Red and Orange Nuno Felted Scarf

I wasn't too sure about putting these colors together but I must say I like the way it turned out. I used a dark brown silk chiffon fabric as the base. A handspun wool yarn that runs all the way across the scarf and then layered merino sheep's fleece on top of it with some white and orange curly mohair locks. I'm taking it to the market this Sunday if it's still available after the market I'll be listing it in my PurplePlatypus shop on Etsy.

Re-cycled wool scarf!

I found this beautiful wool scarf in a 2nd hand shop that had already been put through the hot wash by the looks of it. I loved the colors and figured I could make some baby shoes out of it. So here they are. Just listed in my etsy shop.

Vikie Howell

If you're looking for some really cute last minute halloween crafts for kids to make check out Vickie's page. http://vickiehowell.blogspot.com/2010/10/6-last-minute-halloween-crafts-for-kids.html

Variegated Yarn

I just can't seem to find time these days to add to this blog! Not that I don't have anything to show or talk about ... I have plenty of both ... just short on time. Anyway, here are some pictures of a baby set I made for a friend of mine. This will be for a Florida baby so I had to find something bright and cheery. I started using some different types and colors of yarns I still had in my stash but it just didn't say "Florida" to me so off I went to the store to find some yarn. I found this yarn which I thought was nice and bright and thin enough to crochet with except ... it's a variegated yarn. Nothing really wrong with the yarn, it looks beautiful in a skein. I've purchased many variegated yarns in my life but every time I try making something with it ... I'm disappointed with the way it turns out. Not sure if it's the patterns they make (stripes, spots, etc) once you knit or crochet with them or what but I'm just never happy with the results so I rip out my projects and put the yarn back into my cabinet until ... I found this yarn. Now I must say I did start knitting with it and again ... didn't like the result ... would have been fine if I was knitting a pair of real socks but that's not why I purchased it ... so I pulled it all out I put it away for a couple of days and gave it another shot this time crocheting with it and voila this is the result. I still wasn't too thrilled with it until I walked into my studio where I had scattered some things on my table that were going to be for the farmers market when I noticed that the fabric flower I had made actually looked really cute with that baby hat I had made! I had crocheted a flower the day before that I tried putting on the hat .... nope didn't look right ... I tried different ribbons ... nope still didn't like it so I had put it aside until that big fabric flower landed on it and voila! Anybody else who thinks variegated yarns are sooooo cool but when you work with it (except for socks, they are great for socks I must admit) you are disappointed with the results? I suggest try combining them with some sheer fabric do-dah ... you might just be surprised how it will change from "crafty" to more elegant and "artsy". Of course that's if you prefer it to be more artsy.

Baby Shoes with Needle Felted Toadstools

I decided to make another pair of soft baby shoes from some wool recycled sweaters. I had made a similar pair of these but they went to Belgium. The toadstools are needle felted with merino sheep's fleece. I attached some strips of velcro to open and close them fast and easy, plus it makes them more adjustable for narrow or more chubby baby feet. I just listed them in my http://www.etsy.com/shop/BitsOfFiber shop.

I miss the Brumbies

Seeing the wild horses running in the Auzzie desert was the most awesome thing I've ever seen. I miss seeing that. For now ... I visit with all the horses on Woodruff Shire Farm where Sofie goes for her riding lessons. They have some gorgeous horses. The big Shire horses are just amazing. Sofie gets to ride Monet who's a Shire. Here are a couple of photos I took today and earlier this month.

Brownies and other yummie treats by Picklepetunia

Annie who has a shop on Etsy called Picklepetunia send me some of her brownies and oh boy ... love at first bite!!!! They were simply the most delicious brownies I've ever had! and trust me ... being I was born and raised in Belgium I know about chocolate. Anyway, with the holidays upon us make sure you visit her online shop and order some of her yummie treats if not for you I'm sure you can think of a loved one, coworker, boss, etc. who would be very happy to receive some yummie delicious treats! Here is the link to her shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/PicklePetuniaMade?ref=seller_info

Pincushions and more by Shizuka Urusai

My little Arthur - needle felted pincushion - got featured in Shizuka Urusai blog http://shizuka-urusai.blogspot.com/2010/09/craft-fair.html so go and have a peek and look at the other cute pincushions she featured as well. She also has a shop on Etsy where she sells purses, pouches, pincushions, etc. This is the link to her shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShizukaUrusai?ref=API_juln_CraftCult so go on over and do some shopping, the holidays are really not that far away you know!

