You really have to try this!

I have finally had a go at felting something myself and it's SO MUCH FUN!

 

I was pretty limited with my wool roving selection but that didn't matter as I just wanted to have a go at making something.  I decided a small sample would be best to begin with to get me used to the whole process.

 

The below photo is after I had lay out the wool roving and added a few other pieces for effect.

 

 

 

Then after much hot, soapy water, plenty of rubbing and then lots of rolling, I finished with this....



The finished piece is about 15cm x 15cm which is about a quarter of its original size.  Now I just need a few more colours as I've got a couple of projects in mind.

 

Funnily enough hubby seemed quite happy for me to begin felting.  He mentioned that the whole process where you have to do the rolling would be good exercise and help me lose a little weight!  Best not to mention what I said to him about that!

 

xx Susan



Glasshouse Country Arts Trail

The newly formed Glasshouse Country Arts Trail kicked off over the weekend with their first open studios.

 

The group of around 10 artists have been working towards this for many months and will each have their studios open over the Queensland and NSW school holiday weekends.

 

I'm very excited about it because my very talented sister Sandra is a part of the group.  I got to spend time with her in the studio yesterday as well as Aannsha, a textile artist who is sharing Sandy's studio on open days.

 

 

What I loved when I walked in the door was the colour and variety of their art.  These girls don't just stick to one medium, they both diversify their talents and show off just how good they are.

 

Sandra does wonderful acrylic paintings, watercolours, collage (the toucan in the below photo is a collage), graphite and charcoal pictures.  I'm sure she does more too but they're the main ones I can think of at the moment.

 

Aannsha does some pretty amazing things with felt including wall art, scarves, bowls, jewellery, bags and purses.  Her work is exquisite.

 

 



 

Aannsha also did a felting demonstration in the studio on the day which I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED.

 

I've wanted to try felting for awhile but hadn't quite got it together to get in and have a go myself.  It was fantastic having a demonstration because I got to ask questions and see how it was done so I'm now not unsure of myself. 

 

 

As for the Arts Trail, they're open for the next three weekends and then will be open again later in the year, around October I think. 

 

So if you want something unique and very special for not only yourself but for gifts then come for a drive out to the beautiful Glasshouse Mountains area and take a peek at some of the studios.

 

 

Just for the record, the girls' also a wide variety of really reasonably priced items as they want to make good art accessible to everyone.

 

 

Now I've given them my little plug, I'm off to have a go at felting myself.  It's also a good excuse to finally clear my dining table as things have been piling up there lately and I do need the room to do my felting!

 

xx Susan

A stitch or two

I've been creating a few more cozy things lately than I have over the past few months. It's been so lovely to be able to sit and stitch as the weather has been getting cooler.

 

I haven't made any more blankets although it looks like I might have a commission to make two of them  but have been working on some quicker projects like scarves and shawls.

 

The two below were a bit of an experiment with a fairly quick and really easy pattern.  My mum says she looks like a frilled neck lizard when she's wearing hers though!

 

 

In the next photo I made these into a more traditional style scarf using some lovely patterns.  I finished the cream one AGES ago but the burgundy one has only recently been completed. 

 

It's my school scarf because I used to do a few rows while waiting in the car to pick the kids up from school of an afternoon.

 



 

The last item I've completed lately is my most exciting because I actually knitted it rather than doing crochet.  It was quite fun to make and I really, really love it.

 

 

I've got a few more projects I'm working on as well but my next post will be about the Glasshouse Country Arts Trail.  My sister is a part of it and they had their first open studio's this weekend.

 

Aannsha, the lovely lady who does textile art is showing her pieces in my sister's studio and did a felting demonstration today.  It was so much fun so guess what I'm going to be trying tomorrow!

 

xx Susan

School Big Night Out and 125th Anniversary

We've had a few internet issues here this past week which is why I haven't posted about the school's Big Night Out yet, even though it was held last Saturday.

 

We were thinking that it was a modem problem until hubby got under the house this afternoon and realised that the dog had chewed through the secondary phone line! 

 

The dog is now back on the chain and not allowed off until hubby can come up with some alternative for him.

 

As for the Big Night Out, it's the annual school fete and this year was combined with the school's 125th Anniversary.

 

I was a very proud Mum as Master M was chosen to represent the current students to cut the anniversary cake.

 

They usually get past students and a current Prep student to cut the cake and this year they had two former student's from the 1930's and the Great-Granddaughter of the original principal in 1888 when the school opened.

 

One reason why Master M was chosen is that my kids are the 5th generation of my husbands family to go to the school.  There's a few fourth generation children but only three 5th generation kids at the school and two of those are my kids.  The other is my hubby's cousin's boy.

 

After the speeches, music performances, and a fantastic video of the school from the 1970's (which is how I remember the school), it was time to have some fun.

 

I had to run off to help on the class stalls but after that it was out to the oval for the rides.

 

Jumping castles, huge slippery dips, chair swings, a merry go round, spinning tea cups and some other spinning ride for the big kids was all set up on the small oval.

 

A few brief showers in the afternoon didn't dampen spirits but thank goodness they went away otherwise the fireworks would have been cancelled.

 

They weren't and we were treated to a fantastic display with lots of excited people looking on.

 

After that it was time for home and if I was hoping my kids were tired out after such a big day then I was doomed for disappointment.  They were so hyper that it took quite awhile for them to settle down.

 

We all crashed in the end though and now have more fond memories of another wonderful day.

 

xx Susan