Today I Made...

Today, I made...a great big, giant (about the size of a soccer ball) ball of pretty flowery 'yarn:'

It takes a bit of time, but it's a lot of fun & pretty simple to do. I used a pretty, buttery yellow, flannel sheet, cut/torn into strips along the grain (these vary in size, but a 1.5" width seems to be a good average). The strips were then sewn together (this can be right sides facing together or all strips facing the same way) with a 1/4 to 1/3" seam. Strips can also be knotted together, which will create an even more rustic look to the yarn. This is rolled into a ball & viola, a giant ball of yarn. Done this way, the yarn can be crocheted or knitted using large needles/hooks made for bulky yarn or arm knitted/crochet, if you want to try a fun, new fad...
Now, what should I make with my pretty, new yarn? A little rug, maybe? A bag or tote? SAM
How about you? Did you make anything today? Have you ever tried making your own yarn (beads, etc.)? I'd love to hear about it!

Storytelling Saturday: Objects that Tell Tales...

I have always been interested in the way objects tell stories, how artists & craftsmen build, repurpose, recycle & take seemingly disparate & even discarded things & turn them into something new, something that tells a tale of the artists choosing, waiting to escape the confines of function & tell the world something new or something it had forgotten. I collected things, arranged themin different ways, covered my walls or just bits of paper. It comes from many different sources, from hearing of times past when things were not discarded, but used over & over again, in quilts of old clothes, repurposed dresses handed down from sister to sister, from the frugality of the 30's to the 60's hippie movement, 80's punk re-inventions & 90's thrift store grunge, each generation building on remnants of the past, using these blocks to tell their own story...

I recently stumbled upon a great example of such an object, an old door that tells the tale of a wedding...

Held in 1965, in Fiji

Presided over by the bishop of Polynesia...

And attended by quite a cast of characters...

The bride's attendants were all male...

Painted palm trees adorn the the door with tropical color...

I came upon this door in a local architectural salvage store (Earthwise). I wonder how it got there? Who was the couple? Who painted the door? The door tells their story, but it leaves as many questions as it answers, what an amazing piece & an amazing story!

I think just about any object tells a story, some more straightforward than others. What stories have you uncovered recently? SAM

*As always, images remain the property of Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved, feel free to share with credit back to Shelley McElhiney & this blog. Please contact the blog for any other desired usage.

Meeker Days

If you happen to be in the area, come visit us at Meeker Days in Puyallup, WA this  weekend. I will be there, among the ladies of the Tacoma Arts & Crafts Group, with the many goodies we have made. Come check our group & our shops & take in the sights, sounds, events & delicious scents wafting through the air.

Here's a little peek at what we will have at our booth, in case you are unable to make it (or even if you do):

Our booth, don't you love the logo?

A little "Magical Zen Garden" dinosaur included :)

Wild & fun, upcycled goodies, by Orange Door Cottage

My corner, samsstuff. I'm loving the skinny scarves I've been doing lately with recycled silk saris & silk chiffon

I hope you can stop by! SAM

Shiny Newness :)

Lately I've been trying to get back to the balance that all us Librans strive for. (I'm  not sure about the accuracy or reliability of the whole astrology thing, but a little balance never hurt anything, right?) & have been making some new things, trying to preserve bits of the past that aren't up to their former glory & deserve to be admired once again & for the future, their beauty preserved for others to see:

This is part of a vintage napkin made into a little wall hanging. The napkin had little  dark spots, that I was unable to wash out & so was really unusable for its original purpose. I cut about a fourth of it off & hand sewed it (not easy to do on a circular frame, but it gives everything a sweet gathered effect & a bit of movement) onto a steel hoop that was in a bag of vintage embroidery hoops. This was just a little too plain, though it framed the piece nicely & looked better than just putting the whole thing (spots & all) into a frame, so I added the fleur des lis pendant & a black seed bead, that gave a bit of French country charm to the piece & highlighted (without taking away from) the wonderful yellow & black embroidery & the beautiful crochet trim quite nicely. For hanging purposes & to go with the yellow & black scheme, I hand stitched on a lovely bit of black velvet ribbon. I could add something around the edge, but I think it would detract from the embroidery & emphasize the frame, rather than the fabric. I think it would be great among a display of photos, paintings &/or little embroideries...

