Wet Felting

Well, I am sorry but my altered book is not done yet. LOL. I will get to it soon! I have the sculpting part of it left to do. I somehow got sidetracked and found wet felting. Like I need another hobby besides my sculpting. HA! Yikes.

But I found it by accident and soon enough I was hooked and determined to try this! So I bought some wool roving, a book, some other miscellaneous supplies and off I went. My first thoughts when I found this was making little felt bundles for my babies. So here we go! What I do for my little sculpted babies!

My first piece I did (which I will not post), did not turn out great. It didn't felt and I also choose pink and tan roving. Well, it look like splat of baby vomit! Bad color selection and I won't do that again.

So the next day I tried again. I am really bad about taking the time to really read through a book when I start something new. I buy the book, I quickly glance at the supplies, get what I need and then dive right in. Which is why my first piece probably didnt work too well. So after that blunder, I figured I better take the time and read first.

My second piece turned out better. First, I made sure I didnt choose bad colors. I did pink and green. The book also mentioned to start with snakes. So here was my results. I love making the cords/snakes. This wetfelting is truly a workout, I should have some nice biceps and arm muscles if I keep doing this. So here is what I did. Keep in mind it was hard to take pictures because my hands were very wet and soapy, but I did my best to capture this process. I have no idea if this is how it should go, but it worked for me! I am learning, what can I say. If your a wet felter reading this, go easy on me with commentary LOL. I really was sort of 'winging it'!

All images are clickable for larger viewing.

This was my real first piece I did and after this I was hooked. YEAH! I can do this and like it!



Today's results are shown below and each step I took. With this piece, I was anxious to embellish but was not quite sure how to do that yet. So I decided to just try these bits of wool yarn. I really was not sure if the yarn would felt in, but I gave it try.

I will start with my supplies: The book (which I really need to read some more), a bottle with holes poked into the top to pour/shake the hot water on the wool. Rubber non skid mats (from supermarket), ballerina tulle, olive oil soap, wool roving, some embellishment yarn of choice.



My work surface: Stair treading (from home depot, one foot segment), bubble wrap which is used underneath the wool roving (bubbles face up).



My wool roving in green and blue, some wool yarn for embelishment.



I lay out the whispy pieces of the wool roving however I like my pattern. 3 layers I did of the blue and green. Each layer is 90 degrees to the layer below.



I then added some of the wool yarn for embelishments - keep in mind I still do not know anything but the basics and am clearly 'winging it here'.



I then lay the ballerina tulle over the roving to keep the fibers in place during the wet felting.

I fill the bottle with hot soapy water (dawn dish detergent just a dab) and pour on the roving from center out. When water is all over the wool I then begin to press firmly down with my hands to soak it into the fiber.



I then take my olive oil soap and just gently rub over the tulle to get some of the soap all over the roving. Then I agigate the wool with my palms/hands for about 5-10 minutes. Pressing down and slightly vibrating my hands over the wool making sure to get every area agitated from center outward to the edges.



Then when I see and feel the fibers starting to begin to felt, I then start my rolling. I roll up the bubble wrap, felt, tulle which all get rolled inside of the non skid matt. And then just keep rolling and rolling up and down the stair tread. Lots of soap comes out, its a little messy, but its just water and soap.



After rolling 4-5 times, I unroll and check it. I lift up the tulle and turn the felt sideways and roll up again and start rolling more. I repeat this proces 4-5 times and keep turning the felt and making sure the shape remains square.



I also take to the sink occassional and let hot water run down the roll, and very gently squeeze out some of the soap and water. Then once again back to the rolling table for more rolling. I make sure it stays nice and hot during the rolling.



After about 1/2 hour of doing this (maybe longer, I didnt time myself) and periodically checking it to see how it is felting, before too long , I can see the felt starting the shrinkange (which is normal). Shortly after the shrinking I can tell my yarn is nicely felted. I think I am done and here is my finished piece. I will lay it flat to dry.

So there we have it. I think it was harder to blog this post than it was to make the felt. HA! Look for some upcoming babies with some nice handmade and artsy felt bundles!

Bunny Baby

Here's my little pink Bunny Baby. She is one of my bundle babies. She will go on auction for 5 days starting this evening. These images are clickable for larger viewing.

My Altered Book Project

I have been quite busy this weekend. I am doing my usual sculpting but have been working on my first altered book whenever I get a few moments. So far I really enjoy this art form. It is a project that does take a bit of time. What I like about it is anything goes and ya can't really screw up. I do not yet have a title for this book but the colors are purple, green and silver. The shadow box area will have a sculpture in it, perhaps a fairy or maybe a gypsy fairy. I hope to have this book finished within the next week or so.

