Productive day

My day started, as it always does, by taking the boys to school. I then popped into my friends for a quick chat and coffee. She makes great high-test coffee, so I was ready to go to work when I got home! I laid out a piece of silk that covered my big 7 foot table and my other (former machine) table. I did so with the intention of making a laminate wrap, which I did (AKA "nuno"- trying not to use that term). Of course, they never end up as large as I hope as it fulled almost 75%. I was then on a roll and put some wool down the centre of a lovely hemmed shot scarf I had bought on sale on Thai Silks. It came together so quickly, I decided to make a couple more for the tour. I have 2 laid out and mostly done rolling that I will continue tomorrow. One is black/purple and the other is a vivid Salmon colour. I laid a similar colour wool as well as ivory silk fibres, some tiny bits of white firestar and pink silk. It looks like a beautiful sea shell. I cannot wear this colour, but it would look great on the right person. I have lots of white silk and merino and I am still thinking and dreaming about dye pots. Before that happens I need to do some serious organizing of my dye area. Hmmm!

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Sunday...Ahhhh!

I love the weekends. No rushing to make lunches and get kids to where they need to go. Just hanging out and drinking coffee as if I don't have things to do! I stayed up late last night making some fun little felted rings with marbles inspired by German felter Annette Quentin-Stoll. I had fun with them and can sell them on the studio tour. Of course, they all fit my skinny fingers. I need to work on making bigger ones and will make some more today. The boys and I are going to a friends house for lunch. My wonderful friend, Chris White, gave me little batt of a beautiful super fine merino from Oregon that is calling to me and I am trying to decide the best thing to make with it. I am thinking a nuno wrap with this gorgeous soft wool would be a real treat to wear and I do need something for the Gala in a couple of weeks. I may have to get a dye pot started for the first time this year and dye some silk especially for it, or maybe do an overdye/shibori. Oh, I am excited now! I am so happy that I am never short on ideas! Oh, life is good. I am counting my many blessings to day. Family, friendship and felt.

Overwhelmed

I am neck deep in wool orders and am trying to set aside wool for workshops! I would love to be playing with some of the fabulous stuff I picked up at New England Felting Supply rather than working, but life won't have it! Tomorrow I will get some of these orders out and I can put together work for the studio tour, prepare my power point for the Textile Museum gala and put together materials for the workshop with the West Carleton Fibre Guild the following day. They are bringing me in to celebrate their anniversary. It will be a busy 4 days. A week later I have the EAC conference that they have booked solid with 20 people and I will be short an hour with their AGM luncheon. sigh...one day at a time, Andrea!!

Home from Massachusetts

I arrived home yesterday afternoon to pick up the boys from school. I had an amazing and wonderful 4 days teaching at New England Felting Supply. Chris White (Uniquely Felt author) and her husband, Mike, hosted me and made it feel much more like a vacation than work, I can tell you! To not have to cook for 6 days and come home to wine and cheese was a real treat, but the conversations with Mike and Chris were the best. My students were so wonderful and worked very hard! The time flew by and I can now look forward to returning in August for Karoliina Arvilommi's visit, November to take a felting lab with Chris and in April next year to teach again....so wonderful to have these dates to look forward to! I will post the work of my students on my website in the next few days. It was exciting to teach my landscapes for the first time as I was ready to pass on my tricks. To see their work come to life is so rewarding and to have happy students leave with beautiful work they have created ...nothing better. My husband and parents tag teamed the boys and they did more than fine. Lunches were made, dishes were washed, projects worked on and pancake festival attended. I'm a lucky woman to have such support. I have busy months ahead and hope the efforts don't wear thin! This teaching thing is pretty sweet...

Easter

Well, I am trying to focus on today...be in the moment. but my mind is preparing to leave on Wednesday to teach 2 workshops in Mass. With the holiday weekend, much of my running around getting things ready for here at home must be done last minute. I have been in the studio which has been nice and made a bag yesterday that fulled down almost 50% as it was three thin layers of merino. Even the boys were surprised when they saw the finished product. I am thinking about felting today, but with family coming for lunch I should wait! I think I will slice the ham, get the salad ready and lay out a small pillow anyway! Have a great day...