Key Fob: I picked up this great chartreuse green with dark red dots fabric awhile back at the local  Goodwill, not really knowing what I'd do with it (I still have plenty left. Maybe a nice summer top?) & this mini key fob project came up. The D-ring is from the 70's (not sure what it originally came from, possibly a belt...). The buttons are from a couple of old blouses that are no longer wearable & the lace was in a bag of vintage trims & craft stuff, also from Goodwill. I like how the top became gathered & a bit more girly when I put the fabric through the D-ring. The lace & the side are machine stitched & then everything was hand stitched together. I added a few cross stitches in red to just add to the girly appeal. It contrasts nicely with the fabric. The key ring is new.

Wrap Bracelet: Hand crocheted in pink alpaca & silk/mohair (chartreuse). Antique keyhole (architectural salvage), vintage crystal beads (architectural salvage) & vintage carved bone beads (from an old bracelet)  Available samsstuff Etsy

More nerdy envelopes (so fun): Vintage Band book pages. These are a little more difficult to come by & the pages are of a different type of paper than those of the math book. Available shellseye Etsy

It helps to be able to create something new, even when all is not right with the world, even when they are only appreciated by you & even when spring still seems to be avoiding us, for now anyway. How about you? have you been creating anything new? Has spring arrived where you are? Is it distracting you with its shiny newness? SAM

News & Other Ramblings

Hi again :) How's everyone doing? Any new news or projects to share?

So, one of the things I decided recently was to create more of a collection or cohesive design for the products in each of my shops & since I've decided to do this, I've added a sale section (to samsstuff Etsy, so far), to sell some of the things that no longer fit or are not currently part of the collection I'm working on. So far, I've added some of my headband designs to the section:

Red Hummingbird Headband. Sale Section

I still have some headbands, like my "Lucy" design & the "Punk Princess" & I still have a custom option, so I'm not retiring all the designs, just concentrating more on other lines & the ones I have ready to ship from the Sale section, will be 25% off!

Speaking of new news, I thought I'd show you a couple of new items I've been adding to the Statement Jewelry category:

Wrap Bracelet with vintage military & shell buttons, hand crocheted in soft alpaca wool & silver thread, in a great deep emerald green Now available

Sequined Crochet Cuff Bracelet: Hand crocheted in a coral/peach recycled cotton yarn, with antique green sequins & vintage glittery silver color button closure. Now Available

Beachy Cuff Bracelet: Hand crocheted in hemp string, silver plated stars, bone tyre disk beads, snap closure Available

Vintage will remain in both shops (it's just too much fun scouring the area for vintage finds, to use in my creations/to pass on to happy, new homes...), so the "True Stories & Tall Tales" will remain, just as a more cohesive collection, with new stories to take the spotlight. Hurray for sales & new tales! SAM

Challenges...

Life has been full of challenges lately, small & large. It's always great, when the challenge is over & we can feel a sense of relief or even better, accomplishment...

Handmade 'Book' Postcard made for a Swap-Bot challenge: Pieces of a vintage (1975) Algebra  textbook, cardboard re-purposed (for a second time) from an envelope, sent in a previous swap, hand stitching, velum style paper scrap & a little, hand drawn border. This had to be taped over (with clear packing tape) for mailing.

Fabric Scrap Earrings for a 'What can you make with fabric scraps' challenge on Swap-bot: Fabric re-purposed from a vintage (but un-wearable) Esprit blouse, mother of pearl chips, green glass, silver plated sun/moons, clear glass.

