Out, Out, Damned Doubt

Trouble...

Oh, trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble

Feels like every time I get back on my feet

she come around and knock me down again

Worry...

Oh, worry, worry, worry, worry

Sometimes I swear it feels like this worry is my only friend

I woke up with this Ray LaMontagne song running through my head this morning. Other than fact that I love, love, love this song, it's words are tripping a trigger with me today.

What's to worry and fret about? Well, the truth of that matter is I'm no longer worried and troubled. I am just suffering the lingering effects of my last two worry racked days. I have been waiting to hear back about two proposals I put out within the last month. The first is the Rady Children's Hospital project, and the second is the Lark book proposal. Somehow I got it into my head that I'd hear about both of them on August 18. Finally, I looked over both RFPs on the 19th, and found out I'd hear about one through the mail beginning on the 19th, and the second, I won't hear about until the week of the 24th. So, worry and trouble be damned!!

Worry, fret and trouble go hand in hand with the Virgo personality, well, at least MY Virgo personality! It really is something that's "been doggin' my soul since the day I was born" Okay, it's out there now, another fun fact about me! Well, I know we all have days when worry and trouble get the best of us. It's just that the last two days have had me paralyzed by fear, and that's about the most counterproductive situation ever. So, get out Doubt. I've looked at you and talked to you. Now leave me be so I can get on with what needs to get done around these parts!

Side note about this post: Sorry about the weird line breaks... it's nothing I can figure out how to fix. Somehow the editing mechanism within this post is all messed up today. Must have something to do with all the worry and doubt. Well, get ready; I'm going to stamp it OUT!!

A Summertime Post

Here's a great message from Daily Worth that showed up in my inbox today. A perfect message for a lazy day. I think that's what I'm going to do today. Finish up a few beloved things, perhaps sit and knit for a bit, maybe take a trip back over to Paper Tales to visit their Junque and Trunk Show and Sale. Maybe I'll even splash out and whip up this fun Watermelon Pie, a perfect dessert for a summer evening... or for when special guests come to visit... like tomorrow night. My best friend is coming with her family... they are here visiting from Wisconsin. I can't wait!!!

A Time for Rest Our minds and bodies need rest. We're nicer, happier, more productive women when we feel rested. We see you nodding in agreement. In Italy and other parts of Europe, everyone stops working in August! While we in the U.S. don't embrace such luxury, we at DailyWorth toast the European tradition and encourage you to emulate it in any way you can. So here's your assignment for the rest of the summer: Take a few days off, sleep an extra hour, read a mag, go to the beach, drink an extra glass of Riesling — whatever relaxation means to you. So enjoy the dog days of summer, and get some rest!

Pincushion Friday at Paper Tales!

Make and Take a Sweet Pincushion this Friday from 5-7pm at Paper Tales!

Hooray! I am teaching this pincushion class again, but am adding a different color group for this class. You can choose to make a lavender bouquet or a hot pink bouquet of Itty Bitty Roses. I will have extra kits that you can purchase if you want to go home and make extra pincushions. The gift giving season is right around the corner... Hint, hint!

So, call over to Paper Tales, 619-222-2510 and sign yourself up! We'll have an action packed two hour class, a great way to start off the weekend. See you Friday!

A Gift For A Very Brave Friend

Well, I'm supposed to be doing lots of things around here except for what I am doing, which is to help take care of a friend. Sometimes certain things make all others pale in comparison, and this is one of those things. My sweet brave friend has breast cancer, and had a double mastectomy in June, followed by chemo. She lost her hair last weekend, which I think has been one of the toughest things of all because it somehow announces her plight for all the world to see.

I have decided that there must be a way for people who need to wear head scarves to find a very cute and fashionable solution. Sadly, after combing patterns on the web, it doesn't seem so. Plus, many of the patterns out there, while being pretty unfashionable, are costly as well. It seemed like the thing to do would be to design my very own cute chemo cap! So that's what I've been doing. I have made the first one, and here it is on me:

This Chemo Cap (bad name, I know) is perfect for the summer because the scarf part doesn't hug your head, and it has some gathers and tucks. It looks like you are just having a bad hair day. Then, the super soft Blue Sky Organic Cotton knitted band keeps the hat in place. You can tie it as snugly as you please. What do you think? Do you like the design?

