It's Been Awhile

Thought I would share a bit today.

I've been on a furniture painting spree! 

I was so inspired by a photo of a cabinet painted by Gudrun Sjödén that she keeps her textiles in accumulated from travels.  I have a similar cabinet that I had chalk painted white about five years ago.  I decided to give it a face lift.

I'm also using it to keep textiles from travels, things I've created, and my small fiber library plus books on spirituality and travel.  So happy with it now!

Have been rug hooking of course!

Designed and hooked this tulip rug..... wanting to hook some florals in red and yellow.

Also have been working on a few bags.  Below is my Floppy Sunflower Bag.  I taught a class on this one Saturday.  

Here is a a series of three of my most recent bags.

Also I've enjoyed making posy pins! Have taught a couple of classes on these and currently have a few for sale.

And..... a bit of knitting.  One sock done, and currently working on its mate.  Also my very fun knit, the Hitchhiker Shawl.  Which I finished yesterday!

And I'll leave you with a sweet shot of a recent backyard visitor.

Happy June!

xo

dulcy

Cold With A Hint Of Something New

8 degrees and quiet days after end of the year festivities.  I really enjoy this time of year (as long as there's no ice storms and power outages).  I like going to the Y to swim, reorganizing this and that, working at the library, and digging out old projects and beginning new ones.

I finished my "Iris" rug before Christmas, painted a canvas, and got her up on the wall.

I think I captured her perpetually worried little face in this one.  

Dug out scraps of yarn and knitted sweet little "heart felt rings".  Very cute and easy pattern over at tiny owl knits.

Finished a new shawl, and received a "gently used" copy of the Kaffee Fassett book.  Inspiration!

And today I received a new shipment of yarn!  So spent time in the studio weaving and planning new possibilities...........

Happy New Year!

xo

dulcy

October Love

October

Favorite Month

Haunted walks in the woods

Newly knitted throw with hooked pillows.  All is cozy.

Lovely late afternoon sun peeking in the windows.

New shawls off the loom and in my Etsy shop.

Royal blues and orangey pinks.

Shades of green and teal with violet.

It's in the 50's today, finally it feels right.  Enjoy.......

xo

dulcy

Knitting Knitting Knitting

Did you know that last Saturday was World Wide Knitting In Public Day?  No?!  Well, I did and invited Tammy along to find somewhere interesting to knit.  We decided on a favorite haunt, Inspirational Home in Galloway Village.  We found a cool and cozy little bench by the creek, and the lovely proprietor, Debra, was so kind to take our picture.

We didn't get much knitting done, but had a fun day drinking tea, some knitting, and browsing a bit in this lovely little eclectic shop by the creek.

I finally finished my "forever" log cabin knitted throw.

I love the fact that all the colors were made with leftover yarn from my shawls.  So, lots of pretty Noro color.  The border is an acrylic I bought that was pretty cheap, but the color works well.  I'm happy with the results, and glad it's done.  These large projects seem fun at first, but get to be a bit of a drag after awhile.

Knitting some socks for hubby with this gorgeous sunny gold yarn

ordered from my friend Dag.  She spins and dyes gorgeous yarns.  This is my husbands favorite color, and it's very modeled with lovely striations of shades of yellow and gold.  Very soft too, so nice to work with.

Excited to begin another little knitting project.  I ordered a pattern from Ravelry to make one of these super cute little croft houses.

I just love little houses!  Also looks pretty easy and a great use of small yarn bundles.  Cute gifts!

Very very hot here..... gardening only in the mornings, outings and projects in the cool indoors.

xo
dulcy

Making Things And Finding A Sparkle

Gorgeous day in the Ozarks!  Woke up to four deer in the yard and a groundhog on the brush pile.  Signs of a great day.

I got a bit ambitious this morning and finished my new Valentine's scarlet flirty ribbon shawl.  It's another fabulous Noro color in the cozy but lightweight silk/mohair blend.  Love this color!

I'm trying to decide whether to keep this beauty or take it to our wonderful library gift shop to sell.  Our gift shop, Between Friends, is just the best.  Money made from purchases go back to the library, plus there's no tax.  Win Win!

Having a blast in Jane LaFazios sketchbook and watercolor class.  I worked a bit with plants last week.

I picked some raggedy winter rose hips and rosemary.  Lots of improvement could be made, but I'll leave it alone for now.

Had a lovely evening of food, wine, and friends with my art group last week.  We took over the back room of Tea Bar and Bites and did some sketching and watercolor.

I did this little teapot.  Kind of sweet.

A good friend recently said "everyone's life needs a sparkle".  Well.... My sparkle came in an acquisition I made several months ago of a handmade primitive cabin (as in doll house).

My reason for wanting a doll house is rather long, and goes way back to childhood memories.  I'd lately seen several fabulous antique ones on Ebay, Etsy, and Instagram......but hugely expensive!  Then I found this one (well one like it but a different color) on Etsy made by the awesome company Gooseberry Creek Designs.  It's completely hand built, hand carved, with custom paint job and wonderfully distressed.  I just adore it!

Gooseberry also makes furniture.  Yesterday I received some new pieces.

I made a couple of little wool sheep to add some livestock.  I also added two little punch needle rugs that add just the perfect primitive touch.

The folks at Gooseberry (which I believe is just Candy and her husband) custom make all of it, and sign and date everything.  I'm getting ready to make my own little hand painted dishes out of clay.  It is my sparkle!

