Pumpkin Patch

Soggy pumpkin patch this morning!

Be safe today, Sweet Friends~

Homemade Walnut Ink Tutorial

My batch of Walnut Ink was a grand success!

Goodness, I am in love!!

The most beautiful ink~

I have kept my ink 100% natural so far... have not added a mordant.

Just having a great time drawing, sketching~ experimenting with its richness!

These little friends are all drawn with the ink and my favorite dip pen...

I added touches of watercolor to a few of them...

She needed that little sweater this morning!

Brrrr!

Our first killing frost~ the 2013 growing season is over.
It was a long & bountiful harvest!

Walnut ink & this beautiful blue look so very sweet together~

So here is the 2nd part of my Walnut Ink process!

Outside... because I'm grand at making a mess & the ink WILL STAIN.

I scooped out some of the chunky pieces first. 

Bowl that strainer will sit nicely in...

Add several layers of cheese cloth to the strainer.

Pour and allow the ink to filter through!

JOY!!!

Keeping every precious drop!

Look at that color!!!

Putting the ink into air tight containers...

Time to play!!!

A few different glass pens & the sample of their quality~

My treasured gold pen at the bottom!

As I was simmering the ink I took color samples...

This picture illustrates the ink strength!

I am so glad I saw Sharyn Sowell's video about making Walnut Ink.

It was an simple process... the house smelled like a damp forest (mossy!) and

the results are absolutely amazing! GORGEOUS color, FANTASTIC quality!

Small, framed, walnut ink sketches are in my Etsy Shop~

I have several made to share as housewarming gifts, hostess and teacher gifts!

Time to think about Christmas gifts...

Snowmen...

It's cold enough to think snow!

Hope you're having a wonderful day, Sweet Friends!

Walnut ink~

Black walnuts...

Black walnut ink, soon!

I had to locate a nearby tree so that I could try to make my own ink!

Sharyn Sowell (amazing artist) inspired me to make a batch when I saw her tutorial:

(Click here to watch her video)

The walnut husks need to be pretty icky...

I've been waiting for mine to darken down~

(photo below was a few weeks ago when I gathered them from a country road)

I like the smell!

Be careful... they will stain what they touch~

Simmer... simmer... simmer...

The house smells mossy!

After a few hours the color is already beautiful!

Will keep simmering our ink~

I'll share more photographs when it has reduced down.

Hope you're having a wonderful day!

Wool Hedgehogs~

My heart has found some new little friends~

They were waiting in a tuft of wool!

I discovered the most beautiful curly locks at a fiber festival this Fall.

This past week I needle felted a tiny foundation piece~

I posted a picture of it on my Facebook page to share what I was up to.

Everyone left sweet messages that it looked like a Hedgehog!

Well... the little critter ended up turning into a teddy bear.

No Hedgehog...

Creative juices flowing~

I gathered some wool and needle felted a basic hedgie shape...

I thought curls would be fun!

They are the sweetest little critters~

I hope they make you smile!

This afternoon they were all lined up & waiting for their photo shoot.

Their little "spool stools" sitting next to them!

Listed some of these little loves in my Etsy Shop~

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

With the cool winds whipping around I have been catching up on studio projects~

Tea and wool!

Harvest Snowman Print

Baby it's cold outside!

"Harvest Snowman" is a new print available in my 2nd Etsy Shop!

We have several Maple trees around our yard that wait until the very last minute

to drop their leaves! Brilliant yellow~ and on the tree

through the first weeks of November.

When early bursts of snow arrive...

Palmer snowmen are spotted with bright yellow leaves!

This painting reminds our family of many snowmen made while

leaves, seeds and feathers were swirling around in the Fall winds!

Hope your Friday is off to a crisp~ but sunny start!

Needle felted Chickadees~

Beak to beak...

  

Heart to heart~

My little needle felted Chickadees needed a place to perch~

I have things saved.

It is a good thing to save---- it is a bad thing.

This time is was great fun!

I pulled out one of my sketch books that is filled with different patterns~

Just started burn-sketchin' on the spools!

I wonder what they talk about while I'm poking and jabbing at them?

Hope your week is off to a wonderful start!

Needle felted Chickadee pair~

 It was love at first sight!

I begin my little soft sculptures with 100% natural wool roving~

Base wool is less expensive than dyed roving.

I love to 'paint' with roving~ 'touching in' the color...

Through the years I have gathered a rainbow of colors & hues!
Fiber Festivals are the perfect opportunities to gather different roving;
I love to experiment with different textures & colors.

Once I have my roving colors in place I felt it until the sculpture is smooth~

The Chickadees were getting playful~

Very excited to have some color to their little bodies!

Almost finished!

They couldn't complain about their looks without eyes to see & beaks to squeak!

However they have requested hats!

Hope your weekend is off to a great start~

I'm planning on making some hats for my Chickadee loves &

starting on some little owl friends!

Winter woolens, vintage ornaments... and snow!

Good Morning, Sweet Friends!

They said possible snow flakes next week!!! Eeeek!

I know many of you have had snow storms already... very scary storms!

We have been enjoying a mild Fall~

Don't you just love Giraffes LONG eyelashes~

Bunny love has his cozy pj's on!

"Just rolling this over to the tree..."

"Peek-a-Boo!"

Something fun to perch on & watch TV with the family....

Letting them dry...

Just added these new treasures to my Etsy Shop!

Banana bread in the oven to warm the house...

Hope your day is filled with wonder!

They need a hat & scarf, too!

Extra blankets on the bed...

Storm windows down...

Snow shovels at the doors...

The winds are shifting and the cold winds are moving in~

Little friends are at the feeder with their feathers all fluffed up!

I'm sure they're chatting about the hayrides they have been flying over~

Little ones gathering their pumpkins...

Munching on juicy apples!

I've started adding new pen & ink treasures to my Etsy Shop~

Little friends dressed for Winter and Holiday celebrations!

Little owl would like to add her star to the top of the Christmas tree~

This little fella looks as if he is dressed for Thanksgiving travels!

Not rushing our beautiful days & seasons along...

Making little treasures available for your gift-making projects and decorating!

Thank you for stopping by, Sweet Friends~

Wishing you joy!