The Beauty's In The Details

I finally got all of my new nuno felt pillows listed on My Etsy Site . The new pieces are nuno felt on the front and recycled knitting on the reverse. I've used details such as unique yarns to join the two sides and cutting fringe into the backings. I want my pillows to be as much soft sculpture as cozy accents for a sofa, chair or bed. The pictures below offer you a glimpse of these details that make each one, not just a pillow, but a one of a kind art piece. You can see them in their entirety by clicking on the link below, and under the individual detail images.

Arlene's Etsy Shop

Don't they look yummy all stacked together?

Spring Flowers Nuno Felt Pillow detail

Butterfly Nuno Felt Pillow (detail)

Northern Lights Collage Nuno Felt Pillow (detail)

Peppermint Creame Nuno Felt Pillow (detail)

August Nuno Felt Workshop

We spent a productive two days learning and having fun making nuno felt. Other exciting felt processes that were explored included making pieces of pre-felt and silk paper to add to our designs, plus embelished felt ropes and beads.

Love those beautiful colors!

Nuno Felt pillows are the best!

Best Tool For Wetting Felt

I must admit that I especially love the fact that I can felt anywhere, anytime, without needing special tools.  I tell my workshop students that the method of nuno felting that I teach can be done in hotel rooms which, coincidently, are equipped with everything you need.  I know, because I've done it!  Not only in a hotel room, but on a recent Scandinavian cruise I found some beautiful wool in Helsinki and that night in the tiny bathroom of our cabin I made felt. 

However........I have always, in the many art forms I have explored, gravitated towards the best tools I could find. So hotel rooms and shipboard cabins aside, I hereby offer up:

  The Rubber Sprayer Sprinkler Bulb   

With it I can wet down my work without disturbing the design, and use the hottest water possible without burning my hands.  I've shared this nifty tool with my students and it's always love at first squeeze.  You can find one of your very own at: 

The Fiber Studio's Shop on Etsy

New Nuno Felt Scarves

I guess my fabric dyeing adventures have been occupying a lot of my recent attention, and as a result I have been a bit lax in listing my new scarves on Etsy, but I more than made up for it this week by listing over a dozen new ones!  You can see them all here.  Now I can turn my efforts to making more nuno felt with the fabrics I have been dying.  

Learning to Dye Silk and Cotton

It seems like I am in constant pursuit of just the right color of silk and cotton fabric for my nuno felt pieces.  So, it was just a matter of time before I finally learned some easy ways to dye my own cloth, just the way I need and want it to be. Karen Dietz, a student of mine taught an intro to dying class this past week and I've been off and running ever since.  For practice I am dying and painting white flour sack cotton dish towels, and cotton napkins.  I'm excited, both with the fun pieces I am making and how much I am learning. 

A Burt Watson Original

My husband Burt makes the most beautiful  beaded leather handbags.  We went to an art show and he found these faux bakelite handles.  I couldn't wait to see what he was going to create with them.  The handles are so outstanding that he decided he didn't want to compete with them by adding beads, instead he put his creative efforts into the stitching.   

You can see more of this unique work in Burt's Etsy Shop.  

Shopping with Monty

I like to shop for bits of lace and fabric to use in my Nuno Felt projects.  A favorite place to look is The Attic in Coronado.  I took my Monty boy with me this time and we discovered this really cute little vintage poodle.  At first Monty was a bit leery of his new friend, but as you can see they discovered that they had much in common and were more alike than different.  

Group Effort Mosaics

My friend Kirstin Green is a fabulous mosaic artist, and beyond. This week she took me on a tour of the large wall mosaics at Coronado High School, each permanent installation a class project taught by Kirstin and executed, with her help, by the students.   Coronado High has changed dramatically since Kirstin was a student there.  She can be proud of her contribution to her alma mater which will be enjoyed for generations to come. You can go on Kirstin's web site and see these pieces in entirety, but this mosaic of the mosaics offers a sneak peek of the fine quality of this work.  

At Home With Purple

Having indulged  my wanderlust all week, I'm representing purple Friday with samplings of my own, close to home, purple endeavors, including a look at  Burt's beaded leather.  I did toss another Turkey picture in the mix, the purple plates, because everyone liked the blue ones so much.  I have had lots of fun with color week,  especially, for me, remembering so many wonderful sights, and tastes, and beautiful people in the colorful places I have been fortunate enough to visit.  Lisa, thank you so much for offering up this opportunity to contribute to a beautiful effort, and connect with other like minded bloggers. 

Reds and Pinks in China

Strong and beautiful, red is the color I most associate with China.  

Here are images that represent the color of China as I saw it.  

China, Old and New.  I like taking pictures of people, especially babies.

