Update on Echinacea Wall Hanging: the symbolic representation of 3

Just a quickie update on my Art Therapy wall hanging....it's still a work in progress

The picture doesn't do it justice but the leaves are all needle punched on cotton batting, painting the color on with wool and silk as I went along, then i stitched them down to the quilt top using needle turn applique and stuffed them like in the technique trupunto...there is such a 3-D effect! The flower centers will be stuffed too...and the center flower petals will be free flowing...attached at the cone's base...i do hope i can get most of it done prior to surgery...beading will have to wait for another year...but that is in my vision too.

The "ground" is made of silk fusion in green and purple and then hand painted (by me) scrim was used to over lay and add further depth and texture...the painted scrim actually weaves through the center leaf (center bottom)...which is only attached at particular points on the quilt top.

I'll leave most of the self analysis out of the post for your ease of reading...I get a little carried away...but I will share the the symbolic representation of how the number 3 plays it's part in the composition...as it represents my past, present and future as well as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, oh yea, and my 3 girls and how it has impacted their lives...they are so little...blooming away despite this disease.That is me (center flower above), standing tall, putting forth all my color to get through chemo...
my bloom will wither as surgery comes...this picture was taken the other day of my garden and what the flowers look like now.but only to await another bloom after dormancy...I WILL persevere just like the perenial Echinacea plant I chose for the project.
the flowers need to be stitched and the petals added again to the center flower...but those will be last as I will do the "quilting" prior to adding them...to ease the process of machine stitching.

See this other post back in July when i started this project...you can see how it's changed

And this link about how I dyed the silk and did "Silk Fusion" for the base and petals

Create from within everyone!

P.S.
The kids and I are also back on track for working on the Art Therapy project with the dolls (see this post for more info)...Ellie (she will be 7 in Nov) has drawn pictures to tell a story with a beginning, middle and end...and we just filmed a dress rehersal...we realized we need a script...Emily (who is 8 1/2) will work on that...and we will re-tape the dramatic story and I will need to figure out how to upload the movie to my computer...so stay tuned....but be patient.

I will make my house shine!

I found this clip from you tube by typing in Empowerment.
Empowerment through Art Documentary - Uganda, Africa...

The story touches me as I am an EtsyMom and our newsletter is called EMpowerment but I am also an art therapist and what this clip demonstrates is the power of creativity to bring people of all cultures to a new place...new emotions. This week my kids are going to visit my in laws...and I will have some time to create a piece for my bedroom...a piece that i intend to hang over my bed to give the space new energy...we'll see how it transforms my sense of empowerment over cancer. I've been very tired lately...hoping to use this time to rejuvenate my creative soul!
blessings, to all creative souls...go get crafty!

Look what a 5 year old did with a Happy House Quilts Threadibilities Ornament Kit!

Just goes to show you that Creativity can start young with a needle and thread. As long as you are close by to assist with threading the needle and help pull the

thread up tight, from time to time when a loose loop occurs. Success and pride in one's accomplishment can be found!

Children of all ages can accomplish sewing projects, and what fun it will be to make one each year as a family tradition! Purchasing the kit ahead of time with all the shapes precut really helps this project move right along. This particular ornament was completed in one session! Once she got going she couldn't put it down, and how many 5 year olds can sit for more than an hour??? The process of sequential steps kept her attention and motivation in high gear.

Oh the smell (Balsam) of this Threadibilities Ornament Kit by Happy House Quilts fills your senses!

Balsam stands for warm friendship in the language of herbs. This finished project will make a wonderful Holiday decoration, ornament for a tree, air freshener for your car, closet or dresser drawer or when set in a windowsill, will exude their suble smell

throughout the space.

Cedar is also available!!!

Come on by to Happy House Quilts to check out more Threadibilities Craft Kits!

Featured Artist - Irismishly

Who are you?

My name is Iris Mishly, and i am a polymer clay artist from Israel, I live in a small moshav in the mid-north of Israel, (near Cesarea) and lot's of green and farm animals surrounds my home.

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link?

http://irismishly.etsy.com/

What tag categories do you specialize in?

i do mostly on polymer clay art, but creativity was always my strong point, I studies fashion design, professional artistic makeup, and today I work both as a web-Designer and as a polymer clay artist at home.

Do you create for children or adults, women or men?

My creations are suited for children and women.

What do you like about Etsy?

Etsy is a great platform for sales in general and for my handmade products especially, it's easy, friendly, clean designed - i love it. although i am a computerized person, what isn't too complex - works great for me.

What do you like about creating?

Creating is therapy for me, it makes me feel good, clean the mind from the day to day life, makes me challenge myself and choose the right design/color and enjoy my time.

