Woven Dolls

I was going to the library and when I got dropped off I spotted a parking lot thrift sale in the building on the other side. I got a tote bag full of yarn and fabric scraps for .50. My boyfriend picked me up at the library and rolled his eyes when he saw more yarn. He's going to disown me.

Anyway, I used it yesterday to weave some more dolls. I've decided to sell the basic ones for $5 plus $1 shipping.  I like them just as they are, but you could add faces, hats, and clothes if you like. It's nice today so I should go take some craft photos, right?

Tatting a Pendant

I wish I knew where my tatting needles were so I could try this flower pendant. It looks so much easier than using a shuttle. I'm amazed at how fast she goes.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73luorqg8v4&feature=player_embedded#!

Cleaning Day

A handyman is coming over tomorrow to see what repair work the new owner wants done inside the apartment. So my art schedule flew out the window so I could clean. Yesterday we were also out of town most of the day picking up the truck from the mechanic and delivering merchandise. Tomorrow isn't looking good either because the repairman will be here. We don't know if they are starting right away or just making notes. It could be over in an hour.  As the saving goes, life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.

I am working on many projects though. I'm crocheting some granny squares out of scrap yarn. I've been really good about not buying any new yarn. I want to use up all I have first, which could take years. But if we have to move, I'm scared I'll lose everything, so I'm using it while I still can. I have a snood that is almost finished. I have a vest that is knitted that's almost done too. It won't do me much good in the heat of summer so I need to get done with it. Taking a day off won't kill me. It will just make it more fun tomorrow.

1001 Things to Draw

Can't think of anything to draw? I just updated my 1001 Things to Draw list. Set your kids up with sketchbooks or rolls of paper on the wall so they can spend the summer sketching out their ideas. Time to get some fresh crayons and art supplies. Or if you are going on a trip or summer camp, take a drawing kit with you. The watercolor pencils make it easy to draw while traveling, then turn your art into paintings once you get home by using a wet paintbrush.

Quick sketch from life. Draw your friends, your pets, your plants,  you garden.  Draw, draw, draw.

Making a Long Bow

My shoe full of foxtails.

Guy using a hatchet to rough out a bow.

Sunset in the Arroyo Seco

Ken teaches a boy to make a board bow.

Silhouette of the setting sun.

Maze of branches

Good afternoon everyone. We just got back from the archery store getting more feathers for some children's arrows.

I spent yesterday in the Arroyo Seco under the beautiful sycamore trees with the archery group from Paleoplanet. Amanda and Marilyn from the SCA were there shooting too, so we got to talk a bit between rounds. It's nice to see a mother and daughter archery team.

We do have a loaner tool bucket, but we were overrun with people wanting to make bows so they had to take turns. Now if only we could just get them to put the tools back in the bucket when they are done. The best way to do it is to buy your own spoke shave, some scrapers and a half round rasp.  Then not only do you not have to borrow the used and abused tools, but you won't have to wait in line to get your hand on a rasp. And then once you go home you can keep working on your bow. You won't have to wait another month for us to have another meeting.

And if you have old tools feel free to donate them to the loaner bucket. I think all the ones in there came from Ken. Poor guy shouldn't have to buy all our tools.

Hopefully Guy Taylor will be teaching arrow making in Fullerton real soon for all our new archers. If you want in on that be sure to email him at Greenman Archery. (greenmanarchery at gmail dot com). I don't know the prices yet. Partly it depends on how many people are interested.

Archers at Chamberlain Ranch Shoot 2012

Make a Gourd Planter for Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day, I thought I'd take an old gourd that I should have used long ago, and turn it into a gourd planter. I got the idea from the Welburn Gourd Farm website, only instead of paint, I decided to add a design with my wood burner. And mine is going to be a hanging planter. It did have a pretty bad crack which I filled with a gap filling glue, so once that dries I can proceed. I should be able to finish it in plenty of time for Earth Day and post a photo of it for you.

I also recycled some cans.  On the way I spotted a yard sale.  I was able to pick up a glass bowl full of tumbled glass to use in my mosaics for $1. So that's something else I kept out of the landfill. It may be sea glass but I suspect it's just tumbled glass. The seller didn't know.

What are you doing for Earth Day?