All over China we saw Americans and Europeans with their 

new Chinese baby girls, just like the sweet little one in the picture above.

Pinks in china

Shanghai Pagoda

Africa Orange and Gold

Color week has me revisiting all the wonderfully colorful places I have been fortunate enough to travel to.  For Orange and Yellows I went to my pictures of  Africa.  Our first big exciting trip was to South Africa with Beadventures

That trip was magical and I came home with a suitcase full of great finds.  I don't bead much anymore, having become obsessed with FELTING, but I treasure all the beautiful beads and handcrafts we brought home from Cape Town, and Quazulu Natal, and I find pleasure in remembering our exciting adventure.  I look forward some day to exploring more of this fascinating continent. 

Green Tuesday in Ireland

This mosaic is really a nostalgic picture story.  Burt and I spent a delightful week of artistic community in the lush country side that is Mulranny, County Mayo, Ireland.  We comprised a like minded bunch eager to share ideas and learn.  A small group, but multinational,the United States, Canada, Ireland, England, and South Africa were all well represented. We had  a lot of laughs, made and saw a lot of art, and ate a lot of really good food.  I can't help but smile when I think of that trip. 

The Blues of Turkey

Thinking of blue , blue like the sky, blue like the ocean, sent me browsing through my photos of Turkey, where I found great inspiration for Color Week Blue Monday and for my first attempt at a mosaic made in PhotoShop. 

Felt is NOT a food group

Try telling that to my boy Monty.  Yesterday he got into the studio while I was gone and ate a piece of magenta pre felt.  While I admire his color choice, things did not go well.   I will spare you the details, but he did seem to be getting rid of the excess fiber and I thought all was well until 1:00 am when I woke to the sounds of one very distressed pup.  So of course we wound up in the doggie emergency hospital.  They fixed him up, I paid the bill, and this morning he is a more subdued version of himself, but recovering nicely.  Do dogs, at least smart little poodles, get cause and effect?  His breeder thinks he should, but I wouldn't bet a $$$$$$ trip to the emergency hospital on it! 

Nuno Felt Scarf Workshop

Last weeks Nuno Scarf workshop was the first class since the studio renovation.   We all loved the natural light, and  being able to feel the delightful spring air and enjoy a view of the front garden in the bargain!  Though small, only room for three students in the scarf class, they proved to be a very productive group.  You can see each of us wearing our favorite scarf from the two day workshop.   I'm offering another Nuno Felt Workshop on June 1 & 2 and on June 8 & 9 another scarf workshop for students who have attended the Nuno Felt Workshop.  Between teaching and doing my own work, I'm able to immerse myself in my favorite activity, nuno felt.  How lucky can one gal be!

Let the Sun Shine In

After two years of working in our windowless garage, we decided that the cars are never going to be spending time in there and we are, so we said good by to our garage and hello to a light bright studio space in it's place.  Now we have french doors and windows onto the beautiful view of our front yard. 

Quite a change for the better.

My friend Kirstin of Kirstin Green Custom Mosaics made the studio sign

The Talmadge Art Show

The Talmadge Art Show

Is always "the" place to find quality hand made art and crafts.  Burt and I have been doing this show, both in the spring and fall for 5 years now.  The work I have shown at Talmadge has evolved from beaded jewelry, to my present and always focus on FELT!  It was, as always,  a good show for both of us.  My display is simple, as I show pillows and scarves/shawls only.  We were  in "our corner" by the French doors.  The splashes of wool, leather and silk colors draw folks into our space and we had lots of great talks and happy customers checking us out. 

No bag or tissue for this woman who insisted she wear her new scarf, and as I watched her walk away, I admired for the last time the soft gauzy piece of Nuno Felt gracefully draped around her neck. Oh yes, that one was called Mangos and Peaches. There was great interest in my Nuno Felt Workshops.  I passed out a lot of fliers for my May 11 & 12 and June 1 & 2 dates.  My friend Susan who owns the Grove, the coolest place to knit in San Diego, stopped by, very excited about my felt pillows, she blogged about the show including very nice photos. 

Burt enjoys a good chat with a customer.  

His beaded leather is so unique.  The guy has a bit of a following , 

in fact, two previous customers came back, on Sunday, 

for another Burt Watson Original 

Tracey loved the belt she bought from Burt.  Tracey's company Razmajette, makes beautiful handbags with vintage elements and wonderful fabrics, so she has a keen eye for fine fashion accessories.

 

Nuno Felt Collars

Today I listed six of my Nuno Felt Collars.  These are so light to wear and easy on and off by way of little magnetic clasps.  My favorite of these babies ( I know, mom's are not supposed to have favorites) is the one with the tiny iridescent snail shells and pearls.