There have been some design flaws, which I'm working out. Even though the back is very cute, I gathered the fabric together and added elastic. There turns out to be too much fabric, so the gathered bit puffs out too much above the bow. My revision includes cutting out sections of the fabric so there's not so much fabric to deal with at the back of the head. My friend also had long hair, so she wants fabric to trail down the back of the neck. I'm modifying the design to include that as well.

In any case, I love, love, love the combination of the Amy Butler fabric and the soft Blue Sky Organic cotton. I bought this lovely combination at The Grove, where Susan and Judy of judipatudi are working hard to put beautiful combinations of yarn and fabric together. It sure makes coming up with a design solution so exciting. I couldn't wait to get home and start knitting and sewing! My husband thought the fabric would be too busy for my friend, but when she saw the yarn and the fabric, she got so excited! Hooray! If I can give my friend a gift which makes her want to get up in the morning, and get dressed so she can feel pretty going out into the world, well, that's the best gift I can ever give, isn't it?

**Update: Please click this link here to view the perfected pattern, and this link here where you can purchase the pattern for yourself. Thank you!

And the Girly Giveaway Winner is.......!

Winner, winner, I'm so excited!!!

Flor Larious Art

... was pulled out of the hat this morning by my World of Warcraft playing son before suiting up and headed out for sailing camp. Hooray, hooray, for Flor! All you need to do is to get in touch with me so we can finalize a couple of girly details, along with your address so I know where to send off your girly prize :o)

I want to thank everyone who entered my First Ever Giveaway. Stay tuned because I might offer another one very soon, as this has been alot of fun! It was a great adventure to meet so many new bloggers out there. I tried to visit each and everyone's blog so I could see what YOU are all about, and I sure liked what I saw. Our blogging world is filled with the most interesting group of creative people, isn't it?! I really enjoyed 11 year old Sabine's blog, all about potatoes, well, sort of. She said she really wasn't very girly at all, and didn't like pink. Well, that's okay, Sabine. Just so you know, if you'd won, I'd probably made you something with purple beaded potatoes on it!!!

Nurturing Our Artistic Passion

Did you read "Eat, Pray, Love"? If you haven't, well, you should! It's an amazing book. This Ted talk by Eat, Pray, Love's author, Elizabeth Gilbert has made the blog rounds, but I thought I'd share it here just in case You haven't heard it or want to listen to it again.

What's your creative process like? Do you have an inner genius? Do you have a creative fairie who follows you about? How about a thunderous poem?! I love that part about the poet, Ruth Stone, and about how she caught her poem by the tail, and when she wrote it down, it was backwards. What a visual! But mostly, I was moved by the story about Tom Waits and how he took the bull by the horns and released his crazy creative genie.

Well, I'm not going to be daunted, or afraid over here. I showed up for my part of the job today. I put in my time, and I'm meeting my deadlines, and even though I may not be God-like today, I might be tomorrow. So, ole!

PS. Only two more days left in the Girly Giveaway, so send me your comments. If you win, the giveaway is going to be as girly as you tell me you are!

Girly Giveaway!

How Girly Are You?

(If you're a guy reading this, well, I'm sorry. But guys can be a little girly too!)

If you read my last post called 'A Few of What's New', you might've read all the way to the end of the post where I talked about the Girly quiz I took on Facebook. On the spur of the moment, I decided to offer a Giveaway for everyone who adds a comment to my post! It's my first ever Giveaway, and I'm all excited! All you have to do is to tell me how Girly are YOU! You don't have to take the quiz on Facebook, but if you do, please list your score. Sheesh, don't even worry about those dang quiz scores on FB, they are hardly ever right. Heck, I don't even know if I'm really 100% Girly, but sometimes I'm about 1000% Girly, especially when it comes to my sewing and crafting. The truth of the matter is that I always thought I'd be a mom of girls, but when God gave me boys, well, something had to happen with all that unlimited Girly-ness inside of me!

