Little Chair

I am in the process of making a little chair to use for display purposes. I’ll be adding a paint wash to age the cuts on the twigs. I am trying to decide how best to embellish it. Please let me know if you have any ideas for that.

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Introducing Wendel

I’m back. I was on vacation. I looked back and realized that I forgot to write a post telling you I was going on vacation. Sigh, it is always a very busy time. I always forget several things.

While I was away I finished a really fun creature. His name is Wendel.

Wendel is quite tall. (I really  need to measure him)

I’m really happy with all of the little details.

I hope that you enjoy Wendel as much as I enjoyed creating him. I would love it if you could take a minute and let me know what you think.

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Wordless Wednesday

I don’t normally do a Wordless Wednesday post, but I thought I’d do it today.

Mother Nature, the very best artist.

I don’t seem to be very good at the wordless part. The ice crystals in the garden where huge this morning. It is so beautiful.

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Some New Completions

Happy Monday! Christmas on Main was a fun event. Sadly, I totally forgot my camera so I don’t have photos of all the wonderful things that were there. It was a small show, but very busy in the morning slowing down in the late afternoon.  I had a good day. I’ll be in Meadow Vista at the Beda Place’s Christmas Fair on Sunday, Dec. 8. I’ll put the flyer at the bottom of this post.

I have finished a few things over the last week as well as starting some new ones. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Roxie and her pet mouse were finished and sent off to their new home.

Myron is my smallest goblin baby ever. He is just barely two inches tall at the tippy top of his ear.

More Mice! I finished eight mice this week. (One of them is not in the photo as I sold it before I got pictures taken)

Bartholomew, the original boggling, sailed off to his new home some months ago. A new boggling is coming to Woodland Whimsy.

I hope you can come and see me if you live close.

I hope you all have a wonderful Monday!

 

 

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More Slerks Found in the Woods

While we were out in the woods looking for dead trees to cut down for fire wood for my in laws, we found something really fun. One of the dead trees was completely hollow. Okay, so that isn’t so useful for fire wood, but we found a great use for it. We also discovered more new friends.

My strong man husband

Wait a minute, it looks like there is something in there.

View through the log

Oops, wrong side. Let’s turn it around.

What is in that hollow log?

I need to get a closer look to see what it is.

Oh My!

Oh my goodness, it is more Slerks! How did they get into that log? We loaded up the hollow logs and the Slerks and headed home.

Check out the next post to find out what we, with help from the Slerks, did with our hollow logs.

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Bug Invasion

We are experiencing a bug invasion at Woodland Whimsy. Fortunately, it is the good kind of invasion. So far it is only a spider and a dragonfly, but you know how things go here. Pretty soon there will be bugs everywhere.

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Inspiration Thursday

It’s time for another Inspiration Thursday. I love this feature of my blog. It is so interesting to me to find out what inspires my fellow artists. Today’s artist is Samantha Webb from Moby and Puddle. She is an artist that makes fantastic, whimsical creatures.  You can see more of her work here http://www.facebook.com/mobyandpuddle You can also follow the adventures of her traveling goblins here http://www.facebook.com/GoblinOnTheGo

 

What inspires me?

 

I am a full time mummy. That is a full time job but is so much fun and so liberating! I spend my evenings following my dreams of becoming an artist whilst my Webblings (aged 4yrs and 1yr) sleep. They are my true inspiration, the reason that I continue to follow the path of an artist, because I don’t want them to ever feel that I gave up or that money is the only way to gain happiness! 

Sleeping

 

I am inspired by the world around me, particularly nature. The changing of the seasons and the passage of time, there are so many unseen and yet constant forces at work, perhaps the forces themselves have 

personalities? I look out of my kitchen window and next to the inner city school, that my little girl just started, grows a huge maple tree. Unlike the buildings around it, looking worn with age, the tree has a majesty 

and a beauty that it has developed through many eras. Perhaps the maple has a protector to keep it safe from destruction and human development of land, perhaps it homes a family of faeries?

Faerie

 

I think I have always believed that there is something more than what we merely see, science proves this constantly. It makes it no less magic in my opinion. I found the work of Brian and Wendy Froud helped me to realize that my point of view was shared by others and celebrated in art.

Goblin

I have always written stories, for as long as I can remember but only painted now and then. I was never very happy with the outcome but  I began to paint as a way to ease pre-natal depression rather than take medication and found that the more I painted the more I loved it. Then I rediscovered favorite films such as Labyrinth and TV shows like Fraggle Rock with my daughter who was a baby at the time. The work of Jim Henson Studios continues to be influential to me throughout needle felting in particular! I have never been in a position where I could afford an art class so everything is self taught and learned via many mistakes!

Faerie Light

I watch You Tube videos and have wonderful books by Christi Friesen and Birdy Heywood which taught me the basics in clay but I am absolutely useless at following guides so I have had to improvise! Still without those books I would not have developed to the stage that I am at now! 

