FELT UNITED event October 3, 2009

Fellow Felters everywhere!

My dear friend, Barb Marr, is hosting a very special event on October 3rd, 2009 to go along with Felt United and the UN's International year of Natural Fibers.

Hope you can join us, the information is listed below. Michigan Felters, I hope you'll make a special effort to make it there. Should be a great day!

Marr Haven information is on my side bar if you'd like to join us for the day. Please do let Barb know as soon as possible.

Shalom,

Suzanne

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"Marr Haven Wool Farm of Allegan, MI will host a FELT UNITED event October 3, 2009 from noon until 4 :00 pm.

A large tent will be placed in front of the farm shop for felt makers to exhibit (and sell if you have a Michigan sales tax license). Suzanne Higgs of Hooked On Felt will demonstrate simple felt making for the public and will have several of her stunning felt hats available.

We are inviting all felt makers in our area to participate by making a felt item in the Felt United color theme of red, orange and yellow. A combination of the 3 colors or one of the 3 colors may be used according to the Felt United guidelines with no more than 3% added colors. Photos will be submitted to Felt United for their online exhibit as well as in a multimedia presentation. More information regarding the felt pieces are on the Felt United website.

Please contact me as soon as possible if you are interested in participating so I can include you in the news releases which I would like to send out by next Monday Sept. 7."

Barb

Where is Molly Ringwald when I need her?

I really feel like I need Molly Ringwald to model this hat for me. She does look "Pretty in Pink"
I'm off to bed, more later.
Shalom,
Suzanne

Wrap your hat around this!

Ok, am I like the luckiest hat maker? My friend Judy picked this up for me. It is an electric hat stretcher, it warms and stretches the hat in a slow lovely way. I've used it so re-shape some of my hats. I shape my hats on my own head, which is very small. This is going to be a great blessing to me! I love it and am so honored to have it in my studio.

Red Mushroom, Walks in the Woods

Yesterday I went to the woods with my husband and as we were walking we came across these stunningly beautiful mushrooms. This morning I returned, in the rain, and shot some photos of them. I've never seen them before and hope that maybe someone else has. I've looked on the net for some information and think they might be edible, but am unsure. The color took my breath away. There were probably about 30 of these lovely shroom, some larger than a man's hand. The color made my mouth water. Does anyone have any ideas about what this might be?

I've canceled my trip to Finger Lakes Fiber Festival in New York for Sept. There is too much going on for me to feel free to leave. I love that area, but I may have to wait until next year to go. I am still on to teach at the Wisc. Sheep and Wool Festival in September. It will be so good to see friends there and meet up with other felters. What amazing talents are there. Susan McFarland, Mary Wallace and Ruth Gross knock my socks off with their amazing talents. Can hardly wait to see what they've done next.

Well, lots to do today so I'm off for now.
Good felting to all of you!
Suzanne

Longing for Vision

There was a time when I could make felt all the day long. Those days are long gone and I grieve them deep in my heart. Finding creative juice is difficult. I believe that I am part of God's creativity so when it leaves or feels distant, I have to ponder deeper questions; like have I moved away from my Creator. Certainly, He has not left me, so it must be me...or there is too much other junk in my life to block creativity. Soon some "junk" will be gone from my life and perhaps I can return to a simpler time...and make felts. I love making felt. I am more and more convinced that it is what I am supposed to do. There is great peace in that knowledge.

He is my Vision.

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. 2. Be Thou my Wisdom, Thou my true Word; I ever with Thee, Thou with me, Lord; Thou my great Father, I thy true son; Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

3. Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for my fight, Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight. Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower. Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power. 4. Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise, Thou mine inheritance, now and always: Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

5. High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

Shalom to each of you and Great Creativity!
Suzanne

All in a Days Work!

I had a great day with some wonderful, funny, talented women who made these great felt hats at the Michigan Fiber Festival. There were 10 students and the creations were all very different and all wonderful. Just showing off a bit of their talents. the group picture does not show off the hats, but you can easily see from their faces that they were well pleased with their results.

The felt with the sheep on it is a piece of felt that I made when I was in Madison, WI for the Midwest Felting Symposium. It was a piece that I made with Pat Spark. What a wealth of talent and knowledge this woman is!

I'm tired, it was a long day of teaching but their faces made it so worth every minute of it. Maybe I'll be up long enough to see the meteor shower!

Still more hats!

I am trying to add different textures to my felts and these are two more examples of the additional textures added to these felt hats.
Got a show to go to where I'll be teaching and then booth set up to follow and three days of sales. I'll show up after that!
Blessings of good cheer to all!
Suzanne

Just been too busy to blog, but am making hats!