So, give me a holler, a jingle, or post a comment, heck! send me an email... so you can be added to the giveaway. I'm going to make the cutest, girlyest, needle felted something cutiepie. When I choose a name on Friday, August 7th, well, it might be you!! So, tell me; Just how much of a Girly Girl are YOU??!

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!

This One's For The Ladies

Finally, ladies, here they are! The photos from our fun Felted Birdie Pin class. We had a busy and fun class last (last) weekend at Paper Tales, and everyone's birdies came out beautifully!!

Holly and Nancy are a mom and daughter pair, one of two mom and daughter teams who took the class. I just love the mom and daughters, for the way they work together, and help each other out. Poor Nancy had only just found out she'd broken a bone in her hand two weeks ago. Holly and I were there to step in for Nancy when the needle felting became too much. Ouch, poor Nancy. I sure hope you're feeling better by now...

Sandra is a very accomplished crafter and doer and lover of all things handmade. She has had this fabulous shop called Under The Sun, and we keep running into each other for many Paper Tales events. It was a real treat to have Sandra take my class :o)

Mom and daughter team #2, Wendy and Diane arrived from the hot Arizona desert to cool off at the coast, and take in a felting class. How I wish I'd written down the name of their scrapbooking store in Phoenix. It sounds like such a fun place, with a great product mix.

Irene was a fast worker, and kept the group's pace up so we didn't fall too far behind with all the talking!

Lisa and I were the slowpokes of the group. Lisa was the careful worker, while I did all the talking. Well, okay, so I taught the class... But, I love that Lisa! She has attended every class I've taught. Pretty soon I'll be able to hire Lisa as a helper since she'll know all the tricks up my sleeve! You go, Lisa!!!

There were a few ladies who I missed taking pictures of (I'm sorry!), but you are here with us in spirit. How I wished I'd taken a group photo of all the Birdies. They were so dang cute!!!

Thank you Kiddlins!

Well, here's a spot to visit if you are into cutie pie kiddie clothes and more; kiddlins. I didn't know about kiddlins, but Shirlene contacted me to let me know she featured one of my birdie pins on her cute site. Good golly, you can find everything from the shoes to the clothes to the accessories to the furniture for your special wee ones on this site. Give kiddlins a visit and see if there's anything there you can't resist! (All I can say is that I'm glad my kids are teens now, so I can't be TEMPTED!)

I've Been Missing You...

... But it's not because I haven't been thinking about you! I've been putting a proposal together for the new Rady Children's Hospital, and my mind has been in the clouds of to-do's and what-if's. When my mind is in that location, well, there's just not much room for much else. But my proposal is wrapped up, CD'd, mostly all printed, and ready to be tied with a bow, ready for delivery tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me :o)

And next on the agenda; the Birdy Pin class pictures! So stay tuned...

Thinking About Weddings...

Well, it's been nearly 18 years since I married my sweetheart honey Greg, but I couldn't help but think about all the wonderful times we had planning our big day when I visited this fabulous wedding site, Once Wed. I love the premise of "Designer Weddings for Less", I love the recycled wedding dresses for sale, I love the homemade style invitations from Bird and Banner. I love the just picked bouquets from the sweet garden flower arrangements.

But what sent me over the edge was the DIY section, and particularly the Rustic Wedding Cake Stand. Okay, now THAT about makes me want to get married all over again! Either that, or have a Wedding Cake Party where everyone wears white and dresses up in flowy garden dresses... walking around and sipping champagne, eating slices of this yummy cake... sigh... Just how DO I get manage to get myself into these sidetracked situations?!

Okay, back to the real world...

I want to thank everyone who signed up to take the Felted Birdy Pin class tomorrow at Paper Tales. The class is full, with two people even coming over from AZ(!) to take the class. Wow, now that's needle felting dedication! I have received several requests for a class in Coronado, and will put my thinking cap on about where and when to schedule this. We could really have the class right here in my own back yard. I'll keep you posted about this. Be sure to let me know if you're interested (if you haven't already), so I can add your name to the list.

