Experiments in Clay/Fabric Beads

Here are a few new explorations in Sculpey and fabric beads AND...................

HERE ARE TWO FABRIC BEADS I MADE.  THEY ARE BOTH FROM THE SAME FABRIC - WHICH HAS SOME PATTERN TO IT.  THE ONE ON LEFT I PAINTED WITH YELLOW AND GREEN PAINT.  THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS QUILTED WITH A PIECE OF BATTING BETWEEN TWO FABRIC PIECES, MACHINE STITCHED TOGETHER AND THEN NEEDLEFELTED WITH YELLOW WOOL.  IT TOO IS ALSO PAINTED AS IS THE FELTED PORTION.

HERE ARE THREE FABRIC BEADS DRYING ON A STRAW.  THE THREE BELOW JUST CAME OFF.  THESE ARE YET TO BE EMBELLISHED!  NOT TOO MUCH BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY BUSY.

HERE'S MY Q TIP WITH TWO FABRIC BEADS.  THE PURPLE WAS ACTUALLY GLUED ONTO THE Q TIP AND THEN I TOOK A BEAD WITH A BIGGER HOLE AND SLIPPED IT ON.  THAT BEAD HAS ALSO BEEN PAINTED AND I PUT A LIGHT WASH OF GREEN METALLIC ACRYLIC PAINT ON IT AND RUBBED SOME OFF.

HERE ARE FOUR PREVIOUSLY FELTED BALLS.  THEY ARE EMBELLISHED WITH FABRIC, ART YARN, PAINT AND EMBROIDERY

HERE ARE THREE OF MY SCULPEY TRIALS.  THE TOP LEFT BEAD IS SANDED AND HAS A CLEAR GLAZE ON IT USED FOR SCULPEY - SHINY.  THE ONE ON THE RIGHT HAS HAD NOTHING DONE TO IT, EXCEPT BAKING.  THE BOTTOM ONE IS A COMBINATION OF PINK AND GREEN CLAY.  I STAMPED IT A BIT WITH THE END OF AN OLD SPOON,  PUT THE CLEAR GLAZE ON AND THEN USED THAT SAME METALLIC GREEN PAINT ON THE LOWER PORTION.  THE PINK LOOKS ORANGE HERE AND THE ORANGE ON THE TOP TWO BEADS IS REALLY RED.

THEY WILL BE DEBUTING SOON IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!

Wild Abandon

This is my "Wild Abandon" still in progress.  While I'm still healing from the ole "lift" and I'm a bit tired (but then who isn't?), I decided I needed to make something small yet free.  So, with the inspiration of Susan Sorrell at http://www.creativechick.com/,  I am letting it rip.

This started as a piece of green merino (I think) wool and, what I thought was, a lovely silk cap.  It had shades of green and burgandy.  It looked so nice in the plastic bag!  Well, it bled and bled and bleeded and bleeded.  The end result was very muddy.  I think I only did two layers of the green and then put the cap over it.  I was so disappointed, not to mention that I paid the $ and I believe it shouldn't bleed - right fiber people?

So what to do?  I decided to paint over some of it using fabric paint and some green liquid acrylic.  Nope, didn't make it.  So, more painting.....What was there to lose?  I got my embroidery thread and started stitching.  I added some seed beads.  I don't like using them because I don't like invisible thread!  Then added some bigger beads using an old needle my mother used to practice her stitching with when she was a little girl.  It worked perfectly for the light green and reddish bigger beads!  But alas the needle broke - a bit rusty and I pulled too hard.  Now I must find another one like it.  Susan Sorrell of Creative Chick does so many colorful, beaded and embroidered pieces, I thought I would try to emulate her.  So, I mastered French Knots - they're fun once you get the hang of it and then Bullion Knots and the Antwerp Edging Stitch.  I got the instructions off a blog.  I have sari ribbon so I stiched some pieces on.  Pretty soon most of the Yucky Muddy Color was covered! Well,,,, some is still there.  Maybe you can't see it - only I with peering eyes can.

