Day 48: Fiber Heaven

I had a great creative day.  I found a replacement stash of hand dyed wool to work with (thanks to Eagle Creek Quilt Shop in Shakopee, MN) and I then went to The Yarn Garage in Rosemount, MN which was AMAZING.  I found a lovely selection of unique fibers to work with and I absolutely fell in love with texture and materials this afternoon.  I have been working on little bags, zippered/folded/buttoned/fabric/crochet/knitt/embellished.  This is my product for the day.  All of the details are hand sewn ruffles from a skein of ribbon type "yarn."  I have clear plastic pockets for my check book, a pen or make-up, cash, license/insurance cards, and the top one is most available for the debit/cash card.

 Then the sides fold over and the whole thing folds up and buttons closed.  The wool doesn't need finishing on the edges since it is felted already.  This was a super fun project!

I used the wool and ribbon sample from yesterday and I wrapped it around a used ribbon spool.  There were two ribbon spools (one thick and one thin) and the thin spool fit tightly inside the thick spool to make a pretty cool little container.  I added some paper on the inside for an additional "surprise" element.  I will save all of my used ribbon spools from now on for making these cute little containers.

Below is a picture of the yummy yarn-type fibers from The Yarn Garage.  Feel free to drool!  I love these textures!

Day 47: I don't know what to call it, but I like the texture of it

I was working ribbon through plastic and I sort of stumbled across this little braid pattern.  I took the ribbon off of the plastic and added it to this spare strip of felted wool fabric.  Since it was felted, I just cut through it with an exacto knife and then added the central ribbon.  Then the looped ribbon was woven in and out of the up sections of the center ribbon.  I pinned the end down with a glass pin I made a while back.  I could roll up my little sticks of travel make-up (if I actually traveled with make-up....) and just tie up the roll.  This isn't quite where I wanted to end today, but I figured I should post the process sometimes too.  I have a concert to go to tonight, so no more crafting revisions today.  This is a technique I will do more with in the future....for sure.

Day 46: Pencil/Pen/Crochet/Knitt Needle Holder Thingy

I made a holder for my pen/pencil/craft hooks to stick in my purse so that I won't have a spare pencil point or un-capped pen running around free in my purse of choice.  I used the same file folder construction with magnet closure as I have used for past journal covers.  I cut out my initials in contrasting color with my beloved Cricut, and I love the end product.  My favorite part of crafts is when you own an idea that you borrowed from another crafter/artist, but you have done it so much that the variations come about quite naturally.  Before long, the line of thoughts dumps you out so far from the beginning that it feels like a completely new product.  This isn't a departure very far from the notebook covers. but I didn't have to think very hard about the construction and the first one made was a product I was happy with.

In this one, I just wanted to carry a nice pen that I liked to use for writing (letters, journals, archival quality stuff), a standard pencil that I tend to use in my sketch books for jotting down ideas, and then my two go-two yarn/fiber crafting needles (I WILL LEARN HOW TO USED THAT STINKING ROUNDED KNITTING THING IF IT KILLS ME, and my old friend mile-a-minute crochet hook).  This way, I just grab a skein of yarn and I can entertain myself anywhere until the last inch of yarn runs out.....a definite "must have" for the hard-to-sit-still personality type of mine.  Two more crafting days until the deadline......TWO MORE!

Day 45: Clear Plastic Purse for ME!

Here is my first try at the plastic purse idea....and I am pretty pleased with it, if I do say so myself!  I did my first version with black as everything goes with black and I wear black much of the time anyway.  I have some sketches of different styles, but this one really fits me well.  The backpack will balance the weight between my shoulders, and I can't possibly carry more than I am "allowed."  I have a more filled out idea that I will reveal after my deadline on Friday.  Stay tuned!  Oh, and don't be distracted by its somewhat lacy stitching.  I looks much less tawdry with stuff inside =)

Day 44: Beaded Heart Bobby-Pins, and one step further toward liking the product

 Sylvia decided TODAY that she needed to make something to wear special for Valentine's Day at school tomorrow.  I left for a thing at a girlfriend's house from 1-4 ish, and suggested strongly that she finish her homework while I was gone so that we would have time when I got home to make something.  When I returned later than originally planned, she confessed that she hadn't finished her homework as she was "distracted"....and we then spent the next nearly two hours getting it done....with additional mother/daughter drama to be sure.  After dinner, we then made these little beauties for her hair.  Crisis avoided for one more holiday!






