Going Green, and Orange, and Blue ...

In honor of National Craft Beer Week, this bracelet was chosen to be highlighted in the Going Green section of the Try Handmade website. Thanks to Rebecca for choosing to include me in a terrific article, and a special shout-out to my friend and fellow collector-of-all-things-cool-and-reusable, Tracy, for recommending me to Rebecca. Tracy's blog and etsy shop are definitely worth a visit! I've added some charm bracelets to my etsy shop, and will be adding more items during the day.

And just to prove that I still know how to thread my sewing machine, here is a small round-robin quilt that I am working on with a group of three other ladies. We are going to donate these quilts to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Inniative (AAQI) for auction when they are finished. The May quilt auction is going on right now - but ends on Monday the 10th, so check it out! New quilts are available each month and all the proceeds go to fund research for a cure.

I was the third person to work on this quilt. It started with the jar of honey, the second person added the bees (which are amazing!) and I added the clovers. I free motion embroidered the clovers and was pleased with how they turned out. I might have to make some more for myself or a future project, so I don't forget how I did it. I love how this quilt is developing.

I am still working on a rather large canvas piece. It is coming along - I just have to figure out what finishing details are needed. It always seems like that is the hardest part!

~Michelle

Five Rounds of Poetry

I survived not only my first "solo" street fairs (as in, no one came with me to help set up or relieve me during the day) but my first back-to-back weekend street fairs. The days couldn't have been much different, the first being cool, cloudy, and threatening rain and the second hot, humid, and sunny. Both went well and I received a lot of nice compliments on my work. The only "new" items I made between sales were poetry bracelets, in the fashion of the one that was published last year in Cloth Paper Scissors. It was a challenge, but a fun one, to create little snippets of poetry to fit into five small circles. The people who stopped by seemed to enjoy them and I did sell a few.

This one was my personal favorite. I loved the blued and teals, and of course anything about the ocean! I thought for sure it would sell, but I still have it. It just might find its way into my etsy shop, which is in serious need of beefing up.

This is the same bracelet, with blue and white ocean-related caps. It is almost as much fun choosing the caps as it is designing the bracelet. In case you are wondering, yes, I did add a clasp before heading to the sale! I just took the photos before that happened.

I'm going to do some straightening of the studio before all the street fair tables and boxes find their way back in there. I am also working on a large canvas piece, which is developing nicely, although I've decided I need to do "something" to the background (which could be tricky since a portion of the foreground has been developed already). I am not sure what that "something" is, but I will share the work when it's complete.

Hope you have an enjoyable May. ~ Michelle

My Life in 100 Square Feet or Less

I thought you might like to see my booth as it looked on Saturday at SpringDaze. The sign is new ... the canvas covered in paper scraps, then painted and each letter made from chip board (cereal boxes, two layers) and alcohol ink-painted CD mosaic. It took forever but I loved the results!

I didn't bring as much of my framed art this year, since I was by myself to set up and it takes a while to hang. I need to come up with a better method for hanging stuff along the sides. I hung the sign by bungee cords, which worked really well, but I'm not sure I'd trust glass frames to that method.

This was the first time I brought the extra card table that I put in the corner. It's up on risers, and I like how it created the different levels. Everything fit well in the space, though it was tight when there was a crowd!

Thanks for visiting ... I hope you'll have the opportunity to stop by in person sometime!

~Michelle

Earth Day 2010

I love Earth Day. I didn't know much about it growing up, but the first Earth Day I remember well was when I was in college. A group of us went to the Bronx Zoo and I was struck by the field of white crosses, each baring the name of a species that has become extinct. It made a real impact on me. I believe we should celebrate Earth Day every day - not to sound cliche, but it really is the only home we've got!

Here are the magnets I made this week. They are recycled advertising magnets, and other such ones that I have come across. I even took a "bumper sticker" magnet and cut it up. So next time you get one in the mail, or wherever you come across them ... don't throw them out! Use them as a mini canvas and create some art.

I am done creating for the week. The next two days will be focused on preparations for Cary's SpringDaze. Right now they are calling for clouds and a 30% chance of scattered showers. I am remaining optimistic that they day will be cool, and wonderful, and that the usual crowds will still come. Next Saturday (May 1) I will be at Peak Fest in Apex ... a new show for me. Wish me luck!

