mold and moss brooch

 

I managed to finish up the brooch I was working on yesterday.  It's reminiscent of moss and mold, no?

 

I set it into a base I made out of a fallen poplar branch.  I left some traces of bark on the edge, and made the shape natural and organic-looking, but sanded smooth.  I try to make things that I would like to hold in my hand, and the combination of wool, stitches, and wood make it just that for me.

 

 I've put this in my shop already and hope to have a few more pieces on a more regular basis.  I'll be sure to blog about them here and mention them on facebook and twitter too.

We did get that freezing rain last night so we are hunkered down today.  The kids have a pile of clay on the counter and are making pizzas and bowls. (mmmm clay pizza... )

I have a cup of coffee and some pie.  (mmmm coffee and pie... )

I hope your weekend is cozy too.

shop update today

A little peek at what will be in today's shop update.  These will "go live" at noon, CST in my shop.

Thanks for looking!

lobster mushroom-dyed scarf

On Wednesday I gave you a glimpse at a piece I had just finished and today I'll show you what those folded layers of edible-looking pink were.  You might remember that back in September I had been dyeing wool and silk with lobster mushrooms, well this scarf is what came of that lovely fiber. 

I nuno-felted that soft merino wool into a layer of silk.  The resulting texture is nubby and mottled, and oh-so-interesting.  It's soft enough to be worn next to the skin.

The color varies and runs from mauve to fuschia.  In the spots where the silk bubbles up through the wool, you'll see a pale ballerina pink.

This is a shorter scarf but because it has some give, it can be tied once around the neck.  I've made a wool pebble brooch as a closure for it as well which allows the wearer to tie it in different ways.

I used all of my lobster mushroom-dyed fiber on this piece so there will be no others like it.

It amazes me what is possible with natural materials.  Granted, doing work this way is far more labor-intensive than grabbing a box of Rit and some polyester, but the results are so rewarding for me.  I have a piece that is unique and easy on the earth, but I also got to have the experience, the learning experience, from making it. 

This is why I do what I do, and oh how I love it.

This scarf will be in my shop shortly and I'd be grateful if you'd check it out, or share it with someone who might like it (any pink-loving mycologist/nature lovers out there?), because I'd love to be able to continue to do what I do.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.