Category: art

Happy October Sky

It was a good show at Waldens Ridge Gallery for the October Sky Festival. Not great, but very good. Our group was small, but we’re all friendly and play well together. I’ve found that the better time you have, the more people are willing to buy from you, too. If you never smile and complain about things, potential customers leave. Okay, that’s pretty much my only secret to sales. Be pleasant and kind and not too silly.

I tend to avoid conflict. I actually go to great lengths to avoid conflict. My parents’ favorite activity was arguing. I’m not kidding. They did it for sport. My siblings and I hated it. I rarely run potential customers away because of my attitude unless I’m getting really silly. Sometimes that happens.

I had a great time at October Sky, though, and had pretty good sales. The weather was not cooperating. The forecast all week had been for a gorgeous Fall day, but we got rain and cold. Not torrential rain, thank goodness. The kids did get to paint pumpkins and small canvases under the big tent. After the wagon was refilled the little girls were so cute trying to push a wagon full of big pumpkins.

Punkin’ Paintin’ at Waldens Ridge Gallery in Oliver Springs, TN.

The student art was wonderful. One 10-year-old girl had amazing talent. She stayed and helped out all day and showed off her work at the least prompt–which was good. She deserved praise, and her enthusiasm was contagious. When the clouds finally released a few sprinkles she went out into the parking lot, raised her face to the sky and twirled. And she ate donuts. And she petted a sock toy I had made. It became her First Place Award at the end of the show. She was surprised! I love to surprise people. And now my buck-toothed bunny-type guy went to a good home.

Miss Marple’s Hat

I’m a mystery addict. I love all mysteries, but I’ll always go with an Agatha Christie if there is one available. So, when I found the BBC Miss Marple series, of course, I tuned in. I was into the show, but then

               BAM

There it was.

This little dusty-blue felt hat that just blew me away. Sitting there on Miss Jane Marple’s head. The details are wonderful. I tried to get a good picture of it by photographing the TV with my camera phone. You probably know how that goes. TV screens and cameras don’t mix very well. I did manage to get the vague idea recorded. It’s a good thing I knew the plot already because I lost all focus on the show. All I could do was hope I would see that hat in upcoming scenes. Luckily she wears it quite often. See, Miss Marple thinks it’s wonderful too! 

I WANT TO MAKE ONE! I WANT TO MAKE ONE FROM FELT AND I WANT TO FORM IT AND PUT THE REVERSE SCALLOP EDGE ON IT AND LITTLE PERFORATIONS IN THE POINTS AND THE CUTE BOW THINGY.

I’m not sure I have that skill set quite yet, but I really want to make that little hat! And even though I may lack some skills, I will apply myself to MAKING THAT HAT! 

I won’t get to wear it because I look horrible in low crowns like this one, but the fun is in the creation, right? I’ll keep you updated on the process. Keep your fingers crossed.

At last…

my orchid blooms have come along.  Okay, bad lyrical reference. Sorry, and apologies to Etta James, but that’s how happy my dendrobium has made me! Just look!  

Dendrobium aggregatum
From the back

Dendrobium aggregatum
From the front

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The photos do not do it justice. I may have to design a beadwork pattern for it. The shading is wonderful. 

New bracelet, Filigrana by Melinda Barta.

And speaking of beadwork. I finally got back into some beading. This is the Filigrana pattern by TrendSetter Melinda Barta. It was a pattern that is included with a shipment of beads from Red Panda Beads. They are a great online shop. They always ship very quickly and have a great selection of beads. 

I also finished a repair/restringing of an antique necklace last week. It took a long while to find and get shipped the mother of pearl beads that were the same size and a close enough match to the little shells. They came from China. 

Cindy, of Cindy’s Crafts in Johnson City TN, really came through for me in finding a match for the tiny seed beads. They are a garnet color which I didn’t think would be hard to match, but they were. I emailed Cindy and she searched and found two possibilities. I bought both tubes of rocailles and, hooray! one matched. Close enough, anyway.Thank you, Cindy! You see, the old seed beads are cut similar to 13/0 Charlottes only with a few more facets, but they were the size of 11/0 beads. They are really beautiful and interesting. I wish they were in production today. 

 

Antique necklace restrung and fabulous.
Restrung necklace

Close-up of antique necklace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The shells still had sand in them. I used a really fine beading needle and beading thread and barely got it through some of them. Some of them cut the thread. I have no idea how the original beader got the heavy thread they used through them. 

As you can probably see in the photo on the left, the necklace was not the same on both sides. I left it that way when I restrung it. I thought it should be kept in the same aspect as the original. I love doing these projects. I hope the new owner, granddaughter of the original owner, loves it too.