Meet Arthur - Needle Felted Hedgehog Pincushion

This little guy is soft as can be ... not prickly like the real thing. I needle felted his coat out of Leicester fleece so when you use him as a pincushion. Your needles and pins will stay in great shape thanks to the lanolin oil of the fleece I used. I didn't wash out all the oil but did clean the fleece thoroughly. He's for sale in my http://www.etsy.com/listing/56591008/needle-felted-hedgehog-pincushion-arthur shop so go and have closer look at him. Thanks for visiting.

Needle Felted bird named Ernie

Meet Ernie, he's Dora's brother. These needle felted little birds make great Christmas ornaments. You can set them on top of a branch in your tree or if you prefer I can attach a ribbon or rope so you can hang them. Or, you can just set them somewhere in your house as a home decor. How about in that empty little birdcage you've had for so long and didn't know what to do with. These make much better pets, they do not toss their food around and won't get upset about being in a cage! I just listed him in my Etsy shop so go and see more photos of him in my shop. http://www.etsy.com/listing/55530418/needle-felted-bird-named-ernie?fref=fb_itemlist&ref=nf

Nuno and Needle Felted Scarf

This scarf I made by needle felting all the flower designs on a dusty rose silk fabric using Leicester and Merino Sheep's fleece. I then wet felted the entire scarf and dyed it with pink lemonade kool-aid. It's for sale in my Etsy shop and NO SHIPPING CHARGES!!!

Meet Dora - Needle felted bird and a watersnake!

We went to Berkley Springs yesterday in WV. Hadn't been back there since before we moved to Australia. Not sure if it was the smartest thing to do ... going to bath in 102 degree water! ... we just about melted hanging out in the roman baths but we did feel really clean after wards. My Belgian visitors really enjoyed it since they've never done anything like this. When we were done with the baths we took a stroll through town and walking along the stream they spotted a watersnake! They took some pictures (have to download them so I can't show you a picture yet) and were pretty amazed to see a snake in town. Only 2 more days and they will be flying back to Belgium. I'll miss having my best friend around, that's for sure!

I had started this little bird a couple of weeks ago and finally finished it. She will be at the market today. These birds are so much fun to needle felt, I guess because they are so many different kinds of birds anything goes really. I make some to kinda match what the real bird would look like but it's also fun to just make up one of my own and still have them look like a bird.

New pair of baby booties and another hat

I've been playing around with this pattern I made up and I think I'm happy with the way these turned out. I can move the closure band to a different spot on the booty for a different look and they would still look cute. I found that with crocheting baby booties crocheting one row at a time and switching back and forth between the 2 booties is the best way to make them if you want them to be exact duplicates. I never liked following somebody's pattern I always like to make up my own ... only bad thing about that is that I never write things down so I have to go back and count stitches over and over again and try to remember what I did! So, by crocheting 1 row at a time on each booty it makes it easy to make them match. And this time ... I did write it down.

The little yellow hat is knitted in acrylic yarns so it can be tossed in the washing machine.

Both of these will be in my shop on Artfire next week sometime.

SCARF SALE HAPPENING NOW!

I put all my scarves in my Etsy shop ON SALE so hurry up and order one now. Not sure how long this sale will go for ... depends on how the sales will go I guess. Any NEW scarfs added to the shop will be priced at regular prices so if you want a good deal on a scarf you've had your eye on I suggest you order it soon. Going to the market this Sunday where I will be offering the sales prices as well so no guarantees the scarf you've been eyeing will still be available come Monday. All my scarves (and everything else) in my shop are one of a kind items. These make lovely Christmas gifts or just a gift to yourself to keep you warm and cozy with style! Happy shopping!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/PurplePlatypus

BABY ITEM SALE! 3 Days only!!!

