Can I just say....

July 25, 2013

Tiny baskets are just tooooooo cute. 

I had a terribly difficult time getting this one to keep the triangular shape, but I  must say that it was very worth it.  The beads were added after the rest was complete and I just love love love this one.

 

 

 

 This little guy is the absolute first basket started and completed in the same day.  I was very chair weary when it was finished but again it was very worth it.

Just a little update!

I wouldn't even know where to start to catch everyone up, so I am just going to post some pictures of the last few basket sales...

The dark wood center's are hickory wood I got out of a fire wood pile.  I just love the organic shapes.  I have also been experimenting with some of the different color of threads. 

The small baskets seem to sell the best so I have been concentrating on those also.   Hope you like and I will try to be in touch again soon.

I have been terribly out of touch ...

May 22, 2013

I have been very 'un-plugged' as of this last year or so, but I have been busy non the less. 

Baskets are my 'go to' art these days.  I haven't been able to get back involved with much in the way of the fiber arts.  No idea why...

The good news, great actually is that I have sold 7 baskets in less than 2 months.  I have down priced, and reduced my prices, even though they were low to begin with.  This of course helps sales, but I also work for my sister at the local farmers market on Saturdays and I think the exposure there has been the biggest boost.  I have also discovered that folks will come off of something priced less than $50.00 a whole lot easier than they will something priced over $50.00.  So smaller baskets it is.

I haven't even been great taking pictures, but I do have one for you today.

This is the smallest one to date (4 in. across and a little over 2 in. tall), I was actually thinking it would be good to use for business cards.  Let me know what you think. 

Seems Max's iphone did some editing (this is the only picture that wasn't elongated) and you will just have to take my word for the fact that there is a cedar center under that business card.  Let me just say, who knew tiny baskets would be so cute.

A basket for Monster!

February 27, 2013

I started this little basket and it 'spoke' to me...it told me that black (the thread), brown (pine needles) and green (sweetgrass) equal camoflage.  I knew just the perfect little boy who would love it.  He also loves skulls and crossbones.

It measures 4 inches across and 2 inches deep.  CUTE CUTE CUTE, if I do say so myself.

 Now for the bottom.  Gotta love the new wood burner tool.  The center is cedar wood and the stitches are done with artificial sinew.  It is called brown..but I see black.

He lit up like a Christmas tree when I gave it to him.  It sits proudly in his room with his rock collection in it.  Gotta love it.

January 29, 2013

I haven't been able post for quite a while, but today I not only have access to the internet, but I even remembered to bring the thumb drive of pictures.

No weaving, just some Pine needle baskets.  Quite a few actually, so here you go.

This one was done for my friend Dee.  It sits next to her recliner with her 'stuff' in it.  My first oblong with a wrapped center and you gotta love the different fibers for the sides.  They are even twisted for a barber pole look.

 This one was sold to Elise, who commissioned it for a Christmas present to her daughter.  One of the largest I have ever done!

This one is just me killing time.  The center is Pine bark and the sides are Sweetgrass I harvested myself here in the local area.  I even got a wood burning tool for Christmas and I can sign my work!

This is the most current.  Done for my friend KraftyMax to be on her bead tray for trash.  Notice the beads!  Little tiny but packs punch.  It is only the second beaded one, but it is indeed better than the first and it fits the spot it is intended for beautifully!

Just a little update!

Today is September 14, 2012

Where does the time go? 

Things are mostly moving along like normal.  Looking forward to doign my Pine Needle basket demonstration at the local Library on the 22nd.  Hope I get some folks interested!

I got the most wonderful pkg in the mail today from my friend Dana in Georgia.  She has gifted me a copy of the new book by Laverne Wadding, Called "More Andean Pebble Weave".  It is something I have anxiously awaiting since the day I knew it was being written.  I am also pleasantly surprised that there are a couple of other techniques in the book that I have been dying to try out.  Look out girls and boys my weaving mojo is back in full swing.

At the moment, in preparation for the upcoming book I have been doing a little weaving.  I have even found a workable station set up for my backstrap.  Pictures to follow.  Simply put I took the 2 screen door handles and had them mounted on the wall in my little RV just far enough apart for the back bar of the loom to fit into.  Turns out that since I have a rug in that spot, my computer chair works great for weaving in and doesn't slide around on the rollers as it would on bare floor.  WALA!  Perfect.  When I am done weaving I just roll it up and strap it to the same handles and everything is out of the way of the rest of 'life'. 

