Crafting Vortex

Getting ready for summer craft workshops.

Summer Beach Crafts

Join us this summer for Beach Crafting at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn for our Fiber Arts Open Studio every Wednesday from 10-1 June -August 2016.  You can choose to knit, crochet, weave or macrame a craft project.  We have lots of traditional and trendy yarns and craft supplies.  Indulge your inner 'Hippie!'

Colors of the rainbow

Last week a day before the Blue Moon we had a short rain storm early in the morning.  It felt different, I could feel the magnetic energy surrounding me.  I didn't know what it was.  It just felt different.  Later on in the day my neighbor and other Facebook pages posted this great rainbow over our neighborhood.  I told myself that is probably what I had been feeling.  Two days later I decided to finally start working on a project I have put off for years.  Dyeing , stamping and painting silk prayer shawls.  Yesterday, Sunday when I began the weather was humid yet gorgeous.  The sun was shining so strong.  It was a great day to dye fabric and let it dry in the summer breeze.  I had a lot of fun and loved how the colors came out.  I didn't plan on it but they had a tie dye effect.  Today I finished the rest.  It was raining all day and was damp and breezy so different from yesterday.  The fabric came out differently.  Drying in the sun made the colors pop more.  I still have more processes to go to finish these shawls but, step one is complete.  It wasn't until a few minutes ago that I realized that I had been inspired by the rainbow over our neighborhood on Thursday.  I love to dye silk and I love the colors of the rainbow!  These scarves feel magical.

Summer Crafting

We're ready for beach crafting this summer at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn.  Sign up NOW for our workshops and craft camp.

Totebags for the Summer

Those who know me well know that I am a bag lady.  I love my purses and Totebags.  My closet is filled to the brim with purses and totes.  The last couple of weeks I have been making totes, knitting them, painting them and teaching others to knit them.  I've had a great time designing and crafting these totes and using texture and color to make each one unique.

Last week at Camp Crafty Diva, Nancy from Illinois came to knit a sophisticated beach tote. Black and white color way. We had a great morning enjoying soulful chatting and sharing stories on the porch here at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn. There were many visitors to the gallery this morning and we had a great conversation with another visiting artist. You never know who you might meet on this great porch of ours. I can't wait to see Nancy's finished project. Come join us this summer for 'Fun in the Sun' at Camp Crafty Diva.

Did I mention That "I LOVE TOTES!"

Camp Crafty Diva

Camp Crafty Diva At Blue Pelican Gallery and Gifts starts this week.  Sign up now!!

Samples for Camp

I spent an enjoyable time hard at work designing, creating and crafting samples for this Summer's Camp Crafty Diva which will be held at Blue Pelican Gallery & Gifts.  Stay tuned for more info.  The weather was gorgeous, just the right temperature to make and create on Jenn's beautiful porch.  Melissa the store manager was very helpful and attempted to make a sample, but we got a lot of customers.  As I was running out of ideas my 'Crafting Buddy'  Suzanne showed up and got right to work creating cloth.  We had a great rest of the afternoon crafting and creating.

Vibrant Color

The past couple of days have been really bleak.  50+ mile an hour winds! driving rain! howling and swaying! rocking back and forth.  I couldn't even create anything the past two days.  I had to be patient and wait.  (not my strong suit)  yesterday I got my house cleaned, did laundry, ironed and ironed fabric.  (I told myself. 'Let it cure one more day.'). Then bam I couldn't wait I had to wash the fabric.  I would try one piece and let the rest wait until tomorrow.  Once the water hit the fabric I was in Heaven, the reveal.  Brilliant, vibrant colors better than I had anticipated.  I'm going to wash them all.  I Hand washed each piece with loving care.  Draped them over the bathtub, stood for a second to admire my work.  Then BOOM!  Power out!  What?  The storm is over WTF!  Just when I got happy and excited and almost literally jumped for Joy, and all goes to black.  I freaked for a minute got out candles and flashlights and waited patiently.  And waited and waited, visions of vibrant colorful fabric dancing in my head.  Almost an hour later and boom, lights again.  Reality set in and I had to drive my daughter to basketball practice.  I would have to wait a couple of more hours until I could revel in the reveal.  But, it was so worth it.

Fabric Painting and Duck

Yesterday I finally got out my paints and stamps and made a real mess in my cottage.  I've been chafing at the bit to get going on my fabric experimentation.  My intent is to find my voice in fabric, I just haven't found it yet.  I'm continuing to explore all avenues and can't wait until I sing.  But, until then I'm enjoying the process.

When I began painting I felt great, I was in a rhythm.  Then it became work, but I wouldn't stop.  I keep pushing myself.  This is a long process.  It takes a couple of days to see the end result.  I was hand painting on cotton and faux batiking using a resist paste.

Then I decided to take a break.  I had been in the house all week through all of the weather changes.  The sun was shining it was almost 60 degrees so I went to the beach.  The wind surfers were out.  It was extremely winding, but felt good.  Nala and I got out to touch the sand.  There were a lot of washed up seashells.  So I started picking them up and before I knew it I was strolling down the beach.  This had been a visualization of mine a few years ago when I was almost immobile and very sick.  Wow, dreams do come true!  I couldn't believe it I wasn't huffing and puffing. Yay!  When I got back home I was ready to paint, but had a duck to prepare and cook.  My sister had sent me it for New Years and I was ready to cook it.  So, as the duck was cooking I was painting more fabric.

I went to bed tired, yet fulfilled.  I had accomplished a lot and my visions were manifesting before my eyes.  Bright colors on fabric, collecting shells on the beach and beautifully roasted duck ala orange served with baby peas.  Healthy goodness.

Artful Road Trip

Yesterday my friend Suzanne and I rode the ferry to Ockacroke Island.  A great little artist community with fun pirate history.  We hadn't been there since 2009 when we did the craft show there.  Not much has changed the ferry ride was as relaxing and wonderful as I remembered.  I love the smell and feel of the salt sea air blowing on my face?  The wild horses were out, people were riding beach bikes and trikes, driving around in golf carts.  Very 'islandy' !    I hadn't gone art gallery shopping in years.  I'm over the shame of having to use a walker.  So, I found my own rhythm and enjoyed the beautiful day.  I loved going to the marina and watching the sailboats.  I so adore driving the back winding dirt roads of the village and stopping at the fun art galleries.  The best of all was eating tacos at the food truck.  The best tasting mexican food I have eaten in years.  Then bringing Thai food home on the ferry and eating it two hours later and it was still warm.  The views, the water, the sun, the sites and the smells of a wonderful artful road trip.  My creativity cup 'runnith over', I'm content and full.

1st Camp Crafty Diva Workshop

I had a great first day at Camp Crafty Diva!  The Sun Realty space is nice and bright, great to give one-on-one attention to the campers.  Sue brought her nieces in for an 'Auntie & Me' crafting time.  Sofie wove a wild & woolly dream catcher, Maddie painted a silk dream catcher and Sue learned to crochet.  Come join me over at Sun Realty in Avon, Nc for more Camp Crafty Diva adventures.

Mother Nature's Art

We weathered hurricane Arthur here in OBX.  I live in a great community and all of the neighbors reached out to help and support each other.  There was wind, rain, lightening and tree branches blowing and roaring, but we made it safe and sound.  The fun part was waking up the next morning to bright sunshine and treasures on the beach.  These are just some of those treasures. Also, the main road to the island is cut off and not everyone made it through Arthur unscathed, so my prayers go out to them.  I hope that their recovery process goes quickly and smoothly.

Sometimes chaos brings creativity.  Here's a little vignette.