Here is stab number 2 at making the project from yesterday work more aesthetically.

 I used fabric paint (red, white, silver, and black) to cover up the stitching on the back sides of each fabric page, and to detail and frame each photo page.  I like it.  It just adds another layer, and it helps the over-all effect of these random glimpses into different parts of my family life.  I have these silver ribbons tied in different spots around the frame of each page which ultimately will function as page tabs of sorts.  Stay tuned for how that finally works out.




This picture shows that the ribbons are actually attaching a clear plastic pocket (all from scraps too) on the back side of each photo page.  I plan to use it as a card tracker....you know, to keep all of those random cards that we all have in our purses (or wallets)....I have gift cards to restaurants and coffee shops from former students.  I have frequent shopper cards for discounts at my favorite shots (Quilt Cove in Eagan, Bead Monkey, and the like) and also business cards of cool random artists that I collect over time.  I will probably also end up with a medical tab too for appointment cards and phone number cards for the variety of doctors I also frequent.  I will make efforts to label each divider with something that makes sense, and then just enjoy my little picture pouch in my purse.  I have several more pages that need added ribbon and plastic pockets, so this project is still evolving.  I am really missing my fiber friend Kristin as she is still in Africa doing good in the world....while I sit here without another artist's eye to help me evaluate.  So, internet friends....I need your honest feedback on these projects.  Give it to me straight, but don't make me cry on Valentine's Day ; )

Day 43: Not as I imagined it, but getting it "not quite right" is one step closer to being "spot on!"

 Okay, I won't explain the idea just yet as I want to get a product that I am happy with....this is where I ended with tonight after about 4 hours of work on it today.  I copied these pictures onto fabric paper, then ironed that onto fusible webbing, then ironed that onto black fabric folded as if it were a booklet, and the STICHED with my irritable sewing machine......I will likely still work with this one more tomorrow to see if I can work out a few more kinks before I actually get a product I like.  This one is really "loose" and I am a lot more refined than this.  Threads everywhere although nothing is really in danger of unraveling.  I do like the pictures though.  Maybe I can learn to like it with more work and layering, but tonight I am disgusted with the end product of so much time today.  I have a deadline five days from now, and I got absolutely NO CLOSER today.  Tomorrow must be a more successful day, although I did read somewhere that Einstein claims to have failed 999 times for every one success.  I dare say that my batting average is higher even if the genius isn't quite as intense =)

Day 42: Paper Bead Stretchy Bracelets, Bag for Magic Beans

 Okay, I admit that the top picture is odd.  Sylvia took it when I was mid-bag.  Now that I am downloading pictures for the blog, I realize the angle, and frankly it looks as though I am preparing to give birth.  I spread the yarn out around my knees to keep it from getting knotted, and I am in bed a fair amount of the day resting my back, and honestly, to get anything made at all feels a little like pushing through birth pains as well.....less messy, but painful none the less.  This is my second little baggie in a series using textiles that I love.  My son, Felix, says it looks like it would hold MAGIC BEANS when I had just intended it to hang on to my loose change.  I attached a little "label" with three German coins from being abroad in a summer music program just after high school.  I shined them up in my tumbler first, and now they jangle on my magic bean bag.....quite a place of honor I think!

 I finally strung some of my expanding paper bead collection onto strands of stretchy string.  They amuse me to no end with their textures and colors and simplicity.  I think I will make tons and tons.  Everyone on my future gift lists will likely get soap, paper bead bracelets, and journals.....I feel sorry for the manly types on my gift list.  I simply must develop a more masculine hobby at some point.  Maybe turning wood bowls?  Maybe in my 40s.  Today was a pretty productive day, despite how useless I felt.  Maybe I will birth more bags tomorrow.....only time will tell.