Do keep in mind that I am using a library computer, old, slow and not the best software.  but I think you get the gist.

Now for the technique.  I have finally taught myself how to do color exchange.  In otherwords double faced (not double cloth) with reversible design work.  I am using one of Laverne Waddington's scroll ideas and mirroring them.  I am using #10 fabric so the design doesn't show as well as I might like, but at least I finally know how not to have the floats on the back side. I am not sure but I think that this technique is also called Intermesh.  If so it is going to make me understand alot more of the information in that new backstrap book.  wish me luck.

Pine in the above picture, and Blue on the bottom side. 

Of course I am still working on the baskets in between.  I am doing an oblong one at the moment with a wrapped center.  It is for my friend Dee who has loved me thru thick and thin and I hope that she likes it as much as I like doing it for her.

As with most things I learn by doing.  Last weekend I spent a good 6 hrs. working on a new technique with this basket and ended up so unhappy with it that I just tore it off.  I just can't give gifts to people that I wouldn't like myself.  Guess this will be the one that I work on in the demonstration on the 22nd.  No problem.  I will probably even get it finished at that point.

Lacy and Wiggles are my ever present companions and doing well.  We hope that all of you are as well and will look forward to doing a post again soon.

Don't do anything I wouldn't do!

Today is Wednesday, August 23, my how the time flies.

I am finally settled into my RV and getting some of my life back under control.  Definitely loving being on my own again, ESPECIALLY the independence of having my own wheels again.

I don't seem to do as much art though.  I am enjoying interacting with friend's and family again, so not as much time on my  hands...I am sure most of you can understand that.

However, when I do have the time I am working on my baskets.  Notice I didn't say PINE baskets.  I have started incorporating other materials and am very happy with my results so far.  I am even scheduled to do a demonstration at the local public Library on September 23rd.  Looking forward to that, we have a beautiful library and the people are always friendly. 

The demo will be posted on their website along with a bulletin board and blog.  I will also have a small display up for folks to look at for the next few weeks to help generate interest.  This will not be a class and definitely won't be about money.  I just want to meet some new folks that enjoy art/crafting.  I am definitely looking forward to it.

I am using a friend's computer and thought I brought some pictures along on my thumb drive, but it seems the most current ones are not on it.  But keep watching, I have access to a computer more often now and I will post the newer pictures soon.  Or if you are so inclined you can even go and check out my Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/pandula.arts.

Just to drop a line while I am at the Library.

I have completed one basket for the new great nephew that is due any day.  It turned out nice, but of course I forgot to load the pictures onto the thumb drive to bring with me to the library.  I will get better at that now that I am a little settled in. 

I have also been in contact with the Branch Manager of the local library branch and we are working out the details for me to do some demonstrations or maybe even classes.  Not sure which art form yet as we have just started chatting.

Work is work, I am still keeping an eye out for something with some more opportunity for growth, or even in the art field.  We have alot of museum's and galleries here in St. Augustine. 

I do have my new Kindle fire and I am on line more often.  I hope to be posting at least once a week again soon.

Thanks so much to all who are hanging in there with me through yet another change process in my life.

Also, Crystal Pistal is coming for the weekend all the way from Texas!  Awesome.  I may have to hug her so tight that she pops!

For now those are the highlights and I will say so long from me, Lacy and Wiggles!

TTYL xoxoxo

Just a word to say 'Hello' to all of my followers and let you know that I am alive and well.  I am adjusting to working and living in my own place slowly but surely.  I am also very busy trying to condense everything into a small 23 ft. camper from a full size house.  Not for the faint of heart that is for sure.  You must be ruthless and unemotional  to make the decisions of what can stay and what has to go.  But I will get there eventually.

Still no internet, so I am at the library.  Hoping to get a Kindle fire soon so that I can be move active on line again.

Unfortunately my hr. is almost up so I must go for now.  Be well my friend's and I will TTYL.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, Lacy and Wiggles send their love too.  lol

June 9th, 2012

Well, day before yesterday my RV got moved to the park I will be living in.  There are still a couple of bugs to work out, but I have started actively moving.  I grocery shopped at 11 p.m. last night after work.  Didn't get to bed until around 3 a.m.