As for my sculpting -- I plan to list a new little baby on Tuesday, February 24th. She is a cutie pie! A little pink bunny baby. Check back tomorrow evening for pictures.

Silk Gauze Hand Dyed

Just posted for sale, on Etsy, a beautiful 5 pack "Spring Bouquet" of my hand dyed silk gauze. Great for fairy costumes or any other spring dolls you may have in the works!

Baby Brianna Full Sculpture Baby

Just finished a full sculpture baby. With all these bundle babies lately, I realized after working on Brianna how much I missed doing full sculpture babies and their little hineys! These images are clickable for viewing larger size.

Baby Emily's Ebay Auction - 2/17/09

Baby Emily, my soft body poseable baby, will be available on Ebay. Auction starts Tuesday, February 17th at 7:30pm EST (5 day auction). She will have a start price and also a BIN price.

Spring Baby Finished

Here she is, little bunny ears too! These images are clickable for larger size viewing. Digital cameras have hard time picking up lavendars and purples, they tend to look blue. Her little bow is lavendar, not blue.

Spring Easter Baby

I am finishing up a spring basket (easter baby). Will post pictures of her finished tomorrow. Little eggs will adorn her basket. I already changed the pink bow to something else. Stop back tomorrow for her completed pictures.

Baby Emily - Soft Body Poseable

Little Baby Emily -- I am undecided at this point whether I will give her hair. I am pleased with how she turned out. These images clickable and link to larger pictures.

Welcome Little Danny

Here he is. He's one of my favorites. I get so excited when I get a boy. I seem to turn out mostly girls. Look for him on Etsy soon!

Refinements - 10 more mins.

Took short break, came back and finished up with 10 mins of very fine details. I think I am pleased with her. If I look at her in the morning and still like her and don't see anything else to work on, I will add ears, then bake her.

1 hour in

I started this head one hour ago. I will let it sit for little bit before going back to it. I think I want to slim down the upper lip a bit. work on forehead and eyes a bit more. I like her profile alot on this one. cute nose.

Baby Head Painted

Here is my baby face painted, eyes and lips glazed. Will work on her bundle next. Will put on some sprinkles of hair too. This one could be either girl or boy. I will decide when I get ready to do the hair.

Snowman Family

The happy couple wanted a baby too.

You can see more pictures here

This was fun. Now it is back to babies and thinking about spring!

Mr. Snowman Checks Out His Woman

Mr. Snowman layed eyes on his woman for first time this morning. He was seriously checking her out! I was hoping he liked her. I think he was little upset she was naked (I assured him this will be remedied soon).

After a few minutes (and he understood that her clothing will come soon), he nudged up close to her and put his arm around her. I believe they are a couple and hit it off well! After a few minutes of initial courtship, he sent her off for her wardrobe ...

Baby Has Ears

After looking at her (or him) for a bit of time I noticed alot I didnt like. I decided to add more cheeks and make a little smile. I will let her (or him) sit for the evening and will look at it again tomorrow before I bake.

Sculpt Upside, Use a Mirror, Take Pictures

Few things before you think your ready to bake.

Turn it upside down, you will notice areas that perhaps are not even (like cheeks). Look at it from a downward view over the top of the head.

Take a picture of the face, the camera picks up things your eye does not.

Hold it in front of a mirror. Lopsided faces, uneven heads, and crooked noses always show up when looking at it in front of a mirror!

This baby's head needs ears, but the clay is warm from working. So I always wait before I add ears because with a head this small and warm clay, I am sure to dent the sides of her head if I am not careful. I will now let her sit in front of me to cool off and get firm again. While she sits and I start a new piece, I continually glance at the face. As time goes by and I continue looking at it, I will also notice other things that need some more work.

When I first started sculpting, when I thought I was finished, I ran to oven to bake! Now, I do not bake until at least the next day or minimum 5-6 hours later, and after doing all of the above. When you bake immediately, odds are, you will later see something you wish fixed before you baked.

Mrs. Snowman

She has been started. She is drying right now. I am finding the air dry clay a challenge when it comes to fine detail on faces. I have alot to learn with this clay but I find it to be a nice break when I want to do something differant from my polymer clay. As an artist, I feel it is good to try other mediums - you will always learn that way.

I am a little impatient when it comes to drying time -- I think Jim is impatient too and he is anxious for his woman.

