My Day...

I was so happy to have such a beautiful Autumn Sunday. Sweater and wooly socks with scraggly hair pulled back. Nothing but natural light spilling in and a chilly breeze through the open windows. Hot coffee...I spent the a.m. getting all my hang tags on my work headed to Toronto in the next couple of days. I was taken by the months and months of work that will fit in a couple of boxes. The inventory sheet includes thousands of dollars worth of art/art to wear and I hope they will all be well received and....that I get none of it back (not likely, but I can dream!) Commission sales can be such a drag...you must produce so much work hoping the pieces will strike a chord with the right person at the right time.

The afternoon bought me wondering the aisles of the grocery store with every crazy person with a day job that leaves buying food for the week until Sunday afternoon.

...See how happy I am?

Everything is put away and planned meals for the first time in over a year for the week. Now I really want to nap rather than even consider cooking any of the purchased food...or make a hat. Coffee and a hat...sounds like a plan. :o)

 and Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Hats!

I have been in the studio getting thing ready to take to the guild shop in Toronto. I have lots of beautiful scarves, bracelets, ornaments, bags...and a few hats. I was inspired by the hats of Norwegian artist, Hillevi Huse, and am making a few for fun.

My eldest asked if I was planning to market them to retired circus performers. What is he implying, I wonder? Are they a little wild? Too colourful? Too may protrusions and springy things that sprout out or collapse? I think I am okay as he did say "retired" performers suggesting they are more sedate than those which would attract currently active circus performers. That is what I am going with, anyway. I will take images, of course, once they are all ready to go! (scroll down!)I know some daring folk in Toronto will appreciate them!

Ahh, it is the hour I need to consider dinner and the 2 hats I was working on today are complete. The purple one is my attempt at creating a more sedate head piece. successful? Yes. A bore? Yes. The next one will, perhaps be a hybrid...either a funky design in a sedate colour...or a sedate design in a funky colour. Time will tell.

bracelets ready for Toronto...sterling magnetic closures :o)

Ultimate comfort food.

THE hats...what fun to make.

love this cutie. 

More to come...I will keep you posted :o)
Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

I'm Baaaack!

Beads ready to go. Findings? Where are you?

From little prop plane to...

...even smaller prop plane!

some of the pods made by my students (and me)

Tracey's fabulous hat made in Hillevi's class

My new felty friend, Tami.

Hello devoted blog followers. Are you still with me? It was been a lazy summer with my family and making lots of felt for Fall "stuff". I was also looking ahead to my trip to the Creative Felt Gathering in Michigan. What a great event! It was organized by the lovely and entertaining Jone (pronounced either Johnnie, or Yo-Na). She clearly holds this event for the joy of surrounding herself with creative, talented feltmakers. So generous, warm and easy going, she's a kind soul. It was a week that felt more like a vacation than work. The evening downtime allowed me to feel like I could re-energize rather than feeling like I was missing something. A few things were planned, but just enough.

I was happy to see many familiar faces from past teaching and other events and to meet some new people that I had only known from Facebook. The Lithuanian camp it was held at is a beautiful retreat with wildlife, a glistening pond and uncomfortable beds, as required by all camps. Just enough comfort and just enough rustic. Can you tell I loved it?

In any case, I am now home and settling into the routine of back to school finally. Ready to blog daily again. felt. create. I'm so excited, really.Of course more pods will abound. Perhaps some new forms...3D, for sure. Looking ahead to the next couple of years (hard to imagine) with teaching dates booking, show commitments...getting my ducks in a row. The week will be spent unpacking studio things, having a look at what I have to take to Toronto for the Guild Shop and finishing any odds and ends up to take. I have some beads made for bracelets and am awaiting the findings, am thinking about a few hats after inspiration this week from Norwegian, Hillive Huse, but we shall see. I will keep you posted...you know I will!



 Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Web Cam class info!

As some of you may know, I have been doing some teaching by webcam. I had been thinking about it long before I actually began last fall and I wonder now why I did not do it sooner!

I thought, "Oh, I am not tech-savvy", "It will be weird", "How can I translate feltmaking without me having hands on". Well, it is way easier and better than I anticipated and have had over 30 students now with fabulous results (and several repeat offenders)

In any case, rather than having you all overcome trepidation in asking details, I thought I should share them HERE. All you need is a webcam, which is pretty standard on laptops (see the tiny little lens above your screen?) and inexpensive to buy for desktops (mine was $30). I use both to demo, but you only need 1.

1. Email me regarding desired dates and what subject matter you would like to cover. I am really flexible and work days weekends and evenings. Accommodating time zones has not been a problem as we split the hours for one "day" over 2 days. I have had no connection issues from anywhere in the world.

2. I will then send you a link to connect your webcam (so easy), a materials list to have ready, and a paypal invoice to be paid the week prior to our dates. One 6 hour "day" of instruction is $250. I find with the webcam, it is best to split this time over 2 days, for example 10-1 on Saturday and 10-1 on Sunday. This allows time for any homework between, a rest and time to think.

3.  If you like, we can connect briefly the day before to check in, or we just connect the day of instruction.

Pods and 3d techniques have been popular, but we can cover hats, vessels, bags, jewelry...I have lots of experience with a wide range of subjects. I can also be available for consultation at $50 an hour if you have specific questions regarding issues you are having or need some guidance.

Hope to hear from you...!



Visit my site

 www.andrea-graham.com

Where to begin?

My lovely "Blooming Sharon"

A new collection of pods

detail

One of the NEW scarves

I have been a naughty blogger and been neglecting you all. It does not take long to fall out of a habit. The summer has been spent abandoning some habits and creating new ones (both good and bad!). While I have not created to many new exciting things, I have been making lots of scarves and bags. Sometimes this can feel like a chore, especially when I am asked to make them, so doing so on my own timeline has really allowed me to enjoy the design and process.

 I did take a little trip and am getting ready now for the boys to get back into the school routine. I have 2 show entry deadlines in the next 48 hours, which means I have 46 hours to further procrastinate. I do not consider myself a perfectionist, but I am painfully aware of the strategy to delay as long as possible so if it is not "perfect" one has an excuse...but I continue to do this!

I do, however, promise that I AM back to blogging :o), so stay tuned and I will keep you updated and show you stuff. Off to have ice cream and sprinkles...a summer habit that I consider good and bad!



Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

New Scarves on Etsy...for now!

one of my favourites! Super funky-fun

 I have lots of new scarves accumulating for Fall inventory for my galleries and still time to make more, so thought I would list some on Etsy, in the meantime. Hope you will have a look! I will make another post later today!!
Click below:
ETSY- ANDREA :)

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Falling of the face of earth? Naw!

 Did you all think I had left you all? Of course not! I have been busy and then was a bit of a sloth...and then had students. This was followed by further slothing. I find I have these ebb and flow situations and have long stopped beating myself up over it because it really is part of my creative process. If I need to nap, I nap. If I need to just float through a few days, I give myself permission (within reason, of course). I missed an opening of a group show I am in and an artists outing. I have since made up for some lost time. I did teach a bags workshop which motivated me to purchase more silk. While in Prince Edward County on Saturday, I was inspired my a clay piece at a gallery and made this vessel (15 inches tall)

The best part was today when I met with an artist friend who has offered to mentor me through the next stage of my arts practice. I am not giving up what I do (that's crazy talk), but I am going to focus significant energy on my fine arts part of my work. I am looking forward to it all, but navigating some new areas feels awkward. I am thankful to have someone walk me through the rocky parts. I will keep you posted ;o)

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com