~Michelle

Preparations

I'm spending this week getting ready to head to SpringDaze on Saturday, trying to get some additional things made so I have more than just my bottle cap stuff in my booth.

I pulled out some of the mint tins that I've saved up and made trinket boxes out of them. I'm pleased with how they turned out, and hope they will be well received.

This one ended up being my favorite, even though I almost talked myself out of this color scheme in the beginning. All the boxes have "feet" on them so they stand up off the table.

Here are all the boxes. Pretty much they are covered in scraps and recycled materials. It was good to go through my paper box, though I still didn't make a dent in it!

Here are a couple of them opened up. I lined the bottom with wool felt and the tops with various papers. The one on the right is lined with a wrapper from a chocolate bar!

This week, I have also made a sign for my booth (still have to finish the edges and photograph it), some magnet holders/coasters from large canning jar lids, and I am currently working on collage magnets made from freebie advertising magnets that I didn't want or need. I hope to finish those today. The week is flying by, that's for sure!

Flower Shower

At the March Designers Downtown Market, my booth neighbor was Amanda of Oh Sew Cute Designs. She makes all sorts of great baby gear, and since I was in need of a shower gift for twin girls, I had to take a look. I fell in love with this fabric and bought two car seat arm pads from her (a really great idea ... wish someone had thought of it 14 years ago!!!). The fabric is by Michael Miller and is called "Flower Shower".
I absolutely love the aqua, coral, and pale lime green. A great girlie fabric without the pink and purple. Amanda was kind enough to hook me up with some yardage as well, and I made two small (24" square) coordinating quilts to go along in the carseat or stroller.

I used hand dyed fabrics and the "Bento Box" pattern by Tracey Brookshire. I modified the pattern by turning every other unit 180 degrees to give it a more random appearance. Then I created my own pattern for some flowers and raw-edge machine appliqued them onto the quilts.

To give the quilts some individuality, I made the centers of the flowers different colors. I free motion quilted them, bound (and backed) the in the Flower Shower fabric and then machine washed and dried them. I love doing this, especially with baby quilts. The batting shrinks up just enough to give the quilts a soft hand and a slightly "worn" feel. The effect of the raw edge applique (intentional) was to fray the edges of the flowers.

I had trouble getting a closeup, but I think you can see the effect. I love these quilts and I hope my neices-to-be will love them as well.

~Michelle

Those Little Things

The leaves are back on the trees (though we need a good rain to wash the yellow coat of pollen away) and the sun is filtering through the leaves and sparkling on my kitchen table. I'd almost forgotten how much I love sunny mornings in my kitchen when the trees are leafed out. :)

Remember those "little things" I said I was working on in my last post? No? Sorry, yeah it's been a long time, but here they are ...

I have two art fairs coming up ... April 24 and May 1 (local friends, see left side bar for details - come say hi!). I made a batch of coffee cuffs using my stash of painted dryer sheets. They are so bright and cheerful!

I made these 1.5" gift cubes back in February and two of them have already sold. They really are cute. I changed the button on the one on the right (which is the one I still have) and made a few more.

Most of them were cut from postcard bases that I had made a while back but had never developed into anything. I just think they're so cute and plan to make them in different sizes. They are all made from dryer sheets, except the one on the bottom left which is paper towels.

This is an ATP (artist's trading pin) that I made for a trade. It is about 1.25x2.25 or so (I don't remember exactly) and is made from silver and purple silk that came from a drapery sample book. I'm working on my hand beading!

A new product for my art fairs and eventually for my etsy shop are bottle cap pins! I also plan to make barettes in this same style. I made some with words, and some (these) without. They are fun to make and have been well received.

And in an effort to actually finish some projects, I strung together the pennants that I traded last fall on Fiber Art Traders. The ones I made were the fish skeleton and the jelly fish. I thought it was interesting that the ones I received all stayed within the same colors. I think they look great together. I tied them with raffia and found seashells. They're hanging up in my studio now.

I am working on two small quilts, which I hope to finish this week. I am still not quite done with taxes, but should have them done today. That will be a relief! I have been very absent from blogland, but I know that my friends will forgive me.

Thanks for stopping by ~ I am off to see what YOU are up to!

~Michelle