Custom order camera bag: Cotton yarn in a buttery yellow, hand embroidered button on vintage fabric, vintage lace, hand stitched

Lined in an organic, floral fabric. There was a custom laptop cover, as well.  Custom listings for both  available, samsstuff Etsy

Custom Laptop Cover

Sometimes, making it through the smaller challenges makes going through the larger ones a bit easier, giving us a sense of accomplishment, boosting our self esteem...The beauty is in the details & the small stuff can have as much value as the big. I hope you're enjoying the small stuff as much as I am. SAM

February Events in Tacoma

Wayzgoose Tacoma WA 4/17/11

One more Tacoma post & Then I promise something completely different :)
There haven't been many events this past month, so I was caught a little off guard by the number of events coming up. Here, a little late is a partial list of upcoming Tacoma area arts & crafts events:

2/12
11AM- 4PM
Artist Craft Fair
King's Books
for more info:
http://www.kingsbookstore.com/craftfairfeb

2/13 to 3/24
6-8:30PM
Pottery Class
Throwing Mud Gallery
$160
for more info:
The News Tribune
Throwing Mud Gallery

2/18
6PM
Art Bus Amour Tour
Part of Third Thursday Art Walk
For more info:
Art Bus Tour Site
The News Tribune

2/18
7PM
Button Blanket Making
Native Quest
For more info:
The News Tribune
Native Quest
(they also have a first & third Wednesday pottery class, from 1-4PM)

2/24
6-9PM
Youth Art Show
King's Books
for more info:
http://www.kingsbookstore.com/youthart

2/25
7PM
Cedar Basket Weaving
Native Quest
for more info:
The News Tribune
Native Quest

2/26
12-5 PM
Kids Design Class
Museum of Glass
for more info:
Museum of Glass Calendar 

3/2
3 PM
First Friday Gallery Talk: Riding the Rails
$6 - $8
for more info:
The News Tribune

3/3
6:30-10:30PM
Shake, Rattle & Grill: Slider Cook Off Competition
Museum of Glass
$35 advance tickets, $30 members, $40 at the door
for more info:
Museum of Glass

Throughout the month:
Tacoma Arts & Crafts Meetup Group
Mini classes
Times differ
$10- $40 current price
Sunset Studios
for more info & to join the Meetup:
Tacoma Arts & Crafts Group

Third Saturdays (2/18 this month)
Tacoma EtsyRain Meetup
For anyone who has or is contemplating setting up an Etsy shop
Sunset Studios
for more info:
Tacoma EtsyRain Meetup

Contact the sites mentioned for more info & more events. Let the fun begin :)

Spring Destash part 2

Here are a few more destash projects:

1. Souvenir Kitsch Earrings

Vintage 1955 porcelain earring pieces, from my grandmother's collection. Tucson, AZ

Jade beads, from an old bracelet that came apart

Black crystals, purchased, but not this month, used in many other projects

Vintage metallic finish ceramic beads, from an old necklace

Silver color wire, used in many other projects

Ear Wires purchased a while back, on a clearance shelf, because you can never have too many ;)

I liked the way they've turned out, the color mix that's kind of retro & works so well with the vintage pieces. I wouldn't have worn the original earrings, but I like these.

2. Hand Crocheted White Wallet

White cotton yarn, left over from a little purse that I made awhile back

Sari fabric lining (not shown) blue, left over from several other projects

Black Satin Embossed Ribbon, left from another project

Blue button, clearance item that was so cute I had to buy it & save it for something

Great as a little wallet or business card holder.

3. Retro Peyote Style Beaded Choker

The beaded piece was something that my grandmother had made & never finished. I like the colors she chose & I think that she was actually making a choker.

Black satin ribbon

Bone disk beads, purchased several years ago & used in many other projects

Hand embroidered white cotton ribbon (not shown) added for extra comfort & stability, I have a lot of this that I use for labels

Sewing thread, used in many other projects

I like the colors & patterns she used & I couldn't leave it unfinished. 

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse in these pieces & my destashing. I wish I could say this made a dent in my "stash," but well...um, anyway. How about you? Are you working on anything right now?

 

More Spring Cleaning...

Spring is here & as I said in my "Spring Cleaning" feature on Handmade News, birds are chirping, flowers are blooming (well, some of them anyway), thoughts turn to love, new beginnings & ...spring cleaning? For me, this includes the April Stash Bust event, an opportunity to use up some of the supplies that I have lying about, traditional & non-traditional, to make new items from the old, without buying any new supplies for the month. Ok, so aside from the whole not buying supplies thing, I pretty much do this on a regular basis. I like to say that my items are made from the "lost, found, vintage & new." This is literally true. I have used items that I have found, things that belonged to a past time, things that others have lost or given away, saving them from oblivion & giving them a whole new life, a whole new story to tell, while paying tribute to the story that already existed. So, while I am 'destashing' this month, I kind of destash every month, every time I make something.

