Pops of Colour

Fall is neutrals... With pops of colour.

I have a little more stitching left to do, here, but I have learned more about felting and wet felting in making this. It takes awhile to get the feel of new materials and I have plenty of ideas I want to explore.

And when I found some unidentified red leaves on the ground, I overdyed this wool with them and a few maple leaves:

The Final Chapter

When I last posted about 'Butterfly Dreaming' (http://fibreheart.blogspot.com/2010/08/tale-of-roots-and-wings.html ) I thought of adding a story pocket to the back and today I did.

Now the story is printed on silk and will remain safely tucked inside. I also signed up yesterday for a machine stitching course next year at the Victoria College of Art and and a felting workshop at the Vancouver Island School of Art called 'Entangled and Embedded', this fall.

Finished felt journal and planning

One thing I love about felt is how both sides end up looking interesting and it's often hard to choose. I should have taken a photo of the underside, which was more muted - next time. I've cut the felt piece down from it's original size after the wet felting, added yarn, commercial wool felt, roving and ribbon - glueing it to the journal. Many of the journal covers I make are transferable to other journals the same size - but I like the wavy edged, looser look that is glued on, too.

I'm also continuing to explore what I want to focus on and accomplish in the year ahead. I don't want too many specific goals as I want to keep my learning fun and leave room for what wants to arise organically. Also, I like being realistic - I simply can't work on fibre 8 hours a day everyday in the middle of family life and keep the lower stress life I prefer. So I choose flexibility and self-compassion - as in - I commit to work on something fibre-related most days - and that could be as basic as reading about a technique. I am amazed to look back to 2 years ago when I first got a sewing machine and began spending time most days on art. I made a cloth doll and I remember feeling quite guilty at all the time I was spending making her. Wow - has my attitude ever changed! Fibre art has really become my work and my love. I'll post a photo of my doll soon.

Journal covers

Today I didn't get into the studio until after dinner. Some days there are other areas of life that need tending and I think maintaining a balance is important. When I was getting my master's degree, I came up with an anacronym I use regularly to remind myself about balance: PRICES. And I do pay a price if I do too much of one thing at the expense of others. Physical (diet, exercise, health), Relational, Intellectual, Creative, Expression and Spiritual. If I ever feel stuck I run through these areas and check out which one needs addressing.

But back to what I created today. I collaged lace, satin, silk, ribbon and another fabric I don't know the name of onto a wool journal cover I'm making for my niece. Yes - that's right, I'm still making a few 'Christmas' presents because family is visiting next weekend and I took advantage of the extended time period to prepare gifts after the actual day. I also used my embellishing machine to attach roving to chiffon and then I wet felted it and now it's drying. This will become a second journal cover. I keep thinking about weaving strips of felt together and then sewing them down - and - I have a new book 'Uniquely Felt' by Christine White that I might look in for inspiration.