Keep in mind I am also working a new job with longer hrs than I have worked in years.  This being a grown up thing is tough sometimes.  I am exhausted to say the least.  It will, however, be worth it in the end.  Today, Saturday, I just can't seem to move.  I will do well to get through an 8 hr. shift at work.  Tomorrow as well. So I am simply concentrating on that for these two days.  No trying to move before or after my shifts.

But I am off on Monday, so I will sleep in the new place on Sunday night if all goes as planned and I don't run out of energy.  I will have the entire day to acclimate the dogs as well.  For now I am just moving what I have in my rented room.  Later I will concentrate on going through the boxes in my sister's garage.  LOTS of boxes.

At that point my friend's I will not have internet.  Probably for a long while.  I just can't take on another monthly payment.  However, I will go to the Library every chance that I can and try to keep some sort of communication going.  I am looking forward to weaving also.  Two great tree's for hooking up a backstrap right outside my front door.  I will post pics soon also. 

Peaceful Art endeavors to you all.  I will miss this diary/blog and I will talk to you as often as possible.

Marsha, Lacy and Wiggles

May 30, 2012

I have definitely been neglecting my blog.  Amazing how this JOB thing cuts into the creativity, along with inspiration! 

I finished a basket a week or so back and I absolutely love the way the new 'harvest' has added to the mix!

This one is for Greg! 

 Here you can see the dark green of the Queen palm, the off white of the Palmetto frond new growth and there is even some of the wild Muly grass that we picked in there.  The center is a piece of Oak that he had in his shed for years.  He originally cut it many years ago for a cub scout project for his son, who is now 20 something.

I twisted the rim pieces and love the barber pole effect!

It sits proudly on his dresser and he uses it to empty his pockets into when he comes home at night.  I am honored!  Both at he uses it and that he and his wife have been such good friends to me.  Below you see the bottom.

It is not a very large basket, but very striking with the different shifts in colors.  I am on to the next one...that is if I can find some time in the day!

Busy, busy, busy!

I am truly sorry my fellow artists that I have been slack with my blog for the last few weeks. 

Things have been happening very fast for me.  I put in an on line job application, knowing that you are one in hundreds and I probably would never hear anything from them...WRONG!  Within 3 hrs. I got an interview and got a job. 

I had just surrendered my metal tag for my car that should have been surrendered 2 yrs. ago and they kept my driving license.  Thus no pic I.D. making getting a new job very difficult.  Seems that now, due to homeland security new laws, you must have a birth certificate to get any kind of state i.d.  No problem, I have one at home with the rest of my important papers.  WRONG AGAIN!  I even had the empty envelope with a postage stamp 2000 from when I ordered the last one, but of course the birth certificate was not in it.  And to make matters worse the average wait time for one in the state I was born in was 14 wks.  Now what?  Well I was in touch with some very nice folks at the Vital statistics and of course the DMV and they agreed to try to expedite the process for me.  Unfortunately that would not have been in time for the new job.

However, I do have a voter's registration card and a social security card and these two documents will suffice to prove U.S. citizenship and ability to legally work.  Whew!

Then, instead of the job I actually applied for, they put me in another position all together.  The first job's schedule would have matched my roommate's exactly and transportation would have been a snap.  Not so with the position they put me in.  Now what do I do.

Well, the same folks I am buying my RV from (once I got a job) also came into a car that they were selling to someone who wouldn't make their payments.  Only I don't have a legal driving license. Now what?  They agreed to help me get my license (think finance me) and tag and insurance for the car.  Thus after tons of paper chase, and lots of being taxied around from one office to another I am a legal driver again.  After 2 1/2 yrs.  I am also in debt for more than I have ever been in my entire life.

But I have a JOB, a CAR and a place to live as soon as I gather up money to put it in the camp park I have chosen. 

I work nights so far, and I am exhausted when I get done.  It is a truck stop and I work the fuel desk.  Even though I used to drive an 18 wheeler, I had forgotten how busy these truck stops are. 

So my friend's no only am I adjusting to driving, (I am hyper-vigilant without even meaning to be) I am adjusting to the job and the schedule, and will also be moving in the up coming couple of weeks.  These are all wonderful things, butttttttt, it means I will have much less time for art and for blogging as well.  I may not even have internet for a while ;-(.  It depends, like most things, on the money. 

