Getting Back Into the Crafting Groove

With the upheaval of the move and trying to pick my way through the basement, my crafting life came to a complete halt until recently.  While trying to find my basement, I have been making the time to "make"...however, my mom has suddenly decided to learn how to use her computer and has found my blog.  This means that I can't write or post any pictures of what I have been doing because I have her name for Christmas and what I have been working on is for her gift!  She even admitted that she searched out my blog to try to get some hint as to what I was making her.  Sorry mom!  You won't find what you are looking for here...because I know you are looking!!!!

So, for now, I am going to pick through my archives of little projects that I have made over the years in hopes of finding more time to perfect rather than just dabble.  Today, we are going back in time to around the year 2007~ish and to when I first learned how to needle felt. 



Bookmouse ~ Needle felted Summer 2007

This is my Bookmouse...let's call him Norman.  Norman is a book mark.  He is the very first project I made and has now become a favourite for my children to give to their teachers for Christmas...so, if you are ever their teacher, there I have just given away what you will get for Christmas.

Needle felted Gnome Summer 2007

I made this little guy right after I finished my mouse.  He sits on my shelf and keeps me company.  I will have to make some friends for him one day.  After I made him, life got busy and I didn't make anything else other than all the Bookmice that have been given as gifts.  It wasn't until I found my needles and made the pumpkins that I realized how much I love to needle felt.  It is soooo relaxing!

Yesterday, I took my fibre addiction to church for our Christmas Super Saturday and taught an unsuspecting group of women how to felt.  I say unsuspecting because when they signed up for the workshop they believed that I was going to supply them with a piece of felt from a craft store and teach them how to make an ornament from that.  Hahahaha....little did they realize that they would be wielding sharp needles to create an ornament from merino fleece.    I wish I had remembered that I had my camera to show all the great work that they did...I did grab a few shots at the end.



Felted Snowman ~ the end result of a "Sure, why not...I'll give it a try".  One of her beautiful daughters popped by and made a wonderful snowflake.  Looking forward to seeing what else this family creates...a couple of blocks and needles went home with them.




One of my awesome friends that I met when I moved here...funny thing though...we actually grew up in the same hometown back in Ontario!


 

A couple more of my awesome crafty friends popping by to take some of their stress out on fleece.



We used cookie cutters as our templates (great way to save those little fingers especially when teaching young children).  I gave a quick demo and let them at it.  The biggest challenge was figuring out what shape they wanted to use...and what colour...and beads, sequins...Kids in a candy store!  It was a great day and so much fun sharing what I love to do with others.  My one session turned into two sessions as some came back for more and as some of the younger visitors came out to see what was going on.  We had some pretty little snowflakes coming from these young crafters.  I have had quite a few requests to have another felting get together so that means my addiction has been successfully been passed on to others.  Very cool!

When I got home I felt inspired to pick up my needles to try something a little different...inspired by some of the wives of the dental students here.  This is a quick first try...it is too cute.  It needs a bit of work; I think the molar has a cavity!

Needle felted toothbrush with molar

I am going to post again on this topic with a little tutorial, some of my favourite places to order from, etc so drop by again.