Introducing Isabel

I know I have been absent for a while. However, I was working and got side tracked by enjoying work in the garden more than feltmaking.
I found this great woman at the "waste transfer station". I decided to give her a nice white coat of paint and here she is, working for me. Isabel is great, always willing to model and in a good mood, she leans a bit over to the right, but that's okay for me. She wants to be carried though. Well, I am happy with her and in between modeling she shares my bedroom. And so, I have done my regular task of recycling.

Sandra's Loom Blog: Wood Dye

Sandra's Loom Blog: Wood Dye

I found this a very interesting article about natural dyeing, so decided to post it here.

Lavender Curls

As promised, here is the finished felted poncho that I made with the eco printed silk from previous post.
On etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/67591584/silk-eco-dyed-fairy-nuno-felted-poncho

The day after Yasi

Yasi came, brought wind and rain, more elsewhere than here. All together, we were enough to the north of the cyclone, to be spared from a lot of damage. The areas more south are seriously affected with a lot of structural damage and loss of houses. Only one death so far.
It was a long night and we were all very tired. I needed the whole day yesterday to relax.

For dyers like me, there are lots of leaves and twigs to collect. Above are some casuarina and eucalyptus leaves. I have still to find eucalyptus leaves here, that give another colour than yellow or tan.

I felted a poncho today, using a silk piece that I dyed more than a month ago with the eco print. I don't know the name of the flowers. Here is a close image of the flower:


Here is the silk with the flowers and some rusted iron on top of it, ready to being rolled into a bundle. The middle row has fresh flowers, the other rows frozen with bits of iron:

The fabric after steaming

The fabric lays in the other direction here than with the flowers still on.

The flowers turned a more beige colour with iron. I have now frozen the flowers and am dyeing another piece of silk with them in the freezer. I might take that out soon. It has been in there for a few weeks now. I just don't know yet how long to leave it in there, but I am getting curious.

I will post a photo of the poncho in a few days, when I have one.

Cyclone Yasi

It looks big and will be big. I better go to bed and have a rest, as this will be hitting tomorrow night. It is a monster cyclone.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/weather/yasi-could-become-category-five-monster-20110201-1abmx.html

And if I don't answer emails, approve your comments or answer the phone, this is why.
I hope to be back online soon.

Feature on Maddabling

I am so pleased to be featured on the maddabling blog today:
http://maddabling.blogspot.com/2011/01/friday-friends-dusty-divas-lizet.html

Check out every Friday, as there will be another Dusty Diva featured every week.
http://maddabling.blogspot.com/

Australian Flood Disaster Relief

I just donated an item for the Australian Flood Disaster Relief. Take a look at this etsy shop to all the items people have donated.

Freeform Lace Shawls

First I wish everyone a very creative and abundant new year.

I made some new freeform lace shawls this week. Together with my daughter we have been assembling, stitching until we couldn't anymore.
Here are some pictures already, more to come:

This is what happens when my daughter doesn't feel like modelling.


You can find them all and many more in the shawls section in my etsy shop

Giveaway of my Ebook on Felting Craft Gossip

Felting Craft Gossip is hosting a giveaway of my ebook.
Go to their page and read what to do so that you have a chance to win:
http://felting.craftgossip.com/giveaway/3-day-giveaway-ebook-launch-gorgeous-little-bags-how-to-feltmaking-tutorials-in-pdf-international/

New ebook - Gorgeous Little Bags

As I have promised awhile ago, I have now finished my ebook with 5 tutorials for hand felted bags. I did my best to illustrate almost every step in the process and wish that those who buy it will learn a lot about feltmaking.
Until end of this month, the ebook is at a launch price of $15. After that it will be $20

You can buy it here:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/64629674/ebook-launch-gorgeous-little-bags-how-to

Enjoy Christmas and make 2011 into a very inspiring and creative year.

The future of natural dyeing

Or is it the future of fashion? ( found this on India Flints blog): Read what designer Zac Posen says

Modern Japanese Temari

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50042454/iris-hand-embroidered-thread-ball

Temari is the ancient Japanese folk art of silk embroidered thread balls, originally made by noble women from silken threads pulled from old kimonos. Used originally hundreds of years ago for child's play, today the art of temari is becoming more regarded around the world.

When discovering julieandco on etsy, I was really amazed by her beautiful geometric work. These embroidered thread balls are a great gift idea.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/54762818/pumpkin-butterscotch-hand-embroidered

Julie has four daughters and has been a homeschool mom for almost 19 years!

She says: "It's hard to believe it's been that long! I have graduated two girls already and have yet a 16 year old and 13 year old at home. I love my husband of 26 years and love being a stay at home mom. Having an Etsy shop is wonderful and I love making and selling my Japanese temari thread balls. They have a really neat history (see item listings for more info) and I am fascinated with the geometry, symmetry and color combinations you can make with them. I have sold temari all over the US and the globe....including Ireland, the UK, Norway, France, Canada and even the Yukon Territory near Alaska."

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50777202/temari-pincushion-teacup-hand

Julie recently opened a fiber art and wool felting shop on etsy as well: julieandco2.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/listing/59024472/twinkle-christmas-ornament-hand

And while you are checking out her shops, you might as well have a peek at her daughters' shop: LaurelMae.etsy.com filled with their amazing art.

Is silk eco friendly?

As with all fibres, there is often a debate about how environmentally friendly they are. I found this article on the site of Beautiful Silks, my supplier for silk, talking about silk and soy silk:
http://www.beautifulsilks.com/pages/products/ecofriendly.html

http://www.etsy.com/listing/58897727/plum-nuno-felt-shawl

Life as an artist

I found this on twitter today:
There's no retirement for an artist, it's your way of living so there's no end to it - Henry Moore

Totally true for me. I can't stop creating.

Here is a new one out of recycled fabric:

Green upcycled nuno felt shawl - squared

More dye experiments

Next to my market stall at the Port Douglas market, there is a tree that intrigued me. It dropped beautiful red leaves as well as yellow and green leaves at about 6 months ago. So I decided to do eco print samples with the green leaves and the red ones, of course, hoping that I would get a beautiful red. I know it doesn't work like that though. I don't know the name of the tree but someone told me it is called dead horse tree. I cannot find a tree named like that, so it is probably some local common name. The name comes from the fact that the blossoms smell like a dead animal. Anyway, I show the results of my dyeing here, I did them 6 months ago and they have become darker since. The photos are taken a few days ago. I haven't added any iron, just alum.

red leaves

green leaves

green leaves and lemon

As I said, the colours were very pale in the beginning and they gradually became darker. I have seen that more with the eco dyeing. I have it with another piece, I will make photos and post it as well.