Fiber Arts Cruise Book

I finally finished the book I started on my Fabulous Fiber Arts and Creative Embroidery Cruise to Alaska, hosted by Quilting Arts. The class was taught by Beryl Taylor and Patricia Bolton and the cover is made with fabric from Beryl's fabric paper technique (see the first issue of Cloth Paper Scissors). I had most of the cover done on the trip, but I finally got around with filling the watercolor pages with words, pictures, stamping, and things to fill the pockets I created. The fabric paper was backed with felt and the edge was covered with strips of sheer ribbon, handstitched and tiny beads added. The Canada goose picture was a transfer done on habatoi silk--I loved this technique, because I never get all the paper off with tranfers, but it didn't matter, because you flip it to the other side of the silk and you get a clear (although backwards) image, with just enough of that ghostly distortion.

No time

Ah, I was so thinking that this blog would help me get my act together and really work more diligently on my projects, if only out of an obligation to post. However, last night was a perfect example of why that does not often happen as I plan. I am a social worker and I work in the domestic violence field, so my days are often long and unpredictable. I have several job titles right now, including Supervising Case Manager at the shelter I work at, Prevention/Education Services Coordinator in which I do presentations to students (elementary through college) and community members, Outreach Cooredinator in which I try to make sure we distribute any materials to agencies and doctor's offices that let people know about our services, and the Family Safety Advocate. The last one is the hardest, but most rewarding. I work with our local Department of Social Services. They will identify a family that is currently experiencing domestic violence or still being impacted by it from the past and I work with them in their home. Sometime I do couples counseling, sometimes its anger management, sometimes its education of post-traumatic stress disorder, and sometimes its working with kids whose behavior has changed due to the domestic violence. I like the work, but sometimes I come home and simply have no energy, even to do mindless things like knitting or spinning. Well, I guess I can only hope things will slow down toward the end of the week so I can try to get stuff done again, wish me luck!

Oops!

This is why you should preview your post first, I did two of the same pic! Here's a pic of the stole I'm working on, see description in previous post. I swear, I'll get this posting a pic thing eventually!

Intro

Hello everyone!
I admit, I am the last person I ever thought would start a blog, mainly because I always pictured them in the context of how I saw the teens I work with use them as a "Dear Diary" format that often led to a lot of drama and hurt feelings in the real world. And then I started looking at the other blogs of amazing artists and realized, this could also be used as a wonderful tool! My goal is to use this blog to talk about things I am working on to talk my thoughts out on what I'm working on and hopefully get feedback on some other things to do or try! So above here are some pics of things I am working on currently.
The blue knitted thing was supposed to be half of a stole, but unfortunately, I spun the yarn too thick and I also had the stitches on too small of needles, so they got squished together. So I still have to do the second half (now the same way to match), but it will be too small for a stole and a really thick scarf, so I'm not sure what I'll do. Definitely not the lacy pattern I had in mind when I looked at the pattern photo, but that's mainly user error!
The ball of yarn I just recently spun, isn't it gorgeous? Its a blend of llama, wool and mohair and was dyed by Black North Fiber in Hilton, NY. I love the combination of blue, ochre, and sienna brown. And its so soft! I just have to figure out what to do with it. I had to spin it woolen and I am still getting used to this (as opposed to worsted), so its definitely not even.
And then there's my embellisher experiments! I just got one a few weeks ago after going on the Fiber Arts Cruise held by Quilting Arts in July, its such a fun toy! However, both of these pieces need something. I tried free motion stitching on sewing machine, but my machine really is not equipped to do it and it didn't work at all. So I am going to add some hand stitching and then post them again, hoping they will look much better.
Ok, those are the current projects I'm working on or have completed. Any feedback or questions, let me know!