Wednesday, January 29, 2014

My, how time flies!

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last posted here!  And I don't have a lot to show for it, either! I have done some experimenting on a few things, and I'm gearing up to write some posts for "...And Then We Set it On Fire" , but they won't be published until July.  So I'm afraid I've been just puttering, catching up on non-fiber arts things, and the big news is we're preparing to have our kitchen remodeled!  I spent time looking at cabinets, counter tops, appliances, etc.  Today the cabinets and counter tops were delivered, the new stove and fridge are in, and we have a tentative start time for the re-do for sometime in early February. I am not looking forward to the 7-10 days of chaos while the old is ripped out and the new is installed, but I know we're going to love it when it's done, so check back for pix in a few weeks.
On another note, yesterday was "Road Trip" for me and two if my buddies, Joyce & Cinde.  We went to Phoenix to soak up some warm temps, shop, eat too much, and attend the "Chihuly in the Garden" exhibit at the Desert Botanical Gardens:

 Here is a sample of the Chihuly Glass Art on exhibit
 Joyce, standing next to a giant Saguaro - she's a little over 5', so you can see how tall it is! 
 Joyce, Cinde and me having a "Girls Road Trip"
 An incredible piece!  Fits in well among the cacti, doesn't it?
 A giant display of beautiful orbs... looked like a wonderful cluster of birthday balloons!
This cactus wren had a beautiful song... wish I had thought to try and get it on video!

I took over 60 photos there, but this gives you an idea of what we saw.  The exhibit will be there until 5/18/14, in case you want to check it out.  We spent at least 2 hours there, and really enjoyed it.  Here is one last shot to tempt you:


Wednesday, January 1, 2014

What the New Year will bring...

Happy 2014 everyone!  I was really hoping to have a comprehensive post ready to go for the first day of the New Year, but I have been busy... just doing!  And I have a few year-end tasks I do for my biz and getting ready for the tax man.  Today, I updated my inventory list and started my physical inventory... it will take a few days to get that wrapped up.  Then this morning, I got busy and cleaned out the fridge... always a fun task, but one that needed to be done!
Craft-wise, I did finish a bowl with a lid that I'm very pleased with:
I used the same fabric as the oval-shaped bowl I posted about recently, and found a wooden bead to use as a lid handle, which just happened to match a button I found in my stash to finish off the round circle on the front of the lid.  I know there will be more bowls like this in my future!
On the experimental front, I have decided to give felting a try, although I don't have all the necessary materials on hand yet.  Here is a picture of my first attempt, using some woven wool-like fabric as the base, with some roving and other bits and pieces:
It's nowhere close to being 'felted', but I am liking the appearance.  I hope to get some felt for the base soon, and will post more when I have something to report.
As you may know, I am a Resident Artist on the blog "... And then we set it on Fire" which is a really neat spot to find posts on various Surface Design Techniques.  This year sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun, with some new Fiber Artists participating, and some format changes that I think visitors will enjoy... if you are not familiar with the site, check it out!
As for 2013, it turned out to be a really great year for me - I participated in 5 shows this year, including one that I helped organize and produce, and had good to great sales in them all; I worked hard to improve my bowls and "Shabby Chic" scarves, which have become my 2 best sellers, especially at the Artists' Coalition of Flagstaff Art Gallery;  all in all, it was a good year for me creatively, and I hope that 2014 will be just as good. So stay tuned, and I will continue to keep you posted on what I'm up to... right now, I need a nap!