Nature art - an amazing case moth.

A few days ago my son Youri found an amazing nature art work. In fact it is a living creature. We soon found out that it was a case moth, we have however never seen such a big one, this one measures 25cm from the top to the end of the tail.

I am just blown away by the beauty of the little case that the moth build itself, all with materials found in nature. I am even wondering whether it borrowed some of my wool for the soft fluffy collar!

Case moths spend most of their life as a caterpillar and camouflage themselves by building a little case which is made of leaves and twigs. They take their little shelter everywhere and sometimes you see the head pop out and the caterpillar starts moving.

The ones we had seen up to now where maximum 9cm long, so I was quite impressed.

I thought I was talking about art. Well this case moth is a great inspiration for my creativity, especially when working with wool. We'll see what I come up with.

Just Ducky - April Challenge of the EtsyFast Street Team

This yellow dream patches felt art top is my April challenge “just ducky” for the etsyfast team (etsy fibre arts street team). This is one of the many teams on etsy.

Patches of this and patches of that, and never the same.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8413150

This is what it is: knitting, felting, crochet, sewing and needlework, all in one. I love mixing up different textile techniques and materials and combining them in one piece.

It takes a lot of time to find the right place for each piece, making sure that it matches all the surrounding pieces.

It is gorgeous, worn over a singlet and with your favourite skirt.

I used certified organic merino wool, silk, cotton and some wool yarn and everything is dyed with mango leaves, except the yarn.

If you like to find more items in the challenge search for etsyfast team april challenge on etsy.com.

Artist Focus - Botanical Jewelry from Tabmade

This week I have chosen to feature Lori from TabMade, an etsy artist who has found her inspiration in nature and translates this in her own way into beautiful botanical jewelry.

Lori explains the story about the name TabMade:

My name is Lori Phillips. Tab has become a nickname for me from a shortened user name I used to use, ThrowABomb. (from a super old extinct email, throwabomb [!at] mystupidschool(dot)com. yeah, I said it was old, haha) Good online friends started calling me Tab and it just stuck, hence TabMade.

I spotted her some time ago on etsy and, being a lover of form and texture myself, I am blown away about her work.

Waxing Botanicals

Primarily a ceramist, she is passionate about working in a variety of media other than just clay such as silver, copper, polymer clay, and fibers. She is most stimulated artistically while finding ways for these materials to work together in one piece, and she does this mainly by making jewelry. She recently obtained her BFA in ceramics from Eastern Kentucky University.

Lori says:

Closely observing the direction I have taken in my artwork over the past couple of years has made me more aware of my interest in the natural world, such as organics and botany. This in turn has made me more aware of the direction I want to continue in with my work in all mediums.

I am mostly inspired by plant and fungal life, especially of the exotic variety. I like to make objects that directly reference nature, but are not necessarily found in nature, although I wish they did. I love growing things and have begun an interesting variety of house plants, and the process of nurturing them and watching them grow and change I find visually exciting and inspiring. I enjoy discovering new textures and inspecting unusual things growing in nature, or inspecting things seemingly ordinary up close until they appear unusual.

Necklace of Flora and Botany

She has been delving into a new medium recently, polymer clay, because she loves it and there is no need for kilns or torches to work with it.

Her future plans are to acquire a kiln to continue her ceramics, and torches to continue metalsmithing and lampwork,

She hopes to earn enough money from her Etsy shop to save for these things and expand the variety in her shop. Her ceramics work, which ranges from hand built pottery to sculptural pieces, still remains her first love.

Missing Autumn felted and ceramic necklace

Check out her shop: http://tabmade.etsy.com

and keep track of what new work she is coming up with on her blog: http://tabmade.blogspot.com

RAIN for april

I am part of the Schooling At Home Etsy Team and in April we decided to have a rain challenge. Have a look at what members of the team came up with. There are some wonderful items in amazing blue shades. If you'd like to see more items that were entered in the april challenge, search on etsy for sheteam april challenge or go to the spotlight I created on byhandme:
Rain, sheteam april challenge.

April Shower Bring May Flower by emptynestegg



Blues - Wool Roving by HuggyBearKnits

Funkyware Pendant - Rainy Day by farmgirldesigns



Saving For A Rainy Day Deluxe Money or Coupon Organizer by MinnieMaes

Puddles - Felt art shawl by Lizet Frijters

Butterfly Flight - Felt Art Shawl

Butterfly flight in my etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23480730

This felt art shawl in purples is my latest addition to my etsy shop.
I have carefully pieced different nuno felt fabrics together. This made me think of a graceful butterfly in flight.
All the wool is organic merino wool and the wool and the fabrics are dyed with natural dyes.

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Etsy front page feature.

I was featured on the front page in a treasury made by annarubyking with my Feathery White and Grey scarf.

I am also very grateful to enuwbe for letting me know.

To see all the other items that were on the front page at the same time watch the slideshow in the sidebar.

Reverse Circles-Felt Art Shawl

For this shawl I attached pieces of handmade felt by crocheting them together. The crochet is very open.

This wonderful shawl would give you an interesting addition to your outfit.

Have a look in my etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23332694

Snow Crystals- Felt art shawl is gone

I sold this beautiful Snow Crystals shawl yesterday in my etsy shop.
This shawl is made from hand felted organic merino wool pieces and knitted pieces, sewn together with recycled fluffy cotton ribbon.

To see more of my shawls go to my etsy shop