Tree skirt and wreath and Star topper

Picture of the finished tree topper!

Dana just sent pics of the wreath she made in the ocean theme (see post below)

as well as the purchased tree skirt she embellished.

Georgeous aren't they!

Beautiful Ornaments

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=24981
These ornaments have focals from my fabulous friend Lisa Peters

Dana is the wire wrap maniac!

I finally have pictures of a wonderful project I have been working on with my dear friend Dana Graham. Dana makes amazing lampwork beads and jewelry http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5100254 and decided to have an ocean themed Christmas tree this year.

So we have been getting together and making ornaments - seashell ornaments, wire wrapped sea glass and bead ornaments, beaded starfish, painted sand dollars and many, many more. Dana is a whiz at wire wrapping and I was drawn to creating little mosaics with groupings of beads on a shell base. Each piece is a miniature work of art, jewelry for the tree. And I am now a huge fan of swarovski crystals, I never saw the allure before, but seeing the sparkle they add to these pieces made me a convert.

Dana took these faulous photos. We made more and have had a wonderful time with all our creations. She embellished a beautiful wreath and other decorations and hopefully will have more pictures soon, including photos of the finished tree.

Rusty Mandala

I am so happy with this piece! I started with a piece of silky fabric I rusted with an organic disc design. I quilted it, added rusted cheesecloth, fabric strips, mesh and a ring covered in rusty yarn. Some beads and a gorgeous raku center bead from my fabulous friend Lisa Peters http://lisa-petersart.blogspot.com/

I stitched it onto a 14 inch brass hoop and added a hanger to the back.

Open House getting closer

Just one more week until the Open House

More Totes for the Open House

This canvas tote has a gorgeous rust dyed, then quilted piece of fabric. I also added some rust dyed cheesecloth and a circle cut from anotherrust dyed piece.

I painted a beach scene on muslin, then quilted it and stitched it to a denim tote. lovew the ribbon edging.

My little flamingo tote

This tote was tie dyed then quilted. The gorgeous button is from my friend Lisa Peters.http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=24981

And this is my favorite, a scene I painted from my favorite beach ever. I don't know if I can sell this one or will have to keep it for myself.

Open House coming up

My friend Dana http://www.newmoondesign.blogspot.com/ and I are having an open house November 8th at her house. Dana makes amazing lampwork beads and jewelry and I have mosaics and fabric art. My mom and I have been working on mosaic Christmas trees using glass mosaics on wooden bases made by my dad. We have had a blast making them and I think they are just very cool.

I have also been working on lots of fiber art totes. They are purchased totes with my own fiber art pieces stitched onto them.

I will have framed fiber art pieces also

Bead and Button magazine

I received my complimentary issue of the October Bead and Button magazine today. I was a finalist in their Bead Dreams competition and all finalists are pictured in this issue. My mosaic buttons are 2.5 inches across, set in wood bases made by my dad, Hugo Themer.

It is also on their website.
http://cs.beadandbutton.com/bnbcs/photos/beaddreams2008/picture43628.aspx


Here is the picture of my display, arranged in a cedar hexagon frame also made by my dad.

More rust and an older project

I a finally getting some good prints from the larger discs, the print is 18 inches (earlier discs are about 15-16" print).

this is is on a piece of lt blue dyed fabric.

Laid on a rusted pot, I love the darker edges

this lutradur took a very, very long time to rust

This is a piece I made many years ago, using batiks. I did the english paper piecing method, somehow I loved sewing all these by hand and have several completed hexagon pieces that my mom quilted for me. This one I have used as a table square or a little table cover but now I think i want to quilt it. But where to start?

My fabulous nephews, and rust pics (of course)

First and foremost, my nephews Sam and Max, the bright stars in my life!!

The rust flower pieces are pinned to felt ready to stitch, now I need to actually start stitching!

This is a larger, multi printed piece, I will not be stitching this yet

These are ceramic buttons and beads, some are purchased bisque beads. Most are from my great friend Lisa Peters http://lisa-petersart.blogspot.com/, who generously sent me many of her bisqued buttons so I could use whatever glazes I wanted.

I used low fire glazes and my dad's kiln to get these fabulous finished pieces. Can you tell that many of them will look great on the rust fabric? I just wish I could figure out which glazes I used for my favorite ones, aacck.