Project 1: Delft Necklace

1. Vintage Delft blue porcelain pendant with windmill design. This was something that my grandmother had, probably purchased in the sixties in Solvang, CA, a great little Dutch town that I loved visiting as a child.They had great little shops & bakeries. I got several Madame Alexander international dolls, in the doll & toys shops, great little mints (violet where my favorites), embroidery books, delicious cheeses & of course pastries, the many times that my parents & I visited this adorable town, scattered over the years that we lived in California. My grandmother would sometimes come with us. I'm not sure what this originally was, maybe a necklace or possibly a key chain. 

2. Copper color chain, something a bought, with no idea of exactly what I might use it for, but I liked the double loop design, the color & I couldn't leave it there on the clearance shelf. Who knows what might have happened to it.

3. Green seed beads. I bought these for my frog necklace, along with a number of other seed bead hanks. I love seed beads, they're so cute! My grandmother used to make peyote style project with them & taught me how. 

4. Round jade bead. Part of an old bracelet that came apart. I didn't want to put it back together, the way it was, so I use the beads for other things.

5. Blue wire. Bought to use for many things, but nothing in particular.

6. Copper clasp. Bought for something else but of course, you can't just buy one...

Project 2: Unicorn Locket necklace

1. Vintage Gold Unicorn Locket. This was something that I purchased, in the seventies. I loved the way the unicorn looked like it was part of an old tapestry & again, it was on clearance; I couldn't just let it sit on the shelf, without a home. It is gold plated.

2. Bone disks. Purchased, in bulk, for whatever project might call for them. 

3. Dark green glass bead. I loved the texture & the look of it. I thought I might make a necklace out of it, someday.

4. Dragon coin pendant. I liked the dragon & phoenix design, there's what looks like Chinese writing on the other side.

5. Shiny green ceramic bead. They where shiny. I liked the colors...

6. Black satin ribbon, knotted & crocheted. 

7. Pewter color chain. Another clearance item I liked the color & the shape of the links.

8. Gold color wire, copper & silver color findings.

Both pieces close in the front, for easy use & visual appeal. They are long enough, though that they can fit over your head.

I have two more pieces, a choker & a wallet, so I'll call this part one & publish a part 2. Since it's still fairly early in the month, maybe there'll be a part 3? I hope you enjoyed this look into my "destashing!" 

As for my stash, I'd like to quote a little bit of a Rage Against the Machine song "There'll be no shelter here, the front line is everywhere."

 

Spill the (Jelly) Beans Sunday Blog Hop

For this one, hosted by "Crafty Girls Workshop" you leave a comment answering "What Easter or Spring related  projects are you working on? If you are not working on anything Easter or Spring related, are you working on any craft type projects & what are they?" Me, I'm not really working on anything Easter. I just finished some embroidered garden markers, that are springish, though they can be used year round, inside. I am working on some magnets, for "On the Refrigerator Door's" magnet swap & I'm starting a necklace, headband/a ring or two. What about you? Are you working on anything?.
Available: samsstuff on ArtFire

For My Beautiful Grandma...

These are images of my grandmother & some of the things that she made. There is a newspaper clipping of her working in a salon, with the title "Beauty is an Art...," one of her in Beauty School (she is on the bottom row, third from the right) & one of her in her own shop (that she had for awhile, in Illinois). There is a detail of a blanket she made, I believe in the 70's. She made several of these, twin size, to fit her bed. My grandfather passed away in 1969 & she never remarried, sometimes living with us & sometimes with my great grandfather, who survived her by a number of years. Lastly, I have some detail shots of some of the clothes that she made, all of which had great details that you rarely see now. She taught me a great deal about art & craft. I thought I'd share these with you...



