Cuff Weekend

I was busy and in heaven this weekend. I finally had a weekend when I could create again. It feels like it's been eons since I've had a chance to pull fabrics, buttons, beads and stuff out to create with. It has been a busy last few months.

For the Romantic

Many good things happening and then not so good...my mother in law passed away in September and it's the little things that you pick up and a memory of something she said or did hits you like a jolt. With her death I have also revisited the memory of many other people whom I loved and cherished and who I have lost over the years.

Simply Victorian

We still have a couple of weekends of yards sales to have...but this weekend was mine!

Do you love Jane Austen

A weekend in the woods

 And, there's more on their way....  plus, there will be a metal working weekend real soon too! Oh, and see that button on the last cuff...one of my first buttons from my enameling class. I can't even tell you how much fun enameling is!

Meet....Queen Annes Lace and Confetti

Well you all know that I've been making Queen Anne's Lace cuffs for well over a year now. But, did you know that it didn't even cross my mind to make a Queen Anne's Lace ring. Until, Beth at Have It Sweet sent me an email and asked me if I could make one. The light bulb went off and I thought....Oh Duh! The Polka Dot ring was a special request as well. Loved making them both! Thanks Beth for the light bulb! And, if you are looking for some real deliciousness....visit her shop, but go run a mile first.

Snow Candy Hand Embroidered Cuff

A magical concoction of snow and sugar...

I've had the design of this cuff dancing in my head for about a month. I love how whimsical and cheerful it turned out. I've made it a Limited Edition, so I will only make this cuff through January, 15, 2010. I can make it any size, so if this one is a little big for your wrist and you are interested, just let me know and I'll make one especially for you!

Lotus Flower and Koi Cuff and Life..........A Circle?

Well...it's been a long time since I created a new cuff.... It was a special request. I love this color of wool and chose it for this cuff since it is mottled and reminds me of the color variations of water. I haven't decided if I'm going to make another for my shop. I will think about it as I work on my Limited Edition Holiday cuff.

Just like with many people right now, life has been complicated lately. Making important decisions that not only affect my family, but my employee's families. Watching as large companies pull on resources that small business has no way to reach. Watching as corporations get bailouts, while neighbors, friends and family lose their homes. Sometimes it just doesn't seem fair --but we strive to make it with will and determination.

My creative brain waves have kicked in again after taking a couple of months of being very logical and precise...boy was that tiring. So keep an eye out here and in my Etsy shop for new designs and creations! Now back to your regularly scheduled programming (is anyone watching Flash Forward?)

Wearable Art Queen Anne's Lace Wool Cuff

Did you know that Queen Anne's Lace (wild carrot) is actually a weed? I know...I know you are saying how can something so beautiful be a weed. And, did you know that if you find one with a red center, rather than just a dark center it is said to be very lucky? The red center is very rare and its significance is that Queen Anne, whilst doing needlework pricked her finger and a droplet of blood fell on this flower.

Whenever I come across Queen Anne's Lace, which is not often here in Arizona, I always search for a red center...guess what...I have never found one...have you?

My newest cuff is in honor of this weed (I'll always think of it as a flower).

Felting Wool and Dying with Rit Dye

My adventure with felting and dying wool began this week. I bought some wool from Jo-Ann Fabrics before it all disappeared and I also had some thrift wool jackets that I had deconstructed. It took a while to wash and dry of the wool and then cut it up into manageable pieces for dying. Somehow I ended up with a collection of Rit dye (I think it came from an auction and was part of a boxed lot) that I've wanted to experiment with for some time. As you can see one of the boxes is vintage and the rest are updated somewhat, but are still from a past decade.

I boiled the dye and water then added the wool. You could say that I cooked wool this week! The colors are tasty. Pastels, plaids and grungy rich wool!

I then rinsed and dried all of the wool again. I'm excited to use the plaids. I think they turned out to be quite rich and will make a wonderful background for my designs.

One thing I really liked about using Rit is that it's not toxic like some of the other dyes that you have to be a chemist to use. For my application the colors turned out the way I wanted. I may take some of the lighter colors and then overdye a little more to get a better mottled appearance.

It was a fun project and I will do it again, but I ended up with enough wool to last for quite a while. I should have taken a picture of the latex gloves that I wore --they were quite a sight!

Folk/Peasant Cuff and Contest Tomorrow!

I'm getting ready for vacation and wanted to share with everyone my newest cuff. I love this yellow wool and the mottled look. The wool came out of the collection that I posted previously. I'm using up this collection slowly, since I love it so much. Not only the colors, but also the texture. I think this one has a kind of folk/peasant appearance.

I'm working on another for a friends girlfriend and I will post that before I leave as well. It has a totally different look and is in purple.

Come back and visit tomorrow --I will posting a new contest for your enjoyment!