I just put everything in my BitsofFiber shop on Artfire.com on sale for 15% OFF! So hurry up and go have a peek. Start shopping for those Christmas presents early this year. With the economy the way it is better to spread out the purchases over a couple of months. Looking for a present for a new born or a grand baby make sure you don't miss out on this sale. Sale is on for 3 days only ... started this evening and will run up till 8 pm on Saturday, August 28th. Sunday my shop will be closed as I attend the farmers market so no procrastinating on your part as items might sell on Sunday and not be back in my online shop on Monday.
http://www.artfire.com/users/BitsofFiber

Double Trouble - Needle felted Owl and Bird

Meet Hali the white owl and Kiri the colorful bird. Owl is needle felted with Corriedale fleece and some Merino while I used Llama for the bird's body with a bit of silk fibers and some colorful merino as well. Feet are made out of wire, eyes are glass and beaks are polymer clay. Will be listing them in my PurplePlatypus shop later today with lots more pictures of them if you like to get a better look.

Pumpkin Season not too far away!

I figured I better get a head start this year on knitting some pumpkin beanies. So here is one I just finished and listed in my BitsofFiber shop on Artfire.com.

Be on the look out for a couple more felted critters in the next week or so!

Kinda crazy around the house these days ... trying to fix the guest bathroom before my visitors from Belgium show up the middle of August but we keep running into problems which keeps delaying getting things fixed up. We took out the tile and the subfloor but discovered that we might have to remove the sink and the cabinet since it was built on top of the darn tile! Grr, kinda frustrating since we hadn't planned on taking that all apart. My hubby is going to try to saw the tile along the cabinet so we won't have to move it .... not so sure if it will work ... well it might work ... just a bit worried as to how it will look like when he gets done with it! :0)

Meet Luke and Ernie - Needle Felted Critters

Still having fun with needle felting critters. I've been using styrofoam balls inside of these which makes it go a little bit faster making these ... which makes the price a bit more reasonable compared to if I use nothing but fleece. I'm just trying out different things with these little guys. I used polymer clay which works great for feet and beaks. Next will be a needle felted doll ... I have a picture in my head as to what she will hopefully look like. But, probably a good thing YOU can't see that pictures because a lot of times things come out looking totally different from that picture in my head! Time for dinner so goodbye for now.

Recycled sweaters turn into Toadstool baby shoes!

So instead of using felt I made myself I decided to use some of my stash of fulled sweater which I use for making mixed media cuffs and pincushions. Of course I couldn't help but putting something on them using the needle felting technique. I wanted to use something that would work for a boy or girl so therefore the toadstools. The closure band looked kinda heavy and took away from the more dainty toadstools so I made it narrower by using the pinking shears on them and needle felting some dots on it which made them look a lot better. I got about 2 other designs in my head for some more fun little shoes like this but first things first ... I need to finish needle felting this owl I started a couple of weeks ago. Poor thing is missing eyes, a beak and his wings need to be attached so off I go. Hope you like these little forest shoes! Find them in my BitsofFiber shop on Artfire if you're interested in purchasing them. Thanks for stopping by.

Needle Felted Baby Harp Seal named Kalika

So here she is ... all fixed up and in my shop. I'm gonna hate to see her go when she sells. She's a real cutie ... my favorite from all the ones I've made so far. Even my husband loves her! If you're interested in purchasing her (or other needle felted critters) go visit my PurplePlatypus shop on Etsy.

Have to finish a pair of Lambswool baby shoes so off I go. Thanks for visiting with me!

Sneak Peek at Kalika - Needle Felted Baby Harp Seal

She's not completely finished yet but I thought you'd like to have a sneak peek at my latest needle felting project. Her name is Kalika. She'll be ready to go into my Etsy shop by this weekend looking for a loving home.

