In order to feel more in control of my work and life balance, I'm trying a new system. In the past I've used just an old notebook that the kids used for school, post it notes, you get the idea. Problem is that IT DOESN'T WORK FOR ME! I'm always forgetting that one thing when I go to the grocery store or not actually achieving some daily work goals I've set for myself. Other things like answering e-mails, class proposals etc. all find their way into my day instead of actually making anything. Which for an artist is kinda important.
So....I put together a little spread sheet to help me . Now everything is in one place.
Home Book
Friday, January 22, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Wet Felted Spheres
This week I start teaching a weekly class at The Minnetonka Center for the Arts about Wet and Dry Felting and wanted to let you in on a little bit of it too.
This step by step tutorial teaches you how to make felted balls that will be a component in a necklace which I will show later on.
Start with 1/2 oz. corriedale wool. I get mine at one of two places, The Textile Center shop and The Fibers Studio. You can also pick it up on Etsy. This time I am using this variegated dyed one purchased at The Textile Center. The corriedale at The Fiber Studio is a better quality wool but it only comes in solid colors. Trade off, I suppose. The soap is from Kiss My Face, a pure olive oil soap.
Fill a bowl with water and place the soap in it and mush it around. I like to do it this way until the soapy water opaque and slightly yellow then I take the bar of soap out. When wet felting if you fill your bowl with warm or hot water it speeds up the process. I want beginners to use room temp water (so your hands don't get cold) then you'll have more time to make the balls the way you want. You will also need a bowl of clean water.
Here I'm finger carding the wool. Holding taught in one hand the other fingers pull the wool.
Gather the wisps into a ball shape taking care that it is not lopsided or holey.
Dipping your fingers in the soapy water, dribble the water onto the ball. If you heavily drop water on the ball it will "dent" it.
Start working with it like your making meatballs. It will "stick" to your hands to begin with but keep working with it evenly.
keep working it...
...until it is solid but not rock hard. Making a perfect ball is hard at first. You might have fissures or a crazy lumpy one but the keys are kneading it nice and smooth, keeping the ball slightly soapy and patience.
Dunk the finished ball in the clean water and squeeze out the excess.
Let dry overnight! Stay tuned for a tutorial on what to do with the finished balls.
I will also be doing a tutorial on felted coasters soon.
This step by step tutorial teaches you how to make felted balls that will be a component in a necklace which I will show later on.
Start with 1/2 oz. corriedale wool. I get mine at one of two places, The Textile Center shop and The Fibers Studio. You can also pick it up on Etsy. This time I am using this variegated dyed one purchased at The Textile Center. The corriedale at The Fiber Studio is a better quality wool but it only comes in solid colors. Trade off, I suppose. The soap is from Kiss My Face, a pure olive oil soap.Fill a bowl with water and place the soap in it and mush it around. I like to do it this way until the soapy water opaque and slightly yellow then I take the bar of soap out. When wet felting if you fill your bowl with warm or hot water it speeds up the process. I want beginners to use room temp water (so your hands don't get cold) then you'll have more time to make the balls the way you want. You will also need a bowl of clean water.
Here I'm finger carding the wool. Holding taught in one hand the other fingers pull the wool.
And you get fine fibers. If you get a larger chunk then needed, finger card again. Wispy wool is what you want.
Gather the wisps into a ball shape taking care that it is not lopsided or holey.
Dipping your fingers in the soapy water, dribble the water onto the ball. If you heavily drop water on the ball it will "dent" it.
Start working with it like your making meatballs. It will "stick" to your hands to begin with but keep working with it evenly.
keep working it...
...until it is solid but not rock hard. Making a perfect ball is hard at first. You might have fissures or a crazy lumpy one but the keys are kneading it nice and smooth, keeping the ball slightly soapy and patience.
Dunk the finished ball in the clean water and squeeze out the excess.
Let dry overnight! Stay tuned for a tutorial on what to do with the finished balls.
I will also be doing a tutorial on felted coasters soon.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Age old question
"What did you do on Winter Break?"
We read.
We snuggled.
We unwrapped.
We wrote Thank yous.
What did you do?
Monday, January 4, 2010
"I'm Hungry!"
My boys are always asking me "What's for Dinner?"
And the last thing they say to me while tucked in bed at night is "What's for Breakfast?"
I cannot keep them fed enough. I had heard that this happens with boys, constant eating, standing at the fridge eating, whining when there is nothing to eat in sight but it didn't hit home until recently. They are "Mad Hungry"! And when I saw this book, "Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys" and read "you should never be without bacon" I knew the author was my kind of cook!
To combat so many meal related questions, I've turned the side of my fridge into food central. My youngest calls it, "Mom's Diner" (which it really seems to be) always thinking of the next meal to prepare. It describes every meal, every sauce, every side dish (but sadly, from their point of view, not dessert) for the entire week. Unannounced to them, tucked away I have a monthly calendar which has meals on it for the next month. Our Elk, yes we are related now, which my husband killed, oh...i mean harvested, this fall just came to live in our freezer wrapped in beautiful white and labels paper. All of this means my freezer, affectionately call it the coffin, is FULL!
These are from my mothers recipe box, baby bella stuffed mushrooms I served on New Years Eve! We had these at every big occasion when I was growing up! Sausage and butter laden, they are good!
And the last thing they say to me while tucked in bed at night is "What's for Breakfast?"
I cannot keep them fed enough. I had heard that this happens with boys, constant eating, standing at the fridge eating, whining when there is nothing to eat in sight but it didn't hit home until recently. They are "Mad Hungry"! And when I saw this book, "Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys" and read "you should never be without bacon" I knew the author was my kind of cook!
To combat so many meal related questions, I've turned the side of my fridge into food central. My youngest calls it, "Mom's Diner" (which it really seems to be) always thinking of the next meal to prepare. It describes every meal, every sauce, every side dish (but sadly, from their point of view, not dessert) for the entire week. Unannounced to them, tucked away I have a monthly calendar which has meals on it for the next month. Our Elk, yes we are related now, which my husband killed, oh...i mean harvested, this fall just came to live in our freezer wrapped in beautiful white and labels paper. All of this means my freezer, affectionately call it the coffin, is FULL!
These are from my mothers recipe box, baby bella stuffed mushrooms I served on New Years Eve! We had these at every big occasion when I was growing up! Sausage and butter laden, they are good!
Prayerful (aka tired) and ready to tuck in!
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