Genesis Heat Set Paints

I mostly work with Genesis heat set paints. When your painting your sculpture, if you are not satisfied with an area, it wipes clean. The paints do not dry without a heat source (baking).
Why I love them even more - this palette has not been washed and has been sitting out for 7 months! these paints never dry out -- my palette stays how it is with my color mixtures. I do not like washing paint palettes - love the genesis!

Snowman Jim (Paper Clay Project)

Here is a picture of Mr. Jim the Snowman. I actually finished him the day it was snowing here. When I was done, I put him by the window -- I think he was happy watching the snow. This was my first paper clay air dry project. I would like to sculpt a fairy using this clay, however since this clay is somewhat unfamiliar to me, my first project was this snowman. I think I will start on Mrs. Snowman very soon so that he has some company.

My Sculpting Tools

I am frequently asked about my tools. Here are some photo's of what I use.

The handmade tools are clay sculpted handles (spent an entire day making tools one day) and then I insert items into the handles that I frequently use. For example, yarn needles which are used for detail work (like tiny baby toes, baby fat creases), knitting needles are great for detail work too. Hollow knitting needles are cut with a tube cutter then inserted into my clay handles.

My fingernail tool is made by twisting thin jewelry wire and leave a small loop at the end. That is the smaller tool you see (I got a little lazy and did not make a nice marble variegated handle). I kept throwing out my twisted fingernail wire by accident (it just looked like scrap wire on my work table) so by making a clay handle for the twisted wire I now have a permanenet fingernail tool that I won't accidentally throw out.

My most important sculpting tool considering the small detail I do. My vision is 20/20 but these glasses are awesome! Foster Grants, Flea market $1.00 +2.75. Painting tiny baby eye balls with this stylish eyeware is amazing!

My work table (due for a cleaning); I work on marble slabs, keeps clay cool.

Art Class

What a wonderful day today. Met with two other artists and learned so much. Up until today I was quite a solo artist. Mostly due to the fact that I worked a full time job. Any remaining time in my schedule (which was very little) was spent creating my sculptures (no social life LOL).

Life can be challenging when you try to find time for your artwork and also work full time. At this point in time today, I am not working full time so I have the opportunity (and time) to explore.

I am truly in awe of the pieces of artwork I saw today. Although much differant from my type of sculpting, the professional creativity I saw today was most inspiring and ever so humbling. I am waiting for some of my skills to catch up with what I see in my visions and creative mind. I bought some new sculpting tools this week HA! maybe that will help.

Thanks so much gals - it was a wondeful day! Can't wait for the next visit. Um, maybe we can do sleepovers???? . LOLOLOL! just thought I would throw that out there. Perhaps an Art Pajama Party maybe?? yes? no?

Another Productive Day For Little Babies

Tiny sculpted babies have a hold on me again. I have finished a couple more super cute ones. They are sweeeeeeeeeeeeet! I just can't stop making them. Their cute little faces and bobbly little heads are once again fascinating me and making me giggle. I will probably maintain this focus on the babies for the next few weeks or throughout the month of February.

In my newsletter I mentioned that I am sculpting with air dry paper clay. I have created a snowman, in fact a large snowman (11" tall -- picstures to come soon). He is a proud looking dude of a snowman. I named him Mr. Jim. I am now thinking Mr. Jim the Snowman needs a lady friend. So my next air dry clay project is to make Mr. Jim a happy fellow and give him the companionship of a snow women. I use these type of projects in between my usual sculpts to breathe some fresh air into my artwork -- and try differant mediums and create something new and differant. I will be anxious to display Mr. Jim and his sweetheart soon!

Tomorrow I am off on a little field trip to see another artist friend. I will get back to my babies tomorrow evening.

Few Things This Morning

"It's too cold for my babies" - snow is on the ground but the sun is out now. Hoping it will melt it all away. I mean it looks pretty out there, but I feel like I am in a freezer. I would like to take pictures of my little babies - outdoor lighting is my preferred choice. Why do I feel like bad for my little babies when I bring them outside in the cold to take their pictures? LOL I even talk to them and say things like "we are almost done, hang in there". Is something wrong with me. HA! An artist's struggle. I seem to eat in a hurry, excercise in a hurry, shop in a hurry. I must get back to my artists chair quickly because I have ideas that must be acted upon. I look over at a bag of my mixed up, lumpy bag of clay - images my dairy aire resembling a lumpy bag of clay spooked me --- time to hit the treadmill before I begin my artwork for the day.