Creating this Week ...

I am playing around with my pumpkins this week -- making tons for the stores and for the CASA show on Nov 7. I'm experimenting with putting faces and hats on some just to mix it up. That's my project for today and I'll post some pics later. Today is gloomy weather but I will create my own sunshine with orange wool fibers !! I'm still looking for boutiques around the country - especially at ski resorts -- in which to place my scarves. And I'm waiting to hear from my friend in Oregon whether she wants some for her boutique. More later ...

Felted Pumpkins Featured on Etsy Front Page

It was a wonderful day Friday (10/23). My needle-felted pumpkins were featured on the home page and almost 500 people clicked on the store to view the pumpkins. Those views resulted in 25 item hearts and 19 new shop hearts. Wonderful! Also I traveled to Wisconsin to Windmill Antiques & Co.. This is my new location for scarves, etc. I took 5 new scarves and new flower pins along with some other home accessories.

Felting is hard work!!

Now that I am felting almost everyday so that I can create enough to fill the website and 2 store locations I am realizing the difficulty of creating by hand vs. creating with machinery. Really, I can only make about 2 scarves a day, plus a couple of smaller items like my flowers or booties. The smaller items take almost as much time as the scarves to make. But, the physicality of felting is really hard on my arms, elbows and shoulders so I try to work only in the morning until about 1 pm and no more than 4 days a week. This past weekend I traveled to New Glarus, WI to a wool supplier and on a whim decided to stop in Evansville. Jean Wyse runs a really beautiful antique shop there called Windmill Antiques & Co. It is so nicely organized with beautiful and artistic displays! I bought two vintage sweater chains (remember those?). I was wearing my felted wool vest (see older posts) and Jean asked me about it. We got to talking and she asked if I would like to sell some of my scarves in her shop! Wow! I said yes, and now I'm working on getting at least 8 scarves and other things to put there. Well, off to felt some more. Oh, I forgot to tell you about this basket -- its made of wool and will keep your bread warm for your table.

Fall Pumpkins

Recently I purchased a wool batt such as a quilter would use and turned it into about 100 needle felted pumpkins. This was before the Cider & Cinnamon Art and Craft Fair. I sold many of these at the Fair and have only about 10 left. Each pumpkin in covered in a variety of orange wool then the sculpting begins by adding lines for shaping and curly locks for dimension and texture. I make the leaves out of a variety of green wool. I have discovered that dry felting works well with the leaves as they are thinner and see-through, just like leaves that are dying. My only regret -- not buying another wool batt so I could make more. Well, there is always next year.

In my next post I'll tell you about my recent travels to Wisconsin and my new shop location!