What do you love about your business?

I love the challenges, the inventions, thinking about new things, new techniques, every thing the stimulating my mind. i love working with color and color matching. i love teaching other people about polymer clay and i enjoy the joy of creating along with children in my artistic birthday parties.

What is your favorite product right now?

My favorite products are my angel-like key chain (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6679752 ), they are so addictive :)

I also love making the shoe embellishments (for crocs or any other holey products) out of polymer clay. Their uniqueness are important to me and i am sure that no one else is wearing the same embellishments because they are one of a kind.

What makes you unique at Etsy?

There are great polymer clay artists on Etsy, i guess my speciality is the color matching, and some of my stuff are unique.

What makes you unique as a woman?

I feel embarrassed when i have to flatter myself and naming my unique qualities, but if i must say i would say i am creative in my art, loyal, devoted to my family and friends, hard-worker and a very organized person :)

What do you love about Kids?

Kids are so innocent, they are like a fresh flower, needing to be fed and drank, need love and caring, when i look at my children i wish them all the best in the world and hope they have great life.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?

You can find more about my work and myself at my homepage @

http://www.arcoiris.co.il/,

on my flickr gallery

http://www.flickr.com/photos/irismishly/

and at my Polymeri Online blog where i introduce new techniques, new artists, an interesting piece of art or plain inspiration with hundreds of links. You are more then welcome to take a look and enjoy the wonder of polymer clay.

http://polymerionline.blogspot.com/

Find another post including what I received from Iris here.

Featured Artist is a post I do on Sundays. Find more featured sellers posted at the HHQ blog from past weeks here.

Handwork at my Happy House with kids all around

Hand work is all I can do these days. The kids are up all day and NEED my constant attention...sewing on the machine is out of the question during the day...then at night I can't get to the machine as hubby goes to bed so early...he's so tired...working 7 days a week...I wish I could ease his burden more!

It's such a stress reliever for me...crafting and stitching...I can just escape the crazy chaotic life I lead sometimes.

Flowers don't sass back at me when I tell them to clean up their toys, or help me sort and fold the laundry.

But flowers don't give hugs and kisses like my girls can.

This little pretty is a new design (just listed click here!) that might become one of the new kits available it's embellised with a brad by Amy Butler. Love them!

Sara's walking now...sigh...another milestone down and new childproofing to install. Pretty soon she will be climbing over the ottoman that i have up to barracade my computer off away from her sticky hands. She loves to touch the buttons...it's a toddler's job to explore!

Needle felting is so wonderful...the stabbing....the release of energy that goes through my body...especially during PMS days!!! Oh and so glad school is going to start on Tuesday...these girls are non-stop talking! I can't get a thought of my own into my head...it's all jumbled...mom, mama, mommy...all day long..I swear they seem to want me to know everything even how many tissues they use...geeesh! How else does a mom get a break if it's not with crafts and handmade items to sell. I get into the zone and loose myself...kinda like calgon of days gone by.

I just don't know what to do with this bone and dish...maybe write the word woof! and make it into an ornament? It's a true UFO today.


The Holiday ornament Threadibilities Craft Kit™ is almost ready to be listed...hooray! Something accomplished that might sell...so glad that sales are going back up again..I was getting discouraged...oh artists...we need such constant stroking of our fragile egos!


Now this little pink poodle is an idea from my girlfriend's little girl...her #2 DD and only 9 years old she did the designing...I hope she likes how it turned out.

WFMW Learn new things -Needle felting is my new love!!!

This weeks Works for me Wednesday post is all about me...I am working on balancing my spirit...so I do it with art...Needle felting is my new craft that I'm becoming passionate about...

Here is the story of my first landscape...

So it started out with yellow roving from WhimzyPinzy's shop at Etsy...then I layered the roving in opposing directions and needle felted it...

Added some colored roving on top and molded shapes and lines...

More Color, shapes...more shapes, outlined shapes in darker shades of same color...auditioned fibers...some worked others didn't...tried to imagine beading...will hold off for now though...

then started to stitch...and used chenille and pearl cotton...3 colors of green for the blades of grass and stems...

Simple stitching really...lazy daisy and straight stitching...it's so meditative!!! I sat outside in the cool summer day and pushed the kids on the swing while i kept stitching...visited with a friend and let the kids play...

So now what do I do with it??? I will probably mount it onto black wool felt...and maybe use it to adorn a book...journal, sketchbook or Bible cover...but that would involve more sewing and my sewing machine needs to go into the shop...boo hoo...

