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.

 

 

 

This past christamas season

I must admit that the best part of being a parent is watching and encouraging my little peoples imaginations.  From the elves candycaning our house (happens anytime between December 1st to December 24th) to Aaron our resident elf getting into mischeif to their excitement of opening Santa gifts.

The worst part is trying to figure out where I tucked away the kids presents. deciding which prezzie is the best one because the gift we give them will outshine Santa's! at least in the long run even if it is not the one he asked for. and the endless wrapping of gifts. I won't include a photo of what all the boys will be getting but it is a haul this year. I seriously need to start working the season like a job and creating a secret spreadsheet for them.

But, this post is not about what they got, how their eyes lite up with the toys nor how grotesquely over run my living room is still with toys.  It is instead about the present I made my oldest.  He loves computer games, he loves to watch tv, and sometimes I have a hard time getting him excited to go outside to play with me and his brother.  So I am on a mission this year to introduce some old time toys to the little person.  Hence this first one, marbles. 

Now I have never played marbles but it allways looked interesting.  At least the marbles do, with cool designs in these little spheres of glass and all the different desgins and colors.  So maybe he and I can learn to play marbles.  In winter you say?  How on earth?  Well, here is where my creativity takes over a bit. Yep, this felter felted a marble board.  Now it is by no means regulation league size (6'-10' diameter circle).  Can you imagine how much fiber that would take?  Not to think of the floor space one would need to be sure when you harden the piece off it would end up being that size?

And so 3 days before the big day I began the felt process:



first the backing - huge square of white, 3 layers deep

lay in where the circle should be

 

 

 

 

fill in said circle

 

 

start filling in the rest of the circle; hardest part is determining what colors to make it

 

 

 

all ready for felting, 24 hour break!  and make sure the kids do not head into the basement

And let the felting begin; LOVE the new felting tool!

 

Felting part done, you can see how much it has shrunk already and I haven't hardened it off yet

 

FINISHED!  with 20 hrs to go before the big unwrap!

 

 

Piece measures 23.5in x 21.5in; not bad for getting it very close to being square!  The circle from the outside line is 21in at the widest, although it looks a little bit like an oval.





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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Making things easier?

So I made the mistake of getting onto pinterst today.  Now, I have had this profile for almost a year now and might have had 2 items pinned.  Apparently my brain just figured out that there would be felting ideas on there, and I could see what other artists are doing...and there went 3 hours.

But while I was roaming around I found this company that makes stamps.  Small stamps, with your design on it...mmm, I have been using my mother's set of stamps to put my initials and a swirly mark on the back of my items.  We have been handwritting my companies name on every receipt at shows.  This could just make things easier on me.

2 hours later, I have a 18 slightly different designs for a stamp.  Font change on some, change on logo on others.  The instructions to say print it out and those that do not print well will NOT stamp well.  So what happens if they all look print nicely?  Then what?  I must be brilliant!

So in the picture below numbers 1-6 are for the stamp onto a receipt, or where every I feel like I want to put the name...there are 3 alternate designs for each.  Which one is better?  Do I go with the name and logo together or separate them out to make it bigger?  It is $23 per stamp, not logo.

And then, there is 7 and 8, my maker's mark or signature. I cannot find the font of stamp I am using.  For those about to tell me, look at the box, I only have the h q and swirly, there is not box here.

If you are so inclined to give me an opinion please do so :)

 

and yes, I had thought about putting my email on there but it is waaayyy to long and anything shorter for my business has been taken.

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

new designs..YIPPEE

I love demonstrating at shows.  Yes, it is a hassle with having to bring the supplies, but I get the chance to play with my art and get direct feedback from customers.  What more could an artist ask for?

I will be adding to this as I get the photos taken this week. 

I have been seeing these all across etsy.com and have been wanting to try some for myself.  Now maybe mine are not as perfect as those I see on etsy, but I love their imperfections.

 

 



This was inspired by the lovely ladies booth across from me.  Oak Leaves is a celebration of the fall color and movement of leaves. 

 





Not a design from the weekend but one that needs to be placed with the other 2.  When hanging it was eye boggling.

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!