Troll

 

I adore mixed media and am always trying to mix new materials together, a lot of my favorite work blends my love of clay with my love of sewing and needle felting! My Trolls manage to mix all three! It doesn’t always work but I will keep those misguided creations to myself! I am still very new to the world of art and craft. I am enjoying my journey and hope that I can keep going for as long as the inspiration strikes! 

 

Samantha Webb

Moby and Puddle

 

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Inspiration Thursday

Welcome to another addition of Inspiration Thursday. Our featured artist today is Linda Gallipo.  Her work is wonderfully detailed and just beautiful. You can see more of it here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Felted-Family-Creations-More/207989989269097 and at her blog here http://vermontfeltedfamilycreations.wordpress.com/

What inspires me? I guess I never thought about it before at least as a specific thing. From the time I was little I used to love to lay in the grass and look up at the sky. I would make out all different things in the clouds. Still do that to this day. So I guess I would have to say nature mostly.

Flower Elephant

I like to take a close look as to what shapes are intertwined to create the look of something I am trying to do. I seem to find a face in most anything I look at including, but not limited to clouds, the moon, grass, tree bark, even a wrinkle in fabric. Once I find the face or the core, I am good to go!

Patriotic Eagle

Anything Peaceful inspires me in this very hectic world we live in it is always nice to take a break from reality. I love picking up a medium and seeing it come to life as something else.

Gloria Wonkel

I started “Vermont Felted Family Creations” because I have such a passion to create that I needed an outlet to get my creations out there before it took over my home. My Daughter enjoys crafting as much as I do so it seemed like a good idea.

The Pot of Gold

So happy we did as we have met so many wonderful Artists and made so many new friends from all over the World! These fellow Artists/Friends are also a major Inspiration!

Belly Dancer

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Inspiration Thursday

I would like to say that I will be completely back on track with my blogging, but I am still having intermittent problems (meaning they only happen when my husband is not home) with my computer. My husband fixes such things for a living, so I’m sure as soon as it happens when he sees it, he can fix it.

Pam Ray is today’s artist. I have to say that she is an inspires me to live my life the best way I can. She is a loving lady who is willing to go above and beyond to care for those she loves. Her art is fun and so creative. You can see more of Pam’s work here http://www.facebook.com/OriginalMinnesotaRockHeadsWoolSculptures.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by so much and so many different things in life. I am always one that trys to look at everything with my cup half full and with humor. Everyday we all need to have a laugh or a short giggle, dream even if its for a few moments.

Original Minnesota Rock Heads

We have been through so much with family. When my youngest adopted son started having tantrums from his disability F.A.S.  we couldn’t do anything for him. So I brought out my very first Rock Head Fred. I told him that Fred really needed his help on getting Louise to go fishing with him. My boy was five he started laughing so hard and then he goes, “Mom they are only heads how can they go fishing?” Well the conversation went on and on.  So I decided that I needed to needle felt and write stories about the MN Rock Heads. So each Rock Head has a humorous story that everyone can relate to somehow.

Felix and Froggy

The Rock Heads even had tragedy in their lives, friends people that didn’t know me at all sent well wishes The Rock Heads brought people together which was nice. I didn’t realize how many fans the Rock Heads have.

Lindy Lou and Felix at School

I am inspired everyday by people, nature, and the love of how humor can help someone feel better, to dream, and laugh. Life can be hard for all at times, but  it can be joyous too, so the Rock Heads are here to help you dream, enjoy, and bring people together!

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Inspriation Thursday

It’s time for another Inspiration Thursday. I will be highlighting one artist a week.(I hope I can find enough artists who want to participate.) The artist has just one question to answer, “What inspires you?” On the surface, it seems like a very simple question; however, it is also very complex. I hope that you will enjoy both the answer and the featured artist’s work.

Our artist for this week is Natasha Smith of Shetland. You can see more of Natasha’s fabulous work here http://www.facebook.com/FeltingIsFun?ref=ts

What inspires me?
O.K so for me its my environment. I moved to the wilds of Shetland 6 years ago and have never looked back. For anyone who has been here, they know the secret of the isles.  For anyone who hasn’t, this secret is still to be discovered. The sounds, the smells, the wind blowing across the sea. The weather here changes so quickly you can see all four seasons in one day. All your senses are tantalized, that is what makes Shetland a wonderful place for an artist. It’s truly an awe inspiring place to be.

Viking Men

I live surrounded by sheep and wanted to try and utilize their wool so I started knitting and stumbled upon needle felting. I have fallen head over heels in love with it. Using wool of any type makes me feel linked to my surroundings. I love the feeling it gives me inside, it makes me glow.

Dragon Day Out with Bling

My work is guided by everything I see and imagine, almost everything touches me in some way and I hope it shows in my work. My mood also molds my work. I think that is true of all artists across the board. We all have our happy days and some days are more subdued than others. On these days, I still try to create as I know sometimes something magical can come out of your feelings.

Chinese Dragon

Of course I am inspired by talented artists, but I do try not to be influenced by their work too much. I like to keep evolving my own style. Ultimately I create my art for fun and to make people smile.

Natasha’s Beautiful Daughter and Pals

This is what drives me forward. Sometimes though it is just me who smiles, and that’s the best reward of all.

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