Big Happenings

This weekly post is a bit late as I was gone all weekend.  I went to the Northeast Feltmakers Guild Meeting.  We had a very large turnout for both our workshop and our business meeting.  Our hostess were Carol and Roz and they did a fabulous job of organizing over 30 people.  They came from Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Mass, Conn, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.  We had several new members and lots of the 'regulars'. 

Our workshop consisted of mini coats.  It was an exercise on how to make a 3D project with collar, lapels and an overlapping front.  They were so cute.  And I think all of us enjoyed the 'making'.

Roz was our instructor.  She did a terrific job and as usual was very realistic about how to 'solve' glitches and giving people options to try. 

Lots of smiles!

Lots of thinking....

Lots..

and...

lots of felters!

With lots of colored mini coats at the end.

And there was fantastic food!

And there was 'Show and Tell"

WOW!!  Some of the "New" felters made some pretty impressive stuff!  But then there was unexpected and expected felt from some of the "Usuals".

Well, that's it for this week.  A **lot** of pictures because I had a **lot** of fun.  Thanks so much to everyone that worked so hard to make a fun and a special thanks to my friend Linda Vielleux who made this:

That I decided I couldn't live without  =-)

Oh...and one more special Thank You to Diane...my dear friend who put me up at her house, fixed me a fresh egg quiche from her 'ladies', made me Creme Brulee for dessert and made me laugh.  Oh, and her dad...who is delightful and has a great sense of humor. 

It seems every time I went to post this weekend, I got distracted.  Bloggers are posting every day!  And their work and Spring is my downfall.  I love looking at other peoples workand it always gives me a boost.  I live in a fairly rural area and have nature to inspire most of my work.  I love spending time outside...rain or snow or sun....but Spring is always so nice...but so is the first snow...or a deep snow...or the patter of rain on the windows...or the colors of autumn....or.....  I guess what I'm saying is I seem to enjoy all of it. And not just the weather....I find lots of lovelies....like this little nest of a mallard by the swamp.

It makes me think of the wonder of life...beginning...ending...starting out.  The little miracles that sometimes I take for granted.

But I digress.  I have done a little felting.  And my first project was almost a direct copy.

I fell in love with another felter's slippers.  She has pictures on her blog and it is called Jurga Jurdita.  You can find it here and the slippers on her Fliker page here.   She is from Lithuania.  I fell in love with a brown pair with roses at the toe.  I tried to buy them.....but she had none left.  Sigh.  About a week later my daughter called and asked if I could make some slippers for a very special friend.  She wanted something made out of natural fibers in a natural color.  So here is my version of Jurga's wonderful slippers. 

A bit girlish....but my daughter said they were just right.  They are made from the natural colored Icelandic wool I bought while visiting a local sheep farm.  The roses are silk dyed ever so lightly with walnut stain.  Just enough color to take away the optic white.

I did work on the quilt a little.  I'm finished with two more squares.  I worked a lot in the garden this weekend and had very little time 'left over'.  

First Cyclamen or Shooting Stars.  These may or may not make the final cut for several reasons.  The square is an odd size and botonically they are not correct.  

 

I also did the Indian Paintbrush which made me happier even though I favor Shooting Stars over them

 

 

I also have been dreaming and thinking about my new studio.  Right now I share my studio with *everything* in the basement.  You know...the paint cans, gardening tools, washer, dryer, stuff you no long use.  But a while back I made a deal with the DH and traded for the upstairs of our new garage.  

 This will be MINE...all MINE!!  

The floor will be made water proof and floor cushions for moving around.  The wall are to be painted and full spectrum lights will go up.  It is getting close and I am starting to get very excited.  It was postponed for a while because of some 'technical' difficulties but now I'm ready.  Any suggestions from you there about what makes up your dream studio....let me know.  There are times when I am sooo overwhelmed at the thought I can't believe it is real.  I never thought this would ever be possible.

Now I'm off to get ready for my Other Work....the one that will pay for my studio. 

April Flowers

Well the showers came in March and everything started to bloom in my yard.  I, fortunately, did not have any flooding...either at home or my work.  My DH's shop was spared but only by the width of the door.  

So now after the torrential rains have watered my gardens and swollen the wetlands I need to get to work.  My DH finished the hoop house today and I planted lettuce.  I'm sure you don't want pictures of piles of pine cones I raked up or plain dirt with tiny seeds.  So instead.....

Summer blooms of Bee Balm.  

I had a large population of these in the west facing bed.  But as the trees around the house got larger and the shade extended there are less and less.  It's wonderful to watch the hummingbirds work these blooms. 

But I do have shade loving plants in the east garden bed.  Mostly ferns...OMG ... do I have ferns.  But I went to a Native Plant Sale and bought one of these at an auction. 

Jack in the Pulpit hides its bloom under the three large leaves.  My original plant has had multiple offspring and I now enjoy a small colony. 

I have found Wake Robin or Trillium in the wild but have never been successful in growing them in the yard.  I will try again this year. 

Trillium are so magical when you find them.  They seem to be a secret that has left for you and when you find them......shhhhh...........don't tell anyone.