Just a short & unrelated note for anyone who is a Mom who also has a business, check out Momprenuer Monday. It is a group of links of Mom businesses that is free. I'm a little late posting this today, but I hope to continue this every Monday. The rules are that you can post your link if you visit the links of the other businesses & put a link & a badge on your blog. Support Moms & visit Momprenuers! I am participating through "The Attic Girl," a fun little blog, check it out sometime! Here is the link:

Unique Gifts...

First: Shop news
I have been busy re-shooting many of the of the product photos to make them clearer & less cluttered. The original idea was that of 'laundry,' to make the photos look like laundry, scattered about by a breeze, hanging or laying about the home & while a lot of the shots where nice, they where cluttered or didn't give a clear picture of the items in the shop. If you haven't stopped by in awhile, stop by & take a look. Let me know what you think. I've kept some of the other photos, just not as the first image.
New items:
Cool Turtles Bracelet
Cute Green Wallet/Make-up bag
A great little orange wallet/make-up bag
Hand crocheted orange tote
Vintage Leather Bracelet
Hand embroidered, reinvented vintage 70's tank top
Vintage late 70's punk stop preppies pin
Vintage 40's blue rhinestone cuff bracelet

I've finished moving household items from Etsy to ArtFire, so stop by the studio & take a look. There are a number of additions, as well.

So, now on to the main topic of this post, a phrase that I saw recently: unique gifts, something that I wanted to explore. It's a term that can have many different meanings & could be used in many different ways. For instance, as individuals & collective groups, we have unique gifts, things that we do well in some way. Some of us are artistic. Some create amazing works of art visually or aurally, things that make us think in new ways, lead us in new directions. Some create with the written word, taking to new worlds with their words. There are those that are gifted mathematically or who create with science. Some are gifted in business, advertising & marketing. There are sports figures who amaze us with their abilities. Some have the unique ability to help others. We each have unique gifts, some immediately obvious, some yet to be discovered.

The phrase unique gifts can also describe the physical, perfect items that we seek out to give each other, that one great gift that suits both giver & recipient, describing the relationship between the two perfectly. These can be difficult to find. Department stores & malls are filled with gifts, not unique or one of a kind, but mass produced items, carried in many places, easy to find. Some are high quality, some are low, but what most share is an absence of the unique. This is where the handmade movement comes in. Many handmade items are one of a kind, by their very definition, unique. Most others are made in small batches, individually designed & limited in production, artistically created, telling its own tale. Gifts can be hand made, by the giver, the ultimate expression of giving, giving of the self, from the heart. There are many great sites out there for finding unique gifts, gifts that display the unique talents of gifted individuals, most even have sellers who sell the supplies for creating your own perfect gifts. One that I would like to mention here is ArtFire. Check it out if you're looking for that perfect gift, want to create a perfect gift or even if you're looking to discover your own unique gift. SAM

How I create...

Describing the way I create is both incredibly simple & hopelessly complex. I'm terrible at documenting any process, mainly because it's all in my head & changes over time, whether I am creating 'art,' writing a story or an 'article' or creating a photo. Each type of work is kind of an evolution of thought & is created in layers, like my favorite childhood collages. The thought process is different for each item & while each piece generally remains true to the original idea, each takes me on an adventure all it's own.
With my jewelry, for example, I start with a piece, something that I've found (literally on the ground, at times) or an antique/vintage item that belonged to someone close & start adding to it's story, the story it dictates & the story that comes to mind in the process of creating. Many of these items have been passed down to me, over the years & are missing pieces. I give them a new story & hopefully a new life. It's the same with the other 'crafts,' like embroidery. I start with something, generally pre-existing & a story, then build until I have something new; told a new story, built on the original.
Photography & writing work in much the same way. I have an original, an idea & I, with the tools & materials at my disposal, layer & add to create something new, with it's own story to tell.I have never tried creating with music or film, but I would love to, someday. I would imagine that once I learned the language of these mediums, that the process, for me, would be the same.
Anyway, in general that is how it works for me. I love hearing & reading how others create, in whatever medium they might use. I have many biographies & books on the creative process, on individual artists, groups & movements. I find these endlessly fascinating. In what ways do you create? I'd love to hear.