Well the final product is so pretty...I am really pleased with my first needle felted landscape...I have been very emotional this week...many stresses to be dealt with ...most of all woke up to a flat tire Monday morning after traveling 2 and a half hours to visit family...thank goodness the tire didn't blow out on the highway with all 3 kids, the dog and hubby sleeping in the car...times like that help me know Jesus is there looking out for me and all of us! This could represent my homage to Him...the almighty...the creator...

Life is Good...I am Blessed...I will find shelter in the storm.

To see other posts about wool or wool felting...click on this or search wool.

to see other WFMW posts search WFMW or click here.

To see other Art Therapy posts click here.

Art Therapy Feature- Does the environment make a difference for kids? (WFMW)

So it’s about the environment that we create for our children that will make a huge difference in their creative lives. The physical environment starts off with media available to them, media appropriate for their age group, I might add (I will post about the media range in future weeks/months…come subscribe to the RSS feed now and check back often).

Modeling the behavior is also part of the physical environment…do you create? Do you give yourself time to get messy and play with crayons, markers, clay, paint, colored water, needle and thread? Children’s brains work in such a way that they are very tactile…they learn by touching, seeing, doing. Their developing brains need constant stimulation to grow pathways that will enable them to achieve new abilities now and later in life. In the Alzheimer’s world it’s called “Use it or loose it!” well, with art, creativity and kids you are encouraging them to develop it, so they can use it and hopefully keep using it. If you are one of the many wonderful artists from Etsy then you are half way there!

Now, to establish their mental environment: It’s important to establish space to create. Space and boundaries can be established with lines drawn on the driveway with sidewalk chalk or with painter’s tape on the kitchen table. Use of a placemat or tray is also helpful to establish boundaries. Paper itself is a boundary of sorts but clay or textile work may need more effort to set up and put away. Yes, these are also physical ways of manipulating their environments but what you are also doing is un-cluttering their visual space. Once they have space to focus to task they are more apt to benefit from the time spent doing the activity.

What if you have siblings and a toddler keeps touching older brother or sister’s image? A common response is, “oh, Suzy just wants to do what you are doing”. That will only lead to the older child feeling under valued. When a child wants to create make sure you set up space for both or all children in the home. Art is like a magnet and if one leads, others will follow. Applaud the leadership of the older child to initiate the activity and ask the older child from the beginning to help set up space for both/all.

Reinforce boundaries, “this is your paper and that is Johny’s”. Be careful not to add your artistic touch to an image or creation without asking first too. They may allow it but they may also feel like they have no other choice as most kids want to please the parent. Respect, on all levels of creativity, will yield a happy, creative, well developed sense of autonomy and encourage positive sibling interaction.

It is common to hear that the older child wants to work with markers but the younger child is unable to refrain from drawing on their body and mom or dad would prefer crayons be used. Know this going into the process, and brainstorm what artists use and maybe get some higher-end crayons for the children. The older child will love that they are “artist” quality media and the younger child will be using developmentally appropriate media. Also have a crayon sharpener available to the older child for a chiseled tip, this too is a tool that they will value as special to their age and will allow for more precise line placement.

The spiritual environment is the space you give to their fragile and ever developing sense of self and self worth. Different age groups have different needs with this, sometimes it’s strictly through peer interaction but often times it’s the refueling they get from mom and dad that helps foster their sense of wholeness verses feelings of inadequacy. When your child draws or creates…do you hear yourself saying, “Oh honey, it’s wonderful, what is it?” This simple statement can be so earth shatteringly painful to their egos. All of a sudden what was simple expression and play has turned into function and value and performance…trying to please mom or dad, they respond with “It’s you”…or some other idea that pops into their head.

The time a child creates…the seconds of creation is when you will find out what the image expresses…not minutes after it’s completed. Spend time with your child while they create. Foster a dialogue with them about their use of color and stroke, how they choose to fill up space or choose to leave areas empty. Encourage them to project thoughts into the scribble or image…”if your picture could talk what would it say to you? What is it thinking? What does the painting wish they could do? What is the yellow color feeling?” Rather than asking them “what is it” remark about the shapes and juxtaposition of objects, balance of the image or asymmetry. Yes, I do use those terms with my kids since they were about 2 or 3 and drawing up a storm…it expands their vocabulary and provides words of value to what they create, rather than judging and providing expectations of performance.

Embrace the image whether it is pretty or not to your eye, the moment of expression is beautiful and that is ART! Support their process of creating through support of the environment whether the end result is a cherished keepsake or not.


Maybe you are just not crafty...or maybe no one encouraged your creativity when you were younger...look to kits to help guide you and your kids through exploration of new materials. Threadibilities Craft Kits(TM) are available at HappyHouseQuilts.com

I am a Master's Level Art Therapist. I will be writing articles about Art Therapy from time to time here at my blog. Find them quick by searching my blog for Art Therapy. Thanks for reading this lengthy post and come back soon.