So for now, know that I love you all and will write when I can.  And getting internet will be a priority as soon as I can.  Let's just make good use of the time I have left to be visiting with you and know that it has been fun.

Your fiber artist friend,
Marsha

I've been harvesting some new materials.

Today is April 29th, Sunday.  WOW!  Where is the time going.

Anyway, I was sitting by the pool with some friend's the other day and (same friend's where I got the cool Oak center's for my basket) once again her hubby was busy putzing around in the yard.  This time he accidentally cut the wrong limb from a Queen Palm.  He meant to cut a dead ugly one, but instead got a beautiful live green one.  So I immediately sprang into action and took off the frond leaves.  They were a VIBRANT green, but then got a softer milkier look to them.  They have only dried for about a week, but here is one of the two bundles.

Here is a shot of one of these tree's.

Also, in my daily walks with my dogs I did indeed find a new growth Palmetto spear.  They come right up out of the center of the Palmetto bush and before they fan into a frond they look like a spear.  I got two small ones, love the whiteness of the new growth.  They will turn a lovely buff color with age.  I also got one about 3 ft. tall.  They kind of accordion out when you want to use them and I then split them into the size for what I need at the time.

Here is the tree.

Here is a pic of one of the smaller spears parts.  They dry out very quickly, alot quicker than I would have thought.  These are often used instead of thread by the Gullah ladies who do sweetgrass baskets in Charleston.  Much longer ones of course.

So far I am only adding in these things to my Pine needle baskets for color variations.  In this case I am not looking to make solid stripes but very much like the look of the colors swirling around which ever way they want to.

Yesterday I worked on this basket until my shoulder was really bothering me, so it is bigger than you actually see here.  In reality I have 5 founds of the added in colors of green and white along with the brown Pine.

And I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this type of Oak for the center.  It has a much different center than any of my other Oak.

Keep watching, I am also trying out Needle Tatting.

Pine Needle Basket coming right along.

April 6, 2011

I went to the Green Cove Springs, FL, Clay County Fair yesterday.  I went with my friend Max and her daughter to do demonstrations.  They did bead weaving and I did Pine Needle basket coiling.  A fun time was had by all and I was pleasantly surprised to find so many people interested in the basket work.  Unfortunately I didn't think to take my camera...

I took several examples of my work.  Two that I made last year or so, the red and black one and the one I did with copper wire and Ivy vine.  Max brought along 3 pieces that I had done for her and her family.  The 'fruit bowl' blue and green, the little purple and blue one I made for her daughter and my only waxed piece a trivet.

I took examples of different types of Pine needles, I even collected some the day before on a nice long bicycle ride.  I also took my books and lots of different center pieces along with examples of threads and cards in case anyone wanted to find me.

The weather was gorgeous and I took my 'triangle basket' to work on.  So I thought you might like to see what I have so far.

This shot is from the top. The green stripe is some grass my room mate pulled for me.  I believe it is Muly grass, also know as sweet grass.

Here it is from an angle so that you can see how deep it is so far.  It is a little over 2 in. and I am shooting for 3...I think.  I have incorporated green Long Leaf Pine needle's that Dana sent me from Georgia.  Wish I had some more.

This one is the bottom so you can see how much my stitching has improved.  :-))))

As you can see it is around 9 in. at it's widest.

I have another center like this one with the holes already drilled.  My intentions, always subject to modification ya know, is to make another just like it, only a little bit larger diameter.  Then I will turn it upside down and place it over this one and it will serve as a top.  That way I have to independent baskets or one with a nice tight lid.  We'll see how it goes.

I am using waxed linen on this one and I must tell you it is much easier to work with than the unwaxed threads, even when I drag them over the was they are not as nice as this is.  Unfortunately this is the only color I can get her locally and I am getting a bit tired of brown.  It also comes in very small pkgs.  20 yards for $1.99 at Hobby Lobby, I am already on the 4th pkg at this point.  I may have to break down and order some from off line.  I am just not sure whether I want to order alot in the same color or lots of colors????

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

TADA!

Today is April 25th and I am not feeling particularly inspired of late.

I did complete my triangular basket, so without further adoooooo...