Just a side note about Once Wed... they are located in PA. Seems like all the cool stuff is happening out in PA... What's up with that?!

Needle Felted Bird Pin Class This Saturday!

Hello all, and Happy Summer to you!

It's a joyful day for me when it starts out with the birdies singing from the treetops. Well, that is, if they don't get going too early in the morning! I really cannot take the mockingbirds with their all night songs, but we're not going there now...

So, here's how you can put a singing bird in your heart, or at least close to it, with a sweet needle felted bird pin. I am teaching this class on Saturday, July 11 from 2-4 pm at Paper Tales in Point Loma. The cost for the class is $33, and includes everything for making up this pin

except for the foam needle felting mat and needle felting needles. Please bring your own, or you can purchase them from Paper Tales for a 10% discount on the day of the class. Also, I recommend a 3-5 pronged needle felting needle holder for flat felting. You can also purchase these from Paper Tales if you don't own one.

Here's the beauty of flat needle felting: You can make pins, or felt onto sweaters, or anything wool, OR, you can use flat felted sweeties to adorn about anything your heart desires! Think scrapbooking, flower vases, multi media canvas art... why, the sky's the limit!

So, call over to Paper Tales at 619-222-2510, and reserve your space today! Happy felting!

PS. If you are a Coronado resident, and are interested in a needle felting class held in Coronado, please email me, call me (I'm in the phone book), or leave a comment here. If I have enough interest, I will schedule a class here in town. Thanks!!

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

A Beautiful Blog to Visit

I just love this pendant, don't you?!

You can have a chance at winning it (me too!!) by visiting Cindy Wimmer's beautiful new blog, Sweet Bead Studio. To celebrate the revamping of her blog, she's offering THREE giveaways; two pieces of her beautiful jewelry, or a special jewelry tool. Check it out and leave a comment to be entered in her giveaway. You'll be glad you did!

Wow, I could spend an entire day just looking a people's beautiful blogs and reading up on what they are all about. I love looking at the artful photos, and seeing how they are marketing themselves out there in our big huge wide world. I never cease to be impressed by you all out there. You inspire me to do better each and every day.

Publication Update + New Horizons to Explore

Yes, the Sisterhood of the Traveling purses will have their 15 minutes of fame. They have been selected to grace pages in the Fall '09 issue of Haute Handbags, a Somerset Publication, on newsstands October 1, 2009. I am very excited about this development, and thrilled with this media vehicle for getting the word out about my handmade, recycled, repurposed and "green" art and crafts.

When the Editor originally told me my Mr. Cabernet Birdie Purse had been selected for publication, she mentioned the other purses would be placed in Altered Couture, another magazine they publish. Well, I quickly sent her pictures of my sweaters, and low and behold, the Traveling Children's Sweaters (Sisterhood and Brotherhood for both girls and boys sweaters!) will have their moment of glory as well. That publication will hit newsstands on November 1st. Just as well, because all the purses ended up going into Haute Handbags.

It's funny how things work out. I remember checking

out Altered Couture the last time we were at the Tattered Cover in Denver. I remember thinking how great it would be to have your artistic clothing featured in such a nice magazine. Well, the moral here is; be careful what you wish for, because it just might be the next thing down the pike for you!

Last, but certainly not least... I will be a part of a new gallery opening up on the corner of 3rd and Herr in Historic District of Midtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The HodgePodgery will be focusing on recycled, repurposed functional arts and crafts. I am thrilled to be involved with such a smart gathering of like minded individuals

dedicated to working with the existing resources we have in the here and now. PLUS, the fact that the gallery is located in a climate that supports the use of wool, NEEDS to wear wool... well that's just great by me!

So, if you are anywhere near Harrisburg, PA, and you are a supporter of things green and repurposed, stop into the HodgePodgery, and tell them that Val sent you! Then, be sure to give ME a report, because... well, I'm just so dang far away! How am I ever going to get to go in and see for myself what The HodgePodgery is all about?! I know it's going to be grand, and that Dawn and her daughter are going to do a marvelous job there. And, one day, I will go to see for myself what they are all about...

