Hello!

Whew!  I know!  I know! It's been awhile since I last wrote anything to you so let me update you on some of the goings on in my life and that of Sapphire. We have both been very busy. 

I attended my last scheduled class at Pacific Northwest Art School at the end of July.  Jorie Johnson, of Japan, was our instructor.  Our assignment: Construct a complete garment without any seams.  I made...a full length dress!  I had already tackled a coat and a vest so the next thing was either a skirt, a longer coat or a dress.  I had been toying with ideas about a dress already, yet I was unsure of a few of the construction details...but Jorie had all the answers!

And while what we were creating was quite interesting...it was my fellow students that awed me.  I may have a few details slightly askew but essentially we had students from: from Israel, Kazakhstan (an artist with a thousand more artists from her country working under her in an artist cooperative), Canada and around the USA from CA, WY, ID, WA, and Ohio.  There were two college textile professors, a costume designer for a Repertory Theater in WA, a Past President of an Art School, a Immigration and Naturalization Officer, a budding artist/mom, a Rancher/Artist and several local Whidbey Island fiber artists. Wonderful discussions during breaks!

Toward the end of August we attended the second Artist's Reception in the POAC Sandpoint (Idaho) Art Walk 2012.  I took this opportunity to introduce some of the Art Walkers to sheer felting.

With September beginning we headed even further north to Priest Lake and Entree Gallery Trunk Show.  It was a lovely late summer day and we had a delightful place under the willow tree on the grounds...and I tried to demonstrate sheer felting for these folks but the wind was blowing enough that is was darn near impossible to get any of my fiber laid out.  I improvised by wetting out my surface before laying my fiber so it had something to stick to right away, but still it was too much for me. {Sigh}  That piece is headed for the recycle bin!

Then just two days ago we held Coeur d' Alene's first ever Studio Tour!!!  We had at least 150 people through Sapphire Studio in just 7 hours.  By all accounts it was a good turnout and hopefully will be funded again next year.  I enjoyed all the people that took the time to come by and see me explain and demonstrate just what it is that I do.  A bonus was the time spent meeting more artists living in this area.

I also took time to formulate and launch my Fall Class Schedule which you will find on a TAB at the top of my blog...just under the header picture.  Since opening my studio I have pretty much been busy creating or traveling.  Hopefully Fall and Winter will allow me to devote some time to teaching in my studio.

Oh!  Did I mention that I was invited to model my newly felted dress in a "Runway Show"?!  Never been down that kind of runway before...yikes!  This event is held each year as a fundraiser for Kootenai Environmental Alliance.

More to come...but for now I have to go get some sleep,
Janet

Hello,

You know how it gets...you intend to do things...but you just don't?  Well that's me and blogging...Is it that life is just so busy or am I just that lazy...jury is still out on that one...but anyway here I go:

I have been quite busy.  We have returned to our local Farmers Market where sales were slow early on but picked up this Saturday when the temperature also up...as in the 90's!  That is too darn hot for my happiness, but since we had been wet and rainy for what seemed like months on end...I'm trying not to complain (too much).

May found me planting my seedlings in the garden It is growing nicely though I lost some to rot due to all our rain. I went to Pacific Northwest Art School for a class. I hosted some low-key Open House days at my studio in June. I also got asked to be the featured artist for Blue Flag Studio & Sandpoint's POAC 35th Annual Art Walk which runs daily from June 23rd to September 7th.
www.artinsandpoint.org
www.blueflagweaving.com
www.pacificnorthwestartschool.org

I have some awesome art up there...I hope some of you will be able to make it up there to see my newest art!  Since vessels are 3-D there is more to see on other sides...for now you just get a preview.

I have a series of new vessels I have started with the theme: Interpreting Nature.  The first one is dedicated to the mighty oak trees and is nearly done.  The second is about the ocean and is about half done.

I have more art in the show in Sandpoint and I will write about it in my next post.

Ta ta for now everyone...
Janet

Well Good Evening Everyone!

I have been busy nuno felting scarves yesterday and today.  They aren't ready for their pictures to be taken though so instead I have a couple of other items that I have finished to show you.

I love the Photo Bucket slide shows - when they work!  Hope you get to see all six photos.  I stitched on the felted fabric using the free stitching method (darning foot) on a machine.  I used different colored threads depending on the accent I needed - in some cases I used gold metallic thread.  Difficult stuff to work with!

