A New Magazine and more buttons...

The first issue of  Fiber Art Now has been issued. You can see some of the premiere issue here. Since Fiberarts Magazine is no longer publishing, this looks like a promising replacement.

And, of course more buttons, brooches and toggles have been made in Karen's class. This is the last week of class and I have been inspired to go in many different directions.

a soft button for my wrapping cloth

a brooch for a friend in NYC

shortened some jacket sleeves and now there is a brooch to match

a puff made with a lace hexagon and some embroidery and needle weaving

and the latest is a toggle

Click on the images for a closer view. Some of these pieces will be placed on the edge of my wrapping cloth that is still in progress.

You might also like to read this article featuring Karen Ruane and her work over here. Scroll down to the post for Oct. 24, 2011.

the mighty oak...

and it's acorns gives wonderful color on cloth. I used the bottom of a white cotton shirt, folded in thirds and secured over a jar lid with a wide rubber band. The cotton was soaked in soy milk for a couple of days, then secured to the jar lid and boiled in oak leaves, acorns and left over liquid from avocado skins for about one hour.  I left it in the liquid over night. It has been washed and just lost some of its color.

all supplies from the backyard and the kitchen

turned out better than I expected since it's cotton. I think the soy milk helped.

they are buttons now...

damp stretched to get out all the wrinkles

they look quite different as buttons, don't they...

And Karen taught us a new design. This one will become a brooch.

hand-dyed scrim, shell charms, bullion stitches, french knots. all stitched onto a covered button

Ready to become buttons...

Just some images, on this Sunday, of my progress in Karen's Buttons and More class.
These are all about 1 1/8" in diameter. Click on images for close-ups.

practicing bullion stitches

tatting, weaving and french knots

bullion stitches, web stitches & french knots on silk

really long bullion stitches here

These are all ready to be damp stretched and onto becoming buttons.

a gathering...

Day has become Night and it is time for a gathering on the Universe of Feathers...
These feathers are on their way to Jude for the Magic Feather Project. The piece is 7" square.

bits and pieces of this fabric was gifted to me

Several people asked me what I would be doing with the 'funky puffs' I'm making in Karen's class. They will be added to the edge of my cloth as embellishment. Here is the edge of the sampler pillow I made with some funky puffs.

sampler pillow with funky puffs, prairie point and rouleau loops

I've also been working on a neck piece in bobbin lace. The pattern is so large that I had to make a pillow extension so the bobbins would be supported on the edge.

pillow extension helps hold the bobbins in place.

close-up of collar with beaded edge

And just an idea...
Walgreens was offering free pill cases. I decorated it with duct tape and it's a great little case to hold buttons and things to carry around for my stitching project.

pill case decorated with duct tape

my new favorite cup...

I stopped at a new Goodwill thrift shop yesterday and spent only 99¢. An Emma Bridgewater cup from England. I just love it. It even made my morning tea taste better.
Click on all the images for a closer view.

the inner rim says 'BLACK AND WHITE CAT'

Here are the latest pieces made for Karen Ruane's class that is nearing the end.

funky puff with lace and bead

more funky puffs and an attempt at making one with a cathedral window design

a new piece started to add to the others

Karen has a new class starting on Monday called Buttons and More. Check out the description here. Maybe you'd like to join in. I've signed up.

And finally, a new basket I made this week for a friend. I hope she will like it.

Make Do and Mend

I just had to share this video that was posted on Facebook. Some of us are going back to that 'make do and mend' philosophy for a variety of reasons. For some of us it is important not to fill up the landfills with things that can be mended and reused. And it is a way of being creative by transforming something old into something new and beautiful. For some it is due to the economy and a way to save money. Whatever the reason, I think you'll enjoy this video that is under 3 minutes.

bits and pieces....

Just wanted to let you know that the Austin Lacemaker's Guild has a wonderful exhibit at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport through November 22nd. So if you happen to be passing through this way, be sure to have a look. It is on the second floor near the women's restroom and the food court. It's in a secure area so you have to be flying in or out of the airport for access. I have 6 simple pieces on display.

Just some of the pieces on display.

The 5 little pouches with lace trim and the purple purse are mine.

There are some very talented lacers displaying their work. After 2 years, I'm still in the beginning stages.
Hope some of you get to see the display.

AND SOME AMAZING FACTS ABOUT BEES (having nothing to do with lace):

The bee population is reduced by 1/3, every year.
Bees only live for 40 days.
In those 40 days a bee only collects 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey.
So it takes 12 bees 40 days to collect one teaspoon of honey.

I can't believe how hard they work in their short lifetime. Bees are so essential for our food production that lots of people are becoming beekeepers these days.
This information came from an episode of Texas Country Reporter that airs here in Austin every Sunday.


AND A VERY WORTHWHILE VIDEO TO WATCH:
Michelle in NYC posted this video on her blog yesterday. Robina Courtin is a Buddhist Nun and is wise and funny and, in this video, talks about how to be your own therapist. I think you will find it enlightening.
It is an hour long but well worth your time. I sat in front of my computer with my stitching and was disappointed when it ended. You might also check out some of Michelle's other postings. You can't help but find something that will interest you.