A Video and The Dress

I hope you are able to enjoy the video. I do apologize, I know it's not easy to hear what's being said, or to take the slight wobble of my iPhone while taping. Ok, I might be good at needle felting, but videography is definitely not my strength! I was hoping Channel 6 News might put up a link so we can view the professional version, but I think we were a pretty small time news story. So, turn up the volume - all the way up - and turn off any distractions in order to hear our tiny mouse voices... And yes, that's the Dress. Though I think I might have put on a wee few lbs since I wore it on that promising evening. Such is the life, right?! Again, that professional photo quality... not my strength. Well, this is better than nothing!

And please say a small prayer for sweet Linda. She nearly didn't make the taping due to her poor dog being on his death bed. Bless her heart, she had to be cheerful for the camera, then had to head to the vet where she had to put her sweet Toby down. How she did this, I'll never know...

A Few of What's New

I have had a few very creative weeks as of late, and would love to share some of the "What's New" with you! Take a peek, and then take a moment and let me know what you think :o)

New for the Fall will be Women's Vests made from a combination of recycled felted wool, cotton designer fabrics and recycled fabrics. Here's the first one, titled "Peaceful". Each will be unique, one of a kind, only available in a One-Size-Fits-Most format. I am very excited about this development, and only hope I can manage to crank out several in time before the Holiday shopping season gets underway.

Most beloved and beholden (for me right now :o), a Book Cover Creation for an upcoming Needle Felting class at Paper Tales. Though it's been many years since I was an avid scrap booking person, I still have fondness in my heart for this creative endeavor. When Michelle and Diane asked me to come up with a book cover for the chipboard books they sell, it was an easy task to accomplish, and I loved creating this felted cover. The Needlefelted Book Class will be offered Sat, Sept. 19th from 2-4:30 pm. The cost is $58.00 with all materials included, except for the needlefelting mat and needles/needlefelting pen. (You can purchase these supplies on the day of the class at a discount) Sign up early since the class will be limited to 10 people! Call over to Paper Tales to enroll; 619-222-2510.

Oh, Nellie, will you take a look at this! This is a sweet creation is made from one of my very favorite old tablecloths. I took it out to use it last week, and low and behold, the patched hole in the very middle of the tablecloth had come apart, and was now a gaping Black Hole, ner' to visit the patching wand again... Just not able to bear putting it into the give away bag, I decided the tablecloth needed repurposing as something very sweet and girly. Add a singing needle felted bird, and voila! The most adorable girlie-ish dress (made from a top and a skirt) possible! Now on sale over at Austin's Gallery, but certain to not remain there for long!

On a side note, I took a quiz on Facebook called "How Girie are you?" My result said I'm 100% girlie. Now that didn't surprise me one bit! How about you? If you are on Facebook, take the quiz, and let me know your result. If you're not on Facebook, just let me know what YOU think your Girlie level is. I'll plan a drawing for everyone who comments, and the winner will receive one very girlie needle felted item from my shop. The drawing will take place Friday, August 7th. Good luck, Girlie girls!

Take a Sweet Peek

Sweet, Sassy, Sleepy...

=^_^= Hi there!

Perhaps you are a new visitor 'round these parts, and are a little curious about what goes on over here in Val's Art Studio. No sleepin' on the job! I am busy, busy, busy with the sewing, the creating, needle felting, thinking, drawing, painting, cutting, ironing, and the dreaming (most important step!).

Sassy critters, sweet singing birdies, crazy monkies, sleepy kitties... yep! You can find all that and more 'round here. What's most exciting is that they are all finding a home on recycled

and refashioned wool sweaters. The rounding

up of the old throw-away sweaters (coming mostly from donations and my special sweater shoppers- Thank you!!) is a very exciting part of the process. Open up a box postmarked "Colorado", and low and behold, warm and cozy woolens! Open a box from Aptos, Ca, and I might discover the finest of Japanese sweater cast-aways. Ohhh, what to make? What to do??

Toss them into the washer, and a spin in the dryer. Here they come, transformed like magic into a whole new being; felted! Off to sit and be pondered, then under the sewing scissors,

where the old sweaters become a new sweater, or maybe a purse, or a cuff, or a pillow...No one knows for sure, certainly not me! But soon they are transformed, and then they are whisked along to be placed under the needle- ...The needle felting needle, that is! Roving, fluff, yarn, embroidery floss. It may cause a stir and a sneeze or two, but what emerges is definitely a pleasure and a cause for a smile.

When you are in San Diego, take a visit to the lovely beach resort town of Coronado (just over the bridge), and stop in and take a look at my needle felted art creations at Austin's Gallery. Let me know if you need directions, or a suggestion for lunch or a spot to sip a glass of wine. You can generally find me at Austin's on Friday mornings between 11 and 2. I look forward to meeting you one day soon :o)

*Please visit this post for a more recent update. Thank you for your interest in what I do!

xx
Val