Both these pillows will be sold through Blue Flag Handweaving Studio in Sandpoint, Idaho.  You can click the like below to contact Kristie about them.
http://www.blueflagweaving.com/

As a teaser here is a preview of a new scarf - before felting.



Well I am off to get my scarves out of their acid water bath.  Night All!

Janet

New Blue Bliss Handbag

These two items will be on their way to Blue flag Handweaving Studio in Sandpoint, Idaho on Friday.  See them in person!
http://www.blueflagweaving.com/

Darn!  This new method only worked once! Ugh!  Well maybe the slideshow will fix itself and be there for you to see.

Pillow Fight Anyone?

Tonight I have a finished pillow front that I felted over the past couple days.  I was using some transparent strips of nylon that I found at a local fabric shop, plus some prefelt that I have been working with, merino and merino/silk blend...it took a bit of elbow grease to get through all the layers I had made in some places, but it finally worked!  I have two now. I can't wait to stitch them to their back covers and stuff them!  They will be part of Sapphire's inventory and are destined for Blue Flag Hand Weaving Studio in Sandpoint.  http://www.blueflagweaving.com/

Transparent Nylon Strips

More Prefelt

Finished Pillow Front 1

Now... I want to tell you about something really wonderful.  I was walking my dog the other day - It was a clear crisp morning following some very heavy overnight rains.  All the sudden, I noticed sparkles out of the corner of my eye.  Upon closer examination, I saw that every lawn in the neighborhood was covered in tiny gossamer threads!  Was this the work of fairies or elves?  I think not...but it was all very enchanting.  As I continued along the threads kept twinkling at me.  I am sure it was the work of spiders...yet it t'was so beautiful that I decided then and there to design a scarf or something representing that effect...but that will have to wait until another day...check back...

Our website is making progress...not quite ready...but check back there as well as it shouldn't be too much longer.

http://www.sapphire-art.com/

Janet

New Handbag - Just Felted!

Hi Everyone!

At long last, I have finished felting my handbag!  I started this with the piece I hope to make into a coat, but then set it aside.  The motif on this is made of circles from the prefelt of greens and browns I made last week.  I also added some circles of dupioni silk in bright orange.  Again I used brown batt that I have had on hand for awhile.  It seems to have been thick enough in most places.  However, I added some merino where I could feel that it was thin.  Then that led to adding more merino to blend colors better...and one thing always leads to many others ( :) and so as I said it seems like "at long last" I have finished this!




New Handbag Using Prefelts



Circles Well Felted onto Flap Front



Sparkle 'fiber' that I bought from Kristie at Blue Flag Hand Weaving Studio

 Night All!  Tomorrow I'm off to show-and-tell with my two latest creations.

Janet

A Time to Play

Well it's Sunday...a day of rest and play.  And I did play today.  First I spent some time puttering in the garden harvesting herbs and late blooming flowers.  Then I came indoors and made a yummy pie to take and share at dinner with friends.  But all this was the play of an adult and I want to walk you back in time to when you were about eight years old...full of imagination and wonder at all the wonders of the world...remember?

To that end I want to tell you about another cute shop in Sandpoint, Idaho called A Child's Dream Come True  http://www.achildsdream.com/ .  It is located at 214 Cedar Street, right next to Blue Flag Hand Weaving Studio.  http://www.blueflagweaving.com/

I bet the owner of this store had a wonderful childhood like mine!  This delightful little shop is stuffed to the ceiling with things to create with.  When I was growing up my mother was always working on one project or another and my sisters and I loved watching and getting involved once we were old enough.  Still I don't think my Mom ever had access to some of the wonderful items that are carried in A Child's Dream.  Stepping into this shop made me wish that I could click my heels together and go back though, just so I could play again using Pocket Gnomes,  a Game of Ogres and Elves, Plant Dyed Play Silks, Rainbow Angels Kit, and a Choroi Pentatonic Flute.  Alas it is not to be for me...but maybe someone you know?







Pocket Knomes (They're felted!)



Instead, I will be playing with my felt again starting tomorrow. I have four felting projects laid out: two purses and two pillows.  I can't wait to get started!  But for tonight I am going to let my mind wander back some more to those days of discovery and play...while I knit.

Janet