Resurrection Fern - Inspirations and things to make with your two hands

I'm blown away by the blog, Resurrection Fern by Margaret Oomen. I showed some of Margaret's crocheted rocks a few posts back. Now she is sharing tutorials for all sorts of wonderful handmade things. You can learn how to knit a forest,make a snowflake pendant and much, much more. She's my new favorite artist and her website is so inspiring. She also has a store on Etsy where she sells her handmade things. You can buy pictures of the crocheted rocks there.

Christmas Window Displays

Check out these cool windows from Barney's in Pacific Place. Notice the pot scubbers they use for trimming their tree. I love anything with mannequins and old globes.

Down the street at Mario's they do cool things with their windows too.

Banned Books Project

 

I was one of the artists who took part in the banned books project created by librarian Elsa Steele at the Kirkland Public Library. The was my second time to participate and this year my book was We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier (Young Adult Fiction). The assignment was to read the book and then alter it in such a way that it can no longer be read. Since the main event in my book centered around a house, I cut the pages into the shape of a house and cut out windows on each of the pages so the content is altered. The book sits on a base of the collaged remnants of my cutouts. I hope this project will inspire people to fight for the free flow of information.

Wow, Look at this crochet!

I just saw this over at Lucky Handmade...the crochet work of Margaret Ooman.
http://luckyouhandmade.blogspot.com/

See her etsy shop here http://www.etsy.com/shop/knitalatte

Linoleum block carving for Christmas cards

My friend Kelly had her annual lino-block carving party. This is about my sixth year to attend and I'm finally getting the hang of it. Here's my card for this year.

Great-full

Hi Everyone. Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving spent where you want to be with people  you like. Some of the things I'm greatful for today are my health, home, friends, family, cat, garden, talents, community, teachers and enough food to eat.

What are you greatful for?

My cup is full, he said to me, not speaking of his beverage.....

Christmas Cards

I've been designing holiday cards for a corporate client. Here's one if them...the Happy Snowman.
This has been a fun project, and makes me realize how much I love illustrating!

Purple seed leaves

 Nature is exquisite in her palette.

Poster for Vital 5 Arbitrary Grant in Graphic Design

This poster I designed appeared at Bumbershoot this Summer.

Copic Markers

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about Copic Markers lately...I can't wait to try them. Here is a link to their website. Both Teesha Moore and Mary Englebreit have recommended them on their blogs for use in journaling and art.

New pictures from old trips

I've been neglecting this blog. Sorry about that. I'm going to school three days a week (taking advanced web design classes), working part time (demonstrating espresso machines) and going to job search support groups. Enough of that! Here are some pictures from a trip I took to Buenos Aires a little over a year ago. I am ready to put on my traveling shoes again. The struggle to pay the mortgage and pay bills on my unemployment check every month is getting old. I'm ready to start a new chapter.

Halloween

Inspiration- Textile Designer from Madrid

I found this textile designer from Madrid, Monica Romero Martin, while doing a search on LinkedIn.
http://www.porvariosmotivos.blogspot.com/

I love her palette.

Felt Inspiration - Fashioning Felt

http://www.cooperhewitt.org/EXHIBITIONS/Fashioning-Felt/

I'm so sad I missed this exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt. It showcased the amazing work being made by artists using felt. One of my favorite installations is by Janice Arnold of who makes felt right here in Washington in Centralia. I want to meet her and study felt-making. Check out this video of the process: http://blog.cooperhewitt.org/2009/04/13/video-making-of-the-palace-yurt 

Knitting Season Begins

With the cooler weather and changing leaves I've started to cozy up inside with my balls of yarn and knitting needles. Here's my first hat of the season. It's made from a variety of yarns I had in the scrap basket. I'm pleased with the colors and the way it turned out.

Inspiration - Apolline a Paris - handmade dolls and other Wonderful Things

See here website here:

http://www.apollineaparis.com/

Leaf study

Looking up looking down in Autumn...this is what I found. Each one as different as a snowflake.

A visit from Maria

Sabor de Oaxaca

Maria

Mural in front of Twilight Artist's Collective in West Seattle

My friend Maria came to town for a visit this week. I took her to the Farmer's market in West Seattle, the International District and my favorite little taco place in Burien...La Estacion. We tried to go to Sabor de Oaxaca, but they were closing as we drove up. I was there last week and tried their friend grasshoppers...not really my cup of grasshopper!

Road trip to the Skagit Valley

I went up to the Skagit Valley on Saturday to see the salmon swimming upstream to spawn. It is an awe inspiring yearly event. On the way home I stopped near Mt. Vernon and took some pictures. In the spring, these fields are full of tulips.

This boat was at an RV park not far from La Conner...I love the warm, reflected colors at sunset.

Handwarmers

There's getting to be a nip in the air so that's when I get out my knitting needles and start to cozy up with the cat. Here are some new handwarmers I've made. There are available to buy at my etsy store. They are made of a yummy wool called manos del uruguay. It's kettle dyed and has slight variations in color. They are very soft and warm.

Wasn't it just summer?

Making Felt

I got inspired to make some felt today using the wet method instead of needle felting which I usually do.  It's a lot of fun, though messy and wet. You basically need wool roving, hot water, dish soap, bubble wrap and nylon net mesh (the kind fruit gets packaged in). Here are my samples from today.