ladybugs

Last Monday at Homewood Embroiderer's Guild Carol taught a class in needlefelting. I was hostess and spend way too much time yapping and socializing to settle and actually do a project, so I brought my kit home.

Sitting watching TV this week (the last half of the third movie of the Lord of the Rings trilogy) I made these two little ladybugs. The larger one is the size the class was making but I like the smaller one a bit better. Steve complained that they don't have eyes so I may hunt up some black beads and add eyes.

That was the sum total of what I accomplished this week. I did some selecting and trimming of images of my workplace from old calendar's I'd collected but I didn't even do much of that. I got out two crewel books and flipped through them and then pulled out the crewel projects and looked at them and then put them away. Some weeks are just like that.

Happy Valentine's Day!

First off, Happy Valentine's Day! I spent one night this week punching hearts (with my new extra-large heart punch) from scrapbook papers. I used double-stick tape to tape them onto strings of perle cotton. I think I shall hang them from the top of the bedroom door early tomorrow morning. This photo only shows about the top 2/3 of the strings.

Well, this has been a wonderful week. No, I didn't win any of the OWOH draws I'd entered. I did better. I have the very best friends!

It started off Monday night when one gave me her felting stash, having moved on to other things. Just look at this amazing pile of goodies! That started to get the juices flowing and I made some sketches, getting back to my abandoned December TIF project.

But, wait, there's more...

The next day I received the sweetest Valentine's card from Stitches of Life. The card was lumpy (always a good sign!). In it were two little baggies full of charms and beads. I tried to get them to show but they kept hiding. The top bag has some of the sweetest little hands. Just perfect for Inner Child Dolls like Pat Winter makes. There are some really cool charms in there. And look at those lovely beads on the bottom. Most came from Etsy.

Still more...Then last night I found a package on my chair. Once I saw the pomegranate stamp, I knew it had to be from Paula. It was a total and complete surprise.

Okay, imagine this was the package--only it was neatly wrapped and those fuzzy yarns tied in a lovely bow. That's what I found when I opened the package. Glowing white silk with lovely fibers. A perfect Valentine. But wait, there's more...

This is what was inside the package. Two hanks (is hanks the right word?) of wool for needlefelting. The brown is alpaca and the green sheep. The alpaca feels lovely just to cuddle. There were two skeins of mohair, and some floss. The best, though, was the amazing wool felted needlebook.

Here it is--isn't it sweet. With a coordinating bottlecap pincushion. (The floss match really well so I kept them in the photo.)

Here is the inside of the needlebook and the sweet little button closure. Paula really outdid herself on this one.

So now I'm thinking that the forces of wool are definitely calling me. Time to get back to it!

I feel awash in goodies (and hubbie hasn't chimed in yet!). I'll have to get a picture for you but today as I was passing out kiddie Valentines and chocolate kisses, a friend at work handed me a pair of chainmail earrings that she made. They are turquoise and silver and very cool. I am totally overwhelmed.

more pincushions

My endless headache seems to be gone (for now) and the weather here has improved. I spent my down time this weekend making more (and more) pincushions.

This beauty is from Bird Brain Designs. I bought it as a kit at the Great Lakes Regional Seminar in Madison last spring. It took me this long to get to it but once I did, it worked up quickly.

The kit came with the really nice wool pincushion, wool fabrics, roving, felting needles and instructions. I had plenty of materials and had great fun. I used the felting needles that came with the kit and also a four-needle Clover felting needle I'd gotten.

The Clover needle was a great (safe) way to tack things down at the beginning (it has a guard to keep the needles from attacking my fingers). But it leaves a very flat appearance. I find you can have a lot of control with the single needle and can place edges where you want them and manipulate the fibers better.

The colors in the photo are actually brighter than in reality. Must have been the flash this morning. The pincushion base is beige and the green a pretty dark green. I plan to use it to hold felting needles since it's so thick and sturdy.

I'll post more of my bottlecap pin cushions tomorrow or Wednesday. More photos on my Flikr page.