Who Is In Your Playpen?

Jim and I are well settled into our new routine with Dad, and it is going splendidly. I am accustom to "care-giving' so it does not fatigue me in the same way it does my husband Jim. He is rising to the occasion though, and I am so proud of him ... So much so that I felt I could leave them for a few days and travel to see Pam MacGregor at http://tarveycottagestudio.com/
It was just what I needed. Over the past weeks/months, I felt as though I'd really lost my sense of "play" and knew that I needed a safe place to have that rekindled...no pressure, no expectations, just play...and we did.

I took a couple of things with me that I needed advisement on, and one of the things is the bag shown on this page. The bag project morphed on me during the felting process and went from vessel to bag, then back to vessel and finally to bag again. I was so confused and frustrated at the end of it I just wanted to toss it. But tossing it was not an option. To start with the wool had mohair in it and I do not like hairy felt...at all, so the more I fulled the felt, the hairier it became, even after shaving it. Grrrrrrrrr! Second, I had used some of the organically dyed over-spun silk I'd received from Vilte . So now I have to see this through. So I took it to Pam for help. We got it done and soon it will get the finishing touches. It has already sold, so all was not lost. What Pam and I did is what I would have done here at home, but I'd lost my "risk taking tools", my "play". After the time with Pam, it has all come back. Thank you Pam.

I'm currently embarking on re-working some of my old pattern as well as gathering new ones in my hat making efforts. It is sometimes so much easier to do the 'tried and true" than to push oneself to rethink, retool, dissemble, reassemble, try this, try that...and end up with a failure that that taught me much along the way. It is the felt road I travel. I am planning on being surprised along the way.

I love the black and blue hat, ('tried and true") and the "Tin Man" was an adaptation of a pattern that I like a good bit to. The eggplant purple hat is a pattern I received from Pam. Buttons need to be added and I am already thinking of the changes I'll make to it next time.

Robins are here, so are the Blue birds. It's way too early for Spring in Michigan, but it looks like it is coming anyway. Time waits for no one.. so I'd better get busy. Show Season will be here before i know it.

Shalom,
Suzanne

Little Girl with a Ball

We're settling into the cold weather here in southwest Michigan. We keep our heat at 60 degrees (15.5 Celsius), wear warm wool sweaters, turtleneck shirts, and several layers under that, oh yea, and long underwear or leggings. I think it is so funny that 60 degrees in the winter is cold, but in the early Spring, we'd open the windows to let in the fresh air and warmth. We also "spot heat" where we are with our Eden Pure infrared heating unit. Works out pretty well.

It's been a busy time with family and most likely will be until the years end . I've not had much time to make felt, but did make this small bag for my sister who has a birthday late December. I still have to get the handles on it, write her a note and send it off to her.

And speaking of birthdays, I had another one this year. I am delighted to have made it thus far. This is an ancient photo of me when I was a year old. Love the dress...it has Disney characters on it. How fun is that?












QUESTION, BIG QUESTION:
Several of my friends and I are planning on bringing the delightful and very talented feltmaker, Andrea Graham ( see my sidebar) to the greater northern Ohio/southern Michigan area in the near future. We will need to have 12 students to bring her in. Are you interested in attending? Do you want to tentatively sign up? Do let me know.

I'll be back as soon as I make some felt!

I wish you all deep Peace and Joy in this Christmas, because:
Luke 2: 8-14
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
¹⁴ “ Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Shalom,
Suzanne