Makers Brunch and Ecco dying

Makers Brunch...

The Bower Center for the Arts in Bedford is hosting a Makers Brunch Saturday with live music, Mimosas, food trucks and artists/crafters/makers.  Sounds like fun....10-3 Saturday.  I'm doing some ecco printing.  Hope to see you there.

Sophia's Birthday Books......

I've been making books for my granddaughter as a memory of her birthdays and the year that passed for Five years now.  Thought I'd share one of them with you. This was her 3rd party, Peter Pan.  I didn't take pix of the others or a couple of newer ones.

The books are always made of fabric and always begin with a page (above) about the party and the year.  They have the age, the theme, the address of the party ( in this case home).  Sophia always chooses the theme herself and refuses to change her theme once decided.  I include some notes about the prep and the party and I always add in things she said over the year that were wise or just adorable and in this case a picture of her singing Let it go from Frozen.  Very funny!

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Magic Story Boxes

My granddaughter Sophia is the greatest, but she gets too many toys for Christmas and Birthdays.  This is what I made her this year for Christmas.  The idea is she uses the decorated and filled match  boxes to tell her own stories.

This the case I made to keep them in.  The match boxes are not that sturdy and she's 3.

This is the inside of the case with the 4 completed boxes.  The left side of the case is a letter from me explaining how she should make up her own stories.  On the right side are 2 blank undone match boxes for she and her dad to make their own story boxes.

This is the fish tank story box with a fabric fish for her to name,

The dinosaur box with a fabric "Sophia-saurus".  The background on the back of the inside box is painted on watercolor paper, the outside of the box is covered in fabric with puffy paint and paper designs glued on.

Here are the doggy story box and the dolly match box.

Sweatshirt Makeover Class - March 5.......

   

                                                             Sweatshirt                                                 Makeover   Class

                       March 5, 11 am- 4 pm

                Bring a lunch, and sewing machine.

                                                     $35.00

                                            Limited space available.

                                            Call (540-204-6827) or stop in to register

                                      Supply list to follow registration
 After many requests, we're doing the sweatshirt makeover class on March 5.  Easy to do, can make a wardrobe piece from a casual piece.  Great for beginning sewers.

Made from Fabric from Nature....

These are made using the ecco dyed fabric and some rust dyed fabric (we will be rust dyeing also at the workshop).

Fabric From Nature......

                  Eco Printing Workshop, 
                       Hammersmith Farm, Glade Hill, Va.        
                                      October 8  

 Eco dyeing is the process of using only plants to imprint onto fabric thru a boiling bath process.  Not all plants work, but those with high acidity work beautifully.  Print transfer allows you to capture the exact or similar shape and color of a leaf, especially fall leaves, onto silk, linen, or cotton.

On October 8 Christine Arena, the owner of the 440 acre Hammersmith farm in Glade HIll and I are hosting an eco
dyeing workshop.  We will be utilizing the very old forest and all of the plants available for our palette.  After a brief walk to the remodeled tobacco barn on the property we will use our acquired plants to make a beautiful silk scarf and a sample fabric of linen and cotton.  While that is boiling away at the Tobacco barn, we will be transported back to the farm house for a delicious luncheon prepared by Cheryl Nylund.  After lunch it's back to dying with more leaf transfer  of another kind and preparing rusted object dying ( this technique takes a few days, so you will take it home with you to process).  This whole eco process is a bit like beautiful magic.

Cost for the day is $85.00 which includes all materials, fabrics, supplies, a delicious lunch  and a great time in a great place.  Call 540-204-6827 to register .  Mastercard, Visa,  Checks or cash.

 

      Dogwood Leaves on Linen 

Rose leaves and Eucalyptus on silk           

Below is the flyer for the event - It's really going to be fun.  Call me to sign up - I already have 4 people signed up, so don't wait, we have a space limit.  Hope to see you there.

                   

New in the Studio this week...   a few new displays....

Use of a SW Virginia hay rake as a hanging rack.

An old handmade carpenters box with hooks underneath as a focal display area.

                             

A ladder made of Franklin County tobacco sticks from the 1800's.

Rustic shelf, apothacary box, handmade treadle machine, boxes, child's wicker and other small items.

New classes beginning

April 17.

Email info this week.

 

New in the Studio this week.........

Some heavier jackets for that fall air that's coming soon.  Hand dyed, printed and embellished with vines.

This top is discharged (removing color) giving it an outstanding texture and look.

Golden Harvest colors in tunics.

Scarves in all sorts of colors.

Late Summer additions to the store.......Tunics are big, as are purples, plums, and magentas for fall this year.  

Vermillion Sign

The sign's hung and the store is open.  Vermillion features painted furniture, custom fabric design, workshops, art to wear, paintings and jewelry.  Stop in and see me when you're in the area.

Vermillion Studio opens

I'm finally open.  Not completely finished moving my studio in, but the majority of the front/store is stocked and ready to go.

More Fiber Studio Stuff

Adorable Laundry on the line.  Not mine, I hate doing laundry.

I love this knitted chair.  Love the legs too.

I love fiber and I love using up the left overs from other projects.  Cute, huh?