Happy New Year

May all of your dreams and wishes come true!

Mother daughter holiday crafting

My daughter Courtney taught me to crochet the chevon afghan stitch.  I have been trying to teach myself for years how to do it, but with little success. I don't follow patterns at all I just need someone to show me.  That's all it took!  Samantha who is extremely crafty caught on immediately she's already a third of the way finished with her afghan. It's been so fun crafting with my girls this week.  This  is my sample.

Courtney and Nala working on my Christmas present.  Only two more days to go.  I love the color way.  I told her when they put me in the senior citizen home make sure this afghan comes with to keep my knees warm in the wheel chair. ;)

Best Christmas gift ever!  I love , love the afghan my daughter Courtney made me.  The colors the texture, the pattern just perfect for me.  It's kinda strange that 30 years ago I was pregnant with her and sitting on the commuter van for my daily 3 1/2 hour round trip to work from Quantico to the Pentagon crocheting baby blankets for her.  Now she has unknowingly returned the favor.  I will cherish this gift from the heart forever. Thank you Courtney!😍💕🎄💕

2015 a very crafty year

This has been an absolutely fantastic year for Crafty Diva Creative Arts Workshops at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn I have had so much fun with my regular knitters on Tuesdays.  I've enjoyed Chatting and Crafting with the vacationers to Hatteras Island.   I was able to meet local artist's through a wonderful community crafting event.  I got to end the year weaving with old friends at the Clothes Encounters Clothing Arty Party.  Thank you all for your support and enjoyment in the creative process.  Especially thank you Jennifer Johnson for providing me this opportunity and Suzanne for cheering me on.

My regular Tuesday group and their gorgeous projects.

Loved meeting and chatting and crafting with the vacationers.

So happy to meet new friends and reconnect with my 'arty party' ladies.

2015 started and ended with a flurry of color and creativity.  I got to walk out my dream of crafting everyday in my dream cottage on an island.

Blooming where I am planted.

Creative planners

There is a new craze for 2016.  Everyone has developed a planner.  There are crafty planners, serious planners, spiritual planner, artful planners, business, life, coaching, wellness, weight loss and on and on and on!! I designed and developed my own custom planner around 2000.  I used planners and diaries since I was a kid.  They just were functional not fun.  During the 90's I was on my yearly quest to buy a fun planner.  I called manufacturers and office box stores to see if they would be getting feminine planners in that year. Around mid 2000's I began to find them and start a massive collection of fun feminine unusable planners.  They were so pretty that I didn't want to mess them up.  Then when I got sick I didn't need a planner.  I didn't know what day it was half the time.  Now that I'm alert and functioning in society again.  The planners have come out in full force.  Along with all of the accessories and stamps, stickers, tape, markers etc.  The coloring book craze for adults has also started.  That's a topic for another post.  As most of you know I teach creative journaling workshops and vision board workshops.  I think this year I'm going to cut up all my unused planners and inspirational materials and staple, glue, tape, spiral bind all of this together and see what I can create for 2016.  Stayed tuned! #planners #2016creativeplanners #plannersofInstagram

Playing in clay

This year I have finally been able to play in clay again.  I am a pottery freak and collect all kinds of ceramics.  I was so happy to find Antoinette and Edith at Kinnakeet Clay to assist me in creating these pieces.  They have a great gallery and studio. I have tried wheel throwing several times, but decided that being top heavy is not a good thing for centering on the wheel.  As a kid I played in mud and made all kinds of mud pies so I decided that handbuilding would be the ceramic technique I would try to explore.   I love the fact of using fiber, lace, stamps, fabrics etc to make  designs in the clay.  I can't wait to create more in 2016.

Morning exercise/meditation

My stair master this morning.  Breathe, breathe, breathe!

Fiber Arts Workshop

Our last Fiber Arts Workshop for the year at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn. Lynn brought in her crochet Yarn taster throw in for us to see it.  Can I say 'gorgeous!'  It's also very warm and cozy.

Holiday prep

Christmas is almost here.  It's been a very warm month so far with lots of weird political and social issues in the news.  I am feeling a little agitated so my answer is to knit.  I've been knitting up several skinny scarves to wear.  I wanted to wear one to Jenn's 10th anniversary party but it was too hot outside.  Then I realized that I couldn't possibly wear all of them this winter so I decided to sell them at Blue Pelican Gallery.  If you are looking for any last minute Christmas gifts you can call the gallery.  I did finally get to wear one of my Christmas outfits from Clothes encounters clothing to the party.  It's been a long time since I dressed for the holidays.

