2013 Classes

WHOOHOOO, I may actually be a little organized this year.  Although I have a few empty months due to the other half of my business (environmental education classes), I think this year's classes will interest everyone.  They showcase some of the cool things I have been designing and will give you the experience to do them as well.  Not to worry, as I work out some of my other designs and set dates for the EE portion of my of my life more classes will be added throughout the year. 

If you are interested in registering for any of the classes please contact Peninsula Art Academy either via info@peninsulaartacademy.com or 330.657.2248.  Because I have to order supplies 2 weeks in advance I do ask that everyone pre-register.  However, if you suddenly find yourself with nothing to do for a class day please just send me a note at dabbles.heather@gmail.com as I am pretty sure I have extra supplies laying about the studio just waiting for you to come and play.


Painting with Felt
March 9 2013; 10pm - 2pm; NonMembers $75, Members $65
Felted landscapes will start conversations and just ask for people to stop to admire.  This class will teach you how to start with a base, lay your design in  and the start creating the finer details with a felting needle.  All materials are included in the class.  The piece should finish to be about 8x10 when finished.  You will leave the class with a mostly finished piece, instructions on how to finish it off and Heather’s contact information for any questions that may pop up.  

 

 

 

 Felted Trading Cards

June 15, 2013; 12pm - 3pm; NonMembers $40, Members $30

ACEO’s are the artist version of trading cards.  Designed to be 3.5inches by 2.5 inches these little wonders are miniature versions of larger pieces many artists create.  This class will teach you the skills in creating your own ACEO (Art Cards, Editions, and Originals).  The base and basic shapes within the piece are wet felted but the details are needle felted.  All materials are provided for the class.  If you would like to take the needle and foam home to continue with your new hobby there is an additional $5 fee paid to the instructor. 

 

 

Felted Doodads

August 24, 2013; 12pm - 3pm; NonMembers $45, Members $35 

Let’s felt us up some do-dads!  This class will incorporate a little wet felting, a little needle work, and some needle felting.  Depending on how much your creativity takes over we can create a couple 3-d flowers, a bee, a turtle/animal of your choice, and possibly a fairy or two.  When you leave this class only your  imagination will restrict your ability to create new pieces using wet and needle felting methods.  All materials are included in the class.  If you would like to purchase a small piece of foam and felting needle to take home it is only an  additional $5 to the instructor at the time of class.

 

 

 The Following are CANCELLED -NEW LISTING!

 3-D Scarves

October 19, 2013; 12pm - 4pm; NonMembers $75, Members $65

How much fun do these scarves look!?! Join Heather in learning how to craft these 3-d scarves that embody the basics of felting with more advanced techniques.  This class will be restricted to 5 people due to the space and materials needed so sign up quick!  You will walk away with a beautiful 3-d scarf of your choice of flowers or leaves and the knowledge to make more.  Materials cost is included and Heather will share with you how to make your own nifty electric sander. 

 

 

 

 

Ribbons and Ginko Leaves

November 16, 2013; 12pm - 4pm; NonMembers $75, Members $65

For those faint of heart this is a class to tax your ability to ‘stretch’ your faintness.  We will be manipulating  the wool as we felt it, from pulling and stretching to tearing into it as needed to create these ribbon and or ginko leave scarves.  You will have the choice of either the ribbon or ginko leaves.  All supplies are included in the cost of the class.

 

 

Scarf Art

December 14, 2013; 1pm - 4pm; NonMembers $75, Members $65

Interesting in the felting process but a little trepidation about starting? Or are you an experienced felter who is curious about new techniques?  This is the class for both the novice and experienced felter.  In this class you will have your choice of creating designs in a flat scarf or creating a ladder scarf.  All materials are included in the class price.

 

 

 

Honestly mom - it was an accident

My lovely 5yr old son the other day inadvertently (or so he says) broke the frame with his brother's photo.  Really?  Accidently?  o.0  After I told him to stop bouncing the exercise ball in the house? 

After the appropriate punishment (5min time out, and clean up mess in bedroom), I now have this lovely blank spot on my wall.   I bought 3 new frames for that space so at least that small section has some sort of unity.  And now I await my 2yr olds photo's to come back from the photographer.

So I just realized that I now have a spot to hang my felted landscapes and take their photo's!  Whoohoo!  Which means I don't have to jury rig the bed sheets so it is all pretty, nor place items on the floor and place barriers around them to prevent 'help' from the 2yr old while I stand on a chair to photograph items.  These are things no one ever deems to mention if you are an artist, work a full time job, consult, and am a mommy.  I just wonder how many artists really have a small space set up in their studio that is just for photographing their work.  I want to shake their hands and then bow down to them.

