Thursday 28 April 2011

Studio Breakthrough

I have had a huge breakthrough in regards to my studio.  Firstly, a trip to IKEA has some more storage for my wool tops and other things.  Now a second trip is being planned for tomorrow.

My husband (Anthony or AP, as he is known) and I have had a dispute over space and storage.  He thinks I take up too much of both with all my art (aka crap) and I want him to build me my own separate studio.  We currently share a space, officially is is a living room, but who really needs 4 living rooms in their house??  So with us each having half the room, battle lines are regularly drawn.  He throws stuff on my side, I thrown everything I can lay my hands on, back on his side.  It shall happen no more.

AP has agreed to leave 'my studio' and I am going to give up an area which I have currently commandeered and this is going to be his new 'office area' and I am going to have one whole room to myself...no husband....no children.......if there was a door I would put a deadlock on it.

I have asked AP if we can have the change made by Sunday night, as he flies out for work Monday morning.  I am planning to work hard to make it happen.  Wait for the before and after photos.

Sunday 24 April 2011

One finished camel sitting on a wall.......

It took me a little time, but my fuzzy little friend, finally got finished.

Please help me in formally welcoming Jeremiah the jungle camel.  The jungle camels habitat is in the dense jungle areas of the Congo.  They are rarely seen due to their excellent camouflage and their very shy nature.  Luckily Jeremiah is a very well travelled and outgoing young fellow.  He is currently searching for a partner, so if you are aware of any single female camels, please let us know.

Friday 22 April 2011

One green camel..............

One very happy camel is resting on my table.  He has had a very hard couple of days, being stabbed, poked and nearly drowned.  A bit of R & R is due.
This was my new friend, before he was wet felted.  Fuzzy little fella isn't he.

Camel bathtime.  It took me an hour and a half of strenuous hand rubbing to get this guy finished.  Lots of hot water, soap, rubbing and a pair of awfully clean, but prune like hands.

A soggy, posing camel.

Wednesday 20 April 2011

A camel has emerged!

After more hours of stabbing fibre.........a camel has decided to appear.  There was a necessary tail docking (don't tell the RSPCA) and some more stabbing, a bit more stabbing, a couple of Easter eggs and ta da!

Now I have to sort out colours, how many layers to apply, how much more stabbing to do and when I think I will have time to do it all.  Any thoughts??

Needlefelting.....art or insane pursuit??

So I am trying to teach myself needle felting.  What I thought shouldn't be too hard, has turned into an adventure.  I have only injured myself once, which drew blood.  My critter is evolving......as with most of my work, I just start and see where it wants to go.  I'm not a planner or exact measurer, no keeping detailed records, I'm lucky for a picture or two.
I will admit, stabbing my critter was a bit melodramatic, but it was fun!  I am using two different sorts of needle felting tools.  The pen style one is my favourite, and the larger Ashfords timber one, I am naming "Big Bertha".  Now Bertha is not to be messed with and boy, does she pack a punch.
As you can see from the closeup.....there is a bit of a difference.  Bertha has mainly come into play when punching the body, the legs were all done with the pen.  It's easy to make the limbs and then attach, also reinforcing attachments is not bad.

I am trying to get the limbs and body fairly firm to start with.  I am not sure how colouring my fella is going to go.  Not sure how many layers I will need to put on and how much needle felting will be required.  I am of course, dying to do the wet felting, but I am trying to learn patience........anyone who knows me, knows that patience and I aren't compatable.

Back to the table to keep on needling. 

Things I have learnt:
1. Needle felting uses very different arm and hand muscles than wet felting.
2. If you swap hands every so often, you don't hate it as much.
3. Don't watch TV.  TV and needle felting ends up in blood and pain.
4. Be patient.
5. Be patient.
6 Be patient.
7. Avoid needling by writing in a blog.

Tuesday 19 April 2011

New Beginnings

I am not going to make any promises.  This is the second blog I have written and I will admit that I can get very lazy or just plain run out of time.  I will try my best to update things as I find them, but no promises as to how frequent I do this.

For those who don't know me very well, I am first and foremost a wet felter.  I use resist techniques to felt sculptural forms.  I am passionate about fibre sculpture and enjoy combining the two.  I have never needle felted before in my life and started last night.  I am too impatient to do gorgeous little fine sculptures, I am planning on making some 'teddy bear' sized critters and then......wet felt them.  How could I not do this!

This is Jackie Huang.  I somehow 'found' Jackie online....as I do tend to do.  Jackie's critters are all needle felted (I am encouraging him to wet felt one now).  You can see Jackie's work here http://woolbuddy.com/

One of my many bizzare talents......yes there are many......is finding people and making connections.  I meet people and am able to give them connections to other people (or places or objects) that they need.  I am a networker, never intended, it just kind of happens.  So if you ever need something or someone with a specific talent.....talk to me....you never know what will happen!