Wood Pendant Necklaces

It's great to be back in the studio. For two days I've been working on some wooden pendant necklaces for Mother's Day or graduation presents. Earth Day is also coming up soon. Today I got to use the gold webbing spray which is so much fun and unpredictable. It creates some pretty spontaneous art. If you are an artistic control freak you would hate it. But if you love to keep your art from getting stale by adding random elements, it's great for that.

First I collaged paper elements to the wooden hearts and circles with ModPodge. I let them dry overnight before adding the webbing spray. I'll do a paint coating on the back. But I don't quite know what else to add to the front. I need to make an artistic decision there.

Archery Related Crafts

I'm back from the Chamberlain Ranch Shoot, a tradition 3-D archery shoot. I took over 150 photos so I won't be posting them all, but here are a few of the craft related ones.

Gary shows a new archer how to tie a feather on an arrow.

Whether you make bows, quivers or arrows, there's a place for you in archery.

Many of these guys make their own longbows.

Back quiver

woven doll

This little doll sold right away.

I'm Back

I just got back from a five day archery camping trip. I'll tell you all about it soon, but for now I have to catch up with mundane stuff. Photos soon to follow. We haven't unpacked the truck yet and my camera is buried in there somewhere.

Laundry Doll

I wanted to work on dolls today but I had to go to the laundromat to wash the sleeping bags for our upcoming archery trip. No worries, I packed a little bin with all my supplies and made a doll while the bags were in the washer and dryer. Portable projects are so handy.

The doll I made next to the sticks I made for stick weaving.

I rather like them plain, but I'll be adding faces and clothes to some of them.

I always take a craft to work on at the laundromat.

Making a Grab Button For Your Blog

I finally created a grab button (to the right). I found out how to do it here: http://thelittlehenhouse.com/2011/01/31/how-to-make-a-blog-button-with-a-grab-box-a-tutorial/ Even so it took me 3 tries.  Just stick to the Wordpress directions and ignore the 'for Blogger' blurb and you'll have it in half the time that I did.
Next I'm tackling the social media icon buttons here: http://thelittlehenhouse.com/2010/09/16/how-to-add-pretty-social-media-icons-to-your-blog/

Hair Fascinators

I'm working on some peacock feather hair fascinators. They are lovely hair ornaments.  Perhaps a bit much for daily wear but great for belly dancing and burlesque costumes, weddings, cocktail parties, and Kentucky derbies. Photos coming soon.

Stick Woven Doll

Tonight I had some fun making a woven doll with the stick weaving method. It's nice to finally learn something with stick weaving other than making long items like belts and scarves. I see so many creative possibilities with this.

Nostepinne Yarn Ball Winder Doll

I like things that are old school so when I found out what a nostepinne was I had to have one.  So I found an old dowel we got when David Brunetta cleared out his studio, and decided to turn it into a nostepinne. So using hand files and a pocket knife, and a saw. I was able to get the shape I wanted. I tried to keep in mind she needed a neck and a waist.  The waist give me a groove to anchor down the yarn with a rubber band or hair elastic. In a pinch any dowel or cylinder will work I suppose, if it's the right size for the yarn, but it's nice to have something a bit more artistic.

After the sanding was done, I used the wood burner to add the designs. My boyfriend was using his grinder to taper arrows so he helped me out and made the pointed end with the grinder, which saved me loads of time.

Day in the Park

We spent the day in the park with friends.  I got some knitting done. We shared our peanuts with the people and the squirrels. Then one of our friends offered us some peacock feathers and other assorted kinds of feathers. Well, I couldn't turn that down! I was just about to make some more hair ornaments called fascinators and now I have more feathers than I've ever had in my life! Paradise. It was super windy today so I didn't try to get photos of the feathers, but I will soon.

You can see in the photos how gorgeous the weather was. It was a most pleasant April Fool's Day.

Easter is Sneaking Up

It was a rainy Saturday here in Southern CA. Luckily we made it to the bank, the post office and the grocery store before the rain began. I mailed off one of my handmade cards to a relative and an Easter surprise to my grandson. I suddenly realized it's only one week until Easter!  That sure crept up on me. I had hoped to design more Easter cards for my Zazzle shop but this is the only one I managed to post early enough for someone to mail order it.

In the morning I'm going to a picnic, so I hope it's not too wet.  Then I get to go give someone the white crocheted snood I made for them that I mentioned in an earlier post. Maybe she'll get to wear it to church on Easter.

If you forgot I had a Zazzle shop it's here: Personalize Me. And now, like the bunny in the photo, it's time for me to get some sleep. Have a great weekend.