Meditation Ball Workshop

 Come and felt a meditation ball. The evening will begin with a group meditation. This meditation will help let go of our daily stresses and really come into the moment of the felting experience.

We will learn the basics by needle felting a ball. Needle felting is the art of sculpting raw wool roving into beautiful pieces by using a barbed needle. It is fun and addictive.

The ball you will create will be no ordinary ball. At the beginning of the felting process we will set an intention and meditate those intentions into our felted ball creation. Your intention can be anything that calls to you: "health", "happiness" , "prosperity"...Felting really is like a meditation and the wool is natural and healing to work with. It can be an intention for yourself of someone close to your heart. The finished product will a beautiful ball that hangs from a ribbon and can be pleased in a window sill or Christmas tree or a ball for a child to play with.

Even if you have a lot of felting experience this workshop is for you. It is more than a felting workshop. It is a time to connect with that creative part of you and to connect with others in your community. Tea and snacks from the Art is In bakery will be served. Please wear comfortable clothing.

Available spots: 6
When: November 30th, 2011
Time: 07:00 - 09:00 (please honour the time)
Where: Address will be given upon registration
Your investment: $25/includes all supplies and snacks

Waldorf Window Stars

Last year I was given some Kite Paper from 3 Little Monkeys on Bank street.  I knew I wanted to make window stars with this beautiful paper with beautiful colours but never got around to it.  Finally last week I got to work and made  a few.  Although the incticate folds it requires isn't really for small hands the children loved watching me create this star that is now hanging on our window.  I love how the light shines through the paper,  giving it a nice soft glow.  You can find the tutorial here.

Handmade Harvest was nearly a week ago. So many great things happened at the show.  On Friday night I met a couple who have a sheep farm.  Yes, a sheep farm.  For me that is big and very exciting.  I've been dreaming of a local wool provider for a while now and have found one!!! Provided everything goes as planned  my felting kits and felted goodies will be even more friendly for this planet we inhabit.   At the moment my providers are from British Columbia and Albert.  I am happy they are Canadian but would rather they be in my backyard.

 Here are a few of the cuties

I am so looking forward to getting my first batch of wool from these guys.   There are so many things to learn and dyeing my own wool is definitely something that I feel driven towards.  So once again the universe has presented me with what I have been asking for, without me really having to do go looking for it.  Thank you universe!
 

 I was very lucky to be sitting across from Laura Daub a very talented artist.  She makes prints from her paintings.  Each painting has inspirational quotes.  She also makes beautiful ornaments (below) and gives children art classes from her home.  She is  a beautiful person and I loved skipping over to her table for little chats.

All in all the show was a great success. I met great people and left very inspired.  Next you can find me at Idle Hands on November 26th at St. Lukes Church on Somerset.  Drop in and say hi! 

Wet Felting

Last week we got to making some wet felted spaghetti.  We got  some wool, hot water and applied friction to make some spaghetti for our play kitchen.  It was great fun, kids love playing with sudsy water.  

 

I love Halloween.  The kids look so cute in their costumes and I get a kick out of being something other than myself.  I love the walking around the neighborhood meeting people neighbors we wouldn`t usually see, the houses all decked out in their spookiness.  Within all that I do hold a little contention for this ever growing celebration and that is all that sugar that it involves.  Owen who you see above was a ninja and this ninja stuffed his face with candy until he was purple, green and yellow in the face.   

For years I have been trying to consider my strategy on the candy intake.  Do I let them have a couple of candies a day or do I let go of control and let them eat as much as they want so I am not seeing candy for the rest of the year.  They are at the age of candy wisdom now.  It is impossible for me to dump half their loot in the garbage without them noticing.  Garbage throwing tugs at my heart as well,  as it`s such a waste.   I was so glad when Zoe (click her name to see her costume ) told me that her dentist promised to give them $10 for a pound of their Halloween candy.  So there you have it my solution for this year`s candy intake.  Above is my little ninja happily using my scale and weighing out a pound of his candy.  I am behind the camera smiling and happy for this year`s candy solution.   What is your candy strategy.

Today I went for a walk and this is what I saw...

 My Shadow

White clouds and a blue sky

 

 The most beautiful milk pods

 A very big mushroom

 Looking up at the mushroom

 Deep brown mushrooms

 Pine cones

The sky is overcast, merganser ducks float along the shore line,  swimming and ducking their heads in the water.  I could sit here all day gazing out the window but work must get done. Later I might permit myself to go for a cold dip in the lake but for now it's felting and more felting.  
 
There is such a stillness here.  It is a perfect place to find inspiration.  I have been working on some cutesie owls for next weekend's Handmade Harvest Craft Show and having so much fun.  As I felt away with a grin on my face I take pauses to sip my tea and look out the window. There is such beauty everywhere, the trees reflected in the water, the grey branches, naked of it's leaves.

Handwork is allows you to slow down. It's like a meditation.  The mind slows down as does the breath.  I love it's effects on me.

 

 These owls are fun to make.  They are a work of labour and love. I love felting the eyes because once the eyes appear they come to life with a little personality. 

Work in progress.