heat and I had to turn on the air conditioning. Thus ends the blissful period in which neither the heat nor the air conditioning have to be on, truncating the few months of respite that is often enjoyed between the high gas bill and the high electric bill, which I think “winter” and “summer” might be renamed, respectively. A very bright aspect of the season is the generous rainfall thus far, which is making the lawn and landscape lush and healthful.
Yesterday I had to do everybody’s taxes. So no post. I think the laws of nature are on my side with that excuse!
The construction process on the web sites continues, it is a wonderful creative journey in itself. I am learning a lot about Photoshop and Facebook and all kinds of social media, in short, being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
I finished the pompom tassels last night at long last, these were absolutely a work in in progress. These pompoms are a mish mash of leftover fibers from my stash, as I mentioned. Making these pompoms is tedious but is fun and is something that can be done right in front of the TV if you choose. In the process of constructing these, I learned a lot about fibers and the way they behave. In the end, it really to comes down to this: as long as about ¾ of the pompom is pure wool, the pompom will “fluff out”. If you look closely at these tassels you will see:
• Crewel wool – most of this is leftover Appleton’s
• Tapestry wool- mostly DMC
• Silk n’ Ivory from Brown Paper Packages
• Kreinik metallic threads
• Splendor silk
• Caron Watercolors and Waterlilies *
• DMC and/or Anchor floss
• Very Velvet from Rainbow Gallery
And probably some I forgot about…
I like to use my leftover fibers (and some that I bought and for which I simply haven’t found a use) in creative ways, and go figure, often times that is on a tassel. If the colors aren’t right, you can dye them. Jacquard dyes work wonderfully for silk and cotton, and Procion dyes from Dharma trading will cover rayon and natural viscose. You really can’t dye nylon or other synthetic fibers, but most of what I use with needlepoint and passementerie (tassel making) are natural fibers anyway. Check back a couple of posts ago and you will see an example, various natural fibers that I dyed to make some pretty red tassels.
Roping it back in to the pompom tassels, I didn’t use any dyes here, and they are naturally a variety of colors that I thought looked very nice together. The form is done in silk ribbon embroidery with beads and glitter.
This process has made me recall that I need to and the “color 101”section to the howtomaketassels.com web site. Back to work!
* These variegated threads are a great source for color matching. More on this soon!
Already this week we had over 80 degree heat and I had to turn on the air conditioning. Thus ends the blissful period in which neither the heat nor the air conditioning have to be on, truncating the few months of respite that is often enjoyed between the high gas bill and the high electric bill, which I think “winter” and “summer” might be renamed, respectively. A very bright aspect of the season is the generous rainfall thus far, which is making the lawn and landscape lush and healthful.
Yesterday I had to do everybody’s taxes. So no post. I think the laws of nature are on my side with that excuse!
The construction process on the web sites continues, it is a wonderful creative journey in itself. I am learning a lot about Photoshop and Facebook and all kinds of social media, in short, being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
I finished the pompom tassels last night at long last, these were absolutely a work in in progress. These pompoms are a mish mash of leftover fibers from my stash, as I mentioned. Making these pompoms is tedious but is fun and is something that can be done right in front of the TV if you choose. In the process of constructing these, I learned a lot about fibers and the way they behave. In the end, it really to comes down to this: as long as about ¾ of the pompom is pure wool, the pompom will “fluff out”. If you look closely at these tassels you will see:
• Crewel wool – most of this is leftover Appleton’s
• Tapestry wool- mostly DMC
• Silk n’ Ivory from Brown Paper Packages
• Kreinik metallic threads
• Splendor silk
• Caron Watercolors and Waterlilies *
• DMC and/or Anchor floss
• Very Velvet from Rainbow Gallery
And probably some I forgot about…
I like to use my leftover fibers (and some that I bought and for which I simply haven’t found a use) in creative ways, and go figure, often times that is on a tassel. If the colors aren’t right, you can dye them. Jacquard dyes work wonderfully for silk and cotton, and Procion dyes from Dharma trading will cover rayon and natural viscose. You really can’t dye nylon or other synthetic fibers, but most of what I use with needlepoint and passementerie (tassel making) are natural fibers anyway. Check back a couple of posts ago and you will see an example, various natural fibers that I dyed to make some pretty red tassels.
Roping it back in to the pompom tassels, I didn’t use any dyes here, and they are naturally a variety of colors that I thought looked very nice together. The form is done in silk ribbon embroidery with beads and glitter.
This process has made me recall that I need to and the “color 101”section to the howtomaketassels.com web site. Back to work!
* These variegated threads are a great source for color matching. More on this soon!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
A Slow Day
Just a few pictures today...I am working on finishing a tassel adorned with a lot of pom poms. I love these little puff balls because they are fun...AND a great way to use up the odd threads in your stash. This particular tassel set was made using all sorts of leftover needlepoint yarn, Kreinik metallics, assorted Rainbow Gallery threads, and more. I think I will be able to finish these tassels tonight. Here is a picture of the pom poms and the cord from last night's work session.
Also, here are some curtain tie backs that will be going on the "commissions" page soon of the howtomaketassels.com
web site. I love these because the yarns are fine specialty yarns that were on a spectacular clearance sale table at a local yarn shop. With the money I saved on the yarn, I splurged on the beautiful pearl and crystal buttons that embellish the tassel heads. I am always looking out for interesting baubles that I can put on my tassels to make them really unique. It gives me just one more thing to look for when "antiquing" (yes, thinking of an old "Frasier" episode, I am one of those for whom "antique" can be a verb).
