New Camera

I am so excited to finally have a new digital camer that is not almost obsolete!  I have been playing with the crazy functions on it and the one that sold me was the super close up option.  And heck, well it is the size of a cell phone, the new ones!

So check out my fall garden, hopefully today I will do some leaf raking and put some of the garden to bed, but the seed pods are what I love to see and so do the birdies.

 

our stone wall

 

japanese maple

 

blackberry lily

 

 

liatris

 

cone flower

 

obedience

 

love how this shot looks!

 

barberry and perennial primrose

 

 

beauty berries...love this shocking purple in my garden!

C2Paint and Lee Perault of Via-Design

 




I have been chatting with a very talented colorist interior designer in recent months, and like all colorists we talk about our color references.  I have always loved my Benjamin Moore, but Lee Perault turned me on to a new resource.  I haven't gotten 
myself a paint deck yet for the studio, but just looking at the web site for C2Paint one is immediately inspired.  They have a Look Book that is fun to boot!    Lee does business in Rye, NH and her business Via-Design is colorfully exciting.   These room shots are her designs from her web site, thank you Lee for sharing.

We are presently working together on a pair of art pillows for her client, in a space she designed for them with chocolate brown and lavenders, the wall opposite this seating area is the most incredible chocolate color.  My pillows will be on each of the sofas.  I am looking forward to this project and wondering what I will be designing?   hmmm

Art Is...You Cromwell CT

Well the studio was packed, bags of fiber filled to the gills, and boxes packed with kits for my three classes.  I taught Felted Flowers, Felt Fiber Collage and Felted Pouches.  I headed down the Interstate for Cromwell Connecticut and was on for three days straight!  This course event was a true gem.  Very unusual and the producers are indeed angels. Anyone interested in mixed media of fiber, paper and metal should definitely check out this event.  The gals who produce it theme it for each year, this year was Taking tea with Alice.  Alice in Wonderland.  I even designed a felted Tea Cup to teach but in the end that course was canceled, not enough students.

We felted all classes pool side!!  Talk about hot and steamy, well - really humid, though by the second day I did run out and buy a skirt and tank top to wear instead of jeans.Our first class Felt Flowers

everyone working on their flowers, we make the bits of felt first, the cut and shape, assemble then bead.

Day two was making POUCHES.  Fiber is laid out specially, the design is added on the surface the the pile is felted and shaped.

 

 

The Fiber Collage Class, the evening between the two day classes was fun too, take a gander at so much imagery and creativity, just a few of the creations:

 

 

 

And some Creativity in action shots!

 

 

The St. Louis Union Station Marriott

Last week I also visited St. Louis for a conference, and like so many of my work trips I didn't get to see St. Louis like I would have liked to, so Imagine my delight when the conference was located in the Union Station Marriott.  Totally renovated, and jaw dropping beautiful, a surface designers' dream!  I only wish I had my camera so I could have taken the kind of detail shots I love, so for now this will have to be my memory book,

taken from many shots I found on the web. 

 

 

 

 

Really it was beyond imagination.

Fall Inspiration

As many of you know, I have been known to say Fall is my favorite season...maybe it is because my birthday is the beginning of October, maybe it is because I adore WOOL (Felter, knitter, designer) or the smell of mulled apple cider on the stove (which reminds me instantly of the Niddy Noddy(more about that and Irene Preston Miller later), a textile crafts shop where I grew up in Croton, NY.)  Well, in my spare moments this week, Tom and I are running out an do anything fun and fall-y, we had breakfast at a local nursery called Harlows Farm Stand.  The breakfast joint inside is called Cafe Loco and all very tasty.  We wandered amongst fall flowers and even a koi pond and a buddah with a pumpkin. 

 

 

 

Felt on the Cape

Look at what three beautiful creative and talented students did!

 

 

 

 

As I explain on the workshop description on my website, the Patterned Felt on the Cape is a 3 year long tradition.  I met Ginny Boylan about 4 years ago, she fell in love with me by stepping into a booth of my work at a show in Massachussets, and I could tell she and I were of like spirits.  BUT!  The moment I stepped into her studio and home I completely understood our connection.  Just so you understand more fully, she hosted me on this trip and I slept in their "Sunshine Suite".  Ginny is a decorative painter, mostly furniture, she gives classes on the Cape, and she will decorate just about anything.

The "Sunshine Suite"

Here's my fiber in her studio

coffee cups for Ginny's painty students

Her living room, new red walls and felt pillows made from our class 2 years ago!

 

Such beautiful attention to color and detail

Ginny's current seasonal project with for her Decorative Painting Class

So we also celebrated our birthdays during the class, Ginny's the day before and mine coming up.  As a treat Ginny made a very decadent cake, a  Chocolate Stout Cake whose recipe is from the Barrington Brewery, Great Barrington, MA

and then Nancy brought a plate of some very delicious ginger molasses cookies , all too very delicious

 

I love what Barbara wrote to us all when she got home, "Today I see my felted projects in a whole new light.... can see the progression and similarities of those done 2 years ago to today and must say that not only was the class extremely educational for me, the good company of so many Libras in one room  was wonderful for this pioneering, yet "following" Ram, AND the cookies and cake were sensational!!!"

 

and Nancy had some equally nice words to say, "Thanks for a fabulous day today!!! It’s a real luxury for me to have the entire day  to — create something I love, spend time with engaging and talented women and eat orgasmic chocolate cake!! Happy Birthday to you both and thank you again!!!!"  Ladies I hope you don't mind that I quoted you!  Thank you