Marlow

Here she is with her fat legs. This needle felting is going to have some learning curve. Getting these guys to stand without a stand is a challenge. Right now she's standing by herself, she's such a big girl. Getting February off to a great start.

I don't know if she'll have orange stockings with stripes or black stockings with stripes. Guess it depends on what colors I have available, huh? Ha! I am so tickled by my little imp. Will have to go through my small wool stash. I love her little tummy too.

Stay tuned.

January Wrap Up

The last day of January and I'm wrapping it up. It wasn't a bad month creatively but I do know that I'm going to have to start focusing a bit more. I know I can do all I put my mind to and I have the time, I just have to manage it better.

Koji is done and several larger projects were worked on. I'm getting back to a past project that will have to get done very quickly. I have my major list to work from and several smaller ones. Big projects have been broken down into smaller pieces so I won't get overwhelmed by it all.

I'm quite pleased with my progress for the month but will have to (in the words of Emeril) kick it up a notch. Maybe four or five. What's on the docket for February? Marlow must be finished and a crazy quilt I made ages ago needs to be backed and a binding added. Another painting, several more dolls for the movie, more hand quilting on the bunny, editing of my kid's story and my sci-fi short story.

The big thing I have to do is to start getting ready for a three day show in October. It seems far away but it will be here sooner than I know it. That's a whole other list.

I am ready for spring and I want to go back to the coast. Maybe throw in some mountains this year and get back home for a visit. See old friends. I hope this month was productive for many of you.

Goodbye January!

Marlow

This is Marlow. I started her last year and put her aside. The fear of the unknown crept in and I put her aside. I liked her head, I knew she was going to be a girl but I am very new to needle felting and didn't think she was going the way I wanted her to. Oh the perfectionist. But I didn't throw her away, which I sometimes do with projects that just won't work.

I love Halloween and she was going to be my first needle felt Halloweener. Now, I will bring her to life. I'll take a pic of the sketch I had done. She's got a spider with a jeweled collar and on a leash. The spider might be turned into a rat. I don't normally like rats, but Halloween and rats seem to go together.

She will probably be on a stand, so I have to figure out her leg and make sure she gets another one. I've got some nice olive green and rust fabrics for her outfit and will probably needle felt stripes on her legs. She'll also have a nice black tulle crinoline. I'm getting excited.

Winslow & Jeffrey

I mentioned earlier that I was going to attempt a painting a month. The month is almost over and here is my painting. It's Winslow and his pal Jeffrey the Rat and they are sending a birthday greeting to a friend of mine. They'll probably end up being needle felted groupies.

This is my initial sketch. There are tombstones on the cake and 3 torches for candles. There is one bat balloon and an eyeball in the glass. Jeffrey was added in the finished painting. The painting is 4" x 5.5" and I think the smallest I've done to date. Done in acrylic and I had fun. We'll see what I come up with next month.

Koji

Here he is. Koji the Bear. I'm not the best photographer but here he is. He's sporting a faux under kimonos, altered hanten (jacket) and mompe (pants). His tabi and zori are needle felted.

I had a lot of fun making his clothing. There are some things that I will do different next time around but that's all a part of learning. I can't wait to get started on the next one.

I love how I made his tongue stick out. A little playful and mischievous he is. He will be heading for the Hampton House Gallery for the Small Art, Big Heart Show and Sale.

Had to get a back view too. Next time I will use wool batting to start the body and a bit of core wool and then the nicer, color wool. I didn't have problems with the armature that I thought I would, only with the awful material I used to pad it with. Learning all the time. I would like to find someone to make my stands and I'm still working on taking pics. Argh!

Koji Update

Koji is done. Woo hoo! He's quite the handsome guy. He is the first project I created in my new studio. I'm so excited and I'm tired. A good tired, one you get after being on one heck of a creative flow. I am quite impressed with me. I did something new and it turned out. I've got to start cutting myself some slack. One can only get better if they continue to try.

I'm working on his stand right now, it's in a drying stage. I'll have pics of the complete Koji tomorrow. I can bearly keep my eyes open. The wheels are turning for my next project.

Koji

I've gotten more done on my first needle felt bear. Here is the wool I used on him.

I posted this pic before but I wanted to show it again so you can see how far I've come. It's the pear with legs. I've wrapped batting around a wire armature.

Here he is with his padding and core wool. He's a little bow-legged. But getting cute.
I like needle felting but had to be careful around the wire. I have learned a few things with this bear, him being the first, but you can't grow unless you try.

I started putting wool on his head and he sort of has a Trump flip.

These are some of the fabrics I pulled for his outfit. I may or may not use all of them but I love the colors and patterns.

Here is Koji with his tongue sticking out. A playful hi. I don't know if I want his cheeks a bit bigger or not. Getting his head on with a neck make a heck of a difference in how he looked. With his parts going together a bit at a time and the head going on next to last, I've been having Dr. Frankenstein feelings.

Not a very good close up but I'm still working on it. Pics will not get the best of me. Or be the boss.

I think he's quite handsome.

Now he needs his outfit. I will needle felt his tabi and zori before making his outfit. Stay tuned.