Fiber arts workshop

We had a fun and intense morning at our Workshop at @bluepelicangallerygifts&yarn this week. Trying not to discuss the world's current events and staying on task making and creating.  Suzanne joined us to reveal her new crochet yarn taster throw.  Amy and Claudia finished their projects and started new ones. Jane was working on her holiday gifts and Suzanne learned how to double crochet to start her lifelong goal of making a funky granny square afghan.  Afterwards the ladies were so nice to treat me to a holiday lunch.  Thank you ladies! :)

Fiber arts Workshop

The ladies and I had a good time today working on holiday gifts.

November Crafting

The theme for this month.

Happy Thanksgiving

We have much to be grateful for here at Crafty Diva Cottage.

Jane's Reveal

I'm so proud of my student Jane she has come a long way in less than a year. Today she was finishing up two projects that she had been working on for the past several weeks.  Her Yarn taster throw and a infinity scarf.  I love the textures and colors she has chosen for both projects.  Now she is ready to tackle a cardigan.  She has great taste in yarn so I can't wait to see what she picks out.

Clay Day

Went to Kinnakeet Clay- Studio & Showroom and played in more clay today. I got to meet more of the local artists and picked up my fish I made last month.


 

Today's Project.  A casserole dish.

Holiday Arty Party Video

Arty Party Video 3 from Paul Armstrong on Vimeo.

Holiday Arty Party

I am so full of gratitude to spend time with Suzanne and her Arty Party Ladies.  Here's a picture from our first Party together and this weekends party.  Time sure flies when you are having fabulous fun with friends.

It was great seeing old friends and getting to know new ones.  The Arty Parties that Suzanne throws are magical, fun and full of joy!  Hardworking ladies in the Wash DC area get to connect with other like minded creatives.  The clothes that Suzanne designs in her Clothesencounters line and the other designer art to wear clothing that she sells is full of color, textures and whimsy.

Suzanne thought that it would be a good idea for me to bring my knitters looms and demonstrate weaving fabric.  It was so much fun teaching the ladies to weave the community storyteller scarf that was gifted to Suzanne in appreciation for throwing such a joyful arty party.

I am very appreciative of the ladies who purchased my handcrafted art to wear accessories.  It was a joy for me to make them and a joy to see others wearing them with sass and pride.

We ended the Arty Party on a Joyous note!  Suzanne is wearing the 2 scarves woven by her tribe of 'wild whimsical women!'

Noro large triangle shawls

Getting ready for the show this weekend.  I just finished my second triangle Noro shawl I will be selling them.  I love the trims on both of them, the felted balls and the blue.  They finish off the shawls nicely.

Art Show

I'm coming to NOVA next weekend!  Come see me in Fairfax  at the @arttowearhouse Arty Party on Friday and Saturday Nov.13&14, held at the Fairfax Country Club.

Fiber arts workshop

We had a great day at our Fiberarts Workshop at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn.  We sat on the porch this morning for the first time in weeks.  In the afternoon we sat amongst all of the new yarn, fiber and knit kits that Jenn is carrying.  The shop is gorgeous and all set up for Holiday shopping.  Come on down and enjoy art and retail therapy. :)

Jane is halfway through her beautiful 'Yarn taster throw'.

Lynn finished her king size gorgeous 'Yarn taster throw'.

Ancestor day

This is a love story.  In our country we really don't have a ceremony to honor our ancestors.  Today's a day in other countries where they honor the dead.  Those who have crossed over the veil.  I love and miss my family who are in Heaven, but I rejoice in the love, teachings and blessings that they have left me.  I wouldn't be me if it wasn't for them.  They live in the faces and actions of my children so I get to experience their energy everyday.  So today I celebrate them because if they didn't have the courage to love I wouldn't be here.

October Crafting

October was a big crafting month.  I created silk scarves to sell at the gallery.  I participated in our community art show and facilitated other artist in learning how to weave on a ridged heddle loom.  Weaving was a very big theme this month.  I almost finished knitting a sweater, I continued my tote obsession and I achieved a dream for myself.  Walking on the beach at the end of my street.  Then going to have fun in Asheville at the SAFF wool festival.  This has been a very fun and rewarding month.