I'll end with this little gift sent to me by my friend Mary.  If you're a knitter or crocheter, I think you'll find this article very interesting!

Health Benefits Of Knitting

Have a lovely weekend.
xo
dulcy

Rugs, Wristies, Shawls... COLOR!

Beautiful spring like weather makes me happy thinking of the garden, spring clothes, creative pursuits, and always, lots of color!

Working on a new rug that I'm having great fun with, and very excited about.  Here's a few bits and pieces.

I have two different venues that I'm going to show my work in next fall and early winter.  So, since hooking is so time intensive, I'm already working and setting things aside for that.

Just off the loom is this lovely shawl in the most fabulous blues and teals.  This one is traveling to it's new home in Greece!

And below, a sweet pair of wristies I knitted for a friend......

Last night we had a lovely evening at Tea Bar and Bites where hubby, Jim Mayfield, is currently showing photos from our trip last spring to the Netherlands and Belgium.  The theme of his show works well for February, lots of tulips and gardens.... plus windmills and bicycles.  I took this prior to the reception.  Lovely turnout, and lots of good company.

I really must include this sweet photo of Willow basking in the warm sun falling through the window.  She's got it made!

Happy Weekend!
xo
dulcy

Simple Happy Projects

Enjoying home, spending time in my studio, and working on small projects.  I spent an evening crafting with artist friends.  I'd found a sweet little origami envelope project here.
Peggy over at Woman With Wings has the most lovely and interesting posts.  We made several, including little necklaces.  Each has a tiny surprise inside.  We thought these would be fun to just leave about in public places as abandoned art gifts for whoever comes across them.  These are a few I made.

I used catalog pages, ribbon scraps, old buttons, whatever I had squirreled away.  Everyone did something different, and all were wonderful!

I finished knitting a little shrug.

This selfie doesn't show much, but you get the idea.  Here's another shot.

Anyway, an easy little pattern, and just right for cool spring days and tee shirts.

Another completed project is a shawl for my lovely friend, Janet.

I'm not going to give it the ribbon treatment since Janet is the Ribbon Queen and she'll take care of that part.

Today I'm beginning a new hooked rug.  It's only in my mind's eye right now, but I'm excited about what I see!

xo
dulcy

Cold, Ribbons, and Studio Time

It's all arrived!  Cold, wind, snow..... the holidays!  Very busy in studio, home and at work.  No time lately for blogging, but wanted to get something out before Thanksgiving and related busyness sets in.  I've been playing with my triloom and shawl making.  Added some ribbon embellishment, and quite happy with the results.

This pretty coral/green combo sold the first day I took it into work at the Vintage Suitcase.  I've since sold another in blue and rosy jewel tones, have another in the shop in lovely shabby antique creams, and one on the loom in grays, blacks, and lavenders.  It's great fun to choose all colors, sizes, and textures of ribbon for the embellishments.  Some I tea dye, but all I scrunch up wet and let dry all wrinkly and crinkly.  We have the best ribbon assortment in the shop you'll find just about anywhere!

I've been knitting mittens with crocheted pretty ribbon borders.

I'm currently knitting my fourth pair!

Of course, always rug hooking.  Tammy and I organized a little hook in at Ivy Jeans a week ago.  I began this piece.

I think I'm going to incorporate the collaged fiber piece that's next to it somehow.  I did that piece a couple of years ago to use this sweet little swatch of antique paisley.  I hope it will come together well, and for once, have the perfect place for it.

Loving Sketchbook Skool.  I've been sketching in public places with friends Mary and Tammy, who are also taking the class.  As you can see, wine is usually involved.....

Heading back out into my cozy studio for some more weaving.  Stay warm, and have a lovely Thanksgiving!

xo
dulcy

Fall Finds and Daily Color

Fall continues to be brilliant!  It's a gorgeous Monday following a fabulous and fun weekend.  Today is a bit rainy and cloudy, but colors pop even more when everything is damp and the sky is grey.  I finally finished my latest hooked piece.  It's big and it's red!  My original plan was that it was to be a wall piece as there's quite a bit of 3D going on.... but for now it's on the floor in front of the fireplace.

Kinda crazy, but I just wanted to hook color and texture.  It's full of not only wool, but silk, velvet, various yarns, metallics, sari silks, and some cotton.

And you can see the beginnings of mittens I'm knitting.  This is just the first of a pair.  I wove in the silk ribbon for a bow, and will crochet the same ribbon around the cuff.  Just doing a bit of experimenting.  Hope to make a few pairs for The Vintage Suitcase, gifts for family and friends, and a pair for myself.

Speaking of The Vintage Suitcase, I grabbed this shot of our "sweet" new bakery at work the other day.  Needed to be quick before the customers started to arrive!

In the shop part of the Suitcase, we carry a nice selection of art papers and vintage look silk ribbons.  I was playing around with a cone made of doggie themed paper at work the other day to sell in the shop.  But, after I finished I decided to purchase it for a Christmas present (can't mention anymore about that here....shhhh...)

Love making these things!

And..... it's hedge apple season again.  My favorite color of fall!  My sweet husband picks these up on his outings and brings them home for me.  They don't last too long, but so gorgeous!

I just had to do a quick little watercolor in my sketchbook....

I love sharing the little things I make and do here in the Ozarks, and I so enjoy visiting all the other fantastic and creative blogs out there.  Such a great source for inspiration, education, and friends!  Thanks for popping by!
xo
dulcy