Yesterday I posted some tassels with some glass art beads. Here is a close up of one of them. This artist at Dolly Ahles does such amazing lamp work. Her web site is flamedancerbeads.com
I am still looking for the artist of the long iris bead. Is it yours??
Cheers!
Also, here are some curtain tie backs that will be going on the "commissions" page soon of the howtomaketassels.com
web site. I love these because the yarns are fine specialty yarns that were on a spectacular clearance sale table at a local yarn shop. With the money I saved on the yarn, I splurged on the beautiful pearl and crystal buttons that embellish the tassel heads. I am always looking out for interesting baubles that I can put on my tassels to make them really unique. It gives me just one more thing to look for when "antiquing" (yes, thinking of an old "Frasier" episode, I am one of those for whom "antique" can be a verb).
Yesterday I posted some tassels with some glass art beads. Here is a close up of one of them. This artist at Dolly Ahles does such amazing lamp work. Her web site is flamedancerbeads.com
I am still looking for the artist of the long iris bead. Is it yours??
Cheers!
Monday, March 19, 2012
Still at it
Back at it today...working on the web sites to fill them to the rim with pictures, tutorials, ideas, and just generally making them a place to enjoy and spend some time perusing. It is amazing how each seemingly small step can turn out to be a major undertaking. However I am satisfied with the progress and am really learning a lot along the way. I received some good feedback about the needleartslady.com site; this is where the bulk of photos will be. Tutorials on the needleartslady web site will likely center on egg art, dolls, and other embroidery items not related to tassel making. I have a fairly clear vision of how all of this will shake out, but contingencies happen so am proceeding with an open mind.
Here are the other tassels in this small batch of scissor tassels (yesterday I posted the red ones). Usually I make these scissor tassels in much larger batches, but I had these beads I bought at the International Society of Glass Bead Makers annual show last year in Louisville sitting in a box and really felt compelled to use them somehow.
Tomorrow I will try to post the beads up close along with credit for the artists.
On a different note, this weather is so bizarre. These pictures were taken exactly one week from eachother!
These web sites are usurping most of my time, but eventually, I will get back to sculpting me latest fairy. She is a bit shy...
Cheers for now!
Here are the other tassels in this small batch of scissor tassels (yesterday I posted the red ones). Usually I make these scissor tassels in much larger batches, but I had these beads I bought at the International Society of Glass Bead Makers annual show last year in Louisville sitting in a box and really felt compelled to use them somehow.
Tomorrow I will try to post the beads up close along with credit for the artists.
On a different note, this weather is so bizarre. These pictures were taken exactly one week from eachother!
Cheers for now!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Well We're off to a Great Start!
Greetings out there...This is my first "official" blog post. I am gearing up for the launch of my two web sites-check out the links on the top of the page and watch me grow! I would like to welcome everyone...or anyone...or you...or whoever might be looking...to my chaotic world of needlework. I am still not sure why it is called needlework...although sometimes it can be, like in those excruciating last few days when all you want to do is "get a project over with" or better yet...when you have taken on a large commission involving lots of colors that would clash in a garbage pail. Otherwise, I prefer the term "needle art" because that is what we do...create beautiful, expressive works of art. Whether it's charted or freeform and uncharted, it is what we create, with the love of hands and heart.
Right now I am full force on the "how to make tassels" web site. I think this is something really new on the web. I have made tassels for more than twenty years and finally have the time...and now with technology...to share so much of what I have learned about this often overlooked form of needle art and expression. From decorative to utilitarian, these thoroughly tactile objets d'art can be anything from simple to fabulously opulent and over the top.
And they can save your stash: Here is a bit to whet your whistle.
Here are some threads I had left in my "stash"...you know you have one! With some reactive procion dye, a few beads from my bead stash, some dyed ribbon (I buy yardages of silk and dye it myself), and a bit of the creative process, I turned this stuff into this:
This was so much fun, and the kind of thing you can learn how to do on my "how to make tassels" web site.
Of course, I am not all about tassels. I love needlework of all kinds and making dolls, too...I will be journalizing my fabulous journey here. I hope you'll join me...soon I hope to have a place for your pictures and as always look forward to comments too.
Also...don't forget to check out my website needleartslady.com. This was my first site and where I keep my galleries (still in progress but will be complete soon). There will also be instructional material there...check back often. Cheers!
Right now I am full force on the "how to make tassels" web site. I think this is something really new on the web. I have made tassels for more than twenty years and finally have the time...and now with technology...to share so much of what I have learned about this often overlooked form of needle art and expression. From decorative to utilitarian, these thoroughly tactile objets d'art can be anything from simple to fabulously opulent and over the top.
And they can save your stash: Here is a bit to whet your whistle.
Here are some threads I had left in my "stash"...you know you have one! With some reactive procion dye, a few beads from my bead stash, some dyed ribbon (I buy yardages of silk and dye it myself), and a bit of the creative process, I turned this stuff into this:
This was so much fun, and the kind of thing you can learn how to do on my "how to make tassels" web site.
Of course, I am not all about tassels. I love needlework of all kinds and making dolls, too...I will be journalizing my fabulous journey here. I hope you'll join me...soon I hope to have a place for your pictures and as always look forward to comments too.
Also...don't forget to check out my website needleartslady.com. This was my first site and where I keep my galleries (still in progress but will be complete soon). There will also be instructional material there...check back often. Cheers!
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