Flaming Muse Workshop

So while our kitchen is being restored to it's beautiful self, I decided to take an online creativity workshop.  It's pretty intensive, deep and fun!  I'm in my last week now, just as the kitchen is getting finished!  We had videos to watch & assignments to do.  I'm just gonna show some of the assignments without explanation.  It would take too long to go over 3 weeks' lessons!  :)

This is my bliss board:

This is my Irrelevant sign

This is my permission slip

This is my MORE page

And this is called The Magic Circle.

It's by John William Waterhouse & really inspired some of my magic work!

Culture Inspired art

As I've been doodling, I had an idea to make some culture inspired art.  Here are 2 hearts I did.  One is inspired by the Southwest and the other is inspired by Celtic design.

I'm not sure where I'm going with all of this,

but it sure has helped me relax with all the work going on in our kitchen!

Adjustable Cords!

Don't we all love adjustable cords?!   Well my DH found me some instructions online so I could make a necklace for the pendant my pal brought me.  And here it is!

And what I learned on this was to make sure your knots are bigger than the beads at the end or they'll fall off and you have to start over!  :)

Practice and Problems

While my pal was here, I gave her a quick tutorial on needle felting.  I made a couple pieces with her 'cuz I wanted to see if they'd fit on greeting cards.  Too thick!  Ah, well.  Maybe I can use them for something else!

Doodle Style ATC for a pal

While my pal was here, we worked on Zentangle inspired art & just some regular doodling.  I made her this ATC to mail to her later & thank her for being my pal:

Ron's Felted ATC

When my pal came to visit, my DH helped us.  He let us play in the studio while he cooked meals for us.  So I wanted to let him know how much I appreciated him.  I made him this felted ATC.  He said he liked it.  Hope so!

1.  Finish a felted ATC on craft felt

2.  Gather materials

3.  Iron Wonder Under to cardstock & ATC

4.  Trim excess

5.  Button hole stitch ATC to cardstock

6.  Write on cardstock

7.  Finished ATC

Long Time No See! :)

As you'll see, we've been busy here in NM!!!  So sorry for the delay in posting!  Hope you all are well!  
The first thing I want to show is another needlecase I made for a pal on Kaua'i.  This came from Martha Stewart's site/craft section:

1.  Cut all pattern pieces and gather materials

2.  Cut and iron all pieces

3.  Stitch all layers together

4.  Start stitching buttons to one layer

5.  Buttons stitched to one page

6.  Gather other materials to add to case

7.  Add more buttons

8.  Add needles and pins

9.  Add safety pins and invisible thread

10.  Add colored thread and a bandaid

11.  Finished needlecase

Happy Belated Birthday, Pal!

ATC practice doodled/tangled Hearts

I've written before about doodling and Zentangle or tangling.  It's so relaxing.  Recently I did 3 practice ATC heart doodles/tangles in my moleskine. 
You can find more about Zentangle here.  I've been inspired by some tangles here.
Here's a pic of the latest...and sorry about the blurry scan.  Need to remember to press down at the bend!

I've added a hint of shading and color to these.

We were RAAKed!

In case you don't know RAAK is a Random Act of Art Kindness!

We just recently received a whole bag of
wonderful yarns from a pal in WA state!

Most are wool, or wool blend...even some mohair!

Here's my DH on the floor trying to get them all organized:

Get ready to see some loom work or crochet or felting or...!

Thanks pal!!!

New Chili Lights on our Patio

This last summer a pal bought us some chili lights.  And we just got them up now!

Here is a picture of my DH with the lights:

And here are the chili lights and one of our tiki torches

and one of our hummingbird feeders:

Now he's also added white & blue lights to get ready for the 4th of July!

Needlework Owl Sewing Kit to my Sister

Many years ago I saw an owl needle case online.  I liked the idea & kept it in my idea book.  Now, years later, I wanted to make one for my sister's big birthday since our Italian family Lare is an owl, but I couldn't remember who to attribute my inspiration to.  I remember it was just a couple pictures, but had no tutorial with it.  If you recognise something similar to this, let me know & I will give you credit. I had no idea how to start, so I decided to ask my DH to draft a pattern up for me.  And he did!  Not only a pattern but instructions!  It's wonderful to have a co-creator as a life partner!  And I hope our Owl Lare continues to protect my sister.
Here follows a tutorial for the one I made which was much larger than the one I saw online & used very different materials.

1.  Get DH to draft the pattern for you!

2. Cut out the pattern pieces.

3.Set out where pieces will go.

4.  Cut out lining pocket and felt.

5.  Sew owl body to cover.

6.  Sew owl body parts to cover.

7.  Sew branch and leaves to cover.

8.  Owl sewn to cover.

9.  Sew wing closure, felt and pocket.

10.  Sew gusset pocket to lining.

11.  Add snap to wing.

12.  Add snap to body.

13.  Blanket stitch lining to cover.

14.  Here's the finished lining full of useful items...including a band aid!

15.  Here's the snapped & finished cover.

16.  Here it is RTG with a card made by my pal Azlina.

You can see her site here.  If the link doesn't work,

try:  http://azlina-lin.blogspot.com/  Seems to be having some

problems today.  Maybe 'cuz of all my updates!

My sister liked her sewing kit.  It may come in handy this summer

since her daughter is getting married!

Smoke from the Arizona wild fire

There are so many wild fires going on here in the SW.

There is a major one in the state of Arizona which is just west of us.

It gets so smoky here in the afternoon that

you can't even see the Sandia Mountains!

Needlefelted egg off to Matilda!

Used my first new business card to send the needlefelted egg

off to Matilda who won the Blogoversary draw.

Hope she likes it!

New Business Card

I've been thinking for awhile now about making new business cards

just for the creations I make as a different side of Huckleberry Hut. 

Something that would showthat I'm a multimedia artist.

  I had a dream about this one so I decided to try it out.

Here's the front with watercolor, ink & fibers.

On the back I can write how much information I want to give out.

I know it seems like too much work, but it's fun!