For more works for me Wednesday ideas go to Rocks in my dryer
For more Works for me Wednesday ideas here at HHQ search WFMW

New Wool Items...loving circles...motherhood symbol?

The pink pokadot Hair Quilt(TM) is my first attempt at needle felting...love the technique!!! Highly recommend it to sublimate your frustrations!!! It's like a little voo-doo doll...but as someone said...you end up with something pretty and then you can share it through Happy House Quilts!!! Click on any image for a closer look!

This is listed at HappyHouseQuilts.com

Feedback is always welcome and appreciated...I'll be making a ton of these for my holiday craft fairs.

If you like any of these other French Barrette style Wool Hair Quilts...contact me and I will list them as well.

ALaine Designs - Featured Artist of the Week

Featured Artist is a post I do weekly on Sundays...come back each Sunday to see more amazing talent or search this blog for past featured artists.

Who are you?
I am Jessica. Stay at home mom to my beautiful baby girl and inspiration, Arden Laine. Formerly a higher education administrator, I took the plunge into motherhood and left that career behind for a new one.

What is your Etsy Shop Name?

A Laine Designs

What EtsyKids items do you specialize in?

Onesies, Toddler T's and Tote Bags. I have a large variety of stock designs but I love custom designs!

What do you like about Etsy?

I like the Etsy community. I like that it puts a high value on all things handmade.

What do you like about creating?

I used to be in a pretty fast paced environment that I had to use a lot of structured creativity in. I like now, that if I have a vision, I can just move forward with it. I like the outcome of the item. If I think it's especially cute or if I get good feedback on it.

What do you love about your business?
I love selling. I have always been a sales person. I remember going door to door at about 8 years old selling things I had made. Once, I went door to door selling these little pom pom things. They were 50 cents each. What a deal! I took orders for sizes and colors and delivered them a couple weeks later.

What is your favorite product right now?

The Twosie Tin is my favorite. Two onesies of any designs (stock or custom) in a cute windowed tin, tied up with ribbon. I think they are VERY cute

What makes you unique at Etsy?

I think there are a lot of people who do the same type of thing I do at Etsy. Looking into their shops, I see a distinct style from each of them. I think my designs have a style as well and that style is what makes me unique.

What makes you unique as a woman?

What makes me unique is my ability to identify with people on many levels. My experience in business, education, and as a stay at home mom have rounded me into a person that can see through many sets of eyes.

What do you love about Kids?

Well, I'm new to kids as mine is less than a year old. But there's something magical that happens when a kid learns something new or sees something he/she has never seen before. I love how kids explore their world.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?

I am exclusively at Etsy!!

*I* was pleased to learn more about ALaine's Designs and so happy to share...love the Chocolate brown onsie! Cute, Cute, Cute!

Find more Amazing artists from past posts!

BaublesAndBliss - Featured Etsy Artist

Featured Artist is a post I do weekly to highlight other artists that I share interests and inspiration with. Find more posts like this here.

Who are you?

My name is Meg. Im the mastermind/artist behind Baubles & Bliss.

What do you craft?

I make hand-beaded silver jewelry and rosaries featuring Swarovski crystals and other glass beads.

Why do you do this?

I do this because I can! 5 years ago I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and never thought I would be able to do much with my hands, but here I am! Each piece I make is a testimony of my remission.

What do you love about your craft?

I love that the pieces I design and create - are all original and beautiful. I live in a very diverse city. Keep Austin Weird is our city motto! My pieces also reflect that. Some may be ostentatious while others are simple. Each reflects my mood and personality at the time.

What is your favorite item(s) to make? Why?

I like to make bracelets best of all. I love to lay the beads out when Im designing. Its so exciting to see how a piece will end up. I work for a little while and then have a fabulous piece on my wrist. It's instant gratification.

What makes you stand out from everyone else?

My jewelry can be for either your fun, fashionable side or for your spiritual side. I make both to suit both sides of a woman.

Tell me something interesting about yourself...

Im an avid Bonnie & Clyde historian and collector. Weird little hobby, perhaps. My husband and I even were married at actual site of their ambush! Pictures are even in a book!

Where can I find you? (myspace, blogs, etc)

http://baublesandbliss.blogspot.com/

http://www.baublesandbliss.com/

What is your etsy address?

http://baublesandbliss.etsy.com/

Thanks so much Meg!!! I have to say that *I* love your Rosaries for the rear mirror! Did you like reading about this artist? Come and find more artists as I feature a new one each week.