Thursday, December 11, 2008

One of a Kind Show and Sale


Mom, Sarah, and I all went to Chicago this past weekend to the One of a Kind Show and Sale at the Merchandise Mart. This was the second year in a row that we have gone to this show and it has certainly for it's place as one of my favorite art shows. Last year at the show I was rather in love with the elegant chain maille jewelry of Melissa Banks. Her jewelry line, Rapt in Maille, is quite fabulous and I am happy to say that I splurged and bought one of her bracelets. You can view her work, show schedules, etc. at her website www.raptinmaille.com

Oh, and mom and Sarah splurged too. =) I think we'd make great hand models, but I wouldn't wanna wear gloves all the time. Plus, having to insure my hands seems just a little bit odd.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

more classes!

I am very pleased to announce that I am slated to teach three classes after the new year. They will all be at the Art Center of Battle Creek and include two classes: Felted Jewelry and Beginning Shibori Dying. I am also teaching a kids workshop that will be tie-dying which I am terribly excited about. There really is something wonderful to be said about making a mess while creating art with kids. When it gets near the time of the classes I will post more but in the meantime the tentative dates can be found at www.myspace.com/bricolagestudios

Hooray!

Monday, November 24, 2008

bad blogger

So I just finished devouring the latest Artful Blogging today. While it was packed with all the wonderful inspiration it always has, it also reminded me of something. I'm a terrible blogger! I haven't made a new post since September and it is now nearly December!

Unacceptable.

So, I'm swearing that I will be a much better blogger starting TODAY. I've had plenty to blog about, and have even thought about doing so. Here we go with the catching up game...

First of all, exciting news for me! I made my first etsy sale! Not only that, but several followed in the few weeks afterward. I'm completely stoked about it and hope to continue to have success with selling my work through etsy. It might just be my favorite place to be on the web. Period. =)

Secondly, I participated in a craft show for the first time. I really wrestled with the decision to do so because I have just always felt like no matter how based in craft my work was, it wouldn't be accepted in that type of setting. I ended up taking the plunge and paying the mere $30 entry fee with big plans. I would have my newest handcarded wool batts for sale, some of my handspun as well as some of my spinning partners' yarn (mom and jill,) and some of my felted bracelets. Since it was a holiday craft show, I thought I should probably have a bit of a backup plan. I felted over lots of glass ornaments in various colors of roving (with the help of my amazing boyfriend because I never would have finished,) and I decorated some small wreaths with handfelted and machine stitched leaves, sliced walnuts, and buttons. I thought for sure these would be a hit, that they would sell like hotcakes. I DIDN'T SELL A SINGLE ONE! However, I did sell some of my handspun, a few bracelets, and a few batts! I was shocked. I guess it just shows you that you should do what you love because it will show when you exhibit/display/sell your work.

In other news, I taught a class at the Art Center of Battle Creek a few weekends ago. It was a felted hat class and I had a ball. Though my class was small, every person in it was fantastic. I have posted a picture of all of them wearing their hats (bless them for humoring me.) I am going to post the rest of the photos from class on my myspace page. All of their hats turned out wonderfully despite my having to go with Plan B because the wool I order specifically for the class didn't arrive quite in time.

Last of all, I finally got my studio set up in the basement. It's not my dreamspace, but it's certainly better than exploding all over the dining room every time I want to work. I'd forgotten how much I actually enjoyed sitting down at the table for dinner. =) The most important thing to me about having my studio (aside from never having to put my sewing machine away,) is that I can get back to doing some metalwork. The first piece that I completed down here was for my friend Michelle who I met at Penland School of Crafts. She is an amazing artist and you can check out her blog at http://millionsofpeoplehappy.blogspot.com/

The piece that I made her was inspired by some mini pieces of artwork I had purchased from her while we were at Penland. One of those pieces is in the brooch. It is the oval piece with the orange center and blue hand stitching around the edge. I repeated the oval pattern in the copper and wool, mimicked the stitching around the edge, and embellished the copper and felt. I had so much fun making this piece. It was really fun to ease back into the metal using a textile technique because all I have really been doing in the past year is fiber work. I really felt like the piece came together nicely and think I may continue using the metal stitching technique combined with the wool for more jewelry pieces. But here is the one of a kind Michelle piece.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Last art fair!


I just finished up my last art fair of the year yesterday. What a great way to end the season too! I shared a booth with my good friend Linette (an extremely talented ceramic artist i might add!) I had my best fair so far with sales and also was able to see many of my friends from college because it took place where we all graduated from. The fair went really smoothly and Linette and I's booth kicked ass! I think our work looked fabulous together and I even made enough money to where I could allow myself to buy some wool at the Spinner's Flock fiber festival today. I'm excited to be done with these shows so I can have more time to spin without feeling guilty =)I'm excited to begin work on more of my Candy line that I've posted a photo of in this entry. I think that bracelets would be a wonderful addition to the line as well as some necklaces that play with a little more asymmetry with a few more "vials" added into the mix. Very exciting indeed!

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Teaching Fall Classes!

For anyone from the area young and old and everything in between, I will be teaching classes at the East End Art Studio and Gallery this fall. Their site has all of my contact info. classes listed at their website.

Any questions or to schedule a class with me contact me at the number provided on their site or through myspace

Thursday, August 14, 2008

I learned my lesson...



Being new to spinning, I have been very intent on finishing one yarn just to ply it and start on the next. This obsession left no time or desire to actually block my yarn so I ended up with a heap of about 10 to 12 skeins before I realized things were out of hand. While I should perhaps have learned now that washing all that yarn at once is a grueling task, what I really learned was to make sure those ties are TIGHT. What a mess...
The entire thing was a knot after I got through with whipping it about outside to get the excess water out. My precious knubby slubbed yarn seemed beyond repair. After a lot of frustration and working on the knot while I was on a camping trip it is now beautifully skeined waiting to be wound into a lovely ball. Earflap hat, here I come!

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Show is over folks...


Well, the Coldwater show is over. It was a nice show despite it's very small size. Unfortunately it was in it's very first year and therefore was a very slow one. Neither my sister or I sold a thing. I did try out some new displays though. Check them out, pictures are conveniently located in this blog.
Also, very exciting news, the "Full of Sheet" line of Bricolage Studios was introduced at this show. My upcycled clothing line made from thrifted sheets was fairly well received, unfortunately the pattern I made, while working quite well for shirts, winds up looking like a muumuu if left longer for a dress.



My latest earring design also was put out in the public for sale today. My current favorite can be viewed above.

ok... the computer is harrassing me to shut down so that updates can happen. g'night
Emily

Friday, July 25, 2008

stress...

This is what stress will do to you... or me at the very least.

Today stress has caused me to post my very first blog. I have put it off for a while thinking maybe I would take back this whole having a blog thing. I hope that I have done the right thing by keeping it. You see, I have an art fair tomorrow that I feel overwhelmingly unprepared for and, rather than preparing, I am blogging. It's quick, it's easy, and I want to do it because I shouldn't be. I should be sewing sheets, hammering rivets, and making displays.

I need to get to work but i just worked all day and don't want to do anything but sit at my computer for a bit and drink some iced tea.

Oh and I'm hungry.

It can wait another five minutes.