So, I'm going to stitch and stitch.  What will I do with it? - not sure.  This kind of work is so much fun!  I may not trust my capabilities in some areas of my life, but I do TRUST my innate ABILITY
TO CREATE.

"I CAME TOGETHER"

Being inspired by a great site, Fiber Arts Mixed Media, http://fiberartsmixedmedia.ning.com/,  I finally finished my batts from a previous post, "felt, ribbon and recycled beads"  into......♬TADA♬.......
"I Came Together" wallhanging!!!!  Requires a picture here...

and another

I'm entering it into a March Challenge about "Found" ...things you forgot you had, things you pick up outside, etc.  What did I find?

• Beads from The Restore in Barre, Vermont.  They are a good size and have large holes..a bit damaged, but just the thing.
• A branch from outside which I sanded, painted and sealed
• A previous felted leaf
• copper coil I used to use for making jewelry
• Recycled Sari ribbon (well, I bought it on Etsy).

THE BIGGEST FIND IS THAT I FOUND I COULD PUT IT ALL TOGETHER!

I machine stitched Sari ribbon to the sides.  I wrapped orange thread around an orange sari ribbon and gathered the end (shown in above picture dangling).

Here are some closeups:

This pix shows where the two batts are joined.  I used some fancy ribbon threaded through three of the Vermont beads (two shown here).  There are two of my previous felted beads which I wrapped in thread.  The blue object on the left is the sari ribbon wound in copper wire with the addition of a fancy fiber.

Here's the top big red bead

I had one heck of a time figuring out how to hang it.  I looked on several sites, went to Joanne's fabrics and finally just put a casing on the back.  The stick I found, sanded and painted.  I used metallic green liquid acrylic and some new felt tipped pens.  I then gave it a coat of acrylic varnish.  I figure if I ever sell it, a dowel can be put through it.  For the photos, I had two nails already in the wall and just rested the stick there.  You could also string something (felted snake or ribbon) on either side of the stick and hang it on one nail.

The backing is commercial felt which is machine stitched with some multi-colored thread to the hanging.  I added a little muslin tag:

WHAT"S NEXT?

It should be 'WHO'S NEXT"
We're waiting for another grandson to be born - due date - April 8th.  He will join his brother who will be three on April 12th.  Needless to say, I have a suitcase ready.  I already mailed presents and
SpiderMan birthday decorations.  I don't know how this will all work out (taking a 12 hour train ride) as to when, b'day, work, baby,, but I do know

it will
"ALL COME TOGETHER"

Felt,Ribbon, Recycled Beads

Beautiful Day!!!!  CREATIVE IDEAS!!!

I woke up early and as always, my mind was filled with creative ideas.  After my morning Starbucks' Chai Tea Latte (my one addiction) and a walk with the dog, I sat "meself" down in my artroom.  Actually, I stood cause I'm too energetic from the springtime.

Felt, Ribbon and Recycled Beads
I took two pieces of recent feltings (made from batts) and sewed them together with ribbon.  The ribbon is from a pack of special fibers I bought last summer.  Some of that same ribbon is in one of the pieces.  I actually found a needle big enough to thread it through......  I have some beads I bought at the ReStore in Barre, Vermont where my daughter lives:  http://www.myspace.com/restorearts  It is a great place for finding all sorts of things.  These beads were given to them by a bead factory (da).  Many of the ones I bought are cracked.  I chose a few and strung them on the ribbon.  I like that they are re-cycled.  I also strung one of my felted beads.  I added a felted leaf at the bottom.

I also have some other bits of feltings.  Some I cut from bowls I made that didn't quite work.  I also added one of my spiral brooches (before the backing was put on).

Here are a few pictures of a work in progress.  This will be a wallhanging.  I may add some bits on the end.  As with any art project, there's a fine line between overdoing and "leave it alone".  I'm happy I started on this gorgeous day.