Anyway - here is a sampling of what I photographed:

Fishie (sold)

 

 

Great Blue
 



Spring  (private collection)



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer

 

 

And one of my fav's

 

Old Man Tree
 



 

Dragon Fly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curious to see more of my works?  I am part of Peninsula Art Academy's Holiday Mart starting this weekend, and am at Crafty Mart at Musica in Akron.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



2 hours + sleeping kids =

seemingly a never ending free time for mommy!  Whoohooo!  So with a cup of 'fake' coffee (instant powdered with lots of sugar) on hand, the kindle fire queded up to play 'Going Postal' by Terry Pratchett, and a basket full of fiber prepped for some soap fun I tackled these 2hrs with sleepy vigor...

30 bars of felted soap. 

 

Whew, I am so glad I prepared so much of the fiber the night before so this order of 25 bars could be accomplished in one morning.  Now to wait, let them dry (2days) and see if any of them need to re-visit the sink for a little more felting before I arrange for their new homes. 

 

Now mommism sets in caues I thought I had at least 2 cases of soap floating around the studio, or 3 season room, or maybe the garage.  Well, the studio is clean and organized (shocker) and the 3 season room is basically empty of all fiber items (still packed in my mother and stepfather's van).  Which only leaves the garage.  The garage is scary.  We did not have a large birthday party for the kids this year so it did not experience the spring re-organization.  It is very, very scary in there.  I might lose a child in there today....mmmmm  o.O

Another big show?

What was I thinking? A week back to work (well at least 24 hrs for me to work since they seem to have forgotten I was coming back) and then off to a show?  Silly girl!

And yet, the show is moving along nicely. And I like the layout of the booth.

By Hand booth space

 



Luckily my niece is willing to come and help me out.  So while she acts as cashier and hostess, I get to play with fiber.  While I have free electricity here I am using the Horst method of a felting tool, aka belt sander, and working on new designs for the upcoming year.  Today was LEAVES!

Leaf manufacturing...my sweatshop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bowl of pre-felt leaves

 

 

Full Oak leaf scarf



 

 

Half Oak leaf scarf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will just have to wait for another day to see what else I created at Cleveland by hand!  Or come out tomorrow on November 11th for the last day!



Snag or Full tree

Sometimes in creating pieces I come to a cross roads.  If someone is around or handy on the phone or even on Facebook I look for some input.  This week has found me with 2 such issues on 2 pieces. 

This piece is still in fluffy mode, one good puff and its all gone.  If my 2 cats were still at the house and had not found some where else to live this would have been a cat bed.  Instead it has sat on the basement table for 24hrs, and will probably be there until tomorrow night.  I cannot decide whether to make the far tree on the left a snag or to pine it up.  The problem is if I 'pine it up' and then decide it would have been better a snag, pulling the green up will hurt the background..cause it's "SO FLUFFY".
     
But I must admire them, they really do look like pine trees, and on my first go...GO ME!  And it does kinda look mountainous in the back there...GO ME!  I am kinda impressed with me, and I hope my little fan club of one (me) does not put you off.  I have had many blunders as I learn how to paint with fiber.  They just get turned into purses or clutches so they are no longer in evidence. Cause I am sneaky that way..soooo sneaky...

The other piece is a question as to "eye or not to eye, that is the question".  There is something missing..can't decide if its an eye or simply need more detail in the background..maybe some indication of scales..mmmm.....

And of course gremlins have stolen my phone.  And so the photo of the eyeless fish, who may or may not need eyes will have to wait.

Finally decided to put an eye on it..looks soooo much better.  And the day I did that, it found its home.  There is a satisfaction level of finding that piece missing and knowing that it completed the whole.

Pin cushion sawppiness

I had an extremely hard time giving up this pin cushion.  In fact, I had to leave it at Craft Akron so I would not conviently forget it at home.

I made the pattern with muslim, put that together and stuffed it.  Then took 2 days to create the felted cover with merino wool from http://www.etsy.com/shop/GreenwoodFiberworks.  I handstitched it all together and then had fun making the bugs that crawl about on the pin cushion. 

I believe this was about 6 inches in diameter.  Not that I meant to make it so large but it just grew!

A dragonfly.  Soo cute, I need to add these to the flower barrettes I make, but I am not sure how they will hold up.

Top of the dragonfly.

Side view of the butterfly.

 Top view of the butterfly.