Annabel - white needle felted foal

Finally I finished this needle felted foal! It took forever it seemed ... well to be honest it did take forever. I worked on her 2 market days (from 10 -3) since I usually have a project going so I can demonstrate how needle felting is done. Then I had to work on her some more at home to get the mane and the tail attached which took some time trying to figure out. But, she's finished and I think she turned out pretty good. My horse expert, (my 13 yr old daughter Sofie!) was a tremendous help in making sure I got the proportions right and how the mane and tail was suppose to be positioned. So, thanks go to her for making sure she looks like a foal ... and not a monkey! hehe

Pincushion and kid with a sprained ankle

I finally got around finishing this pincushion I had started. The top and the bottom are a light green from a wool sweater I fulled. The belly part is of a cashmere sweater so it's oh so soft. I used mercerized cotton and linen thread for the embroidery. The dragonfly button is brass with an antique gold finish. I used rice, dried lavender and batting to stuff it so every time you poke it with a pin or needle it will smell like the South of France!

Now about the sprained ankle part ... kid went to scout day camp today and managed to hurt herself on day one! She's suppose to go all week to help out but it looks like tomorrow will be out of the question for sure ... hopefully not the rest of the week too ... she was really looking forward to doing this. Oh well.

Meet BunnyLu - Baby French Lop!

Finally took the time to give baby BunnyLu some whiskers so I could put her up for sale in my Etsy shop. I had fun making her. Now that I've made a couple it gets easier each time, especially trying to get the features right.

Next I'm working on putting a mane and a tail on a white foal I made. A friend of mine from work got me some real horsehair from one of her horses which should make it look pretty real I would say by using that instead of more fleece. Can't wait to share it with you ... unfortunately I don't have time to finish it today but hopefully by the end of this week it will be ready.

Recycled wood pieces turn into Mixed Media Gift tags!

So I've ended up with about 30 of these small pieces of wood that come with each package of grommets. Of course I couldn't toss them out ... I figured I could make something with them and I did! You can use them as gift tags, ID tags, key chains, etc. I've used different techniques on each one of them. For some of them I used dry wax paper on which I drew on with permanent markers. I glued that onto the wood and put more glue on top of it to seal it. I used different acrylic paints, painters pens, water color, permanent markers etc. The ones with the birds I actually dipped the piece of wood (front part only) in a vinyl spackle in which I drew the bird on and used a stamp for the star motif. I had so much fun making these and now I have tons more of ideas on other things I want to try with them. These are perfect size to try new techniques on, if it doesn't turn out I can just sand it and/or paint over it and try something different. I'll be taking these to the market tomorrow and the ones that don't sell will end up in my Etsy shop. Will be making more of them in the next couple of weeks.

Itty bitty tomato hat and a one-of-a-kind felted handbag

Finally got the chance to take some pics before taking off for work this morning. Here is an itty bitty tomato hat for a newborn, just listed in my Bits of Fiber shop on Artfire.

And this handbag will be listed in my PurplePlatypus shop on Etsy later this evening. It's a one of a kind item. I felted pieces of blue seashells on the front of the bag trapped between the fleece and silk handkerchiefs in variegated blues. I then embroidered the top front section of the bag with different types of thread. I added some glass beads in turquoise and champagne to give the effect of water. The flowers I made out of fabric, each petal cut and singes over an open flame and finished with a pearl button in the middle and sewn onto the bag. Hope you like it!

Christmas hat for baby!

It's never too early to start shopping for the Holidays you know! This cute little hat will fit a newborn to a 3/6 month old ... depending on how big the baby's head is. It can easily be rolled up to make it fit a really small baby and unrolled as baby grows into it. I added a jingle bell at the end of the hat but crocheted around it so the sound is muffled to avoid the annoying constant jingle! Just listed in my BitsofFiber shop on Artfire.

More Felted Baby Squares

Now that I've figured out what to do with all these left over pieces of felt I'm having a blast putting these baby square frames together. This one is made with all hand made felt ... no recycled sweater material in this one. This one you can hang or stand. The ribbon can be removed and replaced with a different color if you want to match it to your decor. Will be putting this one in my Etsy shop. The pink one is already up for sale in my BitsofFiber shop on Artfire.

