With the passing of another long, summer weekend, I've suddenly realized I've been getting lazy and just enjoying some good weather. It's dryer now and the nights are cooling down. Sleeping is bliss again and the mornings are perfect for any chores as heat isn't an issue until later in the afternoon.
I've been satisfying my artistic needs with a couple of wet felted book jackets for myself. As always they are experiments in technique. In this case, setting the curly locks and blending the colors. I got to play with my beads for awhile too, making embellishments for them. They are covering my two favorite sketch books. I especially love the one shown above, mostly because those colors appeal to my tastes.
I think I would love the red tones as well had I used a whiter background. Both of these were done with two resists, for the front and back covers of the book. I did the inside in a thinner felt as I didn't want too much bulk. They have a simple single snap sewn in closure under the flap.
My first attempt at this project was a miserable failure as this wool shrunk 40% during the process and the end result was too small for the book. The insides were a bit bulky as well so I think it's looking for a home as a cover for some sort of storage folder ... perhaps a CD case. Who knows? I will either find a use for it, or it's going into my scraps pile and will be used as prefelt in something else. All the little scraps can be rolled up and used for textural elements on felt. There is virtually no waste.
I now must go attend to a few domestic issues, and then I have an idea for playing with some Angelina fiber for a new project. It looks like it's going to be another lovely day, so I must accomplish something. Bye for now.
The same thing happens here every year. We get roughly two weeks of damp, hot weather where you need to engage in multiple cold showers and you can't get dry enough to get dressed. I do not have AC. With the size and design of my house, it would cost a fortune, and it isn't feasible anyway, since it's only unbearable for approximately two weeks. There are ways to stay cool, and I've been trying to do just that, felting for short periods of time late in the night when it's bearable to handle wool. Now I have completed this bag. I don't have the handles made yet and will work on those later today or possibly tonight. It's supposed to rain today but there's not a cloud in the sky as I write, so it will be very hot long before any rain comes. Then it will be all steamy again. Please enjoy the pics of this pretty bag. The client ordered the fringe on this shape of bag. It's a large piece so will hold lots of items.
This week has been a mishmash of housework, errands, doctor's appointments and finally getting to work on a large bag. I had been waiting for supplies to arrive as I was out of one of the colors I needed for this, so I was able to catch up on some domestic chores. I've nearly finished the housework, as I've taken advantage of a couple of less humid days to do it. The spare room and bath has been totally cleaned up and is ready for more guests or house sitters, whatever the case may be. I have a function to attend next weekend, but weather will be the determining factor as to whether I stay over night or not. Unless this week is very dry, I won't be camping as the area is notorious for mosquitoes and I'm simply not putting myself through that annoyance.
This large bag is an order I received on Canada Day. I will have the bag completed today sometime, leaving me the ropes to make tomorrow. I've taken some liberties with the fringe, adding some curly locks, not shown here and the client loves the look so far, so curly locks on the fringe it will be. I still need to cut a few holes above the fringe. I've hidden some color inside the layers, so I'm hoping the color will show through at the edges of the holes when I cut them. I'll post more pics later.
I just completed this piece. It's called "Watching" and it's a statement about our diminishing personal privacy in current society.
This picture was taken with a flash in order to make the pupils of the eyes glow. I used Miracle beads which have this property. The second picture was taken without a flash.
The art is a birthday gift for an old friend. It is destined to reside on Nova Scota's beautiful south shore at White Point.