Kids Craft Along At Val's Art Studio

Jarret's "OctoSteve" A Big Success

It's summer vacation and that means lots of boys at my house on certain days. Sometimes the boys want to know just WHAT am I doing with the sewing machine, all the scraps of fabric, bits and fluff of roving and yarn about. The high intensity Ott Lights everywhere... what's it all about??? (It's about me being able to SEE what I'm doing with these old eyes!!) Well, Jarret, who's a friend of my 11 year old, Kyle, is quite handy and crafty himself, and was excited to get into the action. Hmmm.... how can I satisfy his curiosity, while still working and keeping my sanity, I wondered to myself.

Remembering a post a while back from Little Birdie Secrets, reminded me that there's a great child's project that can be suitable for nearly any age of child. Why, even adults can get into this. It involves making a drawing of a monster or a creep, or a fairy, whatever! And then cutting it up from felt, and sewing it into a stuffy toy. Well, Jarret drew up his OctoSteve in about 4 minutes. Coloring took another 8. (11 year olds get things done in no time flat!) With my sewing know how, we cut out the felt shapes and I sewed while Jarret stuffed. We finished OctoSteve in about 40 minutes! Jarret learned to sew on buttons, watched me work the sewing machine, and left with the know-how of making a stuffed creature from start to finish. THAT was about the best hour I've spent in a long long time!! Try one with your bored summer vacationer. Believe me, you'll both have a great crafty time!

Muchas Gracias, Mis Amores!

Thank you, Mari! And Happy Birthday to you!!!

Sweet Mari is having a birthday, and is offering a treat from Val's Art Studio as a gift to people who respond on her blog! Go check it out, and give her a response, and maybe you will be the winner of a colorful pincushion giveaway. Be sure to wish her Feliz Cumpleaños while you are there :o)

I met Mari in "blog land" via Marcia DeCoster's blog page. Mari and I have stayed in touch by way of our love for beading and all things handmade. Blog relationships are so special, and I'm thrilled to cultivate a relationship with you, whether you live next door, or half way around the world. Thank you, Mari, for your warm gift of friendship. And thank you too! For your readership, comments, and heartfelt wishes of goodwill... xo...

Welcome, Alvy!

Look who's come to live at my house! I am so very excited to meet Alvy. He is the most amazing needle felted creation by Jenn Docherty. Jenn is the guru of needle felted friends, and, for me, has been a leader in establishing the worldwide love for needle felted cutie-pies. Her techniques can be found in her book, Sweet Needle Felts.

Well, when Jenn posted that she was listing a few new friends in her ebay shop, I really didn't think one would come to live with me. It was just serendipity that I happened to remember checking out her listings when I thought the auction would be ending. Well, I checked in moments before the end of the auctions, and on a whim, decided to place a last minute bid. Whoa! and behold, the auction ended, and I was the winner of my favorite character, Alvy!!! And then, he arrived at my house this morning, in all his needle felted glory. We are happy, happy, happy that Alvy has a place of honor amongst all the wool and fluff in Val's Art Studio. We are making him feel right at home!

Fabric Excitement in The Studio

Sweet cheeks, good golly, oh my,

New fabrics have arrived to try.

A fun frolic here

A color splash there...

They make me so happy, I'll cry!

Okay, so yes, I'm excited about my shipments from Heather Bailey and Scarlet Fig. Some people are thrilled by cupcakes, others by puppies. With me, it's fabric. I've been known to develop quite a secret fabric stash. I like it because fabrics fold flat, and are easy to hide away under a bed or couch. A tidy Virgo like me can actually pretend they don't have a secret fetish about fabric, when it actually is lurking within many nooks and crannies around my house. (Shhh, don't tell Greg!) Then, when you use them, you really get to enjoy them in all their lovely colorful glory.

What's to become of these fun prints, you might wonder. Well, stay tuned, and you will soon see. Do you have a secret stash? Well, do tell! Part of the therapy is just in the talking about it... Have a color-printed day!