A hat and a pair of booties

Finally got some time to list a couple more items in my Bits of Fiber shop on Artfire. I just wish this economy would get back on track. I don't expect a miracle and make everybody rich in a couple of months but it sure would be nice if people could afford to buy things they like. That would make them happy and me included! :0)

Here's a hat I put up for sale and my latest pair of baby booties. I actually wrote down how I did it this time ... I had made another pair similar to this one which was a pattern I had gotten from an old pattern book but of course me being me ... I can never just do things the way they tell you to do it. Not that I can't do it ... my hands just refuse to follow what my brain reads and off I go doing my own thing. Most of the time it does work out ... only thing that used to drive me crazy is that half the time I forgot how I did it the first time around. I've gotten into the habit to not only writing down how I do it but I knit or crochet one row on the one bootee, stop and then knit or crochet that same row on the #2 bootee ... that way I remember it and they both turn out the same!

Happy Father's Day to my Dad

Well it's been a crazy couple of weeks. Sad news is that my dad got diagnosed with lung cancer which has spread to his liver. Good news is that he has stopped smoking after 65 years ... kinda wish he stopped a lot earlier ... or better yet ... that he had never started but ... we can't change the past ... only the future so I just have to accept that fact. He went to the hospital on Friday to have a stint put in so he can start his chemo treatments by next Friday. I hope to God the chemo will kick in and do it's job.

Funny thing is that after I just found out about my dad having lung cancer I got mad at every person smoking! The only place I really see any of them is at the back dock at my work. I felt like walking over to them, shaking them into reality and asking them to stop killing themselves!!!! A lot of them are young people and I just wonder if they just don't ever think about what smoking will do to their bodies. I'm sure they know, and I realize it's hard quitting but if you're one of them ... you can do it! Give it a go!!

Of course this got my mind going a 100 MPH! Why on earth do we have companies making and selling cigarettes to begin with? Insurance companies, doctors, hospitals, etc ... they all talk about how bad smoking is and what it can do to you ... so why on earth can't we just close down the darn places that make them? I know, I know ... I hear you already .... they would have to close down the breweries, wineries and oh yes, pill making companies as well? Those are all substances people abuse as well ... but hey, when you drink a glass of beer or wine ... you're doing it because you're thirsty ... not to get drunk ... what does 1 cigarette actually do to you? See I'm not a smoker, never have ... as a kid I hated having to be around it ... made me cough and my eyes water ... so I have no clue what is it that makes you want to start smoking to begin with.

I'm sad because my parents live in Belgium, Virginia is a long way from them so for now I'm trying to support them by calling them as often as I can and to listen. Today I could tell in their voices that reality has set in and the news has sunk in that this is not just like having the flu, it's something a lot deeper and it will take a lot more then a Tylenol to fix it. I'm just hoping for the best so I can have my dad around for a little while longer.

On a roll with this red, white and blue theme ... another baby hat

I figured since I still had plenty of the red, white and blue yarn left I might as well make another hat but a more girly one this time. This one will actually fit better size-wise with the booties I made and posted earlier. Will be taking it to the market a week from tomorrow so if you like it get it now, don't wait as it might be gone by then! I just listed it in my Bits of Fiber shop on ArtFire http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=1436507

Patriotic Baby Hat

Finally a clear sky to take some photos of this baby hat I made last week. With all the lovely rain we've had I haven't been able to take pictures outside and the ones I took inside turned out way too dark. Anyway, here is one of the hats. I've made a second one a bit larger with no knot on the top but with a white knitted bow in the front and a ribbon but I need to sew the bow onto the hat before I can take pictures of it.

I will be putting it up for sale in my Bits of Fiber store on Artfire. http://www.artfire.com/users/BitsofFiber

Red, white and blue ...

I couldn't resist making a pair of patriotic baby booties. I figured with 4th of July coming up soon some baby will be proudly wearing these.